In December it gets way too dark, way too early (at least in the northern hemisphere). Here in Chicago, the sun sets around 5:00 and then it's a long, cold night. And the days themselves can be pretty grey. It's not very motivating. Then you add in the busyness and distractions of the holiday season, and it can be hard to focus and find motivation. Especially when you get to the week between Christmas and New Year's Day. Too often, I see people just bounce around like an aimless pinball during that week. They're half-in and half-out of business mode, half-in and half-out of relaxation mode, and 100% not-engaged in anything. So … [Read more...]
The Sales and Marketing Alignment Program You Need to Know: This is How You Get Them Working Together
When the topic of "sales and marketing alignment" comes up in a room there tends to be one of a few reactions by the sales and marketing leaders who are present. The "sure sure, yeah yeah" head bob. - "Of course creating alignment is important in this customer-first, connected environment! We must do everything we can to bring sales and marketing together"... and then they go back and things continue as usual "We're just not ready for making this kind of shift." There's agreement that a change needs to be made, but it's not a crisis so it gets no organizational attention. "This is just some BS that people talk about on that … [Read more...]
Create Massive Leverage with the Last Week of 2017: 12 Experts Show You How to Master 2018 Now
Early in my career, I had a mentor that shared one of the secrets of happiness as a business owner: "When you're working, work. When you're not working, don't work." That might sound obvious, but the week between the holidays is an easy opportunity to not live by that credo. It can be challenging to approach the last week of December the same way you approach the rest of the year, but that doesn't mean it has to be wasted. I collected ideas from some of the top experts out there on how you can use this week to skyrocket your 2018, even before it happens. Escape the Black Hole between Christmas and New Year's It can be tempting to … [Read more...]
Stop the Sniping and Start the Loving: The Simple Steps to Sales and Marketing Collaboration
"He doesn't understand how hard I work on this!" "Her expectations are impossible to meet!" Have you noticed that the complaints that sales and marketing teams have about each other sound just like two partners in a dysfunctional marriage (or at least a pretty strained one)? When Sales and Marketing Argue, the Customer Loses This contentious relationship between sales and marketing is not a new thing. It's been common for sales teams to complain that marketing doesn't provide good leads, or that they aren't held accountable for results. The marketing crew snipes right back that sales people don't understand the challenge of getting … [Read more...]
Are You a Salesperson Who Hates Writing? Here’s How to Still Create Powerful Content
We live in an information-soaked world right now. It used to be that articles were only found in magazines and newspapers, but now anyone (and any company) can start a blog and start writing. "Content marketing" has become a key tool for companies trying to capture shares on social media and better Google rankings through their articles. And professionals trying to share their personal brands have also jumped on the bandwagon. But what about content marketing for people who aren't writers or marketers? In talking with many salespeople and entrepreneurs, I hear a lot of push back against creating content. They say that it takes too … [Read more...]
Create Massive Leverage with the Last Week of 2016: 15 Experts Show You How to Master 2017 Now
Because I’ve been in sales and entrepreneurship my entire career, I have a slightly skewed view of the last days of the year. While my friends and family were often taking days off to calmly wind down the year, I’d usually be neck-deep in spreadsheets and napkins full of sales projections. Of course, that is if I wasn’t desperately trying to find a prospect who was in their office so I could hit my year-end numbers or get a head start on my goals for the next quarter. You've probably had some similar experiences. As I continue to work with sales professionals, business owners, and entrepreneurs, I’ve found just how important this … [Read more...]
Innovate Like Edison – Michael Gelb and Sarah Miller Caldicott
This article was originally published a few years ago at the RockStar Success Library. I read my first book about Thomas Alva Edison when I was in the third grade. I remember being just as fascinated by his middle name as by the long list of his discoveries. Even though I still think he has a very cool middle name, I’ve moved past that to appreciate the unique impact he still has on our daily lives almost a century after his inventive peak. Innovate like Edison takes a unique approach to looking at the inventor’s life. It’s not so much concerned with the list of inventions that he was responsible for, or even his individual genius, … [Read more...]