Why is it so hard for small business owners and independent professionals to make the sale? I think we’ve forgotten the basic building blocks of two-way communication that allow a sale to take place. We’re looking for the Holy Grail of techniques that will bring in more business. A silver bullet sales process. The perfect close. A sales letter that will attract droves of new clients. A software program that automatically sells your service with a touch of a button. Read more (members only)

My wife and I were driving home from a camping trip when we pulled up behind a car and I noticed an array of bumper stickers. I couldn’t quite make out what message the owner was trying to get across. My wife picked it up right away — they were isolationists. Read more (members only)

Happy holidays to everyone. I can’t tell you how many folks I’ve talked to over the past few weeks who said, “Boy, am I glad this year is over!” More than ever, people are wanting to move forward, take stock of themselves, and look to the future. It’s a a terrific time to “stock your shelves” with an inventory of your unique skills. Read more (members only)

One of the most powerful ways to gain more exposure for your business is to offer your services as a public speaker. Public speaking can help grow your business quickly by building your visibility and credibility at the same time. Read more (members only)

Remember the Phil Collins song “Follow You, Follow Me?” I’d like to add one more line to those lyrics — follow up! Imagine that over the next five days, you were to meet five people who have the potential to immediately: 1) give you a lead, 2) do business with you, Read more (members only)

Sometimes my quest for just the right information can completely consume the day. I find myself spending hours searching for the answer to a crucial question, seeking out a product to solve a business problem, or looking for an expert who can tell me what I need to know. Read more (members only)

You’ve decided to take the plunge and make networking a regular practice. You’ve picked the organizations or events where you want to go, and you start to meet people. You’re doing a good job of breaking the ice with a creative opening line or two, but then what happens? Read more (members only)

I love to look at company websites. There’s a great deal of value to be found from web surfing that you just can’t get from many other places. You can become educated, entertained, smart, motivated, or even happy. Heck, you might even get all of that from one website! Read more (members only)

In a previous article, The Pop Quiz You Need to Pass, I talked about three simple questions you must be prepared to answer any time you speak with a prospect. One of these three is: “How will I benefit by using your services?” Read more (members only)

In a previous article, The Pop Quiz You Need to Pass, I talked about three simple questions you must be prepared to answer any time you speak with a prospect. The first of these three is: “What can you do for me?” Read more (members only)