In Japanese culture, there is a cultural practice to avoid causing others to lose face. In business meetings, this often means that objections are not raised, and decisions are made apparently without a thorough discussion. While this is what appears to an outsider, the reality is far different. The Japanese [More]
While PAR 3 might have special meaning for golfers, it is actually the name of a great framework for describing your experience. It can be used in sales presentations, group status meetings, brochures and web sites. PAR stands for Problem, Action, Results. Rather than describing what you did (the "Action") [More]
Every organization focuses on profit first, right? While this is true for the corporate world, it usually isn't true in the not-for-profit sector, nor in government. These organizations typically have many different stakeholders, including the communities they serve, donors, regulators, media, and special interest groups. And the goals of these [More]
You're about to meet a new sales prospect, or interview a new supplier. Or, you're about to meet a new company, and you know very little beyond their name and industry. How can you find out more before you find yourself in front of them? There are four basic techniques [More]
If you had a choice to be paid either $500 or $1000 for a service that you delivered, which would you choose? Most of us would choose the greater amount; after all, if we have to do the work, why not be paid as much as the market will bear? [More]
There is no shortage of books, experts, websites, and computer programs that purport to tell you how to achieve professional (and also personal) success. They exist because of the market's insatiable appetite for self-improvement. When you examine them closely, the vast majority have two things in common: Success will be [More]
Have you ever been in a sales pitch, job interview, or other important meeting, and the person you are meeting asks you if there is anything else you would like to say, or ask? How should you approach this situation? Essentially, you have three choices: say nothing, say something new, or [More]
How can you do better at job interviews? It's not about being "lucky", nor is it about winning a beauty contest, it's about preparation, presentation, and perseverance: Fish where the fish are: Only apply for those positions where you have a strong chance of success. Energy wasted with pointless applications [More]
Did you reach your quota? Have you completed that report? Did you win your case? How many people did you serve today? While you might be measured on different criteria, there is one common thread: each of these statements focuses on results. And focusing on results... results in, well, results. [More]
Sales managers use an interesting description for their salespeople: they are either farmers or hunters. Farmers sell more by cultivating existing relationships, while hunters sell more by developing completely new ones. Most people don't think of themselves as salespeople, but in truth, everyone has at least one thing to sell: [More]
Each week, get Randall’s 60-second nugget on translating digital knowledge to action. Curious? Read 600+ past articles.
Δ