A lot of people think that sales are intentional. I will sell this product to that person. So what happens? A salesperson naturally thinks he or she must take action, that they have to do something to someone. They almost always start by making a pitch. They pitch while making cold calls, at networking events, [...]
The Sales Pitch, Take 1
I listen to sales pitches all the time. This one, though, was a bit different. “Do you speak English?” The man who approached me looked familiar, but I couldn’t place his face. “Do I speak English?” I asked. I didn’t try to hide the fact that I was annoyed. He threw up his hands. “I’m [...]
Solve the Right Problem
The way I see it, most big companies have two problems. The first is the problem itself – poor customer service, me-too products and services, uninspired marketing, miserable employees, and layers of bureaucracy. The second problem is that they solve the wrong problems. More often than not, companies focus their energy on improving the current [...]
Problem Solving 101
Abraham Lincoln was fond of riddles. One of his favorites: “How many legs will a dog have if you call the tail a leg?” Most people, of course, thought that the answer was five. Lincoln always replied that the answer was four, not five, because calling a tail a leg doesn’t make it a leg. [...]
