More and more companies are making it mandatory to submit online job applications. Even if you have been introduced to the right person and have already provided them with a dynamite resume you still may be asked to apply online. Although new technology is making the process increasingly user friendly, it is still easy to […]

Why in the world would I be reviewing a book that’s been on the market for more than 15 years?  Why not stick with far more recently published items? 
Legitimate questions.  Ones I asked myself when I began to think seriously about writing a review of the book.  I had read the book a number of […]

Like many salespeople and small business owners, I find staying focused during prime selling hours to be difficult.  As a sales trainer, coach, and consultant, my days are filled with activities that try to pull me away from selling.  Yet, like every other company, selling is the life blood of my business—its what keeps the […]

In conjunction with the release of my new book, SuperStar Selling: 12 Keys to Becoming a Sales SuperStar, at the end of the month, I’ve launched a new website at http://www.thetwelvekeys.com. 
The book is an in-depth, step-by-step guide to creating a personal sales and marketing plan that will take a salesperson, professional, or business owner from […]

I have been asked many times by clients, “can the look of my resume really make a difference in whether I get an interview?” The answer is always, “yes”. Again, I say “yes”! Why do looks matter so much when it is the content that should sail you through to an interview? In theory, only […]

Every salesperson has heard that referrals are by far the best prospecting and marketing method in existence.  Yet, very few salespeople actually get very many high quality referrals. 
Some manage to get a name and phone number here and another there.  A few will manage to get several.  However, most of these “referrals” are worthless–just names […]

Earn the Right to do Business with People
by Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE
One successful young man I interviewed at a financial planners’ meeting told me, “I used to be in another industry. I went into financial planning when I was thirty-three years old, joining my father’s small firm. He’d been in the business for years, but […]

When you decide to look for a new job it can be daunting trying to figure out where to focus your search for the perfect job. Sending out your resume to any company and assuming you’ll find a job immediately is probably pretty unrealistic. Researching the industry and companies you are interested in will help […]

Sales leads.  Coveted by salespeople—and equally hated by them. 
Having worked in sales all my life, first as a salesman, then in management, then as sales trainer and consultant, I’ve had the opportunity to see sales lead generation from all perspectives, especially from the view of the salesperson and their immediate manager.
Salespeople love leads.  They crave […]

Rick’s client was somewhat uncomfortable with his request.  The sale had gone well enough—everything considered.  There was the matter of the small overcharge on the invoice, but Rick took care of that within minutes of the discovery.  And there was, of course, the issue with the programming that required an additional visit by the technician, […]