Category Archives: Words Matter
Why do Words Matter so Much?
Words Matter. Undoubtedly you’ve heard this thought expressed numerous times and in different ways. When we hear 2 different ways of communicating the same idea, our reaction can be very different—primarily due to the words chosen. One may really engage us, another that expresses the exact same thought could upset us. And a third way could gender thinking and make us remember what was said. In his recent book, To Sell is Human, Daniel Pink provides several examples of when words make a difference—and perhaps, more importantly, he explains why. Continue reading
5 Reasons Politicians Can’t Connect With Voters
Perhaps Mark Twain said it best, “Reader, suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself.” Congress is experiencing its lowest approval ratings ever. Moreover, folks don’t seem to be too excited … Continue reading
Impact Words
I love words—which is great being in sales for I get to use them all the time. Words are powerful–they can be emotionally charged and they can help you create a mental picture for your customer. When you are planning … Continue reading
Using Simple Words
Keep It Simple, Salesperson! That was a well quoted mantra when I started selling. It still rings true today but I wonder how often we remember to follow that advice. I recently had the opportunity to work with two reps … Continue reading
Planning Continuum
It always amazes me how little attention, time, and effort people spend on planning. And I’m not talking about life goals—though I feel that is a valuable endeavor. I’m referring to how to define and set goals daily, for every … Continue reading
Practice, practice, practice!
In his book Outliers The Story of Success, Malcolm Gladwell makes the assertion that you need about 10,000 hours to become masterful at anything. To be truly expert does requires an enormous amount of time. Gladwell cites studies done by neurologist … Continue reading
Wouldn’t you agree?
“Wouldn’t you agree?” This is verbiage that sales people often use when talking to customers and prospects. In my opinion, this represents an overused phrase that does not bring about the desired results—neither more sales nor active engagement of your … Continue reading
5 Rules for Connecting with Customers
It helps to keep things simple. Yes, you should read books and learn all you can about what you can do to excel in your chosen profession. But sometimes I think we go overboard and make things more complicated than they really are. If you are in sales, for example, it won’t hurt to read books on how to build business relationships or connect with customers. Continue reading
Communicating Better
On a recent flight, I read an article in the in-flight magazine in which the writer (Katherine Dudley Hoehn) talked about a lesson she learned about how to communicate better. Her “insights” matched with what I’ve been advocating for years … Continue reading
Your Product Story and Imagery
“There is a big difference between a green sofa and an overstuffed chair with arms that come up to your ears when you sink into it with a child in your lap.” [Dave Lakhani. Persuasion: The Art of Getting What … Continue reading
