Author Archives: shortcuts
Sell Like the Celebrity Salesman
The late Billy Mays could teach us all a few things about selling. We saw him on TV infomercials selling OxiClean, Mighty Putty, the Awesome Auger, and more. Billy Mays made millions of dollars because he understood how to Bally … Continue reading
Conserve Marketing Budget; Develop Marketing That Sucks
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not advocating bad marketing as a way to conserve budget dollars. Good marketing — really good marketing — could be marketing that sucks. Try this and you may find yourself enjoying more sales for less … Continue reading
You Can Make Money in a Recession
Of course you can make money in a recession. That’s not really a question. You’ll most assuredly make SOME money. The real question is: Will it be enough? You’ll be happy with the answer to that question with the right … Continue reading
The Cause of Death by Selling
It has almost become a movie cliche. The bad guys capture our hero, and they want information. Our hero (think “Indiana Jones”) knows that if he gives them the information they demand, they’ll kill him. Instead, he concocts a plan … Continue reading
Kathy Cox and the Million Dollar Lesson Plan
Kathy Cox appeared on the Fox TV show, “Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?” and failed to prove that she is smarter than a fifth grader, despite being the first contestant to take home the one million dollar top … Continue reading
The Enemy of Marketing is Here
Do you leave customers breathless and begging for an encore, or fuming and screaming, “No more!”? How do you know… for sure? I had almost finished a glorious shopping experience at one of my favorite stores. The shelves were stocked … Continue reading
The “Thanks for Your Time” Crime
It happened again, but I’m not surprised. As the insurance salesman was wrapping up our meeting, he shook my hand and said, “Thanks for your time.” I thought to myself, “What a crime.” He was being polite, and I welcome … Continue reading
What Sales People Need in a Down Economy
It takes something special to sell in a down economy. Unless sales people are properly equipped, it’s easy for them to get discouraged and give up, perhaps before they even get started. When salespeople stop selling, falling revenues eventually cause … Continue reading
This Country Walks With Crutches
After taking my order, the young man behind the register announced, “That’ll be $6.96.” I handed him seven dollars and a penny. The puzzled look on his face made it clear he had no idea what to do with that … Continue reading
How to be Politically Inept this Christmas
There, now it’s out there; the “C” word, Christmas. Somehow it’s become politically incorrect to wish others Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa or anything that suggests a belief system. Well, I’ve decided to forgo political correctness at the risk … Continue reading