How Much “Envisioning” Should You Do?
BK, MN, BB, and I were talking about mergers and how companies are managed afterward. The doomed AOL/Time-Warner combo (and split earlier this year) came up. This got very quickly into the question of how much forward thinking a CEO should do.
READ MOREWho Pays Attention to Big Business?
A recent study found that 2008’s media coverage of the financial crisis was all about big government and big business. Small-business issues merited just 5 percent of the total. Newspapers and magazines and television experts were almost entirely focused on the auto industry, bank bailouts, and stimulus plans. And most…
READ MOREA Classic Success-Thwarting Mistake
I sent a memo to a client last week, telling him about a clever advertising campaign that one of his competitors is using. I had inside info that the competitor is making a lot of money with it. My client’s response was to tell me what is wrong with what…
READ MOREReflecting on Freedom
Just about everyone claims to be in favor of freedom. But few seem to agree on what it means. One person’s idea of freedom can actually violate another person’s freedom. To one person, it means doing what he wants with his own life. To another, it means doing what he…
READ MOREPersuade Everybody About Anything by Adding a “Pitch”
If you want people to do as you wish, don’t tell them, sell them. This is a simple rule that applies to almost any situation. I not only use it in my advertising copy, I use it to persuade my:
READ MOREDon’t Walk Away With Nothing
Important Sales Insight: People often feel guilty about saying “no.” After you’ve spent time trying to persuade them to buy something, they feel bad about just saying “no.” They may say “no,” but there is lingering guilt for having wasted your time.
READ MOREThe art of criticism the skill of praise
How can you get your key employees to quickly develop the skills and talents they need? How do you get them to understand what you understand? In short, how do you get them to succeed? These people can make your future immensely richer, fuller, and happier. But much of what…
READ MOREA Great Sales Letter Formula
Last month, I spent less than one hour adapting a simple one-page sales letter to be e-mailed to 215 people who’d recently done business with one of my clients. The e-mail was simple. Basically, it said: “Thank you for your recent purchase. Now I’d like to give you preferential pricing…
READ MOREIt Ain’t No Sin to Use Bad Grammar
Depending on your product and your target audience, using improper English in your sales copy may make it work better. The trick is to really know your prospect. Actually picture him or her in your head. Then pretend you’re having chat with that person while you write. A “conversation” with…
READ MOREDo You Think Managing Is a Waste of Time?
According to most “serial business builders,” bad hiring and firing decisions are among the most serious mistakes entrepreneurs make. These include: 1. Not spending the time and energy to recruit the very best employees 2. Not paying close enough attention to an executive’s performance 3. Waiting too long to fire…
READ MORETraining Your Employees for the Big Race
One of the most important business skills is almost never talked about. It is speed. In Ready, Fire, Aim, I explain that the faster you get good ideas to the marketplace, the better your chances of succeeding. And the faster you can get almost anything done, the less it will…
READ MOREWhen to Tell Your Customers about Your Weaknesses
Twenty-five years ago, when Jay Abraham and I were relatively young men in this business, we shared the tips and techniques we discovered. He’d give me his best new idea. And I’d give him one of mine in return. One of the ideas he shared with me was already an…
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