The attitude required for sales
In my early twenties, I ran a business working with children with autism. Autistic kids often lack the social standards that we take for granted. They rely on their felt-sense of those around them – their intuitive feel for the attitudes held by others – in place of social niceties. We all sense other people’s […]
Specialization is for insects
Selling is interesting to me because of who you become through learning to ask for what you want. And, like selling, there are a handful of important life skills that everyone should try. While these activities are useful, they are also meta-skills, with application beyond the specific activities themselves. Surfing Practice failing Surfing comes with […]
Selling is a creative act
I was in Texas recently to help a client redefine their brand. My agency, Zander Media, was hired to learn about the client and help them distill a new organizing idea. The team and I had done a lot of preparation, but I was still nervous. We had promised the client a new organizing principle […]
Why you should focus on a single customer
You’ve probably heard that you should focus on a specific type of customer or prospect. I’ve always found this to be a struggle because I don’t want to work with just one type of client! I like a lot of people and want my business to serve a variety, as well. Today’s article is about […]
How to sell video production
I sat down with a Snafu reader recently who runs a one-man video production company. In the five years I’ve been building my own agency, Zander Media, we’ve been in the fortunate position of handling inbound work, not cold calling prospects. I still have a lot to learn about selling video production. Today’s newsletter is for […]
What’s in their best interest?
I recently started dating somebody new. She’s a fellow athlete, owns her own business and I’m quite excited. Unfortunately, it’s unclear if she’s available for the kind of relationship that I want. The solution is to want what is best for the other person, even over what you want for yourself. And this is true […]
How to practice cold calling
Two friends of mine recently started a new business, which we’re affectionately calling BookBook. It is a digital platform that allows users to display their favorite books. The platform would display the spines of books, just like I do on my physical bookshelves. And the collections would only feature collections of books, like my favorite cookbooks […]
How to get over rejection
I just read an interview in the New York Times about what it’s like to be a sociopath. The subject of the interview, Patric Gagne, is preparing to publish a book called Sociopath: A Memoir. The article highlighted that I am not a sociopath because I care deeply — often too deeply — what other people think of […]
The difference between marketing and sales
I taught a workshop a few weeks ago for a handful of entrepreneurs who wanted to get better at selling. I asked attendees what they thought of when they heard the word “salesman.” I expected answers like used car salesmen and telemarketers, but instead attendees described the challenges of creating social media content. I realized […]
The car salesman bias
Most consumers are leery of car salesmen. And that’s understandable because car sales usually means a lack of price transparency, a high price tag, and pressure. As soon as I walk into a car dealership – and I’ve purchased more than my share of used cars! – my hackles rise up because I’m approached by […]
The three pillars of selling
What do you think of when you hear the word “salesman?” I think of the Wolf of Wall Street, the movie Glengarry Glen Ross or a used car salesman. My first thought is of someone who will stop at nothing to get what they want. That’s unfortunate because we are selling to each other all the time – […]
How to sell without a network or connections
In 2016, I was given an amazing opportunity to take ownership of a global community called Responsive.org. After running my first ever business event early in the year, I decided to create my first business conference, Responsive Conference, 9 months later. I’m a circus performer. I had never attended a business conference, not to mention produced one, […]
How to tell a great story
I’ve told the story of starting Robin’s Cafe with no experience and selling it on Craigslist hundreds of times. What’s funny is I’m actually most proud of the culture we built behind the counter, the amount of learning I went through in learning to operate the cafe, and the role the cafe played in creating community in […]
Why we’re afraid to ask
Last week, I wrapped up a two and a half million dollar fundraise! That is, by far, the most money I have ever tried to raise. One of the issues I had to face was my fear of the close, of asking the question, “Would you like to invest?” It is one thing to tell […]
Everything Is Sales & You’re Doing It Wrong
Everything in life is sales. From inviting your child to do her homework, to deciding where to go for dinner, to encouraging a colleague at work, the situations we encounter daily are filled with the dynamic of sales and persuasion. And, unfortunately, most of what you know about sales is wrong…