Rick Demko

What Came First? Window Tinters or Therapists?

2012-02-03T15:58:21-06:00

Don't let anyone fool you, there is no such thing as an easy window to tint. This is coming from someone who began installing sun strips in 1998 before moving to automotive window film application shortly after. However, I didn't always have that mindset.

I remember a tinter in Phoenix that I was buying some vinyl film from (before metalic was the way to go) who made me completely re-think my mental approach to hanging film. I hadn't had a distributor connection yet so I was still bothering window tint shops to buy my film (Auto Zone film fades horribly fyi). He was tinting a vehicle I'd done several times that had a flat piece of glass on the hatchback and I made a comment,

"Love seeing those, it makes the car pretty easy." He replied with, "No car is easy."

Before that moment my covered window to scrap ratio wasn't tremendous. After a well-seasoned professional made that comment to me, I took it upon myself to never take another piece of glass for granted. Taking special care with each cut of my blade and swipe of my squeegee, my profit shot through the roof! It's okay to be quick, just be precise and remember that every window is a challenge; quite often a frustrating challenge.

So what makes window tinting so difficult? Insert life lessons you'd likely hear from your father.

If it were easy, everyone would be doing it.
Measure twice, cut once.
Stay calm and collected, even when things don't go according to plan.
It's never perfect, learn to deal with and adjust when things don't go your way.
Knowing when to apply pressure, where and how much is always going to be a battle.
Do it right the first time and you won't have to do it a second time.
Always be learning.

Ultimately, window film application can be a roller coaster of emotion. Certainly there are periods, when just like in life, you've achieved a certain level of aptitude and skill that you run on autopilot. There are days where my razor blade is always sharp, the heat gun works perfectly, my hand is steady, I'm agile and able to maneuver in tight places, I'm happy and things just seem to go my way. However, You learn the most about yourself when you struggle.

If window film application were a cocktail it would be 1 part art form, 1 part manual labor, stirred with life lessons, garnished with respect, and served to the delight of your customers when they see their vehicle again.

Anheuser-Busch Shakes Up Their Brands

2012-02-01T18:57:23-06:00

I could make a very solid argument that even though the "big three" still own over 90% of the market share of beer sales in the United States, we're on the brink of a beer revolution. We are on the cusp of having as many breweries as we did pre-prohibition, finally. (Mississippi is struggling to contribute, but visit these guys for that story)

Soon the rest of the country will be able to try several new releases from the beer giants as they try to take all market share from the little guys that we love. Being an equal opportunist when it comes to my taste I always welcome new innovation and fresh styles of beer. Last weekend I was offered a sneak peek of two of the new arrivals.

Anheuser-Busch is aiming to break out of its longtime status as a tailgating staple and step into the nightlife scene with Bud Light Platinum, a new higher-alcohol-content offering.

AB InBev describes Bud Light Platinum as having a slightly sweeter taste and more alcohol than Bud Light. According to their third-quarter earnings report, the beer is "a trendy blue-bottle line extension that appeals to a key group of beer drinkers and expands consumer occasions."

The newest full-time addition to the Shock Top family, Shock Top Wheat IPA is a unique hybrid style that brings the refreshment and smoothness of a wheat beer and marries it with the crisp, hoppy bitterness of an India Pale Ale (IPA).

To create the new beer, brewmasters started with Shock Top’s signature recipe, adding citrusy Cascade and Magnum hops and dry hopping the beer for several days to give Wheat IPA the rich, hoppy aroma that is the signature of IPAs. Containing 5.8% alcohol by volume (ABV), Shock Top Wheat IPA will be sold nationwide in six- and 24-packs of 12-ounce bottles and on draught and I'm ready to rock with this one.

“Wheat beers and IPAs are among the fastest growing styles of beer, and as we look to build the Shock Top family, we wanted to try our hand at developing a hybrid of these two styles and make it available to beer drinkers across the country,” said Jill Vaughn, brewmaster for Shock Top. “Shock Top’s smooth, wheat malt base provides great balance of flavor to the citrusy hops – giving Wheat IPA a rich, hoppy flavor that’s very drinkable and refreshing.”

I can honestly say that I'm looking forward to drinking more of both these contenders. I went in with an open mind (I was really looking forward to the IPA) and can say that both really intrigued me. I'm looking forward to seeing if these will have more staying power than Anheuser World Select did. RIP

The Only Way to Become a Business Rock Star

2012-01-31T20:15:00-06:00

Natural talent only takes you so far. This is what carries you the rest of the way.

By Jeff Haden | @jeff_haden

Some business people are like rock stars: Richard, Warren, Bill, the late Steve—all rock stars.

Why are they like rock stars? Even without the last names, you immediately recognize them.

And just like rock stars, many people dream of being like them.

It’s certainly possible to become a rock star and achieve excellence in just about any field we choose, but excellence comes with a price. Natural talent only takes us so far. Excellence requires incredible focus, massive effort, and an almost superhuman drive and work ethic.

I'm lucky to know a few incredibly talented and successful people. One is a speaker. I once attended five consecutive engagements with him. Even though the basic makeup of each audience was the same, I was surprised by how different his speech was each time. I asked why.

"I've worked and reworked that speech a number of times," he said. "I can give that speech on auto-pilot. In a good way, because I don't have to think about what I'm saying. That frees me up to me read the audience, cover any mistakes I make, adapt to venue or equipment problems, digress when it feels right, and pull the plug on a segment that's not working. All that prep work lets me focus on the audience instead of on myself."

"How many times," I asked, "is a “number” of times?"

"I have a 20 Rule," he said. "I run through a new speech 20 times in my office. Then I do it 20 times in an empty auditorium. Then I do 20 more, one person at a time, begging friends, colleagues, family, and anyone I can get to listen and critique me. Then I pick 20 small organizations and deliver it for free so I can work out the kinks with a live audience. After that I think I'm ready, but it still takes 20 or so real gigs before I feel I'm really on point."

Since his average keynote runs about 70 minutes, that means he typically spends almost a hundred hours rehearsing a speech—after he spent several weeks writing it.

I told that story to a friend who wants to be a speaker. He said, "There’s no way I would put that kind of time into a speech." Then he paused. “Well, I guess I would if I was as successful as he is.”

And that, of course, is the problem. Successful people don’t work hard because they are successful. Successful people are successful because they work hard.

Most of us fall into the same trap. We think, "Sure, if I was in (my dream spot) I would work really hard too.” But we only reach our dream spot by first working incredibly hard and doing what few other people are willing to do.

How driven and focused would you be if, say, you owned a $10 million company? How hard would you work if you were, say, Branson or Buffett or Gates?

Would you work harder than you currently are because the effort would then seem worthwhile?

The key is to turn the equation around: Don’t wait until you somehow fall into your dream spot to start working hard. Start working hard now. While there's no guarantee that incredible effort will make you a business rock star, it's certain that if you don't put in the effort first, you never will be.

Great stuff from Inc.com and Jeff Haden

What If You Were Great at Cold Calling?

2012-01-28T20:22:00-06:00

ANOTHER GREAT REBLOG WRITTEN BY S. ANTHONY IANNARINO

“I hate cold calling.”

“Cold calling is dead.”

“Cold calling doesn’t work.”

It’s interesting the effect a core set of beliefs can have on your sales results. Many of the salespeople I know that struggle to produce results prospecting have a very negative set of beliefs about cold calling.

The salespeople I know that produce the best results have a different set of beliefs about cold calling. Many of them know that they are good at it, and they prefer to pick up the telephone and call their prospects. Some don’t have any strong feelings for or against cold calling. All of them make calls.

You may want to believe that things have changed and that you no longer have to cold call. You may want to believe that you can gain enough prospects to make your number through social media and referrals. You may want to believe these things, but that doesn’t make them true.

Maybe you aren’t worried about cold calling.

But you should be worried about your competitors that are effective at cold calling and who are willing to pick up the phone and call your clients and dream clients. You know, the dream clients that you are waiting to develop through your drip campaign.

What if?

What if you were to change your beliefs about cold calling? What if, instead of convincing yourself that cold calling sucks, you told yourself that cold calling still works—as long as you approach is professional and it creates value?

What if, instead of resisting cold calling, you embraced it? What if you were really good at it?

What if you used cold calling along with all of the other prospecting methods available to you to build an effective prospecting plan, one that produces and develops enough opportunities for you to make and exceed your number?

What if you were really good at cold calling? What if you were able to open the relationships that open opportunities effectively on the telephone? What if instead of worrying about your competitors calling into your clients and dream clients effectively they had to worry about you calling into theirs?

What if you were such a tremendous value creator that you could cold call and build an unassailable pipeline?

Seven Factors Affecting Your Auto Insurance Premiums

2011-12-15T11:55:00-06:00

There are a number of key factors most insurance companies use to calculate how much you’ll end up paying for your auto insurance. What’s important to remember is that you can control many of these factors.

Your location, age, driving habits, and credit history all play a major role, as do the types of vehicles you drive and your record of accidents. In many cases, the choices you make about the coverage you want determine the cost of your premium.

Below is a more detailed look at seven key factors that affect your auto insurance premiums, as well as some suggestions for keeping the costs down:

1. Your Coverage And Deductibles

Auto insurance providers allow you to choose your deductible and decide whether to add additional coverage that isn’t necessarily required by the laws in your state. The specifics of your coverage and deductibles play a major role in your monthly payment.

Typically, choosing a higher deductible means a lower monthly payment; choosing a lower deductible means a higher monthly payment. Additional coverage gives you added financial protection, depending on the claim, but will also add to your monthly costs.

2. What You Drive

By collecting a large amount of data from customer claims and analyzing industry safety reports, auto insurance providers often develop vehicle safety ratings and offer discounts to customers who drive safer vehicles.

Some insurers increase premiums for cars more susceptible to damage, occupant injury, or theft, and lower rates for those that fare better than the norm.

2010 Toyota 4Runners, for example, rate highly in terms of driver protection and passenger protection, which means discounts on insurance. And while two-door Honda Civics are one of the country’s most popular vehicles, their lower-than-average safety ratings and desirability to car thieves make them more expensive to insure.

Before you head down to the dealership, do some research. Does the vehicle that has caught your eye have strong safety ratings? Is the same particular model often stolen? Knowing the answers to a few simple questions can go a long way in keeping your rates low.

3. How Often, And How Far, You Drive

People who use their car for business and long-distance commuting normally pay more than those who drive less. The more miles you drive in a year, the higher the chances of an accident – regardless of how safe a driver you are.

Consider joining a car or van pool, riding your bike, or taking public transportation to work. If you reduce your total annual driving mileage enough, you may lower your premiums.

4. Where You Drive

Generally, due to higher rates of vandalism, theft, and accidents, urban drivers pay more for auto insurance than do those in small towns or rural areas.

5. Your Driving Record

Drivers who cause accidents generally must pay more than those who are accident-free for several years.

If you’ve been accident-free for a long period of time, don’t get complacent! Remain vigilant and maintain your good driving habits.

And even though you can’t rewrite your driving history, having an accident on your record can be an important reminder always to drive with caution and care. As time goes on, the effect of past accidents on your premiums will decrease.

6. Your Age, Sex, And Marital Status

Accident rates are higher for all drivers under age 25, especially young males and single males. Insurance prices in most states reflect these differences.

If you’re a student, you might also be in line for a discount. Most auto insurers provide discounts to student-drivers who maintain strong grades. In some states, younger drivers are also able to take driver safety courses that will lower premiums.

7. Your Credit Score

There’s no doubt about it: Your credit score has an impact on your auto insurance rates. Studies have shown that credit history is a powerful predictor of future auto insurance losses, and so your score is one of many factors that insurers use to calculate risk. Another way to keep your rates down is to get your credit score up.

How can you do that? While consumers aren’t privy to the exact details of how FICO scores are calculated, there are a number of reliable strategies to improve your credit score. Consider paying down revolving debt, cultivating a long credit history, and disputing erroneous charges – just a few ways to improve your score.

The 5 Crucial Sales Questions You're Afraid to Ask

2011-12-06T06:41:00-06:00

The five questions you're afraid to ask a buyer are actually the key to increasing sales and ramping up efficiency. Hey, no one ever said sales was easy.

By Tom Searcy | Dec 5, 2011

If you want to increase your sales conversion rate dramatically, stop selling to people who can’t or won’t buy. Ok, sounds simple, but the next logical question is “How do I know whether a qualified prospect, who should buy from us, fits into the category of can’t or won’t buy?”

The first step in increasing your conversion rate is to have the courage to ask the questions that will give you the answers you need to know. Too often sales people don’t ask questions when they are afraid of the answers. Those answers may eliminate that prospect from their list, confirming that they are wasting their time.

Here are the questions you need to be asking a potential buyer:

1. In terms of time, money, and risk, what business problem will working with us solve for you?
This answer will tell you whether the prospect has a real issue they are willing to pay to resolve or if they’re just curious. Companies tire-kick in the market for alternative vendors all the time. Sometimes their rules require them to do this, other times they are keeping their incumbent vendor “honest” on price and features and there is always the desire to stay current. Regardless, if there is not a sizable business problem that they are looking to solve, your prospect is just curious, not really interested. No interest, no engagement, no money.

2. How will you measure our success together 60 days after we start work?
Success measures, specific measures are a great determinant of sincerity and seriousness in the consideration process of a buyer. The reason that we limit our review period to 60 days is because we want to determine urgency and clarity. If you get urgency and clarity at the right level, you are talking to someone who is going to make a decision faster.

3. How much better does our “better” have to be for you to work with us?
I love threshold questions. Thresholds set a defined bar as to how good something has to be for there to be action taken. You can first find out if there is such a bar determined to assess sincerity of interest, then you can decide if you can make that bar. Both answers can keep you from wasting your time.

4. How soon does this problem need to show improvement for you to feel that our work together is successful?
Another type of threshold question, this focuses on urgency and one of the leverage points that smaller companies have- speed. If your client can see success way out in the future as being their goal, chances are that anyone can be their partner. When that is the case, you have lost an important advantage and your bigger branded competitors are the more likely winners.

5. What process will you follow in bringing us on as your provider?
Process questions let you know how far out your prospect has thought through bringing on a replacement solution provider. If they have no answer to this question, then you are probably talking to the wrong level of person, or they are not seriously considering a big change.

As a part of this process of asking better questions to increase all aspects of your sales performance, I encourage you to check out my article, 3 Ways to Get Better Information From Sales Prospects.

Getting a higher conversion rate is about pitching fewer losers so you have more time for the winners- pick the high potential winners earlier by not leaving it to chance. Ask the hard questions and let the hard facts guide your path.

5 Easy Ways to Stay Motivated

2011-12-05T18:49:00-06:00

No matter what you do for a living, the key to success is superlative performance, day after day after day. And that’s only possible if you make optimism, expectancy, and enthusiasm part of your daily experience.

That’s easy if you’re pursuing your life’s dearest dreams. But what if, like almost everybody else in this world, you’ve got a job that’s not exactly perfect. Here’s how to remain a go-getter, even when the getting gets tough:

STEP #1: Realize That YOU Are in Control

Your attitude isn’t controlled by the outside world. That’s an illusion, a fantasy that, if you believe it, you’re simply using to escape responsibility for managing this all-important part of your career.

For example, if you run into snowstorm that’s making you late to a customer meeting, you can get frustrated and start cursing..., or you can look forward to the appreciation that the customer might feel because you were committed enough to fight the weather to make the meeting.

Similarly, when the economy goes south, you can start obsessing about how it’s going to affect your job, or you can be one of those individuals who use tighter budgets as a way to streamline operations, develop new markets and create innovations.

It’s all in how you see it!

STEP #2: Neutralize Your Negative Triggers

Stop letting exterior events trigger negative thoughts.

For example, suppose you’re traveling to a customer meeting but keep running into red lights and traffic delays. That IS a problem, but if you get flustered, you’ve got TWO problems: the fact that you’re late, and the fact that you’re flustered.

And if you walk into the meeting flustered, the customer might wonder if you’re moody and unreliable. So now you’ve got THREE problems.

To get a better result (and achieve a better attitude), modify your interpretation of exterior events that tend to trigger a negative outlook. Once the events in your life take on a different, more useful meaning, they won’t trigger a bad attitude.

For example, while the delays may be making you late, use the extra time to collect your thoughts, consider your options, and decide on a damage control strategy. Or use the time to come up with a better schedule, so that you always leave plenty of time, just in case there’s traffic.

As a mentor of mine once said: “Life is like those signs that say ‘You Are Here’ What you make of where you are is up to you.”

STEP #3: Detoxify Your Media Consumption

Much of today’s news programming consists of “if it bleeds it leads” stories followed by commercials offering some form of (often addictive) security or comfort. The constant flow of negative imagery automatically creates a negative attitude about life, the world, and everything in it.

If you want to maintain a positive attitude, you MUST reduce or even eliminate your exposure to broadcast news programming. Rather than waste time with that garbage, add material and content into your life that will help you become more successful (like this column!)

Start and end each day reading something positive! When you’re on the road, rather than listening to negative, emotionally-charged talk radio, listen to motivational tapes, music that raises your spirits, or maybe great literature.

STEP #4: Avoid Negative People

You probably have one or more friends, relatives, or acquaintances who make you feel tired and drained. They always seem to have something sour to say; criticisms come to their lips far more quickly than compliments.

Such folk are toxic to your attitude (and hence to your success) because, if they’re not actively tearing down your enthusiasm, they’re trying to get you to think the same way about the world as they do. What a drag! Literally.

If you want to maintain a positive attitude, consider sharply limiting your daily exposure to such people. Don’t show up at the daily “water cooler complain-fest.” Don’t go to lunch with the “grouse and grumble” crowd. If you’ve got family members who are constantly negative, tune them out.

STEP #5: Adopt a Positive Vocabulary

The words that you use—both what you speak aloud and your internal dialogue—have a vast influence in how you perceive what’s happening in the world. All words carry a certain amount of emotional baggage, inherent in their exact definition and the way that they’ve been used in the past.

For instance, the words “despise,” “hate,” and “dislike” mean essentially the same thing, but carry very different emotional baggage. If you “dislike” something, but tell yourself that you “hate it” over and over and over, it will intensify the original emotion.

To keep a positive attitude, use weak words for negative feelings and strong words for positive ones. This thwarts the downward spiral of negative feelings and words, and accelerates the upward spiral of positive feelings and words.

The above is based upon a conversation with one my favorite people, motivation-guru extraordinaire Jeff Keller, and is a shortened version of one of the chapters in my newly-published book How to Say It: Business to Business Selling.

About Geoffrey James

Geoffrey James is an award-winning journalist and author of Inc.com’s Sales Source column. Previously, he wrote Sales Machine, the world's most-visited sales-oriented blog. James has written hundreds of articles on sales and marketing for publications like Technology Marketing and SellingPower, and has helped dozens of sales training and technology vendors communicate more effectively with their customers. James' newly published book (based on his most popular columns and posts) is How to Say It: Business to Business Selling. If you've got a question about selling or want to get his "insider" newsletter, visit James’ website.

Insurance, Meet Technology - We Use 'Smart Phones' Around Here

2011-12-05T13:14:00-06:00

Becky Yerak wrote a wonderful article for the Chicago Tribune yesterday. Becky brings up several good points and I wanted to do my best to highlight some of these advances in technology as they apply to the world of insurance.

As I have been with State Farm I find myself playing with everything I can get my hands on. Being the technology guy in my office, one of the things that I keep gravitating back to is the State Farm Pocket Agent. I am an advocate of having the ability to access useful information when it is needed. Unless you sat in the office with our team and went through our Steer Clear program, there is a chance that you may not know exactly what you need if you are involved in or witness an accident… Unfortunately if you don’t get the right information, we may never find the other party involved in the incident again.

Becky’s article from December 4th highlights other insurance professionals voicing some of the same concerns that I have. Using your smart phone, and the State Farm Pocket Agent, you have tools literally at your fingertips should an accident occur. You will know the proper steps and a platform to document an incident, phone numbers for a body shop, towing company, or if you need to call for roadside service; no matter where you are (the app uses your location to determine whom to call).

“Why can't I use the phone to take pictures of my damaged car and generate an automated claim?"

You can. The State Farm Pocket Agent uses an easy to use graphic interface to help you document where damage on a vehicle occurred, the ability to snap photos of the scene and allows you to send the information to State Farm Insurance hence alerting your Agent and staff.

"Our industry is evolving rapidly due to trends associated with advanced technology in vehicles and homes; the power and ubiquity of mobile devices, tablet computing and social media; and customer expectations for a remarkable experience," said Mike Lamb, a State Farm strategic resources director. In 2009, the Bloomington, Ill.-based company began what it calls a collaborative foresight and innovation program.

Two innovations emerging from State Farm's collaborative foresight and innovation unit are On the Move and Driver Feedback.

These systems allow Android smartphone users to preload messages that can be sent as automated responses to text messages while State Farm policyholders are driving. The Driver Feedback app, which relies on sensors in the iPhone, has technology that measures acceleration, braking and cornering. Policyholders who sign up are given a score for each, as well as an overall score for each trip.

Said State Farm's Lamb, "We've seen husbands and wives compare scores."

As a State Farm Insurance team member I would love the opportunity to show you how this technology works before you have to use it in a real life situation. If you aren’t a State Farm insured, please contact myself or our team at 636.978.4800. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter or on our website.

For Becky Yerak’s entire article featured in the Chicago Tribune, please follow this link.

Drive safely everyone!

Searching for your Business (and Home, Auto, Life..)

2011-11-28T14:20:19-06:00

As promised I have a request for all of you, a call to action if you will. I understand the power of both Social Media and networking however I have refrained from utilizing it for myself. My clients and the other professionals I coach have all seen the dividends from posting relevant and easy to share information pertaining to whatever their industry may be. I hope this message is received warmly and that all of you will help me spread this message, specifically in the St. Louis area.

Many of you may already know that I personally believe in taking risk, but I also believe in transferring and managing it. I believe in helping people manage the risk in their lives and protecting their assets from any peril that may come their way. Often what I cover is truly what’s most important to my customers.

I do this with an extensive platform of products that range from auto, banking, home, business and life insurance as a team member with State Farm Insurance in O’Fallon Missouri. I enjoy what I do because I know how valuable the lives and assets are to the people I insure; and I know that when push comes to shove, myself and State Farm will be there!

Enter where I would like to see how magical Social Networks can spread information.. One in every four automobiles on the road is currently insured by State Farm.  We mantain an impeccable reputation for standing by our clients. In 2011, J.D. Power and Associates ranked State Farm second in US Auto Claims Satisfaction. I myself have seen my agent Jim Schilkoski go to bat for his insured’s. Auto insurance is just the beginning, I am hoping that I can show you why so many people have chosen State Farm Insurance to manage all of the perils that cause us pain. Know that myself, as well as our entire team will be there when the unexpected happens.

I am constantly impressed with the professionalism and effectiveness of everyone in my network, so thank you for allowing me to be a part of yours. I feel like we all have an extraordinary ability to help each other and extend our reach. That is really what I would like you to help me with. Please share this message and if you are not already insured by State Farm I hope you would allow me to quote your polices. I feel that my quotes will be competitive with your current insurer and in many cases I may be able save you money. Obviously I will guarantee the service myself and I hope you would consider our team to earn your business.

Will Science Make Selling Impossible in the Future?

2011-11-19T09:17:20-06:00

This is another reminder of why you really need to think about how you're selling. If you happen to be a devoted reader of my blog, far and few between I am sure, you would recall a post where I featured Simon Sienk from the TEDxPugetSound series. People buy for their reasons, often on a gut feeling. The emotion and the behavior of why we buy things comes from the limbic system. The same lessons are applied and presented nicely here by  Geoffrey James.

Enter Mr. James:

Neuroscience is the study of the nervous system. It's a big deal in the academic world—and it could end up being a big deal in the business world, too. Here's why.

In recent years, neuroscientists have begun to examine how the brain behaves and changes when buying and selling is taking place.

For example, there's been research into brain activity suggesting that decision-making does not take place in the neocortex (where the brain processes language, abstraction, planning, and perception). Instead, it appears that people make decisions in the limbic system, the more-basic level of the brain that controls the hormones responsible for feeding, reproductive behavior, and parental behavior.

Apparently, the limbic system is the source of the pleasure that people feel when they solve problems. And that's what happens when people buy things.

In other words, neuroscience is now proving what many sales professionals have long suspected: that decision-making, even among top executives, takes place mostly at a "gut" level.

Other neuroscientists are using brain scans to measure variations in electrical activity while people are buying and selling things.

It is now possible to scan the brains of people viewing sales presentations to see whether or not they’re being convinced. Don’t be surprised if some of this research proves that your much-loved “closing techniques” are actually annoying your customers.

Does that sound like science fiction? Well, it turns out that there are already companies using neuroscience to assess the emotional state of potential buyers.

For example, the start-up Affectiva is marketing a "wearable, wireless biosensor that measures emotional arousal via skin conductance [which] grows higher during states such as excitement, attention, or anxiety and lower during states such as boredom or relaxation."

And Affectiva isn't some fly-by-night blue-sky company, either. I happen to have interviewed the CEO, David Berman, back when he was president of sales and service at Webex. He's a sales guy, through and through, and you can bet that he "gets" how this technology will change the world of sales and marketing.

But companies like Affectiva (which is based upon MIT research) are just the start of a huge wave of sales-oriented neuroscience.

For example, Meghana A. Bhatt, a fellow at Baylor College of Medicine's department of neuroscience, recently used brains scans to determine how people's minds work when they're trying to get somebody else to believe something that’s not true.

The study monitored the brains of 76 volunteers who took part in a "bargaining game" between a "buyer" and a "seller." Scans of the participants' brains during the game revealed that a "very significant difference in brain responses" between those who bluffed and those who didn't.

Now think about that for a second.

There now exists a device that can tell whether you are telling the truth when you're trying to sell something. Project that technology 30 years into the future.

It's not hard to imagine sales negotiations taking place in "BS-free" zones, where it's impossible to bluff without the other person knowing that you're bluffing.

What's hard to imagine is what "selling" would look like in that kind of business environment. Or, indeed, whether selling would be achievable at all. What do you think about that possibility?