Other countries have a labour day but it can be on different dates, Australia is all over the map depending on what part of the country you live in. Empire Day in Jamaica was changed to Labour Day in May 1961. New Zealand runs with the fourth Monday in October. Trinidad and Tobago recognize it on June 19th each year.

Labour Day is most often viewed as an annual holiday to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers. Labour Day has its origins in the labour union movement, specifically the eight-hour day movement, which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for rest.

In Canada the origin of Labour Day goes back to 1872 when a parade was staged in support of the Toronto Typographical Union’s strike for a 58-hour work-week. Yes a 58-hour work week, haven’t things changed?

The Canadian Government enacted legislation making Labour Day, the first Monday of September of each year into a national holiday.

So what does Labour Day mean to you?

For many it is the unofficial end of summer. It certainly is for the many kids who return to school on the Tuesday after.

For some it is participating in or viewing the parade.

Many wouldn’t think to miss two regional football teams have created a huge rivalry that has become known as the Labour Day Classic.

Did you know this is the date the US Navy uses to switch to their blue uniforms from their white ones? Many fashion conscious people will also tell you not to wear white after Labour Day.

For me, it is a day to get caught up on outstanding emails, clear the desk and put on my “back to school”, “back to work”, “back at it” mindset.

Enjoy your day and don’t labour too hard!

Clayton

A great example of this is a video called “The Alchemy of Great Work” that showed up on Nancy Nardin’s Smart Selling Tools site. Turns out sales expert and hockey Mom Lori Richardson of Score More Sales had told Nancy about. I get Nancy’s newsletter and now I’m telling you.

Anyone who knows me, knows I like to talk about “buckets”, more specifically “3 buckets” (there is a reason for 3). I’ve been doing so for years. Imagine my delight when I viewed this excellent 3 minute video about work. I was intrigued about the producer and clicked on Box of Crayons. To my total surprise in the “isn’t it a small world” department I discover none other than Michael Bungay Stanier who I met in a previous work life authors the site. Michael is one of the sharpest minds I’ve had the pleasure to meet. I’m thinking he got the idea of the buckets from me! LOL

Enjoy the video!

For those getting this via newsletter click here for the You Tube link.

Clayton

It reads: “Learn to do good and seek justice.”

Every day I rode or drove by the sign I thought to myself that has to make a good post. And the next day I’d ride by or drive by and think … darn, I haven’t written that post yet.

Well summer is almost over. You wouldn’t know it, the thermometer hit an all time high yesterday and today. Then it hit me, tomorrow is September 1st. Well this morning I thought this is THE day, yes, I’m going to pen that post.

Learn to do good. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if every school age child, heck every adult, learned to do good. If we did good and not bad, society would have a smile on. We wouldn’t be burying kids who got caught up in bad stuff. Do people know the difference between good and bad – I think so. As a young child we quickly learn the difference between good and bad. So why do some choose bad over good? Why do others choose good over bad?

Seek justice. Justice – the quality of being just or fair. Suppose we do good and we seek justice. Not just you and me but everyone. Imagine, everyone doing good and seeking justice. What if life was fair? What if life was just? Wouldn’t that shut down the whiners!

I stopped the other day to inquire if a woman was ok. She had stopped on the side of the road and had the hood up on her BMW. It turns out she was pouring oil into the engine. I had to laugh, I thought how weird, don’t wait to get home, do it on the side of the road. She was most grateful I had stopped to see if she was ok. I attempted to do good. It felt good. She felt good that I had attempted to do good.

Now it’s your turn. What if today (and maybe tomorrow and the next day) you looked for opportunities to do good? Could you start a chain reaction? I believe you can.

What about seeking justice? Are you prepared to speak out when you encounter injustice? Are you prepare do contribute to a cause that fights injustice? Maybe that is to become a member of an advocacy group for the well being of animals. You might speak out when someone makes a discriminatory comment. You may choose not to forward that email that contains hurtful content.

Every day we get to make choices. We can do good. We can seek justice. I for one am on that train. I hope to see you at the next station.

Clayton

His article “Are you Customer Centric?” was up against 9 other quality articles. Voting is a combined weighting of the sales expert panel over at Top 10 Sales Articles and the public vote that is taken. The article has three key points anyone in sales is well advised to consider.

Nice to see you get the nod Stu. This also reflects well on Salesopedia as the article was pulled from our site where Stu is a regular contributor.

Clayton

I’m inspired by positive people. Not people who act positive but those who live positive. The glass is always half full not half empty, in fact they are thrilled to have water regardless of how much is in the glass. I work with a woman who is relentlessly positive. She is a pleasure to be around and her disposition can’t help but rub off on those around her.

I don’t know if you have ever heard of an Australian chap by the name of Nick Vujicic. (Pronounced Voy-a-chich) Nick is an incredibly positive person but wasn’t always so. One might argue he has little reason to be positive given the cards he was dealt when he was born.

You can learn a lot more about this incredibly interesting man at his website attitudeisaltitude.com

Please enjoy the following video to get a taste of what a positive attitude looks like.

The next time you are having a bad day, lost a sale you were counting on, or missed your quota … I invite you to come back here and play this video.

So what did you think? Can a guy with no arms and no legs embrace life more fully than you. How can he be so positive and you not be able to generate that same degree of positive mind set?

Nick Vujicic inspires people every day. Share his story, it’s a great one.

Clayton

If you read this blog regularly you’ll know I recently spent 9 days on my motorcycle enjoying secondary highways, small towns, and lot of good folk.

One of the things I did was turn off my data on my BlackBerry. No emails while I was on the road. I left the phone and text messaging activated so my family could connect with me if needed. Was this easy to do? Anyone that knows me will tell you absolutely not. I like being connected.

Was turning things off for 9 days the best thing I’ve done in a long time? You’re darn tootin’ it was. Sure I had the anxiety the world would collapse without my input and my ability to respond to a crisis at work and elsewhere. Were there any? I don’t think so, unless those capable people I work with didn’t tell me. The reality is they managed everything just fine thank you very much.

A recent poll of Chief Financial Officers by Robert Half Management said 25% of CFO’s check their emails one or twice daily while on vacation, while 15% check in several times a week. 23% said once or twice a week and 4% reported checking in several times a day. Why take a vacation?

Maybe I’m getting smarter as I get older, well maybe not smarter but perhaps more wise. By not reading and responding to emails for 9 days I was able to unwind more completely. As I mentioned it wasn’t easy. I went through a period of withdrawal and from time to time I drifted back to work thoughts, but those were quickly displaced by the enjoyment of the scenery and the necessity of having to stay alert on two wheels.

Let your key clients know you will be out of the office and when you’ll return. Put the ‘vacation alert’ message on your email and close the door tight when you leave. What I discovered was all those emails I didn’t deal with while away were waiting for me upon my return. As I blasted through them on my first day back I discovered the majority of them did not require immediate attention or even a response for that matter. It made me think I should take more time away from the office.

Enjoy your summer vacation. Turn off the smartphone and don’t forget the sun screen.

Clayton

PS – Yes that is me in the picture on the beach – NOT! LOL

Any biker will know that expression, as much as they understand why a dog likes to put its head out the window of a moving car.

I just spent 9 of the past 10 days on my Harley and can’t get the smile off my face. I started off with 26 other bikes (in four different groups) heading for Wellsboro PA. After 4 hours of intense rain and thunderstorms, the weather finally cleared and we all arrived safe to meet up with member of the Harley Owners Groups (H.O.G.) from Corning NY and Reading PA. We spent Saturday riding two state parks west of Wellsboro. It was the most pristine scenery and best roads I’ve ever experienced. There were 61 bikes and 85 riders who rode together as if they had for years. On Sunday everyone went his or her own way. A few headed home, a few headed east. I elected to do something I’ve never done before.

I headed out solo to ride through Pennsylvania, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, and New York states. I rode the twisties on Skyline Drive at 35 mph. At first I was frustrated at the posted speed limit but soon discovered it was for good reason due to abundant deer on the road. I stopped counting at 15. Cars and deer don’t mix; with bikes it is even worse. I continued on to the Blue Ridge Parkway at 45 mph ensuring I remained focused on the road rather than the scenery because of all the twists and turns which demanded full attention, but that’s why we bikers seek these roads out. I had my tent and a good map as I explored the back roads of the North Eastern U.S.

I headed back home to do some laundry before turning south again to participate in a provincial H.O.G. rally at Niagara Falls then lead a small contingent north to a friend’s farm for a pig roast with 65 others. By the time I turned into my driveway I had logged about 2,500 miles (4,000+ km).

I encountered some amazing people. Of course there were the other bikers on the road always anxious to exchange stories or tell you the best place to get a good meal. The “small town” people who are genuine and hospitable even to an old gray haired guy on a not so quiet motorcycle. There were the other campers who were busy creating memories with their families.

I have to admit I was a tad nervous traveling and camping alone. Fortunately the bike performed well and like in life, most of what we worry about never happens.

I learned it is great to share the camaraderie of a group, but is is also rewarding to enjoy the independence of going it alone. The experience was a 10 out of 10!

As I said to many others the past 9 out of 10 days – ride safe!

Clayton

I was speaking with a friend last night about sales training. She is a pro and has been in the sales game for many years as a producer, a trainer and consultant.

She called as she is doing some podcast interviews in the weeks ahead for a sales technology association. She flattered me by asking for some tips on what type of questions tend to work best when interviewing a subject matter expert as the association asked her to submit her own questions to the interviewer.

Long story not so long, our conversation shifted to sales training. We began debating how little a difference there is between different sectors when it came to sales training. Aside from industry language the fundamentals are remarkably similar.

I suggested one of the challenges experienced sales producers have is they have moved away from the basic foundational techniques they began their careers with. I’m not suggesting sales haven’t changed; I believe many elements have changed, especially dealing with the Internet informed customer, but basic fundamentals remain:

1) Your role in sales is not to sell – it is to help your customer make an informed purchasing decision
2) Before pulling out the sword when an objection comes up, seek to understand the prospect’s perspective, what are the other relevant considerations
3) The best interviews are “hot potato” interviews – metaphorically you keep tossing the hot potato back to the prospect – get them doing the talking. Tell me more … describe what you mean … why is that important to you …
4) Keep the spotlight on the prospect not yourself – hard for some sales folks with big egos
5) Success is based on relationships which is based on trust – you earn that over time through your actions not your words
5) Lastly, sales is a tough gig, but those who approach the sales game with the right mind set and enthusiasm are the ones well out in front of the others

The fundamentals haven’t changed much, return to the basics and don’t make things more complicated than they need be. Put the fun back in fun-damentals.

Clayton Shold
Salesopedia

Nancy Bleeke is President of SalesPro Insider and is co-owner of Sharpenz – Half Hour of Power sales training kits.

Salesopedia

Now when you see one of our military walking past you can convey your thanks without feeling awkward.

Please take just a moment to watch…. The Gratitude Campaign; …….and then tell your friends! THEN START USING THE SIGN.

For newsletter recipients – follow this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSfFYxSdKdo

I’m going to start using the sign. How about you?

Clayton Shold

I smiled when I read a friend’s newsletter this past Wednesday wishing us Canuck’s “Happy Independence Day on July 1!” Actually we call it Canada Day as we never sought or fought for independence from Great Britain (yet). Queen Elizabeth II is still our monarch and continues to rule over 16 independent states known as the Commonwealth, something she has done for almost six decades. The Queen is visiting Canada this week to help us celebrate our birthday.

Speaking of birthdays I’m not very knowledgeable on signs of the Zodiac. I confess to reading my Scorpio horoscope every day. Given the U.S. and Canada are both “born” under the sign of Cancer I thought I’d Google to see what that means? Well our element is water (both countries are boarded by water); our ruling planet is the moon (which Canadians love to look at it, the Americans have actually visited). The symbol is the crab and apparently Cancers secret desire is to feel safe (emotionally, spiritually, romantically and financially).

I think we’re fortunate to be such good neighbours (neighbors with no “u” for my American friends). While each country has its nuances, for the most part we’re a lot alike. Out subtle differences should remain – eh. That said, enjoy your fireworks tonight, your baseball games, your picnics with friends, your parades and barbeques (ok barbecues).

Clayton

Men are at their most romantic age at 53.

A trip around the bases on a baseball diamond is 20 yards longer than a goal line-to-goal-line run on (an NFL) football field.

It would cost about $50 million to have NASA deliver your car to the moon.

Speaking of NASA, do you know what that stands for? If you said National Aeronautics Space Administration you’d be close, most people leave out the “and” between Aeronautics and Space.

The Bee Gees’ Robin Gibb has never seen Saturday Night Fever all the way through.

Cows release some 100 million tons of hydrocarbons annually – by releasing gas. But not as you might think … from burping.

Worldwide there are approximately 20,000 brands of beer are brewed in 180 styles.

Over 5 billion crayons are produced each year.

In a group of 23 people, at least 2 have the same birthday with the probability of greater than one half.

You’re born with 300 bones, but by the time you become an adult, you only have 206.

Your heart beats over 100,000 times a day!

The average person laughs 10 times a day!

How about you? Have you got your laughs in for the day? Let’s try to raise this average above 10!

Make it a good one!

Clayton

I enjoyed reading today’s newspaper where 13 authors shared what it meant to them to be Canadian. It got me thinking how fortunate I am to live in this country and call myself a citizen.

No long post, no rant, just sharing some typical low-key patriotism we Canadians possess. Except that is, when we’re winning Gold medal hockey games at the Olympics. That was Canadian. That brought the country to its feet! That was unity. That was fun.

Enjoy eh!

Clayton

This epiphany started when robins built a nest on top of the fence rail between our house and the gate. A funny spot we thought as it was fairly exposed and cats, squirrels and other animals frequent the fence tops, not to mention it being a visible spot from surrounding trees and the neighbours house which are all frequent stopping spots for birds.

Well the robins hatched, three of them. From our deck you get a very good look over to the nest so my wife has been following their development with much interest. With this up close event unfolding before our eyes – Carla has become an amateur ornithologist. Every evening when I get home I get a daily update and am told more interesting facts about robins. I now know more than I ever did about these red-breasted members of the thrush family. I am told robins may have two or three broods per season. It was emphasized to me that it takes the female robin 180 trips to build the nest, which she does alone. The female lays up to four eggs, which hatch in 12 to 14 days. That it can take as long as five days for their eyes to open. The young birds are fed in the nest until they leave 14 to 16 days after they hatch. It is estimated 25% survive the first year. Robins can live to be 14 years old.

Had this nest not been constructed so close my wife would never have taken so much interest.

The closer we are to things, the more we take interest in those things. Things can include kids, good friends, a disease or ailment a family member may have, a hobby or the thing could simply be a bird’s nest.

Here’s to getting up close and interested in things. It allows us to keep learning.

Clayton Shold

Salesopedia

Kelley gets practical in terms of what works. His suggestions are one you can use right away. Having difficulty getting to a top decision maker? Want to know what his favorite high value question is? Click to find out.

Kelley Robertson is President of The Robertson Training Group and Fearless Selling, Kelley works with sales professionals to help them close more deals in any economy.

Salesopedia

No not that Ted. I’m talking about TED.com

I started following Bill Gate’s on Twitter about four months ago – after all we share the same birthday! One of his early tweets was about a speaker he had heard at TED. I didn’t know who or what TED was so I clicked on his link and checked it out. I’ve been a follower ever since.

Their tag line is “Riveting talks by remarkable people, free to the world”.

If you click on their “about us” you’ll find “TED is a small nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design. Since then its scope has become ever broader.

The annual conferences in Long Beach and Oxford bring together the world’s most fascinating thinkers and doers, who are challenged to give the talk of their lives (in 18 minutes).”

Here lies the key to their success – they have to deliver their key note addresses in 18 minutes or less. Brilliant concept!

If you haven’t checked TED out previously, you might want to start with this talk by Simon Sinek who wrote the book “Start With Why.” Simon has a simple but powerful model for inspirational leadership all starting with a golden circle and the question “Why?” If you are a formal or informal leader, or aspire to be one this 18:05 minute talk will give you all you need to understand why some individuals succeed and others don’t.

Clayton Shold
Salesopedia

Carl Moe is the author of “Sales Revenue System 2.0 / Your Chief Revenue Officer B2B Success Model.” He is the founder of CRO Success – an organization dedicated to developing and delivering the tools, processes and systems Chief Revenue Officers (CRO’s) need to succeed.

Salesopedia

I share my mother with a twin brother and younger sister. My mother loves me the best of the three I’m pretty sure. I was born 38 minutes before my younger brother so she has to love me most – you know the expression “first come most loved” or was it “first come first served?” No matter I’ve seen it in her face that I’m the apple of her eye. Good right down to the core.

I’ve been the model child since I was born. I’ve caused my Mom the least problems of all us kids; well maybe my sister is close on that one. I was never the one who got caught cutting down a city tree or spilling paint in a house under construction that was my brother. In both cases perhaps I was able to “vacate the scene” a little faster than he.

My Mom was an elementary school teacher for 30 years so she had a lot of kids to compare me to. Even I remain amazed to this day that she thinks I’m the best kids she’s ever seen. We call each other every Thursday night and she tells me how proud she is of me and how wonderful I am. I’ve been trying to get a wire tap for my brother’s phone but I don’t think she says nice things like that to him. I know she likes my sister, she has told me that. She likes my brother too, but she loves me.

My Mom is coming to visit for three weeks in June. My brother thinks she is staying that long as she is on a cruise that finishes in Montreal and she doesn’t want to fly all the way back to the west coast only to return three weeks later for my son’s university graduation. The real reason is she loves me the most. She always has as best I can figure.

Yes, my Mom rocks.

Happy Mother’s Day Mom!

PS – Apologies to Murray and Aimee for waiting all these years to tell you that Mom always loved me best! At least now I figured out why I’m always in the pictures with Mom.

I was impressed!

I have heard Adrian speak in many conversations; in fact we were in a master-mind group together some time back, we referred to ourselves as the Group of 6. We met regularly to toss around philosophical perspectives on sales and marketing or took on a business challenge if someone brought one in for discussion. The idea was five additional heads was much better than just one. These were fabulously interesting sessions but intellectually draining, at least for this cowboy.

Adrian from day one impressed the heck out of me. Insightful, thoughtful, strategic are words that come to mind. He needs to be all of that and more as his client is typically the Chief Executive Officer of mid-sized companies ($10m – $100m in revenue) or business owner. His company, Whetstone Inc. helps their clients build cohesive, client-driven organizations.

Adrian was speaking just outside of Toronto to a group of Chartered Accountants and their invited business clients. His topic was “Outside-In: Where Sales & Strategy Meet”.

What was interesting was his use of history to help the audience relate to the changes in the business world. He shared his perspective on the Age of Reformation and how it compared to the Renaissance era, all tied back to sales. You had to be there to appreciate the metaphors. He also used his terrific storytelling prowess to emphasis key learning points.

It is great to listen to some one who really “gets it”. Not only does Adrian Davis get it, he is able to explain it using creative thinking, his deep understanding of what makes successful companies tick, why customers respond, and how all the pieces fit together in today’s complex business environment.

Bravo Mr. Davis you took a tough topic to a room filled with professionals and business owners who left with a new perspective on an old dilemma – how do we increase sales?

Clayton Shold
Salesopedia

Dave Kahle is a consultant and trainer who helps his clients increase their sales and improve their sales productivity. Dave has trained thousands of salespeople to be more successful in the Information Age economy. He’s the author of over 1,000 articles, a weekly Ezine, and seven books including 10 Secrets of Time Management for Salespeople, and Question Your Way to Sales Success.

Salesopedia

Did you realize you can actually cut printing costs just by choosing another font? Even with everyone looking for new ways to save money, it’s doubtful most people have considered the font they use for letters, reports, and notices, but you can actually save 31% on your ink cartridge costs just by picking the right font.

Printer.com recently put this notion to the test using two popular printers. The Canon Pixma MP 210 was picked to simulate the printing of private users while the Brother HL-2140 laser printer was used to test business use. Both printers were left at their default settings (600 by 600 dpi). Changing only the font resulted in saving between $20 and $80 per year.

Arial, reigning as the most popular font, was used as the “zero” measurement, against which nine other fonts were tested. The clear winner was Century Gothic, which returned 31% savings in both printers. For the average private user, printing approximately 25 pages per week, this will easily generate a net reduction of $20 in a year. A business-user, printing approximately 250 pages per week, could save $80. If your organization uses multiple printers, you can save hundreds of dollars per year doing nothing more than picking a more economical font.

Century Gothic is a modern font that comes standard with MS Windows. Surprisingly, it even beat Ecofont which was specifically designed with efficiency and cost in mind. For those who require a more “traditional” look, Times New Roman provides a good balance between style and savings.

Details of the research:

• 10 frequently used fonts were selected.

• The font size (10 or 11) is relative. Font size was chosen in such a way that the page filling for all fonts in the model letter was virtually the same.

• To determine the coverage, the model letter is saved as PDF file. This PDF is calculated by the software Apfill, which calculates the coverage of the specific font.

• To determine the cost of a private user per year, the inkjet printer “Canon Pixma MP 210” was used with 25 printed pages per week.

• To determine the cost of a small-business user per year, the laser printer “Brother HL-2140” was used with 250 printed pages per week.

• Both Canon and Brother publish the number of printed pages with a coverage of 5%. Through interpolation, the costs have been calculated for other coverage rates if the sample letter would be printed with other fonts.

• For the Canon printer, calculations are based upon a black cartridge PG-40 with a retail value of roughly $17 In case of the Brother printer calculations are based upon a black cartridge with a retail value of $30.

Article source

Golf can be like life; some play by the rule and some don’t.

This past weekend golf fans were glued to the T.V. as Tiger Woods made his “return” at the Masters played at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta Georgia. Tiger took a five month hiatus as a result of some marital infidelity – he wasn’t playing by the rules at home. Good for him for getting back in the game – it did wonders for ratings and it demonstrated he is still an amazing golfer. He said he came out to win and he ended up 5th – still very impressive.

Phil Mickelson won. He’s a lefty so dear to my heart – we lefties are under-appreciated. Phil didn’t have a bogie today, something pretty rare even with the pros. He made some amazing shots, which is why he won. He finished 16 under with the next best three shots back.

When it was all over my wife commented “Phil is the exact opposite of Tiger.” You see Phil’s wife and mother have both been battling breast cancer and while his wife Amy came to Augusta, she spent the last four days in bed. She and the kids were there to greet Phil when he came off the course. They shared a long embrace; you could see tears run down Phil’s cheek. Family is everything to Phil.

Interesting plot at the 74th Masters – Phil the family guy wins, Tiger who betrayed his family didn’t. There is no love loss between these two so I’m thinking it was even sweeter for Phil as he slipped on his third green jacket.

Tiger is still a heck of a golfer, Phil is too. Phil is a heck of a husband … well Tiger … he’s a good golfer.

Clayton Shold
Salesopedia

Clayton

Dear Colleagues, Friends and Fellow Professionals,

I am very pleased to announce my new book, the 2nd Edition of Mastering the Complex Sale – How to Compete and Win When the Stakes are High.

In this highly revised and expanded new edition, I?ve worked hard to give professionals — from individuals struggling with their first call, to senior executives trying to assess why their value strategy is falling short — a comprehensive guide to navigate and win high-stakes sales. Read this book and you will understand why the information contained in it is critical to survival and profitability in today?s highly competitive and constantly evolving global market.

We are looking for support from our friends, colleagues and fellow professionals to get this powerful book to Amazon.com?s bestsellers list this week.

Here?s my offer to you: When you go to Amazon.com and purchase this book on Thursday, April 8th, I will personally promise you the following:

1. A complimentary CD: Three Powerful Diagnostic Questions — How to Uncover Critical Information.


2. A 34% discount off the retail price.

3. A 100% unconditional refund if you are not satisfied. I know you´ll agree this is a book unlike any others you have read. I will give you detailed models, tools and a comprehensive road map for unleashing the potential buried in your company´s value capabilities and the products and services you sell, service and protect. If you are not satisfied, I´ll buy it back from you for the purchase price.

And…all royalties from this promotion will be donated to Operation Smile.

I promise that this book will deliver the strategies and tactics needed to compete successfully in this turbulent market. I have researched and developed it over the years with hundreds of companies and thousands of people around the globe.

Seven of the many pressing issues I examine in this book:

- Are your customers treating your high-value solutions as commodities?
- Is self-commoditization part of your company´s DNA?
- Is the value you are capable of delivering stripped out as it travels from R&D to Marketing to Sales to Support and Engineering, and ultimately falling short of your customer´s range of comprehension?
- Are you caving in under price pressure and giving up margins and profitability?
- How many times are your sales opportunities ending in ?No decision??
- Do your customers believe your claims?
- Why don´t your customers ?get it? and why is there a failure to communicate?

This book will show you and your team the strategy, skills and tactics, in a step-by-step process, to compete and win when the stakes are high.

Purchase copies of the 2nd Edition of Mastering the Complex Sale from Amazon.com this Thursday, April 8th.

This book will make a significant impact on your success. If you don´t agree, I´ll give you a full refund, but you can keep the CD with Three Powerful Diagnostic Questions that will help you gain exceptional credibility with your customers.

Thank you in advance for your help. Mastering the Complex Sale will set you apart from the competition and help you become highly successful in today´s complex and demanding market.

Here´s what you do: On April 8th click here and order your copy for only $16.47 — that´s 34% off the cover price.

Once you have completed your order from Amazon.com simply follow the instructions on the next link to receive your complimentary CD.

Amazon will send you the book and we will send you the CD. It´s that simple.

Remember: On April 8th go to Amazon.com and get your copy of the new Mastering the Complex Sale book.

Please forward this offer to your friends and colleagues in sales, marketing, service and leadership. They will appreciate the valuable information you share.

My best wishes for your success!

Jeff Thull
CEO, President
Prime Resource Group

What reviewers say:

“This is the first book that lays out a solid method for selling cross-company, cross-border, even cross-culturally where you have multiple decision makers with multiple agendas. This is far more than a ´selling process´ — it is a survival guide — a truly outstanding approach to bringing all the pieces of the puzzle together.”

Ed Daniels, EVP, Shell Global Solutions Downstream, President, CRI/Criterion, Inc.

“Customers need to know the value they will receive and how they will receive it. Thull´s insights into the complex sale and how to clarify and quantify this value are remarkable — Mastering the Complex Sale will be required reading for years to come!”

Lee Tschanz, Vice President, North American Sales, Rockwell Automation

“Jeff Thull is winning the war against commoditization. In his world, value trumps price and commoditization isn´t a given, it´s a choice. This is a proven alternative to the price-driven sale. We´ve spoken to his clients. This stuff really works, folks.”

Dave Stein, CEO & Founder, ES Research Group, Inc.

“Jeff Thull has re-engineered the conventional sales process to create predictable and profitable growth in today´s competitive marketplace. It´s no longer about selling; it´s about guiding quality decisions and creating collaborative value. This is one of those rare books that will make a difference.”

Carol Pudnos, Executive Director, Healthcare Industry, Dow Corning Corporation

About the author: Jeff Thull is a leading-edge strategist and valued advisor for executive teams of major companies worldwide. As President and CEO of Prime Resource Group, he has designed and implemented business transformation and professional development programs for companies including Shell, 3M, Microsoft, Siemens, Boston Scientific, IBM, Raymond James, HP and Georgia-Pacific, as well as many fast track, start-up companies. He has gained the reputation for being a thought leader in the arena of sales and marketing strategies and relationship management for companies involved in complex sales.

Thull is a compelling, entertaining and thought-provoking keynote speaker with a track record of over 2,500 speeches and seminars delivered to corporations and professional associations worldwide. Jeff´s work is published in hundreds of business and trade publications.

Jeff is also the author of The Prime Solution: Close the Value Gap, Increase Margins, and Win the Complex Sale, and Exceptional Selling: How the Best Connect and Win in High Stakes Sales.

Operation Smile is an organization that mobilizes a world of generous hearts to heal children´s smiles and transform lives around the globe. This is a group of compassionate people dedicated to healing cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities. For more information go to: www.operationsmile.org

Call 1-763-473-7529 or visit our website at www.primeresource.com

©Copyright 2010

It’s not all rosy though, compensation issues may arise and you may find yourself in conflict with your sales manager.

Jeremy Miller is a partner with LEAPJob, a sales recruiting firm in Toronto Canada. He works with top performing sales professionals to advance their careers. He is a regular contributor to a number of magazines including Selling Power and CPSA’s Contact Magazine. He is frequently interviewed on television about the latest sales and hiring trends.

Salesopedia

Most of us remember the first two lines of this poem titled “Spring in the Bronx”.

How about spring is sprung, the grass is riz, I wonder where all my sales is? Yes it is hard to believe the end of the first quarter is almost behind us. With spring comes renewal and greening of our environment. The economy is showing some positive signs and most I run into these days are talking with a cautionary optimistic tone.

When I was out for a run yesterday I thought of the poem above and also of a law of physics – don’t ask me how my mind connected the two – the advantages of extra endorphins influencing my brain I guess.

Way back in 1657 Sir Isaac Newton restated Galileo’s Principle of Inertia which has come to be known as Newton’s first law of motion which is “A body at rest stays at rest, a body in motion stays in motion, unless it is acted upon by an external force.”

I started thinking of this law relative to those in sales. Top sales people I’ve worked with were always in motion. Some of the duds I’ve worked with were more often than not, at rest. So it appears we can use Newton’s first law to explain sale success – or maybe that is a stretch but at the very least I think it answers the questions “Spring is sprung, the grass is riz, I wonder where my sales is?” Are you in motion or at rest? That might be your clue!

Happy spring, happy selling.

Clayton Shold
Salesopedia

Bill Sayers is a speaker, coach, and sales consultant and author of “Funnels and Forecasts – The Great Game of Sales.” He is a college professor and faculty member of the Canadian Professional Sales Association and the Canadian Management Centre.

Salesopedia

Clayton Shold
Salesopedia

I like to help my cousins when I can. They live in south eastern B.C. in a great town called Cranbrook, birthplace of my mother and the geographic centre of many great memories for yours truly.

Cranbrook is one of 12 communities in Canada vying for the title of Hockeyville 2010. If you live in a big city you won’t fully appreciate how a hockey rink in a smaller Canadian town is the hub of the community. The town who wins the Hockeyville 2010 title will receive $100,000 for rink improvements, they get to host a NHL Exhibition Game, Hockey Night in Canada will broadcast from Cranbrook and CBC will air a nationwide show about their great hockey city.

I’m asking for your help to please cast a vote or two. So why vote for Cranbrook?

1) Because I am asking nicely.

2) They have had a number of great hockey players come out of Cranbrook including Scott Niedermayer and Steve Yzerman. They are a hockey town, it is something in their water. In fact they host an International Friendship Hockey Tournament where the team with the least amount of penalties wins the tournament. A radical concept for hockey I know.

Here is how you vote:

Go to www.cbcsports.ca/hockeyville In the VOTE NOW box select Cranbrook, then enter the verification code provided and click submit. That’s it.

My cousins Liz, Janis, Mike, Harry and Jay will thank you. So will I. Vote often. Hockey rules!

Clayton Shold
I am Canadian!

Should one apologize for being busy and having to put some items to the side, like making sure I post regular items in this blog? I always thought busy was good. Want something done – give it to a busy person is the old saying. There is truth to that but when is busy too busy?

My calendar of late has been simply nuts. The charity I am running is hosting its major fundraiser March 31st and there is a huge amount going in preparation for that. We anticipate 450-500 attendees including sports celebrities and sports broadcasters. We’ll have five of North America’s premier sports league’s championship trophies on display at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. Attendees will get their picture taken with the Stanley Cup (NHL), Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy (NBA), Vince Lombardi Trophy (NFL), Blue Jays World Series Trophy (MLB) and Grey Cup (CFL).

This is the first time these five trophies have been together – Boston is the only other location that had four of them together at the same time so you can appreciate this is a bit of a “coup” for the charity.

I am involved with another organization and am in my second (and final) year as Director. This will complete four years on the executive which has been a lot of work but also a lot of fun, but I won’t mind handing over the gavel. Related to this organization I also support another charity with a major fundraiser in August so that will begin to ramp up sooner than later.

Salesopedia still consumes a lot of time. I correspond regularly with many of the 200 plus contributing authors, review all the article submissions, and more recently have been involved with video production which is what occupied most of the day Saturday. The video work has been fun and gives me the opportunity to see Dave my business partner display his considerable talent.

I also remain committed to getting in my 5km runs on a regular basis and have just booked my first golf game of the year for this coming Saturday with my wife. It will be the earliest we’ve golfed in Ontario since we’ve lived here. The Harley is on the road next and it is one of my major pleasures to get out on the back roads and enjoy the sights and smells that you just don’t experience in a car. The camaraderie with fellow riders is something you have to experience.

Life when busy is good. In a call with my Mom last week she cautioned me to take it easy as is the duty of a mother to insist. Perhaps I should. The alternative still looks good to me, run hard and get the most out of life. Make a positive difference in the lives of others as I am able, enjoy family and friends and sneak in the rides and runs to keep the balance.

Clayton Shold
Salesopedia

Every month Top 10 Sales Articles selects ten articles from a variety of sales and business websites their editors believe are of interest to those in sales and meet their high quality standard.

This is the third month in a row that a Salesopedia author has been selected as the top article. This month there are four Salesopedia authors with articles in contention for top article, Jim Domanski with The Top 10 Ways to Get Past Voice Mail and Reach More Decision Makers, Nancy Bleeke with The Three “I”s of Open Ended Questions, Tom Ninnes with Are You a Shark or a Fish? and Ivan Misner with Fishing for Referrals. Seems a bit of a fish theme developing …

Head over to Top 10 Sales Articles and vote on the article you this should be the top article for March 2010.

Clayton Shold
Salesopedia

Colleen Stanley is president of SalesLeadership, Inc., a business development consulting firm specializing in sales and sales management training. The company provides programs in prospecting, referral strategies, consultative sales training, sales management training, and hiring/selection. Colleen is a monthly columnist for Business Journals across the country, author of ‘Growing Great Sales Teams: Lessons from the Cornfield’ and co-author of ‘Motivational Selling.’

Clayton Shold
Salesopedia

I have been enjoying the TV coverage of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver B.C. Canada. Whistler has sure changed from when I first stayed at the local hostel for $10 a night which included breakfast. It was all we needed before heading out to ski the wonderful mountain. That was 38 years ago.

Speaking of the passing of time I can’t believe it was four years ago already that I penned a short article after the conclusion of the 2006 Olympics in Turino Italy. I’ve included it below. It speaks indirectly to those in sales when you read about professionalism, dedication, practice, giving, sharing, teamwork and being the best you can be.

Here’s to your Olympic spirit!

Armchair Olympian

I am not a die-hard sports enthusiast, but confess I enjoyed watching the winter Olympics held in Turino Italy. It was nice to watch something positive and motivational for a change and to delight in some truly amazing and generous acts. I find the wide variety of sports showcased fascinating, proving there is a lot one can do in cold climates of winter!

Consider the spectrum of sports. There are the many varieties of skiing. The downhill event has skiers reaching speeds of 140 kilometres per hour (87 mph), you get speeding tickets for going that fast in a car! Imagine what it takes to be a ski jumper as you attempt to imitate flight and defy gravity the longest once you are airborne. Picture the freestyle skiers who twist and turn in the air so fast I don’t know how the commentators can describe their incredible aerial feats. The cross-country skiers have tremendous endurance, and some stop to shoot rifles while trying to manage their beating hearts and gasping lungs.

We were witness to a newer Olympic event that debuted in Nagano in 1998, snowboarding. I think the snowboarders had the most fun creating their lexicon when they speak of a McTwist, Fakie, Duckfoot, an Ollie or a Nollie! Didn’t it just used to be Narly … or was that suffer speak and I’ve just dated myself?

There are those flashy speed skaters in their skin-tight outfits who fly around an oval ice surface at up to 60 kph (37 mph) battling G forces in the turns. The figure skaters entertained us with their dance routines and inspiring jumps. They also showed tremendous grit when Zhang Dan a Chinese pairs figure skater had a spectacular fall which made anyone watching cringe. To our disbelief, this 20 year old got up, completed the routine, and won the silver medal. Awesome.

We can’t forget the curlers. A sport many find strange, but appreciate the accuracy involved in curling your rock down a 44 meter (49 yard) ice surface and trying to hit a bulls eye with two sweepers helping control speed and direction of a heavy stone, while you opponent is attempting to block you or knock you on every throw. Lots of yelling and physics accompany this sport! Imagine four Newfoundlanders winning the gold – talk about a party when they get home!

There is the luge where, depending on the event, one or two people lie on their backs on a sled going down a tight twisty run … feet first. You might think that is scary enough until you see those in the skeleton event, maybe appropriately named. These athletes go down a steep ice track, on a sled, that has no brakes, headfirst. Hmmm … where do they find people to do this?

Then there is ice hockey. Grown men and women strap on boots with blades on the bottom, use curved sticks to shoot a hard rubber disk in the opponents net. This happens as they skate at up to 50 km per hour (30 mph) and shoot the puck at over 150 kph (95 mph) while maneuvering around on ice. A shame both the NHL laden U.S.A and Canadian teams didn’t even make it to the semi-finals. Perhaps too much talent, not enough “team”.

Over the 17-day period, 2,500 athletes from 85 nations competed for 84 medals in seven sports. We shared the pride of those on the podium as they smiled or cried as their national anthem played before the world. Two single acts at this twentieth Olympic Games stand out in my mind and will for many years.

I applaud gold medalist Joey Cheek, the USA speed skater for donating his $25,000 bonus to Right to Play, an organization of former Olympic, Paralympic and professional athletes worldwide who support using sport for development, health and peace. Good for you Joey, you are an inspiration to many.

Perhaps the defining moment of the Games was when Sara Renner, a Canadian broke her ski pole in a cross-country team sprint event. A Norwegian coach gave her a pole to finish the race. She and teammate Beckie Scott went on to win the silver medal. To me this unselfish act defines sportsmanship and is hard evidence the true Olympic spirit lives on. See you in Vancouver in 2010.

Clayton Shold
Salesopedia

The featured posts section will give you a very quick exposure to some of the more recent posts we wanted to highlight. To the right are two posts where we are either promoting someone’s product or service, or introducing a new blog ow website we’ve found that we think might be of interest to readers.

The “popular” section is populated based on the number of comments received. As you will discover some of these go back many months.

Below all of that are the recently added posts.

Oh, and we now include latest tweets and a short list of recent comments made.

Our links to other sales related sites is still there, you have to scroll down to the footer area to find them.

We hope you like the changes! If you do … leave a comment, if you don’t tell us what you’d like to see changed.

Sales expert Sharon Drew Morgen joins me from Austin Texas. Sharon Drew is a best selling author of NY Times Business Bestseller “Selling With Integrity”; her latest book is selling well titled “Dirty Little Secrets.”

Salesopedia

“Enjoy what you do and you’ll be good at it!”

“Do what you enjoy it won’t seem like work.”

I think of two sales pros that probably epitomize the notion of having fun in their chosen profession. So as to not embarrass them too much I’ll only use their first names. Charles and Monty are two guys that have worked together for quite a number of years and really have fun selling. If they aren’t competing between themselves, they are forming teams within their sales organization and creating mini-contests. They will set crazy goals, then go about exceeding them, rewarding themselves in some equally crazy ways. They are extremely good at what they do and have fun doing it. If you were to ask them, I’m not sure they would tell you it feels like work! Everyone should be so lucky.

A good friend sent me this video that shows four guys having fun. Apologies to the younger readers who may not recognize the original “rat pack.”

This short clip features Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr., the trio know as the Rat Pack singing Birth of the Blues, it was filmed at the Kiel Opera House in St. Louis Missouri in June of 1965. Johnny Carson, host of The Tonight Show, was the M.C. and this may be the only time Carson sang on stage.

If you can’t see the YouTube segment click here.

Do they look like they were having fun?

So much of what we do is determined by our mindset. Do you go about your day thinking you’re going to have fun and enjoy what your doing? Sure there are speed bumps and pot holes but get over and around those and focus on what you enjoy about your job. If that doesn’t work for you … consider changing jobs!

Salesopedia

Tibor’s article “Plan Goals and Plan On The Means Of Hitting Them” was a hit. Might have had something to do with many in sales thinking about getting those 2010 plan down on paper early in the year.

Good for you Tibor for topping the list, nice to have you doing so while representing Salesopedia!

Salesopedia

PS – if you haven’t yet the article you should – some great tips on how to ensure success in 2010!

Steven Rosen has over 15 years as a sales executive in the Pharmaceutical, Over The Counter and Medical Device Industry. He worked his way up from the sales floor to VP of Sales Alcon Canada and Biovail Pharmaceuticals Canada. He specializes in coaching sales leaders. Visit StarResults.com for more information.

Salesopedia

As Jill puts it “This is my sales playground. It’s where I have a chance to share what I know about sales with those who can use it to grow their business. I know you’ll get lots of good ideas and fresh insights.”

This is one talented woman so my advice to so link over to her new site greatsalesgive.com and sign up today. I won’t tell you what she’s giving away this month, you’ll have to find out for yourself.

Good luck with the new site Jill!

Salesopedia

Candidly I never have and it has me wondering why not?

Richard Schroder is a market researcher who happens to have some strong ideas on why companies (and sales producers) should be taking a hard look at these numbers. He is in the process of writing a book on the topic and needs your help. He requires sales producers and sales managers to take the survey so he can get actual field data.

I like the concept – real data from the field to get a better handle on the effectiveness of doing a win – loss analysis on your business regardless of which industry you are in.

This survey is 25 questions long and takes about 5 minutes to complete. I know I did it and found it painless. This survey is legitimate; McGraw-Hill and Anova Consulting Group sponsor it in case you were wondering.

As a thank you for completing the survey Richard is offering the chance to win an iPhone or a $250 AMEX gift certificate. Not bad for 5 minutes “work”.

If you are a sales producer you might want to read this article on the topic “How to Learn from Lost Sales and Win More Business”.

If you are in sales management/leadership you might want to read this article, “Win/Loss Analysis: A Proven Program for Winning More Business”.

Take the survey, you have everything to win and nothing to loose!

Salesopedia

I’ve never spoken to Nancy Nardin.

I do enjoy visiting Nancy Nardin’s website Smart Selling Tools.

At the beginning of the month I did a post recommending an ebook she authored titled “Increase Sales Productivity in 2010”. It is a quick read at 103 pages.

On Friday I found an 8 ½” X 11” brown envelope in my mail box. I opened it and found a mouse pad with company logo across the top and a lift-up clear layer so you can put your favorite picture under it or perhaps your reminder notes. Under my mouse pad was a thank you card with a hand written note from … you guessed it … Nancy Nardin. Her note thanked me for mentioning her ebook, mentioned she hoped she could return the favor and wished me a successful new year. What a pleasant surprise!

I’ve yet to meet Nancy Nardin.

I’ve yet to speak to Nancy Nardin.

But Nancy Nardin has made an impact on me.

What are you doing to make an impact on your prospects and customers?

Clayton Shold
Salesopedia

I confess I had only heard the term on the radio driving home that afternoon so had to look it up, it is the term given to the first full moon in January.

Wikipedia (that very distant cousin to Salesopedia) says the name dates back to Native Americans whose tribes kept track of the seasons by giving distinct names to each recurring full moon. This moon got its name from the wolf packs that howled hungrily outside Indian villages.

What was also interesting was the brightness of the moon. It will be the biggest and brightest full moon this year, 30% brighter as it comes closer to mother earth this year than any other full moon. You could clearly see features of the moons surface with the naked eye. And yes, Mars was to the left looking more like a star.

Are those of you in sales as hungry as those howling wolves? It may not be a snow cold winter where you are, it is where I live at -2F (-18C) today, but you can either howl at the moon or go out and find something to eat. While I’m on the metaphor path, under this wolf moon I could see through the darkness very easily. Are your goals, plans and objectives for the 2010 as big and bright as the wolf moon last night? It’s not too late to do something about it!

Clayton Shold
Salesopedia

Michael J. Hughes is Canada’s Networking Guru. He has honed his business and management skills over 38 years, the last 15 of which building his consulting and training company. Michael is a successful entrepreneur, business coach, international trainer and speaker, and respected author.

Salesopedia

This week we devoted the entire issue to Canada’s Networking Guru, Michael J. Hughes. Michael is an extraordinary speaker who motivates audiences with practical and down-to-earth advice on the art of networking. Speaking from first-hand experience, you can not leave one of Michael’s sessions without feeling inspired and empowered!

Also new this week is the inaugural launch and first in a continuing series of videocasts designed for you to get to know our contributing authors a little more. Fittingly, our first one features Michael.

We hope you enjoy!

Salesopedia

1. Did you set specific professional goals in 2009?

72%  Yes
21%  No
7%  Never got around to it

2. Your level of success?

21%   Very successful
59%  Somewhat successful
20%  Not successful

3. Will you set goals for 2010?

97%  Yes
1%  No
1%  Not sure

4. What will be the primary focus of your professional goals in 2010?

59%  Generate more income
20%  Building relationships
21%  Professional development (including career change)

5. What do you see as your greatest obstacle to achieving your 2010 goals?

29%  The economy
15%  An unforeseen shift in plans
7%  Your boss
43%  Yourself
6%  Other external forces
- company acquisition
- business strategy changes
- internal
- competitors

6. How do you feel about goal setting exercises?

63%  Critical to success
29%  Important
8%  Neutral
0%  Waste of time

7. Do you share your goals with others for support?

71%  Yes
29%  No

8. If yes in #7 who do you share goals with?

40%  Spouse
21%  Boss
21%  Co-worker
19%  Other
- friend
- advisors
- all of the above
- team
- coach

9. What is the most important component to success?

13%  Constant monitoring of progress
8%  Tackling bite-sized chunks
18%  Personal commitment
61%  All of the above

10. What is the most unique goal you have ever set?
– to obtain my MBA
– to be the best in the company I’m working for
– build my own business
– to win every sales contest for the year!
– To build a city farm in 2010
– Listing a subdivision
– Learning to play guitar
– Run a half-marathon in June
– Weight loss
– Career change to medical and I was successful
– Becoming the General Manager of the company I worked for since age 19. I achieved it and quite a bit more.
– Buy a Harley-Davidson motorcycle by age 50
– Professionally I’d like to become a Sales Coach and that’s the unique goal for me. It’s a tough ask but a unique one that is not impossible.
– Time off to enjoy life
– Total debt free
– To develop a niche market in product sales
– Financial goal to be able to afford a divorce
– To climb in the Pamirs (mountain range in Central Asia)
– Parachute out of a plane by age 30
– Wanting to learn how to juggle

We wished we could include all of the responses but this sampling shows how diverse a group responded with some real life goals – some very unique!

Thank you to everyone who responded!

Salesopedia

Tibor Shanto is the President of Renbor Sales Solutions. He works with companies in Canada, the U.S. and the U.K. helping them increase their revenue though improvements in sales strategy and execution.

Salesopedia

She has a very well categorized section where you can browse from every sales topic imaginable. There are a collection of sales articles, links to sales experts and much more on the site. Nancy has also just released a new FREE 100+ page ebook that is a quick read and jammed with helpful suggestions and resources that if you are at all serious about sales you should be downloading this ebook!

Just so I’m clear – here are your instructions for the first week of January. Bookmark smartsellingtools.com and download (and read) Nancy’s new ebook. Your productivity will thank you.

Salesopedia

First from Jonathan Farrington … Chairman of the Sales Corporation.

Second one is from Colly Graham … from his website “Creating Customers on the Telephone”

Salesopedia

http://tinyurl.com/ycts4nb

One guy I know employed creative marketing and pushed forward with aggressive expansion resulting in explosive business growth. This in a market when may of his competitors were hunkered down.

Another fellow on the west coast saw a market niche that was under-represented and dove in to the deep end, finishing the year with a big smile on his face.

Yes there were success stories, but those were out numbered by the sad situations many families had to endure in this lingering recession.

But tomorrow is a different day on the calendar. It is the first day of a new year, a new decade. The blank canvas is waiting for all of us to pick up the paint brushes and craft a new and prosperous picture. Look to 2010 with excitement and enthusiasm. As I may have said a thousand times … in sales having a positive mindset is your best advantage.

Happy New Year!

Clayton Shold
Salesopedia

In the Sales Article Communities – sites that specialise in promoting sales and marketing articles and services.

There were four nominees:
Sales Gravy
Sales HQ
Eyes On Sales
Salesopedia

On Jonathan’s blog today he wrote, “And the winner is …… for the third successive year, Salesopedia. I think that Clayton Shold continues to do a brilliant job, and continues to exceed expectation. But, I do really like and recommend the other nominees here.”

We at Salesopedia were delighted to receive this accolade again this year. The other three sites in this category are excellent and offer terrific content to their readers (who we know we share).

I must say it is sometimes demanding to work up the content each week on the website while trying to keep the blog current as well. I want to pass along special kudos to Dave Maynard who is the creative genius behind Salesopedia. Dave does an excellent job adding the “eye candy” to the site which spices up the articles and he’s the talent behind the edits which have our podcasts sounding professional week after week.

A big thank you to our 250 contributing authors who allow us to keep our content fresh each week. Lastly, a heartfelt thank you to the thousands of faithful visitors who come back week after week. We’re thrilled you find us one of the top free sales resource sites on the Internet.

Here’s to your success in 2010!

Clayton Shold
Salesopedia