As 2009 draws to a close and we anticipate a new year and a new decade, we are filled with gratitude for those who have made our success  possible.  So in this spirit we wish to tell you all, simply and sincerely, Thank you!  And as is the tradition during this time of year, we stumbled upon a gift that we wish to share with you. 

Earlier this month, Seth Godin released a free ebook, “What Matters Now.”  It is a collection of contemporary wisdom presented as one page "thoughts", each written by one of today's big thinkers.  I found it to be enlightening and inspiring and I hope you do too.  Please download the ebook, share it with your friends and colleagues, and turn to it as you seek inspiration and ideas in planning for the next year.  I hope you enjoy it as I have! 

Happy Holidays!!

What Matters Now

I had an interesting conversation yesterday that really illuminated the distinction between the work that we do versus the value of that work to our customers.  I was discussing a potential new project with a large customer - a global consulting and outsourcing firm.  We got to talking about a competitive vendor who may also be considered for doing the project - a much larger and more established firm with deeper reach into my client (and with cheaper prices). 

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The truth is irrelevant in sales.  So are the facts.  For the most part, all of the "information" we'd be inclined to focus upon conveying is pretty much irrelevant.   Why?  Because from the perspective of the buyer, all of our (the vendors') so called truths, facts and info sound fundamentally the same.  Even when we DO achieve some strategic or tactical advantage over our competitors, it only lasts a short time before their marketing department and their smart sales people figure out how to counter our claims.  And the buyer is left wondering "Who's really telling the truth?" 

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Thanks so much to everyone who participated in the free "Leading Through The Storm" webinar on September 22nd!  We had over 100 people in attendance and the feedback has been great.  Here is the audio replay for those of you who missed it, or for those of you who wish to share it with someone else.  The audio runs 1 hour.  You will have to open the PDF file and follow along manually through the slides. 

Key topics:
1. Leadership:  Every Interaction is a Transaction
2. Motivation: Invest in your Attitude
3. Corporate Culture: Constants and Variables
4. Execution: What works?  What doesn't?

Enjoy!  And please leave a comment regarding your thoughts!

Leading Through The Storm MP3 File

Svenneby - Leading Through The Storm - 9-22-2009 (26.1M MP3)

Leading Through The Storm PDF File

We teach engineers/technologists/consultants about sales. "Why the heck would someone want to do that?" you ask. "Does it work?" you ask. I was driving home from teaching a class today and was in one of those "rant" moods, and luckily my handy blackberry has a record function on it. So, with nothing better to do while caught in I-25 traffic, I ranted. This is a fairly random, uncut and completely unscripted stream of thought, and the blackberry recorder isn't the best. All of that said, here are my thoughts below.   Please share your thoughts as well. I look forward to reading your comments.

Teach Sales to Technologists (7.9M MP3)