A common condition I encounter with a number of prospects and new clients is frustration with difficulty talking about their business. You’re in great company if you can’t quite find the magical words to express your company’s value and worth...

For many, lead generation and sales letters haven’t worked well in the past. Some companies I talk to share stories of mailing letters and getting no reply at all. A common theme is they like the idea of direct mail,...

If you haven’t already, please read part 1 of this topic for steps 1-4 to create your compelling story. Here’s the link. Step 5: Why should I believe you? We’re going to start the second part of this process with...

Reading a local publication earlier this morning, I noticed a couple real estate ads printed next to each other. Both ads read the same — name, rank and serial number. And both ads offered the same reason to call the...

How cool would it be if there were a silver bullet in sales and marketing to retire quota and make lots of money? You know what I mean — the one thing we could say or do that magically makes...

Advantages are often confused with benefits in marketing and sales communication — mucking-up a core story. As salespeople, we too often tout advantages as the reason to buy from us — a big mistake. Advantages are the things you can...

Leaving the post office not long ago, I picked-up a flyer from a local business — a party and event company that supplies everything for a celebration including balloons, tents, lighting, and catering services. How do I know this? It...

A commonly cited problem with cold calling is it’s an unwelcome interruption and merely a shot in the dark. Both ills result in a colossal waste of time — the first risks damage to your reputation and the second is...

Reason to believe is a huge part of a compelling core story, it’s the reason a prospect feels secure becoming a customer. Reason to believe is a form of proof the benefit you offer is real and the price is...

The image above is a pic I took of my whiteboard yesterday following a conversation with a colleague — we were discussing core stories and their affect on marketing and sales efforts. The board holds the notes I wrote while...