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The harder you work

October 12, 2015 by Bruce Leave a Comment

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Typically the word “luck” and “lucky” are used by those who didn’t get the deal, especially when they are offering explanations of why someone else did. This time, it was simply a bluebird flying into the lucky one’s window and next time because the lucky one was married to the owner’s son. Different day, different excuse! What is always implied though, is that the “chosen” individual was given the Keys to the City and through no effort of their own.

Let’s be real here. It’s not about luck.

Show me a ”lucky” deal and I’ll show you one that took hours to complete and probably required blood, sweat, and tears. Quite frankly, it may have been  brought back to life several times! In my experience, those receiving lucky breaks have been the exception and not the rule. Instead, I’ve found what Harvey McKay, author of Swim with the Sharks states as a more common truth:

“The harder you work, the luckier you get.”

When you‘re out doing the work, getting in front of people and developing relationships, good things happen. By putting energy into the system, things are bound to come out. Work Harder and You Will Get Luckier!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: attitude, CGS, hard work, Harvey McKay, luck, lucky, Swim with the Sharks, The Caveman's Guide to Selling

Not the time

October 7, 2015 by Bruce Leave a Comment

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Imagine, you’re finally sitting face to face with a prospect that you have been calling upon for weeks. At this point you have their full attention.  You begin by detailing your background, credentials, and better yet,  the history of your company.  How soon before you notice that you have less of their attention?

The truth is, this appointment is not the time to delve into those details (unless they ask, of course).  It is not the time to convince your prospect of your merit. Why? Because they are already right in front of you!

It’s just like when you’re in a restaurant, you don’t go to the back of the kitchen and ask the chef for his/her background, because really, who cares? You just want a great meal!

It’s important to remember, that we are the ones that make credentials  an issue.  When we do, it lessens our prospect’s confidence in us and makes us appear weak. Instead, we should focus our energy on providing a space for dialogue,  enabling us to create opportunities to understand and better serve our prospects.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: appointment, CGS, dialogue, serve, time

Perspective and Attitude

October 5, 2015 by Bruce Leave a Comment

CGS - Sun - FinalI just came back from a three-day leadership conference for the non-profit organization for which I serve as a board member. As you might expect, it consisted mostly of meetings, speeches, lunches, and rapport-building with fellow members from all over the U.S.

Great opportunity and incredible experience, right?

As embarrassing as it to admit, I came away from the first day frustrated; feeling like I wasn’t getting out of the experience as much as I expected. But after reflecting on the day a bit more, I realized my mindset was all wrong. Up to that point, I was only concerned with taking from the experience, rather than contributing to it.

The following morning I promised myself I would change my perspective and attitude, reminding myself what it’s all about: to learn, connect, and develop relationships.

As a result, the second day was one I’ll never forget. One after another, inspiring chance encounters ensued. One of the most memorable was with a world-class speaker (who happened to be giving the keynote speech that day) who I had the privilege of connecting with on the pillars of relationship building and the part gratitude plays in this process. Aside from being great company, she was also exceptionally generous by offering me invaluable speaking tips!

As if things couldn’t get any better, I had the pleasure of listening to another great speaker discuss one of my favorite topics, how to connect with anyone; a crucial skill in moving others.

By the end of the conference, all of the wonderful things that come with connecting with others came flooding into my life, simply because I had shifted my mindset. By being open to listening, giving back, and contributing, I had not only learned ways in which I could better serve our organization, but I had made a few friends along the way too.  That’s what it’s all about!

 

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: attitude, mindest, perspective

If you want something, Ask!

September 30, 2015 by Bruce Leave a Comment

CGS - Sun - Final

I’m continually amazed by how often people expect others to do something without actually asking them. When they fail to do what was expected, those expecting feel angry, ignored, frustrated, or disrespected. The may feel that the other person should have known and shouldn’t have had to have been told.

Why do we penalize and punish others for not doing something that they were supposed to do, or should have known to do, without first making an effort to explain what we really want and why?

The truth is, other people can’t read your mind and probably won’t be able to guess or assume what you want. You have to give them the chance to do what you want them to do. You do this by being real and genuine. Not by dancing around the edges. Be respectful and get to the point.

If you want something, ask! The person you are asking will appreciate it just as much as you will!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Ask, authenticity

You are not a hat!

September 28, 2015 by Bruce Leave a Comment

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Who you are meeting or speaking with, and the purpose of the encounter, really shouldn’t have an effect on how you approach the interaction. It especially shouldn’t shape how you “act” around those you are engaging with.

Your behavior should not be something you put
on for particular occasions like a hat.

You are not a hat!

No matter who is present in the room, being real and authentic transcends any kind of strategy or technique you may have for profiling people as either a decision maker, influencer, and simply everyone else.

Avoid a “one size fits all” mentality about who you think they are and what you think they want and stop any inclination to play a part or role in this interaction. Instead, make sure all are heard, their opinions valued, and that proper attention is paid to each person. Solutions and opportunities will then follow.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: authentic, authenticity

Two Ears, One Mouth

September 17, 2015 by Bruce Leave a Comment

Listening to others is probably the most impactful thing you can do in any kind of relationship with the least amount of investment.

Don’t get me wrong, it does take time, effort , and discipline but the results are crazy good and immensely rewarding. By listening more, and talking less, others feel more comfortable, appreciated, and respected. It doesn’t get much better than that, right?

Being an effective communicator, one whose message resonates with others, starts with being a better listener. If you want to make an impact, lead with your ears, not your mouth.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Bruce Suppes, CGS, listening, The Caveman's Guide to Selling

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