1. Focus on the Future Focusing on the future and being proactive is much more likely to work out than focusing on the past and being reactive. Sit down with your boss and say: “Can I ask you a hypothetical question? ”Hopefully, they will say, “Okay. View Details

You probably reach customers at all different sorts of levels. Maybe some have subscribed to your email sends.  Others may read a blog, or connect with you via various social media platforms. You probably think that by reaching them through various methods you’re probably reaching everyone you need to—but that’s not the case. View Details

By Julie Rusciolelli, I hire one to two interns a year with the expectation that this intern could eventually end up a MAVERICK full time. In fact, I've offered full-time employment to almost 80 per cent of those who have interned at my firm. That's a great stat, one I am very proud of. I wish I could hire more interns, as it has been a proven and effective way to find young, energetic talent, without huge commitments. View Details

By Lina Duque,  When I decided to start my own social media consulting business three years ago, I felt like I was jumping off a cliff; I could soar, or fall flat on my face. Could I pull it off? What if I didn't get enough business? What would people think? I was terrified. Going from full-time employee to entrepreneur was risky, but the upside was that I was doing what I loved. 1. View Details

By Larry Myler, Business development is all about persuasion. But those who begin relationships by trying to persuade are missing the point. Better to begin relationships by establishing them. Here are four ways to do it. Give value before your get value. The classic book Influence (Harper Business revised edition, 2006) by Robert Cialdini, reveals something powerful about giving. It creates a sense of obligation, or reciprocation, that can drive the receiver to respond in like manner. View Details

By George Deeb, As a serial entrepreneur and growth consultant at Red Rocket, I have been exposed to hundreds of companies, and some of the common pitfalls they run into as it relates to sales, and the impact it has on effectively growing their businesses long term. Below are five common pitfalls I see entrepreneurs make when chasing near-term revenues, that can often create long term hurdles for the business down the road. View Details

By Ralph Levy and Darlene Marsh,  Every professional should be well versed in how to negotiate. Whether you’re a junior employee making a case for a promotion, an HR professional selecting company insurance benefits, or a top executive brokering new deals, these skills will come in handy. However, few professionals have any formal education on negotiation, and strategies vary depending on circumstances. View Details

By Dr. Travis Bradberry,  There are so many things that can kill the careers of good, hard-working people. Honest mistakes often carry hard-hitting consequences. We usually only hear about the more egregious examples, such as when Yelp employee Talia Jane became an Internet sensation for writing a blistering post criticizing the company’s low pay and its CEO. To no one’s surprise, she quickly found herself out of a job. View Details

By Preston D Lee, I get that it’s possible to make good money without ever dealing with clients. But still, I’m going to go out on a limb and guess: you work with clients on an almost-daily basis. And, let’s be honest, clients can be intimidating. Especially at first. Because, as a creative entrepreneur, you may not feel like a natural salesman, negotiator, or closer. You’re an artist. View Details

By Deepak Malhotra, It’s one thing to lose a deal because you were playing hardball. It’s an entirely different — and more frustrating — situation when the other side is rejecting even your reasonable offers. When genuine attempts at negotiating in good faith are failing, you need a new approach — but it doesn’t mean you have to get aggressive. View Details

By Erin Sherbert You’re an entrepreneur on your way to establishing a successful small business. You’ve made enough money to keep the lights on and start taking one day a week off. Good job. Now it’s time to grow. What you need more than anything to start scaling your company is to retain your top talent. But how are you going to cobble together stellar benefit packages that will compete with larger companies? View Details

By Melody J. Wilding, We’ve all faced days at the office where we’re just not feeling motivated. Off days happen to everyone and it’s tough—if not unrealistic—to constantly do your best work. There are bound to be times when you procrastinate too much, lack focus, or struggle to start important projects. You may react by getting down on yourself, wondering where your determination has gone. View Details

From Brian Ainsley Horn, If you work in sales — in ANY aspect of sales — you are likely always looking for ways to better connect with your customers or clients and sell more. While there are hundreds of books, podcasts, blogs, videos and magazine articles that promise to help you become the best salesperson you can be, the power to sell is already inside of you. Selling is all about connecting. View Details

By Donal Daly There was a time, long, long ago in a dim and distant past when, if you were in sales, the company you worked for and the product you sold were more important than how you personally sold. You may remember the ‘No one gets fired for buying IBM’ adage.   Buying from a market leader was often seen as the obvious (and safest) path for a buyer to take. View Details

By Anish Majumdar, One of the most interesting things I learned from my days as an actor was seeing how audiences tended to remember what a person did much more than how they did it. In other words, if you take the correct actions, despite not being Mr. /Ms. Confident, you’ll trigger the same response as though you were. The goal: establishing yourself as the candidate who can deliver the most VALUE. View Details