How Our Small Acts Define Us
At Texas A&M University in College Station, the Aggie Code of Honor is easy to remember, and most students can recite it by heart: “Aggies do not lie, cheat, or steal, or tolerate those that do.” And, although I am 100 percent in agreement with this motto of self-government, I want to take the topic […]
How to Embrace Life’s Challenges and Unlock Your Expert Power
What is true “Expert Power”? For the premise of this article, expert power is defined as: A unique genius that can only be earned by going through the wall of adversity, and once earned, can never be taken away. Have you ever been faced with something difficult? Something challenging? Something that made you want to […]
The Power of Owning Our Mistakes in Life
In the game of basketball there are personal fouls, flagrant fouls, and technical fouls. In the arena of life, there are accidents, mistakes, and poor choices—each is uniquely different. If, while driving on the interstate, you run someone off the road while trying to avoid hitting a deer, that’s an accident. If you run them […]
How to Be Courageous When Facing Fear
I used to teach hand-to-hand combat to civilians in a 1,200-square-foot metal-sided warehouse with a 14-by-14-foot roll-up door. Nestled between several small automotive shops, it didn’t have AC to help during the Texas summer or heat for the winter. This meant we relied on fans and space heaters to make things bearable, not to mention […]
The Importance of Expert Mentorship & Training
When my son was nine and living in Central America, he told me he wanted to learn boxing. After asking more than a dozen locals where we should train, they all pointed me to the same man. When my son and I arrived at our first class, we realized that the “outdoor boxing school” was […]
When It’s Time to Stop Talking in the Sales Process
Customers who have an established relationship with your company and are using your equipment often add to their existing installed base, requiring you always to have your finger on their pulse. If an existing customer contacts you to ask for a price quote for a new system, you can advance directly to the confirmation or […]
The Path to Self-Improvement: Experts Compete with Themselves
Martial arts is a highly competitive sport that has more than its share of ego and bravado. It’s an industry that thrives on who can beat whom, which system is the best, and who has the baddest instructor. This culture conditioned me to size people up, both mentally and physically, immediately upon meeting them. Practitioners […]
Strategies for Overcoming Common Sales Objections
Have you ever been on a prospect call, attempting to book a face-to-face meeting, when they say to you, “I’m too busy right now—just email me the information, and I’ll look at it later”? If so, how did you respond? Did you politely end the call and email the information, as requested? Or, did you […]
Sales Success Tips: Are You a Spider, Sheepdog, or Tiger?
While managing additive manufacturing sales professionals, I have experienced three predominant sales types. I should note that there are many examples of successful salespeople within all of these descriptors. My purpose here is to prepare you for increased success in 3D printer sales. With that disclaimer in place, the three categories follow. Spiders A sales […]
Authenticity in Action: Building Your Personal Brand
Whether you are aware or not, you have a personal brand—and it’s not the product or service you represent. Your personal brand is a combination of your image and your reputation. It’s important that you clearly identify the brand you desire and that it aligns with your natural and authentic self. Once identified, you must […]