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Name of author Rick Baker, P.Eng.

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Plucky & Pithy

by Rick Baker
On Nov 17, 2010
Plucky & Pithy…spirited, courageous, to the point, and packing a bit of a punch.
 
Plucky & Pithy…a fine pair of adjectives.

Tags:

Beyond Business

Sales Tweet #88

by Rick Baker
On Nov 17, 2010
Sales Tweet #88 Do you use ‘marker’ questions and comments to gauge your Probable Client’s interest?
 
The Thinking Behind the Sales Tweet
Direct questions and comments often annoy people. And, people with hidden agendas are skilled at evading direct questions and redirecting conversations.

When trust is strong ‘markers’ are not required and they should be few and far between.

When relationships have not existed long enough to confirm trust is strong ‘markers’ are one way of gaining an understanding of the other person’s thoughts and desires.

When you know relationships are strained or when Client information is guarded ‘markers’ may be the only successful communication strategy.

Tags:

Questions?: The Art of Asking Good Questions | Sales | Thought Tweets

People We Know, Fate, & Power of Will

by Rick Baker
On Nov 16, 2010
The best laid plans…often don’t work out.
 
You know this from your experiences…often ‘fate’ intervenes or ‘people things’ change and plans need to be adjusted or shelved.
 
Maybe, the best laid plans rarely work out in the manner our ‘power of will’ wants them to work out.
 
So, why bother planning?
 
Why not just take each day as it comes to you, recognizing you have the strength and talent to face whatever circumstances and situations happen to come your way?
 
Of course, there are spiritual implications and these sorts of questions touch deep at ‘the human condition’, ‘what is success’, and ‘why we are here’. But, that’s not territory of this Thought Post.
 
We are business people.  At least, that’s one of the roles we play. And, it is a role that captures a good portion of our days…and lives. So, recognizing we are in business
 
Why bother planning?
 
Here are 2 reasons, one very practical and the other, for some readers, will require a leap of faith:
 
The Value of Direction: Consider the native guide who described with animation the magnificence of the thundering waters…then raised a hand , showing the European explorers the right direction …then helped them cross difficult terrain, all the time adjusting the hand as it pointed…until they heard the water thunder and saw what we now call Niagara Falls.

Direction supports a positive attitude. When we see fingers pointing toward our desired destination it is easier to be confident, courageous, honest, persistent, creative, adventuresome, etc…enjoying those states of mind aligned with success.
 
The Magnetism of Purposeful Action: some believe fate, [or is it luck], favours those who act and especially those who act with purpose. Quality people are drawn to their cause…some of these quality people become acquaintances…some become friends, some become champions for the cause…others become crusaders, expanding the envelope and the experiences. The better the cause, the more the magnetism. 

Consider Terry Fox. Just one young man, filled with hope and a dream…knowing exactly the direction he was going…supported only by family and friends. Then…

Tags:

Change: Creating Positive Change | Goals - SMARTACRE Goals | Hero Worship

Sales Tweet #87

by Rick Baker
On Nov 16, 2010
Sales Tweet #87 When the boss told Ernest Seller to make C-level contacts, Ernest restricted his calls to 3rd floor offices.
 
The Thinking Behind the Sales Tweet
And…Ernest has met some interesting people during his 3rd floor travels. He told me 3rd floor people just love him when he chats them up. However, and we must keep this between you and me because Ernest doesn’t want his boss to know, Ernest thinks his boss' focus on 3rd floor offices is a silly sales strategy. But, you know how it is - the boss is the boss...can't tell him anything. And, Ernest is convinced - sooner or later his boss will wise up.

Tags:

Thought Tweets | Ernest Seller

Sales Tweet #86

by Rick Baker
On Nov 15, 2010
Sales Tweet #86 Free up some time by having a pre-set process for dealing with problems. See P=2S+O www.activestor.ca
 
The Thinking Behind the Sales Tweet
Another piece of free up some time advice…
 
Many people waste a huge amount of time worrying about and even agonizing over problems.
 
Business life is laced with problems…some small, some not-so-small.
 
So, it makes sense to have a ready-to-use system for addressing problems.
 
This provides many benefits…but, here, we will only mention 3:
 
• It ensures time is not wasted thinking about how to go about addressing the problem
• It forces a solution orientation…i.e., positivity trumps worry
• It builds confidence
 
That’s why we created P=2S+O©

A link to P=2S+O©

Tags:

Sales | Solutions & Opportunities | Thought Tweets

Sales Tweet #85

by Rick Baker
On Nov 12, 2010
Sales Tweet #85 Ernest Seller fainted at a Client's office yesterday. When he came to he asked if he got the order.
 
The Thinking Behind the Sales Tweet
As is often the case with Ernest, there's good news and there's bad news. The good news is Ernest actually didn’t faint. He faked it. His boss reminded him of his mid-month sales target and this was Ernest's way of pulling out the stops. The bad news is Ernest forgot he tried this stunt with the same Client midway through last month. So, as Ernest came to, his Client refused to accept it as a full revival and poured a bucket of ice water on Ernest.

Tags:

Thought Tweets | Ernest Seller

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