It's easy to get caught up in what you feel you should be doing and all of the ego that gets tied up in that, but sometimes the thing that actually needs to be done is right in front of you. Are you paying attention?

Like many salespeople, I’m a bit of a control enthusiast, but there comes a time when for everybody's benefit you just need to let it go.

There are two necessary conditions for getting your prospecting messages returned- be someone worth talking to and have something worth talking about. When you're prospecting, do you meet those requirements?

I've spent much of the last few weeks questioning a lot of the things I'm doing in my business and frankly, with my life. Fortunately, I'm pretty satisfied with the answers, but what's more important is that I'm asking the questions. Are you?

How to have meaningful, empathetic, and effective conversations with prospects and customers right now.

I don’t think tech helps you sell. I think tech helps you scale.

I have reviewed a few email scripts from clients recently, and a common theme is making itself readily apparent. You're trying to do too much.

Selling is a verb, not a passive state. Sales don't close themselves, they require someone to steward the process along. That's you.

When this break is over, how will you report back about what happened? Will you have used it well or wasted an opportunity?

It comes down to keeping things simple and doing the next right thing.

I believe that the way you act during times like these is remembered and rewarded (or not) when things get better. Your prospects and customers are paying attention right now.

What a time to spend in a deeply reflective state, wondering about what your future will look like, and how much of your past behaviors you want to bring with you.

So the key, as usual, is to set some boundaries along with some attainable objectives to keep things moving in a positive direction. All you can do is all you can do.

Am I telling you to get off social media? Of course not. I am, however, challenging you to question the frequency and the time you spend on those sites. Is it really as important as your calendar and your usage stats are suggesting it is? Probably not, which is the first sign that there might be an issue…

When it feels like it’s hitting the proverbial fan, you need to circle the wagons and identify what’s really important. You need to PARE things down.

Selling is not rocket science. If you want to grow your business, predictably, you need to diligently and deliberately engage in activities that will drive that growth. Non-essential meetings, social media, and most email doesn't really do that for you.

I see something happening all too often with my clients. Your intentions are good, but it drives me nuts, and you need to stop it.

The stories that we tell ourselves are the most powerful. People, by and large, believe that they get what they pay for: that's the placebo effect. Are you using it to your advantage?

The Elevator Pitch, the 30 Second Personal Commercial, your Sales Story... They're all variations on the same theme. If you had a minute or so with one person and had a chance to tell them what you do or what you sell, could you?

Growing a business requires a pragmatic approach. Ask the right questions, even if they're the tough ones.