by Stacey O’Byrne, Pivot Point Advantage Be Prepared – Have your introduction and commercials prepared in your head so you aren’t tongue-tied when you meet someone new. Be Informed – Read the paper, either off-line or on-line, so you know what’s going on in the community and the world.  Ensure you are versed on current […]

Listen to the Client  The most important skill to close the sale is simply to listen! When communicating with a prospect, ask them open-ended questions to learn more about their needs. This makes them feel like an individual, and shows that you find their business important.  Then, be sure to ask relevant follow up questions […]

Interrupt yourself, not them. Smile warmly, tell them what a pleasure it’s been to talk to them about [fill in the blank… whatever it was you were talking about], and that you could just monopolize their time all night. Say, “But if you’ll excuse me, I need to…” And then offer an excuse. Try: Catch […]

by Matt Byrom If you often find your mind wandering at work, or you’re prone to getting stuck in a YouTube cycle—don’t worry, you’re not alone. The Internet is a vast rabbit hole that can lure even the most focused away from the task at hand. There are tons of bad habits that kill productivity, […]

While a dynamic presence in a meeting can win you professional acclaim from your peers, the truly successful know that it’s how you interact outside of the office that will make or break you. Creating and maintaining a great rapport with your fellow professionals, even your least favorite ones, is something one can’t learn only […]

by Melissa Thompson Are American workers as productive, or more productive, than they used to be, with the burgeoning amount of apps coming out daily? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the answer is, no. In fact, they say that nonfarm productivity hasfallen 0.6 percent during 2016. Now, there are a bewildering number of productivity […]

by Joydeep Bhattacharya Enhanced connectivity and improved telephony have blurred the line between a staff working on a physical premises and one who is working remotely from home. And it is transforming the culture, for good. As per the Small Office Home Office (SOHO) workers report 2016, a majority of 60 percent people, feel happier when […]

by: Michael Goldberg Top 10 lists are great. It’s been a thing for David Letterman probably since he was dropping watermelons from rooftops. But the concept is definitely a trend. It’s why The Book of Lists is so much fun to read – Top 10 Tallest Buildings, Biggest Bridges, Most Popular Movies, and so on. […]

Well, while there are 7 Deadly Sins in Event Planning, there are exactly two types of people who do the planning – they either love it or hate it. Those who love it embrace experts’ advice, know when they need help, and they generally pull off great events without the appearance of any hard work.  […]

“WOW, I just had the best experience ever!” We’ve all used a phrase similar to this when we’ve been to a great restaurant, had a wonderful massage, or found that perfect CPA to trust with your taxes. You want all your friends and family to have the same experience; so you share your fortunate find […]