An eye for detail. Sloppy people will create more problems.
The potential to come up with creative ideas. You want a fresh approach.
An ability to work well with others. People who clash with others engender as many problems as they solve — if they solve any.
Don’t remake old mistakes. If old solutions worked, old problems wouldn’t be popping up again. You need new ideas, so don’t be afraid to try them. Moreover, if an idea is yours, you will get credit for it and may end up in a leadership role when it comes time to implement it.
Solicit the perspectives of new employees. They will not be blinded by the habits of people who have been around a long time. They may have a solution that has been staring you in the face all the while.
Understand the problem. You can’t solve it until you know exactly what it is. This means making sure that you
address the cause, not the symptom
look at every possible cause
tailor your solution to the well-defined cause
look for fresh approaches
Have a carefully planned strategy. Leave nothing to chance. Put your solution into practice. Follow your plan.
Stand back and watch. And when your solution is successful, celebrate!
Index
A
acceptance, 83–84
advancement, 212–16
advertising. See handouts; testimonials
agreement, 152–53, 173
appearance. See dress
appointments. See meetings
arrogance, 79
articles, 50
attention, 78, 88–89
attitude, 18, 26, 75, 243, 253–55
audience, 118, 121
awards, 56–57
Index
B
body language, 26, 102, 119
reading, 71–72, 83–87, 90
responding to, 84–86, 140, 150
using, 87, 89, 127, 259–60
boss
difficult, 239–41
relationship with, 214–15, 234
selling ideas to, 236–38
breaks, 230, 243
brochures, 31, 47
business cards, 25, 47, 51, 54, 58
buyers, 10, 38–39, 150
Index
C
case studies, 46, 57, 103
cell phones, 38, 187, 228
chain of command, 78, 220
chat rooms, 193
clarification, 89, 90, 103, 128
client relations, 12, 166–69, 177–79
closing sales, 18, 70, 85, 86, 149–51, 152–58
cold calls, 30–34
communication, 139–41, 186–87. See also e-mail
commuting, 228
competition, 103, 130
competitors, 199, 237
computers, 186, 195
concessions, 151
conferences, 45–47
confidence, 26, 87, 120–21, 254, 259, 262–63
confidentiality, 218
confirmation, 104, 125, 139, 140, 145
conflicts, 213, 219, 224, 239–41, 267
contacts, 11, 18, 22, 25
pursuing, 27, 43, 51–52
contests, 56–57, 219
conversations, 57. See also networking
copyright, 219
cost reduction, 40
courses. See training
creativity, 221, 222
credibility, 74, 224–25
criticism, 214, 234
cultural differences, 58, 71, 83, 141
customers, 5–6, 8, 18, 51
needs of, 68, 93–95
relationship with, 166–69, 177–79
customer service, 3–6, 76, 175, 222
Index
D
decision-makers, 10, 55, 107
demonstrations, 115–16
digital cameras, 186
documentation, 167, 168, 174, 237. See also case studies; reference letters; testimonials
document sharing, 173
dress, 4, 26, 72–73, 77, 216, 222
for job interviews, 258–59
dumping, 79
Index
E
EASI (electronic assisted sales integration), 170–73
electronic tools, 29, 171
e-mail, 36, 39, 60, 75, 143, 173, 189–91, 228
empathy, 75, 144, 254
enemies, 215
enthusiasm, 72, 77, 87, 121, 253. See also attitude
showing, 26, 222, 254, 260
equipment buying, 184, 187
ethics, 217–20
exaggeration, 77
exercise, 230, 243
expectations, 244–45
eye contact, 71, 89, 126, 139, 229, 259–60
Index
F
fairness, 218, 219, 235
favors, 224
faxing, 143, 187
feedback, 17, 143
receiving, 23, 63, 150, 215, 251, 265
for self-evaluation, 214, 215, 258, 263
file-sharing, 188
follow-up, 27, 47, 145, 156
after trade shows, 51, 56, 59–61
force-field analysis, 206–7
free offers, 21
friends, 243
Index
G
gatekeepers, 11
goal setting, 8–9, 49, 175, 203–7
Index
H
handouts, 37, 47, 54. See also samples
handshakes, 26, 71
harassment, 78
health, 227
honesty, 217–20
humor, 233, 254, 255
Index
I
influence, 10–12, 129–31
Internet, 186–89, 192–99
interruptions, 89, 229–30
interviews, 256–61
intranets, 188
introductions, 20, 24, 33, 67–68
issues, 105–10, 145
Index
J
job change, 208–11, 256–61
Index
K
knowledge, 26, 74–75, 254
demonstrating, 121, 130
Index
L
language, 22, 23, 29, 99–100, 116, 141, 260. See also body language; non-verbal communication
learning, 53–55, 249–52, 254. See also training
legitimacy, 103, 130, 131
letters, 19–23, 47, 56. See also mailings
listening, 26, 79, 87–92, 140, 141, 144, 260
in negotiations, 125, 127
in telephone calls, 34, 61
literature, 31, 47, 57. See also handouts
loyalty, 218, 220, 234
Index
M
mailings, 19–23, 30, 31, 35, 36, 56. See also e-mail
meals, 54
media, 50
meditation, 243
meetings, 43, 51, 59, 171, 176, 188, 229
agendas for, 227, 228
setting up, 30, 34, 50–51, 61
mentors, 215, 264–65
misrepresentation, 219
mission statements, 176, 203, 205–6
moonlighting, 218
motivation, 22
Index
N
negotiating, 124–31, 173
networking, 24–27, 40, 250
at trade shows, 48–52, 54–55
newsletters, 28–29
non-verbal communication, 68, 140. See also body language
note-taking, 58, 90
Index
O
objections, 69, 70, 99–107
open-ended questions, 25, 63, 72, 90, 105, 125
to determine customer needs, 68, 140
in telephone calls, 34, 44
opening, 67–68. See also introductions
optimism, 253
Index
P
peers, 215, 223–25
people skills, 142–45
performance, 8, 9, 175
performance management systems, 168
persistence, 17, 130
personal information management system (PIMS), 185–86
personality types, 135–38
pilot projects, 172, 173, 237
planning, 49, 55, 213, 227
politics, 233–35
power, 223, 224–25
precedent, 103, 129, 130, 224, 237
prejudice, 218
presentations, 35–37, 45–47, 49–50, 113–24
apologizing for, 156–57
to boss, 236–38
press releases, 50
pressure tactics, 78, 140
pricing, 108–10
prioritizing, 266
problem solving, 266–68
process improvement, 174–75
procrastination, 221
products, 8, 23, 69, 70, 122–23, 150–51, 237
professional development, 228. See also training
professionalism, 76, 221–22
progress tracking, 213
promotion, 198–99
prospect evaluation, 15–16, 40, 55, 93–95, 226
Index
Q
questions, 79, 102, 127, 141, 150, 261, 265. See also open-ended questions
confirming, 104, 139, 140, 145
Index
R
rank, 131
rationality, 103, 131
rebates, 103
receptionists, 39
reference letters, 22, 103, 130, 258
referrals, 18, 33–34, 40–44, 54, 140
reliability, 75, 78
research, 102, 192–93
respect, 223–24
resumé, 257
rewards, 168, 176, 207
risk, 103
roadblocks, 205, 206, 221
Index
S
sales, 17–18, 161–63, 173, 205, 206
sales presentations, 113–23
samples, 21, 62–63
search engines, 199
self-confidence. See confidence
selling, 67–70, 161–63
of ideas, 236–38
partnership for, 163–79
sharing, 188, 215
skills, 208, 209, 249
sleep, 243, 244
socializing, 227, 229–30
software, 173, 184, 196, 230
spam, 189, 191
speakers, 36, 58
speeches, 45–47, 49–50, 58. See also presentations
storefront (Internet), 188
stress, 242–45
supply chain, 170–73
Index
T
teaching, 213
teams, 173, 174–77
teamwork, 213, 224–25
teaser copy, 22–23
technology, 170–73, 183–99
telephone, 33, 38–39, 50. See also cell phones
telephone calls, 30, 43, 44, 60–61, 188. See also cold calls; voice mail
testimonials, 21, 37, 46, 57
thanking, 37, 43, 215
time management, 221–22, 226–30, 255
timing, 43, 150
to-do list, 228
trade shows, 48–61
training, 205, 214, 250–52
trust, 234, 240
Index
U
URL. See Web sites
Index
V
vacations, 227
values, 204, 208–9, 234
vehicle, 227
vision statement, 203
voice conferencing, 173
voice mail, 38–39, 187
volunteering, 25, 50, 213
Index
W
Web sites, 188–89, 194–97, 199
whiteboards, 171, 173
workshops. See training
List of Figures
Chapter 10: Career Effectiveness
Diagram 1: Template for Creating a Personal Mission Statement