Top Secrets of Marketing & Sales
Episodes
How Sole Proprietors Delegate to Grow Freedom & Profit
13 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Last week I mentioned that we're addressing the topic of Breaking Free of Your Business in our Inner Circle group. And a question came up about how so...
Breaking Free of Your Business
05 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Michael Gerber and David Blaise speaking at The ASI Show (many years ago!) One of my earliest business mentors, Michael Gerber, author of The E-Myt...
Making Prospects Comfortable Enough to Buy from You
29 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Last week, we talked about the entry-level awareness that's required before you can start selling to anyone. This week, we'll kick it up a notch. Let'...
Creating Awareness: Do Your Best Prospects Know You’re Alive?
22 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If there's one ability necessary to begin creating an environment in which the people best suited to doing business with you have an opportunity to do...
Leadership Characteristics of Market Dominators
15 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Leadership is critical. Over the past few weeks, I talked a lot about the idea of dominating your market. It's a topic that resonates with a lot of bu...
Your Biggest Business Decision
08 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
There are many decisions you will need to make when building your business. But your biggest business decision is often how you plan to grow your sale...
How to Get It All Done (Without Doing More)
01 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We get a lot of comments and questions from people asking "how can I get it all done?" There seems to be so much that has to be completed on a given d...
The Disconnect Between Social Media & Your Sales Funnel
22 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
There is a huge disconnect in business today -- one that wastes enormous amounts of time and causes salespeople and business owners to miss out on eno...
How to Dominate Your Market
15 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Ready to Dominate Your Market? Read or listen to the blog/podcast below, then enter your questions in the box at the bottom of this page. Visit any...
Not Hitting Sales Goals? That’s a Problem…
08 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you don't hit the sales goals set by either you or your employer, that's a problem. In this podcast, business growth expert David Blaise explains w...
3 Steps to Regain Control of the Sales Process
01 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Tired of having your presentations derailed? In this podcast, business growth expert David Blaise reveals his simple, three-step RPR method to regain ...
Are You Easily Replaceable in Business?
25 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Is it really true that in business, everyone is replaceable? In this podcast, business growth expert David Blaise discusses this uncomfortable truth....
Why Selling Cheap is a Very Bad Idea
18 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It can be tempting to give in when a client beats us up over price. However, selling cheap is rarely a good idea for you or for your client. Here's w...
In Sales, More Calls is NOT Always the Answer
04 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Sales is a numbers game," they said. "Make more calls and you'll make more money," they said. "Keep smilin' and dialin'," they said. They said a l...
No More Unfinished Business
28 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
If you have not yet achieved everything you want from your business or sales career, take a look at the unfinished business on your to-do list. If you...
Marketing & Selling are Not Like Begging
21 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It's the holiday season and this week I stopped by my local Walmart to pick up a few things. As I walked in I noticed a Salvation Army volunteer stand...
Getting Referrals Proactively
14 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When your best clients talk to other people about you, what do they say? If you're focused on getting referrals you'll need a good answer to this. And...
STOP: Just Because We Can, Doesn’t Mean We Should
08 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
One of the most important lessons I've ever learned in business is that just because we can do something -- either well or poorly -- doesn't mean we s...
Persistence in Sales Can Be Deadly
30 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Persistence in sales can be a valuable trait, but only when we're doing the right things. When we're doing the wrong things, persistence can be har...
Can You Create a Need for Your Products and Services?
23 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Most experienced salespeople are at least somewhat familiar with the idea of selling to a client's needs. So how do you create a need when a prospect ...
Create a Positive Buying Experience
16 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
I had a buying experience or two recently that left me feeling frustrated, annoyed and kind of sad. It was frustrating that people could be so blasé ...
How to Be Confident in Sales
09 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Some salespeople in our industry are very good at what they do, but they don't get to do enough of it. They don't get to sell as much as they could, b...
Leading Prospects Off of Social Media
02 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
As a professional in our industry, you probably differentiate between your online and offline activities. You may further differentiate between your p...
The Antidote to Talking, Thinking and Worrying about Selling
26 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Some people in our industry spend so much time talking about selling, thinking about selling and worrying about selling, that they rarely find the tim...
Desire + Discipline = Success
19 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Success requires self-discipline. Every day in our lives, there are things we must do. Sometimes we feel like doing those things and sometimes we don'...
Did I Say Don’t Cold Call?
12 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Would you believe that some people thought from last week's episode that I was saying not to cold call? However did you get that impression? :) ...
Cold Calling: Here’s What I Really Think…
05 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Some people hate even the idea of cold calling. Other people swear by it. But generally, at least once a month, someone will either talk to me about t...
Program Clients to Choose You
28 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Can you really program clients to choose you? How many of the people in your market, who need the products and services you offer, can you pre-program...
Important Prospects You Need to Reach
21 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Quick question for you today: What if there were prospects in your market whose attention you absolutely HAD to get, in order to make your business as...
Get an Oar in the Water
14 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Very often in business we know just where we want to go. We know just what we need to do. We have the tools, resources, supplies and know-how. But if ...
Are You Predictable in Business?
07 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When I say the word "predictable." How does it make you feel? Is it a positive term or a negative term? Today I'd like to ask you a question about ...
Worst Prospect Ever
31 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
If you've been in business for any length of time, you've run into your share of poor quality prospects. But who comes to mind when you think of your ...
Prospecting is Not Cold Calling
24 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Prospecting is not cold calling, and prospecting is not selling. When you realize that these are different functions, it allows you to treat them as s...
Get the Hard No in Sales
17 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes in sales we like to hold out hope that just because someone hasn't said "no" to us, they'll eventually turn into a "yes." And sometimes that...
The No Time, No Money Trap
10 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
No time, no money... When businesses are running into trouble, these are the two most common excuses they give for a lack of action. They don't have t...
Who Brings the Money into Your Organization?
03 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In every business and even in a non-profit, someone is responsible for bringing in the money. Who is it in your organization? And are they up to the t...
How Good Customer Service Can Save Business
27 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Last week, I gave you an example of how poor customer service kills sales. And while the example was retail, it applies to all businesses and industri...
The Wrong Way to Do Customer Service
20 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In today's podcast, I recall a memorable shopping experience which reminded me there is a right and wrong way to do customer service. It provides a cl...
Markets Worth Dominating
14 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Members of our Total Market Domination course focus on initiating contact with markets worth dominating -- this means reaching the specific people in ...
Which Market Do You Want to Dominate?
06 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Many people don't think it's possible to dominate their market, because they've never clearly identified exactly which market, businesses or individua...
The Mindset of Market Domination
29 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
I'm not a huge fan of the "woo-woo" or "rah-rah" aspects of mindset that are preached by other people. But, if you plan to dominate your market, you n...
Sales Follow-Up: How Much is Too Much?
15 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Sales follow-up is essential. How often should I follow up with prospects and clients? It's a question I get a lot, and as attention spans have shorte...
The Gaps in Your Business
08 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When visiting London, many years ago, I noticed signs throughout their subway system -- what they call the underground. The signs said "Mind the Gap,"...
Market Domination in 22 Minutes Per Day?
01 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
I started a new challenge this month for my Total Market Domination clients. It's about how to grow your sales and start dominating your market in jus...
Five Early Symptoms of a Seriously Struggling Business
24 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Uh oh. Sales have dropped off a bit. Not a huge decline, just a few percent. Well maybe, four, six, eight, something like that. No big deal, right? We...
Where Do You Go to Get Clients?
18 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Where do you go to get clients? Do you get them online? Do you rely on your local BNI group? Do you prospect through your local Chamber of Commerce? D...
The Path to Extreme Competence
11 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Many salespeople just "wing it" when talking to clients. They think a little product knowledge and a decent personality are all it takes to win client...
No Secrets = No Value in Business
04 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Show me a business that has no secrets and I'll show you a business that has no value. Over the years, I've taken some heat for our brand Topse...
What Are You Telling the Market about Yourself?
27 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What are you currently telling the market about what you do and how you do it? Do you talk about service? Do you talk about professionalism? Do you ta...
Rejection in Sales: Don’t Take it Personally
20 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Rejection in sales comes with the territory. When you're trying to sell something, people will often say no. They'll tell you they don't need it, don'...
5 Elements of an Effective Sales Procedure
13 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Last week we discussed how a sales procedure is a series of steps or actions that are taken in a certain way, in a specific order, to ensure the best ...
8 Success Procedures You Need in Business
06 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Success procedures are critical in business. When I'm consulting clients, I frequently quote the line "failure is not an option" from the movie Apollo...
Goal Setting vs. Goal Achievement
30 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Some people have trouble achieving because they've never really outlined their goals and when you fail to define what you want, it's nearly impossible...
St. Patrick Driving the Snakes Out
17 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Happy St.Patrick’s Day! This morning, I woke up, jumped on the treadmill and thought about the story of St. Patrick driving the snakes out of Irelan...
How are You at Selling Remotely?
16 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
How are you at selling remotely? Are you okay with the idea of selling less in person and selling more via phone, email, and text? And if not, what's ...
How to Penetrate Large Accounts
09 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Recently, a long-time client asked me a question about penetrating large accounts. He was talking about how they're currently working with one loca...
Speed of Implementation Determines Success
02 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Each year I go to industry trade shows, and whether in-person or virtual, I find some people who have achieved extraordinary results since our last me...
How to Get a Buying Decision
24 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Indecision is deadly to sales. People think they want to buy something, but they're not sure what. Or they know what they want to buy, but they can'...
It is True that Buyers Are Liars?
16 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
There's a phrase that's been popularized in sales which says "buyers are liars." It refers to those who say they want one thing but end up buying anot...
Where Do Your Best Leads Come From?
09 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Lead generation is a critical part of every business because without an adequate supply of leads, it's impossible to maintain a business. So where do ...
Is Your Social Media Too “Salesy?”
03 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
As social media has evolved, so have the ways that people are selling. From Facebook to Twitter, to LinkedIn, to whatever comes next, we all have to b...
What Do You Do When Prospects Ghost You?
27 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Do prospects ghost you? We've all been through it. You have a great conversation with an excellent prospect. They say all the right things and respond...
What is Your Strategy for Growing Sales and Profits?
19 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to growing sales and profits, there are strategies and there are tactics. And this question is designed to deal with your strategy. S...
Is Your Business Invisible to Customers?
05 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Is your business invisible? Many businesses and professional practices struggle, not because they aren't good at their chosen profession, but because ...
The Catch-22 of Inaction
29 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
I can't tell you how many times people have told me that they need to bring in more clients before they can invest in either the training or the marke...
Making the Most of the Holiday Season
22 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The holidays are here! So, in this podcast we'll discuss how to make the very most of the holiday season in terms of planning, relaxing, networking, a...
A Website Won’t Fix Your Business Problems
15 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Whenever I talk with the owner of a business or professional practice who is struggling to attract more clients, they inevitably tell me that they are...
3 Pillars to Creating Top of Mind Awareness
08 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In our Total Market Domination course, we identified Three Pillars to Creating Top of Mind Awareness with the very best prospects for the products and...
Are You Tracking Your Wins?
01 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It's easy to get distracted in the blizzard of activities that we have going on all around us every single day. But unless those activities include a ...
Don’t Blame Social Media for Poor Results
24 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Social media doesn't work. Cold calling doesn't work. Print advertising doesn't work. Email is dead! Whenever an advertiser is unable to make a partic...
Are You Clear on Your Basic Messaging?
17 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Until you get crystal clear on your basic messaging, who you serve and how you serve them, you'll find yourself attracting either no clients at all or...
Getting to Decision-Makers to Increase Sales
10 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
If you've ever had a conversation with someone who had zero power to make a decision, you understand how frustrating it can be. So today we'll talk ab...
The Difference Between Product Buyers and Solution Buyers
03 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It's great when people just want to buy our products and services, but product buyers are only ever a small part of the entire market. So how do we ge...
Selling & Earning More in Less Time
27 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We all have the same 24 hours in a day. It's fixed. It's inflexible, so earning more in less time is less about managing time, and more about managing...
How to Attract Larger Clients
20 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Time after time when I ask our clients about topics they want to know more about, the subject of attracting larger clients comes up. So, in this epi...
Creating a Customer
13 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
David: Management Guru Peter Drucker once said, “The purpose of business is to create a customer.” Does that m...
Getting Clients via Social Media
06 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Talk of social media in sales is all the rage and everyone is frantically trying to crack the code of how to get clients. But is social media really a...
Requalifying Your Clients: The Five Levels of Qualification
29 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Everyone knows that it's far easier and less expensive to sell the clients we already have and yet very few put in the time to consistently engage and...
Don’t Be a Pest: Mastering Intelligent Repetition of Contact
22 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Success in sales is dependent upon intelligent repetition of contact, without being a pest. We need to be able to reach out to people lots of times, i...
Stop Recruiting and Ignoring Salespeople
15 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Many businesses spend a ton of money recruiting salespeople, but then ignoring the ones they have. David: H...
The LAIR Method: A 4 Step Success Cycle
08 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Some people say that education is never wasted. I completely disagree. My feeling is that unapplied education may be the biggest waste of all. That's ...
The MVPS of Marketing and Sales™
01 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In sports, MVP stands for most valuable player. In The MVPs of Marketing & Sales™, the letters MVP stand for Message, Vehicles and People. These thr...
How to Think, Act & Communicate Like a Leader
25 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In the past you've said that market leaders think, act and communicate differently than the rest of the population. What do you mean by that? And how ...
Exploring the Idea of Market Domination
18 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
You talk a lot about market domination, is that just for effect or are you serious about it? David: Hi and ...
From Stealth Mode to Intimidation Mode
11 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Many businesses can start out and plod along for years without making any serious inroads in their marketing. But those who want to grow more quickly,...
Maintaining Control of the Sales Process
04 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A lot of sales training focuses on the idea of maintaining control of the sales process: Directing attention, leading the conversation, deferring ques...
How Many Prospects in Your Pipeline?
28 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It would be great if we were able to close every prospect we ever targeted, but that's just ridiculously unrealistic. So how many prospects should we ...
Selling More to Your Existing Clients
21 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Everyone knows it's generally easier selling more to your existing clients than it is to sell to new customers. Still, many salespeople and business o...
Dealing With Price-Cutters in the Current Economy
14 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Most value-based businesses hate the idea of price-cutters -- those who go into a market, offering a low price (often for an inferior product,) while ...
It’s Time to Reboot Your Customer Base
07 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
David: In our last podcast, we talked about how adversity reveals a client's true colors. This week. I'd like to t...
How Adversity Reveals a Client’s True Colors
30 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Many business owners and salespeople have struggled with the effects of stay at home orders, mandated company closures and social distancing requireme...
Getting Your Business Back in Gear
23 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
While many businesses are now getting back to work, it's not always smooth sailing. Some industries are returning more slowly than others, which leave...
Helping Clients Feel Less Isolated
16 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Social distancing has caused many people to feel isolated. This likely applies as much to you as it does to your clients. Helping clients is key. So w...
Helping Clients Overcome the Fear
10 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The COVID-19 crisis caused many business owners to experience things for the very first time. Customers ordered to stay home. Businesses deemed noness...
Generating Leads Online
19 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Over the course of our recent podcast series, we've been discussing pandemic and post pandemic selling skills. We've discussed things like Facebook, s...
Pandemic and Post-Pandemic Selling Skills #3
12 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In our recent podcast series, we've been discussing pandemic and post pandemic selling skills. How many of these do you have working in your business ...
Pandemic and Post-Pandemic Selling Skills #2
05 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In our last podcast, we began a discussion on pandemic and post pandemic selling skills because the skills that got you to this point will probably no...
Pandemic and Post-Pandemic Selling Skills
29 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Business today is different, and those who have not adopted pandemic and post-pandemic selling skills are running into a lot of trouble. Some people a...
The Real Problem Right Now
18 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It's a crazy time, but let's explore the real problem. In my work helping business owners and salespeople to grow sales and profits, I've recently bee...
These Audience Members Inspire Me
14 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Jim Rohn once said, “Don’t let your learning lead to knowledge, let your learning lead to action.” This week, I’ve been conducting live traini...