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No matter how thoughtfully you have chosen your New Year’s resolutions, you are, unfortunately, almost guaranteed to fail unless you also create a strategy, with specific action items, to make them happen.

The truth is, your success depends upon your accountability. You are the only one who can really do this! Here’s how to motivate yourself to your best level of achievement. After all, it is up to you! 

Do you find that your job no longer challenges you? Or maybe your work environment is just downright toxic? So much of your life is spent on your career, so that time should be satisfying! If you are miserable, what is the point?!

A letter to Santa is the first “wish list” many of us ever compile….and sometimes the ONLY one. But why do we stop?

Whether you’re the boss, part of a team or someone’s date – parties can be a great self-marketing tool! Networking the holiday party requires a little extra finesse though.

Have you thought much lately about what your customers—and potential customers—take away from their interactions with you?

There IS an art to listening—a simple phone call to the right person can unlock hours of Google research in a fraction of the time.

Dealing with grief from losing a job? Yes! We tend to have pre-set expectations about what our career will be like but when it doesn’t work out like that, it’s a very real grief from a very real loss.

What really makes you different than the competition? I am not talking about ‘service’ or price…but what really makes you stand out from the rest?

If you’re doing it right, you go into every sales call with a clear idea of your goal, your prospect’s needs, and the strategies you’re going to use to connect the dots.  

Always keep improving sounds funny for someone who makes a living presenting to large audiences, right? But part of my life plan is to always keep improving.  

My friend hadn’t made room for the possibility that she would actually reach her goal and so now she was struggling with the end result – success! Sometimes we keep our head down, so focused on the immediate goal that we fail to pat ourselves on the back at the milestones (or allow others to toot our horn!).  

Whether on an interview for a new job, going for a promotion, or pitching services to a new client, you should be interviewing them as much as they are you!  

I’ve developed a technique called the T.A.L.K. Model. It’s how to have a real, meaningful conversation with a prospect or client so you can figure out how you can help them. Talk to them, really talk.

Indeed, as we work toward goals we have planned, we need to think of everyone we encounter as an interview. Everyone is a prospect, after all! 

I thought I was born to be a college professor. I went to grad school, got a Ph.D. in Communication and then taught courses in public speaking, interpersonal communication, leadership – you name it. Then how the heck did I end up being the First Lady of Sales?

One of the best skills you can develop is how to give someone options in order to get a YES. We all like to have options. No one likes to be told what they like, what they don’t, what they want, what they will do, what they won’t. We like choices.  

All your hard work has paid off, your network is immense, your client base is diverse, your staff is happy and hardworking, and most importantly, profits are substantial. Business is booming! Now is definitely not the time to get comfortable!

Have you ever noticed how some of the best sales relationships happen organically? There is something so satisfying and exciting about developing a new client when you weren’t even looking!

Recently, my friend attended a seminar about goal setting. Naturally, it included the idea of having S.M.A.R.T. goals (more about that in a bit), but also how to refine those so you don’t get burnt out, overwhelmed or stuck in a rut.