by Drew Mitchell – June 2013 A crummy commercial? A Christmas Story is one of my favorite classic holiday movies, an opinion likely shared by many of you given how it seems to run 24/7 on TBS during the Christmas season. As my family gathers around the Christmas tree each year we laugh at the great…Continue Reading Be Sure to Drink your Ovaltine (and other sponsorship lessons from A Christmas Story)
by Phillip Grieco – June 2013 Couch vs. Run? Recently I was lounging on my couch after dinner, debating whether to make the effort to get to the gym or go outside for a run. You can imagine which one won that battle. So, I ended up tuning into NBC’s THE VOICE. I’ve seen it from time…Continue Reading Amplifying our VOICE: How Sprint Leverages ‘Unlimited’ Content and Why Teams Could Do It Even Better
by Shawn Achor – June 2013 What is the connection between happiness and sales? Most salespeople tell me it’s an easy question: “When I’m selling then I’m happy.” How could so many salespeople possibly be wrong? Undeniably, we feel happier after a sale, but that common answer is actually holding down our happiness and lowering…Continue Reading Which comes first: Happiness or success?
by Eric Kussin – June 2013 Corey Gaines, head coach of the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, runs a fantastic clinic each season for local coaches. A great college and pro player himself, Corey always talks about leaders he played for and the effect they had on him. One of Corey’s favorites is Pat Riley. With Riley, the devil…Continue Reading Empower your players
by Kirk Wakefield – May 2013 My favorite is AT&T Park. You don’t have to love baseball to love going there. And that really is the business issue: How do you build or maintain a park that attracts people who don’t really care about baseball? The Cubs aren’t spending $500 million in renovations because baseball…Continue Reading What makes a great ballpark?
by Sean Ream – May 2013 Handling Objections How often do you hear the proud statement from a sales representative, “I just had a great conversation, they are definitely going to buy.” A natural response from the manager usually is, “What are his/her concerns?” And then comes the answer you don’t want to hear. “They…Continue Reading Sales Training: How to Handle Objections
by Ken Troupe – May 2013 NO, not really. The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers have the original Golden Ticket. What we at the Phoenix Coyotes saw was an idea that worked for another team, so we developed a version that would work for us. It has always been my thought that to be good…Continue Reading I’ve got the golden ticket! Breaking down the anatomy of a ticket sales promotion
by Dawn Turner – May 2013 Keeping it Fresh Signing a long-term deal can be compared to getting married. In the beginning the relationship and courtship are very exciting. Executing the agreement constitutes the end of a courtship process. The first couple of years are the honeymoon phase. Then the focus switches to how to…Continue Reading 5 Ways to Keep Partnerships Fresh
by Shane Hildreth – May 2013 Think back to your childhood. You’re playing with your friends in the front yard and a four letter word comes flying out of your mouth just as your mom walks outside. And just like that, you’re grounded. You knew you shouldn’t have said it, but it’s just a word…What’s…Continue Reading No…A Four Letter Word
by Drew Ribarchak – May 2013 In February 2008, Starbucks shut down all of its stores because of bad habits and inconsistency among their baristas. A sign on the front door that read, “We’re taking time to perfect our espresso. Great espresso requires practice. That’s why we’re dedicating ourselves to honoring our craft.” Implementing a strategic…Continue Reading Are you investing enough time into training? The 3 elements of good programs