You and I are both aware of how fast time seems to be passing us by. We greet each new day with optimism and before we know what hit us, we are brushing our teeth getting ready to hit the sack. We can all be heard asking ourselves, “Where did the day go?”

If we are lucky, we manage to cross off a few important items on our “To-Do” lists. More often than not, however, we find ourselves crossing off tasks that really could be ignored altogether. Welcome to the year 2024. The year of the rat race.

Procrastination has become a favorite practice for many of us, and the feel-good phrase, “Tomorrow is another day,” Read the rest of this entry »

I have been sharing my ideas on sales and marketing with interested audiences for nearly 40 years. In those four decades came and went numerous ideas, tactics, tips, strategies, topic-specific maneuvers, and even more than a few “tricks of the trade.”

There never seemed to be a lack of “new.” But throughout those many years, what I found more often than not, was a lack of do.

All through my career, beyond the hype promoting the current flavor of the month, I found myself endorsing a two-word phrase that I believe still pays: EMBRACE THE FUNDAMENTALS. Read the rest of this entry »

I stumbled upon this article from over ten years ago by accident this morning and thought it was worth bringing back to life.

Everybody knows that there are no “Magic Pills” when it comes to building a business. You may be wrong. Yes, there just might be a pill or two.

There seems to be a pill today for just about everything … from headaches to painkillers to weight loss, to cholesterol control… to unforeseen “intimate moments” for you old guys. Yet most sales and marketing gurus, coaches and trainers are quick to remind you that there are no “Magic Pills” for business success. Read the rest of this entry »

I woke today with my mind in full gear. This sign of mental activity caught my attention. Although I cannot explain why, I decided to take what was spinning in my head and turn it into today’s article submission. I may seem to be meandering. Here goes.

The first thought that shot through my mind when I opened my eyes was, “I’m not dead yet.” I looked straight up and saw the ceiling before peering out the window to see what appeared to be a sun trying to brighten up the day. “Mike.”, I said to myself. “It seems you have been given another opportunity to do some good today. What are you planning on doing?” Read the rest of this entry »

It has been a few weeks since The Paris Summer Olympics came to a close, but I am still reeling from the lessons learned from every event. Priding myself as once being a somewhat accomplished amateur, I can appreciate to a certain degree the price these men and women have paid to represent our country.

Each and every athlete, in each and every event, is highly skilled, trained, disciplined and more than worthy to sport the jacket with the letters USA embroidered on the back.

Here are just a few of my observations as the games unfolded. Read the rest of this entry »

I realize that the 2024 Summer Olympics will be yesterday’s news by the time you read this article. I am also cognizant of the fact that I have reported on today’s topic more than once in the past. In fact, I allow this message to surface every time the Olympic games take center stage, be it the winter or summer games. Read the rest of this entry »

Years ago, the founder and former CEO of Scandinavian Airlines, Jan Carlson, wrote a book titled Moments of Truth. The message reminded the reader that during the course of any one day, there were hundreds of occurrences where a customer is given an opportunity to make an opinion both good and bad about a service provider.

Similar to this truism, I have come to identify specific areas where a person is given reasons to begin questioning a service provider. I refer to these tell-tale signs as “red flags.” Read the rest of this entry »

Anybody who has ever heard me speak or has followed my writings over the years has heard me say more than once that “the mind quits first.” This may be an accurate reminder when the going gets tough and you tell yourself that you don’t have an ounce of effort left in you. But you soon overcome the impulse and prove to yourself that you do indeed have a little more left in the tank.

On the flip side, however, your mind can also be a deceiving piece of mental real estate that can lead you down a treacherous path that needs to be avoided. And this brings me to today’s title and my most recent “wake-up call.” Read the rest of this entry »

I recently woke from what I considered at the time to be a nightmare. Don’t you love it once you realize that the turmoil you are facing was just a dream?  Mine nighttime experiences seem very real and at times, filled with creative nuances that confuse me as the day later unfolds.

I won’t bore you with the specifics, but I will share enough information to help support today’s message. Read the rest of this entry »

Have you ever heard anybody (perhaps even you) offer unsolicited information by saying publicly “I’m not good at remembering names.”

I know you have heard it, and I know you might even have said it about yourself. I know I have. Well believe it or not I recently woke up at 4 am thinking about this shortcoming and deciding right then and there to do something about it. Read the rest of this entry »

I cannot remember being this excited about sharing my thoughts on any one particular topic in a long time. Your life could very well be on the verge of changing for the good. Fast. Easy. And soon.

It all started for me at my kitchen table while reading the morning paper. My wife showed me a book review of One Small Step Can Change Your Life: The Kaizen Way, written by Robert Maurer, Ph.D.

Since I often remind seminar attendees that Olympic Gold is usually won by thousandths of a second, the concept of taking small steps to achieve Read the rest of this entry »

This may sound at first like a foolish question. Of course, you are ready to make more money. But it is not a foolish question. In fact, it is a question worth asking again and again. The truth is that most “travel professionals” do not want to make more money. I know this to be a fact because if they did, they would be making more money.

There is a wise old phrase that reminds us “talk is cheap.” Another cogent reminder suggests, “After all is said and done, more is said than done.”

Let’s cut to the chase and get a few facts straight. First, you can make as much money as you like in the travel business. You can double your current income in the coming year. Yes, you can. Read the rest of this entry »

It amazes me how straightforward, logical, and fundamental approaches to solving problems often take years to settle in the adult brain. This question is only superseded by why it took so long to put wheels on luggage.

I recently stumbled upon a formula that not only makes sense, but I am betting will make your success come much easier. Regardless of your current practices or how successful these efforts have been to date, try to internalize the logic behind my recommendations. Read the rest of this entry »

Today’s article is going to skip any sign of marketing mumbo-jumbo and cut right to the chase.

Here are six key qualities that are essential to success:

• Sincerity
• Personal Integrity
• Humility
• Courtesy
• Wisdom
• Charity

Read the rest of this entry »

On a sunny morning in 2019, I read that Dress Barn would be closing. To be honest, it meant absolutely nothing to me. It was my wife who let out a quiet scream of concern, “I have a few sweaters and tops from Dressbarn that I absolutely love.”

The article reminded me that this establishment has (had) been in business for over 50 years. The culprit came as no surprise. Online shopping and Amazon in particular as well as a well-known discounter known for their red target were the primary culprits.

I have been known to be seen strolling aimlessly down an aisle or two of Targets on a Saturday morning, and I am a Prime Member of Amazon. I toss no dispersions in either direction. That is not my message today Read the rest of this entry »

For those who might be unfamiliar with America’s pastime, the position closest to the first baseman in the game of baseball is the second baseman. The defensive distance between these two players is usually no more than 30 feet. Furthermore, the game itself consists of throwing, running, catching, and hitting. One is usually gifted a baseball glove at age 5. This is normally when youngsters are introduced to the game Read the rest of this entry »

In the ever-evolving world of travel and tourism, it’s crucial that we never become too complacent or overconfident in the relationships we’ve built with our cherished customers. As the old saying goes, “It’s a jungle out there,” and the rules of the game are constantly changing.

Just as the well-established D’Arcy Advertising Agency learned the hard way when they lost the prestigious Mars account after 70 years of service, we must always remain vigilant and proactive in nurturing and strengthening our client relationships.

The message is clear: there are no guarantees Read the rest of this entry »

A recent article in INC Magazine promised to introduce the two words that the author considered the secret to future sales success. This immediately caught my attention, as I found myself searching for the “magic pill.”

When I began my selling career back in the late 70’s, a popular sales dictum relied heavily on making “cold calls.” This occurred when a salesperson popped into an enterprise unannounced hoping to gain a minute or two of meaningful face time. Believe it or not, this maneuver proved effective on more than a few occasions. This stunt, as a general rule, does not work today Read the rest of this entry »

Today’s article is coming to you from 31,000 feet above the ground. I am comfortably seated in an aisle seat in row 31 on an American Airlines flight en route to Philadelphia. Tomorrow I have the privilege of giving a Keynote Speech to a group of medical device sales reps. My title is GOING FROM GOOD TO GREAT. Although I have been delivering talks like this for nearly 40 years, I find myself preparing my opening remarks and following suggestions as if it were my first public appearance. I suppose the hidden message here is to never rest on your laurels Read the rest of this entry »

E-X-E-C-U-T-I-O-N is a nine-letter word that identifies the reason most companies and individuals fail to meet their full potential. More realistically, it is a lack of execution.

According to Webster’s New World College Dictionary—execute—is defined as: [to carry out; perform; do.]

The issue is not a lack of knowledge. The issue is not a lack of skill or even personal capabilities. The issue is not whether you have a desire to succeed. The issue is a shortage of — do Read the rest of this entry »

In 1982, I remember asking myself two questions before stepping up to the microphone, “What difference are you going to make? How are you going to improve upon the silence? 42 years later, I am still asking myself these same two questions.

In a few weeks, I will be presenting at an annual sales meeting consisting of medical device sales professionals. You can be sure that these two questions will be fresh on my mind.

And the fact of the matter is that every sales professional who is reading my column today (can be, and perhaps should be) asking yourself these same two questions Read the rest of this entry »