tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2273989264295902892012-01-14T01:34:26.846-05:00Sales tips for the aspiring rock star!Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.comBlogger961100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-49658479657043994302010-01-27T17:35:00.005-05:002010-01-27T17:46:04.495-05:00

We have officially moved to a brand spanking new website!Please join us: www.yoursalesplaybook.com and for the hearing impaired www.yoursalesplaybook.com Make sure you sign up to have sales playbook delivered to you inbox. Seriously dude . . .Rock on!

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-23046278919402592482010-01-25T00:02:00.007-05:002010-01-25T01:38:27.344-05:00

I received lots of questions last week with regard to how I set up my Mastermind Groups as well as ideas for topics for discussion. Let's take a look at both!Set up:6-8 people seems to work best. More than that and you have a bunch of "Type A's" interrupting the hell out of each other. Less than that and you may hear crickets on the phone.60-75 mins in length. More than that and you are starting

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-26961500770417307442010-01-21T01:40:00.004-05:002010-01-21T01:52:35.184-05:00

John Maxwell tells an interesting story about how Walt Disney categorized people. According to Disney, there are 3 types of people: The first type is the Well Poisoner. The Well Poisoner discourages you, stomps on your creativity and tells you what you can't do. When I lost everything I had, I took on several jobs. One was at a local Italian Restaurant. These Bastards went out of their way to

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-89328984955001366612010-01-18T23:43:00.005-05:002010-01-19T03:45:06.959-05:00

Every now and again, life has a habit of giving us a "tap on the shoulder", that is, a moment that causes us to take notice and become more mindful. One of those moments arrived for me the other day as I was listening to a CD from Success Magazine. Darren Hardy asked a very simple but powerful question . . . "Are you where you thought you'd be when you began the last decade" The tap on the

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-53887014021181420912010-01-13T22:53:00.004-05:002010-01-13T23:05:41.074-05:00

It’s so exciting to have a clean slate – especially after experiencing 2009! I believe that most of us will refer to ’09 as “a year to remember!” Do you remember the book written about the maiden and final voyage of the Titanic? It was titled “A Night to Remember!” Many lessons were learned from the Titanic disaster! Others may prefer to title 2009 “a year to forget!” Either way, hopefully we

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-56311486840607148562010-01-11T20:11:00.007-05:002010-01-11T21:10:02.867-05:00

What's with us and our need to cling to a tired phrase long beyond its expiration date? One of our Linkedin Group members (Sonja Mallery) started an interesting discussion on the most overused one liners in the marketplace. There were lots of interesting responses (62 as of this post) but perhaps the most interesting take away was that we each were guilty of at least a few of these.So, without

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-84513937007516087802010-01-07T04:46:00.004-05:002010-01-07T06:09:26.310-05:00

According to ASTD's 2008 State of Industry Report, the average working person in the US participates in just 1 day of career skills training each year. I bet you that there are quite a few people reading this right now thinking . . . "That's 1 more day than I received!"Unfortunately, trainng is the first thing to go during challenging times and while I could literally go on for days about how

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-85364283501108253642010-01-04T18:46:00.007-05:002010-01-04T23:03:29.887-05:00

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Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-22544568433306737622009-12-22T20:52:00.005-05:002009-12-22T21:47:44.419-05:00

Tucked away in a safe place within the walls of my heart, is a vision of my Father, Christmas Eve some 22 years ago. I can vividly see the look upon my Father’s face, because it was a look that transcended all expression. It was beyond gratitude or joy and it was as if he were recording our faces, our voices and acts to be filed for ready access in the depths of his soul It was as if he had

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-9819900306491994012009-12-15T21:44:00.002-05:002009-12-15T22:11:01.142-05:00

I've put these tips together for you in a free 15 page PDF . . . no strings attached. Actually, you have to do two things. First, shoot me an email ctstrainer@yahoo.com requesting it (I never sell my email list nor will I ever spam you. Promise!) The second is that you forward the PDF to your network should you find value in the 100 + tips. Fair enough?1. Athletes and musicians warm up, so

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-48665432275911806352009-12-13T23:32:00.005-05:002009-12-14T09:39:07.882-05:00

I must confess to being rather introspective this time each year. Perhaps more this year as I chose to go completely outside my comfort zone and utilize a new set of weapons that is social media.There were three major lessons that I learned this year that shaped my online strategyLesson 1: If the old adage of “It’s not who you know . . .it’s who knows you” is true; I was screwed big time. I found

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-48751774291700848402009-12-11T00:51:00.011-05:002009-12-13T13:51:14.686-05:00

1. Go Elf yourself http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/?cmpid=jj_hp2. Why not listen to some commercial free (almost) Christmas music here http://accuradio.com/holidays3. Commit to laughing your hiney off at least once a day. Once you do that, make sure you help others do the same!4. Don’t listen to that damn “Christmas Shoes” song. If you do and someone walks in on you tell them its your allergies!5.

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-44418339094258211732009-12-08T20:59:00.006-05:002009-12-09T13:15:06.852-05:00

Oh no. Another know it all blogger preaching some dress for success BS we’ve all heard a thousand times . . . think again sista! Today, we're going to focus on the all too often neglected areas that seem to slip under the proverbial radar. So, let’s look at the dress for success thing as meaningless if . . . Your breath is so bad it could start the windmill on an old Dutch painting. Consider

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-3996543464174567062009-12-04T00:26:00.003-05:002009-12-04T02:20:29.845-05:00

You scan the room cautiously and there, like a diamond in the ruff is someone you feel compelled to approach. Mustering every ounce of courage, you walk bravely across the crowded, noisy room, rehearsing your lines and getting yourself “in the zone” It all seems rather surreal, (like in Wayne’s World when Wayne approached Tia Carrere to the theme of “Dream Weaver”). You confidently tap this

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-36675936682992294732009-11-22T20:52:00.010-05:002009-11-23T09:29:40.158-05:00

My driveway seemed quite a bit bigger that morning back in 1995. I remember stopping dead in my tracks when it hit me that both my cars had been repossessed. My world fell apart that day and left me without my cars, my business, $60,000 in debt and without any degree of self esteem. With one small child and another on the way, I was lost, scared and not used to being poor. I took on a night

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-23524848879670965602009-11-19T00:16:00.012-05:002009-11-19T02:02:59.231-05:00

A wise man (and an awesome guitar instructor) once told me to find inspiration in everything around me. While I’d like to think of that lesson taking on the form of some Kung Fu flashback, the truth is I remember thinking he must of become “one with a joint” before our lesson. I mean, how does one learn from EVERYTHING around them? It really didn’t take me long to realize he was spot on. In

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-40078692436652725222009-11-17T11:18:00.006-05:002009-11-17T11:33:28.553-05:00

I remember having a slightly different take away from a famous story about Thomas Edison. You know the one, you’ve heard, ad nauseam, regarding his response to a reporter who asked him about all his failures with trying to figure out the light bulb? Edison’s response was something like “I didn’t fail thousands of times, I simply found thousands of ways, NOT to invent the light bulb”Once we get

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-28688485986518755222009-11-12T01:13:00.011-05:002009-11-12T12:37:48.823-05:00

I was pondering a quote by the great Jim Rohn who once said “It’s not what we get, its who we become in the process” and couldn’t help but wonder if that person we become also loses something in the process? And no, I don’t mean loss of something that could be easily justified by endless mantras of “no pain no gain” I’m talking about the things we value most. For some its their faith, others it’s

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-79586481481998454552009-11-09T14:08:00.008-05:002010-02-25T12:41:07.974-05:00

I often wonder (usually out of frustration) what the intended purpose of the Linkedin discussion group was. Was it intended as sort of a “Flea Market” to shamelessly self promote or dare I say, a place where folks actually (and I’m going out on a limb here) engage in a discussion?While I have a firm opinion on this, I’m not sure it matters what the intended purpose was because many people have

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-66570014716253311332009-11-04T23:29:00.014-05:002009-11-05T02:37:51.680-05:00

There comes a point in every sales process where we must present our solutions as they relate to the challenges/opportunities we've discovered during the needs analysis step. Say it first, better or exclusively and we can set ourselves apart. Fail to do that and you are just another "vendor" who makes the "I'll make a note to give a damn" file!Today's blog post is all about Presenting Solutions

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-75831453676896869262009-10-27T19:24:00.007-04:002009-10-28T00:25:23.182-04:00

Imagine, if you will, a meeting with a potential client. Everything is going well. You are well prepared, your questions are on point and then it happens without warning. The prospect throws a left hook at you in the form of an uncomfortable question and things get mighty weird.It could be a question about something your company once went through that needed to be fixed, perhaps they ask you why

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-58938591109779059962009-10-22T23:44:00.005-04:002009-10-23T01:27:19.486-04:00

Once upon a time there was a wise old man who lived in a small, remote village. Like most wise old men, he had some not so wise folks that wanted to prove him wrong. In fact, there was a young man who devised a scheme to publicly put the wise old man to shame. He captured a small bird from a nearby tree and quickly approached the old man. Holding the bird behind his back he challenged the old man

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-28908724513885399782009-10-13T20:29:00.008-04:002009-10-13T22:09:07.943-04:00

Mark Victor Hanson was interviewed in Success Magazine a few months back and shared some great advice he field tested after writing Chicken Soup For The Soul.Mark and co author Jack Canfield had published the book (no easy task since it had been rejected by 144 publishers) but they had a much bigger dream for the book and that was the best seller list. Once again, they knew this would be no easy

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-67650278934796198422009-10-07T22:13:00.005-04:002009-10-11T13:16:58.731-04:00

First things first. Let's get the confession part of today's post out of the way:Confession #1: I'm not the referral generating Mo Fo nor is this based on some referral generating Mo Fo. I just really dug the title and bada bing, bada bang it just sort of happened!Confession #2: That picture has nothing to do with today's topic but has has everything to do with something I will share with you if

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-71122107217625756392009-10-05T19:56:00.005-04:002009-10-07T22:24:03.951-04:00

Day 1: Read this classic FastCompany Magazine article from Jedi Master Tom Peters it will get you thinking about something that must be at the center of your online activities; your brand! http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/10/brandyou.html Day 2: Give some serious thought to what you want your personal brand to represent by asking yourself “What do I want people to say about me behind my back?”

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-30246897650852229792009-09-28T21:55:00.005-04:002009-09-29T08:34:58.738-04:00

Once upon a time a little boy was finishing up his purchase at the local candy store. He turned to the store owner and asked “Mr. Matthews may I please use your phone?” Mr. Matthews smiled at the little boy, who was one of his regulars and handed him his phone. The little boy quickly punched in the phone number and had the following conversation “Mrs. Donavan you don’t know me but I pass your

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-71737980734365068052009-09-23T20:56:00.009-04:002009-09-23T22:31:38.075-04:00

Dear "That Guy",I've been meaning to set the record straight with you for some time now but you know how it goes; we get caught up blogging, watching Family Guy perhaps even training a few Jedis but this aint about me amigo. This is about you with a capital "U" baby!When you tell me to give you my "pitch" you cheapen my profession and pretty much sound like a dick in the process. Please stop that

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-53415284645739077602009-09-21T22:18:00.012-04:002009-10-11T14:24:56.546-04:00

Our world has grown increasingly competitive. While our ultimate destination might be a new job our first challenge is becoming more memorable!Having interviewed over 1,000 professionals and spearheading the Sales DNA program at Consolidated Graphics, I have truly seen it all. I've also been the dude on the other side of the desk getting interviewed. There were times where I knew I nailed it and

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-61773708220035346182009-09-16T18:49:00.004-04:002009-09-16T19:44:35.682-04:00

Short answer coming at you in 3, 2, 1 . . . Because too many people simply don’t get it!Get what? The simple, no brainer aspects of communication, service, follow up. Think I’m oversimplifying? Then read on my friend!I put a services wanted thread up on my Linkedin group looking for a car service in the NY area. Someone responds quickly. I tell them I need a service to pick me up at the airport 3

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-87028071507409774662009-09-13T21:33:00.005-04:002009-09-13T22:05:53.298-04:00

So who would have thunk that a good attitude is imperative if we want to kick ass in sales? Of course we need to have a good attitude but riddle me this Batman, what do you do when thy attitude sucketh, when life keeps taking a poke at the Castain voodoo doll and when the stars are aligned and seem to be spelling “Screw You”? Here are 12 ways to give that attitude an enema Moy Pronto!1) Don’t get

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-14840792666114934102009-09-10T21:23:00.010-04:002009-09-11T05:15:48.403-04:00

There are moments in our lives that become etched into eternal memory. No time, space or circumstance removes the feeling and the intensity that something has in fact touched our soul.It was on this day in 2001 that I could see the twin towers in the distance burning as I tried frantically to call my wife to tell her I was alright. I became angry and frustrated that I couldn't get a call out

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-55544788269050621802009-08-25T00:08:00.007-04:002009-08-25T00:29:35.257-04:00

Want to grow your business and gain more referrals in 2009 and the future?A client asked me what I thought was the best way to get new referrals and subsequently clients. My comment was simple. “Treat your current clients like gold and they will be your raving fans and top resource for referrals.” I know I won’t win the Nobel Peace Prize for that simple bit of insight, but I do know that many

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-60304897175729788562009-08-20T23:00:00.013-04:002009-08-21T08:26:44.549-04:00

Just the mere fact that we refer to an assistant as a "gatekeeper" pre supposes a negative dynamic. One where we need to go around, go over and in some cases; plow through! Not sure if that lends itself to a collaborative relationship! Here's something else to think about: Our first, continuing and lasting impression on an assistant is critical considering that we will have to live with them

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-15213852575789438102009-08-17T22:49:00.006-04:002009-08-18T02:04:07.007-04:00

It was the great Jack Welch who said "An organization's ability to learn and translate that learning into action, rapidly is the ultimate competitive advantage"I remember reading that and thinking "AMEN Jack!" and yet the statistics tell us we are missing the mark . . . Big Time!According to ASTD's 2008 State of Industry Report, the average working person in the US participates in just 1 day of

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-33673975557162619202009-08-12T20:32:00.003-04:002009-08-12T21:23:01.224-04:00

How many times have you met someone for the first time, who rattled through their name so fast, you had no idea of what they just said?If you are like most people, you may or may not ask them to repeat their name once, but would you do it twice, or three times until you got it right? At that point it gets kind of weird. No?So you blow it off and next time you simply say "Hey . . .. . . . . . you"

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-39069380578749897662009-08-04T08:55:00.009-04:002009-08-15T20:55:04.777-04:00

There is a time in each of our lives when we question the road we have chosen. Logic and reason arrive as uninvited guests, unsolicited advice pulls us over in a speed trap and that damn inner voice sneaks up on us in the rear view mirror trying to catch our ass at the next rest stop!Sooner or later, these things corner us, our car stalls out and we begin to question several things:1) If we are

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-68113261325290691592009-07-28T00:06:00.013-04:002009-07-28T03:30:35.384-04:00

Sociologist Anthony Compolo tells of a study in which 50 people, over the age of 95 were asked one question . . . "If you could live your life over again, what would you do differently?"Three themes quickly emerged:1) Reflect more2) Risk more3) Do more things that would live on after I dieLet's take a quick look at each of these areas:Reflect more: Here's a starting place for you. I am going to

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-88768039852889882062009-07-22T23:50:00.010-04:002009-07-23T08:30:19.633-04:00

A long, long time ago, in a sales cubicle far, far away, Uncle Paul suited up with his sales team to liberate a chain of hotels from the evil empire (at least that's what we called our competitors; those bastards). As we drove through the streets of New Jersey we cranked Kid Rock's Bawitdaba and descended upon the hotel, locked, loaded and ready to kill! We signed the account and then drove 90

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com41tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-2367351245891403032009-07-20T23:44:00.008-04:002009-07-21T15:26:30.628-04:00

Do you fear the phone? Whenever I ask this of sales people, I can almost hear the internal command that says "Ego Engaged!". Responses range from dirty looks that resemble someone smelling something stinky, to testosterone induced "Hell No's!!!". On the surface, you'd think there were just scattered incidents of this fear of the phone and yet according to Behavioral Sciences Research Press (BSRP)

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-18497136763150946532009-07-06T22:31:00.016-04:002010-02-23T09:31:24.779-05:00

In the spring of 2008 I addressed the Consolidated Graphics national sales force and told them they needed to get Linkedin! I told them it was the best thing since sliced bread and how their personal brand depended on a venue like LI. A month later, I scratched my head, clueless, wondering what all the fuss was about. 2 months later, I thought it sucked, wrote it off and moved on!After some

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com111tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-15213732047316524382009-06-21T21:11:00.007-04:002009-06-21T23:22:14.006-04:00

One can't help but be entertained by Flo the bubbly rep in the Progressive Insurance commercials. How about the "Can you hear me now" Verizon dude? As entertaining and memorable as these commercials are; they achieve something many of us miss in sales . . . Making Intangible Things Tangible! After all, what the hell does adequate coverage or a superior network really look like?The Progressive

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-70059057863792129252009-06-16T06:31:00.004-04:002009-06-16T08:42:22.604-04:00

Greetings from Houston Texas, where I will be training young Jedis this week and presenting at the HPMA on social networking www.hpma.com/Did you ever feel like your appointment was turning into a game of 20 questions and you are like one question away from asking “So is it animal or mineral already dude?”I never really understood the guessing game dynamic that many meetings take on. Our

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-60801503906694048692009-06-10T17:53:00.007-04:002009-06-11T08:51:11.926-04:00

Greetings from Invesco Field in Denver Colorado where I will be making my presentation Friday on "Closing 2.0 . . . Beyond The ABC's Of Closing"!OK, pop quiz. How long does it take to make an impression on someone? 30 seconds? 10? Less? I say, who the hell cares because one thing is for certain, it may be damn near impossible to undo a bad first impression!Here’s something that you can do in your

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-6240265601564790662009-06-07T12:03:00.004-04:002009-06-08T00:32:23.602-04:00

Do or do not . . . there is no try! - Master Freakin Yoda I love that scene in Star Wars because it illustrates the toughest struggle any of us ever will ever face. A force that can make or break us and quite frankly something that scares the hell out of me!It scares me because I can take an opponent that I see. Perhaps not the first time, but I will take the bastard, even if my version of taking

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-2368234376855189722009-06-05T06:52:00.009-04:002009-06-05T09:23:48.761-04:00

I remember when I told my Dad some 22 years ago that Laura and I wanted to get married. Laura and I were High School sweethearts and it was no shock to our families that this day would inevitably come. My Father put his hand on my shoulder and said "Paul, the only advice I would give you is that, like me, you need to get better with your money. I wish I could advise you on this, but your Mom is

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-7018695662318404982009-06-03T00:11:00.006-04:002009-06-03T07:36:25.694-04:00

Life throws you curves but you learn to swerve – Rascal FlatsLooks like the dude in the picture didn’t swerve, huh? Can I get a group “Ouch!”?Seems like lots of curves being thrown at us these days from personal challenges to client challenges. Just to make it interesting, I’m sure there’s a curve ball or two being thrown at you at work these days too.So how ya doing in the remembering to swerve

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-10671111967197257102009-05-28T09:39:00.004-04:002009-05-28T10:43:43.233-04:00

Willie Sutton was a notorious bank robber who was chased by the FBI. When he was finally caught and interrogated he was asked why he robbed banks. His answer was simply “That’s where the money is!”Today’s blog is all about finding that money during challenging times.I am assuming that you are already picking low hanging fruit with existing clients, referrals etc so let’s save that discussion for

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-75966324724237892322009-05-22T08:14:00.006-04:002009-05-22T09:45:53.732-04:00

I believe its quite typical for us to compare notes as to what we will be doing during our 3 day Memorial Day weekend. After all, this marks the official start of the summer festivities, the great beach weather and hopefully slowing down a bit.I hope that for at least this weekend you can in fact slow down a little and dare I say, turn off the crackberry and reconnect with the family, yourself

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-6099490382329243312009-05-13T08:19:00.009-04:002009-05-13T20:42:54.935-04:00

There is a scene in an Austin Powers movie where Dr. Evil is trying to silence Scotty by using numerous versions of the phrase “Zip it”. As funny as that scene was, I couldn’t help but think about how many opportunities there are for us in sales where “Zip it” might be our best strategy.Here is the short list:When responding to an objection, answer the objection, redirect the conversation towards

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-3145827618307841812009-05-11T09:01:00.011-04:002009-05-11T09:31:17.001-04:00

1) Get your “Me” time in the bank first: Think about how lousy you feel when you feel that time manages you instead of you managing time. Now think about all the time you waste telling people “I never have time for myself” Additionally people who are less pissed get more done! Get up earlier if need be, but make sure you get that workout time, reading time, time with your significant other,

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-22596689850379207242009-05-06T00:33:00.004-04:002009-05-06T01:06:12.218-04:00

Recession Buster week continues on The Sales PlaybookThere are two different sections of handling a price objection (or any objection for the matter)1) What you should have done to make it an objection resistant relationship. We aint going there today. Why? Because barring a time machine it won’t help get you out of a current situation. Let’s tackle that one another day. Delio? 2) The “How the

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-18050653412694068702009-05-03T18:59:00.005-04:002009-05-03T20:58:59.831-04:00

This week is Recession Buster week on The Sales Playbook! You can expect a ton of ideas on how you can move beyond surviving and start thriving in these challenging times!Today’s content is in the form of creative door openers. If all you are doing is “smiling and dialing”, think again sista, cause your prospects want creative solutions and therefore you must be (cue freaky organ music and evil

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-43929188278833039302009-04-28T22:35:00.005-04:002009-04-28T23:00:56.927-04:00

Let’s take a quick break from the virtual world and visit the real world for a moment, shall we? Would you ever go into a room, get everyone’s attention, start a conversation (that gets the room involved) and then boogie the hell out of the room; never to return? Kind of wacky when you think that an adult would vanish like that but these “David Copperfields” exist in force and they have found a

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-26945729974411553392009-04-21T00:28:00.004-04:002009-04-21T01:23:29.124-04:00

I’ve never been a big fan of the term “closing”. Perhaps it’s because I feel like I’m talking at someone using some 1970’s line that went out with the leisure suit.We’ve all been force fed the old adage that we should utilize the "ABC’s" (Always Be Closing). Personally, I think that philosophy makes the recipient want to roll up a newspaper and swat you away the way you would if Rover were

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-82938555704749255232009-04-12T20:17:00.004-04:002009-04-12T20:54:16.898-04:00

Let’s face it, most Sales Meetings suck! Many of them have way too much administrative minutia, are easily hijacked by someone going off on a tangent, perhaps a brag fest from the veteran who you need to continually make a note to give a damn about. Part bitch fest, beat up session and perhaps some good old fashioned shooting of the proverbial shit for good measure! At the end of the meeting

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-49197950172801611562009-04-06T03:23:00.002-04:002009-04-06T03:30:26.402-04:00

Dr Edward Hallowell, author of the time management book Crazy Busy, has a term he calls E.M.V. E.M.V. stands for Email Voice and its that monotone, death like tone one's voice takes on when it becomes apparent they are checking email while they are talking to you on the phone.You can usually spot it by the tone, but you can also spot it when someone gives you certain out of place verbal cues

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-75178872673421694372009-04-02T01:24:00.008-04:002009-04-02T02:10:17.048-04:00

Subscribe to Paul's blog or we can all be some fighting Mutha F ersSubscribe to Paul Castain's Sales Playbook by EmailWhat do you think about when you are heading to work? Racing to your appointments? Going to that power lunch? Who knows? Who cares? I can tell you what most of us aren't thinking about . . . the money we pass on our way to chase money!Kind of ironic when you think about it!I have

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-88770929921945663942009-03-30T02:05:00.003-04:002009-03-30T03:15:41.838-04:00

>Subscribe to Paul Castain's Sales Playbook by EmailTodays's message is short and sweet. Check out my new Youtube Video "Body Armor For The Recession". It's designed to give you some Monday morning inspiration and help you get some new perspective on these challenging times. Make sure your speakers are cranked. The sound doesn't kick in until around the 7th slide or so.Please pass it along to

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-9231610798869124632009-03-25T23:43:00.009-04:002009-03-26T00:20:48.073-04:00

I'm sure you have all seen this video by now but I believe this guy truly get's it! Instead of going through all the boring announcements, he turned it into a fun rap. FYI: Southwest Airlines is known for their crew doing things differently and adding fun to the experience!Energy Brands in NY had an automated message when you called in that went something like this "If you are looking for

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-90515554544787285352009-03-24T21:47:00.007-04:002009-03-24T23:37:18.431-04:00

Subscribe to Paul Castain's Sales Playbook by EmailContinued from Monday's blog post.9) Don’t forget entertaining, lunches, grabbing a cup of Starbucks, dropping off some fun food. How about a giant cookie with “Thank you for letting us take a bite out of your business” Jeffrey Gitomer always has some creative ways to say thank you on his website http://www.gitomer.com/ 9.5) John Maxwell in his

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-69564919180127043672009-03-22T20:23:00.008-04:002009-03-23T07:14:52.810-04:00

Subscribe to Paul Castain's Sales Playbook by EmailAccording to Jay Conrad Levinson, 68% of all business lost in America is lost to apathy after the sale. We are in essence ignoring our customers to death.It made me think about the fact that now, more than ever, we had better be defending our turf!. Here are some tips to help do it more effectively:1) Are you saying thank you creatively and

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-46671827208240089152009-03-19T01:48:00.005-04:002009-03-19T02:09:11.535-04:00

First and foremost, if you are new to my blog, please stop what you are doing and read the previous postI’d like to offer you some generic responses that I have successfully used in response to generic objections.The first thing I would like you to do is develop a reflex response of automatically saying “Why don’t we get together anyway”The point of the statement is to help you move past the

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-41247575533844770982009-03-15T20:59:00.008-04:002009-03-15T22:11:36.743-04:00

Dudes, dudettes and aspiring rock stars, this week we’re going to talk about every sales person’s favorite . . . handling objections!I have a 4 step process I follow. I’ll spare you the cheesy acronym or clichés such as “The 4 D’s of objection handling”. Here it is “cheese free” for your objection handling pleasureStep 1 Take a chill: Seriously! Did you really think they were sitting playing with

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-76329048300467704852009-03-12T11:40:00.004-04:002009-03-12T13:49:24.465-04:00

Amazing story sent to me by my brother Michael Castain!In 1972, Joe Miller was on holiday in Kenya after graduating from Tulsa Junior College .On a hike through the bush, he came across a young bull elephant standing with one leg raised in the air. The elephant seemed distressed, so Joe approached it very carefully. He got down on one knee, inspected the elephants foot, and found a large piece of

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-31832851575123084562009-03-10T07:44:00.003-04:002009-03-10T08:16:08.355-04:00

Many years ago I watched a great Jedi Master wow his customers, go to bat for them and provide a wonderful living for his family. He knew the names of all his customer’s secretaries (this was before the birth of admins) and he took a personal interest in each of their lives. He knew kids names, birthdays, anniversaries, hobbies and genuinely cared. He had fun in the process and had a smile that

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-72360235767450934992009-03-08T22:22:00.003-04:002009-03-09T16:08:17.881-04:00

Subscribe to Paul Castain's Sales Playbook by EmailThere are no less than a hundred thousand telemarketing tips out there waiting to help you overcome objections, reach the decision maker, get by the gatekeeper etc.How about some advice on how to set a proper appointment once you get to that magical word “YES”?I’d like for you to think about an imaginary website www.lf.com. In fact, don’t just

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-79373349982034403122009-03-07T18:24:00.002-05:002009-03-07T18:37:04.052-05:00

For many years now, I have taken some time to do something I really can’t do during the week . . . THINK! Don’t get me wrong, this wacky brain of mine is going full force during the week, but there are phones ringing, way too many emails, conference calls, fire drills and all types of things that put me into reaction mode.That’s a real bad place for us Type A’s to be.My thinking time is early

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-50353728642889356362009-03-03T08:21:00.003-05:002009-03-03T10:23:32.590-05:00

Warning: There is zero educational value in today’s blog. It is simply a rant and an opportunity for you to have a quick laugh and say “Eew” several times.What’s up with the increasing amounts of people who feel that the world will stop if they don’t take a call while at the urinal? I can’t help but think about how the 6th grade version of me would have handled that. I would have pushed him

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-46673508073924033132009-03-02T09:41:00.004-05:002009-03-02T11:35:37.191-05:00

I believe that the deepest form of rapport/credibility happens subconsciously and is more or less a feeling that we can't articulate. For a warm and fuzzy example of this, think about someone you love and why you love them. Yes, we can create a laundry list of great things about them, but its really a collection of feelings that in many ways can't be expressed.This belief has served me well in

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-38844029169005484212009-02-27T07:53:00.005-05:002009-02-27T08:25:46.165-05:00

As many of you know, I am a big advocate of utilizing a sales mix strategy. This simply means having multiple account acquisition strategies such as: snail mail, email, networking, social networking, creative things etc. Let's chat briefly about the email thing. Did you ever notice that when you call up some companies to ask for an email address they get very guarded as if you asked them how much

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-36494807071057745892009-02-25T22:18:00.004-05:002009-02-25T22:56:57.488-05:00

Greetings from Houston Texas!There is an old motivational story that has been beaten to death amongst the “turn that frown upside down” folk.Every morning, in the jungle a Gazelle wakes up and realizes it must outrun the fastest Lion or it shall become a happy meal for the son of a bitch (I had to dress it up sorry motivational speakers) At the same time, the Lion wakes up and realizes it

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-30219128771685352202009-02-23T08:13:00.002-05:002009-02-23T08:18:58.083-05:00

I am going to warn you that a portion of today’s blog will be sad and will take on a very different tone than usual.2 people that I knew passed away last week. One was my Uncle who was in his 80’s and the other someone I really knew of and not personally. He was only 43.I had two major “aha’s” that I want to share with you and promise to tie them to something positive if you stay with me.At my

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-31955102215067589322009-02-19T12:37:00.003-05:002009-02-20T01:05:42.356-05:00

Last week, I had asked for you feedback on two new launches I’m involved in.2 New Launches and Dale Haeuser responded with the following:One of the things that I would love to see on a sales blog like this is open discussion about real life selling situations that we find ourselves needing feedback on. I think we all talk about ideas and general practices which is great but what about talking

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-92137208267546165852009-02-18T06:43:00.005-05:002009-02-24T11:21:17.372-05:00

I believe it was Socrates or Tupac who said “Don’t come up in my kitchen with that weak ass shit” Pretty prophetic and pretty symbolic of lots of sales people out there. At least from the customer’s perspective it is.Somewhere along the line, some sales reps became clueless and thought that a cheesy, old school line would work. You know the ones, like:If I could show you a way to improve A, while

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-8631587994527789492009-02-15T17:26:00.007-05:002009-02-15T17:51:22.452-05:00

Click here for free sales tips from PaulSubscribe to Paul Castain's Sales Playbook by EmailDid you ever notice that some people you meet want to shoot the proverbial you know what and others want to get right down to business? How about the ones that want lots of details and the other ones that are a tad warm and fuzzy/sensitive types? Did you ever leave a meeting thinking you just didn’t “feel

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-12234992305064372432009-02-13T08:07:00.002-05:002009-02-13T08:14:57.090-05:00

I wanted to bring you up to speed on two new resources coming your way within the next few weeks.The first is a new linked in group for sales professionals.The other is a new home for this blog on a dedicated website.I have lots of material to share with you, guests lined up to interview, guest bloggers and all kinds of surprises that wouldn't be surprises if I told you!Here's where I need your

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-61431770828901987512009-02-10T20:39:00.009-05:002009-02-10T20:51:32.828-05:00

There's a famous story about Dale Carnegie where he was attending a dinner party and struck up a conversation with a Botanist (no offense, but not my definition of good times) They talked for hours and he asked the Botanist question after question and the Botanist told Dale everything he ever wanted to know about the fascinating world of Botany (said with Castain's highest level of sarcasm)At the

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-66616614799483731982009-02-10T02:41:00.003-05:002009-02-10T03:05:13.960-05:00

Subscribe to Paul Castain's Sales Playbook by EmailNetworking is by far one of the most underutilized weapons in a sales person’s arsenal. It’s also attacked completely wrong in my not so humble opinion.First, stop waiting for actual events and network as Jeff Gitomer says, “Where your feet are” This means striking up a conversation at the airport, in the elevator, at your kid’s soccer game, the

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-32244382506319833962009-02-04T08:37:00.004-05:002009-02-04T08:53:56.431-05:00

To receive these blog posts via email, please click here: Subscribe to Paul Castain's Sales Playbook by EmailHow cool would it be if we could keep our clients aware of all the great things we offer without becoming a walking infomercial?Would it also make sense if you could do so in a way that you really didn’t even have to think about it?Finally, why I am I asking you all these questions when by

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-77050884800878168232009-02-02T09:34:00.003-05:002009-02-02T10:36:44.237-05:00

To receive these blog posts via email, please click here: Subscribe to Paul Castain's Sales Playbook by EmailI know a martial arts instructor who is some kind of kazillionth degree black belt (which means people usually pay his invoice first) He competes in all those MMA tournaments and does quite well in the whoop ass department. I couldn't help but ask him if he still was scared when he climbed

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-16978301646326949282009-01-27T23:43:00.004-05:002009-01-28T00:38:04.724-05:00

Uncle Paul has some statistics for you today and it ain’t gonna be pretty!This might be a good time to crack open that bottle with the ribbon on it that you still haven’t brought home from Christmas. (side note . . . what the hell are you waiting for? Bring the damn thing home or drink it already!)According to the Social Security Administration:Out of 100 people starting their careers today,

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-46554311049832866772009-01-25T22:57:00.003-05:002009-12-30T08:19:07.099-05:00

Do you remember that scene when Tommy Boy put on Richard’s coat and started singing “Fat guy in a little coat”? Do you remember what happened? Gold star if you said “The fat bastard tore Richard’s jacket”Holy Schnikees I believe there's a sales lesson in this . . .Don’t be the fat guy in the little coat!There are many facets to this simple yet effective theory. Fasten your seat belt because some

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-48198290435072596392009-01-22T00:57:00.008-05:002009-01-22T13:24:33.158-05:00

Please Tweet This To Your Followers (just copy and paste the following into your Twitter bar): Does Your Can Of Whoop Ass Runneth Over? http://salesplaybook.blogspot.com/Once upon a time; an experienced sales person was asked a question that has been asked throughout the ages . . . “Tell me about your company?”The sales person offered the cup of Kool-Aid from which they had been drinking. It was

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-49781568321950086102009-01-21T08:10:00.006-05:002009-01-21T12:22:28.779-05:00

Michael Eisner once said: “A brand is a living entity- and it is enriched or undermined cumulatively over time, the product of a thousand small gesturesHere are 3 ways your brand is going to be judgedThe Visual You:People judge with their eyes first. How do you look? Do you look professional? Do you look approachable? Do you look competent, confident, friendly etc? Do you look successful? Have

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-15789901197737020622009-01-19T06:41:00.004-05:002009-01-19T07:36:42.673-05:00

Do you know?What would you like it to be?What do you want to be known for?How do you deliver value?What’s the (insert your name here) difference?What do you hope they never say?The answer to those questions (and many more by the way) are what comprises your personal brand.Today’s Reflection: Answer those questions above. Get clear on who you want to be known as. What do you want to be known for?

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-39589347898195220692009-01-16T06:46:00.004-05:002009-01-16T07:09:04.947-05:00

The Triad TheoryThe triad theory is a simple tool you can use to increase the amount of plays available to you in your sales playbook.All you have to do is think 3 as in:3 good responses to each of the typical objections.3 different voice mails3 different 30 second elevator speeches3 different ways you would ask for commitment3 different ways you would ask for a referral3 different ways you

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-17677636197237412222009-01-14T06:19:00.004-05:002009-01-14T06:42:56.542-05:00

A long, long time ago. In a training room far, far away; I studied under a Jedi Master who taught me something I will never forget.There we were, 25 of the most arrogant Sales Managers who had ever walked the face of the earth. We were good at what we did, so good we saw the training we were asked to attend as a punishment. As we sat there, counting the minutes until the first break, we were

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-46863255203034286782009-01-11T23:39:00.002-05:002009-01-12T00:22:08.768-05:00

I've never been one to get caught up in the motivational, "turn that frown upside down" bs. If I'm having a bad day at the very moment when you ask me how I'm doing, I won't belt out an artificial "TERRIFIC". On the other hand . . . The thing I needed to learn the hard way was that when it's game time, I better lose (real quick) any hints of what they called "The Mondays" in Office Space! For

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-34268560238090705372009-01-10T09:00:00.005-05:002009-01-10T09:49:45.381-05:00

Here is a quick list of things we can do in 2009 to "bird" proof our sales efforts. In order for you to truly understand and become "one with the bird" you must read my previous post Play # 7. Understand that all businesses want more sales, more profit, happy customers, happy shareholders, happy employees, more market share, a better image, streamlined process, quicker to market turn times,

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-6799512280291228072009-01-09T11:44:00.007-05:002009-01-09T18:52:02.055-05:00

About a year ago, I’m minding my own business at a team dinner when the waiter comes over to me, gives me a Shirley Temple and tells me its compliments of this guy I know. To add insult to injury, he tells me that the gentleman also wanted me to have this and he proceeds to give me the finger!I feel the need to mention that where I come from (New York) you are legally obligated to return fire

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-37158614881472254342009-01-04T07:11:00.007-05:002009-01-04T07:34:27.332-05:00

Happy New Year! (a bursting of the bubble in 3 . . . 2 . . . 1)It’s rather unfortunate, but our pessimism might be getting the best of us!I’ve spoken to several people who are (and rightly so) concerned about the economy. I’ve spoken with others who fear the uncertainty of 2009 and my favorite . . . ones who are just glad 2008 is over!You might be suffering from what psychiatrists call SNYS . . .

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-16838719766690709322008-12-29T08:54:00.008-05:002008-12-29T10:15:43.085-05:00

As we prepare to embrace a shiny new year, with its new car smell and endless possibilities, its a great time to revisit our goals and create new ones that will give us a 2009 to be remembered!Speaking of remembered, when all is said and done, how do you want to be remembered? How will the final words of your success story read?When I reflect on those questions, I can't help but think of Stephen

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-655145340403165422008-12-19T05:51:00.004-05:002008-12-19T06:19:31.900-05:00

A few years back, I decided to try what I felt was a time management 101 fire drill. Just for clarification purposes, we generally label something as “101” when we know something so well that we have never tried it, have no intention of trying it, but want the rest of the world to know our awareness of the “101ness”. And we all know that application of the “101” argument takes the spotlight off

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-81271426374099936512008-12-12T05:57:00.011-05:002008-12-19T06:17:48.735-05:00

There are volumes of sales books that reference the famous story of how Edison failed more than 9,000 times before cracking the code to inventing the light bulb! The lesson is obviously to stick with it and no matter how many no's we get there is surely to be a yes just around the corner.There are two other little known lessons that we can pull from Mr. Edison!One is all about the attitude. For

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-69548974439732481102008-12-06T08:37:00.012-05:002008-12-19T06:17:00.209-05:00

We've all heard the statistics that it takes 5-9 touches in order for a prospect to feel comfortable enough to take an appointment with us. Whenever I address a group of sales professionals I ask them if they feel the numbers are accurate and very few seem to agree. Some tell me less, some tell more and if you're like me, you'd just like to know what the magic number is.Let's just say that it

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227398926429590289.post-85270835803988612442008-11-24T15:52:00.005-05:002008-11-24T17:45:10.123-05:00

According to fastcompany magazine the average consumer is exposed to over 3,000 ads per day, abcnews.com tells us that there are well over 170 billion (yes billion with a “b”) emails circulating worldwide each and every day! Add that to all the phone calls, voicemails and interruptions our average decision maker deals with daily and one can easily scratch their head in a “WTF” frenzy wondering

Paul Castainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867810438000233934noreply@blogger.com0