New Year’s Letter to My Boss
Dear Charlie, After having worked for you for 22 years, I can attest, you’re a great guy and a great friend. I appreciate the times you were there for me when I was having personal hardship; it truly means a …
When Hiring Seek the Help of a Bad Cop
I checked my email first thing this morning and got a resignation letter from someone on my team; a relatively new hire. She couldn’t put up with the ambiguity of working for a small entrepreneurial business. Having come from working …
The Wedge: A Simple Concept that Changed How We Sell
Like you, I’ve been to dozens of sales training classes. I’ve read several hundred sales books. Most of them provide something of value, but occasionally there will be one nugget that will change everything. Here’s the nugget… pure gold. It …
5 Things You Can Do to Double New Business in Your Agency
An agency owner named John called me up and said in a very sober tone, “We need to double our new business, can you help us?” John told me how he is the top producer and had just inherited the …
The Wedge: 3-Step Super Formula to Growing a Million Dollar Book
“If you build up their confidence they will set higher goals and push to achieve more.” — Lou Holtz Mr. Holtz gives us a formula for winning and who doesn’t want to win? The formula starts off with building up …
The Wedge: CRM or Organic Growth Technology?
Why off-the-shelf CRM technology might not get you what you really want – growth! Imagine this conversation with another agency owner: “Charlie, what are you guys using as a pipeline tool?” “Well Mike, I had my IT guy look into …
The Wedge: The Scientific Selling Power of Yes, No and Maybe
My dad was a fighter pilot. He flew a P-47 Thunderbolt, one of the heaviest fighter planes ever built. The aircraft was equipped with eight 0.50-calibre machine guns, four per wing, which were an absolutely devastating combination. The Thunderbolt carried …
The Wedge: Top 7 Agency, Producers Problems Owners Should Solve
(Top Seven Problems You Really Want to Solve) Agency owners with an entrepreneurial spirit want to grow their agencies, but staff makes it difficult. Many have said, “It’s like herding cats.” Here’s a list of producer problems: • Problem #1 …
The Wedge: How to Beat Buyer Intimidation
Imagine it’s almost 2,000 years ago and you’re a peasant living in Italy. Your boss sends you into Rome to get some supplies. You saddle up your donkey and head into town. As you make your way through the city, …
New Producer Hiring: How to Avoid the Black Hole Producer
When you hire the right new producer, oh does it feel good. That newbie comes strolling in with that look on his face, arms crossed, standing in that pose … and you know without even asking him, he closed the …