TL;DR An elongating sales cycle is data, not bad luck. It usually means prospects are doing more comparison shopping before they commit to you. Undifferentiated agencies trigger more comparison, because when you look like everyone else, the prospect has to keep looking to feel confident. Distinction and decision speed are ...
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A few weeks ago, Meta confirmed that, as part of their AI adoption strategy, the company is logging employee computer activity, keystrokes, and using screen captures to train AI to use a computer the way a human does. When workers asked if they could opt out, the answer was no. ...
TL;DR A great conversation followed by silence after the proposal is rarely about your proposal document. It’s about how clearly the prospect could justify choosing you. Silence usually signals indecision, not rejection. The prospect couldn’t build a confident case for you over the alternatives, so they did nothing. Interchangeable agencies ...
TL;DR Consistent second-place finishes are a pattern, and patterns have causes. The cause is rarely your delivery. “So close” is the most expensive phrase in new business. It usually means you were qualified but not chosen, and that’s a distinction problem. Being qualified gets you onto the shortlist. Being distinct ...
When I’m talking to clients about the current rate of AI adoption, it reminds me of the first time I really “got” social media. I didn’t get it from a headline or a TED talk. I got it from a group of junior staffers at the agency I was leading ...
tl;dr version: Recent research shows that 52% of referrals never call the company or person to whom they were referred. Why? The referred person failed the Referral Validation Process. A Google Search, their website, and of course, their LinkedIn profile. Today's prospects use these as credibility signals. If your signals ...
TL;DR: This article explains how to make impactful presentations by applying proven principles from cognitive science and brain research. It’s written for anyone who uses PowerPoint or slide-based presentations at work and shows how to reduce cognitive overload, align visuals with how the brain processes information, and design slides that actually ...
As I embark on yet another Fat Tuesday, I can't help but flashback almost two decades (yes, it's hard to believe, but it's been 17 years since I first invited you to experience the first version of My Mardi Gras Experience: Mardi Gras via my Tweetstream) and marvel at the ...
Executive Summary: What's Changed in the LinkedIn Algorithm, and What To Do About It In 2026 LinkedIn’s becoming less like a content platform and more like a networking conference with a long memory. Your post isn’t being judged in isolation anymore. It’s being considered in context: who you are, what ...
Recently, after delivering one of my Perfect Pitch™ webinars, an attendee asked me: "How do we build credibility DURING the discovery call?" Great question! Truthfully, I told him, if you're waiting till the Discovery Call to create credibility, you may be too late. Before the prospect ever agreed to a ...
For a long time, the music business ran on a straightforward value equation. The studios were selling you new products every day. You couldn't wait to buy them—albums and then eventually individual songs. You stored them in a library. You owned them forever. BUT, your access was always constrained by ...
They’re laughing now...really laughing. You asked about something small, something easy to answer, and it unlocked a story. The conversation isn’t stiff or polite anymore. It flows from one story or example to another. You’re not talking much at all, just listening and nodding when they pause—probing just enough to ...