Description: The author relates what he's learned about selling from having a royall painful toothache.

Description: To persuade successfully and non-manipulatively, it's important to understand five key principles of influence. Principle #5: A person will more likely be influenced if you help them get to the heart of the matter.

Description: No matter what you do, you are in sales in some way. The word, "sales" or "selling" brings up negative connotations for many people. It may be helpful to think of it as "influence". Whether you're a sales professional, coach, consultant or executive - there are key stakeholders in your world you need to influence. To persuade successfully and non-manipulatively, it's important to understand five key principles of influence. Principle #3 is covered here.

Description: The author offers commentary on how to appropriately price your services so as to not undervalue your organization's worth.

Description: Full version of The Stepping Stone Newsletter, July 2003, Issue No. 12.

Description: This article addresses targeting the right audience for your product or service.

Description: This paper is on the fear of rejection when prospecting, which is one of the biggest obstacles for consultants when it comes to developing business and getting clients.

Description: Full version of The Independent Consultant Newsletter, June 2006, Issue No. 11.

Description: Full version of The Stepping Stone Newsletter, July 2004, Issue No. 15.

Description: On a scale of one to 10 (with 10 being the highest), how would you rank your level of passion for what you do? My sense is that for many actuaries, this number would be a five or lower. For most, it’s not a job that causes them to jump out of bed and rush to work each morning. This impression first hit me like a ton of bricks over a decade ago, while attending an SOA meeting. At the general session, the speaker asked the audience (numbering easily over 1,000) to raise their hands if they wanted their children to follow in their footsteps. Probably less than 20 people raised their hands! What a statement as to how many actuaries view their careers. From The Stepping Stone, July 2005, Issue No. 19.