Archive for the 'Success' Category

Jul152008

Tuesday Top 5: 5 People I’d Like to Meet

If you could have dinner with any 5 people in the world today, who would you pick? Variations of this hypothetical question have been discussed for ages (historical figures, athletes, etc.). What I find interesting is that my list has changed a lot from the last time I really thought about it.

**Now, when I say “really thought about it” I don’t mean that I am dedicating serious time on a regular basis to thinking about who I’d like to meet, well…maybe too much time but not really that much - does that make sense? sure…**

I thought I would have a little fun with today’s Top 5 and list the 5 people in the world today that I would like to have dinner with along with a brief explanation of why. The list is not in any particular order of relevance or importance.

1. Barack Obama

obama

I want to look into his eyes and see if this guy is for real or not. I honestly don’t know which way I am going to cast my vote yet in November, but Obama seems to be a candidate that has such an abundance of charisma and charm that it would be a lot of fun to be around him for a few minutes. Although I wasn’t around when John F. Kennedy was running for president, I think that there are some definite similarities between the two and I would like to hear Obama’s candid take on what he thinks of the parallel.

2. Alan Greenspan

greenspan

I want to get his truly candid thoughts about what it will take to put American’s economy on the right track for the long term. I’d like to get a few glasses of wine in him and get him to open up about his real feelings about the current credit crunch situation and what he feels like his role was in precipitating it. Also, I’d like to know how he managed to successfully navigate the dicey political waters of Washington politics so deftly for so many years and how he was married to a professional reporter and somehow no real big or meaningful information ever leaked (secret underground lair, anyone?)

3. Robert Kiyosaki (aka: Rich Dad)

rich dad

I first read Rich Dad, Poor Dad about six years ago, and I can honestly say the book helped change the way I thought about money and wealth accumulation. However, I have had some lingering thoughts since I put the book down, such as: was there really a ‘rich dad’? Was Kiyosaki truly ‘financially free’ before releasing the Rich Dad book series? Why did he wait so long to have ‘Rich Dad Coaching’? Maybe there is a hidden skeptic inside of me, but I just can’t help wonder these things. I think this book really re-launched what I call the “self-help wealth” information marketing movement, so I think it would be fun to have a candid conversation with a catalyst.

4. Tim Ferriss

ferriss

The Four Hour Workweek has to be the ‘paradigm’ shifting book for a new generation of entrepreneurs and workers. I like this book and his companion ‘Lifestyle Design’ blog so much that I think it would be a blast to have dinner with him. For anyone that has read the book or blog, you know that very few writers and bloggers could gain such immense popularity and worldwide attention with such a seemingly wide (but actually well-niched) focus on all things relevant to a mobile and flexible lifestyle.

5. Hu Jintao

hu

The leader of the world’s most populous nation (hint: China) has such a big job that I wonder how one deals with that level of responsibly. With China becoming a rapidly rising world superpower (not just economic superpower) I can’t help but wonder what goes through his mind as he looks at his to-do list every day:

  • feed 1.4 million people left homeless by earthquake
  • merge communist party politics with 21st century global capitalism
  • lunch
  • escalate rhetoric of taking over Taiwan by force
  • practice speech for Olympic games opening ceremony

I’m not sure if it really looks like that or not, but it would be fun to ask him.

Well, there you have the Top 5 people I’d like to meet - at least as of right now.

Let the proverbial #!%! hit the fan (this is my way of saying I welcome your comments and feedback).

Published
by
Adam Davis
on July 15, 2008
in Self Improvement and Success
. 1 Comment
Jun282008

Saturday Op-Ed: Defining Your Life

Yesterday I was driving throughout southern Macomb County, in Metro Detroit, looking at some property acquisitions with one of my business partners, Dylan Tanaka. We were stopped at a traffic light and I glanced around, taking in the sites of an area that looked like it had seen better days (better days are ahead, in my view, but not yet on the horizon).

As we sat at a traffic light, I noticed a woman walking across the street in front of us. She couldn’t have been past her mid-30’s. What struck me, however was that she was sheparding six children, all under the age of 10. It was a hot and humid day, and they all looked quite uncomfortable. All appearances and circumstances indicated that they weren’t living in the land of milk and honey. The woman, in particular, looked as though she would rather be somewhere else, anywhere else. She had a look of despair and forlornness that I hadn’t seen in a long time.

The light turned green. We moved on and so did the woman, but the look on her face left an impression on me. I started asking myself questions like: Did this woman ever define what she wanted in life? Did she ever get a chance?

I often talk to other entrepreneurs and prospective entrepreneurs who are eager to quit their jobs about ‘defining their lifestyle’, as in: define the life you want to live, use your business as a vehicle to achieve it. What gets lost in the mix of this message sometimes is a dose of perspective.

When you are in the trenches building your business everyday, it’s easy to become myopic. We become mired in squabbles over changes in the tax code and get upset when our internet is down for more than 30 seconds. We can become so focused on our goals that we lose sight of how far we have come and how fortunate we are. On this count, I plead guilty. My focus and routine almost detach me from the rest of the world at certain points and I have to force myself to take more time to see the big picture. It’s sobering- like getting a cooler full of ice cold water thrown on you.

As I thought about the woman at the traffic light, I wondered to myself: “is this woman existing or living?” Who was I to say (or even wonder)? But, I could not push this question out of my mind. I thought about this as it applied to my own life, family, business and career. I encourage you to do the same thing. Stop for a second and ask yourself if you are existing or living?

There is a difference.

Chances are you will know the answer right away. Being conscious of the fact that there is a difference will help you gain some perspective in short order. And, if you are conscious of the difference, start defining your life, be thankful that you can and stop standing still.

Published
by
Adam Davis
on June 28, 2008
in Self Improvement and Success
. 2 Comments
May262008

Work/Life Balance - Myth or Reality?

Since my wife is vacationing in Europe with family, the whole concept of ‘work/life’ balance has been occupying my thoughts of late.

I often wonder if my work/life scale is in balance or in a state of constant flux. Sometimes I feel like I am back in 9th grade science class, trying to balance one of those metric scales with strange substances on each side (one of which was sure to cause a chemical burn).

How do we ever really know if we are balancing our businesses or careers with the other aspect of life?

When I worked in corporate America, it was widely assumed that anyone who had a ‘work/life’ balance was not serious about their career and they were doomed to the droves of mediocrity. I remember having lunch with about 7 or 8 co-workers one day and the subject came up. Here’s an excerpt from the conversation:

Person A: “Jim? Yeah, Jim has a pretty good work/life balance.”

Person B: “True. But he’s probably not going to get anywhere that way.”

Person C: “Right. He’s just not at that level yet.”

For some people, I doubt that serious thoughts about anything other then work or career advancement enter into their psyche. For others, I think they dedicate as few neurons as possible to work.

I admit to being only a partially painted canvas, specks and blotches of paint slapped on with the beginnings of shapes taking form. I am evolving.

What amazes me is how many people wear the markings of a zero balance life like a badge of honor. Strained relationships, poor health, chronic fatigue, high stress. I have too often worn these markings proudly, only to realize that nobody really thought they were cool.

Work/life balance is not something easily divvied into piles of type A and type B personalities. It goes much further than that. For many, work defines their life. Therefore, the subject of balance is non-existent - there is nothing on the other side of the scale.

Have you ever heard an American make fun of the fact that many European countries take extensive summer holidays? I am not sure if this smacks of only pure jealousy or downright contempt, but it always seems to be said in a tone that implies that ‘Europeans are lazy.’ Lazy? Or perhaps more balanced?

The question of whether work/life balance is myth or reality is most definitely not going to be settled over the course of a blog post.

As I sit and type in the early morning of Memorial Day, I can only ponder further and continually evolve in the direction of my optimal lifestyle. I like the challenge.

Published
by
Adam Davis
on May 26, 2008
in Success and time management
. 2 Comments
May152008

The Power of Inertia - Part 1

Inertia (i-nur-shuh): the property of matter by which it retains its state of rest or its velocity along a straight line so long as it is not acted upon by an external force

If you want to start seeing the changes you want in your life or in your business, then you need to understand the power of inertia. In fact, I think that more people aren’t able to make the changes they want in their business, personal or financial life because they fail to understand and utilize this powerful force.

Have you ever heard someone say: “the first step is always the hardest?” Did you ever wonder how this statement came into existence? I have a one word answer: inertia.

Sir Issac Newton was quoted so many years ago saying: “an object in motion tends to stay in motion; an object at rest tends to stay at rest.”

newton

To me, as a non-physicist, I can apply this to my personal and business life. Once you are moving toward something (your goals), you are infinitely closer to achieving them simply because you are moving. I see and hear so many people who want things like more money, more time with family and improved improved health who just can’t seem to get out of the starting blocks. The main reason for this is inertia (think: an object at rest tends to stay at rest).

On the flip side, I see people who careen from achievement to achievement, bewildering all those observing. They make more money, have better health and enjoy a more fulfilling life. Inertia has a lot to do with this as well (think: an object in motion tends to stay in motion).

In the his classic book Good to Great, author Jim Collins talks about the ‘flywheel effect’. Essentially, the ‘flywheel effect’ is when an organization, product or idea gains steam (e.g. market leadership, profitability gains, etc.) after months or years of steady work or ’small pushes on the flywheel.’ By their nature, flywheels take repeated effort to get up to speed, but then are able to generate high levels of energy. What should be noted about the flywheel effect is that it takes movement to get going and then the power of inertia takes over.

flywheel

No, I am not trying to make everyone relive 9th grade science class. My hope is to alert to the fact that there are forces of nature that effect the level of success you have.

Did you ever have one of those days where everything felt right and went right? Where all objects felt like they were moving in slow motion and you were able to deftly handle problems with the greatest of ease? Perhaps you gained a new customer or did exceedingly well at your job? Do you remember the feeling? Like maybe you were just ‘rolling?’ If you have ever felt this way then you know what I mean about inertia. Momentum was on your side.

Let’s flip it around: did you ever have one of those days where absolutely nothing went right? Problem after problem arose and compounded on you? You kept repeating to yourself: “when it rains, it pours.” Inertia was in effect here too, except it was working against you.

I am begging the question: how can you make inertia work for you?

In part one of my treatise on this subject, I am going to throw two things out there that work for me (though I don’t by any means claim to have this all figured out)

Habits Fuel Inertia

Your habits will define your life. Humans are indeed creatures of habit. You can either build good habits or bad habits. When I talk to people about making changes, and radical changes at that (why ‘radical’ changes? because who wants to just be a little bit better..why not be A LOT better?) I often try to discern what their habits are.

For example, if someone tells me they are trying to lose weight, yet they eat irregularly and exercise only once in a while I start to wonder how serious they are. It’s hard to lose weight when you can’t break the habit of picking up the remote control every night when you get home from work.

Recognize Momentum Swings

Becoming more conscious of momentum swings is a great start toward making it work for you instead of against you. You can start to pick up on trends in your day or your activities that are driving momentum one way or the other. If you start to feel a chain reaction and momentum swing against you, you should stop and change direction. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.

If you have a some good momentum going, ride it out all the way. Here is a prime example:

When we strike paydirt and land a great deal, the next thing we do is re-double our efforts the next split second later to nail another one. Good things come in bunches and riding the positive momentum of a great deal can carry us through and generate all kinds of other good things right in a row (new relationships, more possibilities for revenue, etc.). If you make a sale on the phone in the morning, you should keep right on dialing the phone - chances are you will knock out a few more. Remember that feeling. Try to capture it, harness it and put it back into action the next day.

I will revisit the Power of Inertia in future posts. For now, I trust this is enough food for thought (and, probably enough science!) to go out and start making some radical changes.

Published
by
Adam Davis
on May 15, 2008
in Inspiration, Productivity and Success
. 5 Comments
Apr202008

Still Getting It Done In “The D”

Hold the phone. The industrial might of Metro Detroit is not extinct. In fact, a new vibrancy might be taking place under your radar screen.

Yesterday, I had toured the W Industries facility at 8 Mile & Hoover in Detroit (or “The D” as it’s known to locals). W industries is a full service steel fabrication company that is doing a great deal of defense contract work for the United States Military. They make the “Cougar” Mine Protected Armored Patrol Vehicle, among other things.

cougar

Walking through the W Industries plant was an experience in and of itself. Inside the plant, welders were feverishly attaching metal to metal, forklifts were madly buzzing around and chunks of metal were hung from lifts and stacked as high as the ceiling. It felt as though I walked through a time warp to find myself in 1943 Detroit.

In 1943, Detroit was at the pinnacle of it’s industrial might. The “war machine” was in high gear and was the envy of the world. The ability of the Detroit manufacturing facilities to re-tool and launch mass production of goods for the World War II effort was nothing short of extraordinary (think of the Willow Run bomber plant that produced 1 bomber per hour at it’s peak). The allied victory in World War II was in large part due to the production war machine that was Detroit manufacturing.

If I jump back into the time warp back to April 2008, the remnants of the the “war machine” are hard to spot. Empty factories and abandoned warehouses dot the Metro Detroit landscape. To the outsider, it appears as though the phrase “last one out turn off the lights” has been uttered and the fat lady is wailing away and her shrieks are cracking the last of the intact windows. It seems as though anyone thinking of investing in real estate in the Metro Detroit area is insane (”the economics just don’t make sense” I have been told countless times) and anyone thinking of starting a company is equally crazy.

But…there are smoldering embers of hope. W Industries is one of these embers. Capitalizing on opportunities and taking big risks are what separates the wheat from the chaff in business. When entrepreneurs, like those at W Industries, galvanize themselves toward a mission there is no stopping them. I think this is true for YOU as well - if you galvanize yourself toward a mission and a strong sense of purpose, nothing can stop you.

w ind

If you ever doubt that entrepreneurs have the ability to turn things around on the strength of their will alone, take a look at W Industries or, your local version of W Industries (the company started in 1981 - another ‘inopportune’ time of high interest rates and unemployment). This is why I am convinced that contrarian entrepreneurs and investors that can stay the course will be rewarded over the long term - this is something I take to the bank every day.

Start looking for the sparks, the smoldering embers, the smell of money being made and the doors of opportunity cracking open - just enough for you to stick your foot in.

Published
by
Adam Davis
on April 20, 2008
in Entrepreneurship, Real Estate Investing and Success
. 1 Comment
Mar112008

Tuesday Top 5: 5 Reasons Why I Would Hire a Kirby Vacuum Salesperson Over a Harvard MBA

kirby

harvard

Some of you might be shocked to read this subject line. You might be thinking: “He’s crazy, he’d rather hire one of those disheveled guys in white shirts that try to schlep vacuum cleaners door to door then someone with a Master’s degree from one of the most prestigious universities in the world?”

Yes.

I’d rather hire someone, for my company, who thrived making money selling vacuum cleaners door-to-door then someone who danced cum laude out of Harvard’s famous and highly ranked business school.

Here is the part where I need to tell you why, so let’s get it on:

1. I like people that are FEARLESS

This one is easy. In 2008, if you aren’t afraid to walk up to someone in their home and try to sell a vacuum cleaner to them, then you are FEARLESS. One of the biggest problems that I see in the world today is that the business community is rising up a generation of WIMPS - people that are afraid to sell. Now, I’m not talking about a bunch of used car salesman, but someone is isn’t afraid to ask for the sale.

We have too many entrepreneurs that think that referrals and soft marketing will bring in enough money to feed them. They might skate by, but I will blow past them in the market place, because my people won’t be afraid to be aggressive and strong, showing the customer or client that we can take care of them better then anybody else. Yes, marketing is the driver of this, but you have to remember that everything you do is a sale. You sell your ideas, your concepts and your vision to your clients and customers as well as your employees and stakeholders.

Fear has no place when you are moving to the top.

2. I like people who can think on the fly

Good salespeople are like good jazz musicians, they can improvise on the fly. A good salesperson will swim in situations where others would surely drown. There isn’t always time to consult a report or get the consensus of your colleague’s then there are hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars at stake. You have to make snap decisions and then ‘wing-it’ the rest of the way.

I can’t think of a better way to learn how to improvise then to be faced with a different type of customer with each sales call, having to make sure you are delivering the right message to each person. Talk about thinking on the fly.

3. I like people who can take rejection, chew it up and spit it out

Have you ever seen an attractive woman on a date with a guy who you thought should not have a chance with her? That she was ‘way out of his league’. There is no real secret to this, except for the fact that the guy asked her for the date. Many guys out there asking: “Is it that simple?” I think it is, but I am not a date doctor. Where I see this principle ring true in the business arena is simply asking for the sale. In order to ask for the sale, you have to be willing to take a good number of ‘no’ answers before you get a ‘yes.’

Most of the Harvard MBA’s I have met have not had much rejection in their life. They are All-Stars. High achievers. Most haven’t had doors slammed in their faces, heard the word ‘no’ said to them 1,000’s of times and been faced with the choice of selling or starving.

4. I like people that can deal with stress and ambiguity

In my humble view, the ability to handle stress effectively and function well in high intensity situations is one of the most endearing qualities a person can have. President John F. Kennedy said it best: “a rising tide lifts all boats.” Meaning, that when times are good you don’t know which ‘boats’ will sink or float. I love this analogy for business, and life for that matter, because it captures the essence of what separates the leaders from the rest of the pack.

Ambiguity is part of life. Very rarely do we have a fraction of the information that we would like to make the best decision we feel we can make. The ability to function and make decision with small amounts of information are what define good business leaders. Call it good ‘gut instinct’ if you will. Gut instincts are developed by being in hand-to-hand combat situations, like being eye-to-eye with a customer who would rather spit on you then look at you, let alone open up their wallet and give you money.

You just can’t earn these stripes slogging through financial modeling and game theoy analysis over Starbucks coffee at 10a.m. Walking through strange neighborhoods and taking on angry glares before you even get to present to one house is something that will teach you to deal with stress and ambiguity like nothing else.

5. I like people that are willing to learn the hard way

Life would be great if we could get everything we needed from case studies, group projects and internships. Business would be wonderful all the time if all I had to do was slap some proformas financial projections through Excel and take it to the bank. But, alas, it cannot be so in the trench warfare of 21st century entrepreneurial business.

Those that develop the thickest skin will generally win in the end. Sometimes business success can be summed up to nothing more than a battle of attrition. Anybody that has taken earned their stripes fighting in the trenches will win more in my book than somebody who has earned their stripes in the boardroom.

So, there you have it. I expect this week’s Top 5 to stir a bit of controversy. And, yes, I fully expect to hear back from some Kirby salespeople turned Harvard MBAs.

Published
by
Adam Davis
on March 11, 2008
in Management and Success
. 6 Comments
Feb222008

The Oakland Business Forum - Helping Businesses Succeed!

The Oakland Business Forum had its second meeting this past Tuesday at the Northfield Hilton in Troy, MI.

Business owners and professionals turned out in droves to hear keynote speaker Josh Linker, CEO of ePrize. ePrize is a fast growing dynamic interactive online promotion business that is based in Pleasant Ridge, Michigan.

Josh gave a fantastic presentation on what it takes to build a successful 21st century business. He talked about “The Power of e” and captivated the audience of rising stars in business and up and coming business professionals.

After Josh Linker’s presentation, Ben Rosenzweig of Next Step Analytics presented his business to the audience and demonstrated that great new businesses are starting in Michigan, even amidst the storm of negative media attention.

The Oakland Business Forum “30 Seconds to Fame” was a smashing success. 5 entrepreneurs and business professionals from the audience got the opportunity to present their “elevator” pitch to the audience and video camera. You can see 30 seconds to fame here:

If you are an entrepreneur or business professional in Southeast Michigan, The Oakland Business Forum is a can’t miss event. Don’t miss the next meeting, on March 18, 2008, where Bud Liebler of Liebler MacDonald Communications will be the keynote speaker. Doors open at 6 pm at the Northfield Hilton in Troy, Michigan.

Be There!

Published
by
Adam Davis
on February 22, 2008
in Motivation, Success and starting a business
. 0 Comments
Feb92008

Lead, Follow or Get the Heck Out of the Way!

Take this to heart in your business:

Continuous Change

Continuous Improvement

Continuously Looking for Opportunities

All of these must be a part of your DNA if you want to build and maintain a successful business or career. Give this week’s podcast a listen and find out why.

You can click HERE to listen to the podcast. Feel free to download the mp3 and listen on your favorite music player.

As always, your questions, comments and feedback are welcome.

Published
by
Adam Davis
on February 9, 2008
in Business, Leadership and Success
. 0 Comments
Feb52008

Tuesday Top 5: 5 Ways to Boost Your Problem Solving Abilities

In the game of business and in the game of life, you are going to encounter problems - all the time.  The degree of success you have in either game is largely dependent upon your ability to solve problems effectively and efficiently.   

 Today, I want to share the Top 5 ways that I have found work best to continue solving problems at high levels and to keep sailing in smooth waters:

 1.  Get a fresh perspective

 All to often, when you are wrapped up in trying to solve a problem you become too attached to the issue at hand and you cannot objectively look at what you need to do. In this case, give yourself a fresh perspective. This can mean something as simple as taking a break for a few minutes to soliciting outside help to look at the issue (either paid or unpaid).

trees

You might be calling me “Captain Obvious” right about now, but hear me out. What I am advocating is for developing the discipline to recognize when the situations are arising and frustration is creeping up that will keep you from accomplishing your goals. It is one thing to know that you should get a fresh perspective - putting this into action is quite another.

2. Start at the end and work backward

I find that when I am spinning my wheels on a project, that I have lost focus on the end result. As one of my favorite expressions goes, I: “cannot see the forest through the trees.”

finish

To get back to where you need to be, stop everything you are doing (turn away from the computer, step away from the phone) and speak, out loud, what your desired end result of what you are doing is. Saying something out loud carries A LOT more power than simply having a thought or jotting the thought down on paper. Trust me on this one. .

3. Practice thinking

brain

I know that I have you really confused now. But, ask yourself this: why do people practice everything from sports to speaking in public but do not practice thinking?”This might seem like a crazy question, but if you really think about it (full pun intended) you might realize that your cerebrum could use some exercise just like the rest of your body. This begs the question: “what are some brain exercises?” You only need to work on a few things for a few minutes a day and you will be amazed at the improvement in your critical thinking and analytic skills.

Some examples:

  • Sodoku
  • Crossword puzzles
  • Cryptograms
  • Lateral thinking games
  • Word/vocabulary games
  • Trivia games
  • Matching/pattern games
  • Riddles
  • …there are many more 

You will note that most of these things are a hobby or fun for somebody out there. Super nerdy, no doubt and some of them were the probably highlight of people’s Saturday nights before there were nightclubs. I think a few of them are fun, others I prefer not to do.

However, I find that if I spend a few minutes each morning on a lateral thinking game or sudoku puzzle, that I just feel a little better equipped to handle some of the things thrown my way during the day. Stimulate your brain cells and they might just stimulate you right back!

4. Ask better questions

A great college professor once told a class: “if you want to be brilliant, focus on asking better and better questions…solutions will then reveal themselves.” I can tell you that this has rung true in my personal and business life. All to often, we get caught up on “fixing what is wrong” that we lose sight of what is wrong in the first place. Asking better questions will keep you true to the old KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid).

question

Just think of the 5 W’s you learned when you were in grade school:

  • Who
  • What
  • When
  • Where
  • Why
  • *How* (this was always thrown in)

This also reminds me of the expert technicians obsessing over what is wrong with a highly complex computer that appears broken when the janitor walks by, finds the machine unplugged, plugs it in and the machine works to the amazement of the ‘experts.’

5. Laugh

Yes, indeed. Laughter is the best medicine for solving problems. Aside from all of the research that has been done showing that laughter can lengthen your life, cure illnesses and increase productivity, it is just common sense that to laugh is to relieve stress and to If you are ever perplexed, take a cruise over to Youtube and watch a stand-up comic, go to comics.com and have a laugh or just take a look at your favorite Dilbert tear-away poster to boost your mood and your output. relieve stress benefits you in myriad ways.

spoon

Well, there we have our Top 5 for this week. Tune in for the Tuesday Top 5 next week and be on the lookout for a killer “30 Second Thursday” spot this week!

Published
by
Adam Davis
on February 5, 2008
in Inspiration, Motivation, Productivity and Success
. 0 Comments
Jan292008

Tuesday Top 5: 5 Sure-Fire Weapons You Must Have in Your Arsenal

While on my recent trip to Miami, I had the opportunity to hear an outstanding street performer.  He was rapping with just a microphone and a small stereo box with a faint beat, but he was awesome.  You name it and he had it down: humor, strong messages, rhymes…everything.   

52

After listening to him for a few minutes, I began to notice a pattern to his awesome act.  Every so often, when it appeared that he was about to run out of something to rap about,  he would ask a passerby what their name was.  He would persist until he got it out of them and then launch off onto a new lyrical path based on rhyming with the persons name.  This performer was simply using a sure-fire technique he had established to keep his momentum going and the crowd involved. Mastering this sure-fire weapon, no doubt, is what consistently draws crowds to him. 

I was reflecting on this when it hit me how important having a proverbial “ace up your sleeve” is.  Having a surefire technique that works for a given situation, closing a sale perhaps or a negotiating a deal, is a an absolute must to increase your level of success.  Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had the ’sky hook’, the Packers of the Vince Lombardi era had the ‘power sweep’, the Mighty Ducks (yes, those Mighty Ducks of Disney fame!) had the ‘flying V’.  

Any way you slice it,  you have to develop sure-fire techniques in at least 5 areas of your business or professional life:

1. A sure-fire technique for closing sales 9 times out of 10

In business, and in life, sales is everything.  You are selling yourself to your boss, your idea to a colleague or your product to a customer.  As Blake (Alec Baldwin)  famously says in a memorable scene in the movie Glengarry Glen Ross: (paraphrasing) “either you sell the customer or he sells you on why he can’t buy - either way, a sale is made!”

There is a certain method that you can internally develop, unique to you, that you can use to make a sale when you need to. Even though each customer is different, and you must cater your message accordingly, you can still pull out a killer close to seal the deal.  

sales

Here is one I always like to use: 

Me: “Ok, Jim.  From what you’re saying this seems like a good fit, doesn’t it?  

Jim: “Sure”

Me: “Great, Jim.  Then I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t move ahead, do you?”

Jim: “Well…no.” 

I have used this technique in many instances to great success and I still rely on it - like having an ace up my sleeve.

2. A sure-fire technique for quickly evaluating the financial numbers of a project or deal

Many times you will be faced with a situation, whether it be investing in a real estate project or evaluating a new marketing expenditure, where you will need to make an analysis and move ahead with decisiveness.  Developing a simple internal method for evaluating these situations will make you tons of money - because you will consistently scrutinize and evaluate what makes sense and be able to do it quickly.

fin

Here are a few methods that successful people I know like to use:

  • Payback method- evaluating a project by examining the time it will take to receive your investment dollars back.  The premise of this technique is that the faster the investment pays your money back, the faster your money can be used for another investment while still maintaining your stake in the first one.
  • ROI (Return on Investment) - evaluating a project by looking at the dollars the investment yields versus the dollars invested.  For example, if you invest $100 and receive $110 back in one year, you received $10 for your $100 investment.  $10/$100 = 10% so your ROI is 10%. 
  • Cost/Benefit- evaluating a project or investment by weighing the benefits received against the costs outlaid to receive the benefit.  This technique is common when it it hard to put number or dollar terms on a decision.  For example, when deciding to have your business put on a fundraiser for a political candidate.  In this case, you might weigh the costs (cash outlays, time investment) against the benefits (recognition for yourself and your business, etc.)

I strongly urge you to find a method that works for you and that you can use on a consistent basis.  

3. A sure-fire negotiating tactic to help you win in any situation

Negotiating is another facet of our professional and business lives that we must become good at in order to succeed at high levels.  Developing a technique that you can use to win in key situations will come in handy.  

neg

Here is a personal favorite of mine:

Me: “Jim, if I like the __, but I don’t like it at $X, should we just forget about the whole thing?” 

Jim: “Ah…no, no, no….”

Once you find something that works, practice it as often as  you can and hone it to perfection

4. A sure-fire marketing method that will bring customers in

All business begins and ends with marketing.  It doesn’t matter what business you are in, where you are located or how long you have been doing what your are doing.  Make no mistake, in any business, times will get tough and customers will seem scarce. If you don’t have a sure-fire way to jump-start your sales, you will be dead in the water.  

mkt

A few ‘aces up your sleeve’ here might be:

  • a huge online promotion or contest
  • unique e-marketing campaign
  • a dynamic direct mail campaign (with a great list) 
  • a super-sale/promotional event - properly publicized
  • a strong newspaper advertisementAny of these (and countless other methods) can be the surefire technique you need to stoke the fire when you have to.  

Check out 151 Quick Ideas to Inc