By Sales Keynote Speaker and Human Behavior Expert Connie Podesta Bottom line? People want to buy from salespeople who project confidence, not desperation. In the video below, I share two personal stories of my experience as a new speaker. The first, an occasion where I acted completely out of desperation and literally ended up spending more to get myself to the multi-day event than I made. The other was when I ignored the completely blank you’ve-got-no-bookings calendar in front of me and answered an event manager’s question to whether I was available in July with two very strong Read More
Quit Underestimating Word of Mouth Marketing
Quit Underestimating Word of Mouth Marketing
By Sales Keynote Speaker and Human Behavior Expert Connie Podesta Word of mouth marketing is EVERYTHING. Why? Because it’s personal. It’s another human being putting their stamp of approval and trustworthiness on what you do – and then sharing why you’re the person to call with someone else! That’s powerful, especially in today’s world. It is true for almost every industry – doctors, lawyers, restaurants, salons, spas, real estate agents – you name it. It’s exceptionally important for salespeople. Many get into the mindset that they are in the business of whatever their product Read More
Quit Pressuring People to Buy
Quit Pressuring People to Buy
By Connie Podesta The world has changed. The way consumers buy has changed. That old school, “There are ONLY TWO left” tactics are out. The truth is consumers have OPTIONS now. There’s hardly anything that we can’t purchase online. So, the high-pressure, gimmicky, push people to purchase sales delivery will get you exactly the opposite results than what you want. I’m reminded of how many times I’ve gone into a car dealership only to have someone try the, “I’ve got to speak to my sales manager” routine. Now, when I want to purchase a car, I go straight to the manager and tell them I Read More
Sales Pitfalls: When the Ego Goes Unchecked
Sales Pitfalls: When the Ego Goes Unchecked
By Sales Keynote Speaker and Human Behavior Expert Connie Podesta When it comes to top salespeople, ego comes with the territory. That bullet-proof attitude of self-assured confidence is what allows them to step out of the crowd and into the spotlight. It gives them the charisma to persuade and influence. It fuels their drive to close the deal and be the best. It’s also what can stop them in their tracks. I’ll give you a personal example. Years ago, I was working to land a keynote speaking engagement with a blue-chip company that I REALLY wanted on my client list. I knew, without a Read More
Quit Listening to Employee Complaints
Quit Listening to Employee Complaints
by Leadership Keynote Speaker Connie Podesta Here’s a question for you. What are three words that make managers want to run the other way? Open Door Policy. The original intent of an “Open Door Policy” was to create a communication mechanism to ensure that employees would feel free to honestly discuss key issues without fear of retribution or, even worse, losing their jobs. In other words, not only would a leader’s door be open but, hopefully, so would their mind. However, over time that concept has expanded and become an excuse for some employees to also feel free to complain. About Read More
Quit Avoiding Documentation
Quit Avoiding Documentation
The Proof-Gathering Side of Leadership In courtrooms, decisions are made based on actual proof. Hard evidence. Indisputable facts. The same principle should apply to leaders who determine the next career steps for their employees. The key word there is “should.” Unfortunately, it often doesn’t happen that way. I know that firsthand from my years of experience in HR. Leaders would show up to my office with an urgent request to fire a trouble-making employee, and I was more than happy to assist with that process. But when I asked for a copy of the file that documented the poor Read More
Quit Unknowingly Penalizing Top Performers
Quit Unknowingly Penalizing Top Performers
It Could Cost You Top Talent by Leadership Keynote Speaker Connie Podesta Throw out that statement and prepare for some serious pushback. I know because I’ve done it. And the response is…well, passionate. And a bit defensive. “No way! I reward them and recognize them every chance I get! They’re my rock stars!” “Are you kidding me? I worship my top performers! They carry the weight for the whole team!” “I would NEVER do anything to undermine them! They always go above and beyond.” Here’s the thing: Leaders wouldn’t intentionally penalize their top performers, but it might be Read More
Quit Underestimating Workplace Dynamics
Quit Underestimating Workplace Dynamics
Friends and Leaders: The Challenges of Changing Roles By Leadership Keynote Speaker Connie Podesta When workplace roles change, so do relationships. Which can make for some very interesting—and perhaps awkward—situations. Consider the impact. Your best friend on the team gets promoted. Or you get promoted. In a single moment, there’s a clear shift. Instead of being grab-a-beer-after-work-to-complain-about-the-boss co-workers, now one of you IS the boss. Throwing a new sense of accountability into the mix quickly changes the dynamic. Here’s the issue. When the line between Read More
Millennial Alert: How to Handle Older Folks in the Workplace
Millennial Alert: How to Handle Older Folks in the Workplace
12 Insights from Someone Who’s Been There, Done That By Motivational Business Keynote Speaker Connie Podesta I recently spoke to a large audience made up mostly of millennials. And they had tons of questions about working with “older people”. And I realized ... hey, that’s me! I am always teaching people how to deal with the millennials, but I never teach them how to deal with us. So, in fun, here are a few good tips when working with the rest of us that just might come in handy. Whichever side of the generational fence you’re on – these will be good tips to take with you! 13 Top Read More
QUIT Settling for a Less Than ENGAGED Team
QUIT Settling for a Less Than ENGAGED Team
A Single Shift in Focus Can Dramatically Impact Results By Leadership Expert, Keynote Speaker and Author Connie Podesta What do we mean by engaged? Listens. Observes. Communicates. Offers ideas. And solutions. Appears happy most of the time. Enthusiastic. Works well with others. And likes their job. Most of the time me. Is that all? No way. One, they are more fun and easier to work with. Two, they contribute big time to a company’s bottom line. And three, they keep the energy rolling and the workplace on fire. How cool is that? Why are some employees engaged and others not? An Read More
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