Category: Blog

27

Jul2016
Quick Question . . .  . . . has got to be the best email subject line ever. When a prospect didn’t call me back, I sent the following email. The subject line was: “Quick Question.” The body of the email read: Cliff, I still have you on my ‘waiting for’ list of people I’m expecting ... Read More
July 27, 2016Chris Lytle

13

Jun2016

Two Kinds of Cones

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Tattoo is our 14-year old Abyssinian. Right before New Year’s Eve, I found her in our bedroom closet limping. A quick trip to the veterinarian confirmed she had dislocated her back right knee. Who knew that could happen? She had surgery on January 5th and will have to wear a cone until ... Read More
June 13, 2016Chris Lytle

06

May2016
You were minding your own business and selling up a storm. And then . . . BAM! . . . you got promoted. You’re the new sales manager. The “Paradox of Management” is this: You get paid for doing less of what you got promoted for doing more of. As a salesperson, all ... Read More
May 6, 2016Chris Lytle

29

Apr2016
If you want to save yourself from another bad hire, then ask this question toward the end of your first interview: We’re about finished with this interview. After this, I will start my reference checking and due diligence. Is there anything you would like to tell me now rather than have ... Read More
April 29, 2016Chris Lytle

22

Mar2016
I am a 24 year old know-it-all salesperson. On this particular Tuesday, I am meeting with Len Mattioli, the owner of American TV and Furniture. We are sitting at a dinette set in the furniture department. The meeting keeps getting interrupted by Len’s employees. When they aren’t interrupting, Len’s loses focus on the meeting to make sure ... Read More
March 22, 2016Chris Lytle

15

Feb2016
I picked up The E-Myth: Why Most Businesses Don’t Work and What to do About It in the St. Louis airport. I read it on the flight home. Few business books have moved me to tears, but Michael Gerber’s book did. Shortly thereafter, Sarah and I signed up for a seminar with ... Read More
February 15, 2016Chris Lytle

01

Jan2016
I know. I know. 1984 has come and gone. But sometimes you need to act like Big Brother when it comes to your salespeople and their customers. Here’s how to do that the right way: I went to a seminar when I was a new sales manager. The speaker said that sales managers should call ... Read More
January 1, 2016Chris Lytle

18

Nov2015
As a young sales manager, I actually said this in a sales meeting: “We have a new salesperson starting next week. Her name is Andrea. I need all of you to give up five accounts from your lists so I can create a new list  for her.” Nobody complained. They smiled ... Read More
November 18, 2015Chris Lytle

16

Nov2015

Beer and Circus

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A few years ago, I read Dr. Murray Sperber’s book Beer and Circus: How Big Time College Sports Is Crippling Undergraduate Education. Sperber is a professor of English and American Studies at Indiana University. In the New York Times, Morris Berman’s book review captures the big ideas and themes of the book. American college students, ... Read More
November 16, 2015Chris Lytle

11

Nov2015

Bet on This

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Sarah and I are going to Las Vegas next week. I won’t be gambling, though. Instead, we have tickets to a couple of shows. We have reservations at a couple of very nice restaurants, of course. And we’re going to visit good friends who live in Summerlin, NV. Speaking of shows, I saw my first ... Read More
November 11, 2015Chris Lytle