Sung to Prince’s “Purple Rain,” my inspiration for this poem/song's rhythm. — You say you want to create But you can’t make up your mind Let me steer you Into a new/old place Stats never meant to cause you any sorrow But they cause you plenty pain I’m only trying to help you Help you branch out, find a new way Writers linked arms in…

Think of the sparkle and happiness children can bring. Children illuminate and unveil so much to parents. Like magic, we see ourselves in them. Like an inverse mirror, we feel and hear our parents words and attributes expressing themselves. We hear our wrongs and rights exposed and shouting back at us…

Hunt a company’s problems down in your discovery for effective sales. Salespeople can be great at finding problems and knowing them before picking up the phone or writing an email, and we should touch on them briefly on initial contact. Then the fun begins. We uncover layers. Reveal your contact’s…

Exchange your me talking to you for a you-centric conversation for effective sales and to win hearts. When salespeople begin communications centering on themselves and the great things they have to offer the listener will shut them down. It may be a blank stare, a rude brush-off, or disingenuous disregard. …

How do you handle sales connection objections? When it’s time to get your sales hands dirty, and you know it, call the company’s receptionist or gatekeeper. • Ask questions. “Hey, who is in charge of sales over there? Do you know their number?” The gatekeeper can be disarmed when you’re…

When do we use vocabulary words we’ve learned that exceed a 6th-grade level of understanding? I recently read an article lauding the use of simple, direct words for our writing. We should write as we speak at a bar or to children, and using more complex words is frowned upon…