If you want the definition of “Hands On,” the Ascuaga family in Reno can help.

As I write this, I’m returning from a training program that was held at John Ascuaga’s Nugget casino in Reno, Nevada.  When the program was booked, I thought that it was interesting that the owner personalized the name; unlike Steve Wynn or Donald Trump, John Ascuaga isn’t exactly a household name.  While I was there, I figured it out.  The management of the hotel is very personalized with Mr. Ascuaga and his family.  I was told that it was likely that John himself would stop in during our meeting and introduce himself and check on how things were going.  This didn’t happen; however, his son (the General Manager) did do so.

To make a long story short, I can definitely recommend the Nugget for business or personal travel.  The rooms were clean, comfortable, and large; the food was excellent and at least as good as the best food I’ve had in Vegas, and the meeting program was run efficiently and well.  I hope to return in the future.

I’ve been quoted in a great article on The Ladders!  Link inside.

Awhile back, I was interviewed for an article on resume’ cover letters for TheLadders.com, a site dedicated to job search help.  Since, in my opinion, jobseeking and selling are two parts of the same thing, I thought it appropriate to link that article here.  Click here to read the article.

Another sports-to-selling analogy comes to life!

Well, last night was chapter 1,079 in my life as a long-suffering Royals fan; a heartbreaking loss to Detroit, 3-1.  But at least I got something out of it.  Here’s the situation:  Rookie Danny Duffy pitched a very nice start, 6 innings, 2 runs.  Going into the bottom of the ninth, Royals were down 3-1, with Alex Gordon and Billy Butler making the first two outs.  With two out and nobody on and Detroit’s closer on the mound, Eric Hosmer drew a walk.  And then Detroit made a choice that could have cost them the game.

They chose not to defend the stolen base against Hosmer; i.e. the first baseman didn’t hold Hosmer on first and the catcher didn’t throw when Hosmer advanced to second.  No big deal, right?  That run doesn’t matter – theoretically – because the tying run (at the plate in the person of Jeff Francoeur) was behind Hosmer.  So, Hosmer took second, on what is called “Defensive indifference.”  Francoeur then hits a sharp grounder to Detroit shortstop Jhonny (yes, I spelled that correctly) Peralta.  Hosmer crosses in front of Peralta, which appeared to distract Peralta enough for the shortstop to bobble the ball.  Francoeur is safe at first.

Then, Francoeur steals second.  Suddenly, the Royals have the tying run in scoring position – and none of it would have happened had Hosmer not taken second.  Had Detroit defended the base against Hosmer, it’s unlikely that he would have attempted to steal – not with the tying run at the plate and two out in the ninth inning.  Because of one instance of Defensive Indifference, Detroit now faced a situation where a sharp single tied a game that had looked very safe.

Of course, because this is the Royals, Mike Moustakas flied out to left, and ended the game.  But that’s not the point.

I see “Sales Indifference” every day.  Salespeople who go in to meet a customer with no objective, no idea, no game plan, and no real way to make a profit out of the call – just going through the motions.  That’s “Sales Indifference.”  Even one call like that can be enough to lose a customer; do it often enough and your customers will leave in droves.

So, do YOU play to win on every call, or could the scorer call “Sales Indifference” on you?

Once in awhile, a business book comes from an unlikely source and makes a big impact.  I have a feeling that this is one such book.

If your very life depended on your business decisions, would you make different decisions than you do? If your subordinates might choose to eliminate you, not only professionally but completely, would you treat them differently? These are some of the questions that employees of one of America’s oldest businesses have to deal with every day. I’m talking of course, about the Mafia – La Cosa Nostra, the Outfit, the Syndicate, whatever you want to call it, it’s the confederation of primarily Italian organized crime families. It was also Louis Ferrante’s employer for a number of years. After going to prison, Ferrante chose to exit the Mafia, and enter the world of “legitimate” business.

The Mafia has fascinated America for decades and has had hundreds of books written about it. However, not one of those books has ever focused on the lessons that the Mafia can teach normal businessmen, until now. Ferrante’s “Mob Rules – What the Mafia Can Teach the Legitimate Businessman” is the first book to apply Mafia management practices to the challenges that businessmen and women face every day – and it’s an extremely effective one.

Behind the violence and crime, the Mafia has been home to numerous incredibly effective businessmen and managers of people, and Ferrante’s time with the organization exposed him to their knowledge and techniques, which he dissects in 88 short chapters. The book is written in small bites with powerful take-aways, and is separated into lessons at three levels: Soldier (employee), Capo (middle management), and Don (boss). At each level there are lessons which can help you maximize your role, most of which are illustrated by Mob stories that run the gamut from the frightening to the hilarious. It’s also very much an in-your-face book with some rough language; those with tender ears and eyes might not apply. The lessons are hard, the examples punchy, and the apologies few – but while Ferrante might ruffle some feathers, he’s exposing you to ways to make money and better your career.

The best bank to put your faith in? The Bank of Favors, according to Ferrante. The power of networking comes through hard and often. History purists might cringe at the comparisons between the leadership styles of George Washington and “Lucky” Luciano – but by the end of the chapter, they’ll find themselves wondering, as Ferrante does, if Luciano studied Washington and sought to emulate his style. The material isn’t just about the Mafia, either; Ferrante draws inspiration from sources as diverse as the ancient Greeks and Romans.

The section for employees provides a lot of great advice about actually working for a living, particularly in our “work as self esteem therapy” world.  The middle management chapters show that the Mafia has just as much corporate politics as any Fortune 500 company, and how to surf those waters.  The “Boss” section has great lessons for leaders both in assertiveness and humility. And there are numerous great examples for those who want to learn how to make great, profitable deals that keep all parties happy.

Meyer Lansky once said of the Mafia, “We’re bigger than U.S. Steel.”  They didn’t get that way by being dummies, and Lansky was perhaps the greatest businessman of all.  This book allows you to learn from the experiences of Lansky, Luciano, Gambino, Capone, and others – and apply those lessons to careers that carry far less personal risk.

Overall, this is definitely a Recommended Read. The short chapters and the liberal use of anecdotes make it an easy read; the lessons taught and the implications for your career make it impactful. Behind the Mob cover is one very serious and effective business book.

New Video posted on my YouTube Channel: The Three Types of Salespeople

New Video on YouTube

New video on YouTube – Sales Management Coaching Basics, from the BTA’s Fall Colors Retreat in Waynesville, NC!  http://youtu.be/aTxr19DrdKQ

Recently, I was interviewed on BlogTalk Radio by Connie Kadansky.  It was an excellent conversation, and there are some great insights into the changing world of selling. 

After I spoke at the ASI Show in Long Beach, the “ASI TV” people interviewed me about Prospecting.  There’s good stuff here!  Click to watch.

Is this called “Reblogging?”  This is an article that will be meaningful to other speakers and authors, and I had to share it.

I’ve mentioned in the past that I have invested in some professional coaching for myself over the past couple of years, and this is no different.  Darren LaCroix is one of the coaches that has had a great impact on my career and my skills, and he’s written an article that really hits home with me – it’s about stealing someone’s intellectual property.  I had an episode like this.

Several years ago, right after Sell Like You Mean It! was published, a local magazine asked for a review copy.  I provided one.  The person who reviewed it was a recent journalism graduate, clearly didn’t ‘get’ the material, didn’t ask me for any clarification, and wrote less than a well informed review of the book.  However, in the same issue, she wrote an article on selling – and lifted entire paragraphs from my book as her own work, without any credit at all!  Naturally, I was (and still am) livid.

In speaking and writing, your own material is your best selling feature.  Darren LaCroix’s article is a great illustrator of this.  Click here to read it.