Michael Schell

The Secret to Your Best Public Speaking Presentation Ever

Have you ever seen a public speaker who was so stilted and boring you found yourself thinking other thoughts rather than listen to their message? Or have you ever seen somebody who looks like they're trying to recite a speech they have memorized? Don't ... Read >

Small Business Marketing on a Limited Budget

Point one: Beta test It's been said many times: "Half of all marketing dollars are wasted... the key is to understanding which half!" So before you send out 10,000 brochures or free audio CD's to promote your business, make sure you do a beta test firs... Read >

Running Your Small Business Like a Well-Oiled Machine to Create A Customer-Friendly Company

I'll never forget it. I had started a company, and one by one we grew it until we had thirty employees. So there I was, speaking with one of the managers about some daily documentation. I had noticed there were some redundant entries. Clearly a waste of o... Read >

Hiring Experts Tell You How to Conduct Effective Job Interviews to Find Great Employees

Hiring is a challenging task, but a properly conducted interview can minimize the risk of a bad hire. To help you maximize your interview success, consider the following advice based on interviews with 65 experienced human-resource professionals. Pre... Read >

Hiring Quality Employees - A 10-Step Program

Hiring the right people is one of the most important-and challenging-tasks you will face as you start and grow your business. While there is no guarantee that the person you hire today will be a perfect fit three months down the road, there are some pro... Read >

Attention Small Business Owners -5 Costly Mistakes You Must Avoid at All Cost!

1. Not providing genuine appreciation for employees The number one psychological need of people is the need to feel appreciated. Yet too many business owners ignore this because they think the pay check does the trick. But the more you show your empl... Read >

Hiring Experts Reveal the 6 Biggest Mistakes Job Seekers Make

A study with human resource professionals at corporations across North America has uncovered 6 common mistakes that can destroy your chances of winning your dream job. 1. Writing long winded cover letters HR professionals prefer resumes and cover ... Read >

Five Ways to Annoy a B2B Prospect in a First-Time Meeting - Guaranteed!

Mistake 1: Arriving Late (and Trying to Brush It off with a Lame Excuse) After 300 interviews with corporate decision-makers I assure you they are perplexed as to why so many salespeople are late for appointments. Not only that, but they tend to blame ... Read >

Sales Tips for Commercial Salespeople and Sales Managers - Win Sales by Demonstrating Your Expertise

If you had the choice of dealing with a salesperson who possessed an average knowledge of her product/service /industry or one who demonstrated superior expertise, who would you prefer to deal with? Since there's usually no second place in sales, the p... Read >

Sales Tips for Commercial Salespeople and Sales Managers - How to Influence Prospects to Earn Sales

Let's examine one of the top ways you can influence potential customers to buy from you (assuming there is a legitimate fit). Don't go to a first-time sales meeting to make a presentation. Instead, prepare for your meeting by developing effective quest... Read >

Selling Tips for Salespeople - How to Win Sales by Being Positively Predictable

This article is about creating a positive predictable experience for your prospects and customers. Your expertise as a salesperson is not based on your product/industry knowledge alone. Decision-makers also factor in your behavior as you interact with the... Read >

Possibly the Single Best Question a Salesperson Can Ask a Prospect in a 1st-Time Meeting

I have used the "challenge" question time and time again. It's never failed me. In fact, it's allowed me to help decision-makers solve key business issues that impacted their bottom line. Let's say I met with a salesperson that specialized in SEO (Sear... Read >

Increase B2B Sales by Managing Your Prospecting and Sales Ratios

I asked a six person sales team I was coaching if they knew how many sales meetings it took (on average) to generate one qualified proposal. No one knew for sure. A business owner I coached didn't record the stats from her direct mail campaigns. She al... Read >

Develop Your Personal Brand to Increase Sales

I can't believe the amount of companies that spend millions on advertising and then leave their customers at the mercy of untrained rookie employees! Think I'm kidding? Hardly. I've seen the demise of national institutions that just didn't get it... th... Read >