Misguided Thinking on Paying Markups and Commissions

Why buying “at cost” is a myth. You can’t avoid markups and commissions—and you waste time by even trying.

ThinkingLeslie FarnsworthMarch 10, 2021sales, business Comments

Month-in-Review Highlights: August 2020

I tried to take a little of the pressure off in August. How did summer 2020 treat you?

JournalLeslie FarnsworthSeptember 2, 2020postmortem, sales, travel, writing, goalsComment

When the Pitch Goes Awry: “Losing” a Deal

If you can identify missteps in your sales process, you can prevent them in the future.

ThinkingLeslie FarnsworthSeptember 10, 2014salesComment

Valuing What Costs

Don’t work for free. If you do, people are unlikely to value it much at all.

ThinkingLeslie FarnsworthOctober 14, 2013business, salesComment

Balancing Customer Wants and Needs

What, then, is customer service?

ThinkingLeslie FarnsworthSeptember 4, 2013business, customer service, leadership, salesComment

Why You Need a Business Restaurant

If you entertain for business you should have a standard go-to restaurant.

ThinkingLeslie FarnsworthAugust 21, 2013business, leadership, salesComment

Perilous Pricing

You can work yourself out of business.

ThinkingLeslie FarnsworthAugust 5, 2013business, leadership, salesComment

Scope and Price

I always give my best price from the start—I don’t inflate numbers.

ThinkingLeslie FarnsworthJuly 18, 2013business, relationships, salesComment

Pleasing

You can’t please everyone all the time—and you shouldn’t even try.

ThinkingLeslie FarnsworthJuly 12, 2013business, employees, leadership, management, salesComment

Work Wear: Context and Evolution

I’ll know I’ve made it when I can toss all my dressy corporate clothes and wear workout gear full time.

ThinkingLeslie FarnsworthJune 26, 2013business, culture, fashion, leadership, relationships, salesComment

Where Young Professionals Groups Go Wrong

Young-professionals efforts need a longer-term strategy than planning parties to achieve their expected rewards.

ThinkingLeslie FarnsworthApril 19, 2013business, fundraising, relationships, sales Comments

The Vagaries of Customer Service

Telecutting happens when you enter a retail establishment or restaurant to talk to a sales or service representative and he gives priority to the ringing telephone.

ThinkingLeslie FarnsworthApril 17, 2013business, customer service, relationships, sales Comments

Closed Rooms and NDAs

Are we so self-enamored that we think everyone is out to steal our ideas?

ThinkingLeslie FarnsworthJanuary 30, 2013business, leadership, networking, sales Comments

Bad Customers

Most businesses gradually get better at detecting offenders before they bring them on as customers. But there’s got to be a better way.

ThinkingLeslie FarnsworthJanuary 22, 2013business, sales Comments

Making the Most of Speaking Engagements

The real value of a speaking engagement—for the speaker—comes at the end.

ThinkingLeslie FarnsworthJanuary 16, 2013business, leadership, networking, sales Comments

Audience Awareness

It's not about you. It's about them.

ThinkingLeslie FarnsworthOctober 29, 2012business, leadership, meetings, networking, relationships, sales Comments

I Want YOU

So many of my friends have lamented the same problem: Incoming clients want to work only with the CEO.

ThinkingLeslie FarnsworthAugust 6, 2012business, sales Comments

Cold Call Dos and Don'ts

Let me tell you what works for me when I'm getting a cold call—and what definitely does not.

ThinkingLeslie FarnsworthJuly 9, 2012sales Comments