You're not afraid to go above and beyond for your customers. The problem is that, too often, you do it for free. Here's a scenario I see all the time. Jim, your longtime customer, calls in a panic, asking for four times their normal volume, at half the normal lead [...]

In 2014, I wrapped up some volunteer work in Africa and decided to check something off my bucket list: a photography trek with the mountain gorillas. They live in only one part of the world, they're critically endangered, and you need a special government permit. So I reached out to [...]

In our CRM, there is no option to log "price" as the reason we lost a deal. Instead, we have "customer not convinced of value." Salespeople believe they lose deals over price when in reality they've failed to convince the customer their offering was worth the asking price. Sales managers [...]

You've just had a great discovery call. The prospect leaned in, asked follow-up questions, practically finishing your sentences. You sent a proposal with three options and waited. They chose the middle one. You're not devastated. The middle one is fine. You'll do great work. But you know they really needed [...]

Picture this: you're buying a car this weekend. You've found the one you want, and the price tag is $31,000. You're good with that. You're ready to sign. Would you still say yes at $31,100? Almost certainly. What about $31,500? Most likely still yes. There's a point somewhere where the [...]

When’s the last time a member of your sales team complained to you that your prices are too low?  Not too high, but too low? I’m betting your answer is never. Back when I was managing pricing and sales in Corporate America, I certainly never heard it.  What I did [...]

It's early 2026, market demand is soft across many industries, and everyone's freaking out about their pipeline. I get it. Things are iffy out there. Customers are sitting on cash like dragons hoarding gold. Every deal takes twice as long to close. Your competitors are slashing prices, and you're thinking, [...]

When we ask sales leaders about their coaching practices, they start to squirm. We hear guilty admissions about not having enough time, claims about "coaching" during team meetings, or confusion about the difference between pipeline reviews with focus on activities and outcomes vs. actual coaching conversations. By their own admission, [...]

A marketing agency recently quoted me their pricing: "$2,500 one-time setup + $2,500/month. No contracts, cancel anytime with 30 days' notice." The fascinating part wasn't the price; it was the psychology. By structuring their pricing this way, they created natural retention without forcing it. If you stay just one month, [...]