How many meetings do you have every week during your career? Most executives say “20-30.” And how many of them are “high-impact?” Most executives say “5-10%.” We can do better. There are five disciplines you can use to take your meeting – any meeting – to the next level, such that you are the person that people are thinking of at the end of a busy day.

We spend most of our professional career (and personal life) in conversation. When we are trying to get to know someone, influence a decision, sell an idea or product, lead people, or simply hang out with friends, there are specific skills and disciplines that we can practice that make us more dynamic conversationalists. Our focus this week is asking better sales questions. High-performing salespeople get better, more actionable information from their customers by asking better questions.

This week, we are focusing on sales objections. Objections are natural to the sales process and should be welcomed. They represent a great opportunity for you to create separation between you and competitors. Sales is full of rejection, but high-performers handle objections, hurdles and rejection in ways that will surprise you. We will explore how they do this and what effect it has on customers.

Week 4 looks at one of the most powerful influence tools you have – your ability to tell the right story at the right time for the right reasons. Stories provide two things that facts do not; context and emotion. The ability to contextualize your venture in your selling efforts is critical, and connecting to emotions drives decision-making. We will explore how stories do this and begin to build your tactical Story Matrix℠ to ensure that you have the right stories at your fingertips.