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Making A Difference – Thoughts, Observations and Opinions
This is Dave Brock’s Blog.
It offers my views on a variety of business, sales, marketing, and leadership topic. My goal is to make a difference for you, the reader, in both your professional and personal lives.
Latest Posts
“Why I’m So Interested In Selling,” Grahame Don
Preface: Grahame Don is a great friend and client. I originally met him about 10 years ago, when he led the sales effort for a specialized product line for his company. We’ve maintained our friendship through the years. He’s so creative in his selling approaches, looking at very large deals and developing strategic partnerships with customers all around the world. All this from “down-under….” (Grahame, makes some very kind comments about me, but it’s his story that’s so fascinating.) Hi Dave, I got into selling almost by chance… As a young man, all I ever wanted to be was an […]
“Why I’m So Interested In Selling,” Emre Vatansever
Preface: Emre Vatansever and I met a couple of years ago on LinkedIn (See it can work). We found ourselves hanging out in many of the same discussions, he eventually reached out, and we continue our discussions in emails and in commenting on posts. He has a fascinating background in coaching, consulting, and working in and with early stage companies. His story is particularly interesting–one I actually see with many other entrepreneurial people. He got into selling, without really intending to do so. He just wanted to build a business and help his customers. Enjoy this fascinating story! Why I […]
“Why Am I So Interested In Selling?”
Over the past few years, I’ve noticed a trend among sellers. There seems to be no passion for what sellers do. To many, it’s a job, a way to make a living. Many, after reading posts from “experts” are solely focused on the “big bucks,” and the majority of them fail. Selling is one of the toughest things to do well. It demands curiosity, creativity, critical thinking, discipline, and stamina. We fail frequently, despite doing the best we can do. We are constantly driven (or drive ourselves) to do more. And it demands hard work and time–always. It takes a […]
“Why I’m So Interested In Selling,” Rene Voorhorst
Preface: I first met Rene Voorhost years ago when he was the Nordics/Benelux sales manager for National Instruments. I don’t recall exactly how we met, I think he saw me speaking and later reached out to say, “Dave, I think there is a better way to think about these things.” Since then, he’s become a thought partner in helping me develop tools and models on driving sales performance. Many of you know my Sales Execution Framework (SEF), it wouldn’t have been possible without Rene’s deep thinking on these topics. Here’s his take: Why am I obsessed with Selling? I am […]
“Why I’m So Interested In Selling,” Alex Shootman
Preface: I first met Alex Shootman when he was running sales at Eloqua. We had talked on the phone a few times, but our first meeting was on the exhibit floor at Dreamforce. While his time was probably better spent talking to customers, he took time to have a great conversation. Since then, we talk, periodically, sharing ideas. He’s a master at building companies, including Apptio, Workfront, and now as CEO of Alkamai. Several years ago, he published a fascinating book about his learning as a leader, Done Right, How Tomorrow’s Top Leaders Get Things Done. Here’s Alex’s take on […]
“Why Am I Interested In Selling,” Mitch Little
Preface: Mitch Little is a close friend and “sparring partner.” We often get into discussions and debates about the future of selling and how to drive high performance. (I guess sparring is overstated, he and I are almost always in wild agreement). Mitch should know, as Senior Vice President, Worldwide Client Engagement at Microchip, he ran one of the highest performing organizations I’ve seen. He is passionate about everything in selling and engaging customers. As a demonstration of that passion, some years ago, he wrote “Shiftability, Creating Sustainable Competitive Advantage In Selling.” Here’s Mitch’s take: Why did I get interested […]