Assumptions crush cold calls. If you’ve ever been taught to assume the relationship and assume the sale, you need to stop right now and listen to this episode for 3 tips on first contact. Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | RSS
If you want to be successful in navigating a new organization, you need an ally. In this episode, I tell you what phrase you need to eliminate from your vocabulary and who that first ally may be. Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | RSS
As human beings we have a positive association with memory. We view those with good memories as intelligent and reinforce the idea that remembering mistakes of the past assures we won’t repeat them in the future. I don’t discount the value of memory on the whole. However — is there an advantage to being forgetful? […]
In today’s world, we have access to all sorts of information about our prospective clients. As professionals, we need to be diligent about doing our homework before we make that first call. This episode talks about what that homework should include. Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | RSS
Suppose you’re active in social media at all. In that case, you may have noticed that quite a few strong opinions are resurfacing about AV’s “Experience” movement that has been happening since InfoComm became AVIXA. I believe the sudden rise of cloud-based conferencing, AV-over-IP and the retraction of hospitality, live and experiential events due to […]
The look, feel, and workflow a space needs to provide are not always easily found on the floor plan. This week, I answer a question from Graham Kirkpatrick on how to better align our systems with furniture, fixtures, and equipment to create efficient and cohesive designs. Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | […]
Everyone is using video right now to communicate and webinars and Zoom calls abound. However, is there a better way to build video into your long term meeting strategy, even for in person meetings? Thanks to Chris Neto for this week’s question. Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | RSS
I think I can confidently say that we’re tired of hearing about “Unprecedented Times” and “The New Normal.” The truth is that things are always in flux, and there are always businesses that are making money hand over fist while others are struggling to get by. Sure, a global pandemic and economic meltdown has caused […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Phenomenal Industries has released the new TalkBox VTC UCC collaboration device for Teams and Zoom Meetings. We are living in a new normal where virtual meetings have exploded due to the inability of people to gather safely in a single, physical space. The prevalence of these virtual meetings has created a plethora […]
This week’s question came from Lance Feldenkreiss via Twitter: How do you sell a suite of services like integration, managed services, staffing, etc., under one account manager? Listen in to hear a few tips on how to make this happen. Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | RSS
Team-building. It’s one of the main purposes of bringing people together in one space, and even though there may be a shift in where work gets done, one thing is pretty clear, people still want to gather together physically in a common space to work together. If you haven’t seen Gensler’s new U.S. Work From […]
I spend some time on Twitter, and yesterday I noticed a lot of online chatter happening around a panel rAVe put together for LAVNCH WEEK 2.0. Kudos to the staff at rAVe for curating the speakers, because to my knowledge, the people on the panel and the groups they represent had never been assembled together […]
This week’s selling AV topic came from Chris Neto on Twitter who asked “How do you host a dynamic sales presentation online?” Tune in to hear 3 quick and easy ways to make sure you engage your audience in a way that makes sure the most relevant content is what they remember. Podcast: Play in […]
Last week was InfoComm week, one of the most anticipated events each year for the ProAV market. After purchasing floor space, building exhibits, flying in staff, and entertaining customers, many companies spend 6 or even 7 figures showcasing their products and services at InfoComm. Based on the enormous outlay, these companies naturally look to maximize […]
2020 is the year of remote everything. It has been a work from home, webinar heavy, travel light year for the whole country and, of course, for us in the AV industry as well. As such, our biggest events of the year have all been canceled or shifted into the ether. Many have been clamoring […]
This Selling AV question came from Brad Orme at Cinemassive: “How do you set yourself apart from the competition during the sales process?” Absorb these 4 tips in 5 minutes to learn how. Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | RSS
This Selling AV topic came from Patty Wanzer through Twitter. “How do you determine the client’s budget?” I invited Jarrod Hillman of Hillman AV to help me tag team this in a special Selling AV. Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | RSS
In 1966, architect Cedric Price famously said, “Technology is the answer, but what was the question?” Could we be living in a time where this statement was ever more true than today? Take a stroll through LinkedIn and you will see a plethora of technology posts, all proclaiming that the solution to your problems is […]
If you’re reading anything online about business right now, it is likely pontificating about what businesses will look like when the world goes back to work. It’s all about the new normal, the post-COVID-19 workplace shuffle and the pandemic pivot — all of which sound like they could be performed on “Dancing with the Stars,” […]
Join me and my guest Paul Chavez from Arup Consulting at Phantom Carriage Brewery in Gardena, CA We talk about sours, about Arup, and all things AV. Pull up a chair, grab a beer, and hang out with us!
This Selling AV question came from Lance Feldenkress on Twitter, “How do you best qualify an opportunity?” I initially look for these three things. Tune in to find out what they are. Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | RSS
On this episode, I talk to Meg Sciarini Smith about experiential design, defining outcomes, and directing a successful place based experience.
My oldest daughter is extremely smart. She is artistic, creative and is an amazing writer. She does very well in school; however, her one challenge has always been math. She usually starts slow and then builds steam toward the end of the year. As parents, we always reinforce that the thing that matters most is […]
I did something today that I have never done before. I Googled the words Alexa and Crestron together. This may not seem like a big deal, but for me it was. In commercial systems, unlike their residential counterparts, there has not been a huge push towards voice control yet. The office is not an intimate […]
So, unless you’ve been under a rock, you’ve seen hundreds of posts about remote work, video conferencing and collaboration in the last few days. The craziness of today’s events has forced companies to adopt video conferencing and remote collaboration solutions on a scale that we haven’t seen. Some think that this bodes well for the […]
If you’re like me, you’ve seen a slew of articles about “opportunities” for the AV industry during the current pandemic. Most of these are marketing pieces, meant to promote a manufacturer’s products or to promote services by addressing the fear, uncertainty and doubt that is part of the current Zeitgeist. Work form home solutions and […]
In this time of increased demand for remote work solutions, we need to make sure we’re adding value and easing fears, as opposed to opportunistically capitalizing on them. Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | RSS
I remember reading a book back in the late ’90s called “Why Big Fierce Animals Are Rare” by Paul Colvinaux. It was one of the first ecology books I read, and although the science was still evolving itself, there are a couple points in the book that have stuck with me over time and that […]
Sometimes you read an article that makes you say “I need to interview that person!” Well this was that article and David Dewane was that person. Tune in to hear some amazing thoughts and ideas on people, space, and today’s modern workplace. Cedric Price’s Fun Palace concept is here as well- http://www.interactivearchitecture.org/fun-palace-cedric-price.html
Are you a brand trying to reap the benefits of Social Media without actually putting in the work to be social? Find out why that’s a bad strategy on this Selling AV. Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | RSS
There’s a tendency to over-complicate the simple and over-simplify the complicated. How fancy should you be with your designs? Find out here. Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | RSS
A couple months ago, I saw a post from Liberty AV on social media. It showed a picture of a device that seemed to wirelessly share a laptop to a larger display. There are a lot of devices that allow someone to share their screen wirelessly to a display — Barco ClickShare, Crestron Air Media, […]
