Podcast appearances and mentions of Sam Richter

True grit? Not the movie or book, but a real live individual. I met Laura Bratton about a month ago and realized that she was a very unique individual. Laura was referred to me by a gentleman who is helping both Laura and me find speaking venue leads through his company. Laura is just ramping up her public speaking career and our mutual colleague, Sam Richter, thought I could be of help. Little did I know at the outset that not only would I gain an excellent podcast guest, but that I would find someone whose life parallelled mine in many ways.   Laura Bratton began losing her eyesight at the age of nine years. Like me, she was one of the lucky ones who had parents who made the choice to encourage their daughter and help her live her life to the fullest. And live it she does. Laura attended public school in South Carolina and then went to Arizona State University to secure her bachelor's degree in Psychology. Why ASU? Wait until you hear Laura tell that story.   After securing her degree in Psychology she moved to the Princeton School of Divinity where she secured a Master's degree in Divinity. She followed up her Master's work by serving in a chaplaincy program in Ohio for a year.   Then, if all that wasn't enough, she became a pastor in the United Methodist Church and took a position in South Carolina. She still works part time as a pastor, but she also has taken some other exciting and positive life turns. As I mentioned earlier, she is now working to build a public speaking career. She also does one-on-one coaching. In 2016 she wrote her first book.   Laura shares many poignant and relevant life lessons she has learned over the years. We talk about courage, gratitude and grit. I asked her to define grit which she does. A very interesting and good definition indeed.   I often get the opportunity to have guests on this podcast who share life and other lessons with all of us. To me, Laura's insights are as relevant as any I have encountered. I hope you will feel the same after listening to our conversation. Please let me know what you think. You can email me at michaelhi@accessibe.com.       About the Guest:   At the age of nine, Laura was diagnosed with an eye disease and faced the difficult reality that she would become blind. Over the next ten years she experienced the traumatic transition of adjusting to life without sight.  Laura adjusted to her new normal and was able to move forward in life as she graduated from Arizona State University with a BA in psychology. She then was the first blind student to receive her Masters of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary.  She is the author of the book, Harnessing Courage. Laura founded Ubi Global, which is an organization that provides speaking and coaching to empower all people to overcome challenges and obstacles with grit and gratitude. Ways to connect with Dr. Laura:   Link for LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/laura-bratton-speaking   Website https://www.laurabratton.com/   Link for coaching page on website https://www.laurabratton.com/coaching  Link for book on website https://www.laurabratton.com/book   Link for speaking page on website https://www.laurabratton.com/speaking   About the Host:   Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog.   Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards.   https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/   accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/       Thanks for listening!   Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!   Subscribe to the podcast   If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset .   Leave us an Apple Podcasts review   Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.       Transcription Notes:   Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us. Well and a gracious hello to you, wherever you happen to be on our planet today, I am your host, Michael Hinkson, and you are listening to unstoppable mindset where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet, and we sort of get to tie several of those together today, because my guest, Laura Bratton happens to be blind, so that brings inclusion into it, and we could talk about diversity all day. The experts really tend to make that a challenge, but we can talk about it ourselves, but Laura is blind, and she's going to tell us about that, and I don't know what else, because that's the unexpected part of this, but we're going to have ourselves a lot of fun for the next hour. She knows that the only rule of the podcast is you got to have fun, and you can't do better than that. So Laura, welcome to unstoppable mindset. We're glad you're here.   Laura Bratton ** 02:12 Thank you. Thank you for this opportunity. I'm excited.   Michael Hingson ** 02:15 Well, this will be some fun, I'm sure, which is, of course, what it's all about. Well, why don't we start by you telling us kind of about the early Laura, growing up and all that, and anything about that that you think we ought to know that'll help us as we go forward.   Laura Bratton ** 02:31 So the early Laura was,   Michael Hingson ** 02:34 you know, that was a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. But yeah,   Laura Bratton ** 02:38 was was fearless. Was involved in so many different activities, and I didn't have any health concerns or vision problems. And then around the age of nine, after the summer, after my second grade school year, my parents started noticing she's just holding books a little bit closer. She's just sitting a little bit closer to the TV than normal, than usually. So my they decided we'll just make a regular pediatric ophthalmology appointment, take her to the doctor, get the doctor to check her out. You know, if you need glasses, that's fine, and we'll just move on with our our summer and prepare for a new school year. So that June, when I had that doctor's appointment, my eyes were dilated. I'd read the the letters on the chart in the room. The doctors had looked in my eyes, and then the doctor just rolled back in his chair and looked at my mom and said, there's a major problem going on, and we need to address this, and I'm going to send you to a retina specialist. There's something major going on with her retinas. So from that appointment that started the rest of the summer and into the fall of just having doctors, different doctors appointments, meeting with specialists, trying to figure out why this 910, year old was all of a sudden having vision problems.   Michael Hingson ** 04:20 So yeah, go ahead that,   Laura Bratton ** 04:22 yeah. So that started the whole vision loss journey,   Michael Hingson ** 04:27 and what was the diagnosis that they finally came up with?   Laura Bratton ** 04:31 So they finally came up with a diagnosis of rare retinal onset disease. So it's not genetic. It wasn't like another accident, physical accident that calls the blindness. It's most similar to macular. So what I was losing first was my central vision. I still had all my peripheral vision, so it's very similar to macular, but not. Not quite macular or star guards. What's happens in children? So that's the diagnosis, just rare retinal disease.   Michael Hingson ** 05:11 Interesting, and they they didn't have any idea that what caused it. Do they have any better idea today? Or is it just so rare that they don't tend to pay a whole lot of attention. Great   Laura Bratton ** 05:23 question, yes and yes. So I've done a lot of genetic testing over the years, and the gene has not been discovered. That is obviously what they are predicting, is that there had to be some kind of gene mutation. But that gene hasn't been discovered. So far, the genes that are identified with vision problems, those have not been the problem for me so far. So the gene, Gene hasn't been discovered. So testing continues, but not exactly sure yet.   Michael Hingson ** 05:59 Yeah. So do you have any eyesight left, or is it all gone?   Laura Bratton ** 06:04 I don't, so to continue kind of that process of of the the early childhood. So I was diagnosed around nine, but I didn't lose any major vision until I was in middle school. So the end of middle school is when I started to lose a significant part of sight. So I went from very quickly from roller print, large print, to braille, and that was a very quick transition. So basically it was normal print to learning Braille and using Braille and textbooks and Braille and audio books and all that. Then through high school, I will throw more a significant amount of vision. So what I have currently is just very limited light perception, no, what I consider no usable vision, just light perception,   Michael Hingson ** 06:55 so you learn braille. So you learn braille in middle school. Then, yes, okay, absolutely. What did you think about that? Because that was certainly a life change for you. How did you deal with all of that?   Laura Bratton ** 07:10 How did I do with the process of learning braille or the emotional process?   07:14 Both,   Laura Bratton ** 07:16 they're kind of related, so both, they're very much related. So learning Braille was incredibly difficult because I was trying to learn it at the same time. Use it with textbooks in middle school level material rather than normal development. Of you learn braille and start out, you know, with with simple books, and slowly move up. I try, you know, I had to make that adjustment from learning Braille and then algebra in Braille or Spanish and Braille. So using the Braille was very difficult, but I was because I was forced to to learn it, because I had to, just to stay in school. You didn't really have a choice. As far as the emotional perspective. My first thoughts was just the denial, oh, it's not that bad, oh, it won't be forever. Oh, it's not going to get much worse than this. Just that denial of the reality. And then I can say more, if it just kind of that whole how that whole process unfolded, that's kind of the whole emotional process. It   Michael Hingson ** 08:34 certainly was a major change for you, yes, but it sounds like by the time all was said and done, and you did have to immerse yourself, like in learning Braille and so on. So it was an immersive kind of thing. You, You did come through it, and you, you seem to be functioning pretty well today, I would gather   Laura Bratton ** 08:55 Yes, because of focusing on the emotional mindset piece. So once that I've sort of began to move out of denial. It was that, okay, well, I can't this is just too hard. And then what I eventually realized and accepted was, yes, it's hard and I can move forward. So just a practical example, is what you were saying about having to be fully immersed in the Braille. Yes, is really hard to jump from learning braille to knowing Braille and algebra. But also choose to move forward. As you said, I choose to immerse myself in this so that I can continue life, yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 09:42 and you you have done it. Well, how? How do you view blindness today?   Laura Bratton ** 09:49 That is a great question. So today is the balance of acknowledging. Yes, they're difficult moments. Yes, their stressful moments. Moments, and I have the resources to process that. So now, rather than just being a denial or being stuck in that I can't do this, I can say, okay, yes, this is hard. Yes, I am frustrated. Yes, I am overwhelmed in this moment, but also I can move forward with the gifts and purposes that I have in this world and using that as a strength. So for me, it's that acknowledging the rap the reality, but also moving forward with that belief in myself, trust in myself.   Michael Hingson ** 10:39 So how long did you at the beginning really grieve and view all this in a negative way? Because it sounds like you've evolved from that today.   Laura Bratton ** 10:53 Absolutely. So in my experience, the so I'm going to break the grief and the negative apart, because for me, it was two different experiences. So for me in those middle school, high school days, it was more than negative, and the grief just came along with that. Now even, you know, through college and even now, yes, there are moments that I grieve, but that negativity has turned into the mindset of strength, the mindset of trust, the mindset of okay, I can continue forward Again, living out those purposes, my purpose with those gifts as a source of strength, the source of courage. It's a source of just belief in myself. So my experience now is the mindset of holding both intention, holding space for both when I have those moments that I need to grieve, absolutely, giving myself those space and then at the same time, choosing to move forward with that courage, rather than being stuck in what I was in middle school of that negativity. Does that difference? Does that make us make sense of what I'm trying to separate the two?   Michael Hingson ** 12:19 Well, yeah, they overlap, but I understand what you're saying, Where, where and how were your parents in all of this?   Laura Bratton ** 12:28 So that was the incredible gift, that that was a deep source of strength, that as that middle school child who was in that negative place of denial and I can't, I can't. That was the source of strength. So immediately, when I was diagnosed, even though I didn't have major vision loss, I was diagnosed in elementary school, they wanted to send me to school for the deaf and blind, and so my parents had to fight to keep me in regular school. Again, I wasn't experiencing major vision loss, but just having minor vision loss, the school said, Okay, you're at a public school and going to a different school. So my parents were a source of strength, because they knowledge what was happening, what was going to happen, but also held me to the same standards.   Michael Hingson ** 13:25 And there are some schools, I don't know how much today, but in the past, there were some schools for the blind, and I'm not sure about schools for the deaf and blind, but we'll put them in the same category. But there were some schools that really did have very high standards, and and did do a great job. The Perkins School was one. Tom Sullivan, the actor, went through Perkins and and I know other people who did, but in general, the standards weren't the same, and I had the same issue. I remember my parents. We were in the office of the school principal of Yucca school where I went kindergarten through third grade here in California, okay, and I remember a shouting match between my father and my mother on one side, and Mr. Thompson, the principal on the other. And by the time all was said and done, he decided that it was he was going to acquiesce, because they were not going to let me go to the school for the blind, which would have been like, 400 miles away.   Laura Bratton ** 14:38 Okay, okay, so, so you can relate to that experience.   Michael Hingson ** 14:42 I can absolutely relate to that experience, and I think that it's for kids one of the most important things to hope comes along that parents deal with blindness in a in a positive way. Yes, and don't view it as something that's going to hold you back. I. 100% Yeah, because if they do, then that creates a much more difficult situation. Yes. So it's it's great that you had some parents who really stood up for you and helped as you went   Laura Bratton ** 15:15 Yes, and I was also deeply grateful that they all they held those standards at school, and they also held those standards at home. So they didn't just say, oh, you know, our expectations are lower for you at home, you don't have any more chores. You just kind of do whatever you want, get away with whatever you want. They kept those things standards. I still had chores we just made, you know, the accommodations are adapted if we needed to adapt anything. Yeah, a story that I always, always remember, just like you talking about you vividly remember being in that principal's office. I remember one day my the specific tour was unloading the dishwasher, and I remember thinking, well, oh, I'm not really, I don't really want to unload the dishwasher today. So I just kind of thought, Oh, the blindness will get me out of the situation. So I was like, Mom, I can't unload the dishwasher. I can't see exactly where to put all the silverware in the silverware of her door. And I still, I can still see this in my mind's eye. She was standing in the doorway the kitchen and the hallway, and she just turned around and just said, Laura, unload the dishwasher, put the silverware in the drawer, and just walked away. And that told me she was still holding me to the exact standards. She wasn't saying, Oh, honey, that's okay because of your blindness. Yeah, you don't have to do it. That was such a huge teaching moment for me, because it pulled me I can't use my blindness as an excuse. That was incredible experience and I always think back on and remember,   Michael Hingson ** 17:04 yeah, and I remember growing up, there were chores I did, there were chores My brother did, and there were things that we had to do, but we had, and my brother was cited two years older than I, but okay, but we had very supportive parents for both of us. And one of the things that the doctors told my parents when they discovered that I was blind, was that I was going to take all the love that the family had, even for my older sibling. Oh, my parent and my parents said that is just not so, and they worked really hard to make sure that my brother got all the things that that he needed and all the support that he needed as well. Wow. When he was still in high school, I remember they got him a car, and I don't remember when he got it. Maybe, I don't know whether he was already a senior in high school, but he got a car. And, you know, I didn't want a car. I right. I didn't want that, but, you know, that was okay. I would have driven it around if I got one, but, you know, that's okay, but, but parents are such an important part of the process, yes, and they have to be ready to take the leap, yes, that blindness isn't the problem. It's attitudes. That's really, that tend to really be the problem, right? 100%   Laura Bratton ** 18:24 and thankfully, thankfully, I had that. I had that experience another, another example that I always think of all the time, still such a vivid memory, is as as a family. We were a big sports family, and loved to go to different sporting events, and so we would always go to high school and college football games. And as I was in those middle school, high school years, those first, early days of experiencing difficult vision loss, where obviously I'm sitting in the sands and can't see the field clearly, rather than my parents saying, Oh, you're just going to stay home. Oh, you're not going with us. To be part of this, my dad are really, literally. Remember my dad saying, Here's a radio. I just put new batteries in. Let's go. So I would just sit there and, you know, with with my family, listening to the game on the radio. And that was such a gift, because, again, they didn't say, is what you're saying about the leap. They didn't say, okay, you can do this anymore. They just figured out a way to adapt so that I was still part.   Michael Hingson ** 19:34 Yeah, I've been to a number of baseball games, and the same thing, I've never been I've been to a high school football game, but I've never been to a pro football game, and I've never been to a basketball game, and while I think it would have been fun, I'm a little bit spoiled, and I think that the announcers today aren't as good as the announcers that we used to have, like Dick Enberg doing sports out here, who did. Football chick, Hearn, who did basketball, who could talk as fast as, I mean, he was, he was he taught me how to listen fast. That's great. He he talked as fast as many times books I read talk. He was just incredible. But that's okay. But still, I've been to games, and it is a lot of fun to be able to go and listen. It's even if you're listening on the radio, the point of being at the game is just the sounds and the experience of being at the game and hearing and interacting with all the sounds, because you're not hearing that as much through the radio as you are listening to the fans as they yell, or as the Yes, as the foul balls coming at you. You know, yes 100%   Laura Bratton ** 20:50 and just to feel the energy, you know, and your team's doing well, your team's not doing well, just to feel that energy, and there's to also to be there and have that, that fun experience with your family or friends, or you know, whoever you're with, that is such a fun experience. So yes,   Michael Hingson ** 21:08 so when you went into high school, did, what did you study? Or what did you do there?   Laura Bratton ** 21:15 What were your interests? So in college, when I   Michael Hingson ** 21:18 was thinking high school, but you can do college. So   Laura Bratton ** 21:21 High School, honestly, I didn't have specific professional interests, because it was just so much focused on the blind surviving and all the surviving, just the New Black, because the blindness was literally happening during high school, right? So my only focus was just survival passing because it was all of my energy was focused on the the learning Braille and just completing the assignments. Fast forward to college. My focus was definitely. My major was psychology. My focus was on psychology. A lot because of my personal experience, because of that experience in high school, and just that that not only that desire from my personal experience, but just using that experience to then help and support others from the mindset of of again, moving through that, that negativity to that, that foundation of grit. So it was definitely focused on psychology to be able to support others from a mindset perspective.   Michael Hingson ** 22:36 So how did you bring that into play in college?   Laura Bratton ** 22:40 So that was my focus. My My major was psychology, and then I I spent that, those years in college, figuring out specifically what area of psychology I wanted to focus on, which what, what facet of psychology I wanted my focus to be so that was, that was the purpose of the like psychology and taking different classes within psychology to try to figure out where my strengths within that Major   Michael Hingson ** 23:16 and what did you discover?   Laura Bratton ** 23:20 So what I discovered was I wanted the psychology to the mindset, to support people with to be that holistic perspective of, yes, the psychology, but also the spiritual connection and just our physical well being all connected together, so supporting our healthy mindsets and emotional health was not just psychology. It was the psychology, physical taking care of ourselves and the spiritual taking care of ourselves, all connected, combined together. So that's that's what led me to doing a master of divinity to be able to focus on and learn the spiritual part   Michael Hingson ** 24:15 of the mindset. So what part of psychology Did you eventually settle on   Laura Bratton ** 24:22 the holistic approach. So rather than just focus on specifically the mindset, focusing on us as a whole, being, supporting us through that mental, physical, spiritual connection that the healing, the empowerment came through, through all of that. So in that masters, what I focus on specifically was chaplaincy, so supporting people specifically I was a hospital chaplain, so focusing on helping people within the hospital setting, when they're there for different physical reasons and. Being able to be that spiritual presence focusing on both the spiritual and the emotional.   Michael Hingson ** 25:07 And where did you do your undergraduate study?   Laura Bratton ** 25:11 So I did my undergrad at Arizona State, and I was going to say a large reason, but not just a large reason, pretty much the whole reason I chose ASU was for their disability resources. So a major focus that that they emphasize is their disability resources is not a separate part of the university, but it's completely integrated into the university. So what I mean by that example of that is being a psychology major. I still had all the same classes. I was still in all the same classes as all the other psychology students on campus. I just had the accommodations that I needed. So that would be double time all testing or note takers, if I needed note takers in a class. So they did an incredible job, like they had a whole Braille lab that would print Braille books and provide books in PDF format. So the accommodations that I needed as a person who was blind were integrated in to the whole college experience. So that was incredibly powerful for me as a person who had just become blind and didn't know what resources were available.   Michael Hingson ** 26:37 Did you have any major challenges and major issues in terms of dealing with blindness and so on, while you're at ASU,   Laura Bratton ** 26:44 not at all. I am so grateful for that, because I wasn't the only person on campus who was blind. I wasn't the first blind person. I certainly wasn't the last so because they had so much experience, it was, it was an incredible, again, empowerment for me, because on the emotional perspective, it taught me, and literally practically showed me, yes, I give me a person with a disability and be integrated into the world, because They they showed me the resources that were available. So I was deeply, deeply grateful for what they taught me. Now, where did you grow up? So I grew up in South Carolina,   Michael Hingson ** 27:31 so that is and that's why I wanted to ask that, because we hadn't mentioned that you were from South Carolina before, but that was a major undertaking. Then to go all the way across country to go to ASU, yes. On the other hand, they do have a pretty good football team.   Laura Bratton ** 27:49 Just say Right, right, right   Michael Hingson ** 27:52 now, my I went to University California, Irvine. I don't even know. I'm sure they must have some sort of a football team today, but they do have a pretty good basketball team, and I haven't heard whether they won the Big West, but I haven't Yeah, but I haven't heard that they did. So I'm afraid that that they may not have until going to march madness. Yeah, but whatever,   Laura Bratton ** 28:21 team for March Madness spell your bracket in a different way.   Michael Hingson ** 28:25 Well, they've been in the big dance before they got to the Sweet 16 once, which was pretty cool. Wow, that's impressive. Yeah, that was pretty cool. That's so cool. What did your parents think of you going across country   Laura Bratton ** 28:42 again? Just like you talked about your parents being that taking that leap, they were incredibly supportive, because they knew ASU would provide the resources that I needed. Because again, in those years as I'm losing a major part of my sight, we didn't know other people who are blind. We didn't know what resources were available. Obviously, my parents reach out to people around us, you know, to connect with people who are blind, to learn about that, but we didn't have a lot of experience with that. So what we knew, and what my parents were excited about was ASU would be a place that I can not only have that college experience, but be taught the resources. And one of the major resources was my disability coordinator, so my disability coordinator, who was in charge of of creating all my accommodations, she was also blind, and that was such a healing experience for me, because she became a mentor. She was blind since birth. She. And so obviously we had different experiences, where I was just newly blind. She had been blind, but still, she was an incredibly powerful resource and mentor of just telling me, teaching me, not just telling me through her words, but living through her actions, you still have a full life like you're you're still a few a full human like you. This life still goes on. So she just modeled that in the way that she lived. So she she was, I'm so grateful for her mentorship, because she was very real. She had minimized blindness. But also she told me and taught me and showed me there's still a full, great life ahead,   Michael Hingson ** 30:53 which is really what all of us are trying to get the world to understand. Blindness isn't the end of the world. It's not the problem   Laura Bratton ** 31:02 exactly, exactly, she literally modeled that,   Michael Hingson ** 31:06 yeah, which was pretty cool. Well, then where did you go to get your Masters of divinity?   Laura Bratton ** 31:11 So then I went to get my masters at Princeton Theological Seminary, and that was a completely different experience, because, where as you, was completely set up for people with disabilities in the master's program, they had not had someone come through their program who was blind. So in that experience, I had to advocate and be very, very clear on what my needs were, meaning what the accommodations were that I needed, and then advocate that to the administration, which that wasn't a gift, because ASU had given me the foundation of knowing what I needed, what the accommodations Were then available. And then Princeton gave me the opportunity to become my own advocate, to force me to speak up and say, These are my needs, and these are accommodations I have. With these accommodations, I can be an equal student, so I'm not asking, Hey, give me good grades because I'm blind, but make the accommodation so that I have my books and PDF so I have double time on the test. So that was just as healing and just as powerful, because it gave me the opportunity to advocate and become clear on my needs so that I could communicate those needs. So   Michael Hingson ** 32:38 this is part of Princeton in New Jersey. Yes, so you were were in Jersey for a while, huh? Yes,   Laura Bratton ** 32:45 I went from sunny weather to   Michael Hingson ** 32:50 snowy weather. Well, you had some of that in South Carolina too, though,   Laura Bratton ** 32:53 yes, true, but from undergrad, it was quite the change.   Michael Hingson ** 32:58 Ah. But the real question is, when you were in New Jersey. Did you get to meet any members of the family? You know what I'm saying, the mob, Oh yes, absolutely being bada. Boom. Come on now,   Laura Bratton ** 33:11 definitely, definitely, definitely, absolutely, absolutely, yeah, lot of local restaurants and Oh yes,   Michael Hingson ** 33:21 oh yes. When we were building our home in New Jersey, my wife was in a wheelchair her whole life, and we decided that when we went to New Jersey, because I was going to be working in the city New York, we wanted to build a house, because it's cheaper to build an accessible home for somebody in a wheelchair. My wife then it is to buy a house and modify it so we wanted to build. And it turns out that the person who financed the building, we got a mortgage and all that without any difficulty, but we had to get somebody to build the house. And the realtors had people they worked with, the financier. Part of that was from a guy, well, let's just say his main business was, he was in the garbage business, and his last name was, was Pinto. So, you know, let's just say we know where he got his money. You know,   Laura Bratton ** 34:18 yes, yes. I had several those experiences too. Yeah, the garbage business seems to be big in Jersey. It   Michael Hingson ** 34:25 is big in Jersey, but, but, you know, but they were all, they were all very nice to us good. And so it really worked out well. It did. It all worked out. We had a wonderful home. The only difference between our house and the others around us is we had to include an elevator in the house, okay? Because we couldn't have a ranch style home. There wasn't room, and so we had to have and all the other homes in the development were two story homes, okay, but we had to have an elevator. So that was essentially about a $15,000 An uplift over what the House would have cost otherwise. But right again, you build it in so it's not that huge of a deal,   Laura Bratton ** 35:06 right? That's perfect. So all your neighbors are jealous.   Michael Hingson ** 35:10 Well, they didn't have the elevator. They didn't come and ride it much. So they didn't ask for their their their bigger challenges were, who's giving the biggest party at Christmas or Halloween? So we didn't participate in that, so we weren't we weren't a problem.   35:28 That's great,   Michael Hingson ** 35:30 yeah, so you've talked about grit a couple times, so tell me about grit, because clearly that's important to you,   Laura Bratton ** 35:39 yeah? So it's so important to me, because that was a main source of empowerment. So just as I talked about that negativity in the middle school high school, what grit helped me to do is take the overwhelming future that I was so fearful, I was extremely anxious as I looked at the whole picture everything ahead of me. So the grit came in and taught me. Grit is taking it day by day, moment by moment, step by step. So rather than looking at the whole picture and getting overwhelmed, the power of grit taught me all I need to do is trust myself for this next hour. All I need to do is trust in the support that my parents are giving me this next day. So breaking it down into manageable goals was the strength of the grit. So to break it down, rather than the whole future,   Michael Hingson ** 36:49 I didn't ask, do you did you have any siblings? Do you have any siblings?   Laura Bratton ** 36:53 Yeah, so I have one older brother. Okay, so   Michael Hingson ** 36:57 how was he with you being that you were blind. Was he a good older protective brother who never let anybody near his sister?   Laura Bratton ** 37:06 He was a good older protective brother in that he did exactly what my parents did in not having different expectations. Yeah, he so he's five years older. So when I'm 14, losing a significant amount of vision, or 15, losing a certain amount of division. He, you know, was 1920 doing great in college. So a perfect example of this connects with the grit he, he taught me, and again, not in word, not so much in words, but again, in those actions of we will figure this out. We don't know the resources that are available. We don't know exactly what the future looks like, but we as a family will figure this out. Me, as your older brother, our parents being our parents, we will figure it out day by day, step by step. And I remember a lot of people would ask my parents, what's her future, and then even ask my brother, what's her future? What's she gonna do? And they would honestly answer, we don't know, but as a family, we'll figure it out, and we'll provide the strength that she needs, and that's what I mean by the grit. So it wasn't, this is her future, and they just, you know, named it for being home with us, right? But it was, I don't know, but day by day, we'll have the grit to figure it out. So I'm glad you asked about my siblings, because that's a perfect example of how that grit came into play and was such a powerful source of strength.   Michael Hingson ** 38:54 So what did you do after you got your master's degree?   Laura Bratton ** 38:58 So after I got my master's degree, I then did a residency, just like I was talking about the chaplaincy. I did a residency specifically in chaplaincy to to complete that process of being a chaplain. So in that that was a year long process, and in that process, that was an incredible experience, because, again, it taught me, you are a complete human with gifts and talents. You just happen to be blind and need specific accommodations because of the blindness. So what I mean by that is, just as ASU gave me the resources regarding blindness, and just as Princeton gave me the gift to advocate for those resources, the experience in the chaplaincy taught me when I walked into a high. Hospital room and introduced myself as the chaplain on the unit. The patient didn't know, or didn't care how long I had been blind, or how did I make it on the unit? Or how did I know they wanted chaplain? They didn't care. They were just thankful and glad that I was there to serve them and be in that Chaplain role. So it was that's why it was empowering of healing to me, because it taught me not to focus so much on the blindness, but to view myself as that whole person, especially in that professional experience, so I can give endless examples of specifically how that, how, just the patient reaction taught me so much.   Michael Hingson ** 40:49 Where did you do your chaplaincy?   Laura Bratton ** 40:52 I did it at the Clinton clinic in Ohio. Oh,   Michael Hingson ** 40:56 my goodness, you did move around. Now. What got you there? Speaking of snow in the winter, yeah,   Laura Bratton ** 41:02 literally, I Yes, I can talk about that. And a lot of experiences there with snow, like effect snow is real. So they were very strong in their chaplaincy program and developing Kaplan's and also their Kaplan Z training was a focus that I wanted that holistic mind, body, spirit. It wasn't just spiritual or wasn't just psychological, it was the holistic experience of a whole person. So how wanting that to be my focus moving forward, that's where I chose to go to be able to focus on that. So again, it was such an incredible source of of healing through just through those patient interactions.   Michael Hingson ** 41:58 Well, one of the things that is clear about you is you're not bitter about any of the things that have happened, and that, in reality, you are a person who appreciates and understands the concept of gratitude.   Laura Bratton ** 42:11 Yes, yes. And specifically, let me go back to those high school days, and then I'll come back to the chaplain days, the way of the gratitude my focus started was not because I wanted gratitude, not because I chose to woke up, wake up one day and say, Oh, I'm so grateful for this blindness. But it all came through a mentor who said to me in those high school days, Laura, I want you to start writing down three things that you are grateful for each day and every day, I want you to write down three things that you're grateful for. So in my mind, my immediate reaction as a teenager, high schooler, was that's not good advice. I'm not sure you're a good mentor. I'm experiencing a major change in life, permanent life event. I don't know that there's a lot to be grateful for. So in my stubbornness, I said, Okay, I'm going to prove her wrong. So I started to think of the three things each day I was grateful for. And over the weeks that I did this, I then realized what she was teaching me, she was showing me. She wasn't asking me to be grateful for the blindness. She was asking me to recognize the gifts that the support that I had within the blindness. So, for example, the supportive parents, the older brother, who didn't make accommodations, or I mean, did make accommodations. Didn't lower expectations because of the blindness. So fast forward to the chaplaincy. I was incredibly grateful for all those patient experiences, because, again, it taught me to view myself as the whole person, not so hyper focused on the blindness. So one specific example that sticks out and was so clear to me is one day I had a patient request that one to see a chaplain, and I went in to this specific unit, and the so I walked in, my walked into the room, the patient took a look at my guide dog and me, and said, You're blind, like completely with this question or voice. And my thought was, well, I think so. I mean, that was this morning when I woke up, and so I said, Yes. And she said, Okay, then I'll, I'll share honestly with you how I'm doing and what I had learned, what I learned after my visit with her is she would not open up to the doctors, the nurses, the social workers, anyone who walked in the room. When I walked in the room and she didn't feel like she was being judged on her physical appearance, she was willing to open up and honestly share how she was feeling emotionally with her physical diagnosis. So that led that one conversation led to multiple visits where she could move forward in her healing emotionally because she was willing to open up and share and be honest with me as the chaplain. So that was an incredible situation of gratitude, because it taught me, yes, this is hard, yes, this is stressful. Yes, there are moments of being overwhelmed, and also their deep, deep moments that I am incredibly grateful for, that other people who are side sighted don't have that opportunity.   Michael Hingson ** 46:36 One of the things that I talk about and think about as life goes on, is we've talked about all the accommodations and the things that you needed to get in order to be able to function. What we and most everyone, takes for granted is it's the same for sighted people. You know, we invented the electric light bulb for sighted people. We invented windows so they can look out. Yes, we invent so many things, and we provide them so that sighted people can function right. And that's why I say, in large part, blindness isn't the problem, because the reality is, we can make accommodations. We can create and do create alternatives to what people who can see right choose, and that's important for, I think, everyone to learn. So what did you do after your year of chaplaincy?   Laura Bratton ** 47:39 So after my year of chaplaincy, after that incredible experience of just offering the patient care, I completed the part of the well after assorted in the master's program. But then after that, also completed my ordination in the Methodist Church. So I was appointed. I went to the process the ordination process, and then I was appointed to a local church back here in South Carolina. And again, with my focus on chaplaincy, my focus on patient care, I was appointed to that church for because what they needed most in the pastor the leader, was that emphasis on the pastoral care the mind, body, spirit connection. So as I became pastor, I was able to continue that role of what I was doing in the Kaplan see, of using both my professional experience as well as my personal experience of providing spiritual care to the members. So that was an incredible way. And again, that gratitude, it just I was so grateful that I could use those gifts of pastoral care, of chaplaincy to benefit others, to be a strength to others. Again, is that that whole person that that we   Michael Hingson ** 49:13 are now? Are you still doing that today? Or what are you doing   Laura Bratton ** 49:16 now? So I'm still I'm still there part time, okay,   Michael Hingson ** 49:21 and when you're not there, what are you doing?   Laura Bratton ** 49:23 I'm doing professional speaking, and it's all centered around my passion for that again, came when I was at Princeton, when I was doing the focus on chaplaincy, I became so passionate about the speaking to share my personal experience of the change I experienced, and also to empower others as they experience change, so not to be stuck in that. Negativity like we talked about in those middle school, high school days, but rather that everybody, regardless of the situation, could experience change, acknowledge it, and move forward with that balance of grit and gratitude. So that's my deep passion for and the reason for the speaking is to share that grit gratitude, as we all experience change.   Michael Hingson ** 50:26 So what made you decide to begin to do public speaking that what? What was the sort of the moment or the the inspiration that brought that about,   Laura Bratton ** 50:40 just that deep desire to share the resource that I'd experienced. So as I received so much support from family and community, is I had received that support of learning how to use the grit in the change, and then as I received the sport support of how to use the gratitude in the change, the reason for this, speaking and what made me so passionate, was to be able to empower others to also use this resource. So I didn't just want to say, okay, it worked for me, and so I'll just keep this to myself, but rather to use that as a source and empowerment and say, Hey, this has been really, really difficult, and here's how I can use the difficulty to empower others to support others.   Michael Hingson ** 51:31 So how's that working for you?   Laura Bratton ** 51:34 Great. I love, love, love supporting others as they go through that change. Because again, it comes back to the blindness. Is not not all we focus on, it's not all we think about, it's not all we talk about, it's not all we do, but being able to use that as a shrink to empower others. So just speaking to different organizations as they're going through change, and working with them speaking on that. How can they specifically apply the grit, the gratitude? How does that? What does that look like, practically, in their organization, in their situation? So I love it, because it takes the most difficult thing that I've been through, and turns it around to empower others.   Michael Hingson ** 52:24 What do you think about the concept that so many people talk about regarding public speaking, that, Oh, I couldn't be a public speaker. I don't want to be up in front of people. I'm afraid of it, and it's one of the top fears that we constantly hear people in society have that is being a public speaker. What do you think about that?   Laura Bratton ** 52:47 So two, two perspectives have helped me to process that fault, because you're right. People literally say that to me every day. How do you do that? I could never do that. I hear that every single day, all day, and what I've learned is when I focus on, yes, maybe it is the large audience, but focusing on I'm speaking to each person individually, and I'm speaking. I'm not just speaking to them, but I was speaking to serve them, to help again, that empowerment, to provide empowerment. So what I think about that is I don't focus on, oh my gosh. What are they going to think of me? I'm scared up here. Rather to have that mindset of, I'm here to share my life experiences so that they can be served and empowered to continue forward. So just shifting the mindset from fear to support fear to strength, that's that's how I view that concept of I could never do that, or that's my worst fear.   Michael Hingson ** 54:01 So a lot of people would say it takes a lot of courage to do what you do, what? How do you define courageous or being courageous?   Laura Bratton ** 54:08 Great question. That's a working, work in progress. So far, what I've learned over the years and again, this is a process. Not there wasn't just one moment where I said, Okay, now I'm courageous, and I'm courageous forever, or this is the moment that made me courageous, but how I understand it and how I process it now is for me and my experience courage is accepting and acknowledging the reality and then choosing to move forward with the grit, choosing to move forward with the gratitude. So holding both intention, both can be true, both I can acknowledge. Okay, this is difficult. Cult, and also I can also believe and know. I can have the grit moment by moment by moment. I can have the gratitude moment by moment by moment. So for me, courage is holding both intention the reality and what I mean by both is the reality of the blindness and reality of the frustration of people's faults, judgments. You know all that you can't do this. How can you do that without sight holding all of that at the same time as I have the support I need to move forward? So for me, Courage looks like acknowledging why I'm overwhelmed and then choosing at that same time to move forward with the support that I have. Mm, hmm. So again, that's what I mean by it's not just like one moment that, oh yeah, I'm gonna be courageous now forever, there's certainly a moment so I don't feel courageous, and that's okay. That's part of garbage. Just acknowledging that frustration and also choosing to move forward. So it's doing both it at the same time.   Michael Hingson ** 56:10 We live in a world today where there is a lot of change going on, yes, and some for the good, some not for the good, and and all sorts of things. Actually, I was reading an article this morning about Michael Connolly, the mystery writer who, for four decades, has written mystery books. He's lived in Los Angeles. He had a wonderful house, and everything changed when the fires hit and he lost his home and all that. But he continues to to move forward. But what advice would you give? What kinds of things do you say to people who are undergoing change or experiencing change?   Laura Bratton ** 56:52 I'm so glad you asked that, because I I didn't mention this in the grit so much of the grit that I experienced. So the advice I would give, or practically, what I do with someone that just what I did right before our we connected, was being being that grit for someone going through change. So in that, for example, in that speaking when I'm speaking to a group about the change they're experiencing, acknowledging, for them to acknowledge, let me be your grit. You might be overwhelmed. You might be incredibly fearful and overwhelmed by the future, by the task in front of you. So let me be the example of grit to to show you that there is support, there is courage, there is that foundation to be able to move forward. So that's my first advice, is just allowing others to be your grit when you don't feel like you had it, because, again, in those high school days and and even now days when I don't feel like I have any grit, any courage, and yet, I'll lean on the courage, the strength, the grit, of those around me so once they acknowledge and allow me to be their grit, and they their support through that change, then allowing them to slowly have that grit for themselves, and again reminding them, it's not an instant process. It's not an instant do these three steps and you'll have grit forever. But it's a continual process of grit and gratitude that leads us through the change, through the difficulty.   Michael Hingson ** 58:46 Have you used the technique that that person that you talked about earlier in high school used when she asked you to write down every day three things that you were grateful for?   Laura Bratton ** 58:56 Yes, absolutely, and the the funny part of that, what that makes me laugh is a lot of people have the exact same reaction I had when I present it to them. They immediately say, I'm not going to do that. That's no Why would I do that? They immediately think that is a horrible piece of advice. And how can I recommend? And I just, I don't say, Oh, well, just try it anyway. I just say, Well, okay, just try it and see. Just, just prove me wrong. And just like my experience, they try it and then a week or two days like, oh, that actually worked. I didn't think that would so, yeah, I'm so glad you said that, because that happens a lot. People said that is that doesn't make sense. Why are you telling me to be grateful in the midst of this overwhelming situation? So yes, great, great perspective that happens all the time.   Michael Hingson ** 59:55 Well, we've been doing this now for about an hour, but before we wrap up, do you. Have any other advice that you want to pass on for people who are dealing with change or fearing change in their lives right now,   Laura Bratton ** 1:00:08 the advice would be, take it step by step, moment by moment, rather than trying to navigate through the whole change at one time that's overwhelming, and that that's not the process that is most healing. So to trust in yourself, to trust that grit around you, and then just like, like you were saying, and ask me, and it doesn't seem like it'll work, but try the gratitude, try that three things every day you're grateful for, and just see what happens as you navigate through the change. Yeah.   Michael Hingson ** 1:00:52 And it really does work, which is the point?   Laura Bratton ** 1:00:54 Which is the point? Right? Right? We don't think it's going to but it, it totally does   Michael Hingson ** 1:00:59 well. Laura, I want to thank you for being with us. This has been absolutely wonderful and fun, and I hope that people who listen got and who watch it got a lot out of it. And you, you provided a lot of good expectation setting for people. And you, you've certainly lived a full life. We didn't mention we got us before you we we sign off. You're also an author,   Laura Bratton ** 1:01:24 yes. So I wrote harnessing courage again, just like the reason I speak, I was so passionate about taking the grit and the gratitude that I use that was such a source of Empower for me, I wanted to tell my story and tell it through the perspective of grit and gratitude so that other people could also use it as a resource. So the book tells my story of becoming blind and adapting and moving forward, but through the complete expected perspective of the gratitude, how I didn't believe the gratitude would work, how I struggled with thinking, Oh, the gratitude is ridiculous. That's never going to be source of empowerment. Yet it was so. The purpose of the book, my hope, my goal for the book, is that people can read it and take away those resources as they face their own change their own challenges.   Michael Hingson ** 1:02:30 And when did you write it? So I wrote   Laura Bratton ** 1:02:33 it in it was published in 2016 Okay, so it that that definitely was, was my goal and passion, and that just writing the book was incredibly healing. Was like a great source of strength. Cool,   Michael Hingson ** 1:02:50 well, I hope people will get it. Do you do any coaching today or   Laura Bratton ** 1:02:54 Yes, so I do coaching as well as the speaking so the the one on one coaching, as people are experiencing difficult, difficult or just navigating through change, I do the one on one coaching as well as the speaking,   Michael Hingson ** 1:03:11 which is certainly a good thing that chaplaincy taught you. Yes, 100% Well, thank you again for being here, and I want to thank all of you for being with us today, wherever you are. We would appreciate it. I would definitely appreciate it. If when you can, you go to wherever you're listening to or watching the podcast and give us a five star review. We absolutely value your reviews. I'd love to hear your thoughts about this, and I'm sure Laura would. So you're welcome to email me at Michael, M, I, C, H, A, E, L, H, I, at accessibe, A, C, C, E, S, S, i, b, e.com, love to hear your thoughts. And also, of course, as I said, we'd love your your five star reviews, wherever you're listening. Also, if any of you, Laura, including you, have any thoughts of others who we ought to have on this podcast, we're always looking for more guests, and we really would appreciate it if you'd let anyone know who might be a good guest in your mind, that they can reach out or email me, and I'll reach out, but we really would appreciate that. But again, Laura, I just want to thank you one more time for being here and for taking all this time with us today.   Laura Bratton ** 1:04:27 Thank you for the opportunity, and thank you for hosting this podcast. Incredibly powerful and we all need to be reminded   **Michael Hingson ** 1:04:37 You have been listening to the Unstoppable Mindset podcast. Thanks for dropping by. I hope that you'll join us again next week, and in future weeks for upcoming episodes. To subscribe to our podcast and to learn about upcoming episodes, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com slash podcast. Michael Hingson is spelled m i c h a e l h i n g s o n. While you're on the site., please use the form there to recommend people who we ought to interview in upcoming editions of the show. And also, we ask you and urge you to invite your friends to join us in the future. If you know of any one or any organization needing a speaker for an event, please email me at speaker at Michael hingson.com. I appreciate it very much. To learn more about the concept of blinded by fear, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com forward slash blinded by fear and while you're there, feel free to pick up a copy of my free eBook entitled blinded by fear. The unstoppable mindset podcast is provided by access cast an initiative of accessiBe and is sponsored by accessiBe. Please visit www.accessibe.com . AccessiBe is spelled a c c e s s i b e. There you can learn all about how you can make your website inclusive for all persons with disabilities and how you can help make the internet fully inclusive by 2025. Thanks again for Listening. Please come back and visit us again next week.

Learn how to stay ahead in the speaking industry by mastering the art of blending technology with genuine human connection. In this episode of Speakernomics, host Kenneth "Shark" Kinney invites Hall of Fame speaker, best-selling author, and AI expert, Sam Richter. Sam sheds light on leveraging AI to amplify your speaking business while maintaining authenticity. In this session, Sam will: Explain how to analyze the vast pool of data to find the right decision-makers and tailor your outreach, making it highly relevant and effective. Illustrate strategies to incorporate AI in building and maintaining client relationships, ensuring consistent communication without losing the human touch. Emphasize the importance of being authentic and genuine, especially in a world increasingly dominated by AI technologies, and how your humanity can be a key differentiator in winning over clients. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Artificial Intelligence is on everyone's mind. How will it affect my job? Is it being used on me? Can I get any advantage from it? For those of us in sales it the question might be, “How can I use AI to reach more prospects and win more deals?” Fortunately for you, our guest has the answers to these important questions. So slip on your thinking caps as Scott and I welcome author, speaker and information guru Sam Richter to Episode 627 of the Winning at Selling podcast.

In this episode, we talk with Sam Richter, one of the world's foremost sales intelligence and digital reputation experts, award-winning  speaker and bestselling author. As the closing keynote speaker at this year's VSAE Annual Conference, May 5-7 in Norfolk, Sam provides insights into gaining intel secrets to grow your organization. Tune in for a sneak peek into Richter's keynote presentation – discovering tips and tricks for utilizing online information to build meaningful and authentic connections – as well as insights into generative AI and how associations can use it to their advantage.  

w/ Sam Richter… We welcome back AI and ChatGPT expert Sam Richter as he teaches step-by-step how to input custom instructions for generative AI in order to get great results.    Mark and Sam discuss effective applications for generative AI (such as ChatGPT) and when to use your research skills elsewhere. Sam details how he sets up each prompt for success by priming the AI with a persona, goal, intended audience, etc.    You may not be replaced by AI, but could definitely be by another salesperson who can use it well. Which will you choose to be?   ▶ Join Mark Hunter & Meridith Elliott Powell for a powerful webinar: Top 5 Ways to Increase Your Sales Results. March 13th at 2:00 PM EST. Register here!     ◩ About the Guest ◩ Sam Richter is considered one of the world's foremost Sales Intelligence and digital reputation experts, a Hall of Fame speaker, and best-selling author.  

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming businesses, but do you really know how to harness its power? Artificial intelligence is exploding. Pioneering companies are already using AI to disrupt entire industries overnight. Make sure you're ready to leverage these exponential technologies to rapidly grow your business. In this paradigm-shifting Business Growth Show episode, hosts Ford Saeks and Sam Richter reveal insider secrets on harnessing AI for maximum impact. You'll discover: A step-by-step blueprint for AI integration How to avoid disastrous AI mistakes Real-world examples of AI-powered growth Tips on building an AI competency You can no longer delay your AI strategy. This episode provides the targeted guidance you need to successfully ride the AI wave surging through the global economy. Apply these proven insights now to supercharge your growth. The time to embrace AI is now. This episode will equip you with exclusive access to expert advice for leveraging artificial intelligence. View the Full Video Interview on YouTube Ford Saeks has redefined the formula for business success. From start-ups to Fortune 500's, Saeks is widely recognized as a Business Growth Innovator. With over 20 years' experience (ranging from retail to wholesale), he has founded over ten companies, authored four books, been awarded three U.S. patents, and received numerous industry awards. As President and CEO of Prime Concepts Group, Inc., a digital marketing firm, Ford specializes in helping businesses attract loyal and repeat customers, monetize social media, and ignite innovation. Discover more about Ford Saeks at ProfitRichResults.com Sam Richter is a distinguished Hall of Fame speaker renowned for his expertise in digital information. Sam is the only professional speaker who not only helps you discover the power of online intelligence, he also builds the AI and ChatGPT intel resources to ensure you experience immediate success. Throughout his career, he has crafted innovative programs and technology for both start-up companies and some of the world's most recognized brands. https://www.samrichter.com/

In this Episode: When it comes to sales and research, Sam Richter is the expert's expert. In this podcast, Sam highlights the critical balance between leveraging AI for efficiency while maintaining the irreplaceable human touch in asking insightful questions, understanding clients' needs, and ensuring the reliability of AI-generated content.

Generative AI can produce some pretty incredible writing. Analytical AI can see cause and effects that a human may not notice. Nevertheless, AI still lacks relevance, human experience, even empathy! That's where you come in.  We welcome Sam Richter back to The Sales Hunter Podcast to give detailed instructions on how to use AI in Prospecting for emails, scripts, proposals, and research. Sam and Mark discuss putting relevant information in your prompts, as well as  the importance of going back, adding our own voice, and checking sources.   Learn more about Sam's AI resources at https://www.intelngin.com/

Sam Richter is an internationally recognized expert on digital transformation and the author of the best-selling book, “Take the Cold Out of Cold Calling”. He was named one of the World's Top 50 Sales Keynote Speakers in 2019 by Top Sales World and one of the Top 25 Most Influential People in Sales by InsideView multiple times. Sam is also the founder of IntelNgin, a technology that helps you find key business and sales information faster. Join us as we discuss the importance of relevance and knowing what's important to the buyer, how to properly reach out to prospects, and the importance of mindset and being genuine in all of your interactions. Highlights: The importance of relevance and adding value Customer relevance management The platinum rule The 3x5 method for getting into the buyer's mindset Building a genuine and authentic reputation Episode Resources Connect with Mark Cox https://www.inthefunnel.com/ https://ca.linkedin.com/in/markandrewcox https://www.facebook.com/inthefunnel markcox@inthefunnel.com Connect with Sam Richter Take the Cold Out of Cold Calling: https://a.co/d/2MXFGWY https://www.linkedin.com/in/samrichter Sam's Website: https://samrichter.com/ IntelNgin: https://www.intelngin.com/   Call to Action In the Funnel Sales Workshop Free Sales Tools How to Listen: Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify

Sam Richter is an internationally recognized expert on digital information and is considered the father of modern-day Sales Intelligence. His award-winning experience includes building innovative programs for start-up companies and some of the world's most famous brands. Sam has been featured in thousands of television and radio programs and national and online publications. The post #162 – Sam Richter on How Authors Can Find More Speaking Gigs to Sell More Books first appeared on Write Your Book in a Flash Podcast with Dan Janal.

In the final episode of this series, Sam Richter and Scott Roy each share their top 3 tips for prospecting and selling intelligently. Their combined expert advice will transform the way you think about selling and help you level up your sales game. 

In the first episode of the series, Scott interviews prospecting expert Sam Richter on how to find insightful knowledge about your prospects so you can sell to them more intelligently. Sam's simple but powerful tips will help salespeople at every level make closer connections to prospects and ultimately close more deals. 

Are you a salesperson, or just an order taker? A salesperson understands the client and provides value above and beyond just taking an order. A great salesperson cares about their client's needs, and wants to figure out what their goals are. Why? Sam Richter joins Mark to discuss why salespeople are still such a vital part of the selling process. How do we put the ‘R' for relationship back into CRM? Sam and Mark offer insight into simple ways to show interest and do your homework before reaching out to a prospect.  You can find Sam's intel engine resources at: https://www.intelngin.com/   In addition to this podcast, Mark offers in-depth masterclasses on a variety of sales topics. Choose from an amazing online course list at https://learn.thesaleshunter.com 

We all want to be seen as trusted advisors. How do you do this? Sam Richter brings practical ideas. As an expert in business and sales intelligence, Sam knows how to help sales professionals drive conversation around the value that is meaningful to prospects and clients. Grab a pen and a notepad for this episode because you are going to leave with some powerful ideas you can put into action right away!Are you a sales leader? We want to invite you to be a part of a new mastermind community for authentic sales leaders. Learn more at www.sellingfromtheheart.net/mastermind.

Conversation with Sam Richter, an internationally recognized expert on digital information; considered the father of modern-day Sales Intelligence; an author, and an NSA Hall of Fame speaker.   Episode on Website

Recap the exciting news around clean energy and electrification, as well as discussions on federal funding, from the recent ACT Expo. Sam Richter, scheduled keynote speaker at STN EXPO Indy, highlights awareness and leverage of information in today's digital age for a better personal and business reputation. Kevin Smith, president of First Light Safety, discusses current trends of distraction among motorists and students, road safety, illegal passing, illuminated stop arms and strategies for increased bus stop safety. Read more at stnonline.com/go/security.

Your story and message are the core of your business. Whatever you put out there is what the world perceives of you, and it predicts how people respond to you. It's vital to make sure you're sending the right message out there. In today's episode, Sam Richter emphasizes the importance of connections and information in identifying opportunities and prospects. Sam is named one of the World's Top 50 Sales Keynote Speakers and one of the 15 Highest Rated Speakers for Virtual Events. He's a bestselling author who delivers his top-rated, dynamic, highly entertaining, high-content keynote presentations and workshop sessions to audiences worldwide. Join us on today's Marketing Speak for an entertaining conversation that includes numerous pieces of high-value entrepreneurial advice! The show notes, including the transcript and checklist to this episode, are at marketingspeak.com/342. 

Sam Richter is an internationally recognized expert on digital information and is considered the father of modern-day Sales Intelligence. His award-winning experience includes building innovative programs for start-up companies and some of the world's most famous brands. National Speaker Hall of Fame Top 15 Highest Rated Speakers for Virtual Events Top 50 Sales Keynote Speakers Top 25 Most Influential Sales Leaders Minnesota Speakers Hall of Fame Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) - Top 10% of World's Speakers Bestselling Book - Awarded Sales Book of the Year Inc. Magazine Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist ​ Sam is founder and CEO of SBR Worldwide/Know More. Through his in-person keynote presentations and online programs, Sam trains leading organizations and entertains tens of thousands of persons around the world. Sam's programs promise to be the highest-content, most take-home-value presentations attendees have ever experienced. The National Speakers Association inducted Sam into the National Speaker Hall of Fame, where fewer than 300 professional speakers worldwide have been honored, and Sam also received the Association's CSP Designation, reserved for the top 10 percent of the world's professional speakers. He was named one of the Top 15 Highest Rated Speakers for Virtual Events, one of the Top 50 Sales Keynote Speakers in the world, and he is also a member of the Minnesota Speakers Hall of Fame. ​ Sam is the author of the bestselling book, Take the Cold Out of Cold Calling, considered the preeminent publication on finding information online and using it for sales success. Take the Cold was named "Sales Book of the Year" by the American Association of Inside Sales Professionals, and it was also named a "USA Book News Winner" and a "Sales Book Awards Silver Medalist."

https://entrearchitect.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/47f4bcbaac2faf3cf244149d99462c718e6671mv2.png ()Sales Intelligence for Architects Sam Richter is an internationally recognized expert on digital information and is considered the father of modern-day Sales Intelligence. His award-winning experience includes building innovative programs for start-up companies and some of the world’s most famous brands. Sam is founder and CEO of SBR Worldwide/Know More. Through his in-person keynote presentations and online programs, Sam trains leading organizations and entertains tens of thousands of persons around the world. Sam's programs promise to be the highest-content, most take-home-value presentations attendees have ever experienced. What Sam teaches is a very unique yet incredibly important part of any sales process: Sales Intelligence. Knowing how to do your homework to find the right prospects at a time when they are ready to hear your message, in ways that are relevant to what the prospect cares about, can dramatically increase results. Sam loves to teach about the importance of Sales Intelligence and how to quickly implement it.  This week at EntreArchitect Podcast, Sales Intelligence with Sam Richter.  Connect with Sam online at https://www.samrichter.com/bio (SamRichter.com), or find him on https://www.linkedin.com/in/samrichter (LinkedIn), https://www.facebook.com/SamRichterSpeak (Facebook), https://www.instagram.com/samrichter/ (Instagram), and https://twitter.com/SamRichter (Twitter) .Visit http://Sam1234.com/build (Sam1234.com/build) for 25% off of the Construction Industry Intel Engine. Please visit Our Platform Sponsors https://arcat.com (ARCAT) is the online resource delivering quality building material information, CAD details, BIM, Specs, and more… all for free. Visit ARCAT now and subscribe to http://arcat.com (ARCATECT Weekly and ARCATAlert). http://EntreArchitect.com/Freshbooks (Freshbooks) is the all in one bookkeeping software that can save your small architecture firm both time and money by simplifying the hard parts of running your own business. Try Freshbooks for 30 days for FREE at http://EntreArchitect.com/Freshbooks (EntreArchitect.com/Freshbooks). Visit our Platform Sponsors today and thank them for supporting YOU… The EntreArchitect Community of small firm architects. Mentioned in this Episode https://yougotthenews.com (YouGotTheNews.com) The post https://entrearchitect.com/podcast/entrearch/sales-intelligence-for-architects/ (EA433: Sam Richter – Sales Intelligence for Architects) appeared first on https://entrearchitect.com (EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects).

Sales Intelligence for Architects Sam Richter is an internationally recognized expert on digital information and is considered the father of modern-day Sales Intelligence. His award-winning experience includes building innovative programs for start-up companies and some of the world’s most famous brands. Sam is founder and CEO of SBR Worldwide/Know More. Through his in-person keynote presentations […] The post EA433: Sam Richter – Sales Intelligence for Architects appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects.

In our most recent episode, we hosted Sam Richter to share some amazing and potentially life-altering information! We had a big conversation about Boolean logic and how simple modifications to your search terms can bring back incredibly useful information that you may have thought was inaccessible. Sam talked all about his customized interfaces for search tools, how these work across different platforms, and what they have enabled him and his audience to accomplish. As a sign of just how seriously we take this tool, we are purchasing it for our entire community, and today we get to go over some of the biggest takeaways from that conversation, and the application of Sam's methods. We go over some of the use cases for the interface, and reflect on how powerful these ideas are, considering how under-the-radar they are. So to hear all about this nerdy and super-technical conversation that could just move the needle for you and your brand, listen in! 

Most of us are aware of the incredible power and scope of the behemoth tech company Google. While they may have initially started with the aim of building a sophisticated search engine, today they are primarily focused on advertising, which impacts the type of search results most readily available to their users. This means that users are often left wading through non-specific search results in a desperate attempt to track down what's relevant to them. But this doesn't have to be the case. Our guest today, Sam Richter, has spent plenty of time and energy constructing an elegant solution to these challenges, saving businesses hundreds of hours otherwise spent on fruitless research. In addition to being one of the world's top-rated keynote speakers, he's also a bestselling author and a leading authority on Sales Intelligence, a concept that he deftly unpacks today! Tuning in you'll learn about the extent of the invisible web, easy tips for applying Boolean logic, and how “thinking like the author” can get you the results you need quickly and efficiently. Today's episode is packed with great insights along with easily accessible and actionable steps for increasing your reach and building your network. Tune in to hear it all! 

Learn the "secrets" of "Sales Intelligence" to guarantee more conversions in 2022. An award-winning author and sought-after keynote speaker explains this invaluable concept!

Sam Richter is the founder and CEO of SBR Worldwide and an internationally recognized expert on digital information and is considered the father of modern-day Sales Intelligence. He is a hall of fame business and sales keynote speaker and has won numerous awards and recognitions including, National Speaker Hall of Fame, Top 15 Highest Rated Speakers for Virtual Events, Top 50 Sales Keynote Speakers, Top 25 Most Influential Sales Leaders, Minnesota Speakers Hall of Fame. I could go on. He's even won a Codie, which is pretty much the Oscars of the software industry....for best ecommerce software.We talked about how to get to know your customers using sales intelligence and the worst thing you can do is ask your customer, "What keeps you up at night?"More about Sam: His website: https://www.samrichter.com/bioHis software company: https://www.intelngin.com Get on the email list at helpingsells.substack.com

Sam Richter is a Hall of Fame Business and Sales Keynote Speaker, Bestselling Author, Leading Authority on Sales Intelligence, Digital Reputation Management Expert, and addresses Custom Search, Sales and Prospecting Technologies.The Business of Business, topics are divided into 4 Categories: Management, Operations, Sales, and Financial. Target Audience is Business Owners, C-Level Executives, Management, and anyone considering starting a business. Helping you run a successful profitable business.

Sam Richter, CSP, CPAE is an internationally recognized expert on digital information and is considered the father of modern-day Sales Intelligence. His award-winning experience includes building innovative programs for start-up companies and some of the world's most famous brands. National Speaker Hall of Fame Top 15 Highest Rated Speakers for Virtual Events Top 50 Sales Keynote Speakers Top 25 Most Influential Sales Leaders Minnesota Speakers Hall of Fame Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) - Top 10% of World's Speakers Bestselling Book - Awarded Sales Book of the Year Inc. Magazine Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist www.tonytaylorinspires.com Leaders Lead The Podcast

Gathering the Intel and Relationship Management: Tips on Becoming a Sales Rock Star with Sam Richter Welcome to Sales Tech Podcast, the show that talks about sales technology, what's working, what's not, and where the industry is going. In this episode, Thom sits down with his close friend, speaker, best-selling author, and tech entrepreneur, Sam Richter. Sam is a tech and research junkie who utilizes his skills to help sales professionals leverage technology to improve sales. Today, Thom and Sam talk about the importance of relationship-building, the role that data plays in the sales process, and why personalization and care really matter. Sam speculates on the future of sales tech, including the emergence of Artificial Intelligence and machine learning, and shares his thoughts on how sales professionals can leverage tools like LinkedIn and his very own search engine overlay tool, IntelNgin. What We Covered: 00:35 – Thom introduces today's guest, Sam Richter, who joins the show to share his background in journalism and advertising and the shift he made to become an author and speaker 06:46 – How gathering data helps sales professionals to close sales 08:58 – What Sam sees in the world of sales technology that is working 10:34 – How sales professionals can get better at relationship building 14:29 – Sam shares advice on how to get called back and creative ways sales professionals can leverage LinkedIn as a sales tool 20:20 – Sam speculates on the future of sales tech 22:47 – Sam talks about the search engine overlay tool he created called IntelNgin 25:30 – The important role Research plays in the sales process 27:23 – Sam provides his thoughts on if technology will ever fully replace sales professionals 29:07 – Sam provides one final piece of advice to sales professionals and sales leaders 30:07 – Thom thanks Sam for joining the show and let's listeners know where to connect with him   Tweetables: “What I talk about is how to find information on people and how to use it in ways that helps you develop relationships.” (01:23) “Being an introvert, I realized quickly that if I could get the other person talking, then I didn't have to talk. And that was my goal. But along the way, I also learned that the more I got the other person talking about themselves, the more I actually ended up selling.” (03:09) “Sales technology has allowed companies, sales managers and sales leaders – to be blunt – to be lazy.” (07:12) “It is really hard but you need to stay in touch with people in ways that are relevant to what they care about versus what you care about.” (17:03) “LinkedIn is really a marketing tool. It's a way to keep your brand out there.” (18:08) “Technology is only as good as the people that are leveraging the technology. And the people are only as good as the process you have in place.” (20:52) “Technology is awesome. Leverage technology to become more efficient and more effective. But, never forget that you, the salesperson, have the ability to connect with a prospect in a way that's relevant to them.” (29:20) Links Mentioned: Sam Richter on LinkedIn Sam Richter Website IntelNgin You Got The News Website Zapier Salesforce Microsoft 365 CRM Google News

Welcome to the Conscious Millionaire Show for entrepreneurs, coaches, and leaders who want to double your business, increase profits, and make a positive impact! Join host, JV Crum III, as he goes inside the minds of Millionaire Entrepreneurs and World-Class Business Experts. Today's featured episode... Sam Richter: Build High-Powered Relationships by Being Relevant! Sam Richter is the world's leading expert on sales intelligence. Through his in-person and online keynote presentations and educational programs, he annually helps tens of thousands of persons find new business opportunities, provide more client value, manage their digital reputation, and bottom line, make more money. Like this Podcast? Get every episode delivered to you free!  Subscribe in iTunes Download Your Free Money-Making Gift Now... "Born to Make Millions" Hypnotic Audio - Click Here Now! Please help spread the word. Subscribing and leaving a review helps others find our podcast. Thanks so much! Inc Magazine "Top 13 Business Podcasts." Conscious Millionaire Network has over 2,500 episodes and millions of listeners in 190 countries. Join us as a regular listener to get money-making secrets on how you can grow your business and profits faster! 

Welcome to the Conscious Millionaire Show for entrepreneurs, coaches, and leaders who want to double your business, increase profits, and make a positive impact! Join host, JV Crum III, as he goes inside the minds of Millionaire Entrepreneurs and World-Class Business Experts. Today's featured episode... Sam Richter: Build High-Powered Relationships by Being Relevant! Sam Richter is the world's leading expert on sales intelligence. Through his in-person and online keynote presentations and educational programs, he annually helps tens of thousands of persons find new business opportunities, provide more client value, manage their digital reputation, and bottom line, make more money. Like this Podcast? Get every episode delivered to you free!  Subscribe in iTunes Download Your Free Money-Making Gift Now... "Born to Make Millions" Hypnotic Audio - Click Here Now! Please help spread the word. Subscribing and leaving a review helps others find our podcast. Thanks so much! Inc Magazine "Top 13 Business Podcasts." Conscious Millionaire Network has over 2,500 episodes and millions of listeners in 190 countries. Join us as a regular listener to get money-making secrets on how you can grow your business and profits faster! 

Knowledge is power. And the more you know about prospective clients before you meet them, the more likely you can form a connection and win them as clients. Sam Richter is a best-selling author, speaker, and founder and CEO of SBR Worldwide/Know More. As […] The post Sam Richter on the Value of Knowing More About Your Clients and Prospects appeared first on Becoming Referable.

Considered a leading authority on sales intelligence and digital reputation management, bestselling author and Hall of Fame speaker Sam Richter, CSP, CPAE delivers his top-rated, incredibly dynamic, highly entertaining, and extremely high-content keynote presentations and workshop sessions to audiences worldwide.   Sam discusses the right and wrong ways of prospecting, the tools we already have, but may not know it, for prospecting, and how you can find your sales trigger! Sam also demonstrates his IntelNgin Tool!

On this week's episode of Conversational Selling, we speak with Sam Richter, founder and CEO of SBR Worldwide. He is an award-winning Hall of Fame Business Keynote Speaker and bestselling author of Take the Cold Out of Cold Calling. He's also the founder and creator of the IntelNgine | Business and Sales Intel Engine program and an expert on all things related to online information, sales success, and digital management.We discuss the quality of calls, as well as: How to apply sales intelligence How he incorporated a Boolean algorithm into an innovative search engine Using sales triggers to increase productivity and save time How to efficiently research your sales prospects Cultivating genuine interest in your leads And more...

Do you want to know how to best use technology to add value to your presentations? Listen as technology guru, Sam Richter shares his powerful tips and techniques to help you add real substance to your live or virtual presentations. In this week's powerful episode "How to Best Use Technology to Add Value to Your Presentations" you will discover... The basics you need to know about virtual presentations Why your audio quality is more important than your video quality Why Sam uses his 8-second rule How stories help answer the question "Why should I listen to this person?" How to quickly gather the right kind of information for your presentations Common mistakes to avoid when presenting virtually How to energize yourself when there's nobody else in the room with you And a whole lot more... Get your free ebook "125-Point Checklist of Profitable Income Streams for Authors" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode with Dr. Willie Jolley, creator and founder of the Know More sales and business improvement program, Sam Richter, shares information to help you massively grow your sales and influence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week's episode, we're chatting with speaker hall-of-famer, and top 25 most influential sales leaders in the world, Sam Richter. Sam is also the co-creator of the SpeakerFlow Intel Engine and has incredible depth around sales intelligence,  prospecting, and sales. Join us in this episode as we chat about how to apply sales intelligence to prospect like a pro.  No more crappy lead lists, expensive databases, or outdated association information. This is the only process you need to find highly qualified leads AND convert them into customers. Let's dive in! Show Notes: ✅ Not using the SpeakerFlow Intel Engine yet? Get it here: speakerflow.com/intel-engine/ ✅ Check out Sam's new mastermind with other sales experts: businessleadershiproundtable.com  ✅ Download the report from CEOs about what they're doing when we come out of COVID: https://richter.ck.page/2489ef9edc

Sam Richter sits down with Roland Ligtenberg to talk all things sales intelligence and digital reputation. Sales intelligence refers to technologies and practices for the collection and application of consumer data that will help you make educated decisions about your sales process for prospect and existing customers. Watch this episode & more over at https://bit.ly/protalks3.

On this week’s episode of Performance Delivered, we speak with special guest Sam Richter. Sam is the founder of High Profile Sales Coaching, as well as an award-winning keynote speaker, and the author of the best-selling book, Take The Cold Out Of Cold-Calling.

Bestselling business author Sam Richter, CSP, is considered one of the world's foremost experts on Sales Intelligence prospecting and sales meeting preparation. Sam was just named one of the “15 Highest Rated Speakers for Virtual Events.”

Paul interviews sales intelligence guru, Sam Richter. Sam shares ideas for salespeople to become more relevant with better customer research.  Show Notes: The goal is to be exceptionally relevant to what the customer cares about. Most salespeople are missing an opportunity to instantly connect with prospects at a deeper level.  CRM is more than customer relationship management; it's customer relevancy management.  In the post-COVID-19 world, information and relevancy is key. Salespeople can no longer afford to make an “irrelevant” cold call.  Understand what is relevant and align your message with what the prospect is deeply passionate about.  “Here's what salespeople are doing wrong…” “When you mention something genuine, you move up the relationship scale.” In every interaction, create value for the customer.  “In a value-added follow-up, you share something that is extremely valuable to the other person.” The following links have additional information on Sam Richter's content: www.SamRichter.com www.SellingIntel.com *** Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.  The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios. Book a complimentary consultation about your show at http://www.thecreativeimpostor.com/qanda Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day. http://www.theqandasalespodcast.com

In this episode, Ryan talks with Sam Richter, best-selling author, creator and founder of Know More sales. As a sought-after speaker on sales intelligence and digital reputation, Sam gives insight into how to ethically spy on others, through technology, with the understanding that others are also spying on you. He shares the distinction between your personal brand and your digital reputation while giving specific tips on how to manage both. Today, as we’re tied to technology more than ever, Sam’s message is timely. Enjoy! Link to further information: https://bit.ly/2UMC3yL 

Bestselling business author Sam Richter, CSP, is considered one of the world's foremost experts on Sales Intelligence prospecting and sales meeting preparation. Through his in-person motivational keynote presentations and sales workshops to his online sales training and sales search resources, Sam works with leading organizations around the globe and the results are phenomenal - not only his program reviews but also the millions of dollars of new business companies have generated directly because of the strategies and techniques that Sam shares.  

What equipment do you need to film videos on your own? It's easier than you think – you already have an advanced camera in your pocket with your phone. Chris West (@video_narrative) joins Crystal again to talk tech with some of the basic equipment you can use to get started.   How well can you your future clients find you online? Do you rank highly when someone searches for your speaking topic? Chris N. West (@ChrisNWest), a former Google employee, gives us the scoop on search engine optimization to boost your results.    Are you comfortable with sales? Or even if you are, are you getting the results you want? Sam Richter, CSP, Winter Conference 2020 co-chair (@SamRichter), dropped by Voices of Experience to share all the details on why you need to attend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What equipment do you need to film videos on your own? It's easier than you think – you already have an advanced camera in your pocket with your phone. Chris West (@video_narrative) joins Crystal again to talk tech with some of the basic equipment you can use to get started.   How well can you your future clients find you online? Do you rank highly when someone searches for your speaking topic? Chris N. West (@ChrisNWest), a former Google employee, gives us the scoop on search engine optimization to boost your results.    Are you comfortable with sales? Or even if you are, are you getting the results you want? Sam Richter, CSP, Winter Conference 2020 co-chair (@SamRichter), dropped by Voices of Experience to share all the details on why you need to attend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sam Richter is recognized as the world's leader in how to use the Internet and the "invisible web" to get intel on prospects, their organizations, and situations. We of course can than use this intel in our outreach and sales process to be more relevant, have a greater chance of standing out from all of the noise we compete with, AND have more intelligent sales conversations. Sam shares some of his ninja techniques and secrets that anyone can use right away to save time, and get more and better information more quickly.

 Discover the inside secrets about online information, how to find it in ways most never thought possible, and how to apply it to identify new opportunities, craft a digital reputation, build valuable relationships, and win more business Know how to deliver the right message to the right person at the right time Learn practical ideas you can immediately implement to improve their performance Resources/Links: Sales Intelligence Search Tip Sheet. Discover how to use search engines and other online resources to find the right prospects, at the right company, at the right time, with the right message: https://www.samrichter.com/searchtips Summary Sam Richter is an award-winning speaker and bestselling author and is considered by many to be the "father" of sales intelligence and digital reputation management. He has been named one of the worlds Top 25 Most Influential Sales Leaders and has trained tens of thousands of people around the globe. In this episode, Sam shares how to find the right prospect at the right time, with the right message. Check out these episode highlights: 01:27 – Sam's ideal client: I think it's anybody involved in sales. So, I really enjoy working with salespeople, individuals. 02:24 – Problem he helps solve: I think in today's sales world, what's kind of crazy is we have access to more information than probably at any time in history at our fingertips, right? Yet, how many times Tom do you get an email from somebody or a LinkedIn connection that's completely irrelevant, or a sales call or even meet with somebody for coffee and they know nothing about you? So, in a crazy way, we have access to more information, but yet, most people have information overload. There's so much stuff out there, we don't even know where to start. So, you know, what I really teach is how to find that information quickly, the right information. 03:20 – Typical symptoms people experience with that problem? I think they're overwhelmed. And they sometimes, you know, it's a salesperson that oftentimes is feeling that you know, they're getting a lot of rejection, they're not connecting with people. 05:36 – Common mistakes people make when trying to solve that problem: It's the smiling and dialing. 'Hey, let's go buy a list, or let's use one of those Robo LinkedIn things. And you know, eventually, if I send out enough messages, somebody is going to be interested. And again, mathematically, that'll work. What I find is too often when you do that, yes, you might get lucky that somebody will interact with you, but usually, that person will be interested in lower price versus highest value.' 06:17 – Sam's Valuable Free Action(VFA): Make sure you get some news articles about what's going on in the other person's world before you pick up the phone, before you email. It's amazing what can happen when you just have a little piece of information. How do you do it? Simple. Go to Google type in the name of a company or a person, but usually a company. Now make sure if it's a multi-company name, like Acme Corporation, put that name within quotation marks when you put it within quotation marks, Google will treat that as a single entity. On the results page, you're going to get a, you're going to see some tabs underneath the Google search form. One of them is news, click on that. Now if it's a larger company, you'll get a bunch of news articles. What you can do then there's a little button on the right-hand side called tools, click on the tools button, a drop-down menu will appear. Click on the anytime drop-down menu. And you can sort your news articles by date.

 Discover the inside secrets about online information, how to find it in ways most never thought possible, and how to apply it to identify new opportunities, craft a digital reputation, build valuable relationships, and win more business Know how to deliver the right message to the right person at the right time Learn practical ideas you can immediately implement to improve your client prospecting Resources/Links: Sales Intelligence Search Tip Sheet. Discover how to use search engines and other online resources to find the right prospects, at the right company, at the right time, with the right message: https://www.samrichter.com/searchtips Summary Sam Richter is an award-winning speaker and bestselling author and is considered by many to be the "father" of sales intelligence and digital reputation management. He has been named one of the world's Top 25 Most Influential Sales Leaders and has trained tens of thousands of people around the globe. In this episode, Sam shares how to find the right prospect at the right time, with the right message. Check out these episode highlights: 01:27 – Sam's ideal client: I think it's anybody involved in sales. So, I really enjoy working with salespeople, individuals. 02:24 – Problem he helps solve: I think in today's sales world, what's kind of crazy is we have access to more information than probably at any time in history at our fingertips, right? Yet, how many times Tom do you get an email from somebody or a LinkedIn connection that's completely irrelevant, or a sales call or even meet with somebody for coffee and they know nothing about you? So, in a crazy way, we have access to more information, but yet, most people have information overload. There's so much stuff out there, we don't even know where to start. So, you know, what I really teach is how to find that information quickly, the right information. 03:20 – Typical symptoms people experience with that problem? I think they're overwhelmed. And they sometimes, you know, it's a salesperson that oftentimes is feeling that you know, they're getting a lot of rejection, they're not connecting with people. 05:36 – Common mistakes people make when trying to solve that problem: It's the smiling and dialing. 'Hey, let's go buy a list, or let's use one of those Robo LinkedIn things. And you know, eventually, if I send out enough messages, somebody is going to be interested. And again, mathematically, that'll work. What I find is too often when you do that, yes, you might get lucky that somebody will interact with you, but usually, that person will be interested in lower price versus highest value.' 06:17 – Sam's Valuable Free Action(VFA): Make sure you get some news articles about what's going on in the other person's world before you pick up the phone, before you email. It's amazing what can happen when you just have a little piece of information. How do you do it? Simple. Go to Google type in the name of a company or a person, but usually a company. Now make sure if it's a multi-company name, like Acme Corporation, put that name within quotation marks when you put it within quotation marks, Google will treat that as a single entity. On the results page, you're going to get a, you're going to see some tabs underneath the Google search form. One of them is news, click on that. Now if it's a larger company, you'll get a bunch of news articles. What you can do then there's a little button on the right-hand side called tools, click on the tools button, a drop-down menu will appear. Click on the anytime drop-down menu. And you can sort your news articles by date. That helps you make sure the first words out of your mouth in any sales call, email, LinkedIn connection, is about the other person. Now there's another website that will automate that for you a little bit. It's called yougotthenews.com, www.you Y-O-U, got G-O-T,

“Every salesperson worries about their strategies becoming stale, especially when approaching buyers for the first time. If you wonder how you can approach cold calls and meetings with a fresh mindset, then this episode is for you.”   Episode Overview In this episode, Bruce Scheer talks to Sam Richter about the importance of research for improving the quality of your sales calls and meetings. Sam is the founder and CEO of SBR Worldwide / Know More and author of Take the Cold Out of Cold Calling. In addition to his extensive sales experience and numerous awards, he has also built a reputation as a pioneer of modern-day sales intelligence and has developed digital resources and search engines to streamline sales meeting preparation.   Sales Intelligence as a Gateway to Better Sales Meetings As our society becomes more focused on digital technologies, salespeople must learn to adapt not only to the changes in the market but also to the changes in the expectations of prospective buyers. In particular, good salespeople must pay attention to the sales strategies that work and don't work in the modern sales environment. Many sales are conducted using the method of the “cold call,” an unsolicited sale conducted on the phone or in person. Today, the tactics of the classic cold call have fallen out of favor, mainly because they are viewed as formulaic and predictable, making them an annoyance for many potential clients. Most prospective buyers are used to the questions we have been asking for years, and they can often sense the fishing expedition that cold calls create. As a result, many prospective buyers are more likely to show you the door than they are to purchase your product or service. Sam Richter argues that we can take the “cold” out of the cold call by learning how to acquire “sales intelligence.” Today, we'll take a look at the what, why, and how of sales intelligence.   What is sales intelligence? Sales intelligence involves using the Internet and other digital tools to learn information about the people you hope to sell to, which you can then use in a sales meeting to create stronger connections with buyers. Good sales intelligence begins with several key questions: What is going on in the world of the company? If you have a personal meeting, you should ask the same question about the people you will meet. What is essential to the company or the people you will meet that might make them interested in your solution in the immediate moment? How do you make your sales pitch relevant to the company and the people involved in a meeting? Alternatively, what will motivate the buyer to say “yes”? Effectively, sales intelligence is a different kind of pre-meeting preparation that turns the conversation from you to the buyer. Unlike the traditional cold call method, sales intelligence asks you to consider the type of connections you wish to create with your buyers and to redirect your research to find those points of connection. In doing so, you gain focus for a sales conversation and learn to ask meaningful and useful questions before, during, and after a call or meeting.   Why does sales intelligence matter, and how can it improve your sales? Before the Internet, many buyers would give a salesperson an hour or two in order to learn more about the product and the people selling it. Today, buyers have what Sam Richter calls “buyer's intelligence.” They look up the sellers they plan to interact with and prepare themselves for meetings with specific goals in mind. Sellers, however, don't often do this. Instead, they come ready to talk about themselves even though the buyer is more interested in discussing who they are, what they need, and so on. However, a buyer is less likely to take you seriously if you come to the table with the same strategies as every other salesperson with which they have interacted. Effectively, failing to do your homework gives a buyer the firm impression that you are lazy and disinterested. After all, the one thing most people are ultimately passionate about is themselves. Buyers are no different, and the key to reaching them is learning how to show real interest in them. Another way to think about sales intelligence is by looking at the difference between what Sam Richter calls “low price game” and “high price game”: In a “low price game,” a seller treats a cold call or a meeting as a means to make a sale. Making a sale is every seller's ultimate goal, but if you overly focus on making the sale, you will likely ignore the value of what you are offering. In a “high price game,” a seller treats a cold call or a meeting as a means to provide value. Effectively, salespeople who care about and show genuine interest in what a prospective buyer is doing are engaged in “high price game.” Both of these forms suggest that sales are fundamentally about mindset. If your mindset centers on what you will get out of a sales conversation, you'll not only have less success but you'll also find sales less enjoyable. However, if your mindset focuses on trying to help a prospective buyer achieve their goals, you'll find sales more meaningful and more fun. For this reason, Sam Richter thinks sales can be “the most noble profession.”   How do you motivate yourself to do the work of sales intelligence? There are two significant reasons why you should take sales intelligence seriously: Increasing your bottom lineTo put it more bluntly:  acquiring sales intelligence can increase your chances of making a sale! Personal motivationsIf you're the type of person who knows what to expect in a sales conversation – cold call or otherwise – then you have an incentive to acquire information about a potential client that will lead to more direct sales meetings. You should also think about the reasons you want to succeed as a salesperson beyond the immediate gratification of making a sale. Naturally, these two points rely heavily on your ultimate goals. It is good practice to establish those goals both on a professional and personal level so you can be strategic about your sales methods and outreach.   What can you do to build sales intelligence? There are a variety of things you can do to acquire sales intelligence, though we only have room to cover a few of them here. Sam Richter has four tips for acquiring sales intelligence: Use Google News or YouGotTheNews.com to find information about a company. If your search does not turn up information on a company, try looking at their industry. You can also use the Sales Intel Engine to simplify and focus your searches. Use the same resources for the people involved in your meeting to find common points of interest or unique professional details that might be relevant to a meeting. You can also look at their LinkedIn profiles to find some of this information. Make sure that your first words during the meeting are about them and their world. Use the 3/5 (3 minutes to find five pieces of information) or the 5/3 (5 minutes to find three pieces of information) model to streamline your search process. Following these essential tips will lead to you asking better questions and making stronger connections with your prospective buyers. For additional resources, see the links in the Resources section below. All of this begins with you. Focus your sales mindset on “high price game” when conducting your outreach, and look towards relevance, value, and points of connection in your research about an industry, a company, or an individual. You will become a more effective and conscientious salesperson and maintain a continued passion for sales.   Key Takeaways: Sales intelligence is a type of pre-meeting preparation that involves using digital tools such as the Internet to learn more about the people we plan to interact with in cold calls or sales meetings. Focus on finding 3-5 pieces of relevant information about a company or its employees to create stronger connections to prospective buyers. Good salespeople know that showing genuine interest in your prospective buyers creates more meaningful sales situations and makes sales more fun. Buyers are adept at detecting a fishing expedition, so the more you can do to differentiate yourself from the crowd will improve your chances of getting the “Yes” for a meeting or a sale. There are good incentives for acquiring sales intelligence, including increasing your sales and helping you fulfill your personal motivations as a salesperson. Both are important as motivators for switching sales strategies to include better sales intelligence.   Resources: Sam's Links:  Take the Cold Out of Cold Calling Sam's Know More University Sam's free tools to help you improve your background research Sam's Bio Connect with Sam on LinkedIn Sam's Sales Intelligence Search Engine (I'm personally a paying subscriber!) Additional Reading:   To Sell is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others by Daniel H. Pink   For More Great Content Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review this show on Apple Podcasts. Here's a cool short video that shows you how to do this. Your feedback is greatly appreciated and will help me promote the show to others who will benefit from the insights provided by my guests.   Credits Audio Editing and Production by ChirpSound Show Notes and Additional Writing by Shaun Duke from The Duke of Editing

  Today, The Wealthy Speaker Podcast is being brought to you by the Inner Circle Mastermind.  Want to earn higher fees, book business at leading industry events and set your business up to scale?  That's The Inner Circle Mastermind program—a 12-month, time-tested program designed to help you lay down a foundation, accelerate and scale your business!  If you want to be above average and you want to have a coach at your side, drop me […] The post Sales Intel for Speakers with Sam Richter appeared first on Jane Atkinson.

Sam Richter is an award-winning speaker and best-selling author and is considered one of the world’s top experts on sales intelligence and online reputation management. He has been named one of the world’s Top 25 Most Influential Sales Leaders and has trained leading organizations and entertained tens of thousands of persons around the globe. Sam’s proven techniques for leveraging online information to grow sales has directly resulted in millions of dollars of new business for his clients and program attendees. He is also the CEO of SBR/Know more and the author of the book "Take the Cold out of Cold Calling." During our interview we discussed: - What is sales intelligence and why is it critical to success in modern selling. - Sam shares the #1 strategy he uses to get clients for his business. - Rather than cold calling, Sam shares his "warm calling" strategy. - Sam shares a customer success story where one of his clients was able to leverage sales intelligence to see significant growth. - He shares 5 ways to find good sales intelligence on your prospects and customers. - What are sales triggers and how to use sales intelligence to break through the noise by differentiating yourself. - We talk about Sam's new online tool for sale people that saves tons of times gather sales intelligence. - Sam shares what he would do different to grow his business faster if he had to do it all over again. - He also shares his favorite growth tool/software. - Sam shares his top book recommendation. Here are Sam's websites: www.samrichter.com www.sellingintel.com

Sam Richter is a best-selling author, speaker, and creator of Know More University. As a thought leader on sales intelligence, he helps professionals learn the inside secrets for finding and controlling information, and then leveraging it to build valuable business relationships. Sam serves on […] The post Sam Richter on Selling Intelligently appeared first on Becoming Referable.

Sam Richter is Founder and CEO of SBR Worldwide/Know More, and author of the bestseller called, Take the Cold Out of Cold Calling.

Sam is the world's leading expert on sales intelligence. Through his in-person and online keynote presentations and educational programs, he annually helps tens of thousands of persons find new business opportunities, provide more client value, manage their digital reputation, and bottom line, make more money. Get the 5 proven steps to rapidly grow your business, make a bigger impact, and achieve your First Million. Attend the next LIVE First Million Webinar  with international business coach JV Crum III.  Like this Podcast? Then get every episode delivered to YOU!  Subscribe in iTunes Please help spread the word. Subscribing and leaving a review helps other business owners and entrepreneurs find our podcast…and make their big difference. They will thank you for it.   Conscious Millionaire Podcast: With over 500 episodes and 10 Million Listeners in 176 countries, this is the podcast for business owners and coaches who want to grow their businesses, make a bigger impact, and ultimately achieve their First Million! JV interviews the top entrepreneurs, experts, authors, and coaches on how to get the right mindset, develop your business systems, and execute to achieve bigger results, faster!

Sam is the world's leading expert on sales intelligence. Through his in-person and online keynote presentations and educational programs, he annually helps tens of thousands of persons find new business opportunities, provide more client value, manage their digital reputation, and bottom line, make more money. Get the 5 proven steps to rapidly grow your business, make a bigger impact, and achieve your First Million. Attend the next LIVE First Million Webinar  with international business coach JV Crum III.  Like this Podcast? Then get every episode delivered to YOU!  Subscribe in iTunes Please help spread the word. Subscribing and leaving a review helps other business owners and entrepreneurs find our podcast…and make their big difference. They will thank you for it.   Conscious Millionaire Podcast: With over 500 episodes and 10 Million Listeners in 176 countries, this is the podcast for business owners and coaches who want to grow their businesses, make a bigger impact, and ultimately achieve their First Million! JV interviews the top entrepreneurs, experts, authors, and coaches on how to get the right mindset, develop your business systems, and execute to achieve bigger results, faster!

Does posting about things like politics that polarize people make business sense? Sam Richter certainly has an opinion on this - and he has proof to back it up based on conversations he's had with event planners. Sam Richter is an expert in sales intelligence and reputation management - so not only does he have anecdotal evidence on this - he's done the research to make this work.  In this conversation, Sam and I talk about statistics, reputation management, and much more. Connect with Sam Richter The best place to connect with Sam Richter is at his website, where he has all his intelligence tools and more. 

What's the best way to get prospects to pay attention to you? Be relevant! Learn how to do the research, and more importantly, position what you find to capture your prospect's attention. Sam Richter is a guru on the inside secrets of Sales Intelligence, Social Selling / social media, online reputation management, and personal branding. Sam helps salespeople […]

What’s the best way to get prospects to pay attention to you? Be relevant! Learn how to do the research, and more importantly, position what you find to capture your prospect’s attention. Sam Richter is a guru on the inside secrets of Sales Intelligence, Social Selling / social media, online reputation management, and personal branding. Sam helps salespeople and business professionals make more money by being more relevant. He delivers motivating and entertaining keynote presentations and workshops — that’s where I first met Sam and he blew me away. I thought I was a research master, he showed me tricks that make a huge difference. Sam curates an online learning and resource center, http://knowmorecenter.com/ to help people discover new business opportunities, generate more qualified leads, gain permission to ask more probing questions, provide more value, and win more business. This guy will write a search engine at the drop of a hat to help you find the information, the people, and the opportunity to disrupt your sales. He wrote the book Take the Cold out of Cold Calling… currently available in downloadable form from SamRichter.com Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Here’s How » Join the Selling Disruption Show Community today: sellingdisruptionshow.com Selling Disruption Show Facebook Selling Disruption Show LinkedIn

How do you prepare for your advisor meetings? For most wholesalers the checklist includes: - Sales literature in bag - Trinkets and trash in trunk - Boarding pass on iphone But the most important element of appointment preparation is one that too few wholesalers do. Sam Richter is the founder of the #1-rated Know More business improvement program and author of the award-winning and best-selling “Take the Cold Out of Cold Calling” book. Sam is considered the world's foremost expert on Sales Intelligence – finding information and then using it to identity new opportunities, win more business, and to build deeper and more meaningful business relationships. Learn how to grow your business through better information at Sam's Know More University Center Book Sam for your next event through Wholesaler Masterminds Speakers Bureau.

Sam Richter, one of the top 25 influential people joins Bex at the Womans Club Stewdio, for a wonderful interview opportunity! Get some of the secrets Sam prides himself on.

Welcome to the podcast.  I just got back from Ft. Worth, TX with the Keller Williams team and had a great conference.  I really wanted to talk to you today about mastermind groups.  I have been able to spend some time with Ross Bernstein, Sam Richter, Ed Robinson, Michael Hoffman, Jim Pancero and Anna Liota through the mastermind groups that I am in.  It made me realize that I need to share with you the value of the mastermind groups.   Why Should You Create A Mastermind?   Enables you to get around people that are smarter than you are. Different people with different businesses bring different perspectives. You have people willing to challenge you and willing to be challenged by you. You can hold each other accountable for taking the action to make you better. 5.    It is a great community to build and you can enjoy each other while growing is outstanding.     How To Create a Mastermind     Keep the group fairly small.  5-9 seems to be the perfect number.    Agree to meet a certain number of times per year and block off your calendar for that.   Introduce your business; including where you are and where you want to be, and the     obstacles preventing you from getting from point A to point B.   Ask questions of each other to clarify.   Present ideas and solutions to act on.   Your job is just to receive the ideas without any rebuttal, and take notes.   Have each person present at least one best practice.   Consider putting together a mastermind group to help you grow to a place that you would have never imagined before.       LQOW:  “I am beginning to get a little overwhelmed and I can see that it’s going to be really tough moving forward.  What are your suggestions?”  Helen -  Atlanta, GA

Maya Hu-Chan expert in global leadership, cross-cultural business skills and executive coaching. She was rated Top 8 Global Solutions Thinkers by Thinkers50, World Top 30 Leadership Gurus, and Top 100 Thought Leaders in Management & Leadership. Harvard Business School has chosen her book “Global Leadership: The Next Generation” to be one of their Working Knowledge recommended books. Maya is also the contributing author for ten books on leadership and management.  John Dewberry Co-Founder and Vice President of GES Home Solutions, Inc. a non-profit organization, based in FL and created to provide real “right now” solutions for homeowners facing foreclosure and restoration to the American economy. Prior to establishing GES Home Solution, Inc. He spent years as a trusted lending and real estate broker. As the housing market began to change he could see the effect it was having on those coming to him for help, and knew that families were in desperate trouble. After much time spent in prayer and consideration about what could be done differently to help homeowners who are facing foreclosure, the inspiration to start GES Home Solutions, Inc. was born Sam Richter internationally recognized expert on sales and marketing, a best-selling author and award-winning writer. His best-selling book, “Take the Cold Out of Cold Calling” is in multiple editions and was named 2012 Sales Book of the Year.  Through his Know More! business improvement programs, Sam has trained leading organizations and entertained tens of thousands of persons around the world  

Sam is an internationally recognized expert on sales intelligence and online reputation management. For the past three years has been named one of the world’s Top 25 Most Influential Sales Leaders, and his best-selling book, "Take the Cold Out of Cold Calling" was named Sales Book of the Year.  Through his Know More! business improvement programs, he has trained leading organizations and entertained tens of thousands of people around the globe. His proven techniques for leveraging online information to grow sales has directly resulted in millions of dollars of new business for his clients and program attendees. Sam serves on the boards of directors for numerous technology companies, and he is a past finalist for Inc. Magazine Entrepreneur of the Year.  Inside this FREE “First Millionaire Manifesto”, J V reveals the seven steps to seven figures and how to put more money in the bank, enjoy a richly rewarding life, and make a big difference. Subscribe in iTunes Like this Podcast? Help spread the word. Subscribing and leaving a review helps other business owners and entrepreneurs find our podcast…and make their big difference. They will thank you for it.   Watch this FREE Video to discover the Secrets to getting in your zone, achieving fast results, and building a high-profit conscious business.  Conscious Millionaire Podcast: On his free podcast, Monday through Friday, J V interviews top successful entrepreneurs and business owners who reveal their business solutions and business opportunities on topics such as: conscious business, social entrepreneurship, business online marketing, internet business solutions, internet marketing, team building and culture, goal setting, how to become a wealthy entrepreneur, and developing a high-profit business plan that will change lives and the world.

Sam is an internationally recognized expert on sales intelligence and online reputation management. For the past three years has been named one of the world's Top 25 Most Influential Sales Leaders, and his best-selling book, "Take the Cold Out of Cold Calling" was named Sales Book of the Year.  Through his Know More! business improvement programs, he has trained leading organizations and entertained tens of thousands of people around the globe. His proven techniques for leveraging online information to grow sales has directly resulted in millions of dollars of new business for his clients and program attendees. Sam serves on the boards of directors for numerous technology companies, and he is a past finalist for Inc. Magazine Entrepreneur of the Year.  Inside this FREE “First Millionaire Manifesto”, J V reveals the seven steps to seven figures and how to put more money in the bank, enjoy a richly rewarding life, and make a big difference. Subscribe in iTunes Like this Podcast? Help spread the word. Subscribing and leaving a review helps other business owners and entrepreneurs find our podcast…and make their big difference. They will thank you for it.   Watch this FREE Video to discover the Secrets to getting in your zone, achieving fast results, and building a high-profit conscious business.  Conscious Millionaire Podcast: On his free podcast, Monday through Friday, J V interviews top successful entrepreneurs and business owners who reveal their business solutions and business opportunities on topics such as: conscious business, social entrepreneurship, business online marketing, internet business solutions, internet marketing, team building and culture, goal setting, how to become a wealthy entrepreneur, and developing a high-profit business plan that will change lives and the world.

Listen to this interview to learn: How information gives you a competitive advantage with your own confidence. Tips and tricks for accessing specific sites and finding important file types online. Where to go to access exclusive and very expensive database resources at no charge. The importance of recognizing and developing your skills with both the art and science of online research. Sam Richter talks with Bill Ringle about overcoming the excuses to taking advantage of the rich resources for business relationship development available on the Internet.

Listen to this interview to learn: How information gives you a competitive advantage with your own confidence. Tips and tricks for accessing specific sites and finding important file types online. Where to go to access exclusive and very expensive database resources at no charge. The importance of recognizing and developing your skills with both the art and science of online research. Sam Richter talks with Bill Ringle about overcoming the excuses to taking advantage of the rich resources for business relationship development available on the Internet.

September 2, 2014 Smart Sales with Sam Richter & Entrepreneur Expert Katherine Keller

Every sales manager has the expectation, every salesperson hates to do it, but calling on people you don’t know is a reality of being in sales. Sam Richter ended up in sales out of necessity. Not knowing how to prospect, he turned his marketing skills to the Internet and learned, with just five minutes of sales intelligence, what he needed to know about the person, company, industry, and competition to turn a cold call into a warm conversation. Sam shares with BizTalk Host Jim Lobaito, his web search secrets from his best-selling book Take the Cold Out of Cold Calling.

I’m back!   After a one week hiatus, Startup BizCast returns for episode 58.   This show ran a touch long, due to having listener feedback and a longish interview.   Both were so good, however, that I just couldn’t chop any more out.   So … the show is 15 seconds longer than my […] The post Startup BizCast #58 – Warming Your Cold Calls (Sam Richter) first appeared on EndGame Public Relations.

I’m back!   After a one week hiatus, Startup BizCast returns for episode 58.   This show ran a touch long, due to having listener feedback and a longish interview.   Both were so good, however, that I just couldn’t chop any more out.   So … the show is 15 seconds longer than my […]