You're Going To Be Great At This!

In a recent episode of "You’re Going To Be Great At This!", I talked with email marketing expert Amy Benicewicz about the evolving landscape of digital communication. The conversation centers on how businesses can move beyond basic newsletters to create meaningful, high-converting connections with their audience. Amy shared her "awesome advice" for anyone looking to refine their strategy, emphasizing that email remains one of the most powerful tools in a marketer’s arsenal when used with intention. One of the primary takeaways was the importance of "knowing your why" before hitting send. Amy explained that many businesses fail because they treat email as a chore rather than a strategic opportunity. She encourages marketers to define the specific goal of every campaign—whether it’s to educate, entertain, or sell—and to ensure that the content provides genuine value to the recipient. By focusing on the user’s needs first, brands can build the trust necessary...

In the noisy world of modern sales, standing out is no longer just about having a great product; it’s about creating a great first impression. In a recent episode of the "You're Going To Be Great At This" podcast, Elizabeth Brewington joins the conversation to dive deep into how professionals can effectively grab a prospect's attention. The discussion emphasizes that in an era of digital overload, the traditional "cold" approach is evolving into a more personalized strategy that prioritizes human connection over generic scripts. One of the foundational pillars discussed is the importance of pre-call research. Brewington highlights that generic outreach is often ignored because it lacks relevance. By taking just a few minutes to look into a prospect’s recent milestones, LinkedIn activity, or company news, you can transform a cold lead into a warm conversation. This preparation allows you to show the prospect that you have invested time in understanding their ...

In a world where automation and AI are becoming the standard, human-centric service is no longer just a "nice-to-have"—it is a competitive advantage. In a recent episode of the "You're Going To Be Great At This" podcast, Dave Gulas,  co-founder of EZDC 3PL and host of the Beyond Fulfillment podcast, tells us about how he makes customer service a priority while making the most of his competitors' complacency. We also discuss 3PL's (third party logistics) and how they help online businesses. He also  shared his philosophy on how to bake customer service into the very DNA of an organization. Dave emphasizes that you cannot provide world-class service to your clients if you aren’t providing it to your employees first. When employees feel supported, valued, and empowered, that positive energy naturally overflows into their interactions with customers. One of the simplest yet most effective ways to stand out is through responsiveness. Dave discusses the impor...

On a recent episode of the "You're Going To Great At This" podcast, I interviewed Stone Payton, the co-founder of Business RadioX, about his journey in entrepreneurship, the mechanics of scaling a business, and the power of professional coaching. Stone shared his background and how he transitioned into the world of business media. One of the key takeaways was that scaling isn't just about getting bigger; it's about creating systems and processes that allow the business to run without the constant intervention of the founder. Even those that may sound easy, but it can be a long and time consuming process.  Unlike traditional "hard sell" tactics, Payton also advocates for building genuine relationships. His "pro-relationship" approach to business development, which focuses on providing value first. This process also can take time, but it can also produce much more success and help grow a much more sustainable business.  Of course, this all goes h...

Networking is important for the success of our business, sales goals, and even personal relationships. Meeting people and building a rapport with them can lead to other introductions and referrals. But what should you do after a networking event to increase the odds of meeting your goals? Years ago, I would go to a networking event and hand out business cards like I was dealing poker. People would be polite and say "thank you" with an occasional "I'll give you a call". Of course, they did not call. Disappointed, I would question why I should bother and ask myself how this was working for other people. A coworker explained that I needed to be more proactive. Instead of handing out my cards (which are not cheap, by the way), I should be collecting cards from others, and following up on my own. This worked and I was soon booking appointments and getting some traction. Recently, I had Dorien Morin-Van Dam, host of the Strategy Talks podcast (a great listen) and we ...

I recently had the pleasure of guesting on Dave Campbell's "Living The Next Chapter" podcast, which focuses on authors and their books. I had a great time talking about the writing process and my unique way of promoting them. When I was in the process of starting my podcast, I did a search on Spotify and discovered Dave's "How To Podcast" show, which I suggest to anyone considering starting a podcast. At the end of the episode, Dave mentioned that he had a meetup group and that they discussed the podcasting world.  I tuned in and immediately felt welcomed by the group. I learned a lot about the process, but more importantly, I met some great people who were also beginners, as well as others who were veteran podcasters. An interesting note about Dave is that he has 9 podcasts, and how he does it, I'll never figure out. But his knowledge and willingness to help others demonstrate what a good guy he is. Give it a listen and check out Dave's other podcas...

As entrepreneurs, business owners and other self-employed types, we are always try to learn how to work efficiently, maximize profits and keep our focus on the future. Sometimes, we overlook an obvious resource. By listening to the stories of how others in our shoes have made the journey to successful business person, we can see how our own stories are either similar or completely different. I personally love reading biographies of successful business people throughout history. Recently I finished David McCullough's book, "The Wright Brothers". Most of us know the story of these two bicycle shop owners who figured out how to fly and control the flight. However, there were other parts of this story that I learned. Their tenacity, business acumen and planning were integral to their success.  This is usually the case of most successful people.  By reading or hearing of these kinds of examples, we can look at our experiences to learn as well. Recently I had Adam Griggs of the...

For those of us who are in sales or are self-employed, we tend to concentrate on marketing, networking, production numbers and other factors that affect the bottom line. However, we often overlook an important factor. When considering your state of mind when selling, one should also how they feel physically as well. By exercising and staying healthy, we are more productive, can increase our working years and be more effective.  Victor Fernandes of Fernandesfit.com was a guest on a recent episode of my podcast and we discussed how staying healthy and moving our bodies can impact the success of our business.  Coincidentally, I was a guest on his podcast as well, which is on YouTube . In both of these we talk about getting up out of the chair and keeping healthy by doing the "small things", like drinking water and walking. Small changes can make a big difference! Chris Castane s is a humorous speaker who helps sales people succeed through workshops and humorous presentations. H...

I met Carl Willis a few years ago through LinkedIn and I immediately was struck by his generosity. He is always happy to get on a Zoom call or accept my invitation to appear on my podcast. He has even invited me on his podcast, as well as other online events like his webinar.  In this episode, Carl and I discuss working on skillset, and more specifically, communicating your business' mission online. Listen in and let me know what you think. And please subscribe/follow the podcast! Chris Castane s is a humorous speaker who helps sales people succeed through workshops and humorous presentations. His new book, "Nearly Motivated" is available on Amazon. For booking information,  click here . His new podcast,  "You're Going To Be Great At This!"  is available on most platforms.   He's also the president of  Surf Financial Brokers  selling life and disability insurance in several states.

One of the biggest obstacles we face in our careers as business owners, sales reps and other self-employed folk, is getting our mental blocks out of the way so we can succeed.  Carl Willis of Remodeling Marketing Team and I talk about optimizing your mindset for hitting goals and making more money.  By knowing who your customer is and understanding what problem your product or service solves, you can get better clarity around your business.  Carl shares a good story of an entrepreneur who was undervaluing her work, and by virtue, underpricing her product. Take a listen and please follow/subscribe.  Chris Castane s is a humorous speaker who helps sales people succeed through workshops and humorous presentations. His new book, "Nearly Motivated" is available on Amazon. For booking information,  click here . His new podcast,  "You're Going To Be Great At This!"  is available on most platforms.   He's also the president of  Surf Financial Br...

As someone who is self-employed, I have found that a great way to get my message out and to network with people I want to meet. By joining my local chamber of commerce, I've met great people, become referable and learned about all kinds of businesses that I didn't know existed. In an episode of the "You're Going To Be Great At This" podcast, I talked with Wendy Malenfant of the Little River (SC) Chamber of Commerce and we discussed the perks of joining a chamber.  I sincerely hope you find value in our podcast and ask that you follow/subscribe.  Chris Castane s is a humorous speaker who helps sales people succeed through workshops and humorous presentations. His new book, "Nearly Motivated" is available on Amazon. For booking information,  click here . His new podcast,  "You're Going To Be Great At This!"  is available on most platforms.   He's also the president of  Surf Financial Brokers  selling life and disability insurance in sever...

I recently had a great talk with Dave Campbell from True Media Solutions and host of 9 (!) podcasts. We discussed how people don't take action and delay their goals because they are waiting to learn more and their desire to make it "right the first time".  If you are in the process of starting a business, a podcast or any other project, and you keep putting it off until you think the time is right, now is a great time to listen. And please subscribe or follow. Chris Castane s is a humorous speaker who helps sales people succeed through workshops and humorous presentations. His new book, "Nearly Motivated" is available on Amazon. For booking information,  click here . His new podcast,  "You're Going To Be Great At This!"  is available on most platforms.   He's also the president of  Surf Financial Brokers  selling life and disability insurance in several states.

We all want to land that one big prospect that can make our month or year. But how do we work on that "whale" while working our usual market? In this episode of our podcast, I discuss how to recognize which ones of these "whales" we are targeting and how to turn them from prospect to client. As always, I appreciate your support. Please follow/subscribe to the podcast. Thanks! Chris Castane s is a humorous speaker who helps sales people succeed through workshops and humorous presentations. His new book, "Nearly Motivated" is available on Amazon. For booking information,  click here . His new podcast,  "You're Going To Be Great At This!"  is available on most platforms.   He's also the president of  Surf Financial Brokers  selling life and disability insurance in several states.

In today's fast-paced world, staying connected and informed is key to successful networking. Imagine having a tool that keeps you updated on your prospects' achievements and interests without lifting a finger. Enter Google Alerts—an easy way to keep your network engaged and your name top of mind. Google Alerts allows you to monitor the web for specific keywords, such as a prospect's name or industry-related topics. When you set up alerts, you receive notifications whenever new content appears online. This enables you to congratulate a contact on a recent achievement or share relevant articles, demonstrating your attentiveness and interest in their success.  Consider a scenario where a client, Mary Johnson*, is mentioned in an article for her outstanding work. With Google Alerts, you receive this information promptly and can reach out with a congratulatory message. This small gesture can strengthen your relationship and keep you in their thoughts for future opportunities. Ne...

I was pretty surprised when I saw that my last blog post was several months ago. Time really does fly when you're having fun, or in my case, just having a busy workload. In the last few months I've been on the road for an approximate total of 9 weeks. Needless to say I get less than motivated to work in a hotel room after selling insurance for 8 hours, so blogging isn't on my "to do" list. While driving in my car during these trips I try to make my time productive my listening to podcasts on business and marketing. I'm not sure if someone was trying to tell me something but over the course of a week or so, I heard 4 episodes on how starting a podcast can help boost your business. After mulling this over and considering my options, I decided to take the plunge and start one myself. I've had a YouTube channel for a while which is fine, but I wanted to do something a little different. So I decided to start the "You're Going To Be Great At This!"...

This blog usually has actionable sales tips and advice to help you succeed in your business. This time, I wanted to take a look at another part of your business, which is scheduling appointments or sales calls or whatever you need to schedule.  Having a scheduling calendar that your prospects can make your job so much easier. Instead of calling back and forth to pin a time to meet down, you can let your prospect/client pick their own time. According to FinancesOnline.com, online scheduling can lead to 26% more customers, so sharing your calendar is a real no-brainer. I have a Google calendar that I use to book appointments, but I have also been using Calendly and sharing it on my website and social media. The two calendars are supposed to sync up to avoid double bookings, but recently I discovered an issue.  I had blocked out a couple of days on my Google calendar for a business conference, but Calendly was still showing those days as available. After trying to find a way to f...

If you're anything like me, you hate to cold call. Especially when the weather is nasty. But when I first started out in the business, I had to "drop in" on people because I didn't have any contacts or referral sources.  Working in a B2B setting was difficult to get the decision maker when he or she was out playing golf or "taking the rest of the day off" when it was nice and sunny. I did realize, however, that the odds of contacting business owner and manager increased greatly when the weather was bad. I also realized that the worse the weather was, my competitors wouldn't be out in it either. That left me, alone in the rain or sleet or hail, to call on prospects that I wanted to convert to customers. And it worked more often than not. If you're having a hard time trying to pin your B2B prospect down, try making an in-person visit or a phone call when the weather is bad. It may work for you.    Chris Castane s is a humorous speaker who helps sales ...

A friend of mine recently did some contract work for a company. The project took several weeks and the work was much more detailed than my friend anticipated. Not only was the work itself difficult, but so were the other people who he had to deal with while completing the designs and other specifications.  When he was done he did something very important. He waited a few days and then took an objective look at the entire process, where he discovered what worked well, what didn't work well and the lessons he learned in the process. He even posted all of this information in a "bullet point" style on social media. With that information, his future projects will be somewhat easier if he runs into the same issues. Many people in sales and marketing fail to do this. If something works well, they just move on to the next deal. But if they hit a snag and fail to get the sale, they complain about something, usually the client or the working conditions, without having an honest ass...

Many of us who have been in sales and marketing for a while have been fortunate to have someone mentor us early on in our careers. The best mentors help us negotiate the potential roadblocks that could keep us from sales success. We lean on them because if we can learn from their mistakes, we won't make as many of our own. As I have said in the past, a good mentor should have no financial connection to your business. I'm not saying they can't, but the best possible scenario is one in which their income doesn't depend on your production, like a manager. And although they may be a good mentor, it's not ideal. When I first got into  door-to-door  selling insurance I didn't know what a mentor was. But there was a kindly older man who felt bad for me and the rest of our sales crew. He'd always say something like, "You're doin' good! Hang in there!"  This guy had been with the company for decades and was actually successful, despite a horrible st...

I try to attend networking events when I have the time. These meetings can be productive if you can work the room (or in this case, table) efficiently.  The group I had lunch with consists of about 25 people, some of which I have known for a while, but there are always new faces passing through. A few months back, one of the newbies was Angie Cowger. She and her husband own and operate Custard Stand Chili, selling their chili and chili soup to grocers across the southeast.   I managed to get her to have a conversation with me via Zoom a few weeks after meeting her and it turned out pretty well. Have a peek and please subscribe to my channel. Ch ris Castane s is a humorous speaker and former comedian who helps sales people succeed through workshops and humorous presentations. His newest book, "Nearly Motivated", is yet another humorous look at sales. For booking information,  click here.  As president of  Surf Financial Brokers   he sells life and...