1: Ever eaten every French fry in the bag, even though we knew from the first bite they weren’t very good?

Me, too.

Turns out chasing pleasure isn’t always the key to feeling good.

“That’s not a moralistic perspective; it’s a neurobiological one,” Rachel Barr writes in How to Make Your Brain Your Best Friend: A Neuroscientist’s Guide to a Healthier, Happier Life.

“To understand why, let’s go beyond … continue reading

Getting better at getting better is what RiseWithDrew is all about. Monday through Thursday, we explore ideas from authors, thought leaders, and exemplary organizations.  On Friday, I share something about myself or what we are working on at PCI.

One of my goals for the year is to experiment with different approaches and tools to strengthen my relationships with the people I love and care about.  

We’ve been revisiting … continue reading

1: Advertising legend David Ogilvy was a maverick.

“Unlike the typical, predictable, and egotistical advertising that most agencies produce to promote themselves, David ‘gave’ his genius away,” Jeffrey Fox writes in How to Become a Rainmaker: The Rules for Getting and Keeping Customers and Clients.

David didn’t beat his chest and proclaim the greatness of his firm Ogilvy and Mather.

“Instead of writing about himself,” Jeffrey notes, he “gave … continue reading

1: They call him Columbo.  

After the television character in the 1970s detective show of the same name, Jeffrey Fox writes in How to Become a Rainmaker.

Columbo is the top salesperson at an adhesives company.  He has two degrees in engineering and a postgraduate degree in mechanical engineering.

“He knows how things are made,” Jeffrey notes.  “He can take apart anything and put it back together. He knows … continue reading

1: “Why did Bambi’s mom die at the beginning of the film?” asks Hollywood producer and author Brant Pinvidic.

“Disney could easily have told the story of Bambi just getting lost, or not shown Bambi’s mom dying, or done it later in the film,” he writes in his book The 3-Minute Rule: Say Less to Get More from Any Pitch or Presentation.

Why? Because doing so puts our … continue reading

1: “When I’m working with someone or speaking, I always say, ‘Let’s identify the problem,’ “Hollywood producer Brant Pinvidic writes in his book The 3-Minute Rule: Say Less to Get More from Any Pitch or Presentation.

“Without fail,” he writes, “everyone thinks I’m referring to the problem that their product or service is solving for the audience.”

Because that’s been the typical sales script forever: We identify the problem. Then, … continue reading

1: To land the sale. . . 

To win the deal. . . 

To generate genuine excitement for what we are pitching. . . 

We must find something that will give our presentation. . . an edge.

“The edge is a cool fact or anecdote that makes someone metaphorically (and sometimes literally) sit up and take notice,” Brant Pinvidic writes in his terrific book The 3-Minute Rule: Say Less to … continue reading

1: Brant Pinvidic sat in a room with his client, Keith. Brant is a top Hollywood producer who has successfully sold nearly fifty TV series using his 3-Minute Rule, which is also the title of his book on how to deliver a successful presentation.   

Brant’s brother was on the speakerphone. Keith’s assignment: Deliver his 3-minute pitch to Brant’s brother.

Afterward, Brant told his brother: “I need you to pitch … continue reading

1: Hollywood producer Brant Pinvidic was delivering a keynote speech at the National Speakers Association. 

“I put a big picture of Katy Perry up on the screen,” he writes in his book The 3-Minute Rule: Say Less to Get More from Any Pitch or Presentation.

 I said, “I’d like to introduce you to one of my friends, Katy Perry. I know you know her and her music.” 

Next, he put … continue reading

1: “We are going to revolutionize the healthcare industry” is a typical opening statement in many presentations. 

The likely reaction: “Really? I find that unlikely,” Brant Pinvidic writes in his book The 3-Minute Rule: Say Less to Get More from Any Pitch or Presentation.

Even if the rest of our pitch lands with our prospect, the best we can hope for at the end of our presentation is, “Yeah, it’s … continue reading