Speaking and Executive Coaching

“I want to acknowledge you for the incredible contribution that you make to people everyday that come in contact with you. You have an incredible gift of being completely ‘present’ to people and the conversations you have with them.” – Health Care Executive

Craig speaks on a number of different topics all over the world (but, alas, only in english). Over the years, he has honed his warm and extemporaneous speaking style to delight audiences of all levels, from call-center reps to CEO’s and from students of every level to coaches, doctors and scientists.

Listed below are several of the talks that Craig has delivered to thousands of people over the past seven years.

Stories and Selling

“Out of all of the nationally and internationally known speakers present, your name keeps popping up when I ask management what they are going to differently as a result of the week.” – Chief of Staff

Keynote: The Stories and Selling keynote speech looks at how sales professionals differentiate themselves through stories. Craig calls on his days as an IBM salesperson to outline the new challenges that salespeople face, and how they can cut through all of the “noise in the channel.” With plenty of stories and humor, Craig helps sales professionals distinguish themselves by going beyond “features and benefits” to build stronger relationships with clients. Supporting media: Audiobook/Book, Action Pack, Story Tools, 1-2.5 hours

Workshop: Sales professionals evaluate their particular sales process for opportunities to enhance their communications through stories. Activities and real examples are used to demonstrate how stories impact opening sales opportunities, positioning solutions and proposing. Sales professionals create their own Story Matrix to use with their current opportunities and embed stories into a live proposal. Supporting media: Audiobook/Book, Action Pack, Story Tools, Half-day, Full-day

Results: Sales professionals find that the Stories and Selling keynote and workshop helps them immediately create better odds for closing near-term opportunities…and they have some fun to boot.

Audience: Sales Executives & Professionals, Marketing Professionals, Sales Support

The Power of Story

Keynote: The Power of Story keynote speech helps leaders enhance their leadership performance by looking at their everyday communications differently. Using a series of powerful stories, anecdotes, visual examples and his story tools, Craig describes unique challenges we face trying to communicate effectively and demonstrates how leaders create strong connections with people and with the organization’s strategy. He discusses the importance of capturing and telling the right kinds of stories and why stories are the most effective method for enhancing performance. Supporting media: Audiobook/Book, Action Pack, Story Tools, 1-2.5 hours

Workshop: The Power of Story workshop engages leaders more deeply in exploring the methods of communications in their particular organization and how those approaches affect performance. This workshop becomes a powerful give-and-take, where Craig follows participants where they want to go instead following a prescribed path. Because of his experience as a facilitator of leadership, coaching and strategic selling courses, Craig is very good at grasping the specific issues people are having and helping people work through to solutions. Leaders practice using each story tool, the Win Book, Story Matrix and Story Coach in a number of different types of activities designed to cause them to focus on their performance goals, the successes and failures they have achieved, and the stories that have resulted. Supporting media: Audiobook/Book, Action Pack, Story Tools, Half-day, Full-day

Results: The Power of Story keynote speech consistently rates high in applicability, as audiences feel that they can immediately put to use the ideas and tools discussed.

Audience: For all levels

Entrepreneurial Selling

Keynote: Entrepreneurial Selling is a distinct form of business development that entrepreneurs, corporations and foundations alike are embracing. In this keynote speech, Craig explores what makes “entrepreneurial selling” different from “professional selling” and how our behaviors must change to drive performance. Based on his Chicago Booth course (rated Top Ten in the country by Inc. Magazine), this talk looks at the combination of knowledge, skills and discipline required to make an impact in a market that is fragmented and noisy. Great entrepreneurial stories combined with immediately actionable frameworks underlie this powerful talk. Supporting media: Article, Audiobook/Book, 1-2.5 hours

Workshop: Venture and private equity investors, growth CEOs, and sales teams use this workshop to ensure that their sales engine is pointed in the right direction and is firing on all cylinders. Depending on the team, various tools from the Sales Engine toolkit are developed real time, including the Sales Trailer, Conversation Progression, Target filters, etc. Supporting media: Article, Audiobook/Book, Action Pack, Sales Toolkit, Half-day, Full-day

Results:Teams walk away from “Entrepreneurial Selling” with a toolkit and a set of immediate, concrete actions.

Preparing for Professional Life/Introduction to Business

Keynote: Craig has developed a series for young, up-and-coming professionals in high school, college and recent graduates that is focused on understanding how business works and how to prepare for a successful career. Young people resonate strongly with Craig’s discussion of how to be aware of business models while shopping, how firms differentiate themselves and how to use the right frameworks to think about business and career. Audiobook/Book, Action Pack, Sales Toolkit, 1-2.5 hours

Results: This series gives young people a way to think about business, how they might pursue a career and what success looks like.

Executive Coaching Services

On a limited basis, Craig provides one-on-one coaching to business leaders.