Good reads issue #5: Taxes, ways to lose a sale, and smart advice from a world-class CEO

Here are a few articles that caught my attention this month that I hope you find helpful:

• Sorry to bring this up, but it’s that time of dreaded time of year again. No, not holiday gift shopping time, although trips to the mall are far from my favorite thing. No, I’m talking about preparing to pay your 2010 taxes. As this article points out, Congress has made some important changes that impact small businesses. Make sure you’re aware of these and how they will impact your tax bill. There may still be time left before Dec. 31st to take advantage of some changes so check things out and talk with your accountant sooner rather than later.

• When you can’t close a sale, do you “assume” you know why? As Keith Rosen, the Executive Sales Coach™, writes in this article entitled “Assumptions That Cost You the Sale,” making assumptions about why someone isn’t buying is a dangerous thing. Often your guesses are way off base. Instead, he suggests doing your homework to uncover the prospect’s real objections.

• Finally, some great insights from one of my favorite CEOs, Richard Branson. In this article from Entrepreneur magazine entitled “Richard Branson on What They Don’t Teach in Business School” he talks about knowing your values and sticking with them. What he has to say about the business school approach to brand building and the real world approach he has used to build a world-renowned brand is great. Enjoy!

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