Calendar of Events

Topic Title: Everyone is in Sales: Successful Tools & Techniques for Project Leaders – 100% Leadership

Presentation Abstract  

Whether it is convincing a reluctant subject matter expert, an inexperienced sponsor, your boss or some other stakeholder to look at a situation differently every project leader needs to be able to influence others so that good decisions are made.  To accomplish this feat everyone needs some level of “sales” capability.  No one is asking you to turn into a “used car salesmen”, but a lack of sales related skills and/or comfort level at influencing and negotiating impacts your ability to move from surviving to thriving in the project and business world.   

The major points to be covered include:

1. What is meant by selling, correcting many common misconceptions
2. How everyone can embrace salesmanship, overcoming any concerns they might have
3. Proven tips and techniques for turning a “layman” into a “good enough” salesperson
4. Identify the stakeholders in the business world most in need of being “sold” and how to handle them
5. Mentoring project teammates and others in your organization so they can join you as “good enough” salespeople

This presentation will offer several practical ways to improve your ability to convince that Sponsor to engage, help you gain approval for an important proposal, assist you with selling those pesky HR or Finance folks on why it is in their best interest to accommodate you by giving you the confidence and tools needed.  The presentation will make extensive use of case studies and success stories from my 20+ years of sales, negotiations and marketing. 

Joe Perzel has been leading projects of all sizes and managing staffs since 1982 in both a corporate and vendor capacity.  He has a background in multiple industries such as healthcare, insurance, finance, government, manufacturing, non-profit and education.  Presently Joe is Partner JPerzel Inc. as well as Program Manager at Surescripts LLC.  Previously he has held leadership positions at Cargill, Thomson Reuters, MN Workers Compensation Bureau and International Multifoods.

Joe has been speaking since 2002 on topics ranging from project leadership, management, strategy, negotiations/sales.  He has presented keynotes, chapter meetings and workshops internationally to multiple corporate, government and non-profit organizations, PMI Global and Region 2, over 20 PMI chapters, International Institute of Business Analysts (IIBA) chapters, PM BA Conference, local and global Society for Quality (ASQ), International Project Management Assoc. (IPMA) and the PMO Impact Summit.