While I did skip a few classes at InfusionCon, I made sure to be in a front row seat for Brian Tracy‘s afternoon keynote on Wednesday. He’s a hero of mine. I listened to his audio programs (on tape!) repeatedly when I was sitting in my art studio for hours on end decorating eggs. How to Master Your Time and the Psychology of Achievement taught me skills and disciplines that I have continued to practice for 20 years.

Here are some new ideas I picked up or was reminded of:

• The two biggest problems for business owners are sales and balance.
• If you come up with an idea that works, your competition will steal it. [It’s not personal; just the nature of business.]

• ALL business skills are learnable. (I have to remember that one around my twitter resistance.)
• The #1 issue for small businesses is cash flow.
• Fewer than 5% of businesses make the $1 million mark.
• The difference between marketing and selling: Marketing is getting people to raise their hand; selling is converting them to buy yours (taking the money out of their pockets and handing it to you).
• The most important word in business is ASK! For the sale, but also about what you don’t understand or need help with.
• The English translation for “Let me think it over”–when selling, is “Goodbye forever.”
• It’s important to know the demographic of your customer, but it’s more important to know the psychographic–what are their thoughts, feelings, fears, aspirations, etc.
• When you identify your prospect’s primary fear and remove it AND deliver what you promise, the sale is yours (e.g. money-back guarantee)

Having seen and heard this business icon, I returned home content.