Boston Private Equity Fund Managers are Heartier than Canadians

I recently visited Boston to meet with the Private Equity Funds interested in Canadian investments. It was interesting to see how many were Harvard graduates, Harvard with distinction. I also noticed that Americans cultivate a hearty, can-do welcome. It does feel louder and more aggressive than many Canadians. I liked it but could see how America is where the strong do go to excel, while the shyer ones who do not self promote may be left in the dust.
America is a pushy place and I liked it. I was reminded of the huge cultural gap in style between Americans and probably the Brits and us Canadians. What do you think of this advice?
From Entrepreneur
(Read the full article.)

Everyone likes to do business with a winner. No matter what stage of your career, you need to look like you've made it. That means wearing a suit that will impress. As a universal rule, make it your business to be the best-dressed in the room. If you lack the fashion sense, a premier store will be more than happy to assign a knowledgeable salesperson to assist you.

And if you're thinking of the budget thing again, forget it. Put it this way; a smashing, well-tailored suit will last you for years. Allocate the upfront cost over dozens or possibly hundreds of business meetings and the investment becomes a mere pittance. Remember that your goal is not to save money; it's to make the sale--leave the penny pinching to others.

Bring your ego with you in full bloom. It's not enough to look successful; you need to act it as well. This demonstrates that you are also one of the smartest people in the room.

Again, take a page from Trump. Sure, he can be garish and way over the top, but no way is he going to check his ego at the door. Neither should you. So find a way to bring up your most significant achievements, tell an intriguing story and talk up your travels, discoveries and epiphanies.

The timid and the small thinkers will talk sports and weather. They will pale in comparison to the bold winners who regale their prospects and customers with compelling ideas and stories.

I'll never forget the afternoon I spent with legendary Washington attorney and presidential advisor Clark Clifford. He didn't just "meet" with me; he held court in a walnut-paneled office, wore a suit fit for a monarch and fascinated me with vividly colored stories that thrilled as much as educated and entertained. He established himself as one of the most important people in a town filled with big egos and left the impression that when it came to lawyers in the nation's capital, there could be only one choice.

This is the challenge and the opportunity before you--to make certain that of all the salespeople your customers and prospects come in contact with, you are the one indelibly imprinted on their brains. You don't sell. You thrill.

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Mark Stevens is the CEO of MSCO, a results-driven management and marketing firm, and the bestselling author of Your Marketing Sucks and God Is a Salesman. He is a popular media commentator on a host of business matters including marketing, branding, management and sales. He is also the author of the popular marketing blog, Unconventional Thinking.