About Jeff Richards

Over the course of his 25 years of industry experience, Jeff has used his expertise to plan and oversee the details of hundreds of corporate programs around the globe. He is extremely comfortable and versatile when it comes to working with numerous management and operational styles. His clients span a wide range of industries including pharmaceutical, food service, automotive, and tech. He has seen great success planning and overseeing programs ranging anywhere from high-level meetings for a small board of directors to large events numbering in the thousands, such as travel incentives, sales training, or product launches. As a certified meeting professional, his skills include project management, risk mitigation, strategic sourcing, as well as financial management. Jeff has been an integral part of Gavel International for the past 23 years and is currently the company’s Vice President.

Why Every Business Should Ask for Referrals

2025-06-10T11:15:46-05:00August 3rd, 2021|

Which sales tactic generates warm leads and requires very little financial investment? Referrals. Why are referrals so valuable? Seventy-eight percent of B2B marketers report that referrals capture good or excellent quality leads. (1) Sixty percent of marketers see a high volume of leads from referrals. (1) Fifty-four percent of marketers indicate that referral marketing offers a lower cost-per-lead. (1) Eighty-four [...]

Navigating Sales Pipelines: Preventing Lead Abandonment and Speeding Up Sales Cycles – Part 3 of 3

2025-06-10T11:15:14-05:00July 20th, 2021|

Part One:  Marketing Engagement Versus Sales-Ready Conversions Part Two: Preventing and Re-Engaging No-Shows The final installment of this three-part series discusses how to prevent leads from dropping off and how to close more leads with less effort. It's not a secret that today's buyers are savvy and conduct most of the purchasing process themselves. Eighty-seven percent of buyers self-service part [...]

Effective Delegation and Consistent Improvement  

2025-06-10T11:14:59-05:00June 29th, 2021|

Delegation is one of the biggest challenges that leaders face.  It means letting go and depending on and entrusting others to get work done efficiently, correctly and timely.  However, delegation is a necessity to ensure productivity, morale and business livelihood. Just how much can delegating impact a business?  In one study, over 50 percent of business owners think that they [...]

Principled Leadership and What Employees Need in 2021  

2025-06-10T11:14:19-05:00April 6th, 2021|

The year 2020 coined the term "disruptive" due to the life-changing events that occurred. This disruption offered both benefits and drawbacks. The former includes unprecedented advances in technology and powerful insights into the psychology of employees. Taking a strong leadership stance and addressing employee needs and desires is more important than ever.  It is especially important when workers have been [...]

Navigating Leadership and Growth in Times of Crisis

2025-06-10T11:12:41-05:00September 15th, 2020|

When crises hit, they can cause significant shifts in the responsibilities resting on the shoulders of leaders, as well as the roles they are expected to play. Members of leadership may encounter any number of urgent issues that can literally make or break their organization including: Layoffs or the possibility of layoffs Team shortages due to layoffs or illness The [...]

Six Strategies to Create a Successful Employee Recognition Program

2025-06-10T11:10:53-05:00April 7th, 2020|

While making your employee recognition program a priority may seem unrealistic given your already endless priority list, doing so delivers a host of very attractive benefits: Top-tier recognition programs allow organizations to see their ROI firsthand during the process of recognizing excellent work. Best-in-class companies are 21% more likely to view recognition as extremely valuable for driving employee performance.1 Best-in-class [...]

Employee Experiences Matter – What Your Organization Needs to Know

2025-06-10T11:08:18-05:00March 10th, 2020|

$11 billion is lost annually due to employee turnover. (1) Think about that number for a minute. It is undoubtedly a frightening statistic to any employer. Hiring new a employee costs significantly more than retaining a current one. Why has turnover become such an epidemic in recent years? The belief their voice is not heard – even if it is [...]

When “Spilling the Tea” Impacts Morale and Productivity

2025-06-10T11:07:53-05:00March 3rd, 2020|

“Spilling the tea” is modern slang for gossip.  Much like tea, gossip can stain much of the fabric of the workplace environment if left to spread.  In fact, here are a few statistics to show just how much gossip impacts the organizations: How Frequent is Gossip in the Workplace? 86% of employees gossip during the workday1 Workers spend 40 [...]

The 10 Critical Keys to Ensure Successful Leadership

2025-06-10T11:07:17-05:00February 25th, 2020|

There is a difference between being a manager and being a leader. Managers begrudgingly carry out the duties of their job, either doing the minimum or trying to micromanage their employees into a corner. Leaders, on the other hand, put the needs of their team and the company first, always working for the good of both. Despite the importance of [...]

The Cure for Boring Meetings in the Healthcare Industry

2025-05-30T14:22:17-05:00September 26th, 2019|

Within the healthcare industry, meetings are a vital way of sharing the latest medical findings. In fact, a striking 87% of healthcare professionals use meetings to acquire new medical information.1 Sadly, the majority of participants feel these meetings leave something to be desired. A recent survey found that 39% of physicians report having negative experiences at their meetings.2 This [...]

Unique Eateries in Santa Fe, New Mexico

2022-09-21T10:45:34-05:00April 25th, 2019|

Santa Fe is a culturally rich city with gorgeous architecture and has been named one of the Top 15 cities in America.1 While there are many activities to do in Santa Fe, there are also many places to eat and drink. Here are eateries you must experience when in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Cafe Castro Just south of the Historic [...]

Selling Obstacles and What to Do About Them

2025-05-30T14:28:02-05:00December 6th, 2018|

Reading Time: 4 minutesPart of becoming great at sales is learning to anticipate and navigate the common obstacles that occur during the normal sales process. However, some of the most frustrating can be prevented by fine-tuning sales skills such as prospecting, productivity, and perseverance. Learn more here...

10 of the Best Foods and Drinks in Hong Kong, China

2025-05-27T12:46:20-05:00December 4th, 2018|

Reading Time: 4 minutesHong Kong is a city filled with exciting people and a melting pot of tradition and modern style. The food has been heavily influenced by a variety of different culinary backgrounds and traditions, which makes for a truly unique (and flavorful) dining experience. Here are ten of our favorite places to eat and drink when in Hong Kong.

The Reward vs. Recognition Model: What Wins?

2025-05-30T14:27:36-05:00November 1st, 2018|

Reading Time: 3 minutesA culture of recognition, praise and promotion certainly improves productivity, morale and performance. However, non-cash reward programs such as travel incentives yield 3 times higher revenue! Learn why the non-cash incentive model is more successful...

Riviera Maya, Mexico Combines Rich Culture with Striking Flavors

2025-05-27T12:42:20-05:00October 30th, 2018|

Reading Time: 3 minutesThe Riviera Maya is best known for its rich culture and striking flavor combinations. It won’t be difficult to find your fair share of Italian and Chinese food, bBut make sure to save some room for the traditional dishes and flavors that are unique to the Yucatan Peninsula. Here are some top places for food and drink:

Your Incentive Budget and End of Year

2025-05-30T14:27:02-05:00October 4th, 2018|

Reading Time: 3 minutesWhen coming to the end of the year, few things are nicer than finding you still have money leftover in your incentive budget. Here are five innovative ways to utilize the leftover funds to aid in creating an environment where employees are motivated, appreciated and valued.

Places to Visit in Shanghai, China

2025-05-27T11:50:24-05:00September 25th, 2018|

Reading Time: 3 minutesWith remarkable feats of engineering as well as remnants of ancient Chinese history, peaceful gardens, ultra modern design or the lightning-fast Maglev train you will not be disappointed. Here are ten of the best places to visit in China’s largest city, Shanghai...

Five Ways to Develop a Culture of Recognition

2025-05-30T14:26:34-05:00September 13th, 2018|

Reading Time: 3 minutesEvery worker, regardless of their position on the corporate ladder, wants to know that they’re doing a good job. If you’re an employer who wants to retain your best employees and help them thrive, try these methods to create a corporate culture of recognition.

10 Places to Visit in Tokyo, Japan

2025-05-24T08:44:42-05:00July 26th, 2018|

Reading Time: 3 minutesIf you have the chance to visit the incredible city of Tokyo consider trying these ten foods and drinks, each of which represents a significant part of Japanese culinary culture. Read more here...

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