Remember the Isley Brothers song “Shout?” One of my favorite parts of that song is near the end when they’re singing very quietly:

(Shout) a little bit softer now
(Shout) a little bit softer now
(Shout) a little bit softer now
(Shout) a little bit softer now

Replace the word “softer” with “better” and you have a formula for success.

Some of the best businesses I know have a knack for making things “a little bit better now.” Years ago I worked for a manager who had this philosophy. No matter what you did or what you brought to him he would challenge you by asking, “How can you make it better?” Since you knew you’d be asked that you would try to figure out ways to improve whatever the situation was before you went to him. It was a brilliant way to keep making the company and the employees better.

You and your team can do the same thing. No matter what you’re doing, ask yourself how you can make it a little bit better now. This applies to displays, customer experiences, signage, employee coaching, and just about anything else.

It’s a good thing to do on slower days to engage the staff and improve the company. Ask “How do we make this a little bit better now?” I like the now part because it helps us focus on improvements that have an immediate impact and are usually the least expensive to implement.

On busy days keep asking yourself, “How can I work with this customer a little bit better now?” You’ll be amazed by how you’ll be able to increase your sales and how much fun you’ll have. The best part is that customers start feeling. . . you got it. . . a little bit better now. Then they go tell all of their friends and family about their fabulous experience and the buzz about the experience gets. . . Hold on now. . . wait a minute. . . .that buzz gets a little bit louder now.

And that makes you want to throw your hands in the air and SHOUT!

Blog credit to Doug Fleener, Photo by Carlo Nicora

You’re responsible for your own happiness or yes, ORGASM!

People motivate or de-motivate other people. You choose which role you’re going to play.

The top ways to de-motivate others in the work place, at home or in public are:

· Assuming! My motto, courtesy of Doug Hall, In God we trust, all others bring data! Never assume and always deal with facts.

· Judging others. Unless you’re a judge in a court room.

· Whispering about people

· Creating and/or perpetuating rumors. This is disruptive and un-sells others. Dave Ramsey is known for firing members of his staff that are involved in spreading rumors or gossip.

· Not acknowledging another person’s presence. Co-workers who do not say good morning . You’re a human, act like it.

· Not using the words “PLEASE” and “THANK YOU” It is amazing how forgotten these are!

Whether you work, go to school or you’re a stay at home parent, you’re either selling or un-selling. No matter the time of day, you are responsible for your own happiness!

photo by airnos

Whether in business or finding the right person to date, you are either selling or un-selling yourself. Men everywhere are missing scarcity, exclusivity, an overt benefit and dramatic difference in their pitch to date women. Many men become something they are not when around a female they are attracted to. Instead of being real, they will put on a fake front.

These are some of the most common attempts by men I meet:

1. “How do I get a girl like you?” This shows insecurity. Everyone has some level of insecurity, but never assume that a girl is out of your league. Ask questions, listen, and let the conversation flow. You may find that you two may have mutual chemistry after all. If you find that you do not, you can walk away feeling confident that you were real, polite, and a gentleman. You will have impressed her by doing just that. If you run into her a second time, I can almost guarantee you that she will approach you to say hello first.

2. “I make lots of money and have a boat, want to go on a date?” This may be true, however, instead of talking about yourself, try asking her real questions about what you really want to know (her name, etc), which shows interest in her, while not un-selling yourself. Here’s a suggestion: once the conversation gets going, nonchalantly find out if going to the lake is an interest of hers first. If it is, then at the end of the conversation, invite her (don’t be pushy) to join you on a boat ride sometime soon. This shows her that you listened when she spoke. Leave her with something to think about.  Many men make it about them with talk of money, fame, cars, or bragging elements versus making it about the female. The ability to persuade someone to care starts with real questions that stimulates dramatic difference. The difference is about the other person and getting them to want to talk while you listen.

The sales data show that for over 20 years the #1 failure in not getting the sale is talking too much or showing up and throwing up. The latest data says that not listening now prevails. These are all same things that impact dating. Listening that I like tomatoes and asking for extra, or that I do not like tonic but prefer club soda. It matters because you listened.

Don’t be who you want to be, or who you think they want you to be, just be your REAL self! Do you have questions or comments? Please send me a message via the comments section. You can also reach me via kya AT salesby5 DOT com

Look for my posts here every Tuesday!

The number one question I get all the time regarding the ”Your Wife is Hot” billboard article, is “did someone from Jon Wayne company ever call you?”  The answer is still no.  I have called them back and attempted to ask the owners about the billboard, leaving a total of four new messages in the last two weeks. So far, I have seen about three places in San Antonio where these billboards reside and can’t understand why my calls were never returned. Jon Wayne Air Conditioning, are you worried about something?

My plan was to write about a billboard that finally caught my attention. After building and owning a top design firm turned ad agency and working in branding for about 24 years, I am always amazed by the story behind what you see. We use Beyer Boys for my house.  They do not have any funny or cool billboards but they do return your call, even if you want to talk to the owners. Great marketing is just hype if you don’t have the execution to follow-through!

Remember, the data shows that there are so few people that followup and are lacking in execution that you can win if you just stick with it.

Have you ever walked into a store and seen something on sale at an unbelievable price?  If you’re like most customers your first thought is, “Wow. This is great.” But then it’s immediately followed by, “And I wonder what’s wrong with it?” Of course you’re skeptical.  You’ve been told ever since you were a child that if something sounds too good to be true then it probably is. Y ou might be so skeptical that you end up passing on a great deal.

Customers are naturally skeptical.  It’s a defensive mechanism to keep from being taken advantage of or making a mistake.  It can also keep customers from getting a great deal and doing business with a very good company.

Whether we know it or not, we lose sales to skepticism every day.  One of the biggest challenges for independent retailers is overcoming customer’s skepticism of the independent’s prices.  Most believe that an independent’s prices are much higher than the big box or national chains even though that is not always the case.

Skepticism also impacts our ability to make sales. When products are marked down customers often think there must be something wrong with them, or at the very least are something nobody else wanted - so why should they? Customers are also skeptical of brands they’ve never heard of. That’s always one of the biggest challenges when you bring on a new line in a segment where brand recognition is a key part of the decision-making process. You wouldn’t think twice about buying a Canon camera but you can’t say the same for a Rockwood Fosfate subwoofer.

The key to overcoming a skeptical customer is to proactively give them the necessary information to keep them from being skeptical.   If an independent retailer prominently posts a sign telling shoppers about the price guarantee, the customer knows that this store is competitively priced, which may or may not be the case.

The same approach works with markdowns.  If you’re giving the customer a great deal you need to tell them why. A “50% Off Our Top Sellers” or “50% Off Spring Clearance” will always be more effective than just a “50%” sign by itself.  When working one-on-one with a customer you should also explain why something is “such a good deal.”

Thank you Doug Fleener for this piece!

Photo by Twon

With the surge in shortened communications, such as Twitter and text messaging, there seems to be a loss in the nickels and dimes of social interactions.  Those small but valuable tokens are the words “please” and “thank you.”  I know, you only have 140 to 160 characters to get your point across.  I know you’re busy and moving quickly.  Just remember, everytime you choose to have an interaction with a person, be sure to drop them a nickel or a dime.  Just like compound interest at the bank, those nickels and dimes turn into dollars later.

picture by EJP Photo

Several times a week I find this ticket in my pocket.  The first time I saw it, I thought nothing of putting it back and holding onto it.  It was an unconscious action due to what I read. I have no idea where this ticket came from, but I know that it is clear and concise in that I am supposed to KEEP THIS COUPON.

I watched a video this morning that was extremely forgettable on what marketing directors feel is important in marketing. The video rambled on about metrics and measurement but sales, profits, advocates and the final outcome were not mentioned. (Measurement and metrics are important components in the overall process)

What if your message is so clear and so simple that it causes unconscious action like my ticket? That’s the ticket!

It’s all about the dream!

rockefeller habits checklist

We have 3 weeks until Q3 kicks off! Fast growing and profitable companies known as Gazelles use a checklist each quarter to make sure they are doing the right things with the right people. Checklists are simple and can make a dramatic impact quickly. In facilitating company off site quarterly meetings for many years, this checklist is not just the beginning to a very productive retreat for your company, but it also lays the groundwork to keep all the boxes checked year round. I have provided a snap shot and a link to a downloadable PDF for your company.

One tip to consider…  If you own or run the company, print this out and see how many you can check off, then see how many some of your employees can check it off. This will test your internal communications in seconds.

Over 1,000 POWs were held in a North Korean camp during the Korean War.  This camp was not surrounded by the typical barbed wire, armed guards or dangerous fences.  The POWs also experienced less violence than most other prison camps.  Interestingly, this camp did not have any POW attempt to escape and also had the highest death rate in the history of the United States.

The soldiers in this camp had every shred of hope withheld from them.  Any positive correspondence from their family at home was never delivered, while any letter mentioning a death, divorce or overdue bill was promptly delivered.  The soldiers were encouraged to tattle on one another.  When a soldier did so, he was rewarded, but the one whom had been tattled on was never punished.  This created rifts between the men.  So much hope was drained from these men, that they would leave their each other outside in the elements to die because it “wasn’t my job” to do anything about it.

Today, you have the power and opportunity to provide hope, caring and support to those around you.  Talk to those around you and find out how they like to be recognized, whether in public or private.  Find out what their preferred means are of receiving the praise.  Some people prefer a quiet thank you and recognition, while others will appreciate a handwritten note.  Look for opportunities to showcase the best of one of your coworkers or employees today.  Won’t you try it for a week, then come back and post the impact on Friday?  If you need help in gathering some details, take a look at these resources.  I’d love to see the stories.