It's 2:37 a.m., you finally left work after completing a presentation you will be giving at noon. You are still downtown and were pulled over by an officer of the law for driving the wrong way up a one-way street. The officer asks, "What are you up to? Do you know why I pulled you over?" You say, "I've had a long day, I'm heading home. No, was I speeding?"
This vague answer can mean a variety of things to the officer. Maybe you got off at five, you've been at a bar and you are now heading home?
What if your response were, "Good Morning officer, my name is James Allen Smith. My friends call me Jimmy. I am an architect apprentice at Levy Brothers Architectural Firm over on 15th and Main. I just completed my first project for Wilson Home Builders. I am very excited, because I will be presenting it to Matt Wilson over lunch at PF Changs today at 11:45. I live with my parents, William and Susie Smith. Our address is 1227 Old Valley Road. That's in the neighborhood right behind the Northpark Mall. At first I didn't know why I was pulled over, but I now see my car is going the wrong direction on this road. I thought I was turning on to 12th street, this must be 11th. Here is my driver's license and All State proof of insurance."
In most cases the police officer will help you get your car turned around and leave you with a warning.
For writers and story tellers details are important, because the audience can only attach their associative memories to your details. If I say, "My grandfather drove a Ford." No images pop into your mind form your past. If I say, "My Grandfather's drove a tan and chrome Sherman tank, a 1964 Ford Galaxy 500. You could seat seven third graders in the back seat; fishing poles, tackle boxes, a cooler and lawn chairs in the trunk with room to spare." Even if you don't know what a Ford Galaxy 500 is, you have your own experiences with big old cars and they cause images to flood your mind and bring up memories of the past.
If you allow the listener to have associative memories, you allow them to be more a part of your story. At the end of the day they care more about themselves than they do you.
WIIFM?
What's In It For Me? Is what we are all asking.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Friday, October 26, 2007
Telling Yourself Stories
Great marketers tell stories that move products and services. They are not the only ones telling the customer a story. The customer is telling herself/himself a story about your product or service as well.
The most practical and logical vehicle for families to drive is the mini-van. Most seat up to seven people, are rated high in safety standards, they get pretty good gas mileage and basic maintenance is affordable. Why, then are there very few of them in our driveways compared to SUVs? Four wheel drives use more fuel, they are more dangerous to drive, tires are expensive, they don't seat as many, maintenance cost more and it's hard to find a parking place for many of them.
It has to do with the stories we tell ourselves and how they make us feel.
The story we tell ourselves about the mini-van is about a stay-at-home soccer mom who is spending her time driving kids she doesn't even know from one event to the other. Mental images of grocery bags and cleaning supplies enter our mind. These emotions are far more powerful than any logical reason you can come up with to buy the vehicle.
Here is a fact for you: "SUV's make people feel good about them selves and feel good about driving."
As marketers we tell people the story we want them to hear. They blend that tale with previous ones and make new ones. The stories customers tell them selves are a blend of your advertising, referrals, reputation and most important: personal experience.
What story are people telling themselves about you, your product, your service or your organization?
The most practical and logical vehicle for families to drive is the mini-van. Most seat up to seven people, are rated high in safety standards, they get pretty good gas mileage and basic maintenance is affordable. Why, then are there very few of them in our driveways compared to SUVs? Four wheel drives use more fuel, they are more dangerous to drive, tires are expensive, they don't seat as many, maintenance cost more and it's hard to find a parking place for many of them.
It has to do with the stories we tell ourselves and how they make us feel.
The story we tell ourselves about the mini-van is about a stay-at-home soccer mom who is spending her time driving kids she doesn't even know from one event to the other. Mental images of grocery bags and cleaning supplies enter our mind. These emotions are far more powerful than any logical reason you can come up with to buy the vehicle.
Here is a fact for you: "SUV's make people feel good about them selves and feel good about driving."
As marketers we tell people the story we want them to hear. They blend that tale with previous ones and make new ones. The stories customers tell them selves are a blend of your advertising, referrals, reputation and most important: personal experience.
What story are people telling themselves about you, your product, your service or your organization?
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Your Mother is Liar!
When I was growing up, I enjoyed watching movies like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting and The Godfather. For some reason it was fun to cheer for the "bad guys". I enjoy seeing a menacing strategy unfold. 
I also enjoy watching a marketing strategy unfold. Marketing is all about telling stories to people and hoping they will believe the story and they will tell others the same story.
ConAgra is the parent company of Banquet Frozen Entrees. They started repackaging some of their frozen foods, told a new story with it and sales are sky-rocketing.
As you know, most families are being led by very busy working parents. They feel guilty they do not have the time to cook dinner for their families. They were raised to believe a home-cooked meal = love = family = healthy, but in our modern, fast paced world they can't find the time or energy to pull it off. John Hanson of Banquet introduced Crock-Pot Classics, saying, "Banquet Crock-Pot Classics contain all of the high quality ingredients needed for a slow-cooked meal--- ---Banquet Crock-Pot Classics welcome home families with the inviting aroma of a slow-cooked meal."
We actually believe it's better to eat frozen entrees that have been slow-cooked, than it is to eat in a restaurant, just because of the way it makes us feel about ourselves. We have been telling ourselves for years it's better to eat at home than eat out. John Hanson is simply telling us a story we want to hear.
"It's the way the product makes her feel when she sees her family sit down and eat together." ---Seth Godin
I also enjoy watching a marketing strategy unfold. Marketing is all about telling stories to people and hoping they will believe the story and they will tell others the same story.
ConAgra is the parent company of Banquet Frozen Entrees. They started repackaging some of their frozen foods, told a new story with it and sales are sky-rocketing.
As you know, most families are being led by very busy working parents. They feel guilty they do not have the time to cook dinner for their families. They were raised to believe a home-cooked meal = love = family = healthy, but in our modern, fast paced world they can't find the time or energy to pull it off. John Hanson of Banquet introduced Crock-Pot Classics, saying, "Banquet Crock-Pot Classics contain all of the high quality ingredients needed for a slow-cooked meal--- ---Banquet Crock-Pot Classics welcome home families with the inviting aroma of a slow-cooked meal."
We actually believe it's better to eat frozen entrees that have been slow-cooked, than it is to eat in a restaurant, just because of the way it makes us feel about ourselves. We have been telling ourselves for years it's better to eat at home than eat out. John Hanson is simply telling us a story we want to hear.
"It's the way the product makes her feel when she sees her family sit down and eat together." ---Seth Godin
The Brown Stamp Book
In the 1970's, do you remember getting those rows of green stamps from the grocery store, and carefully sticking them into place in the special Green Stamps Book? When your booklet was full, you could cash it in for "big-ticket" items like toaster ovens and waffle irons. The Sperry and Hutchinson Co. began distributing its trading stamps in 1886. In 1951, S&H Green Stamps got their start at the Denver King Sooper store chain. In the '50's and '60's, some 200,000 retailers offered stamps that were redeemed for house wares products. S&H Green Stamps accounted for 35 to 40 percent of this market. The stamps eventually faded from the grocery scene when stores used lower prices to compete for shoppers.
My father retired from the ministry last year. He preached the Gospel in Germany as a missionary and as a pastor here in the states for over forty years.
Early in my marriage to Princess Sherri, I was whining to him about my new bride's nagging and complaining. His response surprised me. He said, "Praise the Lord. She is communicating with you about her hurts and needs." That's not the response I was looking for. He went on to tell me many women don't talk to their husbands about their issues. They simply put a stamp in "The Brown Stamp Book", every time the husband does something hurtful, whether on purpose or not, she places another "brown stamp" in the booklet. Eventually it's full; she cashes it in and kicks him out. The last stamp in the book is as dramatic as all power going out for a city block. From light and warm to dark and cold, like the flip of a switch. Most men are clueless when it happens. We leave our underwear on the bathroom floor. The last stamp goes in the book and suddenly we're sleeping on the sofa at a friend's house. "All I did was drop my boxers on the bathroom floor and she kicked me out! What the heck is her problem?"
To you ladies I say, "We are stupid. Give us grace."
To you men I say, "Women nag, because men neglect! Pay attention to her, spend time with her alone. Listen to her. Act on what you hear."
My father retired from the ministry last year. He preached the Gospel in Germany as a missionary and as a pastor here in the states for over forty years.
Early in my marriage to Princess Sherri, I was whining to him about my new bride's nagging and complaining. His response surprised me. He said, "Praise the Lord. She is communicating with you about her hurts and needs." That's not the response I was looking for. He went on to tell me many women don't talk to their husbands about their issues. They simply put a stamp in "The Brown Stamp Book", every time the husband does something hurtful, whether on purpose or not, she places another "brown stamp" in the booklet. Eventually it's full; she cashes it in and kicks him out. The last stamp in the book is as dramatic as all power going out for a city block. From light and warm to dark and cold, like the flip of a switch. Most men are clueless when it happens. We leave our underwear on the bathroom floor. The last stamp goes in the book and suddenly we're sleeping on the sofa at a friend's house. "All I did was drop my boxers on the bathroom floor and she kicked me out! What the heck is her problem?"
To you ladies I say, "We are stupid. Give us grace."
To you men I say, "Women nag, because men neglect! Pay attention to her, spend time with her alone. Listen to her. Act on what you hear."
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Is Life a Train or a Roller Coaster?
Subject: Rick Warren Interview
Date: Tue, 20 Jun 2006 13:57:46 EDT
"What is the purpose of life?"
"I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions years in eternity. This is the warm-up act -- the dress rehearsal that God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity. We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn't going to make sense.
Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just coming out of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one. The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort. God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy. We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ-likeness.
This past year has been the greatest year of my life, but also the toughest, with my wife, Kay, getting cancer.
I used to think that life was hills and valleys -- you go through a dark time, then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don't believe that anymore. Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of like two rails on a railroad track, and at all times you have something good and something bad in your life.
No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on. And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good for which you can thank God.
You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems.
If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness, which is, "my problem, my issues, my pain. "But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others. We discovered quickly that in spite of the prayers of hundreds of thousands of people, God was not going to heal Kay or make it easy for her.
It has been very difficult for her, and yet God has strengthened her character, given her a ministry of helping other people, given her a testimony, drawn her closer to Him and to people.You have to learn to deal with both the good and the bad of life. Actually, sometimes learning to deal with the good is harder. For instance, this past year, all of a sudden, when the book sold 15 million copies, it made me instantly very wealthy. It also brought a lot of notoriety that I had never had to dealwith before. I don't think God gives you money or notoriety for yourown ego or for you to live a life of ease.
So I began to ask God what He wanted me to do with this money,notoriety and influence. He gave me two different passages that helped me decide what to do, II Corinthians 9 and Psalm 72. First, in spite of all the money coming in, we would not change our lifestyle one bit. We made no major purchases. Second, about midway through last year, I stopped taking a salary from the church. Third, we set up foundations to fund an initiative we call The Peace Plan to plant churches, equip leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, and educate the next generation. Fourth, I added up all that the church had paid me in the 24 years since I started the church, and I gave it all back. It was liberating to be able to serve God for free. We need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for possessions? Popularity?Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness? Materialism? Or am I going to be driven by God's purposes (for my life)?When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say, God, if I don't get anything else done today, I want to know You more and love You better. God didn't put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He's more interested in what I am than what I do. That's why we're called human beings, not human doings.
Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.
Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.
Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.
Painful moments, TRUST GOD.
Every moment, THANK GOD."
Date: Tue, 20 Jun 2006 13:57:46 EDT
"What is the purpose of life?"
"I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions years in eternity. This is the warm-up act -- the dress rehearsal that God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity. We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn't going to make sense.
Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just coming out of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one. The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort. God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy. We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ-likeness.
This past year has been the greatest year of my life, but also the toughest, with my wife, Kay, getting cancer.
I used to think that life was hills and valleys -- you go through a dark time, then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don't believe that anymore. Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of like two rails on a railroad track, and at all times you have something good and something bad in your life.
No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on. And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good for which you can thank God.
You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems.
If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness, which is, "my problem, my issues, my pain. "But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others. We discovered quickly that in spite of the prayers of hundreds of thousands of people, God was not going to heal Kay or make it easy for her.
It has been very difficult for her, and yet God has strengthened her character, given her a ministry of helping other people, given her a testimony, drawn her closer to Him and to people.You have to learn to deal with both the good and the bad of life. Actually, sometimes learning to deal with the good is harder. For instance, this past year, all of a sudden, when the book sold 15 million copies, it made me instantly very wealthy. It also brought a lot of notoriety that I had never had to dealwith before. I don't think God gives you money or notoriety for yourown ego or for you to live a life of ease.
So I began to ask God what He wanted me to do with this money,notoriety and influence. He gave me two different passages that helped me decide what to do, II Corinthians 9 and Psalm 72. First, in spite of all the money coming in, we would not change our lifestyle one bit. We made no major purchases. Second, about midway through last year, I stopped taking a salary from the church. Third, we set up foundations to fund an initiative we call The Peace Plan to plant churches, equip leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, and educate the next generation. Fourth, I added up all that the church had paid me in the 24 years since I started the church, and I gave it all back. It was liberating to be able to serve God for free. We need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for possessions? Popularity?Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness? Materialism? Or am I going to be driven by God's purposes (for my life)?When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say, God, if I don't get anything else done today, I want to know You more and love You better. God didn't put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He's more interested in what I am than what I do. That's why we're called human beings, not human doings.
Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.
Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.
Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.
Painful moments, TRUST GOD.
Every moment, THANK GOD."
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Specifics Are More Believable Than Generalities
It's 2:37 a.m., you finally left work after completing a presentation you will be giving at noon. You are still downtown and were pulled over by an officer of the law for driving the wrong way up a one-way street. The officer asks, "What are you up to? Do you know why I pulled you over?" You say, "I've had a long day, I'm heading home. No, was I speeding?"
This vague answer can mean a variety of things to the officer. Maybe you got off at five, you've been at a bar and you are now heading home?
What if your response were, "Good Morning officer, my name is James Allen Smith. My friends call me Jimmy. I am an architect apprentice at Levy Brothers Architectural Firm over on 15th and Main. I just completed my first project for Wilson Home Builders. I am very excited, because I will be presenting it to Matt Wilson over lunch at PF Changs today at 11:45. I live with my parents, William and Susie Smith. Our address is 1227 Old Valley Road. That's in the neighborhood right behind the Northpark Mall. At first I didn't know why I was pulled over, but I now see my car is going the wrong direction on this road. I thought I was turning on to 12th street, this must be 11th. Here is my driver's license and All State proof of insurance."
In most cases the police officer will help you get your car turned around and leave you with a warning.
For writers and story tellers details are important, because the audience can only attach their associative memories to your details. If I say, "My grandfather drove a Ford." No images pop into your mind form your past. If I say, "My Grandfather's drove a tan and chrome Sherman tank, a 1964 Ford Galaxy 500. You could seat seven third graders in the back seat; fishing poles, tackle boxes, a cooler and lawn chairs in the trunk with room to spare." Even if you don't know what a Ford Galaxy 500 is, you have your own experiences with big old cars and they cause images to flood your mind and bring up memories of the past.
If you allow the listener to have associative memories, you allow them to be more a part of your story. At the end of the day they care more about themselves than they do you.
WIIFM?
What's In It For Me? Is what we are all asking.
This vague answer can mean a variety of things to the officer. Maybe you got off at five, you've been at a bar and you are now heading home?
What if your response were, "Good Morning officer, my name is James Allen Smith. My friends call me Jimmy. I am an architect apprentice at Levy Brothers Architectural Firm over on 15th and Main. I just completed my first project for Wilson Home Builders. I am very excited, because I will be presenting it to Matt Wilson over lunch at PF Changs today at 11:45. I live with my parents, William and Susie Smith. Our address is 1227 Old Valley Road. That's in the neighborhood right behind the Northpark Mall. At first I didn't know why I was pulled over, but I now see my car is going the wrong direction on this road. I thought I was turning on to 12th street, this must be 11th. Here is my driver's license and All State proof of insurance."
In most cases the police officer will help you get your car turned around and leave you with a warning.
For writers and story tellers details are important, because the audience can only attach their associative memories to your details. If I say, "My grandfather drove a Ford." No images pop into your mind form your past. If I say, "My Grandfather's drove a tan and chrome Sherman tank, a 1964 Ford Galaxy 500. You could seat seven third graders in the back seat; fishing poles, tackle boxes, a cooler and lawn chairs in the trunk with room to spare." Even if you don't know what a Ford Galaxy 500 is, you have your own experiences with big old cars and they cause images to flood your mind and bring up memories of the past.
If you allow the listener to have associative memories, you allow them to be more a part of your story. At the end of the day they care more about themselves than they do you.
WIIFM?
What's In It For Me? Is what we are all asking.
Say "No" and Hear from God
My friend Greg called me this morning. He has an interest in several businesses. He has a lovely wife and three charming kids. He is also involved in ministry. Because of his wisdom and influence he is continually asked to serve on various boards for charities and ministries. Like me, it's hard for him to say "No". I think of the song in the musical Oklahoma, "I Can't Say No". I was in the fifth grade, at a U. S. Army base in Germany base when I first enjoyed Rodgers and Hammerstein's production. I believe my friend Terri Casteel belted out that song.
The enemy wants you to feel guilty when you say "No" to anyone about anything. The truth is, the more you say "Yes" to people around you, the less productive you become. The key to success in life is focus; focusing your thoughts, words, actions and time on the right things.
My two year old son AJ loves balls. Footballs, baseballs, basketballs, soccerballs, rubberballs, beanbag-balls. For fun sometimes I will go in his play room and give him a rubber baseball. I'll hide all other balls. His entire focus and attention will be on that one ball and he will not let go of it. Then I'll pull out a yellow tennis ball. He wants it also. He now has a ball in each hand. I slowly pull out different balls. He wants to hold all of them and begins to get upset. He becomes frustrated with all of the choices and starts kicking them all around the room.
"No" is one of the most powerful words you posess. It allows you to choose "best" over "good". Do you feel like you are on life's treadmill with the speed set on nine and the incline set on seven? Start saying "No" and get some margin back in your life. Margin is that place where you hear God's voice and begin to really see the people around you.
People will get irritated at your "No's", so you may want to practice. Go ahead: NO. NO. NO. NO.
Who do you need to say "No" to today?
The enemy wants you to feel guilty when you say "No" to anyone about anything. The truth is, the more you say "Yes" to people around you, the less productive you become. The key to success in life is focus; focusing your thoughts, words, actions and time on the right things.
My two year old son AJ loves balls. Footballs, baseballs, basketballs, soccerballs, rubberballs, beanbag-balls. For fun sometimes I will go in his play room and give him a rubber baseball. I'll hide all other balls. His entire focus and attention will be on that one ball and he will not let go of it. Then I'll pull out a yellow tennis ball. He wants it also. He now has a ball in each hand. I slowly pull out different balls. He wants to hold all of them and begins to get upset. He becomes frustrated with all of the choices and starts kicking them all around the room.
"No" is one of the most powerful words you posess. It allows you to choose "best" over "good". Do you feel like you are on life's treadmill with the speed set on nine and the incline set on seven? Start saying "No" and get some margin back in your life. Margin is that place where you hear God's voice and begin to really see the people around you.
People will get irritated at your "No's", so you may want to practice. Go ahead: NO. NO. NO. NO.
Who do you need to say "No" to today?
Adversarial vs. Relational Sales
Too many sales people are forced to look at every new transaction as a battle to be won in the trenches. "It's us against them and we must trick them into giving us their money!" In a word, the transaction is "adversarial"
Are you focused on the customers needs or on their wallet?
ad•ver•sar•y (Noun) Dictionary.com
1. a person, group, or force that opposes or attacks; opponent; enemy; foe.
2. a person, group, etc., that is an opponent in a contest; contestant.
3. the Adversary, the devil; Satan.
4. of or pertaining to an adversary.
5. involving adversaries, as plaintiff and defendant in a legal proceeding: an adversary trial.
ad•ver•sar•i•al (Adjective) Relating to or characteristic of an adversary; involving antagonistic elements: “the chasm between management and labor in this country, an often needlessly adversarial . . . atmosphere”I find it very interesting that a dictionary would use management vs. labor to describe adversarial. It makes sense. Both parties have 100% of their focus on themselves. Management’s job is to make the company profitable. Labor’s job is to get the highest pay and benefits for their membership.
I don’t have a solution for them, but I would like to compare them to what is going on in most sales transactions out there in the business world. One of the reasons I had to get out of advertising sales years ago was the adversarial role I was forced into by management. There is a natural conflict between what management needs and what is best for the customer. Management needs sales today and the customer needs an advertising plan that will work and not waste their money. Middle management is always under pressure to increase sales. They are judged by gross sales and spot rate. Their focus is rarely on what is best for the customer. The attitude of management is, “We need to do whatever we can to get our fair share of all the advertising dollars being spent.” Commission-only sales people feel the adversarial pressure out of shear hunger to earn a living. Furniture, car, real estate, mortgages, insurance or door to door vacuums, we have all felt adversarial sales pressure. The desperation is almost palpable.
"Talking To" vs. "Talking At"
Criss Castle is a friend of mine who sells cars. She is without a doubt in my mind the best at what she does. Criss sells a ton of cars focusing on the needs of her customers and working very hard to deliver what they want. The last time I met a car seller like her was in 1998. His name was Gabe. My wife and I were looking for a new vehicle for her to drive to work. We sat down with Gabe at the dealership and he visited with us for almost and hour. He really took the time and got to know us and our situation. Instead of getting us in a car to test drive immediately, he sent us home and asked for 24-48 hours to find a fit for us. He called the next day with two or three options meeting our criteria. That evening he showed us three cars, all three in our price range. One was a Mazda with low miles and 25% below our maximum expenditure. We bought it and over the next two years Gabe was the car guy we told everyone about. He was a real guy who listened to us and didn’t use any sales tactics or manipulation to close the deal.
“Anxious to close is anxious to screw up!” ---Roy H. Williams
Are you focused on the customers needs or on their wallet?
ad•ver•sar•y (Noun) Dictionary.com
1. a person, group, or force that opposes or attacks; opponent; enemy; foe.
2. a person, group, etc., that is an opponent in a contest; contestant.
3. the Adversary, the devil; Satan.
4. of or pertaining to an adversary.
5. involving adversaries, as plaintiff and defendant in a legal proceeding: an adversary trial.
ad•ver•sar•i•al (Adjective) Relating to or characteristic of an adversary; involving antagonistic elements: “the chasm between management and labor in this country, an often needlessly adversarial . . . atmosphere”I find it very interesting that a dictionary would use management vs. labor to describe adversarial. It makes sense. Both parties have 100% of their focus on themselves. Management’s job is to make the company profitable. Labor’s job is to get the highest pay and benefits for their membership.
I don’t have a solution for them, but I would like to compare them to what is going on in most sales transactions out there in the business world. One of the reasons I had to get out of advertising sales years ago was the adversarial role I was forced into by management. There is a natural conflict between what management needs and what is best for the customer. Management needs sales today and the customer needs an advertising plan that will work and not waste their money. Middle management is always under pressure to increase sales. They are judged by gross sales and spot rate. Their focus is rarely on what is best for the customer. The attitude of management is, “We need to do whatever we can to get our fair share of all the advertising dollars being spent.” Commission-only sales people feel the adversarial pressure out of shear hunger to earn a living. Furniture, car, real estate, mortgages, insurance or door to door vacuums, we have all felt adversarial sales pressure. The desperation is almost palpable.
"Talking To" vs. "Talking At"
Criss Castle is a friend of mine who sells cars. She is without a doubt in my mind the best at what she does. Criss sells a ton of cars focusing on the needs of her customers and working very hard to deliver what they want. The last time I met a car seller like her was in 1998. His name was Gabe. My wife and I were looking for a new vehicle for her to drive to work. We sat down with Gabe at the dealership and he visited with us for almost and hour. He really took the time and got to know us and our situation. Instead of getting us in a car to test drive immediately, he sent us home and asked for 24-48 hours to find a fit for us. He called the next day with two or three options meeting our criteria. That evening he showed us three cars, all three in our price range. One was a Mazda with low miles and 25% below our maximum expenditure. We bought it and over the next two years Gabe was the car guy we told everyone about. He was a real guy who listened to us and didn’t use any sales tactics or manipulation to close the deal.
“Anxious to close is anxious to screw up!” ---Roy H. Williams
Monday, October 22, 2007
Gladys sent me this today!
Malachi 3:3 says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."
This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.
One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.
That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining Silver.
As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.
The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver." She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time.
The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.
The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?"He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it."
If today you are feeling the heat of the fire , remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.
This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.
One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.
That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining Silver.
As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.
The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver." She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time.
The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.
The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?"He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it."
If today you are feeling the heat of the fire , remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.
Some Rules Must Be Broken!
“It’s not how much you pay your employees, its how much they cost you.” When I was working with the Wizard of Ads I would hear him say this from time to time to the clients.
Business owners can easily look at their monthly profit and loss statements and see how much they are spending on labor. Like “Cost of Goods”, it’s one of the main areas we have to control to make a profit. Unfortunately, the paperwork doesn’t tell the whole story. If you recall from the August 6th Memo, number 8 of 15 Belief Marketing Beliefs says: "Referrals and reputation are still the cornerstone to business growth." A big part of your marketing’s success or failure is your customer’s PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.
“You are on your way to a doctor’s appointment and have a flat tire. You left your cell phone at home. You can’t call for help or the doc’s office to let them know you are going to be late. You end up being eleven minutes late. You try to explain what why you are late. Your excuses fall on deaf ears and the receptionist firmly lets you know you have missed your appointment and will be charged for it anyway because you didn’t call and let them know you were going to be late like their rules clearly state. You leave irate, in search of a new doctor.”
Why are you upset? The receptionist was doing her job, following the rules.
All of the advertising in the world cannot overcome a bad personal experience. It is very important for you to hire intelligent, sweet, EXTROVERTS to man your front line positions. Extroverts enjoy other people. They actually get their batteries charged by interacting with people.
INTROVERTS are energized by getting alone and getting away from people.
I am not saying an introvert can’t do the job of a receptionist. I am saying it takes much more energy for them to be sweet at the end of a long day dealing with people. It can be very easy for introverts to subconsciously begin looking at your customer’s as the enemy.
The reason this topic is on my mind, is because I have a client who has had one of the finest introvert book keepers doubling as his receptionist. The very personality traits that make her the best book keeper, makes her least qualified to work with the public. An accountant must be a legalist. Numbers are black and white. There are solid rules that cannot even be bent. (Not flexible.)
A person dealing with the public must make exceptions to some rules and ignore a few guidelines all together. A person who deals with the public eight hours a day understands it gets messy sometimes. Many people don’t behave properly and “Stuff Happens!” during every work day that causes change in our course. (Totally flexible.)
For a deeper understanding of how personality types directly affect your business, I recommend the Dr. Nick Grant’s video called Synergistic Co-Workers.
Business owners can easily look at their monthly profit and loss statements and see how much they are spending on labor. Like “Cost of Goods”, it’s one of the main areas we have to control to make a profit. Unfortunately, the paperwork doesn’t tell the whole story. If you recall from the August 6th Memo, number 8 of 15 Belief Marketing Beliefs says: "Referrals and reputation are still the cornerstone to business growth." A big part of your marketing’s success or failure is your customer’s PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.
“You are on your way to a doctor’s appointment and have a flat tire. You left your cell phone at home. You can’t call for help or the doc’s office to let them know you are going to be late. You end up being eleven minutes late. You try to explain what why you are late. Your excuses fall on deaf ears and the receptionist firmly lets you know you have missed your appointment and will be charged for it anyway because you didn’t call and let them know you were going to be late like their rules clearly state. You leave irate, in search of a new doctor.”
Why are you upset? The receptionist was doing her job, following the rules.
All of the advertising in the world cannot overcome a bad personal experience. It is very important for you to hire intelligent, sweet, EXTROVERTS to man your front line positions. Extroverts enjoy other people. They actually get their batteries charged by interacting with people.
INTROVERTS are energized by getting alone and getting away from people.
I am not saying an introvert can’t do the job of a receptionist. I am saying it takes much more energy for them to be sweet at the end of a long day dealing with people. It can be very easy for introverts to subconsciously begin looking at your customer’s as the enemy.
The reason this topic is on my mind, is because I have a client who has had one of the finest introvert book keepers doubling as his receptionist. The very personality traits that make her the best book keeper, makes her least qualified to work with the public. An accountant must be a legalist. Numbers are black and white. There are solid rules that cannot even be bent. (Not flexible.)
A person dealing with the public must make exceptions to some rules and ignore a few guidelines all together. A person who deals with the public eight hours a day understands it gets messy sometimes. Many people don’t behave properly and “Stuff Happens!” during every work day that causes change in our course. (Totally flexible.)
For a deeper understanding of how personality types directly affect your business, I recommend the Dr. Nick Grant’s video called Synergistic Co-Workers.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Leadership, His way.
This post is completely directed toward business leaders who are Christ followers. Maybe I can write something in the future for leaders who have no eternal hope. On second thought, just do the best you can with this.
Greg Grimaud and Miles Paludan are two men I have been watching succeed in Godly
leadership. In the past three years Greg has made a shift from an ego-driven life (ask him) to one of Christ-likeness and the big "H" (humility). Over the past two years, Miles Paludan, the successful custom home builder has become Pastor Miles. He has been a humble servant as long as I have known him and in my opinion is nice example of the leader Henry Nouwen describes.
Henry Nouwen writes his reflections on leadership out of his struggle with spiritual burnout. He like so many was about the business of doing more Godly things, than he was being a Godly man. Henry was at the "top" of his career teaching at Harvard and Yale, when he suddenly quit and took a position as chaplain at a home for the mentally handicapped. It was there he wrote an eighty-one page book entitled In The Name of Jesus. The book is about the spiritual lessons he had to learn to retool his heart for leadership. Nouwen describes the lessons in his life as what I would call movements of the Spirit. He says these movements are what must happen in our hearts in order for us to be prepared for expanded dominion.
The first move is from RELEVANCE to PRAYER.
"It's not enough for the leaders of the future to be moral people, well trained, eager to help their fellow humans, and able to respond creatively to the burning issues of their time. All of that is valuable and important, but it is not the heart of Christian leadership. The central question is: Are the leaders of the future truly men and women of God, people with an ardent desire to dwell in God's presence, to listen to God's voice, to look at God's beauty, to touch God's incarnate word, and to taste fully God's infinite Goodness?"
The second move is from POPULARITY to MINISTRY. We need to exchange the need to be a hero with a simple desire to serve people.
"The leadership about which Jesus speaks is of a radically different kind from the leadership offered by the world. It is a servant-leadership---in which the leader is a vulnerable servant who needs the people as much as they need him or her.
From this, it is clear that a whole new type of leadership is asked for---a leadership that is not modeled on the power games of the world, but on a servant-leader, Jesus."
The third transition is the move from LEADING to BEING LED. Leadership's temptation is to serve our own ego.
"It is not a leadership of power and control, but a leadership of power and humility---powerlessness and humility in the spiritual life do not refer to people who have no spine and who let everyone else make decisions for them. They refer to people who are so deeply in love with Jesus that they are ready to follow Him wherever He guides them, always trusting that, with Him, they will find life and find it abundantly."
(see We're All in the Family Business, by Doug Bannister, pages 58-60.)
Business Runs on Relationships, Relationships take Time!
Greg Grimaud and Miles Paludan are two men I have been watching succeed in Godly
leadership. In the past three years Greg has made a shift from an ego-driven life (ask him) to one of Christ-likeness and the big "H" (humility). Over the past two years, Miles Paludan, the successful custom home builder has become Pastor Miles. He has been a humble servant as long as I have known him and in my opinion is nice example of the leader Henry Nouwen describes.Henry Nouwen writes his reflections on leadership out of his struggle with spiritual burnout. He like so many was about the business of doing more Godly things, than he was being a Godly man. Henry was at the "top" of his career teaching at Harvard and Yale, when he suddenly quit and took a position as chaplain at a home for the mentally handicapped. It was there he wrote an eighty-one page book entitled In The Name of Jesus. The book is about the spiritual lessons he had to learn to retool his heart for leadership. Nouwen describes the lessons in his life as what I would call movements of the Spirit. He says these movements are what must happen in our hearts in order for us to be prepared for expanded dominion.
The first move is from RELEVANCE to PRAYER.
"It's not enough for the leaders of the future to be moral people, well trained, eager to help their fellow humans, and able to respond creatively to the burning issues of their time. All of that is valuable and important, but it is not the heart of Christian leadership. The central question is: Are the leaders of the future truly men and women of God, people with an ardent desire to dwell in God's presence, to listen to God's voice, to look at God's beauty, to touch God's incarnate word, and to taste fully God's infinite Goodness?"
The second move is from POPULARITY to MINISTRY. We need to exchange the need to be a hero with a simple desire to serve people.
"The leadership about which Jesus speaks is of a radically different kind from the leadership offered by the world. It is a servant-leadership---in which the leader is a vulnerable servant who needs the people as much as they need him or her.
From this, it is clear that a whole new type of leadership is asked for---a leadership that is not modeled on the power games of the world, but on a servant-leader, Jesus."
The third transition is the move from LEADING to BEING LED. Leadership's temptation is to serve our own ego.
"It is not a leadership of power and control, but a leadership of power and humility---powerlessness and humility in the spiritual life do not refer to people who have no spine and who let everyone else make decisions for them. They refer to people who are so deeply in love with Jesus that they are ready to follow Him wherever He guides them, always trusting that, with Him, they will find life and find it abundantly."
(see We're All in the Family Business, by Doug Bannister, pages 58-60.)
Business Runs on Relationships, Relationships take Time!
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