Lisbeth Calandrino::

First you have to show up.

I was reading Tony Rubleski’s blog, Why CustomerService is Vital to Marketing Success, on Indysmallbiz.com and was quite taken with the above line , “when you show up often, often good things happen.” It’s not exactly the  way he said it but it’s pretty close. The point was, staying in front of you old customers is extremely valuable and all you have to do is show up! Why do we have such trouble showing up and yet run after new customers that we don’t even know?

Maybe it’s the excitement of a new score, the capture, maybe the hunt. “I bagged another one says the hunter.” Salespeople have been so conditioned to grow their customer list that they may not realize the potential that exists in obtaining repeat sales from existing customers. Whatever the reason, one of the best ways to increase your sales that won’t cost you a dime is to stay in touch with your old or previously sold customers. Not that you shouldn’t grow your customer list, that’s another part of your sales strategy.

Last week I needed a plumber so I asked my next door neighbor for a referral. While the plumber was cleaning the tub drain the pipe broke and the water came through the ceiling. He has been “coming back to replace several other pipes” and it’s now one week later. Here I sit with a hole in my ceiling. It occurred  to me that I should have contacted Anthony who fixed my roof and renovated my downstairs apartment. How stupid of me! Why hadn’t I called him, I had just forgotten. When I called Anthony about the ceiling he said, we talked about the drain and I was going to call you. There it is, a missed opportunity for both of us. I trust him and his workers to be in my house and he works like lightening.

Here are 5 ways to stay in touch with your old customers.

1.Call existing customers and just check up on the products you sold or the services you delivered. Ask how it’s working out and do they need anything else? You might also ask if they have anyone  else that might need your services. While Anthony was talking to me I remembered that Phil across the street said he needed a plumber and wasn’t going to call mine! In a flash I gave him Anthony’s phone number and they’ve connected. All Anthony had to do was to make a phone call to me.

2. Vicci Hall with ERA Real Estate Professional in Ridgeland, Miss. selects 50 past clients with whom she has a close realtionship and sends them a special letter, which she calls a “Letter From My Heart.” this handwritten not includes inspirational stores or focuses on a special holiday or event. This is very interesting and apparently works. Followup with a holiday phone call, just to say hello. You don’t have to try and sell them you just need to stay in touch regularly.

3. Get creative. Invite your best customers to your home for a party, yes your home. Halloween is a great holiday, people get to be  “their other self. Any kind of party will do.
4. If yours is a service industry, such as remodeling, builder or real estate,  create a binder of  photos of their project as well as an extra copy of  their paper work and give it to them at the end of the project.  Many  people  misplace their paperwork  so this will be an unexpected gift.

5. Connect with your customers on Facebook. You can follow what is going on in their lives from knowing who is having a baby to where they’re spending their holidays. You will find plenty of ways to connect with out being pushy.

Sometimes all it take is to “show up.” The “show up season” is upon us.

Lisbeth Calandrino is a trainer, speaker and business coach. Her book, Red Hot Customer Service gives business owners and salespeople ideas for connecting and adding value to the sales process.

Marketing and advertising are illusions for many people; their theory, throw something against the wall and hope it will stick. Not so according to Alan Baker, President and Founder of Creative Marketing Concepts in Latham, New York. Alan,  a guest on my radio show indysmallbiz.com  gave me the scoop on what it takes to make it work. By the way, indysmallbiz.com provides information and tools for small business; look for blogs and podcasts by authors like myself who work with small businesses.

“Good marketing starts with good communication, says Alan, you must know who you are, what you do and know why a client should do business with you if you want to make it work. After that it takes lots of persistence and focus. With business being soft many companies start cutting expenses and often the first to go is the marketing. Businesses should cut programs that don’t show results but a good marketing program should be measurable. ”

Alan’s positive outlook shows in how he works with businesses. The key is to spread the word so that people know who you are even if times are tough. There are still customers with money and your job is to find them and entice them with your offers. A promotional piece is designed to provide added value to your customer and keep your business in the front of their mind. One of the things I found interesting is what Alan calls the “hobo pen.” I thought people bought pens so they could give them out for their customers to use. Alan assures me that the pen’s job is to travel from business to business and eventually wind up in a buyer’s hand. His trick; sign the restaurant   check with their pen and replace it with his pen!

Alan left us with three tips for using promotional materials that are worth noting:

1. Promotional materials are good for all size companies. Even the littlest of companies should have something to give their customers which has their brand and their logo. Products will successfully get your name out and keep it prominent in the market. I know whenever I pick up a pen, I always look at the name and the design of the pen. Promotional items can range from the usual coffee mugs, magnets, blankets, first aid kits and toys. In my case, I bought hot sauce bottles and Alan had a Red Hot Customer Service label made for me and a photo of my book.

2. Think about “spreading your name around” wherever you can. The object of promotional products is to maximize your profits and your investment. Before you choose your products set precise goals for your promotion. This will help you choose the right products for your business. Are you using the products to increase sales, show appreciation to loyal customers or to thank customers for buying your products? Not one size fits all so it’s important to have set goals.

3. Plan your promotions for the year. It’s wise to have a calendar for the year so you can plan how to spend your dollars. Holidays often mean larger expenditures, especially for your better customers so it’s wise to know what you have to spend.  Alan often helps his clients plan for the holidays as well as creating new ones for his customers. If Buca di Beppo can have a “Meatball Day” why can’t a mechanic have a “Wrench Day” and send out tiny wrenches with his name on them?

4. Get involved in Small Business Saturday.  This year (again)  it’s all about the SATURDAY following Thanksgiving when we continue to show our gratitude by supporting the lifeline of the American economy – our small businesses.  According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, there were nearly 28 million small businesses in the United States last year.  Over the past two decades, they created 65 percent of net new jobs.  Directly supporting the communities in which we live, every $100 spent in locally-owned, independent stores, $68 returns to the community through taxes, payroll and other expenditures, according to the small business advocacy group The 3/50 Project. My suggestion, go big, go Made in America, tout your small business and be proud of what small businesses have done for our country.

You don’t have to make this one up; American Express is out there again waving the flag for small business and investing plenty of dollars in our behalf. According to the Small Business Saturday Consumer Spend Survey 2011 61% of consumers plan to shop at locally-owned clothing and accessories stores on November 26.

Check out on Facebook  for  Shop Small on November 26th.

Marketing tools and instore signage : http://bit.ly/sT1Xb4

You still have a few days left to get the “traveling pen” out there for Small Business Saturday.

Today while working out at the YMCA, I noticed a heavy woman on the stationary bike slowly peddling and reading a cook book! She didn’t seem like she was in much of a hurry to get anywhere. It started me thinking, how we sabotage ourselves. Of course I’m assuming she was trying to lose weight, not just hiding out reading her casserole cookbook. Maybe she just wanted to learn how to cook.

Losing weight is hard, working out is hard and doing both is even harder. What do you have to do  to get what you want and be successful? Is it work hard? Maybe not.

I think the first thing is you have to know what you really want. Like the woman on the bike, are you trying to go backwards and forwards at the same time? Like the “jumbo shrimp cocktail?”

 How often do we say “I want to be healthy” while we’re eating another  piece of cake? To be successful and get what you want you must have a compelling personal commitment to something that is really important–to you! When you’re engaged in “the thing” you don’t worry about the time or what you’re doing. For me it’s being at the YMCA lifting weights. Why is that you ask, I have no idea but when it’s “weight lift day” I can’t wait to get to the gym. Is it because I want to be healthy, partly. The other reason is  I like the feeling of getting stronger. Sometimes it’s hard to get out of bed at 6AM but usually I do it. I’m just passionate about this part of my workout. I hold myself accountable by checking off the machines as I use them and carefully note the weight on each machine. Occasionally for whatever reason I miss a week and I feel awful. I try and remind myself of the bigger picture and get back on the wagon.It’s hard losing weight and working out; it’s even harder if you live across the street from D&D., Dunkin Donuts.

Success needs to be measured in your own terms. I have a friend who collects miniature tea pots, one who collects glass elephants and another business cards! Go figure. It gives them pleasure and they will always show you their newest addition. I have another friend who collects baseball cards, and has them cataloged. Apparently this type of success, to do what you want isn’t measured in money–not even for my friend with cabinets filled with baseball cards.

You must be willing to pay the price–”you work too hard, you’re a workaholic, why collect meaningless business cards? You must be passionate. Can you pass the “Passion Test?” This is a very interesting test, you’ll know right away if you’re passionate. I would say if you’re not passionate about what you’re doing, move on! If you feel like you can’t move on, find something about the task that you really love and put your heart and soul into it.

This is a great article on being successful: http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/successful/

Simple but : insightful, things that successful people do.  http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2011/02/nine_things_successful_people.html#disqusComments

Get rid of limiting beliefs: I can’t do it, I might fail and what will people think? If you’re worry about what people think you’re already in trouble. I am reading “Start With Why” by Simon Sinek which really  makes you think. Check out this video of Simon Sinek. “Our perceptions influence or behavior.”

Decide that you matter. You’re not selfish because you “matter.” How will you get what you want and fill your passion if “you don’t matter?” You must know “people pleasers” who spend their lives doing for everyone but themselves? This is a great article on being a “people pleaser” and what it takes to change. Being a “people pleaser” may feel good for a minute but after it’s over, you’ll have to look for someone else to please if you want to feel good again.

Spend a minute thinking about yourself tomorrow and dream your dreams, even if it’s just for a minute. 

Lisbeth Calandrino is a business coach and speaker. Her book, Red Hot Customer Service has great tips on providing anything but ordinary tips for customer service for your customers. She can be reached at Redhotcustomerservice@nycap.rr.com.

Making things happen takes action

Several weeks ago, I was conducting a sales seminar for  designers and salespeople. Since I was the last speaker for the week, I asked the group what was their biggest challenge with the information they received. The answer: how  will we  implement these great ideas? You see the participants weren’t owners and couldn’t go back and immediately make changes. This wasn’t the first time I’ve heard this but this time  I decided to add some sales strategies for the participants.  

What good would all this information be if no one would listen?

1. So what do you do? First you must understand that if  you’re selling customers you are an owner! Without you and your sales the business would die. Trust me, if you can’t sell anything you’ll be out the door and be replaced by someone who can sell. That’s how important you are.

2. Think like an owner. Being an  owner and worked with many, I can tell you they think about money and sales. Without sales the business will not exist and a smart business owner  puts as much money and time into training  their sales staff. If you’ve been sent to a sales seminar  consider it an honor and take it seriously. The owner has made an investment in your future.  It means you are valued.

Your job? Rise to the occasion and learn as much as you can and be prepared to go back to your business and as they say: learn it, teach it and do it!

3. First things first. You’re probably excited and learned so many things you don’t know what to talk about first. Think like an owner and discuss the things that are connected to number 1. –sales and money. You will have learned lots of important things and many will stand out in your mind but are they the ones “most connected to the bottom line?” Are they ones you can implement easily, will they  have the most impact on your business? Start with these things first.  As someone once said, we’re learning how to be “mini moguls!”

4. Make sure it “makes sense.” Do you have the data right, do you have an example of how it gets done? If you need more info before you present your ideas, go get it right.

5. Make an appointment with the owner or manager who will be implementing your ideas and use rule 2. as one of your bargaining tools. “You sent me to these informative seminars, and there are ways that we can make more money and improve our sales. Who wouldn’t want to listen to this sales pitch? This will be the best sale you’ve ever had!

6. Have your list written and ready to go. Have examples of what other profitable stores are doing and  use the names of industry people providing the information.

 7. Back up your ideas with “clout.” By the way, don’t give up, offer your services if the owner wants more information and go find it. Hold yourself accountable for getting things done. Have a list of as many ideas as you want but start with the top start three. When you  have some success, go back for another three!

8. Remind yourself why this is important. Changes that will improve your business will improve your personal business as well as make you more valuable to the business. It’s up to you manage your own career, build your brand and get educated. If you know it’s right, make it happen. Chances are your self-esteem will improve if you can make changes for your business. If you haven’t seen the movie “Moneyball” I suggest you see it. I love movies that make me want to go out and change the world. ( There’s a link to the trailer-watch it.)

9. Pat yourself on the back, know you’ve done a good job and pay attention to the results. Good luck!

10. Final suggestion: “When in doubt, make a fool of yourself. There is a microscopically thin line between being brilliantly creative and acting like the most gigantic idiot on earth. So what the hell, leap.” Cynthia Heimel

Need help with your business? In Lisbeth’s book, Red Hot Customer Service,  Lisbeth outlines the steps for building a successful business with customer service techniques. Lisbeth has been providing custom marketing and sales programs for the past 20 years. Lisbeth can be reached at Redhotcustomerservice@nycap.rr.com

I‘ve found that not everyone is interested in learning new things; in fact, many people don’t even like thinking about learning new things. And then there are others who are so interested in learning that nothing will stop them.

 And so of course enters Steve Jobs. I never thought much about Jobs until one day while  gazing lovingly at my iPhone did I realize how amazing it was.  I also reminded myself that nothing in front of me should ever be taken for granted because it means something to my life. Job’s theory was to keep you eye on what fuels you and believe what you are doing is connected to your future.

“When you do what you love, the dots will eventually connect,” said Jobs.

I never knew Steve Jobs but he has touched me because we  shared the planet at the same time and I have been one of the recipients of   his greatness and his talent. A friend sent me an article about Jobs which said Jobs  listened to the customer, decided what they needed and gave it to them. An interesting theory and one that my dad subscribe to; his motto, you have to have a customer before you can sell anything and once your customer tells you what they want you’re half way there. Sort of “get them there and then build it for them. ”

This is real customer service.

Jobs and I also shared the path of cancer, my path like his has been twice but I am still here. I know what it means to have the doctor tell you how long you have to live and then wondering how could she be talking to you since you don’t  even feel sick.

I understand the urgency of life and following your dreams. Cancer has a way of telling you to pay attention to your life. It has a way of telling you to hurry up and get on with it no matter how the rest of the world or the people in your life feel.

 I recently watched Job’s graduation speech at Stanford in 2005 as he recounts his brush with death and how it impacted his life. “If it doesn’t feel like something you want to do then don’t do it” was the essence after  his first brush with death.  Jobs lived his life that way, believing that his path had a purpose and that it would lead him somewhere. His insights into life and his path to greatness leaves many of us in awe–as it should.

Everything in your life has been put in front of you for a reason. I believe it’s up to you to determine the reason and proceed as if it all matters. On some level, conscious or unconscious, it does. It may be hard to realize that looking at death can move you forward since we often think that only good things can move us forward. If you believe in yourself, it’s all good  and everything can move your forward.

Jobs dropped out of college because he hated the classes but promised  his adopted parents he would give it a try. You see  his birth mother was unwilling to give him up unless his adopted parents agreed to give Steve a college education. Despite the fact they were uneducated (they lied to get Steve) they gave up everything to get Steve educated.) After dropping out of college he was free to live his life and  take any classes that interested him. His choice was  calligraphy. He didn’t know why but he thought it was beautiful, little did he know it was to be a major part of the Mac  he later designed.

If you’re not doing what you want right now, at  one point in your life, if you’re lucky, you will decide to do what you really love.  One day your wake up call will be ringing in your ears; don’t hit the snooze button. I  always knew I loved sports, I majored in physical education and never did anything formal with it but feel at my best when I’m at the gym. I’m lucky I’ve at least connected those dots.

Follow your heart and your path; not your mom’s, your wife/husband/boss’s path but the one that gives you “juice.” I was discussing  this with one of my business friends who said he  liked the term “juice.” I’m sure I didn’t make it up but it sure fits. If what you do makes your mouth water, you’re on the right track!

Live your life as if you “are” and remember you are exactly where you need to be at this point and you’re doing the right thing. There’s a reason for it and a way for you to grow–if you believe in yourself. The mistake we make is in the belief   that when something bad happens it becomes a stumbling block to  our life. Consider that whatever it is it has a purpose. Maybe it’s to slow you down and so you can practice your “problem solving skills” or to take another path. 

As Steve Jobs said, if you’re doing what you want the dots will connect themselves and eventually you will know what it all means. Ah, the adventure of life. 

Thank you Steve.

Hire for skill sets not experience.

Many of the questions I get from employers have to do with hiring younger employees and trying to figure out what motivates them. Employers seem to be perplexed by this new generation.

I  recently appeared as a guest on  Professor Lauri  Smedley’s radio show   http://www.blogtalkradio.com/professor-smedley and realized that as a college professor Professor Smedley  is very knowledgeable about this younger generation. Professor Smedley   has been a full-time professor at Sacramento City College (SCC) in Sacramento, California for over 11 years. She holds a Master of Science degree in Computer Information Systems, a Bachelor’s degree in Vocational Education, an Associate of Science degree in Management Information Systems, and certificates in Online Teaching and College Counseling. She can be reached at http://www.professorsmedley.com.  

Professor Smedley, I have the feeling that college is very different these days.  

Yes, college is very different from the way it was 10 or 20 years ago.  One of the biggest differences is the increase in online course offerings.  This modality allows students to complete college courses, certificates, and degrees, sometimes without ever having to set foot on the college campus.  Regardless of where students live in the world, they can attend college online.

What are the younger students like, what are they thinking about?    

The following statements presented here are generalizations and do not, necessarily, represent all younger students.  Younger students, as with those of us who are older, may vary with regards to their perspectives depending on their race, ethnicity, nationality, culture, life experiences, etc.  With that said, younger students are interesting.  They have many more distractions than students did when I was in college in the 1980s and 1990s.  Technology plays a big role in their social lives as well as in their education.  It is not uncommon to walk past a computer lab (during class time) and see students checking their social media accounts, email, or texting.  Instructors and professors must work harder to gain and keep students’ attention against so many competing forces.

In this tough economy, students are finding it harder to afford college, even with financial aid.  Many of them take longer to finish college, because tuition is rising in many sectors.  I sense that students are often frustrated, disillusioned, and confused when things don’t go their way.  To that kind of sentiment, I say, V-O-T-E.

What are their concerns about working?

Students of all ages are concerned about what will await them after they finish college.  Oftentimes, students graduate from college and cannot find jobs in their major fields of study.  Times such as these call for students and non-students alike to be creative and flexible when it comes to earning an income.  Toward that end, I wrote a book called, Virtual Entrepreneurship:  Creating and Operating a Home-based Online Business.  I also teach an online class by the same name.  Even for people who have full-time or part-time jobs, this can be a good way for them to enhance their incomes by becoming self-employed doing work that they actually enjoy doing.

One of the benefits of young people creating their own home-based businesses is that they are often not yet burdened with mortgages, car payments, and childcare, etc. so they can afford to take more risks than older students can.

What should an employer think about when hiring a younger person?

Employers should look at a young person’s potential and not just their current skill set.

Employers should ask themselves, “Is this potential employee trainable?”  Employers should try to remember when they, themselves, were young and needed to get their feet in the door of their first jobs.  If an employer were to take a chance on a young person who has potential, it is quite likely that the young person will feel a sense of loyalty to the employer and could quite potentially be one of the employers most valued and loyal employees.

What motivates these younger people?

From what I have observed, heard, and read, today’s young people want to be happy above all else.  In other words, they want to work in jobs that give them happiness, yet still allow them to grow as individuals and enjoy free time.

Today’s young people do not seem to be as driven to work countless hours at work (as people of my generation do) if it means that they cannot hang out with their friends and socialize in person or online.

Young people do want to have nice things like they see in pop culture, but they want to have the free time to enjoy those nice things.

Baby Boomers, such as myself, have traditionally gotten jobs and stayed in those jobs whether  we liked them or not.  Today’s young people are more likely to quit a “bad job” in search of a “good job” if they do not like their current jobs.

Are they all very techie?  

Not really.  I get young students in my classes all the time who don’t even know how to touch-type, yet they have been using computers for years.  Other students taught themselves how to use technology, but picked up a lot of bad habits along the way.  Employers should not assume that all young people are technologically proficient.  If being technologically proficient is a job requirement, employers should test potential employees to assess their levels of proficiency.

Professor Smedley, can you give us suggestions for motivating and working with the “younger employee?”

1.This is the generation that grew up where everyone on the team got a trophy just for showing up whether or not they contributed to the team.

2. They are used to hearing “good job” when they do what they are supposed to do.  Employers would do well to praise young people when they do right and motivate and encourage them when they fall short by offering “sugar-coated” constructive feedback rather than yelling at or demeaning them.

3.   Even when the employees fall short, the employer should praise the employees for the part(s) that they did well.  Young people are often very creative and should be given autonomy and the freedom to complete their work assignments and projects their own ways rather than having to conform to rigid guidelines.

4. The employees need to have the feeling that they have different options when it comes to getting the job done.

5. Employers could state the desired outcomes and suggest possible ways to reach those outcomes.  Employers might be pleasantly surprised at what the young employees come up with.

6. Employers should also listen to the younger employees when they make recommendations and actually implement their suggestions if at all possible and feasible.

Lisbeth Calandrino is an award winning trainer, author, and blogger. She is  author of the book, Red Hot Customer Service, 35 ways to heat up your business and ignite your sales. In her book Lisbeth outlines the steps for building a successful business with customer service techniques. Lisbeth has been providing custom marketing and sales programs for the past 20 years.

I have been using BEST Instruments as a way to help individuals understand how they communicate and what they can do to be more versatile and effective in their jobs. The tests are simple but very telling.  It’s amazing how a 15 minute “quiz” can be so revealing. It is a way to understand yourself and those around you.

The key is learning how to value each other and  realize that each employee has their own assets and should be developed, leveraged and shared  throughout the company. This way people learn from each other and feel valued. By understanding your employees a company can create a highly motivated group who will continually exceed your company’s expectations.

One of the things that was brought to my attention was  that everyone in the room was similar in personality style. The person in charge said to me, it’s because the person doing the  hiring is choosing people just like himself.  This is not uncommon because people hire people who make them feel comfortable. Someone who understands team dynamics and how businesses work realizes that diversity is important. If you’re going to meet the diverse needs of your customers you will need different types of sales people. My father used to say “People are all different and they like it that way!” In other words, don’t try to make everyone the same.

Change is what’s happening!

This is no time to keep the status quo!

If you’re not changing your competitor is and taking your customer with them!

Sure you may have to be more understanding with people different than yourself but consider another point of view as a gift.

It’s like eating Chinese food your whole life and finding out that Italian food is just as good–if not better! How will you know unless you try it?  Life is for testing and trying not for staying safe.

It seems that   General Motors Co. wants to tie their union-represented workers  pay to their work performance. This will be a major shift in how generations of  how  auto workers have been compensated.

“We are trying  to give hourly workers the same metrics as salaried workers,” GM Vice Chairman Stephen Girsky said Tuesday at the Detroit auto show. “There is a big pay-for-performance element going through the company and there is going to be more of it.”GM wants more flexible pay levels for workers as a way to encourage better performance and avoid locking the company into handing out big raises when the company isn’t performing well, company executives say.

If they change the system they will be able to measure their employees success immediately. I believe they will also build more productive employees.

Does this work ?

The Federal Government tries it on and deals with the conflicts, http://bit.ly/ns3JI3

You can use pay or other incentives to increase output, http://bit.ly/oAuwN5

Incentives can be customized for employees, http://bit.ly/nT1F1l

Linking employees pay to output does more than affect the bottom line of a business, it affects how an employee feels about his performance. Getting a pay check at the end of the week has more meaning when you actually see what you produce. Imagine how farmers feel when their seeds actually produce fruit?

Conceptually one and one make two but if you actually put two  penny’s in a child’s hand, it brings it to reality. Many children are taught at a young age that if they take out the garbage they will receive an allowance, this is linking pay to performance. When I realized the value of money I was enthralled with taking out the garbage and kept asking if there was something else I could do to get paid. I couldn’t wait until I was 14 to start baby sitting. As I “earned from doing” I realized that producing had value and I was capable of producing. I bet that many of you had the same experience. It was all good!

Why don’t more retail stores adopt the policy of performance based pay? I often hear   there will be more competition and  the customer will suffer–why would a salesperson wait on a customer if they weren’t being paid?  I would say it’s part of their job! It’s not easy devising a commission based sales structure but it has a big pay off for the store and the salesperson.

Having had both commissioned and non-commissioned jobs I vote for commission.

I am presently working for SodaStream as a brand ambassador. The product is super, I love doing the presentations and although I am asked to sell at least two machines, I’m not paid for performance. At first I worked very hard to sell the machines and then I realized it really didn’t matter. I decided I needed an incentive so I asked if I could put an affiliate link on my site for  customers. If someone clicks on my link they receive a $10.00 coupon and I receive a few cents. Does it make a difference? It does to me; I know what I do makes a difference, to me and my company and it’s fun. I like being part of the success of a company.

I think salespeople pay more attention to their jobs and their company if they were paid for what they produce. I realize I’m really part of my company’s success.

Selling (and money) is about an exchange. An exchange of value for value. The mere act of selling is a service and can provide value to a potential customer even if the customer doesn’t buy. But, if the customer doesn’t buy, the company goes out of business.

If you want to stay in business my suggestion is you find a way to compensate your employees for actually getting the product in the hands of your customers. By compensating them for what they sell they can actually see that what they do makes a difference to their company.

I didn’t realize that The Home Depot gives quotas to sales people and Lowe’s Companies pay commission in some departments. These are stores that started out by not paying commission and later turned to commission.

More than anything commission builds self-esteem and gives people experience with taking risks. Success is built on risk; why not help your employees learn the principles of success while building your business?

Remember, most of us prefer to be first. There are more kids on Halloween who want to be dressed as Batman than Robin.

I love this quote from Tom J. Watson of IBM:

“Would you like me to give you a formula for success? It’s quite simple, really. Double your rate of failure. You are thinking of failure as the enemy of success. But it isn’t at all. You can be discouraged by failure or you can learn from it, So go ahead and make mistakes. Make all you can. Because remember that’s where you will find success.”

Lisbeth Calandrino is an award winning trainer, author, and blogger. She is  author of the book, Red Hot Customer Service, 35 ways to heat up your business and ignite your sales. In her book Lisbeth outlines the steps for building a successful business with customer service techniques. Lisbeth has been providing custom marketing and sales programs for the past 20 years.

There are more customers are out there!

I read an interesting article, “Prescription for Wholesome Sales” which I re-posted  on my ScoopIt.

The evaluation of the process or problem takes high priority on their sales examination. “Just like a medical professional, this phase takes the organization crucial symptoms to get and ideas of the well-being of the sales business.”

With any problem the most important phase is the examination process. Where am I, how did I get here and what am I doing? The more thorough the examination the better the  diagnosis and the more useful the  prescription. They talk about speaking with the salespeople, discussing their goals and how close their actual sales are to their goals. Of course there’s the “why” is it happening.

This is definitely a great place to start but it lacks one element: the customer’s input. According to statistics the average “good business” loses 10% of it’s customers yearly. How many of these businesses actually seek out these customers to find out why they’ve defected? I have asked many businesses this question and they all seem to have an answer but never a solution. Both the problem and  the solution out of their hands.

“We were too busy, we couldn’t wait on them.”

“They were just the wrong customers, they won’t pay our prices.”

“We get lots of cheap customers.”

My experience is different. After interviewing hundreds of customers I’ve found that their reasons for leaving fall into the category of “they just didn’t pay attention or they never followed up.” Simple you say? Why don’t they just make a phone call and follow up? It just doesn’t happen in many stores. Particularly if the customer has been designated as a “problem customer.” You know the kind, they just look cheap.

Sales training would make more sense if businesses would include their customers in the process. Have an outsider call 25 of your lost customers and ask, “what happened?” I know many businesses have follow up questionnaires but nothing beats the place of a phone call from someone outside your business. Once you get input from your customers, the training will make more sense.

“Where did you go and why did you leave us?” I have found that the answers are very specific and often unusual. “I asked about the bathroom and they said it was out of order.” (I wondered, was it or wasn’t it out of order? That didn’t help my problem, I still had to go!) Trust is one of the first things that must be present to sell a customer and in this case the trust went  gone out the window.

If this is your business, consider a study with some well designed questions (things you really want to know) and have a trusted person call these customers. I have found that the best way to approach the customers is to voice concern over their loss, or if not lost, concern about improving customer service.

Even if a customer hates you they will be happy to stay on the phone and complain. A well meaning customer will be happy to give you some ideas if they feel their comments matter. You can make comments matter by offering them a gift–a real one with no strings attached.  (A gift with “strings attached” is a  discount on a future purchase.)

Following up on a customer is critical if you want repeat and referral business–which turns out to be the most profitable. I purchased a domain name from GoDaddy the other day and received a phone call the next day. I was asked about my purchase and I assumed they were trying to get me to buy additional products. Instead I was asked why I left some “free” products on the table. I told them I didn’t need the blog information I already had one nor did I need another email account, free or not. Gary proceeded to ask me about my account, what was I selling etc. This turned into a very useful conversation about business and ideas that I hadn’t thought of. When I asked why he made the call he said we consider our customers our business partners and we like to do whatever we can to keep them in business! Wow, I thought, that’s what I would have told him to say. I then proceeded to write a note to GoDaddy and ask for an interview for my blog; I haven’t heard from them but they’re on my “favs” list!

So what does this mean to your business?

Call up a few customers daily and thank them, ask how the product is doing, ask about their lives.

Ask if they have any ideas about how you might deliver better service or add services.

Remember their birthdays or their kid’s birthdays. Ask how they enjoyed the summer.

Ask if there’s anything else you might do for them..and don’t forget to ask if there’s anyone they know you might help or would benefit from your expertise. Don’t be uncomfortable asking for a referral–if you did a job  you deserve it!

We're not different

I’m tired of reading about women customers being different shoppers than men. Everyone seems to have a plan about “how to sell to women;” as if we were some unusual species. Now that we have money, we seem to command more attention.

 And by the way, despite the hundreds of articles on “how to sell to women” I find that I regularly am “dismissed” by a salesperson. Is it because I’m female, and they think I’m stupid? No, I just think they’re bad salespeople.

I was  looking at a refrigerator today and the only person who was willing to wait on me was another customer! I think everyone was shopping today because the weather was so bad. Most of the stores were understaffed and loaded with customers. We started to talk, he knew more about cubic feet than I did so I let him talk. When I had enough I said “thanks” and continued on my way. Did I think he thought I was stupid because he kept on about how much he knew about refrigerators, no I just think he liked being smart and telling me what he knew.

It’s all about being good at sales. Those who are good at sales realize that building rapport is one of the most important parts of the selling process. Building rapport has to do with eye contact, a smile and a friendly “hello” to take the “customer’s temperature.” Are they friendly, distant, in a hurry or not interested in talking with you? These clues will help you determine your next move.

 Does it matter if the customer is a male or female, old or young? Of course it doesn’t but we all have our stereotypes about people. The more experienced and “sane” you are the more you understand that most customer reactions have nothing to do with you. We all live in our own little worlds and bring that world to the sales floor. Sometimes things are good and sometimes they’re not. This has nothing to do with being a male or a female it has to do with life. And by the way, life is never about you, it’s always about the person that you’re dealing with.

 If you want to be part of the customer’s conversation you will have to ask questions and not “assume” that you know what the customer is  thinking and feeling.

Sales is about communication, good communication and understanding. Most salespeople need communication skills as well as sales training skills.  All the sales training in the world won’t help a person who doesn’t understand how people communicate and can’t “read the clues” in front of them.

So women have more money and more buying power. My mom didn’t work for years and still had the buying power in our house. Dad liked to please my mom and make her smile. When it came to what she wanted he stayed out of the way or asked what she thought. My dad was a good salesperson. He knew how my mom shopped, he knew what made her happy and knew how she made decisions. By the way, my mom knew my dad’s little shopping “quirks” also. When she shopped, she stayed out of his way while he ran through the store as if he were on his way to a fire.

Approach the customer as if she/he is a friend in need of something. Make good eye contact; if the customer turns away, you turn away and wait for the next clue. It doesn’t mean she doesn’t like you, unless you’ve already done something offensive, it may mean she’s thinking or hasn’t really noticed you.

We’re really no different; we want to be understood, cared about and made to feel important. Is that different for a male  shopper? It’s been said women like to shop more than men; I know plenty of men who love shopping but that doesn’t make them feminine. I have done enough focus groups to know there are plenty of women who don’t like to shop. They go to the store, get what they want and go home. Is this just “backlash” behavior?”

Who would know better what the customer wants then the salesperson? I have found that good salespeople try to understand what the customer wants, help the customer refine it so they can make a decision. This is good salesmanship and good customer service.

 Again, it takes good communication skills and a thoughtful approach.

Just like men we’re all different.