Archives for October 2014

It Pays to Ask

October 28, 2014 by Leave a Comment
It Pays to Ask

Malcolm Gladwell at INBOUND14.

Last year I won tickets to go to INBOUND in Boston. In the marketing world, it’s a big deal. The conference boasts an amazing lineup of incredible speakers, authors, and experts. Unfortunately, I couldn’t work out my schedule with my employer and wasn’t able to attend. As the conference approached, I looked at going this time around.

I sent a message to the person who I won the ticket from last year; the company’s Chief Marketing Officer. I briefly explained my situation and asked if there would be any way I could cash in on the ticket this year since it didn’t work out for me last year. The worst he could say was no, right?
He emailed back the next day. His message was “sure, no problem.” He gave me a code to use and an email for someone to contact if I ran into problems. I immediately signed up and made preparations to attend the conference. By asking, I saved $999. It pays to ask!

How often do we want something, but never get it? They say that’s one of the main reasons a sales person doesn’t sell something is because they never ask for the sale. A simple, can I wrap that up for you, should we fill out some paper work so it’s yours, or do you want to buy it, could be all that’s needed to close the sale.
People aren’t mind readers. What you think are obvious signs are not that for others. Implying you want something and asking for it are two very different things. Children have no problem asking, “can I have this?”
That special someone you want to invite to dinner? There’s no chance they’ll go if you never ask. Sure, they could say no. If they do, you’re in the same predicament as you are currently. If they say yes, who knows what could develop. If you make your intentions known the possibilities are endless.
As I expected, the conference was phenomenal. The speakers were brilliant and I met talented people from across the country. I even made some new friends. It was such a blast that I can’t wait to go next year, even though I’ll have to pay.
I certainly learned that it pays to ask. What are you going to ask?
Filed Under: Life Lessons Tagged With: , ,

“Stop Talking. I’m Painting.” A Lesson in Focus and Eliminating Distractions.

October 21, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Stop talking. I'm painting.Recently my sister decided to give my 3 1/2 year old niece some paints, brushes, and paper; figuring that she’s old enough to be able to have fun without making too much of a mess. My niece enjoys coloring books and drawing, so it seemed like a logical progression.

Turns out my niece loves painting. She literally lost herself in it. At one point my sister asked if she wanted a sandwich for lunch. My niece responded, “I’m painting.” My sister asks again, “What do you want for lunch?” Without even lifting her head my niece responded, “Stop talking. I’m painting.” There’s a great lesson here from my 3 1/2 year old niece about focus and eliminating distractions.
How often do we let distractions dictate what we do? Even though her mom was asking her what she wanted to eat, my niece wasn’t having any of it. She was going to keep painting until she was done. It didn’t matter that her mom was talking to her. No one was going to break her concentration.
We often let life distract us. We could be in the middle of something; lost in what we’re doing. Instead of staying in the flow, we get distracted because there’s a meeting scheduled, or the phone rings, or we get an email and we can’t beat the urge to check it. We let those things interrupt us.
Why do we do that? Maybe we think it’s selfish. Maybe we don’t want to be rude. If we ignore the distractions, what we’re saying is “hold on, I’ve got more important things happening right now.” Instead of looking at it as selfish, look at it as self-power. It’s empowering to proclaim, “this is what I’m doing, and I can’t be bothered.”
It’s like those lights that go on when broadcasters are “on the air.” No one would dare interrupt them at that moment. What you’re doing is just as important as anyone else. Take the time to finish your work. You’re “on the air” and your work is valuable.
There is nothing more important than what you’re doing at this very moment. If you give yourself completely to the moment you can get lost in it like my niece. There have been times when I’ve been so focused on something that I’ve lost all sense of time. I did’t feel hunger. I did’t get tired.
It’s an amazing feeling to be so into what you’re doing that nothing else matters. The next time you start something give your undivided attention to it. Sign out of email, and Facebook, turn off your cell phone, eliminate anything that could be a possible distraction. See if you can get lost in it. If you get lost in it often enough, who knows, maybe you’ve just found your calling.
I’m thankful for this important lesson. What do you think? Will this work for you? How do you eliminate distractions from your life so you can focus on the moment in front of you?
Filed Under: Life Lessons, Motivation Tagged With: , ,

Sales and Marketing Lessons from the Apple Guy

October 14, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Sales and Marketing Lessons from the Apple GuyOne of the things I love most about fall is apple season. Apples are my favorite fruit and there’s nothing like having a crisp, fresh, delicious apple. Apple season only lasts about two months, so I appreciate it when it comes around.
When I was a kid, every Sunday after church in the fall, my mom would drive us to visit the Apple Guy, as he was affectionately known. His real name was Mr. Patterson.
Here are four Sales and Marketing Lessons I remember from the Apple Guy, that anyone can use:
Have a Beautiful Presentation – When you drove by, it looked like something from a Norman Rockwell painting; his car was off to the side of the road and the apples were lined up by type in baskets. He also had bags of various sizes ready-to-go. Everywhere you looked, there were apples. I remember him as a friendly man; wearing his blue jeans, plaid shirt, and baseball cap. It looked like he just came from the orchard (he did). His display was something that made you want to stop. Do you give your customers a reason to stop?
Be Helpful – He was the apple expert, but he approached customers with friendly, neighborly advice. He’d tell you what each one tasted liked (sweet, tart), if you could use them for baking, when certain types were going to be ready for harvest. McIntosh were my favorite but that wasn’t the first apple of the season. They were usually ready in mid-September. He’d say, “come back in two weeks, I’ll have the macs then.” He’d also offer a replacement. “If you like McIntosh, check out the Paula Red, or the Cortland.” Look at how you can be more helpful to your customers.
Hook ’em with a Great Offer – The Apple Guy knew how to entice his customers. He’d let you try before you buy. Not just one apple, he’d let you try all the different varieties he had. In the above example, he’d hand me both a Paula Red and a Cortland to try, so I could figure out which one I liked best. More often than not we bought more than one type of apple. What better way to get customers to fall in love with your product than to try it. He knew once you took a bite, you were hooked. What do your offers look like? Do they hook your customers?
Over-Deliver – He’d often give us more apples than would fit in the bag. He’d say those apples would be “for the road.” He’d even polish it up before he handed it to you. We always left feeling we got a great deal, and we’d have delicious apples for the week. Do you deliver or over-deliver?
Patterson Orchards is still in operation today. If you’re in the Milwaukee area you should check them out. Instead of a car on the side of the road, they have a small store that’s open each fall at the Orchard. Besides their own apples, they feature other fruits, vegetables, and bakery products from other local and regional businesses. Hand-written signs provide shoppers with information about the products, just like the Apple Guy used to do. It still feels friendly and neighborly.
I’m not sure if the Apple Guy is still around, but his orchard and his lessons in sales and marketing sure are. The lessons may be simple, but they sure are effective. Make sure you utilize them every chance you get.

 

Filed Under: Customer Service, Marketing Tagged With: , ,

A Reminder to Appreciate Life

October 7, 2014 by Leave a Comment
A Reminder to Appreciate Life

My mom and me.

In my last post I wrote about some of my experience at INBOUND 2014. This marketing conference in Boston was inspiring and rewarding in more ways than one. First, it was great to see and hear so many wonderful people sharing their insights. I also connected with others who feel the same way I do about our role in making the world a better place and the amazing work yet ahead. It also confirmed that I’m on the right path.

I was on an extreme high after that experience. I felt energized creatively, spiritually, and emotionally. I was happy to share the experience with my friends and family once I returned home.
A few days after my return my mom got sick. Real sick. She had a severe case of pneumonia. Then the phone call from my sister, “you might want to think about coming up here.” Her tone said it all. I left with my wife within the hour to head to Tomah. It was a long two and a half hour drive to say the least. I wasn’t ready to say good-bye to mom yet, but that was a possible scenario once I arrived.
We surprised mom at the hospital. She seemed to be okay. The next day she was doing worse and was transferred to the Mayo Clinic in La Crosse. By the time she arrived she wasn’t breathing on her own and needed 100% oxygen. She was also heavily sedated. It was gut-wrenching to see my mom incapacitated with all the tubes, IVs, and machines hooked up to her.
It reminded me that life is fragile and to appreciate life; every second of every day. Thankfully mom is is on the road to recovery after spending six days in the ICU.
I was with my sister’s family and was able to spend time with my three and a half year old niece and three month old nephew. I thought about everything they’ll get to experience growing up and how I hope they appreciate life as it happens.
The time I spent up there wasn’t taken for granted. It was a reminder to appreciate life and soak up each and every experience. You never know what could happen next.

 

Filed Under: Life Lessons Tagged With: