I was invited to speak to the Central Ohio chapter of NARI (National Association of the Remodeling Industry), and in preparation I had the opportunity to attend their annual awards ceremony last December. One of the speakers at that event was their national president, Paul Zuch. A quote from Paul’s time at the podium immediately cut-through the […]
Customers are curious. Customers like to “know” things. Let customers peek behind the curtain of your business to see how the magic is accomplished. The Wizard of Oz only succeeded in frightening and aggravating his prospects when he tried to make himself appear to be the big man and impress them with how big and powerful his organization was (we’ve been in business for 100 years, we’re largest supplier of Munchkin Mufllers in the west, etc.), but once his buyers expressed doubt all his bragging evaporated into a puff of smoke.
How many times have you sent an email and forgot to follow-up, only to discover you missed an opportunity because you forgot to be in the right place at the right time? A clever new website I learned about from my friends at CoolBusinessIdeas.com allows you three fantastic ways to follow-up on tasks, contacts, and […]
Technically the title of this post is true… IF you click the link and buy yourself a copy of the book I’m talking about. Some may say I am biased because the author (Jim Kukral) is a friend of mine, lives in the city where I grew up, endures my familiar and eternal pain that is […]
Inevitably, you will meet someone on your “hot list” — a person of influence you’ve been trying to meet for weeks (if not months) — and here’s your big chance. And… you don’t have a business card! You either didn’t bring enough to the event (oh! I just handed out my last one!) or you “have more in the car” or perhaps you’ve run into this person out of context — outside of a formal business networking event (grocery store, sporting event, concert, etc.)
A famous quote by Woody Allen says “90% of success is showing up.”
A famous quote by Jeffrey Gitomer is “90% of success is showing up prepared.”
Why not show up prepared to be unprepared?
BestBuy spends hundreds of thousands of dollars to bring customers into their store, presumably to leave their cash behind and walk out with bags full of music, movies, video games and other assorted electronics. Once a potential purchaser is lured into crossing the threshold you’d think their employees would apply at least a minimal amount […]
We all want to have every customer to listen intently to our pitch and rip the pen from our hands because they can’t sign the contract fast enough, but those situation are fewer and farther between than we’d like to admit. Far more likely is that polite pat on the head and a smile that they use to send you back to the office as they say “Let me think about it and get back to you.”