You have the power

A good friend was returning home from a business trip recently and was sitting in front of a mom and her daughter on the plane. They were headed to Orlando as recipients of a Give Kids The World experience.

Give Kids The World is "a non-profit organization that exists only to fulfill the wishes of all children with life-threatening illnesses and their families from around the world to experience a memorable, joyful, cost-free visit to the Central Florida attractions, and to enjoy the magic of Give Kids The World Village for as long as there is a need."

So he poses the question, "What would you do if you were sitting in front of her and her mom?" He works for  a Fortune 100 company and is in a position to help make her experience a magical one. Plus, he has the heart of a servant.

Everyday we are given the power to make a difference in the lives of someone or several someones. It can be at work, at school, in a store, at church. Anywhere. Anytime.

You have the power. How are you going to use it today?

All team members are valuable

When you have a professional team (baseball, football, basketball, hockey, etc.) the veterans and the rookies play together to form a cohesive unit. At least on the successful teams they do.

What about in your organization? As a leader, manager or supervisor, are you building a team of inclusion or exclusion? Does the rookie in your organization have the same level of input as the seasoned veteran?

Not everyone on your team is cut out to perform at the same level or perform the same tasks. But if everyone feels like a valuable part of the team, watch what they can do if you are giving them confidence along the way.

Epiphany - Duh moment

If you are a child of the 70's or 80's,  I'm sure you remember the commercials for V8. The commercials included people who had their "epiphany" or "duh" moment.

According to dictionary.com:  Epiphany - "a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience."

So have you had one of those "duh" moments lately? One of my customers came in the other day having experienced one herself.

For years, she has been a loyal customer. And we had been recommending a particular product to address a specific need. Finally, after everyone on our team kept reminding her of our product offering, she gave in and made the purchase.

At first, she thought we were just trying to sell her a product to make a quick buck. It took a few years of telling her the same information before she finally made the jump.

And now, she's telling everybody. You can't ask for better advertising!

The lesson here is not what the product was or what it is being used for. This is an example of how your team should deliver a consistent message to each and every customer. The truth should always be the standard. 

Knowledge Is Power

I was fortunate to attend a sales meeting recently sponsored by one of our vendors. The main presenter for the evening is a very spirited, energetic and knowledgeable salesman. While some may find his tactics "over-the-top" Pat brings a level of enthusiasm and passion to his work that is rare in a retail environment.

One of his main selling tips focused on three "knows". When he first said it, I saw the word NO in my head instead of the word KNOW. Until he explained what he meant, I was scratching my head trying to think ahead and figure out what he was talking about.

1. Know your customer's name - Do you know who your best 25 customers are? What about the top 10? How about 1 or 2? Do you have a way to track them? What are you doing special for them to keep them as your top customers?

2. Know what your customer buys - In stock position is vital to any business that carries an inventory. Having the right products in at the right time is the right decision to make for success.

3. Know what your customers do - Hobbies, interests, children's activities, job . . . if they are involved you should know about it. Unless they are members of the "One and Only Club for Loners" show an interest in their interests. It goes beyond the casual conversation. Know what they do whether it's for fun or for a paycheck.

Click here to go to Wikipedia's SchoolHouse Rock page. You know you want to since you've been singing the song!

Knowledge Is Power!

Retention vs. Acquisition

More evidence has been discovered that it costs much less to keep customers rather than attract new ones.

Click here to be taken to the latest findings.

Further proof to work on those customers we have. Existing customers have a greater value.

What are you doing to retain your customers?

Let's be careful out there

Wow! I was going through my old posts and saw that this one was still labeled as "draft" and not published. Not to worry. I want to offer some of the lessons learned from the Disney Institute's Quality Service program I attended in April 2010 and there is plenty to share.

This program looked at the four basic quality standards: Safety, Courtesy, Show and Efficiency. We studied how these were used in the different delivery systems: Cast (employees), Setting and Process.

Most of us think that safety issues are something you worry about if you are on a construction site or work in a warehouse. Nothing could be further from the truth.

One particular Fortune 100 company has received a patent for a new safety design. Safety is their non-negotiating factor. It overrides everything they do. While they may have thousands of employees devoted to safety, it is the responsibility of every employee to account for safety in their area.

Do you take safety into account for every decision you make in your business?

Professional Development - No More Status Quo

How much is devoted to professional development in your budget each year?

Just because you are out of school, paid off your student loans and saving for your kids college tuition doesn't mean that the learning stops for you.

"In the long run, professional development doesn't cost. It pays."


So, where do you start? Knowing your team members is a great start. Placing them in positions where their strengths can be maximized and offering help in the areas where they are weak isn't a one-shot deal. It is an ongoing process.

When was the last time you offered training to your management team? What about for yourself? What about frontline employees? Product knowledge is easy to come by. Organizational skills, merchandising, leadership, communication skills and other subjects are all part of the process of developing team members into team leaders. Sure, there will be some that don't care to develop any further than they already are.

Professional development can be a combination of personal development as well as career advancement. It applies to almost every profession.

Are you satisfied with the status quo?