Can You Hear Me Now?

Posted on by Scott

My wife and I were reminiscing recently about the early days of our marriage. In November, we’ll have been married 24 years and we’ve both changed a lot since saying “I do.” Sure, the physical changes are the most obvious; but most significant are the changes in how we treat each other. I must admit though, I’ve had to change a lot more than she has.

For example, I distinctly remember a conversation we had one afternoon just a few months after our wedding. I came home from work late and still had events of the day on my mind as I walked through the door. Susan immediately began telling me about her day. She followed me through the house as I pulled off my jacket and tie, quickly moving to put on comfortable clothes.

Suddenly it dawned on me that the pace of Susan’s speech was increasing. She talked faster and faster until the words practically jumbled together into nonsense. She finally stopped to inhale, gasping for breath. I looked at her and asked “Why are you talking so fast?” Her response hit me like a ton of bricks. “I have a lot to tell you, but I know that any second you’re going to tune me out.”

Wow. Before me stood the person that most mattered to me in the world and within weeks of promising to give her everything, I’d managed to renege on that promise. All she needed was for me to listen – to give her a few minutes of undivided attention – and already I’d proven unable to do it.

We humans have a listening problem. Our ears work; we hear just fine. It’s listening – an activity that takes place in the brain – that seems difficult.

Listening is often touted as a key sales skill; but it goes much further than that. Listening is a key customer service skill. It’s a key leadership skill. It’s a key relationship skill. It’s a key life skill. And as simple as it sounds, we struggle to get it right.

We live in a busy world. Information bombards us from every direction. People and email and social media all vie for our attention and there just doesn’t seem to be enough time in the day to get it all done. So we multi-task. We eat lunch while we read through email while we listen in on the conference call while we “listen” to the person that just walked into the office. But we’re fooling ourselves. Multi-tasking makes us feel better by allowing us to cross off more items on the to-do list. It helps us “get things done.” But it doesn’t help get things done right. Studies have actually shown that dividing our attention makes us less efficient than focusing on one task, or one person, at a time.

The real victims are those on the other end of the exchange. People can sense when they don’t have your full attention, just like my wife did. They can tell you’re preoccupied. And it makes them feel horrible. You’ve been there. Remember the last time you tried talking to someone who wasn’t really listening? How did it make you feel? Unwanted? Unwelcome? Unworthy?

So how do you practice listening? How do you let me know that you’re really paying attention? Let’s start with three small steps:

  1. Make time for me. Is now not a good time for us to talk? Then tell me so. Suggest a time when we can speak without interruption. I want your attention. I need you to listen to me. And if I’m as important to you as you say then you’ll make one-on-one time a priority.
  2. Look at me. Put down your cell phone. Turn away from the computer. Stop pacing around your office searching for a file related to the next meeting on your calendar. Scrape the daydream glaze off of your face and point it in my direction. If your eyes aren’t focused on me, then your brain isn’t either.
  3. Participate with me. Listening is not a passive exercise. It involves asking questions, clarifying, and even offering information. Body language and nonverbal matter. Head nods and robotic “uh huhs” are sure signs that your attention is elsewhere. Listening requires involvement.

I am your customer. I am your employee or coworker. I am someone significant. And what I have to say is very, very important. Are you listening? Do I have your attention? Can you hear me now?

What’s Your Strategy?

Posted on by Scott

point-a-to-b2Well, the first quarter is over. Finished. In the books.

How did you do?

Did you make budget? Did you reach your goals? Did you meet the expectations set by your organization, shareholders, customers, and employees?

Did you accomplish the things you set out to achieve? Did the strategies you put in place pan out like you thought they would?

What’s that? You didn’t have any strategies? Oh…

Too many leaders navigate their way through the year without a strategic plan. This is a mistake. You may have goals, but without a strategy, you have no clear path to achieve them. You have no idea how close you are to the finish line. You have no way of knowing whether or not you are headed in the right direction until the final numbers come out. In short, a goal without a plan to achieve it is just a dream.

Perhaps you achieved your goals. If so, congratulations. But how do you what activities resulted in the victory? How do you know you didn’t just get lucky? Operating without a plan is like going on vacation without consulting a map. Having a clearly defined plan for achieving your goals gives you control over your destiny. And which would you rather do … wander around blindly, hoping for the best … or execute a strategy that’s designed to provide the results you want?

That’s what I thought.

How about we approach the second quarter with intention? Let’s put together a set of strategies – a plan – that will get us where we want to be. Here’s how…

1. Clearly define the results you are after. Start with your annual goal. Subtract the gains you’ve made year-to-date (or subtract your losses) to get a true picture of the mountain you have left to climb. Now break that goal into smaller, more manageable chunks. I like to focus on 90 day increments. That’s long enough to implement some fairly detailed tactics, but about as long as you can keep people focused on a specific initiative. And you need your team to stay focused. Plus 90 days will get us to the end of June – a perfect time to regroup and refocus.

2. Develop a set of strategies to address the goal. With your 90 day goal(s) now in mind, it’s time to devise your strategy. Pull your team together and share one of your 90 day goals. Now lead a brainstorming session to generate a list of actions the team will engage in over the next three months. It’s important that everyone participate in this meeting. You want as diverse a group of people as possible. How can you expect to uncover new ideas if you don’t entertain new perspectives? Make sure to use the SMART Goal formula to refine each idea. (I’ll write more about brainstorming and SMART Goals in the near future.)

3. Execute your plan. The best strategies are useless if they aren’t implemented; so get moving. Every day counts and 90 days will be over before you know it. Delegate responsibilities, allocate resources, and provide the necessary motivation/accountability. Don’t assume that communicating the plan once at the beginning of your initiative is good enough. Most people require regular communication to stay engaged. Our tendency is to wander off track, so need something, or someone, to pull us back in line.

4. Lather, Rinse, Repeat. After 90 days of focusing on your strategic plan, it’s time to start over. Assess your progress to determine if your strategies have been successful. With a new goal in hand, reconvene the team to discuss the next 90 days. What strategies have been successful? What can be done to make them even more so? Conversely, what strategies failed? What can be done to salvage or replace them?

We all need goals to help move us forward. A properly designed goal provides a target to work toward and a measuring stick for performance. But unless the goal is accompanied by a well thought out strategic plan, it’s hard to know the way forward. The absence of a plan means you’re left with luck as your strategy. And I don’t know about you, but I’d rather not depend on that.

If all of this sounds intimidating, or you’d like some assistance developing good strategies, give me a call. I’d love to help.

Try It Before You … Sell It

Posted on by Scott

business bagMany products today come with a “Try it before you buy it” clause. That is, you can try the item (typically software) for a period of time without paying before you decide if it offers enough value to for you to make a purchase. It’s a great way to assure customers that their money won’t be wasted – that their faith in the company is not taken for granted.

But in most cases, testing the product out before taking the plunge isn’t an option. Prospective buyers have to rely on advertising material, product reviews, and the opinions of past customers. Even then, making a purchase untested can be a scary proposition.

What customers really need is an advocate; someone on the inside whose job is to look out for their best interest. And that’s where you come in. As a representative of your organization, you are in the perfect position to match the needs of your customer with the features and benefits provided by your products. You just have to embrace the role.

Successful salespeople possess superior product knowledge and understand that fulfilling customer needs leads to success. When you can draw upon your knowledge and experience with your company’s products to make a customer’s life better, everyone wins – the customer, the company, and you.

Sadly though, too many salespeople possess less-than-optimum product knowledge. You don’t have to look very far to find restaurant servers who have never tasted the food on their own menu, car dealers who can’t explain the features of the model in question, and bankers who don’t understand how their institution’s internet banking service works.

There’s simply no excuse for not knowing at least fundamental information about each of your organization’s products. Even if your primary job duties don’t involve selling, you need to be prepared for the eventual questions. Every employee should be ready, willing, and able to represent the organization when the opportunity presents itself.

While there are numerous ways to learn about your products, nothing compares to hands-on experience. Only by tasting the food, driving the car, or navigating the website can you speak confidently about the features and benefits of the product. Customers trust an expert’s opinion. And they can see right through someone who’s faking it.

So if you’re ready to up your game, take the plunge. Spend some one-on-one time with the products on your menu. Your customers will thank you for it.

 

How to Sell a $25 Doughnut

Posted on by Scott

SONY DSCWhat does a doughnut cost these days?

A dollar? Maybe less?

Would you believe I once paid $25 for one?

Now before you get the wrong idea, let me stress that there was nothing special about this doughnut. It wasn’t some gourmet creation made with organic ingredients or a super-secret recipe. No, this was just an ordinary, run of the mill, twelve-to-a-box doughnut. It didn’t even have sprinkles on it.

So why would I pay $25 for something so boring; something that’s essentially a commodity?

Here’s a hint: It wasn’t about the doughnut.

You see, this particular doughnut was provided by my oldest son’s school several years ago. The annual Grandparents Day Celebration was coming up and they needed items to offer at an associated fund-raising auction. In exchange for $25 (or an auction item worth at least $25), I could join Andrew for a parent/child doughnut breakfast.

Obviously, I could have taken my entire family out for doughnuts and spent a fraction of the money. But as I’ve already mentioned, this purchase wasn’t about the doughnut. It was about the experience.

There are a handful of organizations selling truly unique products out there. They have the luxury of letting the uniqueness of their product or service speak for itself. The rest of us sell – in one form or another – a commodity. And when you sell the same thing any number of competitors do, you have to approach things differently. The challenge isn’t how to explain your product. The challenge is how to explain what makes your product different; what makes it better.

The key is not to sell a product, but an experience.

Life is made up of experiences. And any interaction with you – your products, your staff, your brand – is an experience. How can you make each one of those experiences not just positive; but desirable? How can you create an experience that people won’t just pay for, but will pay a premium for?

That’s the challenge.

I didn’t pay $25 for a doughnut. I paid $25 for breakfast with my son. I paid a premium for the experience this particular doughnut provided. And I paid it gladly.

Give Thanks. No, Really Give It!

Posted on by Scott

thank you wordleTis the season to be thankful, right? By now you’ve probably read a number of Facebook posts or newspaper articles about the origins of the Thanksgiving holiday; so I won’t bore you with those details. Suffice it to say that the fourth Thursday in November has become the traditional day of the year to express gratitude for the blessings you enjoy. Now, obviously, you should be thankful throughout the year, not just on a particular day. Thanksgiving is just the day we set aside time to really think about it.

But what about those other 364 days of the year? Shouldn’t we make a special effort to express our gratitude every day? Don’t you like it when someone tells you “Thank you” or goes out of their way to show appreciation for something you’ve done?

Author and speaker Stephanie Chandler thinks so. She’s compiled a list of 12 Ways to Thank Your Customers. These are all pretty basic ideas and most of these suggestions have been discussed in our basic sales & service training classes. See how many of these you already have in place.

  1. Greeting Cards. Think of all the major, minor, and wacky unofficial holidays on the calendar during the year. Why not send out a card to celebrate with your customer?
  2. Personal Notes. Forget the email or form letter. Pull out the stationery and a pen. Now write a few short lines that mean something personal to your customer.
  3. Invitations. Call up a customer and invite them to come in for some face-to-face time. Call it a portfolio review or research study. Spend some quality time listening to your customer and see what a huge impact it makes.
  4. Small Gifts. They don’t have to be lavish or expensive. They just have to say “I was thinking of you.”
  5. Food. We like getting food at work right? Why not return the favor?
  6. Gift Cards. Know what your customer likes? Get them a gift card to their favorite store or restaurant. Don’t know what they like? Try Amazon!
  7. Referral Rewards. When a customer thinks enough of you to refer new business your way, it’s time to say “Thank You!”
  8. Reverse Referrals. I’ll bet your business customers like to receive referrals too.
  9. Customer Appreciation Days. Plan something around Founder’s Day or Customer Appreciation Week. Or just choose some arbitrary day and make it special.
  10. The Gift of Information. See an article or book you think might interest your customer? Why not send it their way with a special note?
  11. Host Events. Hosting an open house or cook out is an easy way to show your appreciation.
  12. Life Events. Did your customer receive a promotion? Did a son or daughter graduate? Did they get married, open a new location, or close a big sale? Let them know you noticed.

There’s no rocket science involved here. The key is to develop an attitude of gratitude and perpetuate it all the time – not just once a year. And if you don’t currently have an active “appreciation strategy,” now is the perfect time to start. Just pick one of these ideas and get to it.

I think it’s also worth mentioning that most of these suggestions also work for coworkers. That’s another group just begging for some appreciation. Whew, I don’t know about you; but I’ve got a lot of work to do.

Happy Thanksgiving!

P.S. Got a great way of saying “Thank you?” I’d love to hear about it.

Winning From Behind

Posted on by Scott

Bobby Thomson - 1951 New York GiantsFall is in the air, and that’s good news for baseball fans. It means playoffs are here and the 110th World Series is in sight. Wild Card are tomorrow and the Division series start this week.

Baseball is a classic game and, like many sports, makes for great stories. Some of the best movies revolve around baseball, but some of the best sports history moments come from actual baseball games. I’m not a huge baseball fan (I think I played one season of little league), but I do love a good story.

One of the most interesting to me is the story of the 1951 New York Giants.

The Giants had endured a horrible year. Coming into August, they were 13 ½ games behind the Brooklyn Dodgers, who led the National League. Everyone figured their season was finished. No team could possibly hope to overcome such a deficit.

But then, inexplicably, something changed. The Giants somehow found new life. Teammates challenged each other and each player vowed to give everything they had through the home stretch. They won 16 games in a row. By October, they had managed to tie Brooklyn for the lead, winning 37 out of their last 44 games.

New York and Brooklyn split the first two games of the playoff series – the first ever in National League history. It came down to the third and final game of the series. The winner would become league champions and go on to face the Yankees in the World Series.

That game didn’t unfold as the Giants had hoped. By the ninth inning, they trailed 4-1. Fans began heading for the exits as Brooklyn prepared to pitch for the game. Three outs and it would all be over.

But once again, the Giants rallied. A couple of singles and a double moved the score to 4-2, with runners on second and third base. Outfielder Bobby Thomson, a fairly consistent hitter, came to plate and rookie Willie Mays moved to the on-deck circle. The Dodgers sent in relief pitcher Ralph Branca – presumably to walk Thomson so he could pitch to the rookie.

Somehow, Thomson connected with the second pitch, sending it into the left field stands. It was ‘the shot heard ‘round the world,” and the underdog Giants were now the National League Champions. Fans stormed the field. Radio announcer Russ Hodges screamed “The Giants win the pennant!” He kept screaming it until he lost his voice. The celebration continued for hours.

How does your team react when the odds are against them? We’re about to enter the 4th quarter of 2014 and many who read this are behind on their annual goals. For some, the deficit may seem too huge to overcome. Is it time to cut the losses and hope for a better 2015? Or is it time to refocus and reenergize?

Time and again, history has shown that the greatest champions aren’t those who coast to victory. The real champions are those who overcome the odds – those who find a way to win when the game is on the line. Those are the victories that mean the most.

Of Pirates & Doughnuts: Turn Your Next Transaction Into an Experience

Posted on by Scott

imageDid you know that Friday was “International Talk Like a Pirate Day?” I wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve never heard of it. After all, it’s not an official federal holiday. There was no big retail push and banks were open for business. I almost missed out on it myself.

International Talk Like a Pirate Day started as an inside joke between two friends – John “Ol’ Chumbucket” Baur and Mark “Cap’n Slappy” Summers – from Albany, Oregon. According to the official website (www.talklikeapirate.com), the two were playing racquetball when one of them responded to an injury by shouting “Aaarrr!” They decided then and there that everyone should take one day out of the year to talk like a pirate and claimed September 19, 1995 as the inaugural celebration. It’s gained in popularity every year since.

I learned about the celebration a couple of weeks ago when I stumbled upon a promotion from Krispy Kreme Doughnuts. They promised to give anyone who came in and talked like a pirate a free doughnut. If you went so far as to dress like a pirate, they gave you a free dozen doughnuts. So on Friday, my daughter Abby and I stopped by our local Krispy Kreme and walked out with a free box of doughnuts.

What a great promotion by Krispy Kreme. In a time when so many businesses are struggling to attract customers, they found a way to draw people in. And, they adhered to the three elements of a viral campaign I mentioned a couple of weeks ago. All it took for me to participate was a doo rag and an eye patch. I laughed along with the employees and other customers who chose to come in. And because Abby was with me, we now have a great father/daughter memory to share.

What I particularly liked about the Krispy Kreme promotion was the way they involved the customer. Instead of simply issuing a coupon, they asked customers to join them in celebrating. This transformed the act of buying doughnuts from a routine business transaction into a shared experience. It didn’t matter that the holiday wasn’t official. The holiday merely provided an opportunity for some magic to happen.

We typically think of our time with the customer as a transaction rather than an interaction. But any business can conduct transactions. Think about how many places there are to pick up doughnuts. When you move from transaction to interaction, though, you give the customer something extra – something they can’t get anywhere else. Your product may be a commodity, but you aren’t. Customers can’t have the experience of interacting with you anywhere else.

Every time someone walks through your door is a chance for something special to happen. You have the potential to create a shared experience, and a reason for them to come back. Now that’s something to celebrate.

How to Make Your Campaign Go Viral

Posted on by Scott

Scott ALSBy now, you’ve seen the videos – thousands of them – of people dumping buckets of water on their heads in the name of charity. It’s the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, a phenomenon that’s swept across the U.S. and U.K. within just a few weeks to become one of the biggest internet trends of the year. Odds are, you’ve either participated in it yourself, or know someone who has.

 For the uninitiated, here’s how it works. Someone is challenged to either donate $100 to the ALS Association or make a smaller donation AND film themselves pouring a bucket of ice-cold water over their heads. They post the video to their facebook or other social media site and extend the challenge to two or three friends who then have 24 hours to accept the challenge themselves. And the story repeats itself. Again, and again, and again.

The first challenge was issued in July and videos of people shrieking at the cold-water shock quickly went viral. The challenge has been accepted by celebrities, children, and teams – many devising extremely creative ways to douse themselves. It’s also drawn its share of detractors and copycats.

Regardless of what you think of the idea, there’s no doubt the Ice Bucket Challenge has been successful. Public understanding of ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) has skyrocketed. Donations to ALS research have also seen exponential growth. The ALS Association reports that donations since July 29th have exceeded $100 million. By comparison, the organization takes in less than $20 million during a typical year.

So, what’s the scoop? Why have so many people been moved to pick up a bucket when other well-intentioned ideas have fallen flat? What can we learn from the ALS movement?

While there’s a lot to learn from this example, I think there are three characteristics of the Ice Bucket Challenge that contribute to its overwhelming success.

  1. It’s easy to participate. The Ice Bucket Challenge is easy to take part in. All you need is a bucket of water, a small donation, and your smart phone. It can be completed anywhere and requires no forms, registration, or waiting period. People are immediately turned off by great ideas that require huge investments of time, effort or money. But keep the barrier to entry low, and participation levels go up significantly.
  2. It’s fun. Admit it, it’s a lot of fun to see your friends and favorite celebrities screaming in shock as the cold water hits them. Plus there’s a sense of community that occurs by joining the ranks of those who’ve accepted the challenge and a sense of pride at being part of a movement supporting a worthy cause. If you can make your campaign fun, you gain people’s attention.
  3. It’s personal. A key part of the Ice Bucket Challenge involves issuing a challenge to two or three friends. It’s hard to resist a personal invitation from someone you know. This aspect of the challenge is what caused it to go viral. Each participant becomes part of the communication strategy and keeps the challenge alive. The camaraderie between friends is strengthened by shared participation in an event, and no one wants to let down a friend. So look for ways to get people not only participating, but actively promoting your event to their network.

Think about your next customer campaign, employee program, or community event. How can you incorporate these elements to give it some extra oomph?

 

Not a Customer? No Service For You!

Posted on by Scott

imageThe term “customer experience” entered the business vocabulary a few years ago, replacing “customer service” as the standard by which service is measured. “Customer experience” refers to the sum of a person’s interactions involving a particular organization. Every exposure to an organization – every transaction, every phone call, every mail piece, even the stories told by a friend – has an impact on the customer experience.

But what about the non-customer experience? Have you ever stopped to think about what non-customers think about you? A lot of us carefully craft the image we want prospects to see. We spend tons of money working to craft an image for the prospective customers we’ve targeted, hoping to influence their buying decision. But sometimes, it’s the little things that make the biggest impact.

Last night, my training partner and I went out to dinner after finishing up a coaching workshop. We’re in Dallas and located an Outback Steakhouse fairly close to our hotel. The parking lot was pretty full, so Eddie parked the rental car in the lot next door. The business, Espresso RMI, was closed; lights out and lot empty. A sticker in the door indicated they closed at five o’clock each day. It was around seven when we arrived, so any employees and customers were long gone.

We enjoyed a nice dinner at Outback and watched some of the NIT first round games on TV. Exiting the restaurant, we walked toward the lot where we’d parked only to find our car had been towed. Upon closer inspection, we found a sign notifying potential visitors that non-patrons were not allowed to park in the Espresso RMI lot. The sign had obviously been run over and was bent close to the ground, very hard to see in the dark by a couple of guys from out of town looking for dinner. Towing, the sign indicated, was enforced 24/7 – even though the business closed at 5:00.

We called for a taxi and made our way to the tow yard to reclaim the car. The experience cost us $27 for the cab ride and another $164 to get the car back.

I’d never heard of Espresso RMI before. I’m sure the stance they’ve taken on parking in their lot stems from a desire to provide the best possible service to their customers. However, I’m not a customer. I’ve never used one of their products or known someone who has. I didn’t even interact with one of their employees last night. But my non-customer experience with them is a negative one. As a result, I’m unlikely to ever do business with them. furthermore, I’ll be sharing this story with my clients for years to come, influencing their perception of the company as well.

For years, I’ve advised clients to look at their organization through the eyes of the customer. Going forward, I’ll also address the eyes of the non-customer. What they see and experience is just as important.

Who’s Driving the Taxi?

Posted on by Scott

imageI just got back from Houston. I spent all day yesterday in meetings, moving from group to group and topic to topic. But the business I conducted wasn’t the most interesting part of my trip. What I can’t stop thinking about is my taxi driver.

Normally when I travel for business, I’ll reserve a rental car. I like being in control of my time and will often have a free evening to explore or shop. Having a car allows me to decide on a whim where I want to go. Picking up and dropping off at the airport makes it easy.

But for this trip, I was given a last-minute invitation to fly in on a private plane. I cancelled the front end of my flight and the rental car. We landed at a small airstrip without any rental options. Another passenger gave me a ride to my hotel where the desk clerk helped me secure a taxi for the next morning.

Bright and early yesterday morning, the familiar yellow vehicle pulled up at the front entrance and out jumped Eugenio.

Now, you’ve probably heard the stories – some true, most not so much – of the taxi drivers who go super-overboard. They have a blanket in the back seat if you get cold. They have a thermos of hot coffee and a cooler filled with soft drinks. Thy offer you the morning paper and an assortment of magazines. They give over control of the car’s audio so that you can tune in to the music you like the most. They go above and beyond to provide you with the most incredible cab ride you’ll ever experience. And of course, they work off of reservations. You’re lucky they had a cancellation or you’d never have even known they existed.

Eugenio is not one of those drivers. Don’t get me wrong, the ride was just fine. He was friendly without being overbearing. And after verifying my destination, he did ask if the music he was playing was ok. But no mind-blowing, over the top gestures of customer service were forth coming. He waited patiently while I answered some emails on my phone before engaging me in conversation and quickly delivered me to my first meeting.

As I signed the credit card slip, he asked if I needed a ride after the meeting. I had already arranged to ride with others who were heading the same direction as I was, and I told him so. I did, however, need a ride to the airport this morning. Handing me his business card (Take a look at it. For obvious reasons, I’ll keep it forever), he agreed to meet me at 6:45 in front of the hotel. Sure enough, he pulled up this morning about ten minutes earlier than necessary, and I got to the airport in plenty of time.

Eugenio didn’t try to reinvent the taxi business. He didn’t seek to overwhelm me with a series of WOW moments. He simply provided the service I was looking for, secured additional business and then made sure I knew how to contact him in the future. Anything beyond that would have been unnecessary and, in my opinion, awkward.

My point is this: To be seen above the crowd, you don’t have to be a giant. You just have to stand a little taller. So many businesses try to revolutionize their industry in an attempt to out-shine the competition and then fail to live up to their own hype. It’s like the football team that pulls out the secret play – that may or may not work – when simple execution of the basics would win the game. In a world where so many organizations fail at the simplest of tasks – arriving on time, delivering the correct order, providing correct information – those who repeatedly perform in a manner that’s unremarkable will win the day. Don’t worry about offering me a drink. Just get me where I need to go on time and I’ll ride with you every time.