Another Record Crowd
I conducted my 1st Monthly Success Rally at Whalers Village in May of 1991. We had about 25 people in attendance. Today, 19 1/2 years later, we set yet another attendance record; 195 people.

The Line-Up
People line up early at Leilanis on the Beach to get their refreshments and favorite front or back row seats.

SRO
Today we had standing room only. My topics at these rallies vary from teaching Pro-Active, No-Pressure Selling to “Life Lessons” that can be used no matter what a person’s job is today or will be tomorrow.
Today’s subjects were “Handling Customer Discount Requests, Being Positive, Goal Setting, and Discipline.”
I am grateful to the management staff at Whaler’s Village, Leilani’s and General Growth Properties for extending this long time, ongoing opportunity for me to make a difference.

www.MasaeArtBox.com 
When Masae wanted a new car to deliver art and books, she needed a truck or SUV to qualify for a commercial parking permit. All of them were too big for her until she saw the Chevy HHR. It’s basically a small panel truck with windows that drives like a car. She bought it from Cutter Chevrolet, and to “brand” it, she took it to David at Kapiolani Signs and had her signature Pink Rose painting made into decals to put onto the windows on both sides of the car along with her website address below them. Almost immediately she received hits to the website along with a nice e-mail complimenting her on the art.
What are you doing to “brand” your business?

Everybody Loses
When salespeople argue over a sale there are no winners. There are too many available customers to spend time talking or fighting over who made the sale and who didn’t. Disagreements destroy teamwork and create a bad atmosphere for everyone. It must all be about the customer.

Karma is Real
I just received this copy of a note sent to a team of salespeople in a company with four stores, two of which are right across the street from each other. I asked the manager to send it to all salespeople in all four stores. As I re-read it, I decided to send it to everyone I could, thus this post. It’s a bit lengthy, and I chose not to edit it down, but if you are in sales, especially commission sales and have co-workers, it is well worth your time to read it.

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Hi All,
I just wanted to share this with you all.
Last night Chad was helping a man and his family with some Titanium rings. We did not have his size, so we called over to the IMP store to see if they had it, and they did.

The family said they wanted to see what the IMP (International Marketplace) looked like, so Chad walked them over, and the man tried on the rings there. After a few minutes the man became engaged in talking with Daniel and Amanda, so Chad excused himself and came back to our store.

I received a phone call from Daniel saying that the man is buying the ring and he does not know what he should do regarding the sale. I told him I would have Chad call him right back.

When Chad returned, I told him that Daniel called and wanted to know how to ring up the sale, as it was clearly Chad’s customer. Chad called him and said, “Daniel, you take the sale!” 

OMG—I was blown away! Was Ron Martin standing there egging this young man on?

The customer asked Daniel if we work on commission. He said we did and the man, Steve, said he wants Chad to get the credit for this sale. So Chad walked back to the IMP store and escorted Steve and the ring back to our store to ring up the sale.

Incidentally, Steve and his family were waiting to be called for dinner at DUKE’S, so going back and forth did not bother him.

While Chad was ringing up the sale, Steve told us that we have the best people working here. Not only was Chad great, but so were Daniel and Amanda at the other store. Steve said that he has his own business and knows what it’s like to find good people!!!

Next came the befriending part:

Chad asked Steve what he does. It turned out that Steve is the visual effects coordinator for CSI MIAMI and the other CSI show. The bullet flying through the air in slow motion is part of what he does. He runs his own business doing the special effects.

An hour later Chad was helping another couple with Titanium rings, and again we didn’t have the sizes needed. Chad called the IMP store, and they had them. He told the couple this, and they decided they will go over there, as they too are waiting for their call from DUKE’S.

I asked Chad why he didn’t just go over to get the rings and he said, “They wanted to see what our other store had, and besides it’s Karma.” I knew it was, because of Daniel and Amanda’s actions when Chad was open to releasing this customer.

Five minutes later the couple returned with their friend. They too began looking at the rings. I offered to run over to the IMP store to get the needed sizes. When I got there I found that the sizes were incorrect, so I brought over 2 sizes that were the closest to what the man needed.

End of story; the couple bought 2 rings. Talk about KARMA! Well, I think it was the professionalism Chad displayed, and his willingness to think about the customer first, and not be that pushy salesperson we hear about in Ron’s talks.

I was sooooo PROUD of Chad! It’s fun to see the lessons we learn being acted out in real life. Good going Chad!

Mahalo,
Patty

Pretty Geeky
I once claimed that I would never use a computer personally. I realized how much that goal has  changed this morning when I was “caught” doing three different “computer things” at once; checking e-mail on my desk top, tweeting on my iPhone4 and watching Steve Jobs give a press  conference on my MacBook Air.

“We Have Come a Long Way Baby”
While it was my intention to never “personally” use a computer, I have owned them since the 60’s. We had a computer room that looked much like the photo above. My iPhone4 does more in the palm of my hand than all of those computers (and a few employees) could.
What a World! What’s Next?

GROWING YOUR BUSINESS
My specialties are Sales and Motivation, and I have been at it for more than 40 years. I read a quote long ago that stuck with me. It was, “You learn the most after you think you know it all.” I don’t recall who said that, but the concept makes a lot of sense. As someone who makes a living giving selling advice to retailers, I recently discovered that I had a lot to learn about some other important aspects of retailing. It happened when I read The Retail Doctor’s Guide to Growing Your Business, and it didn’t take long. Before finishing the first few chapters I started handing out copies to my clients.

Bob Phibbs
Bob got my attention right at the start by making the point that revenue isn’t necessarily profit. As mundane as that sounds, I realized that many of my own clients are making the mistake of marking down merchandise to get rid of it, or having needless, non-profitable sales that attract the wrong customers.
Then came lessons on the store layout, traffic patterns and case merchandising. These are also areas of retail where I claim no expertise. I now find myself looking at these things differently. Discovering how and where to put what you prefer to sell is vital.
I do possess deep experience when it comes to recruiting and interviewing salespeople, but here again I got my eyes opened up to several new (to me) approaches and philosophies to use. For example, I hate “Help Wanted” signs in store windows, but Bob shows a way to word and use them effectively, and points out who the target audience is.
“Aha Moments” continued for me throughout the book and I feel certain they will for you as well. So rather than try to learn from my sketchy review here, get down to your favorite bookstore or Amazon and get a few copies. I am certain you will want to share what you read.

I do not remember where I read that, but I surely do remember the meaning, as well as the impact that it had on me. I sometimes see an experienced salesperson land a new job with a company where a well established, proven selling system is in place, like Pro-Active, No-Pressure Selling. At the interview these “experienced” salespeople claim that they understand the “new” system and appear eager to learn and use it. Then, rather than do as promised, many of them will fall back on the way they originally learned to sell.
Learning is not an event; it is a process that never ends. Techniques and technology are always evolving. Everyone should always be open to newer and better ways to sell, or do anything for that matter.

Who Needs Traffic Anyway?
I often times hear a salesperson use “lack of traffic” as an excuse for not selling today. When I hear the “S Word” (Slow) I say, “Then speed it up.” Retailers and salespeople are always looking for new customers, and while that’s good to do, it’s no excuse for not selling more to the past ones. A past (satisfied) customer is seven times more likely to buy something from you than the new one is anyway. And, an unsatisfied customer is even more important to reach out to.

Ouch!
A broken bone once healed is stronger than it was originally. Do you have any “broken bones” among your customer base?
I have one client that consistently targets existing customers with special offers available only as a result of a special e-mail just to them. It works; big time. He is succeeding in an industry where I hear a lot of whining these days about the economy. It pays to reward ongoing customer loyalty. Make loyal, existing customers your “bread and butter” and new ones the “frosting on the cake.” You just may have an existing customer that has been meaning to come see you, but in this hectic world we all live in, has just been proscratinating. Your timely invitation can make the difference.

Somethig for Free
What are you doing to capture the data needed to build your a data base? The easiest way is to have some sort of drawing with an attractive, desireable prize or more every month. Make the entry form easy to complete. I suggest name and e-mail address only. Asking for too much information will keep people from entering. I like posting the winner’s names on your web site, and leaving them on there until the prize is claimed. Can you see how that will drive traffic into your web site?
Once you have the data on file you can launch all sorts of cool offers aimed directly (and only) at your best customers. You can e-mail easy to print coupons to bring into the store to claim bargains. This is much more effective than huge sales signs that people don’t believe anyway. The more special you make your ongoing customers; the more often you will see them in your store.

Good Cause
Do you ever wonder what to do with your old phone when you get a new one? Each of these phones was “the best yet” when I got it. I have kept them in a drawer thinking that I might someday use them again. There have been several others that I just threw away. Well, I just discovered a new service called “Cell Phones for Soldiers.” They will recycle your old cell phone, and use the proceeds to provide pre-paid calling cards and cell phones to troops serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. That’s where these are going.

“You’ve Come a Long Way Baby”
When I got “The Brick” 20 or so short years ago I thought it was the coolest thing yet. The idea of making phone calls without looking for a phone booth was revolutionary. I also remember my $1,000 monthly phone bills that I somehow justified. When I compare The Brick to my new iPhone4 I am amazed. I also wonder what’s just around the corner.

Different Strokes…
We have all heard that adage, “Different strokes for different folks.” I have always been fond of Donald Trump’s quotation; “Everyone has different tastes, that’s why they have menus in restaurants.” The same is true when it comes to motivation. What gets some people going gets others down. The two emotions that move people are “Desire for gain” and “Fear of loss.” Both of these feelings trigger action, and it’s action that gets results.

That’s It; No More!
For some people it’s a matter of reaching that point of no return, where they are just not going to take it any more. They think, “I’m mad as Hell and I’m not going to take this anymore”. In case you never saw the classic movie Network in 1976, see this clip from it now by clicking HERE! “Draw a line in the sand” and get going. Make changes in your behavior that will lead to different results. Have you ever done that? I have.

Decide!
Putting off the decision to change is what holds too many people back. There is a feeling of agony when in “decide mode.” Thinking, “Should I, or shouldn’t I?” leads to stress and innaction. Once the decision is made, one way or another, right or wrong, the emotion of agony is replaced with the feeling of ecstacy created by action.

Badly Enough?
When deciding that you want a different life, ask yourself, “How badly do I want it?” The desire must be great enough to overcome the resistance to change. I tell the story in Success Made Easy about the day my life changed because I made the decision that I didn’t want to let them reposses my Cadillac. That simple resolution changed everything, and led the way to a string of new Cadillacs every two years for the next 44 years.

What to Do?
I discovered that when the will to change was strong enough, the way to do it was revealed to me. You don’t have to know how to get started, just get going. In my case the “Fear of loss” emotion led to actions that ultimately were replaced by feelings of “Desire for gain” and my business prospered as a result. Give it a go, you have everything to gain and nothing to lose. 

Selling Can Be Taught

I make the point in RETAIL SELLING MADE EASY that there is no such thing as a “natural born salesperson,” yet many people think there is. Selling is a skill that can be learned.

The Green Bay Wisconsin Press Gazette ran a story entitled Selling Takes More Than Asking, “May I Help You?” The contributing writer, Paul Lotto, is a marketing/business teacher at Ashwaubenon High School. He teaches the class “Selling and International Business.” In the class, his students learn how to sell. It is a skill that retailers need to teach employees.

Lotto said. “The vast majority of retail stores have very poor sales training programs or they do not provide training at all.” I call it the “Bible Method of Selling.” That’s where you hire people, put them out on the sales floor, and pray to God they sell something.

Lotto’s seven steps of selling outline what needs to be done. I am sending Paul a copy of RETAIL SELLING MADE EASY to round out his program. Maybe it will become his new text book.