WIIFM?
Whenever asked to do something, most people filter the request through “WIIFM” which stands for “What’s in it For Me?” Unless there’s good answer to that question it many times will not be done. This is true both in parenting as in managing salespeople.

Do it For the Customer
Too often salespeople that want to sell more are thinking more of themselves than their customers. The customer will benefit more from the sale than anyone else. When a sale is made, there are a lot of people who benefit; the salesperson, the store or company, the vendor, the landlord, plus the state and country. All of these benefits are monetary. What the customer gets out of the deal will last longer than the money will last for any of the others.

“Mine, No Mine!”
One of the worst things that can happen in sales is salespeople arguing over whose sale it is. Whenever I am asked to referee one of those arguments, I ask, “Who did the customer give the money to?” When you get good service in a restaurant you don’t drop your tip on any old table on your way out.

Teamwork Works!
Those that work together get more done. Here’s a good rule to keep in mind; “The commission on any one sale is never more important than your relationship with your co-worker.” If you make this and the “Customer First” a part of your being, you will succeed more than the selfish people who get it turned backwards.

4.6 Million Visitors a Minute

“Cyber Monday” is a new phenomenon going hand in hand with Black Friday. Last year at this time more than 300 retailing Web sites tracked by Internet monitoring firm Akamai were drawing 4.6 million visitors per minute. Major retailers said that Internet traffic was up more than 80 percent compared to a normal Monday.

Why Monday?

The irony here is that Monday is when a lot of people return to “work” after a four-day Thanksgiving food fest. One might think that a lot of work might be waiting to be done on that Monday, and it is an appalling thought that so many people “shop” while supposedly working. It was estimated that 72 million people would shop sometime during that day.

“Web Surfing” during work hours has become far too commonplace. Have you ever noticed that most workplace computers cannot be seen by passers by? I say, “Turn things around” so that managers can see what their employees are doing on line while “working”, or would that be “micro-managing?”

Recruit Some Help
The reasons to quit smoking are many; staying healthy is at the top of the list. Just about every smoker I know says, “I know that I should quit.” I know from experience that it is easier said than done. I quit 40 years ago and can still remember the battle. In Success Made Easy I quoted myself as saying, “It’s easy to quit smoking; I’ve done it hundreds of times.”
This article in CBS News makes the case that smokers who quit with company do better than those that go at it all alone. Check it out, pass it along, just maybe you will save a life.

Stay Away From Joe

Andy Capp
Cartoonist, Reg Smythe, who created the working class comic strip hero Andy Capp, died of cancer at 81 in 1998. He drew the Andy Capp comic strip for the Daily Mirror for more than 40 years.

Another character in the series was called Joe Btfsplk, a name that is next to impossible to pronounce. Joe served to illustrate how some people are. He walked around with his own private rain cloud over his head, and anyone coming close to him would have some terrible form of bad luck. Because of his reputation Joe was a very lonely and feared little man.
The “Joe’s” in our society today are those people that always have a bad news story to share with you. They are the first ones to tell you about a coming storm, accident on the freeway, problem in their life or, YES the downside of any economical time. And they can bring you “bad luck” if you listen, even worse if you buy in to their negativity.
Someone once told me, “An unwelcome visitor soon departs.” When you run into “Joe”, let him know how unwelcome his tales of woe are and he and his cloud will go rain on someone else.

“Oh Boy; Oh Boy” 

Nobody likes rejection, and nobody gets more of it than a person selling in a jewelry store. Buying jewelry is an emotional decision, and a willing customer can cool off in a heartbeat. You are showing a fine piece and your customer’s head is bobbing up and down like a doll in the back window of the car. She puts it on, looks in the mirror and obviously loves it. You know she is going to buy it. You and she are both smiling approvingly. You are thinking, “Oh boy, oh boy.” Then suddenly she takes it off, her smile goes away and she says, “I need to think about it; I will be back.” Your “Oh boy” feeling fades away as she is ready to walk away. What do you do now? Most people will either bear down and push for the sale, or bail out and hope that she will come back.

“BEARING DOWN”

The “bear down” salesperson says something like, “You know you love it, that’s a great price, you should get it now.” Some even suddenly drop the price thinking that will close the sale.

“BAILING OUT”

The “bail out” salesperson says something like, “Okay, here’s my card, please ask for me when you come back.” She smiles, agrees and heads for the door. You frown and feel depressed. One of these two scenarios plays out every day in jewelry stores across the country. There must be a better way, and there is.

“THE DETECTIVE”

The wise salesperson stops selling at this point and becomes a concerned “detective” looking for the real reason she is not buying it. This salesperson says something like, “Okay, maybe it’s just not the right piece, and if that’s the case, you shouldn’t get it. Let’s take another minute before you leave, and tell me, what is it about this piece that just MIGHT NOT be right?” He or she now simply shuts up and continues looking at the piece. It’s the customer’s turn to talk and you will be surprised how many “confessions” you will get. You will hear things like, “Well to tell you the truth, it’s more than I was planning to spend.” Or, “It just doesn’t look right on me.” or “It’s actually too big.” Or “Too small.”

There’s usually a reason and when you uncover the truth, chances are you can do something to resolve it and make the sale, if not that piece then another one. The truth will set you free; lies paralyze. If the truth is that she really does need to think about it, help her do it while she is in the store. Say, “Do you think it MIGHT BE the right piece?” If the answer is, “Yes” or “Maybe,” say, “Let’s be sure.” and then go back over the features and benefits of the piece looking for what MIGHT BE holding her back. If you cannot find a good reason to NOT buy it, then “SELL IT!” Say, “It looks like we have found the right piece, is there anything we didn’t think about?” If there isn’t, then say, “Let’s do it now.” This is where salespeople are separated from clerks and order takers. The key is doing it for the customer, not for you. When that’s where your heart is, you and the customer both win.

Ron Martin
Success Dynamics, Inc.

Even if it is DIRTY!

I often ask groups of people, “When you see a penny on the ground do you always pick it up?” Several people do not raise their hands. I then ask, “What if it’s a nickel?” The same hands stay down. I ask “What about a quarter?” and most hands will go up. “A hundred dollar bill?” They all go up with a cheer. When I spotted this particular penny on a dirty sidewalk in Chinatown, I stopped  and picked it up. The universe sees it as “money” regardless if it’s a penny, nickel, dime, quarter or hundred dollar bill. To walk past a penny is saying to the universe, “I don’t care about money.” The universe responds by not sending you as much of it.

It’s all the Same

I never spend the penny, but I DO pick it up; it goes into a jar where I have always had someone (son or wife) willing to let them accumulate and then take them out, roll them up and take them to the bank. Once I pick the penny up I have done my part. I have said to the universe, “I value money and will not walk past it.” The universe has always responded with a steady flow of money. It’s called “The Law of Attraction.”

Questions:

-How many animals of each SPECIES did Moses take onto the ark?
-Some months have 31 days; some have 30 days. How many have 28 days?
-You go into a log cabin with one match in a matchbox. In the cabin is a wood-burning stove, a paraffin lamp and a candle. Which do you light first for maximum WARMTH?
-Before Mount Everest was discovered, what was the highest mountain on Earth?
-How far can a three-legged tiger run into the woods?

It is amazing how otherwise smart people can miss the point in a statement or question just because they were not “listening” carefully.

Answers:

-It wasn’t Moses who went onto the ark — it was Noah.
-All the months have 28 days.
-You’d need to light the match first!
-Everest was the highest mountain on Earth even before it was discovered.
-Halfway is the answer, because after halfway, it will be running “out” of the woods!

Those questions use a technique called “sleight of voice.” Just like stage magicians use sleight of hand to misdirect your attention. The same technique can apply to spoken or written communication. For example, bolding of the word SPECIES, might cause one not to notice the name Moses.

Confusion or misdirection can occur in everyday speech, either on purpose or accidentally.
Always be aware of the effect of your words, and when listening, watch out for “filters” in your brain that might cause you to mishear what was really said.

You Look Better When You Do
One the easiest success principles is smiling:
There are Many Reasons to Keep Smiling:
Smiling Makes You More Approachable.
Smiling Puts You in a Better Mood.
Smiling Relieves Stress.
Smiling Boosts Your Immune System.
Smiling Lowers Your Blood Pressure.
Smiling Releases Endorphins and Natural Pain Killers.
Smiling Lifts the Face and Makes You Look Younger.
Smiling Makes You Seem Successful.
Smiling Helps You Stay Positive

Make it Sincere
A phoney smile can be seen right away. Be sure your smile is genuine. Smile so broadly that your teeth show. Never offer that “stretched lip” smile that people give to strangers walking by.