Behind Every Sale Is a Person

Behind every sale is a person. You may call this person your customer or client, but regardless of what you call them, they matter in whether your business flourishes or flounders, survives or sinks, makes a profit or plummets in sales. . If you constantly keep this thought in mind you will do well in whatever people business you find to occupy your time. Every person with whom you interact wants these things.

I love what Spencer Johnson, M.D. and Larry Wilson wrote in their powerful little book called The One Minute Sales Person.
“People buy for their reasons, not ours.
People buy for how a product or service makes them feel.
People buy for prestige and a sense of empowerment.
People buy for added value.
People buy because you help them get what they want.
People buy for the good feelings they want about what they bought.
People buy trust and service.”
(The One Minute Sales Person, Spencer Johnson, M.D. and Larry Wilson)

People buy for their reasons, not ours.
I had preferences on the feel of certain mattresses when I sold them, but often customers had their own preferences when making their choices. I could tell them all of the data that mattered in how mattresses are constructed and how they felt, but people bought for their own tastes and preferences, not mine. Remember this always.

People buy for how a product or service makes them feel.
Feel is such a personal matter, but the bottom line is that it really does boil down to how a customer feels and if they can see themselves using a particular product. I remember selling a mattress to a lady simply because it had a Fur Elise pattern in the quilting layer.

People buy for prestige and a sense of empowerment.
How many people buy the same kind of golf clubs as Tiger Woods? Products that are successfully marketed use power words and phrases and popular personalities to promote these products simply because of the power of prestige.

People buy for added value.
What else will your product do for me? Will I be more handsome? More desirable? Will I attract that all important job by wearing your clothes? What attributes can you bring in that will let people know about the added value your products or services bring to the table?

People buy because you help them get what they want.
You help get what they want by listening, looking and observing body language, expressions and hearing the spoken and non-spoken hints that your customers give away. Speak in terms of the other person’s wants and needs is basic to relating to people.

People buy for the good feelings they want about what they bought.
People want a good value for their money spent. If you show them value and quality, be very clear in telling the story of that particular product. Sell benefits. People want a good deal but they want great quality.

People buy trust and service.”
In case you haven’t noticed, there are some less-than-ethical sales people in the workforce today. Customers want to be able to trust you, but they have been burned too many times and their trust factor is shot. I often have to work hard during the first twenty minutes of a sales presentation simply earning my customers trust. I have to present myself as knowledgeable, and I have to come across as sincere, trustworthy and someone who shows that I can be trusted. I want to enter into a partnership with my customers, not just a salesman/customer relationship. I can be your biggest ally if you’ll allow me to help you.

What are your attitudes toward your customers?

Behind every sale is a person. And that person wants respect and to be made to feel important.

Catch People Doing Something Right

Catch me if you can, but catch me doing something right!  Tom Peters wrote about this philosophy in his book In Search of Excellence. During my good fortune to work for Sylvan Learning Centers I had opportunities to perpetuate this good philosophy. Let me tell you about it.

When I worked for Sylvan Learning Centers in Texas we adopted this philosophy of “Catch People Doing Something Right”. Not only were we in the business of tutoring students and helping them fix skill gaps in their learning in specified subjects, but a huge part of our philosophy was to build up the self-esteem of our students.

We would look for small things a student might do in a positive behavioral way and then reinforce this good behavior by some kind of “reward in the moment” method.

This philosophy has huge implications for students and adults as well. Some of the behaviors we looked for and rewarded were:
-If we saw a student pick up a piece of paper and deposit it in a nearby trash can
-A student who kept all four legs of their chair on the floor during the learning session
-Smiling and a good attitude
-Trying their very best, even if they were struggling and not getting it perfectly
-Staying focused on one’s own assigned school work without daydreaming

When a student was caught doing something right, we would reward them instantly with a positive word specific to the act and then give them a token which would be used to purchase small toys in our Sylvan store after each class session. The verbal praise was just as important as the token.

How about you? Do you appreciate it when someone in your life recognizes and acknowledges some action of yours? Of course, we all love that kind of recognition.

Have you mastered the art of catching people doing something right? Anyone can catch people doing something wrong. But to turn the tables and recognize them for doing something right and rewarding them instantly right on the spot, now that is fresh.

Tips for Catching People Doing Something Right
1.  Do it as soon as possible and as close in time proximity to the actual good deed. Milk goes stale if left out of the refrigerator for a few hours. Don’t let too much time lapse between the deed and the acknowledgement. Your words will have the most impact the closer they come in connection with the deed performed.
2.  Praise in public. Criticize in private. This is still great advice for catching people doing something right.
3.  Make the acknowledgement fit the deed. Every act is not deserving of balloons, a brass band and a plaque. Sometimes just a simple few words lasts for days.
4.  Make sure and spread around the good cheer and positive reinforcing words. Most of us will always have our favorite person that we love to heap praise and compliments on, but make sure and spread the positive praises around to include your whole team as often as possible.
5.  Be sincere in your words of affirmation and be specific. “Carl, I loved the way you listened attentively to that nice lady just now. You head her out, let her speak her mind without interrupting and then provided the perfect solution. That was a model example of excellent customer service. Thank you.”
6.  The more you catch someone doing something right the more they will want to do the right things, and that, my friends, oils the human relationship experience, improves the bottom line and makes for an enjoyable environment at home, at work and anywhere else we choose to practice this character trait.
7.  If you point out something someone has done right, they are more likely to repeat and model the correct behavior. Can you relate to this statement? I can.
8.  Use an indirect compliment. Once my manager asked my opinion on what I felt were some key mattresses we should have on hand in our store. About twenty minutes later I called him back and gave my recommendations. He thanked me, confirmed my choices and added that he agreed with my suggestions. I felt esteemed for that moment and it lasted much of the day.

Catch people doing something right, and tell the world!

Be Present. Be In the Moment.

Don’t you love it when someone with whom you are engaged in conversation actually listens and looks at you? When I leave someone like that I am thinking “I like that person. They have great manners. They made me feel important.” The art of “being present” when engaged in conversation with someone is one of the key people skills that sets you apart from the rest of the field.  Your customers require it, your friends merit it, and you show good people skills when you demonstrate this trait.

Be Present by Listening
I developed the habit a long time ago that whenever someone entered my office I would stop whatever I was doing, turn to face them directly and give them my undivided attention. If I was typing on my computer, I would remove my hands from the keyboard. If I was reading, I would put down my reading material so that I might concentrate fully on them and what they had to say. I wanted them to feel important. I wanted to be present with them for this moment in time.

Attention shows respect, and respect is a great way to make someone feel important. If you call me on the phone, and it is convenient for me to take your call, I will stop typing, reading, or working, and tune in to our conversation. I owe you that kind of respect and attention. After all, you ARE important.

Be in the Moment
In retail, there is a rule called “Floor Awareness” in which every sales person is supposed to become aware of the floor at all times and note when a new customer comes into the store. The objective is to make sure that every person is given proper attention. If I am with a customer and another customer enters the store, I will make sure I stay tuned into the first customer and whatever they may be saying, and at a convenient pause in the conversation I’ll excuse myself with clear reasoning as to what I’m about to do with a word of assurance that I’ll be right back.

Use Appropriate Eye Contact
I remember meeting Congressman Chet Edwards when I was living in Waco, Texas. We had a brief two-minute conversation after an event at which he spoke. Even though there were dozens of other well-wishers awaiting their turn to speak to him, Congressman Edwards never took his eyes off me. He stayed completely tuned into our conversation. I have always remembered his focus and attention. He stayed present in our conversation and he never looked over his shoulder to see the next person with whom he was to speak. What a great role model.

Always remember, there is a human being at the other end of your transaction, and that human being wants one thing only from you. They want to be made “to feel important”.

Remember, every person you meet is wearing an invisible sign around their neck that says, “MAKE ME FEEL IMPORTANT.” (Mary Kay Ash, People Management)

Just Because It Fits Doesn't Mean It Fits

As a child I had an abundant curiosity about things and how they worked. I wasn’t exactly mechanically gifted; for instance, I couldn’t take a radio apart and put it back together and make it work, but I was curious nevertheless.

When I was four, on a Saturday afternoon, my Mom and Dad were getting all of us ready to go to some event. We were dressed in our Sunday best.

Mom helped me get dressed and then left me and continued with her other chores before we were to leave. I stayed in her room and was messing around with stuff on her dressing table. I found a box of plastic snap-together pearls that I thought were the most fascinating things in the world.

For some unexplained reason, I wanted to see how many of these pearls I could stick up my nose. Seems I was able to get three pearls up my nose before I decided it was best that I remove them before I got caught for doing something I probably wasn’t supposed to be doing in the first place.

I was able to successfully remove two of the pearls, but in my youthful exuberance to put them there, I jammed them in too hard and this last pearl was lodged way too far up my nostril and there was nothing I could do to make it come out. I knew I was I in big trouble, but there was no way I was going to confess what I had done.

And then came the moment of reckoning!

My Mom came back into her bedroom to give me one last going-over before we left for our event.

One of my Mom’s techniques to assure that we were fully ready was to clean our ears and nose with a bobby pin. Mom began to work on me; first the ears, and then she moved to the nose.

She put the bobby pin up my right side and heard a click. She pushed a bit more and mused to herself, “What in the world?” She tilted my head back and saw this shiny orb starring back at her.

She called out to my Dad, “Jay, come here!”

Dad called back, “What’s the matter Mother?”

“There’s something wrong with Mike.”

Dad came, shined a flash light up my nose and saw the shinny pearl. He asked what I had done and I had to tell.

He immediately dropped what he was doing and took me down to the corner doctor’s office (can’t remember his name). The doctor laid me out on his examination table, shined a light up my nose and began pressing and probing around on my nose.

All of a sudden he pulled on my arm and jerked me up off that table and put his hand under my mouth and out popped the pearl, no pain, no problem, no fuss.

Well, that was a happier ending than what might have happened, wouldn’t you agree?

Here’s the point. Just because it fits, doesn’t mean it fits. Those pearls fitted perfectly in my nose, but they didn’t belong in my nose.

How many times have we tried to make things fit just because “it would be nice”, or “it looks so great on me”, or even “but I like her, she’s pretty”.

Sometimes we make things fit, like jobs, because it is such a great company with which to work, or it is in a great city and we have always wanted to live there.

I’ve had relationships that didn’t fit. Have you? We were two perfectly well adjusted individuals, we liked each other, there was an attraction to each other, but for several unexplainable reasons we just didn’t “fit” together. The chemistry, the Karma, the charisma was all wrong.

Just because we were male and female didn’t mean we would automatically fit.

My friend KJ went to work recently with two different color shoes on. They both fit his feet, but they didn’t “fit” from a fashion standpoint.

I recently re-read the book Your Natural Gifts by Margaret Broadly. This book tells the story of the Johnson O’Connor Research Foundation, whose sole purpose is to test individuals and help discover their natural gifts and what they are most gifted to do. Mrs. Broadly relates numerous examples of people finding their bliss after chasing dead-end dreams for years.

In one instance she tells of a man who followed in his father’s surgeon footsteps and was a miserable failure because he lacked the critical skill of finger dexterity. That is a huge example of trying to “make it fit just because it fits.”

When it’s a natural fit, you’ll know it. You’ll feel a calmness, an inner assurance of “this is so right.”

I hope you find people, experiences, books and thoughts that fit perfectly into your life.

In closing, I want to leave you with this thought, but it doesn’t fit.

“I will stick no pearl up my nose before its time.” (with apologies to Orson Wells and Paul Masson Wines)

So I’ll just say this …

Just Because It Fits Doesn’t Mean It Fits!

It's Friday, but Sunday's Coming

Today is Friday. It is raining on the outside. It’s windy and unusually cold for April in the northwest. But Sunday’s coming.

Today we have stuff to do. Carolyn has her internship. I have my Friday morning in the library writing.

Tonight we attend a Good Friday service. But Sunday’s coming.

Saturday I have to work. I have quotas to meet, sales to make, people to see. But Sunday’s coming.

As I lay my head on my pillow Saturday night my last thought will be Sunday’s Coming.  It will be a day to celebrate, to anticipate, and to hold on to hope.

I’ll do my tasks for today on Friday.
I’ll make it through Saturday.

But Sunday? Oh yeah! Sunday’s coming.

I’m anticipating Sunday. I’ll sing a hymn or two, read some Bible passages, pray some prayers, and I’ll celebrate. I’ll think and meditate on love and redemption, grace and forgiveness, the limits of my mortality and the abundance, and majesty of an eternal God.

He had a plan all along. It included you and me, a Redeemer, a cross, a grave and a heavy stone cast aside. His plan is all about Hope. Love. Forgiveness. Redemption. .

Can you see the empty grave?
     Hope cries out.

Can you see through the burial cloth that covered the face of our Redeemer?
     “Look to me” it seems to cry out. “I see you. I want to offer you something that is life changing.”

Can you see the gravestone cast aside?
     It’s an open door to hope, love, forgiveness, redemption. It is ours for the taking.

Will you walk through the door with me?

It’s Friday.
But Sunday’s coming!!!

The Power of the Right Word Spoken at the Right Time

Never Underestimate the Power of the Right Word Spoken at the Right Time


Has anyone ever come along side of you and whispered just the right words at the precise moment in time when you needed to hear those words? I have, and in that moment those words made all the difference in my life.  Sometimes these healing words can be spoken audibly or can be read in print on in an email

I remember clearly the night I discovered the phrase “I approve of myself.” I’m currently working on a blog in which I tell that story about those four powerful words.

Once, when I was in a bad dating relationship, my friend Harold Ivan Smith asked me “Michael, what are you pretending not to know?”

In the early 90’s, I was facing a job transition with the company I worked for, and was a bit uncertain about my future. I had been in touch with a friend of mine by the name of Michael Wells. He wrote and thanked me for something I had sent him he included these most encouraging words.

“I received the music you sent. Thanks. Oh, by the way, you are being prayed for.”

And then he quoted a Bible verse that has since come to mean a great deal to me.
“Be not afraid nor dismayed, for I the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Holy Bible, Joshua 1:9

Those were definitely the right words spoken at the right time. They were healing and restorative words.

I remember another instance when I was deciding between living in Albuquerque or staying in Orlando. My father said these words to me.

“Son, I think that the move to Albuquerque is the right move for you. But if you get out there and you find out that it is just not a good thing, then I believe there is enough money in the Lewisburg bank to get you back home.”

I recently renewed a friendship with a “kid” who was in my youth group when I lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His name is Larry, Dr. Larry Lacher. He is the pastor of a large Church of the Nazarene in Ohio.

In one of our emails back and forth Larry offered these most heartwarming words to me.
“Of all the good influences I have had in my life, you are the #1.”

Wow! What a boost that was to receive those words. I felt I could go after Moby Dick with the tartar sauce on my sword after receiving that inspiring note.

Words are a huge source of power in our everyday lives. They have a life of their own in their ability to burrow deeply into someone’s heart and mind, for good.

Winston Churchill deserves much credit for victoriously dragging the British Empire through World War II with the power of the spoken word. He spoke the right words at the right time.

Someone near you needs to hear the right word spoken to them, today.

Will you speak these words to someone this week?
You’re going to make it.
We’re going to be all right.
You Can.
You will.
You are …
I believe in you.
You have been a major influence on my life.
You are almost to the finish line.
You inspired me today.
You helped me when I needed it the most.

A Properly Placed Word:
A properly placed word can give hope
A properly placed word can restore peace
A properly placed word can offer encouragement

A properly placed word can inspire
A properly placed word can comfort
A properly placed word can bring joy

A properly placed word can offer healing
A properly placed word can give assurance
A properly placed word can restore one’s faith

A properly placed word can strengthen a grip
A properly placed word can give life meaning
A properly placed word can restore confidence

A properly placed word can lift one’s spirit
A properly placed word can give a new perspective
A properly placed word can turn a life in the right direction

A properly placed word can end strife
A properly placed word can prolong a life
A properly placed word can heal a marriage

A properly placed word can inspire a team
A properly placed word can inspire a nation
A properly placed word can change a direction

Will you go and speak words of esteem, power, encouragement and healing to someone today?

NEVER UNDERSTIMATE THE POWER

OF THE RIGHT WORD

SPOKEN AT THE RIGHT TIME!

What Do You Know For Sure

Our lives can be compared to a rolling stone. As we roll along we touch hundreds and thousands of other stones, particles, obstacles, we take a dip in a few watering holes, and keep on rolling. Everything we touch, everything we hear, everything we read and every person we meet affects us in some way. Some experiences affect us in more profound ways that others.

Would you share with me a few nuggets of wisdom you’ve gleaned as your life has rolled along? Maybe you’ve read a significant book and you want to share something from it. If you’ve adopted a significant phrase, Bible verse, or saying that is significant I would like to hear it. With your permission, I want to compile some of the most interesting and meaningful insights sent to me and then share them with my followers on this blog.

Let’s keep the rules to a minimum during this experience together.
1. Write from your heart.
2. Try to keep it under 300 words.
3. Short is good.
4. I’ll list you as anonymous if you request it.
5. Send me an email (address listed below) with your submissions.
I’ll post my blog based on these submissions on Friday, April 16, 2010.

OK, here are some of the best things I know.

One of my life verses from the Bible:
“Be not afraid nor dismayed, for I the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.
(Joshua 1:9)

When I look at my life and the twists and turns it has taken I am amazed at times that I’m still standing. I’ve experienced God’s peace, steadfastness and grace and I’m still climbing, I’m still working, and I’m still dreaming. Dream with me!

I know these facts based on the book Aspire, Kevin Hall.
“You must learn to see beyond the clouds.
Sapere Vedere is knowing how to see.

Believing is seeing.

People with Sapere Vedere say ‘I’ll see that bridge before I cross it.’

Sight is a function of the eyes; vision is a function of the heart.

Vision sets you free from the limitations of what the eyes can see and allows you to enter into the liberty of what the heart can feel. Never let your eyes determine what you heart believes.

“The two most important days of our lives are the day we were born and the day we discover what we were born to do.”
(Aspire, Kevin Hall)

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.”
(Henry David Thoreau)

Maya Angelou says,
“I’ve learned that …
People will forget what you said,
People will forget what you did,
But people will never forget how you made them feel.”

So, “from this day on I resolve to leave every person I meet better for having met me.”
(Aspire, Kevin Hall)

Can you tell that I love this new book, Aspire, by Kevin Hall? I bought it in January 2010 and have read it twice already this year and am making a constant study of it and the principles Kevin teaches. It is good reading.

These are some of the things that I know. And now it is your turn. (By the way, I did that in 292 words.)

I’ll look forward to hearing from you soon.
My email address is pm.biggs@comcast.net or michael@up-words.net
I’ll publish the selected thoughts on Friday, April 16, 2010.

With hope and anticipation of what you’ll send.

Michael