What's in a Word?

My friend Rosa Say on her great blog Talking Story has asked people to weigh in this month on "the Art of the Sale", so here are some of my thoughts.

I've never met anyone that didn't like to buy something. Even if it is someone who doesn't like to go to the mall, or someone who doesn't like to part with their money, EVERYone likes to buy something, be it tangible, or an idea, or something.

On the other hand, many people have stong negative experiences/feelings about being sold. When they hear "sales" they think of buying a car, buying insurance or a telemarketer being a bit too agressive on the phone (apologies to people in these industries, I'm just stating my observations).

The words used and the tactics connected to those words is where the disconnect lies. For many people then, sales or selling is connected with words like manipulation, trickery, force, pressure, tactics, negotiation. Most of those people with those feelings will say they don't feel comfortable in doing sales. No big surprise here.

If people like to buy but don't want to be "sold" then what do they want? I think they want: assistance, help, advice, options, expertise. People don't mind being influenced, they just don't like being forced.

Based on this quick discourse, it isn't surprising that the best salespeople see themselves as experts, consultants, or "assistant buyers." It is why they are successful.

For those who have the negative view of "sales" it is time to get a new set of words in your mind so that you can help serve your Clients and future Clients. Those new words can help you get to your personal art of (and comfort with) sales.

The Seven National Crimes

William J. H. Boetcker, a Presbyterian minister wrote these. I have read them attributed to Abe Lincoln, but from some reading I've done recently, it seems that is a false attribution. Here are what Boetcker defines and the Seven National Crimes:

1. I don't think.
2. I don't know.
3. I don't care.
4. I am too busy.
5. I leave well enough alone.
6. I have no time to read and find out.
7. I am not interested.

Crimes indeed. Rather than thinking about these from the "national" perspective (I'll leave that for bloggers with a different focus), let's think about them as organizational crimes.

1. Too often, sadly, people don't think.
2. While not knowing isn't a crime in itself, it becomes one when it is a closing statement, rather than an opening one. (Are the trainers and Customer Service leaders among us listening?)
3. Giving people reasons to care is one of the most powerful things we can do as a leader.
4. Everyone is busy. But the paradox is that the busiest among us always seem to be able to get one more thing done. Sort of takes the value out of that excuse, doesn't it?
5. Leave it alone, and no change will occur. The problem is, often, it isn't "well enough" to start with.
6. Ever made it ok for people to read on the job? Why not? Give people opportunities to find ways to learn.
7. Interest drives action which is a precursor to achievement. As trainers we need to help people be interested in learning new skills. As leaders we must cultivate interest in our team members.

The critical question is - what will you do to reduce the organizational crime in your organization (or behind your desk)?

Happy Anniversary to Me . . .

I'm excited!

One year ago we started our blog experiment. We were in the process of renaming and rebranding my company - changing the name to The Kevin Eikenberry Group. As we developed the concept for our new website we thought we wanted to include a blog, but we decided I should try it first.

So we tried it. Starting on March 22, 2204.

365 days. 130 posts.

A few weeks ago I posed a question in email to my team. It read something like:

"The one year anniversary of the blog is coming up. Do you think we should celebrate in any way? If so, what are your thoughts?"

The ideas they had were fabulous... and as you read the rest of this post you will be the beneficiary of their ideas . . .

First Gift

When I started writing this blog I wanted to share something of value, and in reviewing these posts over the last couple of weeks I think I have acheived that. You can judge for yourself, because our first gift to you - for visiting to help us celebrate is our Best of Blogs Special Report. Since this is a PDF file, click to open it, or right click and save the file if you want to read it later,)

Holly Powers read through all of the posts, selecting one from each month to include in this collection. Thanks Holly for your help.

We hope you will benfit from this Special Report and will choose to share it with others too.

Second Gift

The first five blog readers (that is you) to call and talk to me today (and they have to tell me they were reading the blog - I'm not giving products away to the guy trying to get my phone business). You will be able to choose from one of the five products listed below:

Becoming a More Effective Team Member Learning System
Effectively Managing Projects Learning System
Being More Creative Learnng System
Understanding and Mastering Change Learning System
Effective Internal Consulting Skills Series (there isn't a link for this product yet on one of our websites, so I'll have to tell you about it if you are one of the first five callers.)

I appreciate you reading our blog and hope that you will continue to do so. I look forward to talking to some of you on the phone today. (You can reach me at 317.387.1424 or 888.LEARNER in the U.S.)

Pick up the phone!

Just Five More

Reading the March Training + Development Magazine, I saw a snippet on focus from Sam Horn's book, Tongue Fu. IT describes an acronym using the letters in the word FOCUS to provide five tips.

I loved the first one - the F.

"Five more rule. If you are in the middle of a task and want to give up, just do five more: Write five more paragraphs, read five more pages, work five more minutes. Working past the point of frustration helps build mental stamina, just as not giving up when your body gets tired helps build physical stamina."

Let me add a couple more "fives" to this great idea...

- Try five more times to help an employee who you are losing patience with.
- Find five more possible solutions with the brainstorming session is winding down.
- Count to five before responding to a Customer who has frustrated you in some way.

Add to your focus by adding your own fives in areas you most want to focus.

Take the Stress Test

I ran across this online stress test and I encourage you to check it out.

It may not be clinically perfect, but it doesn't matter.

It raises an important question for us. How does my stress level impact my ability to lead, be a part of a team, effectively train others or perform at the highest levels of Customer Service?

We know the answer.

Whatever your stress score, take time today to think about how stress impacts your effectiveness. If this reflection causes you any concern, decide what you can do to take action to either reduce your stress, or take actions that reduces the impact of the stress on your performance.

A Passion for White Castles

I first read about it on January 20th. Eight Indianapolis White Castle restaurants were going to offer special service on Valentine's Day.

A restaurant taking reservations, offering service at the table, and using real table clothes and silverware isn't much of a story on Valentine's Day. Except at White Castles, which are 24 hour hamburger joints on the lower end of the food chain (if you pardon my pun) - all apologies to White Castle loyalists.

They made news on January 20th, and have tons of local press coverage today - and all the reservations are taken. Additional restaurants in the chain have vowed to join this service next year.

White Castle used creativity to build a promotion, get loads of free publicity, and tap into their very loyal fans too.

The passion shows. Congrats to White Castle on a creative promotion and a wonderful Customer Service idea.

Have a Passionate Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is for romance and love, so you may be wondering why I would write about it in this blog. Valentine's Day is about more than romance and love... it is about passion. And passion is something we definitely can talk about here.

As you celebrate Valentine's Day today, let your passion for life, for projects, and for ideas to show through.

Your passion will create energy.

Your passion will help you influence others.

Your passion will change, in a positive way, how others see you and your abilities.

Your passion can make a difference.

Happy Valentine's Day.