10.22.09
Posted in Stirring Up the Hornet's Nest at 1:47 pm by Administrator
After a week of backpacking and camping in the High Sierras my son, cousin, and I were anxious to complete our final trek back to civilization. As we began our push up the last rocky incline, my son commented that there was a hive of yellow jackets. I thought nothing of it until he began to scream while running past me and tearing at his clothes. The hive containing hundreds of yellow jackets was in a depression in the ground and exploded with fury even though we were a few feet away from it. My cousin began yelling and running for cover (he doesn’t run). Every time we slowed down, the yellow jackets continued to swarm and sting. I shouted for everyone to keep running. With fifty pound packs at 8000 feet of elevation that was not an easy task. After several hundred yards we outdistanced the yellow jackets and were able to start first aid treatment. Fortunately, everyone was fine except for the pain of the stings.
Three weeks later I now see a little humor and life lessons from stirring up the hornet’s nest.
Lessons from the hornets:
Never stop stinging. Unlike the honey bee which only stings once, a yellow jacket (hornet) stings repeatedly until the threat is gone. Have you been tempted recently to toss in the towel? Don’t do it. Keep fighting, keep stinging and make it happen.
Explode with fury. Enthusiasm is contagious. Inspire those you lead with a vision that leads to success.
Swarm the problem. There is power in swarming a challenge. If it is a competitive situation or challenge, swarm it with ideas and people then execute it efficiently.
Take action. Yellowjackets don’t hesitate when they perceive a threat & neither should you. Take decisive action- waffling or the inability to follow through leads to failure.
Swat the snot out of the next hornet you see…just for me.
Regards,
Brian Boek
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08.26.09
Posted in What to Say, What Not to Say at 4:02 am by Administrator
Sitting in the McDonald’s drive-thru while waiting for my economically priced-nofrills-cheaper than Starbucks-McCafe iced coffee I saw a sign posted above the cashier. It read, What to Say & What Not to Say. Under the “What Not to Say” column- What kind of sauce do you want? What kind of drink? What size do you want? That’s it? That’s all?
Under the “What to Say column”- Would you like ranch or barbeque? Would you like a coke? Will that be a large? Will that be for here?
McDonald’s may not be your favorite eating establishment but here is a company that knows how to sell billions of burgers, McNuggets and drinks. And they don’t do it by waiting for the customer to tell them every detail. They anticipate what the customer is going to need. By using the right terminology they guide the customer in upgrading and completing their order. Most salespeople have heard the “would you like fries with that” mantra but are your sales and customer service people anticipating the customer’s needs. It requires being proactive and knowing which questions to ask. If a customer orders a hardwood floor, they are going to need moldings, possibly underlayment, adhesive or staples, floor prep materials, cleaners and perhaps other miscellaneous items. How prepared is your sales force and customer service group to guide the customer in finalizing and upgrading their order? The companies that enjoy above average performance have mastered this art. Here are a few ideas that can improve sales and add bottom line growth.
Create your own “What to Say” and “What Not to Say” list- make sure each sales and customer service person posts its, quotes it and uses it.
Reward customer service personnel for increased orders of accessory items.
At a time when every sales dollar is critical, this is just one more way to increase revenue and grow market share.
Happy Selling!
Brian Boek
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07.30.09
Posted in I'll Be Happy to Help You at 3:14 pm by Administrator
Tech support and customer service departments are not always known for the best of attitudes. In making a couple of those dreaded support calls I was pleasantly surprised when after the initial greeting I heard, “Mr. Boek, in regards to your issue, I’ll be happy to help you with that.” The irritated, frustrated, I’m-ready-to-crawl-through-the-phone feeling began to dissipate. Here was someone that actually sounded like they wanted to help find a solution to my problem.
What do your customers experience when they call your customer service desk? Are they an interruption or is your team “happy to help” find the solution? It is such a basic part of interacting with customers. However, with the daily pressures of business, smiling over the phone, helpfulness and improving the customer service experience are sometimes left behind. When this happens, the foundation of a strong customer service team is missing a key component that can keep the customer coming back instead of going to the competitor.
Simple. Basic. No cost to implement. Results that set you apart from the competition. Take a walk through your call center area and listen to see how many on your team are “happy to help.”
Have a great week. If you would like to discuss further, call me- “I’ll be happy to help you with that!”
Brian Boek
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06.25.09
Posted in The Devil is in the Details at 3:32 pm by Administrator
A few days ago I had the opportunity to witness a meeting between a distributor sales rep and a commercial flooring contractor. The purpose of the meeting was to address pricing inconsistencies and project quotes. With confidence the rep explained that his company had reevaluated their pricing structure and the commercial flooring contractor would benefit from the changes. He excitedly showed the new pricing only to find that it was higher than the old price list. Oops! Back to first base, no one was impressed… and he blamed corporate.
One of my great sales & marketing mentors always told me “the devil is in the details.” Whether you are a sales representative or executive management, failing to give adequate attention to the details can doom a product launch, a sales meeting or any other business activity designed to drive sales. Some companies spend time continually frustrated by lack of sales and try to beat the sales force into selling more product without taking the time to honestly evaluate the details of the product, pricing, marketing, inventory and their overall market strategy. Here are a few ideas that can improve sales, morale and focus.
· Survey customers regarding specific products or issues. This only works if the company is serious about using the information to make the necessary changes.
· Survey inside and outside sales regarding specific products or issues. Make the survey anonymous so they can give honest evaluations. If positive changes can be made, let the employees know that what they suggested was acted upon.
· Only launch a product or promotion when every detail is in place. “Soft launching” a new product because the inventory is not available leads to frustrated dealers and sales reps and usually the product has to be re-launched at some future date.
The devil is in the details but the good news is that when every “I” is dotted and every “T” is crossed everyone can sell aggressively and with confidence all of the time.
May you and your family have a blessed and Happy 4th.
Brian Boek
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05.27.09
Posted in Lessons from a Panhandler at 3:32 pm by Administrator
Picture this… a man approaches me in the store parking lot- Red Sox baseball cap, untucked t-shirt, knee-length olive color shorts, black suspenders, tattoos encircling his neck, long white socks, black tennis shoes and holding a tattered box of incense sticks. “Sir, I just walked by and you look like a positive person. I gots these incense sticks that some people say cure headaches, foot odor and all kinds of things. I needs to get to Fresno to check out the business opportunities so I’m just asking people to give what they think their worth.”
Welcome to creative panhandling. We actually had an interesting conversation but what struck me is that this man understood how to create value. Instead of ignoring him, I wanted to see what was in the tattered box. Who would have thought that there is a sales lesson to be learned from the local panhandler? Many salespeople would do well to learn this simple lesson that selling is more than throwing samples down on the floor and seeing if anyone is interested. Creative selling means capturing the interest of the customer from the moment the sales person walks through the door with the right attitude, the right product and the right story for that particular dealer. There is sometimes the tendency to think that selling is just showing up and making sure the call sheet is full for the day. The salespeople that earn the highest commissions are the ones who follow the winning formula of showing up and selling creatively.
By the way, I didn’t buy the incense sticks so my feet still stink but I did learn a lesson.
Regards,
Brian Boek
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04.29.09
Posted in Art of Saying Yes at 3:54 pm by Administrator
The art of saying “Yes” can become more difficult in a challenging economy. Many businesses correctly begin making cuts and saying no to expenses, no to employees, no to incentives and surprisingly, no to customers. It is like the child whose first spoken word is “No” because that is what he or she has heard for so long. Consider what it is in your business that can be given a yes answer. This is not an answer just to make someone feel good but it needs to provide a genuine benefit to you and your customers.
The question from a customer may be “Can I have free delivery- ABC Distribution gives me free delivery?” Now you and I know that is probably not the case however we must provide an answer. The standard answer may always be no but what if your sales team offered a “Yes” alternative that explores getting more business. “Yes. Free delivery is an option that we can offer in exchange for receiving 100% of your business in brand XYZ.” This is obviously a simple example but how much business is lost just because we say no and end the conversation.
Saying “Yes” is an art because it requires thought and creativity but it can give you the edge to win the business over your competitor. Have a “Yes” meeting with your reps today.
Regards,
Brian Boek
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03.18.09
Posted in Apples to Apples at 3:20 pm by Administrator
The word is goody-goody. The choices that best describe the word are Al Pacino and Mussolini. The game is Apples to Apples. Players have to lobby the judge to select their card in hopes to win the game. Being faced with this type of choice is more like Apples and Oranges. The names of these two men typically do not conjure up the idea of goody-goody yet it makes for great family fun to try.
The term Apples to Apples has been used in sales and marketing to define an accurate comparison of services or products. With so many similar products in the market, how do you differentiate your offering from the competition and ensure that your customers are comparing apples to apples? Many companies talk about defining the differences but struggle with communicating the message with clarity.
Here are some helpful ideas:
1) Have your staff research the competition in depth. You might think you know the competition but after a little investigation you may be surprised at some of the information that might have previously been missed.
2) Accentuate your strengths, acknowledge your weaknesses. Acknowledging your weaknesses only helps if you are willing to work on improving them. Employees quickly realize how serious you are about real change when they fail to see action in areas of weakness.
3) Tell the customer. Trumpet what sets you apart in every interaction with the customer. This includes voicemail messages, on hold announcements, invoice messages, emails, websites, promotions and the daily sales calls of your reps. These messages should be concise and direct so everyone inside and outside of your company easily identifies your brand.
Honest, I’m not promoting the game Apples to Apples but my hope is that this silly family game serves as a big business reminder and contributes to your success.
Regards,
Brian Boek
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02.16.09
Posted in What are your Reps Saying at 11:37 am by Administrator
Is anyone you know saying this? “Business is terrible. Nothing is happening.”
Recently at Surfaces, a friend of mine who is a flooring dealer commented that out of all of the reps with whom he met there were only two that stood out as having a positive attitude. These reps were enthusiastic about showing the latest introductions. Most were caught up in discussing the poorly performing economy and lack of dealers at the convention. His belief is (and I agree) that he already knows it is bad and doesn’t need reinforcement. He needs hope and wants to buy from people who believe they are going to make it.
Some of you have mentioned to me that you are specifically training your reps to be the ones going into the dealer showroom with a positive attitude instead of spreading gloom and doom. I think that is great. Continuing to encourage your reps to be the one rep out of the day that talks about exciting new products, programs and the fact that people are still buying will be one of the keys to a winning strategy.
It’s easy to be negative. Your evaluation of business and the economy may be correct but it is not going to help you set any records. As Knute Rockne once said, “Play like you’re positive on the victory, even though they’re leading big now.”
Brian Boek
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01.16.09
Posted in Silver Linings in 2009 at 3:26 pm by Administrator
Were there any silver linings in your business in 2008 and will there be any in 2009?
If everyone believed the media, most businesses would close their doors today. However, the successful entrepreneur realizes that no matter how challenging times may be they have to create business and opportunities wherever possible.
In the flooring industry there were silver linings in 2008. There were companies that had increases and sold record numbers at sales events. The companies that excel in these times realize that they have to lower operating expenses but also have to use their sales and marketing budgets more effectively. The temptation is to cut back in all of these areas especially marketing. Henry Ford said it best. “The man who stops advertising to save money is like the man who stops a clock to save time.”
I encourage you to evaluate your current marketing strategies. Are they measurable? Are they working? Is your message getting to your customer? If the answer is no, consider alternatives that can change these answers to yes.
Let’s make the silver lining in 2009.
Regards,
Brian Boek
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09.30.08
Posted in Down the Mountain at 8:26 pm by Administrator
My GPS read 1.96 miles directly to the bottom of the mountain. Descending from 8100 ft elevation to 6000 ft elevation would be steep and challenging but it sounded much more appealing than a three hour hike on a proven trail. Thinking of how much time we could save instead of the normal 6 mile hike brought a smile to my face. Against my better judgment, my ten year old son, Noah, and I set out. The first mile was rather easy but the feeling of elation quickly evaporated as we encountered a wall of Manzanita that seemed impassable. Slowly and methodically we had to weave our way down game trails then backtrack when the path became to dangerous. At one point, Noah was frustrated as he stood waist deep in brush that tangled around his legs. He was ready to quit. I was irritated and a bit concerned too but there was no turning back. We had to complete the task. I empathized but told him, “Noah, we don’t have any other options here. I know this is frustrating and we shouldn’t have come this way but now we are committed and our only way out of this is down. There is no going back.??? Three and half hours later, scratched, bruised and exhausted, we arrived at the bottom of the mountain. As we finished the short walk to the truck, Noah and I agreed, we could add this to our list of things never to do again and that the shortest way isn’t always the easiest.
I told that story to offer some insight on the current U.S. financial situation and life in general. The situation is much more complex than I could ever hope to understand and it is serious. But in the midst of a terrible and frustrating ordeal, few leaders have emerged. What have emerged are politicians from both political parties attempting to assign blame and people predicting the end of the world as we know it.
At this point, we have to get down the mountain. It isn’t pleasant and the options are limited. So let’s act like adults and start fixing the problems. That is what has set America apart from other countries and economies for over two centuries. As American’s we need to regain that frontier spirit that realizes we can overcome adversity. Instead of allowing the course of our lives to be dictated by what we read, watch or listen to in the news, let us determine to set our own course and create our own destiny. It was Zig Ziglar who once said, “ I’ve decided not participate in the recession.??? Until recently, I have always thought that was a nice sound byte but a little far from reality. But I have realized that it is our attitude that determines whether or not we are going to crawl into a dark hole and wait for the end of time or get on the trail, take the branches hitting us in the face and sticks stabbing our legs and make it to our final goal. Let us stay focused on where we are going. No it will not be fun and yes it will be painful, but we are descendants of a people with a pioneer spirit that have endured far worse. And after enduring far worse, they enjoyed unimaginable personal, spiritual and social success.
Regards,
Brian Boek
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