Are You Annoying Your Customers

annoy (uh-'noi) verb: to disturb or irritate especially by repeated acts

The sales facts...

They don't like it when we're pushy.
They don't like it when we call too much.
They don't like it when we're "just checking in."
They don't like it when we're unprepared.
They don't like it when we're disrespectful of their time.

They don't like it when we keep calling if they say they're not interested.
They don't like it when we don't respond fast enough.

They don't like it when we appear not to understand them,
their industry, their situations, and their challenges.
They don't like it when we don't work in their interest.
They don't like it when we don't listen.

They don't like it when we don't know about our own products/ services.
They don't like it when we're rude, arrogant, or inattentive.
They don't like it when we're vague or unclear.

They don't like it when they're made to feel like they're interrupting us.
They don't like it when we seem like we're "just trying to sell them something".
And, they can't stand it when we won't take no for an answer.

What do they like?

A return on their investment... to get more, to save more,
to look good, to feel good, to be loved.

That's it.

Anything else and we're wasting their time. And ours.

Don't be sales dumb.

Be sales bright.

Not sure where this came from but to whoever shared it with me, thanks and hats off for the work.

Ten Things That help Make You More Valuable to a Friend aka a Customer

1/ Cherish Your Family Above All Earthly Things, 2/ Have faith that there is something bigger than you in the Universe aka God, 3/March to the Tune of  Different Drummer aka Stepping Outside the Boxes, 4/ Visualize Outcomes.  It will help you make better decisions 5/ You have gifts.  Use them to enhance the lives of others, 6/Think a bit longer before you speak, 7/Exercise common sense and moderation in all things, 8/ Don't be afraid to dream and turn those dreams into reality, 9/Help the helpless, and 10/ Have a forgiving spirit

What Do I Know About My Customers

Have you ever heard of PINTEREST?

If not, standby. If you have and think it is a chick thing, listen up! There is a method to this madness.

People LOVE to know things about their friends, celebrities, politicians, and, yes, even the villains of this world.

You all know by now how I feel about building relationships with your friends aka customers. Using this model of Pinterest as an outline or guide might be a good way to start. Look at the categories and begin to try and learn these things about your customers over time. This is not meant to be an interrogation or question and answer period with them but rather an easy exchange of information that unfolds naturally BUT that you record somewhere (think CRM) in writing so you can easily recall the information each time you speak to them.

http://pinterest.com/dnjdobson/

If you are uncomfortable getting this information from your friend aka customer, then that tells you something as well. You need to refocus on building that relationship. If it is built on a solid foundation the information that you exchange with each other will flow naturally and comfortably between you.

You make friends. Most everyone knows how to do that. Everyone does it in a different way depending on their personality. But JUST DO IT!

What I Know About My Customers Checklist

Birthday
Family
Sports
Hobbies
Hometown
Music
Movies
Food
Pets
TV
Clubs
Travel
Books
Boats/Cars
Misc.

Wishing You The Glory That Is EASTER!

Right on the heels of spring bursting on the scene is Easter. I remember stopping by my MomMom and PopPop's on Easter Sunday to get my little boutonniere of Lilly of the Valley to wear to church services. They lived right next door to our church! My favorite hymns to this day are those we sang on Easter Sunday. "He Lives", "Christ the Lord is Risen Today" and " Up From The Grave He Arose".
Well after church it was home to Easter dinner. We had two kinds of ham that were cured and hung months before: Very thin sliced Salt Cured "Country Ham" (not for every taste-LOL) and the traditional Baked Ham. There was always Maryland Beaten Biscuits (also not for every taste), scalloped oysters, Cole slaw, scalloped potatoes, baked pineapple, green beans and homemade 3 layer coconut cake for dessert.
My tastes have changed over the years and much of that tradition is just a memory. I have developed my own ham recipe and humbly I have to say I have tasted nothing better. One thing appealing about it to many is that you start by buying the cheapest fully cooked, ready to eat half ham, preferably a shank end portion. Yes, you are gonna bake it, but a fully cooked ham does not require that you cook it long. You are going to infuse it with flavor you will likely not forget.
Score the ham and poke in some whole cloves at the intersections if you like. Make a paste of brown sugar and yellow mustard. Place the ham with the cut side down, and fat side up into a foil tub that you form inside the baking pan. Smear the brown sugar mustard paste all over the ham, add pineapple and cherries and pour in a can or so of Coke Classic. Pull up the foil so that it loosely surrounds the ham and bake according to the package directions. My ham is usually 8 pounds and went for about 2 and 1/2 hours at 350 degrees, until an instant read thermometer read a little over 140 degrees. Remove the pan from the oven, carefully open up the foil, and baste the ham with the juices periodically during the baking time. When its done, let it rest about 15 minutes before cutting. Make your pan sauce while it's resting. To carve, take a knife and go completely around the bone to loosen the meat away from the bone. Locate the natural seams of the ham. Cut into those seams to loosen the sections. Remove those sections and slice each of them individually. Beautiful. I like to dredge the slices back into the Coca Cola pan juices and let them soak a bit before plating. You can also make a pan sauce with the drippings. To make the pan gravy, plate the ham and drizzle on a few spoons of the juice or gravy. Tent loosely with foil to keep warm. Transfer the pan drippings to a skillet, bring to a boil, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter to add richness, and let reduce and thicken slightly. Place into a gravy boat to pass at the table.
I learned this years ago when I lived in Phoenix, AZ and it has remained my all-time favorite way to prepare the Easter ham, honey baked, spiral sliced, etc not withstanding!
Have a wonderful Easter no matter how you celebrate it.

Easter Wishes,
Dan

Wishing You The Glory That is Easter

Right on the heels of spring bursting on the scene is Easter. I remember stopping by my MomMom and PopPop's on Easter Sunday to get my little boutonniere of Lilly of the Valley to wear to church services. They lived right next door to our church! My favorite hymns to this day are those we sang on Easter Sunday. "He Lives", "Christ the Lord is Risen Today" and " Up From The Grave He Arose".
Well after church it was home to Easter dinner. We had two kinds of ham that were cured and hung months before: Very thin sliced Salt Cured "Country Ham" (not for every taste-LOL) and the traditional Baked Ham. There was always Maryland Beaten Biscuits (also not for every taste), scalloped oysters, Cole slaw, scalloped potatoes, baked pineapple, green beans and homemade 3 layer coconut cake for dessert.
My tastes have changed over the years and much of that tradition is just a memory. I have developed my own ham recipe and humbly I have to say I have tasted nothing better. One thing appealing about it to many is that you start by buying the cheapest fully cooked, ready to eat half ham, preferably a shank end portion. Yes, you are gonna bake it, but a fully cooked ham does not require that you cook it long. You are going to infuse it with flavor you will likely not forget.
Score the ham and poke in some whole cloves at the intersections if you like. Make a paste of brown sugar and yellow mustard. Place the ham with the cut side down, and fat side up into a foil tub that you form inside the baking pan. Smear the brown sugar mustard paste all over the ham, add pineapple and cherries and pour in a can or so of Coke Classic. Pull up the foil so that it loosely surrounds the ham and bake according to the package directions. My ham is usually 8 pounds and went for about 2 and 1/2 hours at 350 degrees, until an instant read thermometer read a little over 140 degrees. Remove the pan from the oven, carefully open up the foil, and baste the ham with the juices periodically during the baking time. When its done, let it rest about 15 minutes before cutting. Make your pan sauce while it's resting. To carve, take a knife and go completely around the bone to loosen the meat away from the bone. Locate the natural seams of the ham. Cut into those seams to loosen the sections. Remove those sections and slice each of them individually. Beautiful. I like to dredge the slices back into the Coca Cola pan juices and let them soak a bit before plating. You can also make a pan sauce with the drippings. To make the pan gravy, plate the ham and drizzle on a few spoons of the juice or gravy. Tent loosely with foil to keep warm. Transfer the pan drippings to a skillet, bring to a boil, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter to add richness, and let reduce and thicken slightly. Place into a gravy boat to pass at the table.
I learned this years ago when I lived in Phoenix, AZ and it has remained my all-time favorite way to prepare the Easter ham, honey baked, spiral sliced, etc not withstanding!
Have a wonderful Easter no matter how you celebrate it.

Easter Wishes,
Dan