Franchises. I wonder if you are thinking of Big Macs, your beloved sports team, or Double A-M-C-O…… There is plenty to like and dislike about franchise businesses, and I’ll bet whichever one you are thinking of gave you a strong association. If you’ve read more than a few sentences I’ve written you won’t be shocked […]
Read MoreEver since my wife and I got our dog, Walter, 6 years ago, we’ve ordered his dog food off Amazon. It’s slightly cheaper than buying it at the store and delivered right to our door. We had never considered changing it up. There was no reason to. That is until last month when we decided […]
Read MoreA Tale of Two Cities: well, it’s actually one city, Chicago, and the tale of two trips there in attempt to buy a vehicle with very different results. The lease on my wife’s Subaru Outback is about to expire. So, we did some talking and some shopping and narrowed in on a target vehicle, a […]
Read MoreWho doesn’t love a good story? Since the dawn of time there’s been that image of a roaring fire and a group seated around it, each with their own story to tell. The lives they’ve lived, the adventures they’ve journey upon, the funny anecdotes they’ve heard; humans are simply blessed with excellent memories which allows […]
Read MoreCold calling, and the younger, less effectual brother to it – cold emailing, are undoubtedly a part of selling and building a customer portfolio. They can’t all stop. But what needs to, and needs to maybe twelve emails ago, are the many, many, many phone calls (and subsequent voicemails) and the dozens of “follow-up” emails […]
Read MoreIt’s not all right with me. Every now and then I’ll indulge myself and dip into the McDonald’s across from our office for a breakfast snack. I can’t be the only one out there jonesing for a hash brown patty! A funny thing happens each time I order: the sausage biscuit with egg is my jam and, of course, […]
Read MoreMy mother hung a magnet on our refrigerator when I was ten years old that read, “Life is 10% what happens to you, and 90% how you react to it.” I hated that magnet as a kid. I later learned that it was a Charles Swindoll quote. I also learned to love the quote – […]
Read MoreWhen I was in college, I worked at a movie theatre. Whenever I worked behind the vending stand, I used to challenge my co-workers to sell more nachos than me. The job, obviously, wasn’t commission-based. There were no prizes or rewards for being the best nacho salesman. I just did it to make my shift […]
Read MoreYou don’t have to be a salesperson to make a sale. You’re an artist – who paints the picture of what life will be like for the customer after you fix their car. You’re a helper – who helps make a good decision about whether to repair the car, which part is best, which warranty is appropriate, and the […]
Read MoreIf you are selling paperclips or pizza, this article may not be very relevant, but an increasing majority of US workers sell a service or a product plus the service to support it. When service is a significant part of the customer or company relationship, not all customers are created equally. Not all customers are […]
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