Wednesday, December 21, 2011

A Christmas Story

***Reposting from 2010***

It was 5:00 pm Christmas Eve 1989, and I was locking the front door of the supermarket where I was Store Manager.

Over the years, I had made it a tradition for me to be the "closer" of the store on Christmas Eve.

Inside the store, my employees were rushing around counting their register tills, sweeping the floor, and generally preparing the store for closing down, so they all could rush home to their families for Christmas.

At approximately 5:30pm, I heard someone tapping on the front door.

“I just got off work and I need to shop for my family", the gentleman on the other side of the glass door shouted.

“Sorry, we are closed.” I answered.

“Please, I really need to shop and you are the only grocery store open.”

In the background several of my employees yelled out to me… “Mr. Gambone, I hope you don’t let him in, we all want to go home.”

I turned to my office manager and said , “Cindy, I feel bad for this guy…will you stick around with me until we get him checked out.”

She looked at me with a frown, “Well, I hope he only needs a few things, OK.”

We let him in…he was very gracious, grabbed a buggy and started to shop.

“I’ll only take a few minutes,” he said.

Then all of a sudden, he turned around and looked at Cindy and me in desperation… “Shit!..I’m sorry for swearing, but I left my wallet in my overalls at work….I can’t believe this!!!”

He abandoned the buggy and started walking towards the front door to leave.

Cindy looked at me and said… “Well, I guess we can leave now.”

“Hold on!” I said… “Sir, you pick up what you need and come back the day after Christmas and pay us.”

Cindy looked at me as if I was crazy. The gentleman was overjoyed and continued to shop.

When he completed his shopping, Cindy and I checked him out and bagged his groceries. He purchased lots of milk, cereal, bread and basic groceries along with some gift-wrap and children’s toys.

We wished him a Merry Christmas as he left and Cindy and I locked up and went home to our families.

...............the gentleman never returned...................

Yes, I took some heat from my boss when he found out…but that’s okay. I knew in my heart that it was right thing to do at the time.

It is moments like this is my life when I am reminded of the words a mentor of mine once shared with me early in my career...“The good you do, will come back to you.” Lou Z.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and may you and your family have a glorious New Year.

Bob Gambone, The Pecan Pie Guy!

Saturday, December 10, 2011

"It’s Not What Life Makes of You; It's What You Make of Life."

---Some of my favorites---


"There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle."

Albert Einstein


"Let us live so that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry."
Mark Twain


"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever."
Mohandas Gandhi


"We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools."
Martin Luther King, Jr.


"Work as if you were to live a hundred years. Pray as if you were to die tomorrow."
Benjamin Franklin


"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."
John F. Kennedy


"It’s not what life makes of you; it's what you make of life."
Unknown

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Read more "Pecans of Wisdom" from Bob Gambone in his book:

"Pecan Pie, 32 Business Success Strategies Passionately Baked to Order" buy it NOW! on Amazon.com
Copyright (12-10-2011) by Robert V. Gambone Sr.”

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Lou, The Nabisco Guy

*** In Memory of Lou ***

Lou the Nabisco Guy never used selling strategies …Lou had a culture of “selling.”

I was 23 years old when I first met Lou. He was the region’s number one salesman for Nabisco from 1974 to 1985.

One day I was eating lunch with Lou and asked,

“Lou, so what do you do, to be so good at selling?....can you share some tips?”

Lou replied, shaking his head and smiling, “Bob there is really no magic tips, but I do have five core beliefs about selling.”

1.) Love and believe in your product.
2.) People like to buy, but not to be sold to.
3.) I never sell anything, I solve people’s problems.
4.) Never talk yourself out of a sale.
5.) and….Never close a sale, open an opportunity.

Lou died in 1985 from a heart attack at the early age of 63.

Lou’s culture of selling has lived on. Those who adopt it become very successful.

To be the best, you need to have more than just strategies, you first need a culture, a core belief.

Dr.Ivan Misner, New York Times best selling author and founder of BNI (Business Network International) says it best, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.”

Today when I enjoy my favorite Nabisco crackers I always think of Lou…Lou the Nabisco Guy.

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Fundamentals...Don't Leave Home Without Them

From the book, The Last Lecture...author Randy Pausch reflects on his "old school" football coach.

On the first day of practice, we were all scared to death. Plus he (the coach) hadn't brought along any footballs. One kid finally spoke up for all of us.
"Excuse me, Coach. There are no footballs."
And Coach Graham responded, "We don't need any footballs."

There was a silence, while we thought about that...
"How many men are on the football field at a time?" he asked us.
Eleven on a team, we answered, So that makes twenty-two.

"And how many people are touching the football at any given time?"
One of them.
"Right!" he said.
"So we're going to work on what the other twenty-one guys are doing."

Asked yourself the following question:  What are the three basic business fundamentals?
Not sure?  Contact me at bobgambone@bobgambone.com for the answer.



“Copyright (11-26-2011) by Robert V. Gambone Sr.”

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Make ‘em Laugh…But Don’t Tell Jokes!

Yes, laughter is the best medicine.
And yes, laughter is a great icebreaker when you are speaking to an audience.

HOWEVER… in today’s politically correct climate and social sensitivity, telling jokes is not the way to go.

Why? Odds are you might offend someone.
I suggest telling funny stories about you, we all have them.

“Blessed are those who can laugh at themselves for they shall never cease to be amused.”…or amusing. :)

Read more "Pecans of Wisdom" from Bob Gambone in his book:
"Pecan Pie, 32 Business Success Strategies Passionately Baked to Order" buy it NOW! on Amazon.com

“Copyright (11-13-2011) by Robert V. Gambone Sr.”
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Wednesday, November 2, 2011

When Are YOU Going To Get A REAL Job?!

Entrepreneurs!....how many times have you heard this?!
...and to make it worse, most of the time, the question comes from our family and loved ones.
Well, it is time to fight back!

Here are Seven inspirational quotes from entrepreneurs , just like yourself, to use as ammo against the pessimists that challenge you.

"When you reach an obstacle, turn it into an opportunity. You have the choice. You can overcome and be a winner, or you can allow it to overcome you and be a loser. The choice is yours and yours alone. Refuse to throw in the towel. Go that extra mile that failures refuse to travel. It is far better to be exhausted from success than to be rested from failure."
- Mary Kay Ash, founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics


"The critical ingredient is getting off your butt and doing something. It's as simple as that. A lot of people have ideas, but there are few who decide to do something about them now. Not tomorrow. Not next week. But today. The true entrepreneur is a doer, not a dreamer."
- Nolan Bushnell, founder of Atari and Chuck E. Cheese's


"Innovation is the specific tool of entrepreneurs, the means by which they exploit change as an opportunity for a different business or a different service. It is capable of being presented as a discipline, capable of being learned, capable of being practiced. Entrepreneurs need to search purposefully for the sources of innovation, the changes and their symptoms that indicate opportunities for successful innovation. And they need to know and to apply the principles of successful innovation."
- Peter F. Drucker, "The Father of Modern Management"

"Experience taught me a few things. One is to listen to your gut, no matter how good something sounds on paper. The second is that you're generally better off sticking with what you know. And the third is that sometimes your best investments are the ones you don't make."
- Donald Trump, real estate and entertainment mogul

"The important thing is not being afraid to take a chance. Remember, the greatest failure is to not try. Once you find something you love to do, be the best at doing it."
- Debbi Fields, founder of Mrs. Fields Cookies

"We were young, but we had good advice and good ideas and lots of enthusiasm. Our success has really been based on partnerships from the very beginning."
- Bill Gates

"I never perfected an invention that I did not think about in terms of the service it might give others... I find out what the world needs, then I proceed to invent."
- Thomas Edison

AND....Just in case someone says (like my niece did to me)
"Well Uncle Bob, you're no Thomas Edison"
"You're right", I said, "but who was Thomas Edison before he became "Thomas Edison?! "

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

I’m Sorry, He is With a Client Right Now!

Don’t you hate that?!

Your appointment (as a client / customer) was for 3:00pm and it’s now 3:20.
You ask the receptionist if he / she is available and you get… “I’m sorry, she is with a client right now.”

AND you would love to say… “So, what am I ???”

Whether you are a CPA , a doctor, a financial advisor, or a contractor…if you have people working your front desk, PLEASE never-ever have them just say “….you are with a client.”

Better answer: “I’m sorry, I will let _(name)_ know that you are waiting, he /she is with another client / customer and I apologize.

Remember….don’t let your ‘front line’ weaken your ‘bottom line.’

“Copyright (10-19-2011) by Robert V. Gambone Sr.”

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

GO BANANAS!!! When Building Strong Business Relationships.

---Top Rated Posting from September 6th 2010---

Did you know that the number one selling item at SuperWalmart is bananas. (according to Bloomberg/ Business Week).
Wow!? …who would have thought!
According to Progressive Grocer Magazine, 75% of supermarket shoppers purchase bananas on a regular basis due to their 1). nutritional value, 2). low cost, and 3). the fact that bananas are a very perishable product.

What is the number one strategy in building your business through networking?
Correct!
Building strong relationships! And, just like bananas, strong trusting relationships are nutritious (in a business sense), can be very cost effective, and very perishable if you do not keep your “credibility” in stock.
Here are three quick tips to maintain a good "credible" inventory of your networking relationships.
1). Send a “reconnecting” email if you have not seen or heard from them in the last 30 days.
2). A personal inspirational greeting card is a great way to remind them of your relationship.
3). It may be old fashion in today’s techie world, but a simple “Hi Joe, how are things going this week?” phone call, really sends a message that you care.

So when it comes to building strong relationships...Go Bananas!!!


***This is just a sample!... be sure to indulge yourself in my book,
"Pecan Pie, 32 Business Success Strategies Passionately Baked to Order" buy it NOW! on Amazon.com


“Copyright (10-11-2011) by Robert V. Gambone Sr.”

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Betty the Barometer

***TOP RATED POST***
Let’s call her Betty the Barometer.

Now this story dates way back to when my hair was still black and I looked more like Mark Spitz than Jay Leno. (not to say I can compare to either of them, but you get my drift).

I was assigned as the Grocery Department manager in a new store.
Towards the end of the second week, I was walking through the store in a terrible mood because the night stocking crew did not complete their assignments and my department was not meeting customer requirements... I probably looked like a chicken with my head cut off because I circled the inside parameter of the store several times barking out orders to my employees and completely ignoring the customers.

Betty, a very petite and soft-spoken meat wrapper with 23 years in the business, had been observing me in my state of frenzy while she was stocking the meat case with fresh cut meat... As I passed by her for the third time, she called out to me.

“Gambone! …come here for second.”

I quickly stopped in my tracks and started walking towards her with a huff and a puff.

“What Betty, can’t you see I’m busy.”

“You know Gambone, that’s your problem, you are too busy. You look like you are ready to explode. What happened to that smiling face I am used to seeing?...and hey, you didn’t even say hi to me this morning!

Well, I don’t know what’s going on in your head but you can’t let your employees and customers see that you are pissed off…we need you to lift us up, not let us down.”

I looked at Betty and said, “Wow Betty, thank you …I never would have thought I'd hear that from you….but you are right…thank you again.”

From that day forward, when I got in a bad mood, I would always check with Betty to see if my “mood” was actually coming to the surface.

We all need a Betty in our lives.

Ask yourself…Who is my “business barometer?”

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***This is just a sample!... if you would like a full slice of "Pecans of Wisdom", be sure to indulge yourself in my book, "Pecan Pie" buy it NOW!    on Amazon.com
“Copyright (9-28-2011) by Robert V. Gambone Sr.”

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Beware of The Grazers!

In the supermarket business, we call people who eat all the samples and rarely purchase anything, Grazers.
Guess what?!.... Grazers are everywhere! And to the small businessperson they can eat you alive!

How do you recognize a Grazer? Here are 3 Red Lights!

1.Grazers attend your free seminars, sometimes two or three times but they never commit.
They are very friendly, give you great feedback, and then suddenly they are gone!
2. Grazers love to schedule first meetings with you. They make the meeting all about you; sometimes surprise you by bringing a business partner. Grazers ask you a lot a questions about yourself and particularly all about your business, but when you try to have a follow up meeting to find out more about their business, they make it almost impossible to meet again, or they cancel right before the second meeting.
3. And then there are the EGrazers. They remind me of the people who would eat the sample and then want to fill out an “incident report” claiming they choked or got sick. EGrazers eat up all of your information you have posted on the internet and then use it for their own profit.


What can we do to prevent Grazing? Nothing!, but you can slow it down.

1. Charge a fee for seminar (adds value) and reimburse the fee with purchase.

2. Have an agenda for your meeting or at least know when to stop talking about you and then start asking about them. Say something like, “hey, enough about me for now, let’s talk about you.”

3. Make sure your information on the web is protected, copyright, trademark, etc… best to talk to an expert on this matter.

Al Sandonato, a mentor of mine once said… “Gambone, Grazers will eat everything and never buy anything.”

I would love to continue this discussion. Please email me at bobgambone@bobgambone.com.

***This is just a sample!... if you would like a full slice of "Pecans of Wisdom", be sure to indulge yourself in my book, "Pecan Pie" by it NOW! on Amazon.com
“Copyright (9-18-2011) by Robert V. Gambone Sr.”
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Friday, September 2, 2011

"Got It, Thank you."



Did you ever send an email to someone and then anxiously pondered if they received it?
…of course you did, I have many times.

Today with all the spam, junk and security filters, the reality is our emails (sometimes very important) can be shuffled into the never-to-be-read email abyss!

I know, some of you are saying: well I usually get a “your email was read” return.

Reality check please, those scripts are not very reliable for many reasons (which I will not get into).

Here are 4 simple words to help secure the communication and put the sender at ease:

“Got it, thank you.”….that’s right …simply email them back “Got it, thank you.”

Consider this example:
Imagine sending a potential client a proposal and instead of wondering anxiously if they received it, you get an email back from them that said “Got it, thank you.”… WOW!, you can now exhale.

“Got it, thank you.” is not meant to be an end-all solution and of course you will have to adapt it to your style.

So if you do “get it” ...then simply say, “Got it, thank you."

Pecan Pie: 32 Business Success Strategies Passionately Baked To Order!
"A must read!" Ivan Misner New York Times Bestselling author
BY IT NOW on AMAZON.COM  click on link below
Click here to purchase Bob's book 


 “Copyright (9-2-2011) by Robert V. Gambone Sr.”

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Culture of Recruiting- BNI Podcast Episode 220

Click on this link...Thank you!

http://www.bnipodcast.com/


Synopsis


Deanna Tucci-Schmitt, Executive Director of BNI Western Pennsylvania, and Bob Gambone, author of Pecan Pie: 32 Business Success Strategies Passionately Baked to Order, join Dr. Misner this week to talk about BNI’s culture of recruiting.

Businesses have recruiters, whose job is actively finding the right person for the right position. BNI has had a tradition of inviting new members, without qualifying them in advance. If all BNI members develop the mindset of recruiters, everyone will get more and better referrals.

Remember, culture eats strategy for breakfast. Keep your chapter’s culture in mind when recruiting new members.



Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Everyone Falls, Not Everyone Fails

You know the cliche'... "What's old, is new again."

In a recent Success Magazine CD I heard something that was told to me years ago by John Susan.
 John was a mentor of mine for many years.


...After struggling through a terrible year in one particular store, I was demoted and put on probation.

John shared with me these inspiring words:

"Bob, in business there is a difference between falling and failing...just like the stock market, all businesses fall. Its takes passionate leadership to prevent the failure."

A few weeks later he sent me a note with this quote...
"Nobody trips over mountains. It is the small pebble that causes you to stumble. Pass all the pebbles in your path and you will find you have crossed the mountain." ~Author Unknown



John died of pancreatic cancer in his mid 50's. In my book Pecan Pie, I credit John for my leadership growth.
Memory Eternal - John Susan

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Put On Your Customer Hat

Back in early 1980’s I was a participate in a corporate think-tank. Our goal was to identify the one employee position that truly represented customer service. The strategy was to focus on this position for training tactics.


The members of the think-tank were polled and the number one choice was the store manager, followed by the assistance store manager, cashiers, meat manager, and so on. Only one person said the most important person for customer service was the lot guy. I was that person.
After the rest of the think-tank team stopped laughing at me, the facilitator said,
“Ok Bob, get serious now, what position is your choice?”
I stood firm and said… “Yes, in all seriousness the lot guy (person) is the most important employee representing our customer service brand."


Why?
The lot person is the first employee customers see when they arrive at our store and the last person they see when leaving. We only have once chance for a first and lasting impression.
I was overruled….the group voted the store manager.

UPDATE!
3 years later, we paid big bucks to have a consulting firm tell us:
“The people on the front lines, like the lot-people, are the most important employees when it comes to customer service.”
Really?!............ I never did get credit for that one.

Take a look at your business as you would a customer, put on your Customer Hat.

***10 First Impressions you may be overlooking***
YOUR…
1. Business Cards
2. Web site, LinkedIn, Facebook.
3. Dress Code and your employees dress code.
4. Parking lot, store front, entranceway.
5. Voice mail message.
6. Vehicle.
7. Smile, breath, overall appearance.
8. Email .
9. Handshake.
10. Attention-focus-eye contact.

“You never get a second chance to make a first and ever-LASTing impression.”
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“Copyright (8-05 -2011) by Robert V Gambone Sr.”

Sunday, July 24, 2011

In Memory of Paul

I lost a good friend this week, his name was Paul Knight.
Paul was a very eclectic individual. We worked together on night crew (third shift) from 1974 to 1976. Paul was never one to give people a good first impression. His appearance was often less than professional and he was so soft spoken that he was hard to understand at times.
Many considered Paul a little weird and unmanageable, but I took the time to get to know him and truly recognize his God given talents.


“Find the number one in everyone,” a leadership quote from my book Pecan Pie¹, was a catalyst for me in identifying the right role for Paul. Because he had a special talent for memorizing numbers he was a brilliant inventory control person, however only I and a few other team members of our store knew of Paul's unique skill.

On July 2, 1975 that brilliance, that gift, became known to everyone in the store and eventually throughout the entire supermarket chain. You see on that day, the assistant store manager had accidentally erased the cassette tape (and the back-up) that contained the inventory codes for all the product that needed ordered from our warehouse for the holiday weekend. The shelves would be empty. Panic set in.


I was ending my shift when I heard of this calamity; I approached the store manager and said,
“Call Paul, he can probably help.”
“Paul? What can he do!?” he replied with a negative surprise.
“Trust Me,” I said looking firmly into his eyes, “He will know what to do.”

We had less than one hour to “place an order” with the warehouse, we needed four hours.
The manager called Paul at home.
Paul called the warehouse.
Paul had memorized all the order codes, the on hand inventory and all the product movement.
In less than 30 minutes, he verbally placed an order for approximately 300 items.
Yes, you had to be there to believe it.

Paul gained a new respect with his colleagues that day and was promoted to Company Inventory Control Manager.
Paul was a hero…and on that July 4th weekend of 1975 Paul was truly a “Knight” in shining amour.

¹ Please refer to The Diamond Rule² (page 29) and Pecans of Wisdom (page 120) in my book:
Pecan Pie, 32 Business Success Strategies Passionately Baked to Order.
Available on Amazon.com
http://lnkd.in/TNNzBM

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Lou the Nabisco Guy

We have all heard, read, took training, listened to CDs, etc. on how to sell, i.e. “selling” strategies.
Lou the Nabisco Guy never used selling strategies …Lou had a culture of “selling.”
I was 23 years old when I first met Lou. He was the region’s number one salesman for Nabisco from 1974 to 1985.
One day I was eating lunch with Lou and asked,
“Lou, so what do you do to be so good at selling?....can you share some tips?”
Lou replied, shaking his head and smiling, “Bob there is really no magic tips, but I do have five core beliefs about selling.”

1.) Love and believe in your product.

2.) People like to buy, but not to be sold to.

3.) I never sell anything, I solve people’s problems.

4.) Never talk yourself out of a sale.

5.) and….Never close a sale, open an opportunity.


Lou died in 1985 from a heart attack at the early age of 63.
Lou’s culture of selling has lived on. Those that adopt it become very successful.
To be the best, you need to have more than just strategies, you first need a culture, a core belief.
Dr.Ivan Misner says it best, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.”

Today when I eat my favorite Nabisco crackers I always think of Lou…Lou the Nabisco Guy.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Seven Ways to Help You Identify Leaders

1. Leaders have passionate enthusiasm! Attitudes are contagious and your team “leaders” need to understand that they are role models.



2. Leaders model your company’s values and “walk the talk.”


3. Leaders pull their teams up the hill, face them and don’t turn their backs.

"Old-school"  managers push employees.


4. Leaders are not necessarily the best workers, and they understand that the “task” is never more important than the customer.


5. Leaders develop others, place a high value on the “we,” and discourage the “I.”


6. Leaders know when to let other “leaders” lead.


7. Leaders listen and provide positive reinforcement and constructive criticism.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Leadership Is Not Selfishness

--------Top Rated Posting-------

Why do you think you are instructed to put your oxygen mask on first in an airplane emergency?
Well, the obvious answer is to save yourself. The more robust answer is to save yourself so you can help others.
Quite often leaders in our society are frowned upon because they are taking care of themselves. For example, those in leadership roles are considered “selfish” for; taking vacations with their families, allocating time for continuing education, playing golf, going on a retreat, etc.


The reality is leaders need to take care of themselves in order to effectively lead those they serve.

I don’t know about you, but I want my “leader” to be healthy and wealthy. Not just in a monetary sense, but as a whole person; physically, mentally, and spiritually.
Vince Lombardi once said: "The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence regardless of their chosen endeavor."
Bottom line: Leaders need to first take care of themselves, in order to be effective quality leaders.
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*** Read MORE!!!  My Book, Now Available!

Pecan Pie: 32 Business Success Strategies Passionately Baked To Order!"
BY IT NOW on AMAZON.COM
http://lnkd.in/TNNzBM

“Copyright (6-10-2011) by Robert V Gambone Sr.”

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Successful Leaders Know When Let Other Leaders, Lead.

About two years ago, I got in the discussion with a two very successfull business leaders. The topic was BNI (Business Network International).

Joe said to me, “You know Bob, Linda and I were thinking about joining BNI but we think we can do it better by starting our own networking group.”

“So have you ever visited a chapter?” I asked.

“We both have. And we both agree that we liked some things but think we could improve on others.”

I answered, “Joe, before I joined BNI I thought the same thing, I guess entrepreneurs like us are always thinking about reinventing the wheel, so to speak.”

Linda then chimed in and said, “So maybe the three of us can team up and start a networking business?”

“Joe, Linda,” I said, “Let me tell you something. Granted we are entrepreneurs, we often think outside the box which has made us very successful business leaders in our own specific businesses, but BNI stands before us as the worlds largest networking organization, its in 45 countries, and has been growing consistently year after year for the last 25 years…well I don’t know about you, but that sends a message to me. I am a leader, but I know when to let others take the lead. And I have decided to let BNI be my leader when it comes to networking.”

That was two years ago. My business and BNI continues to grow.

Joe and Linda?…sorry to say they never came to BNI, and I never did hear anything about their networking group.

Michael Maine (social entrepreneur) says it best… “The true mark of a leader is knowing when to follow.”

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Stop, Look and Listen!

PLEASE, take a break from your day (60 seconds) and click on the link below...it is classic Bugs Bunny, giving us a lesson in listening...I love it!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-k5J4RxQdE

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Sunday, May 1, 2011

The Six Rights of Merchandising- Business Fundamentals


The Six Rights of Merchandising*...
...require that you have:
The Right Merchandise,
in the Right Place,
at the Right Time,
in the Right Quantity,
in the Right Condition,
at the Right Price!

Pecan Pie: 32 Business Success Strategies Passionately Baked To Order!
"A must read!" Ivan Misner New York Time Bestselling author
BY IT NOW on AMAZON.COM
Click Here to Purchase Pecan Pie 


(*originated in a 1978 retailing training seminar and has been generically translated by many retailers)
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“Copyright (5-1-2011) by Robert V Gambone Sr.”

Sunday, April 3, 2011

“Hello, ABC company, how can I help you?”

Just the other day I called a service provider of mine and the employee answered the phone politely but did not meet my requirements, why?

She answered: “Hello, ABC company, how can I help you?”

OK….what’s wrong with that?.....How about a name?!

And yes I have heard all the excuses.
…women are afraid to give out their first names…
…some employees think it is a violation of their privacy…

You know what I say to those excuses… bologna oil!

In the words of Dr. Tony Alessandra, "Treat others the way they want to be treated."
And yes, I am a customer or a potential customer on the other end of the phone and I would appreciate a name so I know to whom I am speaking with.

Thank you, this is Bob Gambone and yes, you can help me, here is how…

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Where’s the Rolodex?

I know, it’s a little outdated with all the new technology, but the concept I want to share with you is the same.

Living in the corporate world for 36 years I was spoiled, yes spoiled.

When I needed a professional’s help all I had to do was search the company’s directory or my own Rolodex and wha-laa!; Legal Dept. Real-Estate, Accounting, IT, Marketing, Advertising, Business Consulting, Training, HR, etc…all at my fingertips.

Fast forward to today… Hey, I am an entrepreneur!...I own my own business…guess what? no more corporate Rolodex.

NO PROBLEM! I have something so much better…I have found BNI (Business Network International), and The Referral Institute… tremendous organizations that have introduced me to the process of building my own team with people I can trust.

ATTENTION Business Owners / Entrepreneurs! Being your own boss is a lifetime dream, right? Yes!.... but it can get “lonely at the top”. I know, I have been there, done that!

Don’t procrastinate… do yourself a huge favor and build your team with people you not only know and like, but most importantly--- you can trust.

Please contact me for more information about getting YOUR TEAM started.

Remember; T.E.A.M : Together Everyone Achieves More!

email: bobgambone@bobgambone.com or call me anytime 412-491-7317

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Paralysis by Analysis

----------------------- Top 10 Posting -----------------------------


PROCRASTINATION!!!

Calling all Entrepreneurs!....why do we do this?!

Yes, it is good that we examine things.
Yes , we need to be patient and cultivate business relationships.
Yes, we need to do our due diligence with respect to weighing our options.

But what I am talking about is; when the ball is in our hand, not a defensive player is in sight, our Team is surrounding us, and yet, we are afraid to run!?
… because we might trip, fumble, or not make it to the end zone?

*** Here are 7 great quotes about procrastination.
Read them, and then read them again…and oh by the way…read them one more time.

“Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.”
Abraham Lincoln

“How soon not now, becomes never.”
Martin Luther (1483-1546) German priest and scholar.

"Procrastination is one of the most common and deadliest of diseases and its toll on success and happiness is heavy."
Wayne Gretzky

"Even if you’re on the right track-you’ll get run over if you just sit there."
Will Rogers

“One of these days, is none of these days.”
Proverb

“I remember reading somewhere about an organization called Procrastinators Anonymous. I think they had been in existence for some years but had never gotten around to having a meeting.”
Unknown Source

“By not making a decision, you have made one.”
Bob Gambone - The Pecan Pie Guy.

*** So come on entrepreneurs! Get the lead out of your butt and make a run for it!!!

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Now Available...My Book!

Pecan Pie: 32 Business Success Strategies Passionately Baked To Order!"

BY IT NOW on AMAZON.COM --click on link below.
http://lnkd.in/TNNzBM

“Copyright (2-26 -2011) by Robert V Gambone Sr.”

Saturday, February 12, 2011

The Power of Passionate Enthusiasm!

We all know great storytellers.

Whether it is a family member, friend, or a business associate… when they speak, we listen and with great anticipation.

I have always been intrigued by a great storyteller because of their ability to retell a story over and over again while sustaining the attention of their audience…I attributed that skill to a great memory.

Well....about 3 weeks ago, I had an “Oh Wow!" moment.

I was privileged to be part of a training session conducted by Ivan R. Misner, PhD. (founder of BNI, the world’s largest networking organization).

Ivan had just completed telling a story to the class, one that I know I have heard him tell at least 9 times.

After the applause quieted down, I asked Ivan;
“Ivan, how do you do it? How do you retell a story over and over again with the same passion and enthusiasm?”

Ivan looked all of us in the eye and said… “Never retell a story, RELIVE IT!”

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Snow Storms and Heros

The recent blizzards and ice storms remind me of that crazy day in March 1993, when the city of Pittsburgh shut down. I was a store manager for Giant Eagle in the South Hills of Pittsburgh. We kept the store open as long as we could so that customers could stock up on necessities.

The snow continued to fall and all of a sudden we realized that the 24 employees, that were still working, were stranded.

We had no protocol for this emergency. Now I know what your are thinking…we would not starve…correct, but my team needed a place to sleep.

Not far away was a hotel, actually within walking distance, so we called to book some rooms.

SOLD OUT! ...due to the storm…wow, what to do.

I gathered my team and we brainstormed ideas for sleeping arrangements.

Shawn, a challenged employee with a very serious stutter, came up with the solution:

---We called the hotel to rent blankets, they had 30 available.
---We used full cases of paper towels for bedding.
---Men slept in the front common area of the store, the women slept in the backroom.
---The store manager, me, was assigned to make breakfast.

All went well…the store reopened at 2pm the next day.

So what is the morale of this story?

Shawn rarely spoke, he was challenged in doing so, but on that day, at that moment, he did speak.
Shawn became a hero that day and was never afraid to speak up again.

We all learn something new everyday, and sometimes from those we least expect.
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***This is just a sample!... if you would like a full-slice of "Pecans of Wisdom",
be sure to indulge yourself in my new book:
"Pecan Pie: 32 Business Success Strategies Passionately Baked To Order

"BY IT NOW on AMAZON.COM --click on link below.http://lnkd.in/TNNzBM

“Copyright (2-1 -2011) by Robert V Gambone Sr.”

Friday, January 21, 2011

You! Can Make It Happen.

They Did Not Give Up ...

Thomas Edison's teachers said he was "too stupid to learn anything." He was fired from his first two jobs for being "non-productive." As an inventor, Edison made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb. When a reporter asked, "How did it feel to fail 1,000 times?" Edison replied, "I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps."

Albert Einstein did not speak until he was 4-years-old and did not read until he was 7. His parents thought he was "sub-normal," and one of his teachers described him as "mentally slow, unsociable, and adrift forever in foolish dreams." He was expelled from school and was refused admittance to the world reknown Zurich Polytechnic School.
Well...he did eventually learn to speak and read, and oh bye the way, he even learned to do a little math. :-)

A young man went to war a captain and returned a private. Afterwards, he was a failure as a businessman. As a lawyer he was too impractical and temperamental to be a success. He turned to politics and was defeated in his first try for the legislature, again defeated in his first attempt to be nominated for congress, defeated in his application to be commissioner of the General Land Office, defeated in the senatorial election of 1854, defeated in his efforts for the vice-presidency in 1856, and defeated in the senatorial election of 1858. On November 6, 1860, this man was elected as the sixteenth president of the United States. This man was Abraham Lincoln.

In the true spirit of American Entrepenurism, Robert F. Kennedy said it best:
"Only those who dare to fail greatly can achieve greatly."

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Jack, The Meat Guy

********** TOP RATED POSTING **********


Customers loved Jack and trusted him to solve their daily dilemma of “what’s for dinner tonight?”

I remember one day walking up to a customer, after Jack had served her, and I said…
“Thank you for your business ma’am, I see Jack has taken care of you… so what did he suggest?"
“Oh," she said so confidently, “I'm not sure what cut of meat this is, but it sounds delicious and Jack gave me all the cooking instructions, he is such a sweetie pie!"

And to top it off, after further inquiry, I found out she never even asked about the price!
This phenomenon happened repeatedly for months with thousands of customers!
I was amazed!

Customers were actually buying Jack, and not the products. He had branded himself and created a point of difference as “The Meat Guy”....Jack literally had customers buying whatever he wanted them to buy.

A few months later, Jack was transferred to a store about 5 miles down the road... sales in my meat department dropped 18%!
Why?
Customers followed Jack to the other store, because he was their ...“Jack, The Meat Guy.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
***This is just a sample!... if you would like a full-slice of "Pecans of Wisdom", be sure to indulge yourself in my new book:
"Pecan Pie: 32 Business Success Strategies Passionately Baked To Order"
BY IT NOW on AMAZON.COM --click on link below.
http://lnkd.in/TNNzBM

“Copyright (1-16 -2011) by Robert V Gambone Sr.”

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Kennywood Practice - by guest blogger Tim Hayes

Tim's new book "Jackass in a Hailstorm: Adventures in Leadership Communication" is now available for sale on Amazon.com!

Kennywood Practice

At least once each winter, as the cold and the slush and the snow seep into our bones around here, I find myself driving past Kennywood Park – a grand old Pittsburgh amusement park with some of the best roller coasters anywhere.

Of course, in the dead of winter, nobody’s enjoying the rides when they’re covered with white. But there are ways to stay in training for a lightning-fast ride on a great coaster, even when the thermometer dips into the single digits.

On a narrow strip of two-lane blacktop near our house, the road swerves and rolls around a series of hills and curves, but there’s one point where – if you gun the gas just right – as you come over the crest of a little hilltop, the road drops out from under the car suddenly, your stomach does a flip and you feel a quick moment of zero gravity, just like on a roller coaster.

Needless to say, I have perfected this little stunt over the years when I have the kids in the car. We call it “Kennywood Practice.”

We did it again just this morning, New Year’s Day, and it got me thinking about a fresh way of thinking for 2011. Why not make Kennywood Practice a habit all year round? I don’t mean swooshing over roadways to simulate riding a roller coaster, but more of a basic resetting of assumptions and attitudes.
A willingness to try things out of context.
An embracing of difficult behaviors that can lead to real excitement.
An acceptance that there is indeed a higher power, and that welcoming its grace and direction into our lives can indeed be the best strategy of all.
An admission that trying to solve everything yourself can be a fool’s errand.
A positive step into transitory discomfort with the promise of ultimate growth.

The last thing I want to do is characterize all of this as some kind of New Year’s resolution. Those are “pie-crust promises, easily made and easily broken,” to quote Mary Poppins. Instead, I’m thinking of this as a fundamentally new framework in which to think, live, and act.

Last year introduced me to some wonderful new people and some challenging new ideas about growing business relationships. Maybe it all added up to too much information to process all at once, and I felt like I didn’t make the most of these new concepts and strategies. But it’s a new day today. I’m getting back in the game with a renewed vigor and focus.

Why not you, too? The status quo may be working for you, or it may be holding you back. Either way, things can always improve. Step out, step up, step forward. Keep learning, keep trying, keep growing. With just the right touch on the accelerator, you can feel like you’re on a really exciting ride.

Let’s each take that ride in 2011. There’s a more positive vibe in the air, can you feel it? Let’s gun the gas a little. It’s time for some Kennywood Practice.

Copyright 2011 Transverse Park Productions LLC

Tim Hayes
Writer - Trainer - Speaker
The Leadership Communications Expert TM
http://www.timhayesconsulting.com/ http://www.totalprotraining.com/
412-963-0794 Desk 412-963-0795 Fax 412-708-3501 24-Hour


Pecan Pie: 32 Business Success Strategies Passionately Baked To Order!
"A must read!" Ivan Misner New York Times Bestselling author
BY IT NOW on AMAZON.COM  click on link below
Click here to purchase Bob's Book
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