Stood Up Again?!

You both schedule a business meeting, agree on the time and place...and guess what?
The other person is a NO SHOW!

Has this happened to you? Sure it has.   Have you been the NO SHOW?

Five Action Steps to Prevent "NO SHOWS":

1. ALWAYS write it down. Once you agree on a time (AM or PM) and a place (exact location -address), enter the information on/in your calendars and share the calendar (meeting invite) if possible.

2. ALWAYS make sure to share cell phone numbers and contact information.

3. ALWAYS review upcoming meetings 7 days in advance and reschedule if needed. Respect people's time, that TIME that YOU scheduled only happens once in a lifetime.

4. ALWAYS confirm 24 hours in advance, call or text. If you email and do not hear back from the person within a few hours, then call or text....DO NOT assume that he or she received the email.

5.  ALWAYS make sure you know what the person looks like and do not assume the person knows what you look like, send a picture or a description. If you arrive first, send him or her a text to let them know where you are sitting.

"Time is money. Invest it, before somebody else spends it."

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10 Questions to Help Solve Problems

This quiz can help you find the strengths and weaknesses of your skills in solving problems, as well as point you to ways of improving in this important area.*

Answer YES or NO to the following Ten questions.

1. Do you gather all the information you can before trying to solve a problem?
2. Do you seek input from your fellow team members?
3. Do you get opinions from outside experts?
4. Do you list all the possible solutions on a piece of paper?
5. Do you then visualize the strengths and weaknesses of each solution?
6. Do you let your subconscious work on the problem?
7. Do others seek your help?
8. Are you willing to try another solution if your first idea isn't working?
9. Do you see problems as challenges and get satisfaction from resolving them?
10. Do you practice your problem-solving skills on puzzles and games?

Score yourself: 8 to 10 YES answers indicates you are a pro at solving problems. Six or seven is average, but if you had a lower score, study the questions for ways you can improve.

*Teamwork notes
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How to Handle Customer Complaints

The LAST technique for handling customer complaints has been around for some time and you can Google it to find several versions.

I have had great success with what I call the LAST-C process.
Bottom Line: not only will you decrease customer complaints, you will gain more business as a result of using this process.

Acronym defined:

L- Listen

A-Apologize

S-Suggest a Solution

T- Thank

C- Communicate

Want more information?  Read Bob's book...
 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 

 bobgambone.com
bobgambone@bobgambone.com
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Goals are Good, Systems are Better

What's the difference between goals and systems?

• If you're an upwardly mobile employee, your goal is to get promoted. Your system is the performance appraisal process of your company.

• If you're a writer, your goal is to write a book. Your system is the writing schedule that you follow each week.

• If you're a runner, your goal is to run a marathon. Your system is your training schedule for the month.

• If you're an entrepreneur, your goal is to build a million dollar business. Your system is your sales and marketing process.

Now think on this...

If you completely ignored your goals and focused only on your system, would you get results?

Yes you would! The problem is, without goals you will never know if you effectively implemented and worked the system.
However, setting goals without implementing mechanisms to achieve goals (system) is like wanting to bake a pie without knowing the recipe.

Systems are better because you have the ingredients and the recipe and as long as you at least work the process you will complete the task.
Even though your target is unknown, you've done the work and can now set realistic goals based on your experience with the system.
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The 5 Best Selling Secrets

*** 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.
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Scrooge

aka,  Conflictor!

We all know one:

1. "Conflictors" know something about everything, just enough to be dangerous.

2. Disagree with you on everything, in a passive aggressive manner.

3. Challenge your knowledge, in a condescending manner.

4. Devalues your time, while their time is precious.

5. Tells you others are not team players, while stabbing you in the back.

6. Creates a positive facade, and then is negative about your positivity.

7. A "Conflictor" is always right, and if you try to prove them wrong...you will become mentally exhausted.

Bottom line; a "Conflictor" is a predator. When you are up they will get you down. And will you are down, they will take you deeper.

When a "Conflictor", by no choice of yours, tries to ruin your Holiday Season...do not try to handle them alone. One on one they will drain you. Bond together with people you trust and eventually the "Conflictor"  aka Scrooge, will get frustrated and move on to other prey.

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Gratitude Lifts Attitude

Thanksgiving is a time for gratitude.

In business we can be thankful for so many things; we appreciate our clients /customers, our partners, our shareholders, our employees, our suppliers, the list can be plentiful.

One strategic way that we can show our appreciation is by bragging, not about ourselves,  but about those who help us grow and secure our business. Specifically people who may be our strategic partners, referral teams, and networking colleagues.

Pick one person, just one, and throughout this Thanksgiving holiday season brag to others about this person using the specific points answered in the following three questions.

1. What strengths do you see in this person?

2. What specific contributions has this person made to help you grow your business?

3.  How does this person bolster a positive environment?

You will find that bragging about others will benefit their credibility and yours.
Your gratitude will lift your attitude resulting in a more fulfilling Thanksgiving holiday season.

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