The Little Things Matter!

Earlier today I was driving to the post office to pick up a package. I happened to notice a van directly in front of me that indicated they were a local company and they specialized in drywall work and home painting. They also mentioned they were bonded, insured and guaranteed that all customers will be satisfied. While sitting at the light I thought I would write this guy's number down because we are in the process of doing some remodeling work and since I hate painting and drywall work, here is a guy I can call. So I wrote the number down on a small note pad I carry in the car. After driving about a mile or so I happen to notice that the driver was smoking. Not that it should matter, but somehow it did. I was trying to convince myself that it was okay if he smokes because he wouldn't smoke in my home anyway, I'm sure. As we continued along on the road, I saw how he flicked his cigarette butt out of his window and it landed on my hood and bounced off. Okay, I know he didn't mean to do that. A small controversy started in my brain, I could imagine seeing a bunch of cigarette butts in my yard after this guy does the work. Then, I started to relive an experience from about fifteen years ago when I had a guy come over to replace my garage door and how he set my mulch on fire with a cigarette, this lead to losing a shrub and could have possibly burned my house down if I hadn't have noticed it went I went out to get something out of my car. Yes I know what had happened before should have nothing to do with this guy in front of me in the van. But I took the note with his number on it and threw it away. This guy really did nothing wrong, but the one little thing that brought up a bad memory from the past instantly made me decide I didn't want to do business with him. All of this over one little cigarette. Because you see, I am the customer and it doesn't take me much to say no thanks!

Time for a Tune Up!

Time for a Fall Business Tune-Up! You tell customers how important it is to maintain their mechanical systems in their home. But what about you? When was the last time you tuned up your business? Here are some key things to think about: 1. What things are we doing that need improvement? 2. What things are we doing that we should stop doing? 3. Are there any new services or products that need to be considered? 4. What are customers telling us that needs attention? 5. Are there any team members who need fixing? 6. Any significant changes in my trade that I need to learn more about? 7. What is my biggest competitor doing that is different from me, both good and bad? 8. How far along am I in reaching my goals (provided you have goals)? 9. Do I still love my job? How can I change things to love what I am doing? 10. Is everyone having fun? How can I change things to make this more fun?

Things You Should Know

1. Offer something that people will actually spend money for. 2. Decide who your target customer base will be. 3. Figure out a good way to let people know why they need your product or service. 4. Let your customers know why you are so special and actually believe it. 5. Be where the customers are. (Social media, trade shows, etc.) 6. Remind customers that you are around just in case they need you. (Newsletters, specials, postcards, emails) 7. Make sure you charge enough and save enough to retire someday. (YOU ARE NOT WALMART) 8. Always focus on doing the best possible job you can, no matter what. (People don't mind paying more, when they get more) 9. Hire the best employees and always keep and open door to possible new hires.(You never know when they may come along, and don't be afraid to fire when needed) 10. Don't be afraid to lose and sometimes fire a customer. 11. Always look your best and act your best! Stay healthy. 12. Thank people who have helped you on the way. 13. Give to those in need and you will be rewarded in return. 14. Practice makes perfect. 15. Always look for ways to improve and train employees. 16. Maintain 100% integrity, always! 17. Maintain a happy home life. 18. Makes sure you love what you do, this will insure success. 19. Take time off to relax. 20. Share the wealth! Reward employees when things go well and have fun doing it! 21. Don't be afraid to say "I'm Sorry" even if it isn't your fault.

Things You Should Know

1. Offer something that people will actually spend money for. 2. Decide who your target customer base will be. 3. Figure out a good way to let people know why they need your product or service. 4. Let your customers know why you are so special and actually believe it. 5. Be where the customers are. (Social media, trade shows, etc.) 6. Remind customers that you are around just in case they need you. (Newsletters, specials, postcards, emails) 7. Make sure you charge enough and save enough to retire someday. (YOU ARE NOT WALMART) 8. Always focus on doing the best possible job you can, no matter what. (People don't mind paying more, when they get more) 9. Hire the best employees and always keep and open door to possible new hires.(You never know when they may come along, and don't be afraid to fire when needed) 10. Don't be afraid to lose and sometimes fire a customer. 11. Always look your best and act your best! Stay healthy. 12. Thank people who have helped you on the way. 13. Give to those in need and you will be rewarded in return. 14. Practice makes perfect. 15. Always look for ways to improve and train employees. 16. Maintain 100% integrity, always! 17. Maintain a happy home life. 18. Makes sure you love what you do, this will insure success. 19. Take time off to relax. 20. Share the wealth! Reward employees when things go well and have fun doing it! 21. Don't be afraid to say "I'm Sorry" even if it isn't your fault.

Would your customers vote for YOU!

If you were a Candidate in an Election, Would Your Customers Pick You? I've had more than a few people try to encourage me to run for political office. I have strong political views and I love to speak in front of groups and am very motivating when I speak in public. My problem is that I have too many issues from the past that my competitors would have a field day with. I would really not want my personal life dragged through the news and I am sure it would be. Since I have enough things to worry about, politics is not in my future. Imagine yourself being put on a close inspection by the public. Everything you ever did wrong would be displayed in the news. (Unless of course you spend millions of dollars on attorney fees keeping your personal, education and financial records private and sealed). Actually, this is how it kind of really is anyway, isn't it? Anything you do wrong is broadcast to all of the friends, family and neighbors of the client who was dissatisfied. Whether you believe it or not, when you offer services to the public, you are a candidate who is competing with all of the others for your clients' votes. They vote by hiring you. Your advertising, your reviews, complaints, recommendations and actual customer contacts are considered a campaign. When a customer calls and asked questions, you are giving a campaign pledge. When the service is performed properly, you won their vote and hopefully when the next election comes up, they will vote for you again. Running a service business requires promises to get votes. Your voters are your customers, and they vote with their dollars, referrals and loyalty. It takes a campaign with promises to get the client to call and it takes following through on those promises to keep them happy. It is possible to win the election by letting people know you are there, making legitimate promises and following through on them. You just have to do it better than everyone else.

Setting Goals in Life

I was fortunate enough to have my parents bring me to the USA when I was 10 months old. We all became United Sates citizens in 1967, I was eleven years old. My Dad made raised me to believe that hard work, honesty and commitment to my God and family will pay off greatly because we are in the land of opportunity. A day that I will never forget is when my parents decided to buy a house. I was about ten years-old and came home from school to find them taking cash out of coffee cans and counting it. I always knew there were lots of coffee cans in the house; I just thought that my folks really liked coffee. Little did I know that all of the coffee cans in the kitchen cabinets and closets were full of cash! After a lot of counting, my brother, my parents, and I took three large burlap bags full of cash on a bus to downtown Cleveland, Ohio to buy a house. That day in 1966, my parents bought their first house for eleven thousand dollars cash. A few days later I had an opportunity to see our new home. I was thrilled because we actually had a yard with a lawn that we could play in. Of course, it didn't take long for my dad to rip out the lawn so he could plant a vegetable garden. My protests were dismissed by my Dad yelling, "We don't need grass. We aren't raising sheep!" Not long after that my dad acquired a hog and several chickens. Needless to say, we had some major confrontations with some city officials who made sure we didn't raise farm animals in the city. Just like my Dad, I love the USA and am very thankful for all of the opportunities this country has offered me. I now know that my dad was right. Through hard work, dedication to God, my goals and family, while striving to maintain integrity in all that I do, anything is possible in America. God Bless America and everything it stands for. Without it, I could have never reached my dreams and I believe that if I can do it, anyone can.