January 2021
Strategies for Success Newsletter January 2021 Issue 181
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Published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies
www.sellingstrategies.com
Copyright 2021 Emily Huling. All rights reserved.
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In this January 2021 issue:
- Thoughts from the Road
- Thoughts from the Office
- Josmo’s Cafe
- Stay Energized
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- Thoughts from the Road
It helps to ask questions
I was walking with a neighbor on a beautiful fall Saturday. A man in a car with a South Carolina license plate stopped us. “Excuse me. Can you tell me how to get to I-77? Even with my GPS, I seem to have gotten lost.” I piped up first and gave the man directions. He repeated them back to us to be sure he understood. Then Pam, my neighbor, asked, “Where are you going?” The man said he was going to Lake Norman State Park. Pam told him there is a faster and easier way to get there. Would he be interested in having those directions? Of course he was! Yea Pam!
Moral of the story. Before directly answering a question, clarify the question you have been asked. With more knowledge, you may have a better solution to the question.
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- Thoughts from the Office
It’s always about the money – is it?
Pandemic homestay motivated us to buy a new mattress. Like most buyers, John and I did our homework. We checked Consumer Reports on retailers, manufacturers, warranties, and buyer reviews before we chose one of the dozens of mattress stores in the area. We were ready!
We visited the mattress store on a Tuesday morning knowing it would be a slow time. It was. The manager, Mark, was the only person working. We had the place to ourselves. Laughably, they had totally different mattresses and options than we had researched! Now we had to rely on a mattress salesman and whatever info we can find using our phones.
We tested mattresses, we listened to all the options, we asked questions, and we answered questions. There’s a lot to consider on an item where you spend a third of your time. Like any good salesperson, Mark was upselling the mattress we were interested in. For only so much more, we can have all these whiz-bang features. Not interested. Not interested. Not interested. In fact, he offered so much, we were in overwhelm. I told Mark we needed to do more research and we’d be back. You could see his wheels turning. Don’t let them leave! We were almost out the door. “Wait,” he said. “I know it’s about the cost.”
Not once had we mentioned money. I told him it wasn’t about the money, we were in overwhelm. “It’s always about the money,” he said. “I’ll make you a deal.” He did. He reduced the price 25% on the fancy model we originally weren’t interested in, threw in delivery and taking the old mattress away. We ended up paying about what we expected for a no-frills mattress.
We love the mattress. We really like the fancy features we hadn’t intended to buy. Was Mark right that it’s always about the money? I don’t think so. Mark is the one that made it about the money.
Moral of the story. If the salesperson is fixated on the price, then the sale is about the money. What do you focus on when talking with your customers?
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- Josmo’s Café
We discovered a new sensational cocktail Disaronno Amaretto Bourbon Sour over the holidays that rivals our famous Josmo’s Cosmo. A word of caution. It goes down very easily and packs quite a punch!
Speaking of great drinks… Bloody Mary fans, the absolute BEST Bloody Mary Mix is Nan’s Naughty and Nice. It also makes a delicious seasoning in chili, tacos, and sloppy joes. Recipes are on the site. Shipping is free. Headquartered in Wisconsin, owned by my good friend Peggy Hansen, it was Peggy’s mother Nan who developed the Bloody Mary mix recipe. Check out their Facebook page to see all the great places Nan’s appears including a Williams Sonoma Bloody Mary gift box this Christmas.
Whoops on the Eggnog Cookie recipe last month! I neglected to list the amount of vanilla on the ingredient list. Corrected recipe is now posted.
We have over 100 recipes on our Josmo’s Café page on the website. Many great dishes and sweets to make and enjoy!
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- Stay Energized
Our Energizer Minute for January is Embrace the Mystery. A fitting kick-off for 2021!
Armchair travel time. We are still months away from safe vacation travel. In the meantime, enjoy these spectacular photos from all 50 states. Discover places in your state you have never seen.
Did you know the Bee Gees composed over 1000 songs and had 20 number one hits over five decades? Learn more about the talented Gibb brothers on the HBO documentary How Do You Mend A Broken Heart. John and I really enjoyed it. Watch a few great clips on the link.
Follow me on Twitter @EmilyHuling to read my Energizer Moments.
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Selling Strategies: Strategies for Success Newsletter is published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies. For further information, contact emily@sellingstrategies.com.
© 2021 Emily Huling Selling Strategies All rights reserved.