Category: <span>Newsletter</span>

Strategies for Success Newsletter September 2010 Issue 57

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Published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies
www.sellingstrategies.com
Copyright 2010 Emily Huling. All rights reserved.
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In this September 2010 issue:

Thoughts from home
Did you know…?
Thoughts from others
Have you read…?
On the road in 2010

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1. Thoughts from home

Deciding what’s important

“Emily, I really like working for you. You have low standards.”

These are the immortal words of Virginia, my cleaning lady.

“What?” I said. At first insulted, then smiling, I asked Virginia to please elaborate on her comment. Virginia said that she knows sometimes she forgets to clean something or doesn’t do as good a job some days as others. She said she appreciates me not making a big deal out of things. She explained that some people she works for drive her crazy with detailed instructions and constantly checking behind her. I said, “Virginia, I don’t drive you crazy because I trust that you’ll do a good job.”

In the scheme of things, does it really matter that the top of the refrigerator doesn’t get dusted one week? Or the Endust doesn’t get put away? What matters to me most is that Virginia is reliable, positive, and careful with our belongings. She also does an excellent and consistent job of cleaning.

Moral to the story: Before making a big deal out of something and causing unnecessary stress for you and the other person, decide if it’s really important.

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Did you know…?

Recharging seniors’ brain power

Brain fitness for seniors is becoming the new health trend. Thank goodness. (However, the definition of senior for brain fitness purpose is 50 or older. Ugh.) InSight and DriveSharp are two brain fitness programs developed by Posit Science Corporation. DriveSharp, a part of the InSight program that is sold separately, is endorsed by AAA, Allstate, State Farm, and The Hartford. The Hartford is offering $50 to policyholders who complete the program. Visit www.hartfordbrainfitness.com. One doesn’t have to be a Hartford insured (or a senior) to purchase or access free brain games and challenges.

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The Energizer Minute

This month tune in to hear Miniscule Can Be Big. Go to the www.sellingstrategies.com home page and click on the Energizer Minute.

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3. Thoughts from others

Legends say that hummingbirds float free of time, carrying our hopes for love, joy and celebration. The hummingbird’s delicate grace reminds us that life is rich, beauty is everywhere, every personal connection has meaning and that laughter is life’s sweetest creation.

Reprinted from a Papyrus greeting card
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Have a good laugh every day. EH

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4. Have you read…?

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck (Ballantine Books, 2007)

We’ve been told that we can’t change people. Mindset teaches us that that concept is not entirely true. Using words that promote a “growth mindset” in place of words that create a “fixed mindset” influence how people view themselves, their capabilities and the outcomes that occur. The author, a professor of psychology at Stanford, describes real-life stories that illustrate growth vs. fixed mindsets from every walk of life including work, school, marriage, parenting and athletics.

Great news. Changing mindset is possible. Almost every page of this book taught me something that I can apply. Mindset is a worthwhile read.

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For dozens of resources to create individual and company top performance visit www.sellingstrategies.com or get in touch with me at emily@sellingstrategies.com or 888-309-8802.

Apply Coupon Code NEWS11 to receive a 20% discount on all online product orders.

Check the website for updated Free Stuff and new articles. Feel free to share any of my articles or newsletter content (with proper credit is included).

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On the road

Business travel is taking me to these places. Please give me a call if you’d like to connect when I’m in your area.

Agency Management CIC, Grand Rapids, MI September 16, 2010
Agency Management CIC, Virginia Beach, VA September 23, 2010
Consulting and workshops in northern New Jersey – private client – September 27-30, 2010
Independent Insurance Agents of Arkansas, Agents’ Conference, Little Rock, AR October 5, 2010
Independent Insurance Agents of Illinois, Annual Convention, Springfield, IL October 7, 2010
NAPSLO Annual Convention, Atlanta, GA October 11-13, 2010
Speaking engagement in Appleton, Wisconsin, private client – October 20, 2010

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Selling Strategies: Strategies for Success Newsletter is published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies. For further information contact emily@sellingstrategies.com.

© 2010 Emily Huling. All rights reserved. Feel free to share our newsletter if copyright and credit are always included.

Strategies for Success Newsletter August 2010 Issue 56

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Published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies
www.sellingstrategies.com
Copyright 2010 Emily Huling. All rights reserved.
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In this August 2010 issue:

Thoughts from the office
Did you know?
Thoughts from the road
On the road in 2010

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1. Thoughts from the office

Impression Management

Nelson Mandela fascinates me. 27 years of imprisonment could not deter him in leading South Africa to its first democratic elections and becoming president. His autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom, written in 1995 is a daunting read – 656 pages – that I have not tackled. Thank goodness for a new book by Richard Stengel Mandela’s Way: Fifteen Lessons on Life, Love, and Courage that distills Mandela’s wisdom and practices to inspire and teach everyday readers. The author spent two years with Nelson Mandela working with him on his autobiography. Here are some observations Richard Stengel shares in the chapter “Look the Part.”

Mandela greets people. He is not greeted by them.
Mandela stands tall. In prison, he always carried himself upright and proud. His posture reflected his literal and figurative intentions.
Mandela’s smile conveys warmth, wisdom, power and generosity. He knows bitterness and anger serve no purpose.
Mandela only wears clothing that is appropriate, well-fitted, and precisely ironed.
Mandela avoids playing favorites. He is a man of the people. He spends time equally with and roots for all teams.
Mandela thanks the support teams not just the front people.
Mandela always knew that images endure. Their power to help or hurt is indelible.

What’s one thing you can apply in your work from these seven simple lessons?

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Did you know…?

Yellow Mustard Eases Leg Cramps

Since I received several notes regarding the effectiveness of Milk of Magnesia as a deodorant and anti-perspirant for those allergic to aluminum-based products, I thought I’d pass along another People’s Pharmacy tip. This one works for me.

I still haven’t figured out why they occur, but frequently I get nighttime leg cramps. I try not to wake John as I stumble out of bed to painfully walk them off. Luckily, listening to Joe and Teri Graedon’s early Saturday morning broadcast, I heard a remedy that others swear by – eat a teaspoon of yellow mustard when the cramps occur and miraculously within minutes they disappear.

Joe said that although there is no scientific evidence it’s thought that the turmeric, which gives mustard its yellow color, combined with the vinegar in the product may be responsible for the beneficial effect.

If you have this problem, I hope this works for you!

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The Energizer Minute

This month tune in to hear Linking Live. Go to the www.sellingstrategies.com home page and click on the Energizer Minute.

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3. Thoughts from the road

An idea to bring world peace

It’s a beautiful day on the ocean as we journey across the Atlantic heading from Florida to Portugal. I’m sitting by the window in the Celebrity Equinox Oceanview Café watching late-lunch diners fill their plates with culinary treats from around the world. Selections include Indian curries, Japanese stir fry, sizzling Mexican fajitas, beautiful French breads and pastries, Italian pasta and pizza, and traditional American grill favorites. I’ve found that most people choose food from their own part of the world with one exception. It’s the treat that collapses cultural divides and brings joy to all who indulge. It’s ice cream!

People of all ages, cultures, shapes and sizes have sheer delight on their faces with their first bite of that cool treat. I bet we’d have world peace if we just had a global ice cream social.

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Don’t hesitate to smile and acknowledge someone. EH

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For dozens of resources to create individual and company top performance visit www.sellingstrategies.com or get in touch with me at emily@sellingstrategies.com or 888-309-8802.

Apply Coupon Code NEWS11 to receive a 20% discount on all online product orders.

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On the road

Business travel is taking me to these places. Please give me a call if you’d like to connect when I’m in your area.

AAMGA University West, Scottsdale, AZ August 20, 2010
Agency Management CIC, Grand Rapids, MI September 16, 2010
Agency Management CIC, Virginia Beach, VA September 23, 2010
Consulting and workshops in northern New Jersey – private client – September 27-30, 2010
Independent Insurance Agents of Arkansas, Agents’ Conference, Little Rock, AR October 5, 2010
Independent Insurance Agents of Illinois, Annual Convention, Springfield, IL October 7, 2010
NAPSLO Annual Convention, Atlanta, GA October 11-13, 2010
Speaking engagement in Appleton, Wisconsin, private client – October 20, 2010

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Selling Strategies: Strategies for Success Newsletter is published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies. For further information contact emily@sellingstrategies.com.

© 2010 Emily Huling. All rights reserved. Feel free to share our newsletter if copyright and credit are always included.

Strategies for Success Newsletter July 2010 Issue 55

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Published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies
www.sellingstrategies.com
Copyright 2010 Emily Huling. All rights reserved.
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In this July 2010 issue:

Thoughts from home
Emily’s mailbag
Thoughts from the office
On the road in 2010

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1. Thoughts from home

Excusing yourself with excuses

My neighbor Kate is always complaining. More days than not, she focuses on what hurts. Her most common ailments are headache, stomach ache, muscle aches, and trouble sleeping. Her conditions aren’t life threatening, but she seems to use them to create excuses to not to do things. She’ll say:

“I couldn’t go to the gym this morning because I didn’t sleep well.”
“I would love to go to the movies, but I’m afraid I’m coming down with something.”
“I love being with my grandchildren, but I always get sick.”
“I helped my son in his business yesterday, but couldn’t do much because I had a migraine.”

Kate believes that a person either has good health or doesn’t. She tells me how lucky I am to have none of her nuisance health issues. I’ve told her that I have the same challenges she has, I just choose to live life moving through them, not attaching myself to them.

Moral to the story: Don’t seek reasons to excuse yourself from living a full and happy life.

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2. Emily’s mailbag

Challenged by Great Service Sells

Dear Emily,

I’m the operations manager at our agency. We are currently going through your program Great Service Sells in our staff meetings and I’m encountering a problem. There is resistance from the senior CSRs who believe it’s a waste of time because they already know this. I feel like you can always refresh your memory and I like the discussions that we have after the material is presented. But they don’t seem to see it the same way. Do you have any suggestions for me?

Sincerely,

Resisting Resistance

Dear RR,

What you described is quite common. So instead of asking your senior CSRs to learn, ask them to teach. Use those four magic management words which are “I need your help.” Meet with your senior-level staff. Tell them you hear them and understand their frustration with the basic nature of GSS. Tell them that you believe it’s in the agency’s best interest that these customer service and sales practices become your culture. How do they suggest using GSS to do that? Or if they have better ideas, can they create another program to turn service into sales?

Another approach is to ask each person to read GSS on her own giving them a deadline. Ask each CSR to write down her top ten strategies that she uses or should use. Your GSS meetings would be each person presenting two of their ten ideas and how those practices have played out. Hopefully each will have success stories to share. At the conclusion of these meetings, consolidate the top ideas to create a combined list of ten top practices to turn service into sales.

Please let me know how it all works out!

Sincerely, Emily

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Avoid complaining. If you don’t like something, find a way to change it. EH

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The Energizer Minute

This month tune in to hear Slow it Down. Go to the www.sellingstrategies.com home page and click on the Energizer Minute.

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3. Thoughts from the office

Working smarter/Getting smarter

I have made a concerted effort this year to improve my office productivity and brain power. Here are my recommendations to do that.

Working smarter

Dragon Naturally Speaking 10 – speech recognition software. By simply speaking into the provided microphone, this amazing software program turns talk into text. It’s integrated into most Windows ™ office applications and is accurate and easy-to-use. I’m using it right now.

Kindle – the electronic reader by Amazon.com. As an avid reader and traveler who has several books going at once, this invention is a life changer. I was skeptical at first. I couldn’t imagine not having a paper book to hold. Now, I can’t imagine picking one up. Affordable purchased books are downloaded in less than 60 seconds. I have the newest version – the 6 inch, 1/3 inch thick model. Reading is easy with the adjustable font size and the finger-touch page turner. My local library offers electronic books, but unfortunately not yet for the Kindle. I can’t wait.

MozyPro online data backup program — John has been backing up our computers in-house for years. It was the encrypted and remote storage features that sold us on the need for off-site data backup. MozyPro is affordable, easy to use, and reliable.

RoboForm password manager – I’m passing this resource along to you because it is highly recommended by my clients. This program allows users to log into multiple websites automatically using one single personal password.

Getting smarter

Internet marketing and the social web – IIABA’s Agents Council for Technology (ACT) offers free articles, reports, and webinars. Industry experts and agents provide in-depth information to use this media appropriately and profitably. Go to www.iiaba.net/ACT and click on Internet marketing. You’ll find several seminars on social media marketing to expand your Web presence and communication prowess. Many thanks to Jeff Yates and his team who volunteer a lot of time to create these learning tools.

Soundview Executive Book Summaries — I’ve been subscribing to this service for 15 years and I’m very impressed with the additional resources they now offer. Online content is much easier to retrieve by subject and author. Free monthly webinars are presented by best-selling authors and business leaders and recorded for on-demand access. To stay current with exciting and innovative business thinkers, I recommend subscribing to this resource.

What are you doing to work smarter and get smarter?

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For dozens of resources to create individual and company top performance visit www.sellingstrategies.com or get in touch with me at emily@sellingstrategies.com or 888-309-8802.

Apply Coupon Code NEWS11 to receive a 20% discount on all online product orders.

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On the road

Business travel is taking me to these places. Please give me a call if you’d like to connect when I’m in your area.

Agency Management CIC, Minneapolis, MN July 14, 2010
Consulting engagement in Oklahoma City, OK July 19-20, 2010
Agency Management CIC, Oklahoma City, OK July 21, 2010
AASCIF Conference, Lexington, KY July 25-29, 2010
AAMGA University West, Scottsdale, AZ August 20, 2010
Agency Management CIC, Grand Rapids, MI September 16, 2010
Agency Management CIC, Virginia Beach, VA September 23, 2010

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Selling Strategies: Strategies for Success Newsletter is published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies. For further information contact emily@sellingstrategies.com.

© 2010 Emily Huling. All rights reserved. Feel free to share our newsletter if copyright and credit are always included.

Strategies for Success Newsletter June 2010 Issue 54

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Published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies
www.sellingstrategies.com
Copyright 2010 Emily Huling. All rights reserved.
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In this June 2010 issue:

Thoughts from the office
Thoughts from the road
Thoughts from home
On the road in 2010

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1. Thoughts from the office

Moving on up

Justin, a young professional in his mid-twenties, introduced himself to me while we were standing in line at a cocktail reception hosted by his company. After we exchanged pleasantries, I asked him how long he’d been with the company and what he did. Justin told me he was an underwriter, but started out of high school in the mail room. “Wow!” I said, “Congratulations on your advancement. How did you make that happen?”

Justin said he was lucky enough to be hired by a company that has a culture of promoting from within. Every employee is given an opportunity to advance his or her skills through in-house training courses, mentoring programs, designation classes and encouragement to attend industry functions. Justin went on to tell me that performance reviews include a conversation about career advancement and creating a plan to reach personal goals.

As Justin was talking, I couldn’t help but think of all the benefits the company received by having this culture of advancement – motivated employees, company loyalty, low turnover, and knowledgeable associates to serve customers professionally.

Does your company offer opportunities for employee advancement? If so, are you taking advantage of all that’s offered? If not, what will you do to get ahead?

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Happiness and success are a result of the choices we make and the actions we take. EH

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2. Thoughts from the road

Meeting people I wouldn’t otherwise encounter is one of the joys of my travel. This time it wasn’t an airplane seatmate or a cab driver, it was a fellow golfer. John and I met Bernie on a Sun City, Arizona golf course. Bernie owns dairy farm with over 1700 cows near Lansing, Michigan. He bought the farm over 40 years ago when it had only 85 cows and has spent a career building the business. Bernie had a natural, light-hearted attitude and an arsenal of retiree jokes – the ones that elicit a moan before a laugh. Bernie provided great company for our round of golf.

As we shook hands on the 18th green, Bernie offered John and me these words of wisdom. There are only two things in life that assure getting everything you want – maintaining good health and a positive attitude.

As we walked away, I thought of all the self-help and motivational books lining my shelves that provided great wisdom and guidance. I had to laugh. Leave it to a person with just plain worldly experience to offer up the simplest and best advice.

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The Energizer Minute

This month tune in to hear Open a Book. Go to the www.sellingstrategies.com home page and click on the Energizer Minute.

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3. Thoughts from home

I was missing my dad a lot when I woke up early that Sunday morning. It’s been ten years since he died, but sometimes the hole inside me feels as raw as it did back then. I knew I’d feel better after my morning walk so off I went.

I headed out of our neighborhood and looked up at our beautiful Carolina blue sky dotted with puffy white clouds. A perfect day for golf, I thought, both my dad’s and my favorite pastime. I could almost feel my dad’s presence so I said to myself, “Show me a sign.”

With that, a truck appeared rounding the bend. As it got closer, it slowed down. It was my trash-collecting friend, John Pellor. He rolled down his window. “I can’t believe you’re here! I was just thinking about you hoping you were walking now. I decided to go to the early church service which I never do. I have some lemon bread I made with me that I wanted to share with you. And here you are!”

I was speechless. When I started to thank him, I had to hold back tears. “What’s wrong?” he asked. “Nothing,” I said. “Absolutely nothing.”

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For dozens of resources to create individual and company top performance visit www.sellingstrategies.com or get in touch with me at emily@sellingstrategies.com or 888-309-8802.

Apply Coupon Code NEWS11 to receive a 20% discount on all online product orders.

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On the road

Business travel is taking me to these places. Please give me a call if you’d like to connect when I’m in your area.

Consulting engagement in Baltimore, MD – private client – June 14-15, 2010
Consulting engagement in Pittsburgh, PA – private client – June 23-25, 2010
Agency Management CIC, Minneapolis, MN July 14, 2010
Consulting engagement in Oklahoma City, OK July 19-20, 2010
Agency Management CIC, Oklahoma City, OK July 21, 2010
AASCIF Conference, Lexington, KY July 25-29, 2010
AAMGA University West, Scottsdale, AZ August 20, 2010
Agency Management CIC, Grand Rapids, MI September 16, 2010
Agency Management CIC, Virginia Beach, VA September 23, 2010

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Selling Strategies: Strategies for Success Newsletter is published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies. For further information contact emily@sellingstrategies.com.

© 2010 Emily Huling. All rights reserved. Feel free to share our newsletter if copyright and credit are always included.

Strategies for Success Newsletter May 2010 Issue 53

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Published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies
www.sellingstrategies.com
Copyright 2010 Emily Huling. All rights reserved.
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In this May 2010 issue:

Thoughts from the office
Thoughts from the road
Thoughts from home
On the road in 2010

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1. Thoughts from the office

Relax, rest, and rebalance

Our brains move fast. Continually flooded with facts, emotion, and problem-solving challenges, our personal processing systems can overload and shut down. Most of us don’t pay attention when that happens. Instead we work through it. The result can be short tempers, erroneous thinking, or an inability to focus attention. Just like computers that hang up or stop working when in overload, our minds can benefit from a complete rebooting. All it takes is ten minutes of quiet time. Here’s the process:

Find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. Sit or lie down in a comfortable and open position.
Set a timer for ten minutes.
Close your eyes. Relax your neck and shoulders.
Begin breathing deeply concentrating on in and out breaths.
Settle your mind by silently repeating a gentle word such as peace, love, kindness, or grateful.
If your mind wanders away, that’s okay. Just refocus on your word.
When the timer goes off, take a moment to breathe deeply one last time before slowly getting up.

I do this exercise once a day, if not more, when I feel that sense of overload. At first, I resisted taking the break. But after a week of noticing a remarkable difference in my focus and attitude after the ten minute process, I started looking forward to the calming effect that resulted.

Give it a try for a week and see if you notice a difference.

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We can’t take care of others until we take care of ourselves. EH

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2. Thoughts from the road

It’s never too late to make things right

News item from the Associated Press: Phoenix. A high school librarian says a former student at the school returned two overdue books checked out 51 years ago along with a $1000 money order to cover the fines. The letter said the money order was to cover the fines of 2 cents per day for each book. That would total about $745. The letter says the extra money was added in case the rates had changed.

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The Energizer Minute

This month tune in to hear Take Your Hands Off the Wheel. Go to the www.sellingstrategies.com home page and click on the Energizer Minute.

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3. Thoughts from home

How do you read it?

John and I are yin and yang. He never ceases to amaze me with his patience, attention to detail and analytical approach to problem solving. And…well, suffice it to say, I don’t have all those qualities.

John does all of our laundry. (Am I lucky or what?) I have a jacket that was to be laundered for the first time. I read the tag and let John know that it said “Tumble Dry Low.”

Lucky for me, John double checked the tag. I was half right. It did read “Tumble Dry Low.” Sort of. John showed it to me, smiled and suggested I reread it – carefully. My dear husband knows I have the tendency to read from the bottom up. Here’s what was printed on the tag from the top down in four lines. “Made in China” “Machine Wash” “Do Not” “Tumble Dry Low.”

We had a hearty laugh together for two reasons. We wondered why a drying temperature would be combined with instructions to not tumble dry at all and my in-character, get-in-trouble reading style!

Moral to the story. Reading from the top down is a smart thing to do.

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Consulting, coaching, and workshops to stay up to date with current business trends and approaches:

Phone consulting to Create an Effective Marketing, Sales, and Service Plan for agencies with fewer than eight people. Learn more on the website consulting information page.

Strategy planning consulting and facilitation Professional facilitation and guidance enable owners and managers to agree on goals, strategy, and implementation. Establishing priorities, creating action plans, timelines, accountability and follow through generate results.

New producer development and sales coaching Customized personal guidance for new producers. Includes sales plan creation, structured curriculum and phone coaching,

Workshops – Turning Service to Sales for CSRs and Client Based Selling for Producers
In-house workshops for agency sales and service staff. These sessions fast forward individual skill building resulting in improved customer retention and new business growth.

Presentations Speaking topics include Lean and Mean Management, Selling from the Inside, and Kick Your “But” to name a few. Additional topics on the website information page.

For more information, www.sellingstrategies.com or emily@sellingstrategies.com or 888-309-8802.

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Are you looking for meaningful topics for your CSR staff meetings?

Great Service Sells: How Great CSRs Turn Service into Sales – book and audio CDs

A ready-to-use customer service program for your agency staff meetings!

Designed for CSR group learning in staff meetings using both the print book and accompanying audio CDs. Presented in 21, five-minute chapters, the tips, techniques, real-life stories and personal challenges offer a year’s worth of training sessions. For a complete list of chapters and facilitation tips, go to www.sellingstrategies.com. Newsletter readers receive a 20% discount by using coupon code NEWS11 at checkout.

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On the road

Business travel is taking to me these places. Please give me a call if you’d like to connect when I’m in your area.

Agency Management CIC, Edison, NJ May 14, 2010
Consulting engagement in Charlotte, NC – private client – May 18-19, 2010
Consulting engagement in Phoenix, AZ – private client – May 25-27, 2010
Consulting engagement in Pittsburgh, PA – private client – June 23-25, 2010
Agency Management CIC, Minneapolis, MN July 14, 2010
Agency Management CIC, Oklahoma City, OK July 21, 2010
AASCIF Conference, Lexington, KY July 25-29, 2010

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Selling Strategies: Strategies for Success Newsletter is published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies. For further information contact emily@sellingstrategies.com.

© 2010 Emily Huling. All rights reserved. Feel free to share our newsletter if copyright and credit are always included.

Selling Strategies: Strategies for Success Newsletter April 2010 Issue 52

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Published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies
www.sellingstrategies.com
Copyright 2010 Emily Huling. All rights reserved.
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In this April 2010 issue:
Thoughts from the office
Thoughts from the road
Thoughts from others
On the road in 2010

Special notice: My office will be closed from April 19 – May 7. Please place any product orders by April 16 for immediate service.

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Are you looking for meaningful topics for your CSR staff meetings?

Great Service Sells: How Great CSRs Turn Service into Sales – book and audio CDs

A ready-to-use customer service program for your agency staff meetings!

Designed for CSR group learning in staff meetings using both the print book and accompanying audio CDs. Presented in 21, five-minute chapters, the tips, techniques, real-life stories and personal challenges offer a year’s worth of training sessions. For a complete list of chapters and facilitation tips, go to www.sellingstrategies.com. Newsletter readers receive a 20% discount by using coupon code NEWS11 at checkout.

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1. Thoughts from the office

I met the customer from hell. It was me.

In last month’s newsletter I relayed the story about how an emotional abscess developed into a painful physical abscess. Here’s the story behind it.

My new print book, Great Service Sells, is also an audio book. To create the best quality recording, I decided to use a local recording studio. The editing and final production would still be done by Jack Burke, my long-time friend and ace audio man who lives in Branson, MO.

To meet multiple deadlines, I plan ahead and work ahead. I chose a local studio operated by Mark (not his real name), who was well qualified for my project. We set a recording date.

I authorized him to do some “it won’t take long” additional work and he gave me a completion date of one week when he would be uploading the file to Jack. He shared with me that his father-in-law was ill and he was spending time with family, but assured me one week would be enough.

One week went by, then two weeks with no contact. I left him a couple of phone messages and sent a couple of e-mails. Three weeks had passed. No response. Thanks to www.whitepages.com I was able to find his home phone number and left a couple of messages there. Finally, I heard from him and he said he’d have it to me in several days. Two more weeks passed with no contact.

I had met Mark’s wife during the recording session and learned where she worked. It only took a few phone calls before I located her at work. I told her my story and how I was desperate to know the status of my project so I could move forward. She was pleasant and reassuring and at the same time quite surprised to have been brought into the matter.

By midnight that night, Mark had sent everything to Jack. The quality was what I hoped. Mark apologized profusely. He also did the right thing and discounted the cost to offset the inconvenience. However, the one thing that should have been done and influences whether I will use his services again was to keep me informed of the changing status.

The irony that the project title is Great Service Sells has not escaped me.

Customer service lesson: To a customer, there is something worse than bad news. It’s bad news that isn’t delivered.

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Great service starts with honest communication. EH

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2. Thoughts from the road

John and I finally made time when visiting my mom in Arizona to visit Pinnacle Peak Patio in Scottsdale. Serving mesquite-grilled steaks since 1957, Pinnacle Peak Patio is best known for its “no necktie” policy. Their website reports that this “no necktie” tradition was started one night when a Phoenix executive came in for dinner. The original owner, wanting to keep the atmosphere in his restaurant casual, told the executive, “Either you take that tie off, or I’ll cut it off.” Over the past 48 years, restaurant workers have cut over a million ties from unsuspecting customers.

John and I were having dinner when a family of four came in. The mom, dad, son, and daughter all were wearing neckties. Goodwill-style neckties. The kids were wide-eyed as they looked at all the ties hanging from every rafter. The family was seated and soon enough, snip, snip, snip, snip. The children were given thumbtacks and told to hang their ties. It was great to watch.

After dinner, we sauntered into the gift shop and met up with the family. Turns out, they were visiting from San Francisco. The father had visited the restaurant with his father when he was the same age as his son. He was beaming from ear to ear. He said that the joy of giving his children the same fun experience he had with his father is overwhelming.

What is it that brought you joy as a child that you can share with a child you love?

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The Energizer Minute

This month tune in to hear Make a Date with Yourself. Go to the www.sellingstrategies.com home page and click on the Energizer Minute.

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3. Thoughts from others
Making peace
“If a child smiles, if an adult smiles, that is very important. If in our daily life we can smile, if we can be peaceful and happy, not only we, but everyone will profit from it. This is the most basic kind of peace work.” Thich Nhat Hanh

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Consulting, coaching, and workshops to stay up to date with current business trends and approaches:

Phone consulting to Create an Effective Marketing, Sales, and Service Plan for agencies with fewer than eight people. Learn more on the website consulting information page.
Strategy planning consulting and facilitation Professional facilitation and guidance enable owners and managers to agree on goals, strategy, and implementation. Establishing priorities, creating action plans, timelines, accountability and follow through generate results.
New producer development and sales coaching Customized personal guidance for new producers. Includes sales plan creation, structured curriculum and phone coaching,
Workshops – Turning Service to Sales for CSRs and Client Based Selling for Producers
In-house workshops for agency sales and service staff. These sessions fast forward individual skill building resulting in improved customer retention and new business growth.

Presentations Speaking topics include Lean and Mean Management, Selling from the Inside, and Kick Your “But” to name a few. Additional topics on the website information page.

For more information, www.sellingstrategies.com or emily@sellingstrategies.com or 888-309-8802.

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On the road

Business travel is taking to me these places. Please give me a call if you’d like to connect when I’m in your area.

Consulting engagement in Charlotte, NC – private client – April 7-8, 2010
Speaking engagement in Des Moines, IA – private client – April 11-13, 2010
Speaking engagement in Appleton, WI – private client – April 14, 2010
Agency Management CIC, Edison, NJ May 14, 2010
Consulting engagement in Charlotte, NC – private client – May 18-19, 2010
Consulting engagement in Phoenix, AZ – private client – May 25-27, 2010
Consulting engagement in Pittsburgh, PA – private client – June 23-25, 2010
Agency Management CIC, Minneapolis, MN July 14, 2010
Agency Management CIC, Oklahoma City, OK July 21, 2010
AASCIF Conference, Lexington, KY July 25-29, 2010

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Selling Strategies: Strategies for Success Newsletter is published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies. For further information contact emily@sellingstrategies.com.

© 2010 Emily Huling. All rights reserved. Feel free to share our newsletter if copyright and credit are always included.

Strategies for Success Newsletter March 2010 Issue 51

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Published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies
www.sellingstrategies.com
Copyright 2010 Emily Huling. All rights reserved.
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In this March 2010 issue:

Thoughts from road
Thoughts from home
Did you know…?
On the road in 2010

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Great Service Sells: How Great CSRs Turn Service into Sales – book and audio CDs

CSR Development Program is ready to use in your agency staff meetings!

Designed for CSR group learning in staff meetings using both the print book and accompanying audio CDs. Presented in 21, five-minute chapters, the tips, techniques, real-life stories and personal challenges offer a year’s worth of training sessions. For a complete list of chapters and facilitation tips, go to www.sellingstrategies.com. Newsletter readers receive a 20% discount by using coupon code NEWS11 at checkout.

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1. Thoughts from the road

I was waiting in line at an airport coffee kiosk. I finished drooling over the pastry selection and I looked behind me. Standing confidently were two very little people, a boy and a girl. They were all alone. The little girl was holding a ten dollar bill. They were so small they barely reached the counter. I looked for their parents, but no one else was with them. Then I looked around. Standing about 20 feet away were a mother and father, eyes glued to the children, faces smiling.

After I ordered my coffee (yes, only coffee), the server, who didn’t see the children, asked the next adult in line for his order. “Wait,” I said. “Don’t forget these customers.” The children self-assuredly placed their order, handed the server their money and got change. I stole a look at their parents who were nodding and giving them the thumbs up. The children beamed as their parents approached to help them carry their food.

I thought of all the times that I’ve done things for others, children and adults, that I should have let them do themselves to boost their confidence and build trust. How about you?

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Encourage others’ potential through kind words and supportive actions. EH

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2. Thoughts from home

What our bodies tell us

I woke up and my jaw really hurt. I thought I slept wrong or had been grinding my teeth, which I don’t normally do. By 10:00, I was really hurting. What was an ache, turned into a throb. “I have a toothache!” I announced to no one since I was traveling alone.

By the time I got home and in to see my dentist, I was really in pain. A root canal and antibiotics were prescribed to put me out of my misery. I welcomed both.

I couldn’t imagine how I got an abscessed tooth. Then it hit me like a bolt. For the past few months, I had been obsessing about my new book. I was stressing big time to meet my high standards and now that I look back, some unrealistic expectations. I had created an “emotional obsession” that literally manifested into a tooth abscess. Abscess caused by obsess.

Moral to the story: Next time ideas in your mind get out of control, remember the powerful mind-body connection. Take steps to lower emotional stress and avoid physical issues. Figure out what works for you.

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The Energizer Minute

This month, in honor of spring, tune in to hear Lighten Your Load of both material and emotional stuff. Go to the www.sellingstrategies.com home page and click on the Energizer Minute.

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3. Did you know…?

Solution to stinky and sticky

My husband is going to be embarrassed again. But when something has been irritating a person his whole life and an amazing remedy is found, I can’t help but think someone else may be able to benefit from this knowledge.

John is allergic to traditional underarm deodorant. He’s tried countless traditional products and homeopathic remedies, but nothing has been able to eliminate the rash and itching that he experiences – until now!

Joe and Terry Graedon, the hosts and authors of People’s Pharmacy, recommend applying milk of magnesia with a cotton ball instead of deodorant when a person can’t tolerate aluminum-based antiperspirants. John was skeptical, but it worked!

Please let me know if this information helps you or someone you know so John knows his embarrassment was worth it!

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Consulting, coaching, and workshops to stay up to date with current business trends and approaches

Phone consulting to Create an Effective Marketing, Sales, and Service Plan for agencies with fewer than eight people. Learn more on the website consulting information page.

Strategy planning consulting and facilitation Professional facilitation and guidance enable owners and managers to agree on goals, strategy, and implementation. Establishing priorities, creating action plans, timelines, accountability and follow through generate results.

New producer development and sales coaching Customized personal guidance for new producers. Includes sales plan creation, structured curriculum and phone coaching,

Workshops – Turning Service to Sales for CSRs and Client Based Selling for producers
In-house workshops for agency sales and service staff. These sessions fast forward individual skill building resulting in improved customer retention and new business growth.

Presentations Speaking topics include Lean and Mean Management, Selling from the Inside, and Kick Your “But” to name a few. Additional topics on the website information page.

For more information, www.sellingstrategies.com or emily@sellingstrategies.com or 888-309-8802.

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On the road

Early 2010 business travel is taking to me these places. Please give me a call if you’d like to connect when I’m in your area.

NAPSLO Mid-Year Conference, Scottsdale, AZ March 3-6, 2010 (attending)
Independent Agents and Brokers of SC spring conference, Columbia, SC March 17, 2010
Agency Management CIC, Louisville, KY March 18-19, 2010
AMS Users’ Group Annual Conference, Nashville, TN March 25-27, 2010
Consulting engagement in Charlotte, NC – private client – April 7-8, 2010
Speaking engagement in Des Moines, IA – private client – April 11-13, 2010
Speaking engagement in Appleton, WI – private client – April 14, 2010
Agency Management CIC, Edison, NJ May 14, 2010
Consulting engagement in Charlotte, NC – private client – May 18-19, 2010

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Selling Strategies: Strategies for Success Newsletter is published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies. For further information contact emily@sellingstrategies.com.

© 2010 Emily Huling. All rights reserved. Feel free to share our newsletter if copyright and credit are always included.

Strategies for Success Newsletter February 2010 Issue 50

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Published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies
www.sellingstrategies.com
Copyright 2010 Emily Huling. All rights reserved.
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In this February 2010 issue:

Thoughts from road
Thoughts from others
Thoughts from the office
On the road in 2010

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NOW AVAILABLE! Great Service Sells

CSR Development Program is ready to use in your agency staff meetings!

Great Service Sells – How Great CSRs Turn Service into Sales – book and audio CDs

Designed for CSR group learning in staff meetings using both the print book and accompanying audio CDs. Presented in 21, five-minute chapters, the tips, techniques, real-life stories and personal challenges offer a year’s worth of training sessions. For a complete list of chapters and facilitation tips, go to www.sellingstrategies.com. Newsletter readers receive a 20% discount by using coupon code NEWS11 at checkout.

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1. Thoughts from the road

Looking for change of heart? Just keep going.

Visiting my mom has spoiled me. Not because she has all of my favorite foods (which she does) or our conversations stimulate my mind (which they do), but because she in lives Sun City, Arizona, where it’s always warm and sunny. Well almost always. I awoke to an uncharacteristically cold and rainy morning. I was tempted to roll over and stay snug and warm, but knew I needed to take my morning walk. So I dragged myself out of bed to walk my regular three mile loop which heads south from my mom’s door, then east, north, west and back south.
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The air was damp and drizzly, but the wind made the temperature even colder. OK, not really cold, but Arizona cold. I headed south feeling gloomy like the day. I passed a few dogs, owners attached, both dressed in comical-looking rain gear. My frown started an upturn. By the time I reached the eight-minute point of my walk when I turn to head east, the sun was just starting to appear. The raindrops were resting in the crevices of the cactus plants that adorn almost all the yards. My smile grew. Making the turn to head north, optimistic golfers were driving their golf cars for their early morning tee time, each one waving to me as they passed. My dad always said, “It never rains on a golf course.” Now I had a spring in my step. As I made the last turn to get back on my mom’s street with only ten minutes left on my journey, I didn’t want it to end. What started as a half-hearted effort changed with every step, every waving person and dog, and every touch of nature.

Moral to the story: We all have things in life we resist. If we press ourselves to take the first step, then another step, amazing things can happen.

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Engagement enables enjoyment. EH

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2. Thoughts from others

Harvey Mackay is the author of the New York Times’ No. 1 best seller “Swim with the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive.” Here are some pithy and meaningful thoughts from his syndicated column that are worth sharing.

“Control yourself: Remember anger is just one letter short of danger.”
“What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us. What we have done for others lasts forever.”
“How people play the game shows something of their character. How they lose shows all of it.”
“Love your competitors. They are the only ones who make you as good as you can be.”
“A person without a sense of humor is like a car without shock absorbers – jolted by every pothole in the road.”

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The Energizer Minute

This month, in honor of Groundhog’s Day, tune in to hear Until we get it right… Go to the www.sellingstrategies.com home page and click on the Energizer Minute.

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3. Thoughts from the office

How important is this call?

It was Sunday morning at 10:00 AM and John was calling a technical help desk at the suggestion of an auto-reply e-mail response to a customer service issue. This is what he heard. “Thank you for calling Dell customer support. Our office hours are 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM Central Time, seven days a week. Thank you for your call. Goodbye.” Click.

The only thing you can do to keep your sanity with a message like that is to laugh. And we did. We also wondered what we should do next since customer service was void of service.

Most people prefer a live person answering a business phone. If possible, ditch the automated system. If that’s not possible, here are some questions to ponder about your company’s phone answering system:

Is the automated reception they receive consistent with your brand of service?
What do your customers hear when they call you?
Does the system make it easy to connect with a live person (who is friendly) at any time?
Is the customer being served? Are options available after hours?

Have your office staff and customers weigh-in on the reception your callers hear. What, if any, changes should be made?

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Consulting, coaching, and workshops to stay up to date with current business trends and approaches

Phone consulting to Create an Effective Marketing, Sales, and Service Plan for agencies with fewer than eight people. Learn more on the website consulting information page.

Strategy planning consulting and facilitation Professional facilitation and guidance enable owners and managers to agree on goals, strategy, and implementation. Establishing priorities, creating action plans, timelines, accountability and follow through generate results.

New producer development and sales coaching Customized personal guidance for new producers. Includes sales plan creation, structured curriculum and phone coaching,

Workshops – Turning Service to Sales for CSRs and Client Based Selling for Producers
In-house workshops for agency sales and service staff. These sessions fast forward individual skill building resulting in improved customer retention and new business growth.

Presentations Speaking topics include Lean and Mean Management, Selling from the Inside, and Kick Your “But” to name a few. Additional topics on the website information page.

For more information, www.sellingstrategies.com or emily@sellingstrategies.com or 888-309-8802.

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On the road

Early 2010 business travel is taking to me these places. Please give me a call if you’d like to connect when I’m in your area.

Speaking engagement in Albuquerque, NM – private client – February 19, 2010
Speaking engagement in Scottsdale, AZ – private client – February 23-24, 2010
Speaking engagement in Denver, CO – private client – February 25, 2010
NAPSLO Mid-Year Conference, Scottsdale, AZ March 3-6, 2010 (attending)
Independent Agents and Brokers of SC spring conference, Columbia, SC March 17, 2010
Agency Management CIC, Louisville, KY March 18-19, 2010
AMS Users’ Group Annual Conference, Nashville, TN March 25-27, 2010
Consulting engagement in Charlotte, NC – private client – April 7-8, 2010
Speaking engagement in Des Moines, IA – private client – April 11-13, 2010
Speaking engagement in Appleton, WI – private client – April 14, 2010
Agency Management CIC, Edison, NJ May 14, 2010
Consulting engagement in Charlotte, NC – private client – May 18-19, 2010

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Selling Strategies: Strategies for Success Newsletter is published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies. For further information contact emily@sellingstrategies.com.

© 2010 Emily Huling. All rights reserved. Feel free to share our newsletter if copyright and credit are always included.

Strategies for Success Newsletter January 2010 Issue 49

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Published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies
www.sellingstrategies.com
Copyright 2010 Emily Huling. All rights reserved.
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Happy New Year! Wishing you the best and brightest year ahead!

In this January 2010 issue:

Thoughts from road
Thoughts from home
Have you read…?
On the road in 2010

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NOW AVAILABLE! Great Service Sells
CSR Development Program is ready to use in your agency staff meetings!

Great Service Sells – How Great CSRs Turn Service into Sales – book and audio CDs

Designed for CSR group learning in staff meetings using both the print book and accompanying audio CDs. Presented in 21, five-minute chapters, the tips, techniques, real-life stories and personal challenges offer a year’s worth of training sessions. For a complete list of chapters and facilitation tips, go to www.sellingstrategies.com. Newsletter readers receive a 20% discount by using coupon code NEWS11 at checkout.

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1. Thoughts from the road

The gift of touching others

I rediscovered the small painted stone in my kitchen catch-all drawer. I hadn’t looked at it in a few years, but it looked as fresh as the day I received it.

It was the summer of 1998. I was making the three-hour car ride home after a client visit in Raleigh. I was still single after my marriage had ended the year before so heading home to an empty house always made me feel adrift.

For some reason, I stopped at a Food Lion grocery store, where I had never stopped before, to pick up something for dinner. I was standing in the checkout lane when I felt a tap on the shoulder. An older man in back of me said, “I believe you dropped this” and placed in my hand a one-inch square pebble. I was holding an intricately painted stone with a picture of an old-fashioned mast and sails ship sitting on a turbulent ocean. It was beautiful. “No, it’s not mine,” I said, and handed it back to him. “Well, it is now. I want you to have it.” I gave him a questioning look and he told me that his hobby is painting stones and giving them to others. I smiled and thanked him.

Holding that stone eleven years later, I once again sensed that warm feeling of having a random act of kindness bestowed on me. It makes me wonder why I ever hesitate to do something kind. We never know how someone may need that touch and we may just be the person to help.

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Be generous in kindness and friendship. EH

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2. Thoughts from home

If it’s a secret, please don’t tell me!

“Emily, I’m going to tell you something, but it’s a secret. Be careful not to tell your mom, your brother, or your cousin. It’s OK to tell John but be sure he knows it’s a secret, too.”

Whoa! This conversation with my aunt was entering very dangerous territory. Sharing confidential information puts both the speaker and the receiver in a bad place. Why? Because the mind hears the thought and enters it into the brain. Unfortunately, the “don’t tell” isn’t usually part of the memory. So we have information, but we don’t remember its status. In addition, once information is retold, it’s too easy to repeat it again. After it crosses our lips, we have a permanent record in our brain of having told it. We totally forget that it is a secret. And who really believes that it’s a secret since it’s been shared?

Thank goodness I was paying close attention to the conversation. I quickly said, “Aunt Judy, please don’t tell me this if it’s something I’m not supposed to know.” “Oh,” she said sounding disappointed, “you’re right.”

Moral to the story: Don’t share information that’s not yours to tell.

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The Energizer Minute

This month, tune in to hear New Year, New Intentions and hear my long-time technique to stay focused on self improvement. Go to the www.sellingstrategies.com home page and click on the Energizer Minute.

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3. Have you read…

It’s always gratifying to read business books that challenge my mind and broaden my thinking. I have two recommendations that meet that criterion.

How: Why HOW We Do Anything Means Everything…in Business (and in Life) by Dov Siedman, 2007, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

If you’ve doubted that attitude, behavior, and principles are the foundation for personal and organizational success, you won’t have any skepticism after reading this book. Using a diverse spectrum of examples, the author firmly states his case that the soft skills of trust, integrity, and values trump product, price, bells and whistles.

Be Unreasonable: The Unconventional Way to Extraordinary Business Results by Paul Lemberg, 2007, McGraw-Hill.

Backward thinking, inside out strategy, the opposite of truth, know what you don’t know – these are just a few of the brain challenging phrases that make this book so much fun. This is not a conventional business read. Paul Leming forces the reader out of his or her comfort zone which is the only way to consider new possibilities and new ways to do things.

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Consulting, coaching, and workshops to stay up to date with current business trends and approaches

Phone consulting to Create an Effective Marketing, Sales, and Service Plan for agencies with fewer than eight people. Learn more on the website consulting information page.

Strategy planning consulting and facilitation Professional facilitation and guidance enable owners and managers to agree on goals, strategy, and implementation. Establishing priorities, creating action plans, timelines, accountability and follow through generate results.

New producer development and sales coaching Customized personal guidance for new producers. Includes sales plan creation, structured curriculum and phone coaching,

Workshops – Turning Service to Sales for CSRs and Client Based Selling for producers
In-house workshops for agency sales and service staff. These sessions fast forward individual skill building resulting in improved customer retention and new business growth.

Presentations Speaking topics include Lean and Mean Management, Selling from the Inside, and Kick Your “But” to name a few. Additional topics on the website information page.

For more information, www.sellingstrategies.com or emily@sellingstrategies.com or 888-309-8802.

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On the road

Early 2010 business travel is taking to me these places. Please give me a call if you’d like to connect when I’m in your area.

James K. Ruble Graduate Seminar, Concord, NC January 13-15, 2010 (attending)
Speaking engagement in Albuquerque, NM – private client – February 19, 2010
Speaking engagement in Scottsdale, AZ – private client – February 23-24, 2010
Speaking engagement in Denver, CO – private client – February 25, 2010
NAPSLO Mid-Year Conference, Scottsdale, AZ March 3-6, 2010 (attending)
Independent Agents and Brokers of SC spring conference, Columbia, SC March 17, 2010
Agency Management CIC, Louisville, KY March 18-19, 2010
AMS Users’ Group Annual Conference, Nashville, TN March 25-27, 2010
Speaking engagement in Des Moines, IA – private client – April 11-13, 2010
Speaking engagement in Appleton, WI – private client – April 14, 2010

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Selling Strategies: Strategies for Success Newsletter is published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies. For further information contact emily@sellingstrategies.com.

© 2010 Emily Huling. All rights reserved. Feel free to share our newsletter if copyright and credit are always included.