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Stephen Novak gets out his crystal ball and predicts what we can expect in the year2013.

Inspired by Jeffrey Gitomer

• Some customers will say “No”
• A competitor is going to undercut your estimate and get the job
• You’re going to say something stupid
• Your customer is going to ask you a question that you are not prepared for
• One of your customers are going to complain about your price
• You will want to snap back at a customer
• You’ll have a big sale fall through
• You will become frustrated with where you are and where you want to be
• At least once you’ll think that the grass is greener somewhere else
• You will miss opportunities at meetings and parties because you forgot your business cards

But, I also predict that if you endure those challenges, keep a level head, and do what you’ve been trained to do – with a positive attitude:

• Most customers will say yes!!!
• Competitors may beat our price, but never our service – they will come back!!!
• You are going to watch what you say and how you say it in order to get your point across professionally!!!
• You will know that if you study up on your product and service lines, you will become more prepared to answer any question confidently!!!
• Once you fully wrap your head around the truth of “Customer Trust,” you will realize that price isn’t the only reason that customers will come to you!!!
• You won’t snap back at customers because you realize that although you may win that battle, you will eventually lose the war!!!
• You will close many big sales.  Many of them being repeat customers!!!
• You will realize that nothing stays the same.  You will either get better or you will get worse – it’s up to you.  Then you will take steps to grow yourself both personally and professionally.  You will pick up a book.  You will listen to something inspirational or motivational instead of the clowns on the radio!!!
• You will contemplate change with a clear head.  You will never make rash or illogical decisions.  You will ask for help through difficult times and not make irrational choices that thrust change upon you!!!
• You will always be ready to talk to people at social events about who you are and what you do.  Prepare and practice a 30 second verbal “commercial” that you can whip out at any time.  And, of course, keep business cards with you at all times!!!
• You will come into your own and learn to relax and enjoy your customers!!!
• You are going to face each day with a renewed enthusiasm!!!
• You are going to have a healthy, happy, prosperous new year!!!

Pat yourself on the back for all of your hard work and dedication in 2012 – learn from any past mistakes and successes – Now, let’s take our eyes out of the rear view mirror, look straight through the windshield, and MAT THE GAS PEDAL!!!

Copyright © Stephen Novak 2013 Rising Moon Publications. All rights reserved.

May the peace of Christmas shine on you and yours throughout the new year.

To all,

Thanksgiving:

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food,
For love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.  -Ralph Waldo Emerson

I wish for everyone a HAPPY AND FULFILLING Thanksgiving!!!

Thank you for your support.

-Stephen Novak

By: Stephen Novak

I remember when starting a new business was as easy as…

1. The IDEA.
2. Acquiring some powdered lemonade.
3. Mix it up in a pitcher with water, sugar, and ice.
4. Put up a card table by a busy sidewalk.
5. Painting a sign that reads, “ICE COLD LEMONADE .35 CENTS A GLASS”.
6. Smile and say hello to people. 
7. Make sure that the lemonade doesn’t get too watered down from the ice melting.

Come to think of it…starting a business today requires very similar steps.  Just on a larger scale.  Let’s look at some key points compared to our theoretical lemonade stand.

1. The idea  =  the visualization stage. This is usually the most exciting part.  One can explore the possibilities of taking a raw gut feeling and transforming a dream into something innovative, rare, and successful.  Enjoy this stage but don’t linger in it – once an idea is revealed, it quickly starts to accumulate dust and lose its luster.
2. Acquiring some powdered lemonade, sugar, water and ice  =  The acquisition of the materials and concepts that lay out the building blocks of the product or service that you want to sell.  This may require financing: please read one my earlier posts “Starting a small business” (July, 30^th 2011) for more information on this topic.
3. Mix it in a pitcher  =  the manufacturing, making, or developing your product or service.  This is the nuts-and-bolts of your operation.  If you are predominantly a service oriented business, how you do what you do is more important than what you do. It’s your know-how and skill that will differentiate you from your competition.  If you will provide a product, will you manufacture it yourself or have it built for you?  What will be unique about its nomenclature?
4. Put up a card table where people can see you  =  the location of your business.  This could be a standard brick and mortar or web based site.The U.S. Small Business Administration has an excellent page that discusses this topic in great detail.  http://www.sba.gov/content/tips-choosing-business-location
5. Paining a sign  =  advertising.  This is your declaration to the masses: who you are, what you are about, and what you can do for them.  This proclamation could be as subtle as a handing out business cards, or as obvious as a flying around in a blimp with your name plastered all over the side.  There are literally thousands of new and innovative ways to get you name out there.  Explore.  Have fun.    
6. Smile and say hello to people  =  customer service.  This involves hiring, training, and holding accountable qualified customer service artists.  Without a proper customer focused business strategy, you will be out of business in no time.
7. Make sure that the lemonade doesn’t get watered down  =  Quality control.  This may be one of the most overlooked areas of any small business.  Big businesses have processes like Six Sigma in place to measure and improve their products or processes.  It may not be practical or cost effective for a small business to have a whole quality control department; however, it must be the responsibility of everyone in your business to make sure that by the time your product or service contacts the customer, it represents what you need it to. Any business must continually ensure that the products or services that they are offering exceed their customers’ expectations.

So we’ve had the vision, got the startup cash, created our product or service, picked our location and got the word out…whew…that was hard work.  I think I’ll have a glass of that lemonade now.

Copyright © Stephen Novak 2011 Rising Moon Publications. All rights reserved.

By: Stephen Novak

 Everything we do requires some form of a process.  From brushing our teeth to planning a trip, there is always a chain of events.  Merriam-Webster defines a process as:

1 a : progress, advance <in the process of time>

   b : something going on : proceeding

2 a (1) : a natural phenomenon marked by gradual changes that lead toward a particular result <the process of growth> (2) : a continuing natural or biological activity or function <such life processes as breathing> b : a series of actions or operations conducing to an end; especially : a continuous operation or treatment especially in manufacture.

We learned as a child how to brush our teeth, walk, and eventually ride a bike.  These processes took practice and determination to perfect.  A novice salesperson should constantly read new books, continually train with knowledgeable teachers, and diligently practice with the same resolve as a strong-minded child.  Come to think of it – experienced salespeople should do the same thing!!!   

 As an exercise, let’s look at a basic step-by-step approach to sales – The ever enduring 5 Steps To A (Anything) Sale:

1) Friendly greeting.

2) Assess needs.

3) Make recommendation.

4) Explain benefits and features.

5) Ask for the sale.

 If we left out step 2, we wouldn’t have any idea which product or service was right for the customer.  It would not help to push the two-car garage if the buyer’s main concern is the age of the roof.  Your job as a salesperson is to seek out what the customer wants.

 If we did not explain the benefits and features in Step 4, it would be impossible for the customer to differentiate our product or service from our competitor.  

 If we did not even ask the customer for the pleasure of his or her business…well, we probably should be doing something else for a living.

 Just as if we had forgotten to use a toothbrush while brushing our teeth, we could not be as effective as we should have been.

 BEWARE:  Do not allow yourselves to become slaves to any process just for the sake of the process.  If what you are doing ain’t working, you MUST try something else.  If the process gets in the way of customer communication, scrap it…amend it…modernize it (Read, train, practice).  Every sales process should enhance customer interaction, and keep a salesperson on track.  A process should NOT be there just to hook customers into buying something that will later regret.   

“We must first identify, before we can satisfy the customer’s proclivity…profitably”.

Copyright © Stephen Novak 2011 Rising Moon Publications. All rights reserved.

Flowers transcend the memory of shattered glass and bone;

Their point reflects the precious lives this world had called a home;

Sunrise, again; they conquer darkness, evil holds no sway;

our broken heats will forever grieve the thousands for we pray,  

‘till we abide with thee and close our eyes at the end of day.

                                                                                      Stephen Novak 2011

My thoughts and prayers go out to all the victims of the violent 9-11 terrorist attacks as well as all of the brave men and women serving abroad and within the borders of our homeland to make our lives secure.  S.N.

INTRIOT and KYRIE: Faure Requiem

Requiem aeternam dona eis,Domine:  Rest eternal grant them, Lord our God we pray to thee:

et lux perpetua luceat eis.                       And light perpetual forever shine on them.

Te decet hymnus, Deus in Sion:            Thou, O God, art worshipped in holy Sion:

et tibi reddetur votum in Jerusalem. Unto thee the vow shall be performed In Jerusalem.

exaudi orationem meam,                         Hear us, Lord, Lord hear thy servants’ prayer:

ad te omnis caro veniet.                            Lord, unto thee all flesh shall come.

Kyrie eleison.                      Lord have mercy.

Christe eleison.                   Christ have mercy.

Kyrie eleison.                       Lord have mercy.

Requiescat in Pace

Rest in Peace

By: Stephen Novak

There is NO magic bullet that will save your business. It has always boiled down to people working hard and taking proactive steps every day to separate their business and themselves from the average businessman or the average employee.
Honestly ask yourself, what are YOU doing to make YOUR business successful? And, if what you’re doing ain’t working – DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT!!! If you are running your business and selling your products/services the same way you did last year – you’re already a year behind!!!
1. Provide exceptional customer service every time. That’s one area where, I think, most of us would say “Hey Steve, We do a great job with customer service…our customers love us.” Really? Then why do only 8% of customers, when surveyed, agree? I challenge you to test this by having a friend, spouse, or someone you trust visit your business and report back to you. This will offer a unique customer point of view. This person should be unknown to your staff and willing to provide a candid assessment of how they were treated and how they felt about the overall transaction. Get them to comment on store cleanliness and, most importantly, would they return.
2. Make sure the frontend and backend of your business works like a well-oiled machine: Are the front counter and the service desk communicating the same message to your customers? Are your outside sales reps following through with logistics to make sure that the order went out on time? The owners and management must have the same bumper to bumper vision as the rest of the staff as to how a successful business looks and performs.
3. Cherish your loyal customers: Your return customers are your bread-and-butter. They are your greatest source of success. Because you have already established a good relationship with them, they usually take the least amount of effort to retain. Use that to your advantage (Not “Take Advantage Of”). They will more than likely come back to you if you ask them. Ask them to refer you to their friends.
4. Review your processes weekly: Continue to monitor your processes and/or procedures constantly. Make Adjustments if necessary. If any of your processes interfere with customer interaction or hinder your ability to build a relationship with customers – ELIMINATE THEM! If you have a customer focused business strategy that employs customer friendly processes or procedures, Follow them. If one/all of you have fallen off of the wagon and aren’t executing these processes and/or procedures correctly, get back on board!!! Help each other for continued growth. Each store should be agile enough to “juke” and “flex” to whatever is thrown at you. If you are having difficulty closing the sale…hand it off. If you overhear a poor phone presentation…offer to review the call or run scenarios to improve performance for the next call. If someone is having an off day, help them through it.
5. Reduce expenses: Everyone must be involved in eliminating waste: unproductive overtime, poorly maintained equipment, the A/C set on high all of the time, lights left on in vacant rooms, all lead to wasted dollars. Sometimes harder decisions must be made. If you are an owner or manager, you have to look at removing unproductive personnel. And, as an owner or manager, are YOU productive?
6. Don’t wait for customers to come to you: Roll up your sleeves – Swallow your pride – Get some courage and GET OUT THERE AND GROW YOUR CUSTOMER BASE!!! Meeting potential customers (And they are ALL potential customers) face to face will create a much more profound and lasting impression than any other form of advertising – Provided that you look and act as a professional.
7. Communicate with all of your customers: Ask questions. Find out what your customers truly want. Nurture those relationships. Ask for feedback often. We are all in this economy together – customers, owners, managers, and employees – and we will get ourselves to the other side together.
If you fail to thank your customers or invite them back, If you’re not a People Person or can’t find any value in relationships, if you fail to reduce expenses or continue to follow failed processes, or are too embarrassed to hold up a Picket (curb) sign if you are slow, or simply won’t carry out, at least, the basic things listed above then… prepare to fail!!!
Copyright © Stephen Novak 2011 Rising Moon Publications. All rights reserved.