June Small Biz Forward by Nancy Becher

VOL23 NO6

JUNE / $7.00

Marketing never ends because it never stops beginning.

It’s important to remember that no tactic alone will make your prospect pick up the phone — and any single tactic, no matter how on-target, will be forgotten without further follow-up. That’s why consistent and persistent outreach is crucial for establishing and maintaining your place in the market. Segue can guide you. Call for your no-cost consultation.

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Contents: 6

Providing Value. Nancy Becher

What Great Listeners Learn from the Knuckleball. Adam Fleming

Happy, Healthy Employees are LoyalEmployees.

Cindy Taylor

Jerry Sarno

Custoer Service: Personal Touch Michelle Perzan

Just Give ’Em a Pickle.

Why It’s OK to Fail.

Customer Service and Staying Safe. Ed Becher

Office to Office

Nancy Becher

Looking at the Future With a Plan. Barb Nicastro

It’s NotAll About You! Cindy Taylor

Resources

Nancy Becher

Being Connective. Gail M. Turluck

Nancy Becher

The Trump Effect! Women, Business & Life. Linda Fitzgerald

Customer Service. Nancy Becher

Executive Editor Nancy Becher Layout & Design Wayne Sheldon Advertising nancy@success4biz.biz Subscriptions: 701 N. Prairie Street Sturgis, Michigan 49091 (269) 651-3555 www.SmallBizForward.com info@success4biz.biz Twitter @smallbizjunkie Facebook www.facebook.com/ bsuconnector LinkedIn www.linkedin/in/nancybecher Small Biz Forward is published monthly by Celebrate Business Publishing, a division of Business Success Unlimited. ISN 2332-5887 No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted into any form by any means without written consent from the publisher. Unsolicited manuscripts and photographs will be returned only if accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. All letters sent to Small Biz Forward (SBF) will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication, copyright purposes and use are subject to SBF unrestricted right to edit and comment. © 2016 Celebrate Business Publishing | SBF 3

Office to Office. Have you ever had a customer service experience that was just not all it could be? I’m afraid that all too often the service we receive at a store or service provider is not something we would rank as 100%. My husband and I went to the local drive-in the other day and neither the food nor the service was anything to write home about. I have allergies and cannot eat seasoned French fries for one thing. Having been to this restaurant many times in past years, I knew they had GREAT fries. There was nothing on the menu to say they were seasoned and so I didn’t bother to ask (my fault, I know). When they came, of course, they were the seasoned variety. I asked when they had changed and was informed that I didn’t know what I was talking about. They had always been that way. When I told her I couldn’t eat them, she simply shrugged and said, “Sorry”. Needless to say, I didn’t get to eat my fries, but had to pay for them to go to waste. Sorry is right! One of the things that we, as business owners, should think about all the time, is unfortunately something we don’t think about often enough. And that’s the fact that without our customers we won’t be in business for long. And truthfully it is not difficult to provide good quality, friendly customer service. Throughout this month’s pages we will be sharing thoughts on ways to create raving fans and great customer relationships. I hope you enjoy June’s issue. Let us know what you think, and what you’d like to hear about in the future!

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SOAR HIGHER.

NANCY BECHER . STURGIS, MICHIGAN 49091 (269) 319-6041 . NANCY@SUCCESS4BIZ.BIZ . WWW.SUCCESS4BIZ.BIZ

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Providing Value. What is your business? Who are your clients? What do you sell and they buy? Is your marketing compelling, intriguing and persuasive? How do you get that message out to your public? And do you believe that anyone is your ideal client, or do you have an understanding of just who wants what you sell? » Nancy Becher

It’s not easy to answer these questions; you have to really sit down and spend time figuring out your mission and your vision. I was watching an episode of Kitchen Nightmares this morning where a mom and her two sons were running an Italian restaurant is small town Pennsylvania. The one son had a dream to be a chef, had spent time in Italy learning from chefs there and had then come back where mom bought him a restaurant. His dream had been fulfilled. Right? Well…the story continues. Mom was adamant that they only served fresh ingredients: yet, Chef Ramsey found bag after bag and box on top of box of frozen food in the freezer. But, mom argued, it was fresh when we froze it. So, when they cooked it, it was using fresh ingredients. Ok. I guess there’s some reasoning here!!?!? Yet, they couldn’t understand why nobody was coming into the restaurant. It was definitely NOT the food; it had to be the community didn’t understand the difference between fresh and not fresh. What? The point of this story for me is that the owner was totally unaware of her customer, her message and how it was being portrayed. Rather than understanding that she was saying something and providing something totally different was not only a turn off but to the people of the community a dishonest restaurateur who was pulling the wool over their eyes and making fun of them. I wouldn’t go into that place would you? So, I’m back again to asking you, who do you serve and what do you sell? This mom thought she was selling fresh, a reminder of home, the ability to travel to Italy without having to leave their home. A great experience. She wasn’t selling food. Does that make sense? And her target market was someone who wanted 6 SBF |

Who is your ideal customer? What is it that you sell? Are you providing the value that the customer is looking for?

to taste the true cooking of Italy. Someone who wanted to have a good meal that they didn’t have to cook themselves. Someone who was willing to pay for the experience without complaint or negative emotion. Was she getting that customer? No, but that wasn’t the customer’s fault. It was her’s. What does that mean for the business owner reading this blog? I ask the question again, Who is your ideal customer? What is it that you sell? Are you providing the value that the customer is looking for? If you want help figuring this all out, YOU are my ideal customer. What value do I provide? Increased revenues, happy customers, dreams fulfilled, and more success in your business. Are you ready to provide your customers with the value they are looking for? Give me a call, or check out my website at Executive Coaching–Business Success Unlimited.

Nancy Becher, CEO, Business Success Unlimited, Small Biz Forward Magazine, and Dream BIG Retreats, has been helping SMBs since she was 12 years old when she opened her first business, Things-N-Stuff, a craft retail store that she ran with her mom and sister. Her monthly magazine, Small Biz Forward, shares the writing of various entrepreneurs who have been there, done that, and are willing to share with others their successes and failures. You can find her on Facebook, LinkedIn and her various websites (www.success4biz.biz; www.smallbizforward.com; and www.dreamBIGretreat.com).

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Happy, Healthy Employees are Loyal Employees. Looking to cut corporate healthcare costs, improve employee productivity, employee retention and your company bottom-line with the wave of a magic wand? » Cindy Cohen

Sometimes to come to a new way of thinking does require what may seem like magic or depending on your workplace something more…a miracle. You might be surprised to know healthy, happy employees are loyal employees. Wellness programing communicates to your staff and their families you care about them. When you care about them, they care about the success of your company. With the right wellness program your employees can get healthier and the results can be measurable in as little as 12 weeks. No company is too small to begin wellness activities. Health and wellness program activities, products and services are available at little or no cost. Wellness programming is successful when the responsibility is shared by the employer and employee who are both engaged in the process of wellness. Wellness is what you do with your employees not to them. It’s important to understand and believe in the wellness process. By following the wellness process of creating a healthier lifestyle, everyone automatically gets healthier. Too many companies race into wellness programming, head straight for the results, and skip the process of how getting healthy works. For instance, weight loss. Many companies are focusing on weight loss as a wellness goal.

There are two ways to think about losing weight:

1. Focus on the end goal, the lost weight.

This is the “I’ll lose weight at any expense” program. This encourages starving, over exercising, increased personal and physical stress. The weight is lost which is the goal; only to discover a few months later, more is weight gained than lost. With this type of wellness goal, there is an increased of physical stress, disease risk, and sense of failure. In the end you’re back to where you started but worse, negatively affecting your work and personal life.

2. Focus on the process. A healthy lifestyle creates optimum weight-loss.

We all know adopting healthy lifestyle habits of making healthy food choices, increasing activity, getting plenty of sleep and reducing stress will result in weight loss. We know living a healthy life will create optimal health resulting in an increased sense of well-being and improved quality of life. We also know when overall health is improved we feel great at work, get more done, and go to the doctor less.

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Too many companies race into wellness programming, head straight for the results, and skip the process of how getting healthy works.

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Let’s take a look at what else we know about the process of creating wellness. We know if you follow a diet healthy diet, exercise, and reduce stress, you will reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, and other chronic diseases. We know when it comes to your health it’s better to do something than nothing at all. Let’s compare what we already know about us…to what works in a wellness program.

Here are 5 things we already know about us:

1. Pressure to achieve unrealistic goals results in unhealthy behaviors. 2. It’s hard to change habits alone. It’s easier in a group. 3. Education is a process. Learning happens over time. It’s not a one-time event. 4. Everyone learns differently. 5. Most companies don’t have on staff of health and wellness experts. Some don’t even have a human resource director to assign the job.

Here are 5 strategies we know works in a wellness program:

1. Focusing on participation results in supporting healthy behaviors – everyone joins in. 2. Responsibility for health that is shared between the employer and the employee is empowering. 3. Newsletters, health challenges, contests, and ongoing health events provide a series of exposures and continuous message increases participation.. 4. Counsel from a health coach engages the individual and support groups in developing healthy lifestyle habits. 5. A wellness expert (wellness company/broker) will reduce how much time it takes to set up, implement, evaluate and money spent on a wellness program. Instead of a series of wellness activities (the process) let’s look at designing a healthy work place that makes your employees healthier (the results). Don’t think you can afford a wellness program? For the first time in history, the majority of the work force is aging at the same time and more are sick and working longer. It seems every other day we are hearing about the next chronic disease epidemic, rising health care costs, and medical spending. Insurance companies are now refusing to provide insurance coverage for companies with a high claim rate for their sick employee population. Without a wellness program, you could be spending more money on medical expenses, taking away from the profit margin.

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You can’t afford not to have a wellness program. It now becomes a matter of when to get started. Companies who provide wellness programing not only cut healthcare costs by 25%, experience a 25% reduction in absenteeism and sick leave plus are 40% more productive at work. Ask yourself how many undeliverables or how many employees absent can your company afford before it negatively impacts your bottom-line. It’s never too late to get started. How about now? If your company doesn’t have a wellness program it may already be paying the price. Remember when it comes to being healthy, it’s better to do something than nothing at all. Start small, get everyone on board and do what works! Remember in just a few short weeks you will begin to develop healthy habits and a new excitement in your company. My dad used to read the story Aesop’s, “Tortoise and the Hare.” Maybe your mom or dad did too. The moral of the story is that the tortoise who is slow and steady wins the race. Getting out to an early fast start is one way to do it however it’s difficult to maintain for the long run resulting in a series of setbacks. Rather we recommend you to follow the example of the tortoise. Focus on getting a result-oriented wellness program going. Include everyone. Remember you are looking for a lifetime of healthy habits. Stick by your employees and they’ll stick by you. After all, you’re family. Your partner in health, Cindy Cohen RN, BS BA Health & Wellness Coach, Certified Health Coach www.CindyCohenRN.com

Insurance companies are now refusing to provide insurance coverage for companies with a high claim rate for their sick employee population.

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Would you agree that today customer service has really changed? We no longer get to talk to real people or have conversations, it seems that everything is touch tone and automated and it can be almost frustrating when all you want to do is ask someone a question. Âť Michelle Perzan

Customer Service: Personal Touch I personally miss the days of being able to call a company or business and have an actual person answer the phone and ask what they could do to help me. Call me old fashion, or just old, however I sure do miss that personal touch! Whatever business you are in, customer service is a vital part of your business because without the customer, you have no business! Whether you have a brick and mortar store or you work from home, customer service is key. How the customer perceives their treatment to be is their reality and when you take care of them, appreciate them and acknowledge them, their word of mouth will go a lot further than you thinkâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;especially these days when everything is word of mouth and social media. That being said, because everything is so advanced and on social media now, what can we do as business owners to stand out and give outstanding customer service? Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d love to share two small things that I do that have helped me and I believe give that old fashioned personal touch that many customers feel they are missing. First one is, pick up the phone and call your customer. When do you think the last time was that your customer received a personal phone call from someone they did business with thanking them and not asking them for more business?

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When I receive a hand written card, that shows the person really took time for me and I appreciate it.

That phone call will be personal, it will make you and your business stand out and because you do take the time to call them, they will tell their friends and not only do business with you again, but refer people to you. You may be swamped and not have the time to do something like that, however could you have another employee follow up with customers or even hire someone a few hours a week, just to do thank you calls and see if the customer has any questions? There are many responsible teenagers and college students that are about to be out for the summer, hiring someone for 2-5 hours a week would be affordable and will add value to your customers. One more thing that I believe adds a personal touch is a hand written thank you card. It can be right after they become a customer or after you do some work for them, however it can also be every 3 months or every 6 months, just to say thank you for being a loyal customer and that they are appreciated. Nowadays everything is automated, and there is nothing personal about anything. Phone calls are automated; letters are generated in bulk along with emails. When I receive a hand written card, that shows the person really took time for me and I appreciate it. Would you feel the same? Would your customer? When we take time as business owners to differentiate ourselves from others that’s when the magic happens. When we put the customer first and treat them the way they want to be treated, it changes everything. As humans, we like attention, we like being appreciated and being noticed. When we receive a call, and it’s not because the person is trying to sell us something and they just want to acknowledge us and when we receive a thank you card and it’s just for that reason, to appreciate us, it changes how we feel. We are far more inclined to call that business for follow up business and we will be so excited that we were appreciated that we will tell our family and friends.

The best type of advertising for any business is word of mouth and when you have your customers talking about you and advertising for you, because of your customer service and how you treated them, your business will explode naturally. Customer service takes practice, it is ongoing and it’s something that we as business owners must do with every customer. Just as we appreciate that personal touch and appreciation when we do business with others, our customers feel the same way. There are many ways to raise your customer service, for me, adding that personal touch has made a difference. Hopefully if you are not already doing these two things, you can easily implement them and you will have your customers telling all of their friends about how amazing you are! Michelle is an entrepreneur and stay at home mom who has a part time energy business. She used to do customer service training in Canada and now works with her fellow business partners to obtain their goals through her business. She was a collaborating author in a best selling Amazon book called Emerge: Real Stories of Courage and Truth in 2015. Michelle is in the editing process of her own book to be released this fall which is about encouraging and helping people who are going through any trial or tribulation to find strength in their storm through faith and perseverance. In this book she tells her own story of perseverance through breast cancer and it is her passion to speak to others to encourage and inspire them. You can reach Michelle at www.michelleperzan.com

When we take time as business owners to differentiate ourselves from others that’s when the magic happens.

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Just give ’em a pickle. Literally? Huh? What you talkin’ bout? Why would I want to give anyone a pickle? » Nancy Becher

No, I’m not seriously telling you to get out the pickle jar and hand someone a dill spear. What I am saying is that in terms of customer service, in order to have the BEST relationship you can with your customers, turning them into raving fans, you have to do just that little bit more, that unexpected, pleasurable action that creates a fan for life. Let’s step back a minute and look at how many businesses are run. I have an excellent example right here. There’s a restaurant in my hometown that I eat at once in a while. It is owned by a friend of my parents and a colleague of mine. When you walk in you are greeted with smiles and “how are you today”. Small talk and pleasantries are passed. Food is good and you leave with a full belly.

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Well, my husband and I went in for lunch the other day. But you know how you get feelings of something not quite right? Our friend wasn’t there to greet us. New people were everywhere. The waitress asked us what we wanted to drink, but nothing came to the table. We had to repeat our drink order three times before we got it. Then, she upended a basket of Mexican chips all over the people in the next booth and laughed at it. The food, when delivered, was cold and not very tasty. There was definitely something not right here. And then, we get the waitress telling us we had to sign for two separate checks as they rang up the order wrong first and then rerang it. Huh? I paid twice. And then was told that they had tried to void it but it didn’t go through right. When asked where the owner was— well there was a NEW owner, and he wasn’t there. Sorry. End of story.

You can have a terrific product that solves a big problem but if you don’t have customers you aren’t going to have a big influx of dollars, you are going to lose all but first time customers.

Now, here’s where the pickle comes in. There’s a restaurant in Seattle, Washington (it used to be a national chain at one time) called Ferrell’s Restaurant and Ice Cream Parlor. And they were known not only for great ice cream but for GREAT pickles. One day a customer came in and ordered his usual lunch and asked for his additional pickles. The waitress, new to the restaurant, told him, “I’m sorry. I can’t give you a side order of pickles, but I can sell you some for 75 cents”. This infuriated the regular customer who in turn wrote to the head of the restaurant. “Mr. Ferrell, if you’re telling your staff to do things like this now, you’ve lost a lot of loyal customers.” Ferrell, on hearing this, got so upset that he started the slogan for the business, “Just give ‘em a pickle.” Of course this meant, give your customers EXTRA SPECIAL SERVICE. And when you do, you’ll create raving customers for life.

Ask yourself what is the most important thing in your business. You can have many different answers. Money, good employees, a great product—all of them are terrific responses. But, to me, I believe that customer service is the one and only true answer and I’ll tell you why. You can have a terrific product that solves a big problem for your customers. Great. You can have decent employees that show up for work on time, do their job, and show respect for the owner and the business, (I could go on, but I bet you get the idea), but if you don’t have customers (returning customers, and those who provide you with great references and referrals), you aren’t going to have a big influx of dollars, you are going to lose all but first time customers, and you won’t be happy with your business for long. You need to be sure

that you are providing people with experiences that bring them back over and over. Experiences that they can’t wait to tell other people about, and experiences that provide high quality products and services. When you give them that pickle, they will be satisfied for life. Stay tuned for ideas on how to get out of your comfort zone, offer things that make for exciting adventures for your customers and bring them back again and again.

Portrait of Tao Yuanming by Chen Hongsho

Back to the story of my lunch—I called the restaurant back and asked to leave a message for this new owner. Thankfully, he called back and was very apologetic. He told me he would even drive to my house to give me my money back. He was so upset by his staff that he was going to sit them

down and explain how service was to be handled from then on. Whether this happened or not, I don’t know; but I was impressed by his offer to meet me wherever. That was a sign of his caring about his customers. I think I’ll give them another try after all!

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It is the thoughts of one woman in business after observing the almost miraculous candidacy of a man who has never been in the professional political arena before. But a person who has an exceedingly heightened sense about business, brand, marketing and a target audience that each of us could only hope to capture—and put to work for our own phenomenal rise to success. » Linda Fitzgerald

The Trump Effect! Women, Business & Life. Disclaimer: This is not a political post.

Yet Trump’s awesome success in the business world and what is rapidly becoming similar success in the political arena, is not the theme of this post. In fact, the title of the post has been sitting in draft form since it occurred to me months ago. Sitting idle while I discovered specifically what is the “Trump Effect” for me professionally and personally! Strange how heavenly PAPA has a way of permitting life events to arise in anticipation that we’ll connect the proverbial dots. The events of the past week or so connected the “Trump Effect” dots for me as it relates to me as a woman. And me as a woman in business. A woman with a sense of life mission ordained by my PAPA God! The story of discovery goes like this… For several months I had been haunted by the extremely negative words of a person—perhaps more than one but that has yet to be revealed. Not just the words, but the inference that something is seriously wrong with my character. Now that’s a heavy dose of sh*t for a woman who always questions self before questioning others.

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Now that’s a heavy dose of sh*t for a woman who always questions self before questioning others.

The person doing the scolding is not someone I know well, but all indications have been she is of the same spiritual mindset as myself and most of the women who hang out in our emerging “tribe” as Seth Godin describes a “tribe”. So I didn’t take her verbal blast lightly. The words hung on me like a shroud that wouldn’t go away. In fact, I began to question almost everything in my personal life, but especially with regard to business life. I permitted the nastiness to impact my self-concept—something one would not expect for a woman in the vintage prime of life… As if that wasn’t all; there was another situation that I permitted to further erode my self-confidence and conviction that I’m a woman of strong positive character who has a great deal to offer my sphere of influence! In the midst of this personal firestorm, came the primary elections. And we all know how those can get—especially when you have a number of folks intent on winning. I watched the blistering attacks that felled first one and then another on the “R” side of the aisle. But I was especially drawn to the vitriol dished out on one Donald Trump. Of course, he could dish it right back and I admire that. CONTINUED »

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Admired what I was too timid to do on my own behalf. But watching and marveling didn’t ease the pain I felt in my spiritual marrow. I marveled at Mr. Trump’s ability to throw off personal and professional attacks without a hint of torn self-confidence. As the zingers became uglier he became stronger and more resolute. Even had the courage to back away from some of his remarks which he felt might have been a bit over the line at the time they were uttered. Culmination came this week! As I was getting a sense of the “Trump Effect” for my own life; I experienced another attack on my character from the same person. It rocked my esteem momentarily until I realized that perhaps PAPA God was pointing out something very important about Mr. Trump and his ability to rise above the fray unscathed while standing up for himself. Something significantly important for me in my specific situation. In fact, perhaps the “Trump Effect” has the same important impact for many of the business women in our tribe—and beyond… One doesn’t have to like the Donald to take something positive away from his presence on the national-international scene. Here’s what I’m taking away as the important “effect” it has for me: 1. Assurance/Self Assurance – A sense of knowing who I am, warts, wrinkles, freckles and all and knowing I’m okay anyway. 2. Confidence – self confidence that although not perfect, the core of my character is positioned rightly for the important people in my life. Especially for my heavenly PAPA who is the most important Person in my life! 3. Pride - pride in what I do and how I do it. Not that I do it perfectly, but that I have lived a lot of life; learned a lot over the years and do some things well enough to help others do them well too.

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4. Strength – the kind that doesn’t let personal attacks get beneath the epidermis of my spirit. 5. Stand Up for self – I could do an entire “Women’s Sunday Series” on this one (and I may). When someone hits us well below the spiritual belt it’s right and proper to search to find out if the speck is in my eye - and do that first. But it’s not healthy to let that end the situation. What is healthy is to do the kind and merciful thing - which is answer the attack from a position of strength with the courage to speak the unvarnished TRUTH directly and honestly. That is doing so with love! 6. Tough Mind/Tender Heart – Business success requires a tough mind. So does being a strong woman of God. And the two are not mutually exclusive. In fact, when I fail to cultivate a tough mind, I am less likely to be tenderhearted because I fail to love myself with Godly honesty. I’m sure there’s more but these 6 are the most salient and uppermost in my reflections on the “Trump Effect” as it relates to me, my life and recent life experiences. Let me ask you a question as I wind up this post: “What if anything do you find in your life - personal, professional or both—that could use a little of the Trump Effect as I’ve noted above?” Good exercise in which to engage, learn and grow. Our success depends on it… Linda S. Fitzgerald, CEO & Visionary Partner, A Women’s Place Network, Inc. dba, Affiliated Women International, Home of the Neighborhood Boutiques community, and COFFEE in the NEIGHBORHOOD, The Neighborhood and Neighborhood Boutiques at Facebook

Information for the World’s Business Leaders says in an online article: “executives often find that retreats are prime opportunities to regroup and recharge. They may loathe

Fresh Perspectives and New Insights to Help Grow Your Business leaving the office, but executives attending effective retreats end up feeling that their time is used wisely; what they lose in time, they gain in contacts or knowledge.” It seems that for most of us at least, we are busy, Busy, BUSY trying to make money, grow our businesses, and still have a high quality of life with our family and friends. But, if you’re like me, that’s not always what winds up happening.

For many of us, I’ll bet we get so involved in our day-to-day work IN our businesses, that we don’t take time to sit back and think about what we really want from our businesses. We need to focus on the workings OF our business. Bill Taylor in his article Mind Your Own Business. Really, Mind Your Business, says “Professionals must find time …to work on their practice and focus on developing new business.” He says, “If they don’t, it can lead to missed opportunities, errors, and sub-par results.” The whole point of a retreat is to take a break from the daily grind. To not feel like you’re juggling eight things while standing on one leg and trying to put out a fire across the room. And here’s your opportunity to do just that—to meet and network with new and old colleagues (maybe even find a

new customer…), to get some new ideas for your business and maybe even—just maybe—do a little relaxing. October 13 through 15, 2016 are the dates for the yearly Business Success Unlimited business retreat —this year entitled “Dream BIG Business.” It’s all about taking the time to work ON your business and there will be plenty of time for just that. Saturday (day 2.5) will give you time to work on your business—with the help of experts there to focus on YOU. For each person that you bring with you, you get a discount off your fee. The registration form can be found at: DreamBigRetreat.com If you want more information, you can always give me (Nancy a call at (269) 319-6041 as well. I look forward to seeing you there. | SBF 19

YAY! The business planning period is over. You know what you want to do and you know that people want what you are selling. It’s time to start your business. » Nancy Becher

Customer Service. Have you decided that you’re going to do the work out of your home? Do you need an office or other facility to do the work? There are so many things that we have to remember when we are offering a service or a product to a customer base. Let’s say you’re going to be working at home. All you have to do then is find someplace to set up your office. Preferably it will be a place away from the main thoroughfare of the household. Perhaps you can convert the garage. Maybe you have a spare bedroom, or a corner of the basement away from the noise and hub-bub of the rest of the family. When you’re working, it is important that you are able to think and concentrate on what you should be doing—not focusing on the children, or cooking dinner, or cleaning the house. One thing that I highly recommend (and so does the IRS), if you have your office at home, you should have a separate phone line that is used just for business. Answer the phone professionally, with the name of your business. Do NOT allow your children to answer the phone. If you can’t be there to answer, either have the phone go to voice mail or find an answering service to answer the phone for you. You can also have your calls forwarded to a cell phone, but that’s not always the best answer either. We’ll talk about that more in a minute.

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No matter what line of business you’re in, customer service must be uppermost in your mind, for it’s only with good customer service that you get, and keep, your best clients.

Why is this so important? Called Customer Service, it gives people the idea that you care about them and want to serve them in the best way possible. How many of you can say that you enjoy listening to the rounds of “your call is very important to us” when you call a business on the phone? The other day I got caught in the never ending cycle of such an ordeal when I was trying to discuss an issue of concern with my—you guessed it—phone company. The total duration of this waking nightmare was, count it, 53 minutes of being placed on hold, listening to the message playing over and over that my call was very important and someone would be with me shortly. Then it went through the same cycle again, only this time in Spanish. When, finally, I got to speak to a real live human being, I was told that I had reached the wrong department and they would transfer me. Whoosh, before you knew it, I was right back in phone limbo again. ARGHHHHH! Has this ever happened to any of you? It’s not very pleasant is it? It seems, though, that almost all of the big businesses in this country have begun using these techniques. Is it because they only have one person answering 30 calls a minute and can’t afford to hire another phone representative? Or is it a marketing ploy to get you to listen to all the commercials for the business, selling you new products and services? What could any justifiable reason be to keep someone on hold 53 minutes? I know, for me at least, it didn’t make me any CONTINUED »

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fonder of the phone company. In fact, I couldn’t wait to start looking for a new service provider. How about you? How would you react to such treatment?

May I Help You?

No matter what line of business you’re in, customer service —and that’s what this is—must be uppermost in your mind, for it’s only with good customer service that you get, and keep, your best clients.

like “let’s get what we came for and get out!” If you have a question, can you find someone to answer it for you or do you, instead, find yourself buying something that you then have to return later because it didn’t do what you thought it would? And then, just thinking about that return policy makes you shudder.

If you’re home-based, do you return calls within 24 hours? Do you answer the phone politely and professionally, or do you find yourself hollering at the kids to stay quiet, you’re on the phone? These are just a few of the many things that people often do without thinking about it when they are running a small business.

A business needs customers—we all know that. But without good customer service, it becomes much harder to retain the loyalty of those the business needs the most. This is a simple concept but it seems that all too often it is forgotten in the daily bustle. We, as consumers, are noticing the lack of concern on the part of business. While I was in a large bookstore chain the other day, I was looking through the business section and saw an entire shelf of books with names like “Building Customer Loyalty” and “The Customer Driven Company”. These books throw around words like customer satisfaction, commitment and good service. The old phrase, “the customer is always right” comes into play as well. Customer loyalty is essential to the success of any business. These words find us, I’m sure, nodding our heads in agreement. This is what we want from our businesses.

Everyone talks about customer service. All the big busi nesses tell us that they have the best customer service, but when you walk into the door of their store, how do you, the customer, feel? Do you feel welcome? OR do you feel

An excellent example of customer service/loyalty can be seen in recent activty by Zappos.com and by Viking Office Supplies. Check out their websites and Google their businesses and customer service. You’ll see what I mean!

How do clients come to you? If you’re a retail establishment, they probably walk in your front door. Are they greeted with a hello, and “I’ll be with you in just a moment” (and that moment is within the next 3-5 minutes)? Or are they left to their own devices while you work on something else for what can seem an eternity to the one waiting?

Building a business is as challenging as anything I have ever done. I want to surround myself with other business owners who want to design their future! KIMBERLY HARTKE PUBLICIST

Visit DreamBigRetreat.com or call Nancy at (269) 319-6041 for information.

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By Business Success Unlimited

Another in the Dream Big series!

Learn, Plan, Grow

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In honor of summer, and the fact that my favorite baseball team, the Chicago White Sox, have begun the season with the best record in the American League over the first month of play (22-10 on May 9th), I decided this short article is appropriate. Go Sox! » Adam Fleming

What Great Listeners Learn from the Knuckleball. What is a ‘listening posture’? We know that it refers to a mental or spiritual attitude, but what is it like: Standing, sitting, lying prone? A baseball catcher spends much of his career in a crouch or squat. Many of the greatest baseball coaches were former catchers, because of way their role on the field prepares them for the coaching job. They are often said to be the on-field coach. The catcher has several jobs. The first is to call for a pitch, so they set things in motion. (The coaching question.) The second is to catch the pitch. (Hear the answer.) If they fail to catch the pitch, it can mean disaster. So the alternative is to knock the ball down. It’s not ideal, but it can keep a runner from scoring. If the catcher misses the ball and a runner scores, the team may even lose the game. Ironically, the pitcher is the one who is said to have “won” or “lost” the game. But much credit is often due this on-field coach. The hardest pitch to catch is the knuckleball. This throw involves putting no spin on the ball so that the ambient air may direct the ball, herky-jerky, up, down or to the side. It can be nearly impossible to hit, but is also

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very difficult to catch, because the catcher can’t anticipate its direction; it doesn’t go fast, but it doesn’t go straight. The pitcher can’t spend his time worrying about whether or not the ball will be caught. A knuckleballer puts a great deal of concentration into the pitch. It can be impossible to hit, yes, but when thrown incorrectly it can also be the easiest pitch for a batter to hit. A listening posture is that crouch: the listener, like a catcher, must be ready to catch the expected or knock down the unexpected so that you can pick it up and toss it back to the speaker. A really good listener, like a confident catcher, is always calling for the knuckleball. Give me the unexpected, and I’ll knock it down, toss it back to you…and help you turn it into a win. This article is typical of the sorts of things you’ll find in my book The Art of Motivational Listening: Creative Ideas for Effective Leaders, Entrust Source Publishers ©2015, available on Amazon, at Entrustsourcepublishers.com or at AdamGFleming.com.

A really good listener, like a confident catcher, is always calling for the knuckleball.

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Why It’s OK to Fail. Great American inventor and businessman Thomas Edison was a trailblazer. He is remembered for his groundbreaking innovation, having developed the long-lasting incandescent light bulb, phonograph and motion picture camera. » Jerry Sarno

His legacy is the 1,000 patents he had to his name. What we don’t hear about is the fantastic number of failures he experienced in his lifetime. Edison preferred to view his botched ideas in a different light, once saying, “I have not failed. I have just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” He’s not alone. Walt Disney was once fired from a newspaper job for lacking creativity. He even declared bankruptcy after one of his first animation studios tanked. Colonel Harland David Sanders was fired from a myriad of jobs and didn’t start frying chicken until he was in his 40s. He hit the road after a failed business attempt, living in his car while attempting to peddle his recipe. At age 62, his efforts culminated in the creation of one of the most recognizable franchises in history.

Humans often overestimate how much future failure will sting. The fear of the imagined failure is almost always worse than the reallife event.

Speaking of Kentucky Fried Chicken, Chinese entrepreneur Jack Ma couldn’t even land a job at the franchise that opened in his hometown. He also failed his college entrance exam three times and was passed over for 30 jobs. He went on to found e-commerce site Alibaba, which pulls in over $75 billion in revenues annually. It took James Dyson 5,128 tries to get the Dyson Dual Cyclone Vacuum just right. He could have thrown in the towel after the fifth or 500th attempt, but he pressed on instead of dwelling on his missteps. Now his net worth is creeping toward $5 billion and his company has added fans, heaters, hair dryers, lighting and accessories to its line-up. “We have to embrace failure and almost get a kick out of it,” Dyson told Entrepreneur.com. “Not in a perverse way, but in a problem-solving way. Life is a mountain of solvable problems and I enjoy that.” It’s this type of mindset that psychologists say can help us cope with a cycle of setbacks. University of Kent professors Dr. Joachim Stroeber and Dr. Dirk Janssen conducted a study where 149 students recorded their biggest failures

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each day, including details on how they worked through the failure and their resulting mood. The study found subjects remained positive when they utilized three distinct coping mechanisms: positive reframing, acceptance and humor. On the flip side, denial, venting and seeking out social support did little to lift the subjects’ spirits.

When J.K. Rowling started writing the first Harry Potter book, she received countless rejection letters from publishers. Fresh out of a failed marriage and living as a single mother on welfare, she had many days when she nearly gave up. In retrospect, she now considers those early flops as gifts that were “painfully won.”

“It’s no use ruminating about small failures and setbacks and drag yourself further down,” Stroeber was quoted as saying. “Instead it is more helpful to try to accept what happened, look for positive aspects and—if it is a small thing—have a laugh about it.”

“It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all—in which case, you fail by default,” Rowling said. Sometimes the biggest failure is doing nothing at all. What are you waiting for? It’s time to get it wrong so one day you have a chance to get it right.

There is no arguing that rejection hurts. In fact, the same areas of the brain light up when we face rejection and physical pain. Thousands of years ago, being rejected by your tribe meant losing warmth, food supply and the protection of the group. It would kill you. That is why we’re hardwired to avoid rejection, say evolutionary psychologists.

Remember, implementing the following three strategies will help you recover from failure quickly while maintaining a positive attitude: Positive reframing – Look for the good in what has happened.

Humans are crummy at gauging the strength of their emotions and often overestimate how much future failure will sting. The fear of the imagined failure is almost always worse than the real-life event. Keeping facts like this in mind—and balanced by remembering all the things we’ve done right—can help give us the courage to forge ahead.

Acceptance – Realize failure is normal and part of the process. Humor – Make light of your situation and have a laugh.

I picked up several great ideas at the Dream Big Retreat and put them into action. As a result, our 4th Quarter was 83% above our 3rd Quarter. DAVID KEENAN

OWNER, AFFORDABLE HEARING STORE

Visit DreamBigRetreat.com or call Nancy at (269) 319-6041 for information.

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It’s Not All About You! No matter what kind of business you are in, you have people that you serve. Yes...serve. Have you ever thought about it that way?

my needs and I come off looking desperate. How do you feel when you realize someone is desperate to make a deal with you? I know how I feel…I feel used. This is not about building a long term relationship anymore…it is about the quick sale. That is not long-term planning.

» Cindy Taylor

As you meet each customer (and potential customers), it is a good goal to determine how to keep in touch and continue to build a long term relationship. You can keep in touch with newsletters or emails, but the best way to build a REAL relationship is to use your voice! Again, I look at it from the customer point of view. If I were to get a phone call from someone, asking me how I am enjoying the product I purchased and if I had any questions, I would be happy to talk to them. The intent of the call is not to sell me more (although if the customer initiates the sale, that is fine) it is simply to make sure they are pleased, plain and simple. I would definitely get in touch when I need more of their product or service.

If I make it about my need for a sale, I am only thinking about my needs and I come off looking desperate.

Even if you simply sell goods to someone, you are, in fact, serving them. When you sell them on your product or services, you have the opportunity to leave a lasting impression on them. Here is why you want it to be a positive one!

1. Make them happy.

The simplest way to do this is to under promise and over deliver. Such a simple act can change everything for your clients. I always try to view the sales experience from the customer’s view. How would I feel if I expected a product in 3 weeks and it arrived in 2? How would I feel if I expected coaching and included is unlimited email access AND links to articles that answer some of my specific challenges. I would be happy…and happy customers refer other customers!

2. Check your attitude.

So much of the relationship in business is about attitude. Even before starting to talk to a potential client, I always want to check my attitude. I remind myself that my job is to see how I can help them solve their particular problem. I need to make it all about them. If I make it about my need for a sale, I am only thinking about

3. Build a relationship.

As you can see, there are simple things that can be done to be of service to your customer. Your goal is to leave that lasting, good, impression on them so you turn them into customers for life… and that is good for everyone.

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Customer Service and Staying Safe. As I have said many times and will say again “we live in a crazy world which seems to get crazier every day.” With that being said, one just needs to look at the news to confirm this statement. Now consider this thought and then we will continue… » Ed Becher

‘You are meeting a client at the local mall’s food court when you hear shots ring out and people start running. Your client had just sat down when all this started, and your client is an older gentleman who uses a cane to help him get around. Now think about this carefully: what are your actions? 1) Run, every person for themselves. 2) Find a safe location for you and your client to shelter in place. 3) Help your client evacuate the mall. I will say this, if you want to keep this gentleman as your client, I would try ether 2 or 3, with finding a safe location being my first choice due to his inability to ambulate quickly. While our desire to have a client spend their money on our products or services, how far will it go if you keep them safe in a hazardous situation. They will most likely be extremely thankful for your thoughtfulness in keeping them and you safe. Not only have you possibly made a

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client for life but most likely they will pass your thoughtfulness on to others and you will gain more clientele. Remember what word of mouth will get you. Customer service is not always about just getting that order to a client or providing them with the best service that your business does. Keeping them safe can also go a long way in winning them over as a client. This does not have to be as in the scenario above but it could just be in saying ‘NO’ to the location they chose for the meeting. You just may know something about the location they wish to hold the meeting at that they are not aware of. Many of us give small giveaways out at vendor events, like pens, note pads and the like -- ever consider giving away a small flashlight or even a door wedge with your company logo and information on it? Flashlight? Door wedge? What is one item I stress should be in everyone’s every day carry? A flashlight right? Remember even when we are inside a building and the lights go out, it will get dark. Now for the door wedge, how many of you have ever stayed in a hotel, and the front desk screws up and gives someone else a key

Customer service is not always about just getting that order to a client or providing them with the best service that your business does.

to your room. I always stress double locking the door, but now you have a third way to keep that door secure, or even open if you need to. They even make them with an alarm on them if someone should push forcefully on the door. Keeping our clients safe when we attend events, or more importantly events you host need to be on the list. Some things to look at might include exits, lighting, are the carpets and throw rugs secure and not bunched up. At vendor events, you would want to look at the vendor set-ups to ensure it’s not going to cause a safety issue. Remember your reputation and that of your event can be harmed if something were to happen during the event. We all want the event to go off without any issues and it is our responsibility to make sure that happens. How about that one-on-one meeting we are going to hold with a potential big named client? They give you the name of a restaurant in a not so safe neighborhood. What do you do? Do you recommend a change of restaurant or go ahead and meet them? Keep in mind that if something happens, your chance of gaining this client may just evaporate and leave you without that big account. Changing the location is the best choice, if this client is coming from out of town they may not know about local problem areas, or they could even be testing you. Yes, there are clients out there who will test you to see how much you really want their business. One of the biggest things I always stress in these articles is situational awareness. Knowing what is going on around you, staying in the “yellow”. This should not just be when meeting this potential client, or hosting or attending a vendor event. On a day to day basis we should be practicing and employing our situational awareness, looking to see

who is paying attention to us, and quite possibly who is paying attention to who we are meeting with. Keep in mind it’s not always about you, but others around you could be the target of someone’s attention and maybe even their aggression. Many of you travel both domestically and internationally for either business or pleasure, but how many of you go and turn off this ‘situational awareness’ with the mindset that “I am on vacation, nothing could possibly happen”. When we are away from our normal stomping grounds this is when we need to step up the game a little bit, even if we are meeting this new client on their home turf. Remember, it is their home turf, how much do you know about the neighborhood that you will be going into. These trips to meet new clients or attend vendor shows and conferences out of town are great ways to meet and potentially win new clients. They are also times when we need to do our homework before we make that trip and check out not only the venue but the potential client. By doing your due diligence may save you from some embarrassing situations. We all know how much information (and disinformation) we can find on the internet, but find sites that you can trust. For international travel I highly recommend the US Department of States website; (http:// www.state.gov/travel/) along with the Central Intelligence Agency’s World Fact Book (http://www.cia.gov/library/ publications/the-world-factbook/). Pay close attention to the news prior to your trip and try to stay up to date on activities going on, this includes trips here within the United States. How would it make you look to set up a meeting with that potential client at a spot where there was a biker gang rally going on the same time, or with this being an election year a political rally and all roads leading to your meeting are closed by law enforcement. This is where using the internet to check on the local news for where you are going will come in very handy. Till next time, stay safe and stay aware! Ed Becher, (Ret.) US Marine and Former Chief Instructor, US Dept. of State, Uniformed Branch, Diplomatic Security Service is the owner of Center for Protection, Security and Personal Safety (The Bodyguard Academy) which is a provider of training and resources to keep you, your staff and clients safe. He can be contacted at ed@thebodyguardacademy.com or by phone at (269) 651-3355.

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YOUR SAFETY. OUR CALLING. With the summer coming, what will your travel plans be? Will they be safe

plans? Let us provide you, your family, or your employees with the guidance for safe travel—domestic or international.

Located in historic Sturgis, Michigan, the Center for Protection, Security

and Personal Safety can help you in many ways and not just by providing your staff with the training they need. We are available to provide short-

or long-term protective services, security audits, and surveillance detection services. Additionally, we offer: • Personal Safety Seminars • Travel Safety

• Personal Protection Specialist 7-Day Program • Low Profile Executive Protection

• One-On-One Executive Protection

Contact ed@thebodyguardacademy.com or (269) 421-1735 32 SBF | www.TheBodyGuardAcademy.com

Being Connective. When small business owners hear the term “Customer Service” they might think of standing in line at JCPenney with an item to return, the crummy job the carpet cleaning company did the last time, or how amazed they were when a facility they visit frequently was extra shiny, polished and clean. » Gail M. Turluck

While those two words are beaten to death, maybe a change in word choice to “Client Courtesy Management” may help inspire a profound experience, from beginning to end. To ensure a great Client Courtesy Management situation, the business owner needs to step back and view his or her business from the viewpoint of the customer. Analyze the starting point. Do customers come by referral, web site, social media, other businesses or how? When an initial contact is made, is as much done as possible to acquire a connection with that person? Is his or her name, address, email and phone number acquired? Are they personally welcomed? Are they asked if there is anything more they might be helped with? Working to share benefits from what you do and how it can help this new contact is far more effective today than the hard sell. Try to discover, even through electronic means, the need that has caused the person to make the contact with your business. Once you know what the issue is, solution management is key.

Followup is the bright difference between just a sale and developing a client for life.

When the solution is found, then implementation occurs. Most times your business will be part of this situation if Client Courtesy Management is being handled properly. At implementation, it’s critical that your work commence on time and be completed as agreed. If there are any hiccups, an immediate apology and a plan for remediation is critical. Working to make the final outcome even better than normal is important here. Your business’ reputation is at stake and must be preserved. Once in place, it’s important that education on the use, where improvements or upgrades may be possible, how to repair and maintain, and at the conclusion of its useful life, proper disposal. Properly handled and scheduled this can lead to a recommitment and further business from the client at each step in the process. Getting feedback is very helpful. Sometimes handing a feedback form or emailing a link to one as soon as the job is completed is the best way to acquire this information. Sometimes the client needs a couple weeks to use a system and determine if it meets their expectation and doing the feedback step at that point might be more appropriate.

Follow-up is the bright difference between just a sale and developing a client for life. Within two to four weeks there should be a follow up telephone call to see how the product performed or is performing. Ask if there are any questions? As long as things are going well, also ask if any of their friends have said something or asked about the product. This is the perfect time to gently work towards a referral. After this point, a monthly or quarterly contact, via email, mail or phone, is good to keep your business front of their mind for similar needs in the future. Create a written plan for your business for Client Courtesy Management. Be as detailed and step-by-step oriented as possible. It should be a part of your business’ marketing plan. That plan should be reviewed annually, at a minimum. A bright outlook with a focus on your clients can only lead to great outcomes and developing that perfect connectivity with the client for the long term. Gail M. Turluck is the President of Connective Marketing of Richland, Michigan. Connective Marketing offers communications services including writing, e-newsletters, newsletters, web site content writing and updating service, editing, proofreading; Send Out Cards; the Body by Vi Project 10; and more on a contract or consulting basis. She may be contacted at gail@connectivemarketingllc.com or by visiting www. connectivemarketingllc.com.

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Resources:

If you want to keep up on business news www.smallbusiness.com is a great place to start with the headlines. There are categories for managing, starting, and more. Each category has articles that pertain to those particular topics.

the form of a question—a question with an easy answer to get people started. Even “Yes” or “No” questions often get comments. Also, remember the value of inviting people to visit your page in your post.

Another site that gives you quick tips on questions you might have with running your business is: www.smallbusinessnotes.com.

For example: Do you have a Facebook Business page? Yes or No? Please comment and let all our YBNF friends know about your page. Also, please feel free to visit our page, click on the NOTES tab to find more tips to help you with your Facebook Business page at: www.facebook.com/YourBusiness NeedsFans

If you’re a business in Michigan, check out the Small Business Association of Michigan www.sbam.org. There’s a free directory to get listed and to find other businesses located in the state. They have an interesting radio podcast that has guest speakers and talks about what’s happening in the business world in Michigan. It’s a great place to hang out if you want news and views on being in business in Michigan. YBNF TIP: Ask a Question Best way to increase the number of people who are seeing your page in their newsfeed is to get others to comment on your posts. Why not write your post in

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It’s important that you, as a small business owner, don’t feel isolated. We work better in the company of others. When we share ideas and goals, dreams and values, our businesses prosper. NANCY BECHER

BUSINESS SUCCESS UNLIMITED & FOUNDER OF DREAM BIG RETREAT

Visit DreamBigRetreat.com or call Nancy at (269) 319-6041 for information.

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