The best sales traits include caring for customers, asking great questions, following a system and being persistent
The snow in 1979 was record breaking and it was still piled high in our yard late into the spring. My brother Rob was so anxious to see the green grass that he decided to sell the snow. He drafted a sign and put it in the front snowbank. He was determined to sell it…
In Prince George, Canfor accepted the challenge to address pollution issues. Other businesses can and should follow suit to deal with social conflicts
A few years ago, I was involved with a small team of people in my community of Prince George who gathered with the sole goal of improving the air quality. I was spurred on by a letter to the newspaper by a woman unknown to me, Betty Bekkering, complaining about the local air quality. I…
Communication, accountability, time management, servitude and mentoring all play important roles
The surprise snowfall that spring day stopped just before I dropped my girls off at their high school. But more surprising than the snowfall was the vision I encountered at the school. The principal and the vice-principal were shovelling the sidewalks so the students didn’t have to trek through the wet snow. They were greeting…
You want to leave behind a functioning, viable business. And you want to ensure your employees are prepared for this stressful change
It was one of my most embarrassing moments. I climbed out of the water at the triathlon at West Lake and in front of all the spectators, I threw up on James Sexton’s shoes. As his kids cheered me on, I moved to the transition zone where I quickly got on my bike and away…We need regular, repeatable communication systems that bring marketing into the sales cycle and allow sales to contribute to the marketing plans
One of my clients was spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on marketing programs yet their customers didn’t seem engaged. They felt there was a problem with their sales team and asked if I could help. In many businesses, there’s a disconnect between the marketing department and the sales team. In an established business like…
Most business leaders don't share their problems and concerns even when they should. Here's how you can get them talking
Beads of sweat were dripping off his forehead as he looked at me and contemplated his answer. I’d just asked him what was holding him back from the success that seemed to elude him, even though he had been laying out the plans for months. I could see his mind turning, the beads of sweat…
Four tips to transform the customer service your business offers
I don’t usually eat at Wendy’s, but last week I was in the Phoenix airport and I was famished. Instead of lunch, I’d escaped from the conference I’d presented at and hiked Camelback Mountain. A few hours later, I was waiting for my flight home. I’d eaten a small meal at a neighbouring restaurant with…
When customers know that you're going to be consistent or reliable, and congruent or true to your word, they want to do business with you
Last week, I didn’t write an article. I could give you all the excuses in the world. I was travelling, I had meetings, my dog was eating my printer paper. They’re all true, but the real reason is I had a man cold and just couldn’t write. Outside of holidays, it was just the second…
What each staff member does is important. The more employees work together to enhance their contributions, the better for the business as a whole
Is what you do really important? I recently helped a business conduct a meeting with their employees. As the meeting started, I tried to understand the participants and their positions in the company. After writing their names and job descriptions on the board, I asked: “What would happen if you didn’t do your job?” This intriguing…
We only have a limited number of years in our lives and breaking them down into time frames of intention could make all the difference
I was invited to speak at a conference last January where the hosts encouraged the attendees to “Name their year.” I’d never thought of doing this before and was interested in how people would go about picking the name of the year. As I sat around a table and listened to the conversation, I was…