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Sparks Fly!
Your spark can make a connection and that can change everything |
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Abundance! |
What is it? How do we get it? How do we know when we've got it? And how does it fit into a service business strategy?
In this month's issue we'll tackle the subject of abundance and how the way you think creates the abundance you want.
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Yes Man!
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In the movie 'Yes Man", Jim Carey, plays a closed off bank employee with crumbling relationships and only a TV for company. That is, until an old acquaintance forces him to attend a seminar in which he believes he must say "YES" to every situation presented to him.
At one point in the movie, after practicing YES, he says to the woman he is now in a relationship with that, "Before I started to say 'yes', I didn't believe that I had anything to offer and was afraid people would see that. Now I realize that I have a lot to offer and that what I have is pretty great."
And as simplistic as that sounds, abundance is really about saying yes. When we smile at a customer that is a way of saying 'yes' to that person. A smile in body language means, "Yes, I am approachable". And only when people are invited to approach can any real connections be made. And it's only when we connect that real business can be conducted.
Don't you feel great when someone smiles at you? Want to feel great? Smile at someone else. And that smile you give away? It may not come from that person that you smiled at, but it will come back to you.
Both abundance and scarcity are inner states that we manifest into reality. Jesus, put it like this, "For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even that will be taken away."
Don't be afraid to say "Yes". What you have to offer is great.
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Pay It Forward Becomes Business Vision For Suncoast Marketing, Inc |
This story was shared with me by Maria Regisford of Suncoast Marketing in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. A business client of several years, her story is shared with you here with the permission of both Maria and SMI President, Bob Scala.
Many of you are familiar with the movie, Pay It Forward,
starring Haley Joel Osmond. If you are not, in the movie, a middle school
student is challenged to come up with an idea to change the world. His answer
is to do three things for three different people that they need but can't do
for themselves. They in turn are 'required' to pay it forward, by doing something for three other people in need.
This is her story. Thank you Maria.
On January 2nd I was out running some errands and
decided to have lunch.
As I was eating, I noticed three young girls come in and get
one plate of food. They all sat down together and divided up the plate into three
parts. They only had one spoon, so the other two started to eat what they had
with their fingers. I went to the Manager and asked if he knew the kids.
He said 'yes' they were the sisters of Celeste, who works in the back. When I
asked if I could speak with her, he kindly called her and when I saw her asked if
she would mind if I bought her sisters some chicken, "Oh that would be so nice
if you would", she said.
I placed my order and it came to $7.00. I only had $4.00 in
singles and was reaching for my debit card when the cashier said, "I forgot to
give you the discount. Your total is $3.80 and you get 2 loaves of bread with
that chicken."
Oh the joy on their faces as they each sat with their own
plate, their own utensils and napkin in their lap. They thanked me as I left. And
I tell you, I felt good.
But that's not the end of the story.
I'd been having trouble with the plumbing.. I'd tried
bleach, liquid plumber and was getting myself ready to spend the money I didn't
have on a plumber. I was thinking all this while raking leaves and talking to
God about it, when the Rotor Rooter truck drove
by. It stopped and out stepped Leroy from our church and asked, "Can I help you
rake some leaves?" I said, "No, but could you snake my drain?" and explained
the problem to him. He said, "It would be my pleasure, no problem at all. It's
funny, they wanted me to go out on another job, but I told them no, it's 5
o'clock and I need to get home earlier tonight. But then as I was driving,
something just told me to come by your house." Well he fixed the problem and as
he came out I said, "Leroy, how much do I owe you?" He said, "Don't be silly, I'm
off the clock. Just a hug." And off he drove.
What you put out you get back. Leroy showed up because of the kind actions
that I put out into the universe by helping those children. I didn't do it
thinking of getting something in return. The thanks that I got as I saw their
faces was my reward. And that is important. You can't do things thinking about
getting something back. They have to be unselfish acts.
The timing of this incident has been perfect. In sharing the
story in our office, our company President,
Bob decided that, Pay It Forward, should be our Suncoast Marketing mission and
vision for 2010. We are already a very customer focused business and Pay It
Forward, only helps to refocus and re energize us. And that's not a coincidence
either.
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What Do You Get Paid To Do? |
This question has been running around in my mind for the past several weeks. And I've recently started using it in seminars. I think partly it is coming from the idea that we are all too busy. That we need to make it very clear to ourselves and the people we lead, the one thing we get paid to do.
So ask yourself, "What do you get paid to do?" Don't let yourself off easy. Keep asking until you get that initial laundry list down to one thing. Once you have the one thing, every thing else will organize itself around that one thing to support it. It becomes your screening process for everything else. Your life will go from scattered and fragmented to one of abundance.
In the book, Blink by Malcolm Gladwell, he introduces the reader to a super car salesman named Bob Golomb. On average over ten years he has sold 20 cars a month. More than double what the average car salesman sells.
He is described as quiet, thoughtful, watchful, attentive and a great listener.
He has he says, three simple rules that guide his every action: "Take care of the customer. Take care of the customer. Take care of the customer."
I think we know how he would answer the question, "What do you get paid to do?"
In choosing to serve, this salesman is saying yes to outflow and yes to abundance. What does he get in return for giving away service? I'll bet it's everything he wants.
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"We can let circumstances rule us, or we can take charge and rule our lives from within."
Earl Nightingale
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