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TOP OF THE WEEK TO YOU!
(by realwired! CEO, Brenda Dohring)
Top of the Week to You! is designed to offer the inside scoop and latest of what's important in the world of technology as it relates to the commercial real estate industry. | |
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The World Has Changed...and How!
This past week, I was a participant in a ½ day educational program called "The World has Changed..and How!" put together by the New Mexico Chapter of NAIOP in Albuquerque. I was part of a panel brought "virtually" to the 140+ audience using some inexpensive communication tools that all of you should know about and find ways to incorporate in your businesses. For many of the people working to coordinate and make it possible for me and my dear friend Jim Young of Realcomm to participate, it was the first time they'd used these "tools" and they did a great job. Although there was a learning curve, it was short and there were no "wipeouts" along the way. So how'd we do it? We used Skype in the lead role, followed by Go to Webinar and Go to Meeting. A big part of the credit, but also to illustrate why you should explore this tool, was that my assistant Barbara, who had no idea how to use these tools and is certainly no "techie", served as the primary coordinator, so let's call her The Director. You can do this. You should do this!
As another illustration, our brokerage division, The Dohring Group, recently took on a new leasing assignment and our client is based in Halifax, Canada. Remember, we're in Florida and that makes Canada a long way, to say nothing that it's another country. So one of our first meetings with our client, Southwest Properties, founded by Simon Spatz and now led by his son Jim Spatz, was held via Skype. We're working on a Tampa, Florida project with Gordon Laing, President and COO of Southwest Properties. When you get a glimpse into the company, you see why it makes sense. They are really cool. Using Skype to meet each other's team and strategize adds a lot more than traditional conference calls. Just think, there's no way to be impolite and multitask, so you know everyone is committed to the "call".
As recently as 18 months ago, I wouldn't have felt this good about recommending Skype for business and I still wouldn't suggest it as a constant for mission critical calls, or calls with a new client that hasn't shown you they know (like NAIOP does) that the world is changing. But even back then, I knew Skype was great for making cheap, international or national calls. But fast forward to today and, while it's not without potential connection issues from time to time, there's no denying that Skype should be a part of a company's tool set. Individuals (non-business people like you and I) were the first to embrace Skype because of its free voice and video calls over the Internet. It's become the world's most popular and reliable internet communications software, with over 405 million registered users. So if my personal stories don't convince you....maybe the following Top Five Reasons will.
1. It's easy to get started.
2. It's easy to manage.
3. It leverages the communications infrastructure you already have.
4. It saves money on all call costs, whether national, international, inter-office or to mobiles.
5. It's is encrypted, completely free of malware, adware and spyware.
Next week I'll take you through some similar experiences and stories about Go to Meeting and its "sister" program Go to Webinar. This stuff is both fun and inexpensive. Sounds like a prescription for today's commercial real estate market. Don't you agree? |
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Sales/Marketing Tip
Notes from the Anthill
I'm a gnat. Oh, I'm a nice enough fellow, helpful, funny and very sincere. I'm even important... to some people. I'm a pretty good guy to know. I make valuable connections for my friends and strangers alike. I try to give my clients great service. And I treat my prospects with respect. My guess is that this is a pretty good description of you too.
So we're both gnats. We're cool, but in the big scheme of most other people's lives we are insignificant. The context of their existence is pulling them in so many directions that when we call just summarily getting rid of us is a perfectly reasonable thing to do. There's a lot on their plates. Some of the stuff is pretty darn urgent. Our offer to help with whatever the problem that we help people with is likely to hold low priority status.
It's a wonder that people are so nice.
Yet most people are just that: nice. Even when we call and interrupt them, most people are courteous. They may listen with only feigned attention, but pretend to care they do. They may politely dismiss us, and dismissal is assuredly not what we are seeking, but "polite" does describe the encounter. It's sometimes scary to call people but usually a pleasant relief when they turn out to be so kind.
Why are most people so nice? What are we, salespeople that we are, to make of this? I believe that the answer is pretty simple. It's in their self-interest.
Every salesperson and business owner (essentially the same thing) talks to lots of people. In those conversations are carried the reputations of others. Reputation, like a virus, needs a host and we are professional hosts.
When people are rude the word will get around. When people fail to return your calls, at the very minimum you'll likely roll your eyes at the mention of their name. When they make commitments that they don't keep they create their karma. Bad karma is expensive. Failure to return a call can easily result in a one hundred thousand dollar lost sale. You simply give the valuable introduction to their competitor instead of to them.
I've been around this business world for a long time. Here are some correlations that I've noticed.
The more successful someone is, the more likely they are to return your call.
The busier people are, the more likely they are to lend a hand.
People who cope with unpleasant situations with avoidance are not reliable partners.
People who are always in a hurry won't have time to take care of their friends.
People who listen attentively are more likely to do good work than those who are always checking their email.
People who are courteous to salespeople even when they are not interested in what they are selling are usually the best salespeople themselves.
Oh, and back to the gnat thing. How people treat you when they want something from you just tells you about their interests. How they treat you when you have nothing that they want tells you about their character.
Be nice to salespeople. You are one.
Mark Fitzgerald, Sales Training Institute, Inc., Tampa, Florida provides this column weekly. Mr. Fitzgerald provides both group and customized sales training for professionals and companies. For more information, please contact him by telephone at 813-831-5555, via email at mark@saleskills.com or visit www.saleskills.com. |
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Hot Deals/Leads
J.H.D. Enterprises, Ltd. trades as Lim's Menswear and Basix for Men at 29 locations throughout NC, SC and VA. The men's apparel stores occupy spaces of 2,500 to 4,000 sq.ft. in mall locations. Plans call for two openings throughout the existing markets during the coming 18 months. Typical leases run five years. For more information, contact Bob Lim, J.H.D. Enterprises, Ltd., 951 Aviation Parkway, Suite 900, Morrisville, NC 27560.
Elephant Bar Restaurant operates 45 locations throughout AZ, CA, CO, FL and NV. The casual dining restaurants, featuring a full-service bar, occupy spaces of 7,200 sq.ft. to 9,300 sq.ft. in freestanding locations, endcaps, malls, inline spaces and entertainment, lifestyle, outlet, power, specialty, strip, tourist and value centers, in addition to urban/downtown areas. Growth opportunities are sought throughout CA during the coming 18 months. For more information, contact Mark Seferian, Elephant Bar Restaurant, 14241 Firestone Boulevard, Suite 315, La Mirada, CA 90638.
Rocky's Hardware & Home Center operates 34 locations throughout CT, FL, MA, NH and RI. The stores, offering hardware and building materials, occupy spaces of 12,000 sq.ft. to 15,000 sq.ft. in freestanding locations and strip centers. Growth opportunities are sought throughout the existing markets during the coming 18 months. Typical leases run 10 years with two, five-year options. A vanilla shell and specific improvements are required. Preferred demographics include a population of 25,000 within two miles earning $75,000 as the average household income. Major competitors include Home Depot and Lowe's Home Improvement. For more information, contact Rocco Falcone, Rocky's Hardware & Home Center, 40 Island Pond Road, Springfield, MA 01118.
Lime Fresh Mexican Grill operates five locations throughout FL. The Mexican restaurants, offering tacos, burritos, quesadillas, fajitas and a homemade salsa bar, occupy spaces of 1,200 sq.ft. to 2,400 sq.ft. in inline spaces and endcaps in power centers. Growth opportunities are sought throughout Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties in FL during the coming 18 months, with representation by The Rotella Group.
For more information regarding Lime Fresh Mexican Grill, contact Dan Coyle, The Rotella Group, 3300 North Federal Highway, Suite 200, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33306. |
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