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| Providing You Tools To Make More Money! | March 2011 |
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Spring is a time for new fresh things. Are you looking at your business with new fresh eyes? Have you asked your customers how you could improve your business? Now is the time to turn over a new leaf in your business. The economy is improving. People are happier and spending money! Welcome them and fill their needs.
Well, Sammie made it to his first birthday! And guess what we got for him. At the VDTA show we purchased wool squeaky toys so he got one of those but his big present was a little snip. No baby Sammies will be running around. Poor Sammie. Elizabeth doesn't understand but I do. :-)
I thought that the VDTA/SDTA show was the best I have been to in a long time. People seemed more upbeat that they have in the last few years and the manufacturers all said that their orders were way ahead of last year and some had record sales.
I taught a class on implementing a customer loyalty program that we received very well. Over 20 dealers are implementing the program in their stores as we speak. I will be having a webinar on April 26th at 5pm Eastern. If you attended the class and need a brush-up or are interested in how I was able to bring over 340 customers back into my store in one month, you should attend this free webinar. I will send you a link shortly on how to sign up. Space will be limited due to band width so make sure you sign up as soon as it is announced.
The unmatched event of 2012, where you can learn and rub elbows with the top performers in our exclusive fraternity and grow the profit in your business is the 2012 Ultimate Profit Explosion Boot Camp. If you are anything like me, spending time with your peers is where I learn the most. There will be lots of time for this at the Boot Camp. By attending, you can quickly take your business to a higher level. It will be at The Rio in Las Vegas April 23-25, 2012. I was able to get a tour of the hotel when I was at the VDTA show and it is a great venue. I have a special offer for the first 15 people who sign up. Click here for more info.
Spring is here this weekend! No more snow. Make sure you advertise Spring Cleaning Specials. Also people are redoing their upholstery on patio furniture and repairing boat covers.
Till next time, Always Be Solving,
Howard DJ. Anderson
Long View Retail Consulting |
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Tip of the Month : Be on Social Media ... Now!
 Are you on Facebook, Tweeting or using other social media sites to promote your business? If you are not you should be. It is very easy to set up and it is FREE!
Your customers need to know you are real and just like them. In this day of impersonal Big Box Stores and the Internet, it is what sets you apart. In our industry, people want to know that there is a "wizard" behind the curtain. Someone they can talk to and if they can relate and feel like they know you all the better. In a nutshell, that is what Social Media is all about.
Keep in mind that this is not a place to sell stuff. Think of it as a first date not a wedding proposal. You can put links to your website but you should not be directly selling your products.
Besides time, I think that the hardest thing I find is knowing what to say. If you are like me, you don't think that what you do every day is interesting to others.
You may ask yourself: Why would they care if I ate a really good steak? Will they think I am bragging? I don't want them to know what I do? I don't ant them to know I got a ticket for talking on the phone. Al that really doesn't matter. Pick and choose what you share but share something. It will make the sale so much easier!
Here are some ideas that may spur your postings I got from Julia Kline:
Did you read any interesting articles this week? Give the high points.
What foods do you love? Hate? Did someone ever try to make you eat "X" ? Were you served in a restaurant this week? Talk about it!
What aha moments have you had in your business? Customer testimonials.
Have you had any notable experiences with customers? What lessons did you learn? In what way does it tell other potential customers what it will be like for THEM to work with you?
Did you see a sunrise? Moonrise? Wild animal? Share it.
Did you see something on fire? A car accident? People love rubber-necking!
What habits have gotten you in trouble this week? Saved your skin? Bonded you to someone? Let them learn from you.
 Anything interesting with your volunteer organization? Amateur sports league? Church? Let then know who you are, beyond your business.
Any big events coming up - reunion, big vacation, birthday, wedding, graduation, birth, death, garage sale, decorating project ... ? They are probably doing the same, and can relate to you.
Are you thinking about taking up a hobby? Purchasing a big toy? Treating yourself in some other way? Is your significant other? Again, they can probably relate.
What TV shows are you loving? Hating? What world events are you interested in? Any sports you're following closely? Yup, it's that "relating" thing again. ;-) |
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On the Lighter Side:
Falling out of favor
An Irish priest told his congregation one Sunday that he was tired of hearing so many confessions about adultery.
After a heartfelt sermon about the sanctity of marriage and faithfulness, he threatened to pick up and leave the parish if one more person confessed to cheating.
The parishioners, not wanting to lose him-but unwilling to reform their ways-got together and agreed that in the future, if they committed adultery, they'd confess to "falling" so the priest wouldn't leave.
Unfortunately, the priest passed away not long after.
A new, young priest arrived to take his place. After a few weeks, he made an appointment to see the mayor.
"Mr. Mayor," he said, "I'm very concerned about the state of streets and sidewalks in this town. In the past week, at least 10 people have told me they've fallen, at all hours of the day and night. Is there nothing you can do about this?"
The mayor, remembering the townspeople's agreement, hid a smile and promised to look into it.
"Very good," said the priest. "And you should hurry. Do you know that your own wife fell twice last week?" |
 2012 Ultimate Profit Explosion Boot Camp at the Rio! Thanks to all who helped me by filling out the survey for the Boot Camp. It helped me decide where to have the Boot Camp and got me started on setting the agenda.
You can still fill out the survey, click here.
The overwhelming majority thought that with the VDTA not being in Vegas, it would be a good year to be there. Last year was on the east coast so it makes sense to be out west this year.
I am going to have more dealer input, interactions, workshops and dealer panels to discuss the topics that are effecting all of us. It was also suggested that I get a couple of manufacturers to talk about the state of our industries and what we can do in the future to thrive. I will be contacting some to see if they would be willing to come and talk.
The Ultimate Profit Explosion Boot Camp has been and will always be about you making more money in your business. I will be laser focused on providing you will classes and tools to help you in your business. Some of the topics that will be discussed will be ways for you to get more customers in your store, advertising, employee management, websites, all types of marketing, sales training and demonstrations from your fellow dealers on what they are using that works.
After a ten year break, I am back in the central vacuum business which is how I got into this business. I have tons of great ideas on how you can make more money in CVS that I will be sharing at the boot camp.
So there will be lots of things for everyone. Make sure you sign up soon. This will be the best one yet, and I guarantee it!
Early Bird Special: The fee for the 2012 Ultimate Profit Explosion Boot Camp will be $1397 but as always I am offering an Early Bird Special to the first 15 people who sign up. In addition, on Sunday night I will be hosting a pre event get together 51 stories high on the top of the Rio overlooking the strip at the Voodoo Lounge. Anyone can come but for the first 15 who sign up, I will pay your entrance fee to the Voodoo Lounge. I will also give you a crisp new $20 bill for drinks. Click here to find out how much the Early Bird Discount is! You can fill out the form and fax it in or pay with credit card on PayPal: Click here for full payment first attendee from company. Click here for full payment additional employee. Click here to pay first attendee over the next 12 months. Click here to pay additional employee over the next 12 months. About the hotel: We have negociated a great room rate of $99 and we saw the rooms and they are very spacious suites close to the meeting room. The Rio Hotel and Casino is one block off of the strip but it isn't an easy walk so they offer complimentary shuttle service to the Las Vegas Strip. Constructed of blue and red glass, the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino emulates the Brazil Carnivale atmosphere with a complimentary show featuring suspended floats and colorful performers.
Guestrooms The hotel's 2,500 guestrooms provide floor-to-ceiling views of Las Vegas. Rooms are equipped with wireless Internet access, for a fee. Coffeemakers and refrigerators are provided. Select rooms offer jetted tubs. In-room safes are complimentary. Expert Tip The VooDoo Café and Lounge is located in the Masquerade Tower. Throughout the week, disc jockeys play hip-hop and Latin rhythms. The Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino also features the iBar, which is very similar to the iPhone. Bar patrons can touch drink ingredient options located on their table's surface and send their custom orders directly to the bar. The table surface also offers games, maps, and one more alluring feature called Flirt, where messages of interest can be sent directly to other tables.
Hotel Features
Nineteen restaurants are located on site and include Carnival World Buffet, RUB BBQ, McFadden's Irish pub and the All-American Bar & Grill. A business center offers fax, photocopy ... and print services. The casino comprises 1,200 slot and video poker machines, 80 table games, race and sports betting, and a keno. The Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino offers headline performance, including Penn & Teller. Recreational amenities include a fitness center, for a fee, and four outdoor pools in shapes that include the zero-entry-level seashell-designed pool.
Click here to download registration form. You can fill out the form and fax it in or pay with credit card on PayPal:
Click here for full payment first attendee from company.
Click here for full payment additional employee.
Click here to pay first attendee over the next 12 months.
Click here to pay additional employee over the next 12 months. |
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Thanks to Dennis who sent we this great tip. I thought it was a joke at first but appearantly it is true.
A 26-year old man decided to have a cup of coffee. He took a cup of water and put it in the microwave to heat it up (something that he had done numerous times before). I am not sure how long he set the timer for, but he wanted to bring the water to a boil.. When the timer shut the oven off, he removed the cup from the oven. As he looked into the cup, he noted that the! Water was not boiling, but suddenly the water in the cup 'blew up' into his face. The cup remained intact until he threw it out of his hand, but all the water had flown out into his face due to the buildup of energy. His whole face is blistered and he has 1st and 2nd degree burns to his face which may leave scarring.
He also may have lost partial sight in his left eye. While at the hospital, the doctor who was attending to him stated that this is a fairly common occurrence and water (alone) should never be heated in a microwave oven. If water is heated in this manner, something should be placed in the cup to diffuse the energy such as a wooden stir stick, tea bag, etc..., (nothing metal).
General Electric's Response:
Thanks for contacting us, I will be happy to assist you. The e-mail that you received is correct. Microwaved water and other liquids do not always bubble when they reach the boiling point. They can actually get superheated and not bubble at all. The superheated liquid will bubble up out of the cup when it is moved or when something like a spoon or tea bag is put into it.
To prevent this from happening and causing injury, do not heat any liquid for more than two minutes per cup. After heating, let the cup stand in the microwave for thirty seconds! Before moving it or adding anything into it.
Here is what our local science teacher had to say on the matter: 'Thanks for the microwave warning. I have seen this happen before. It is caused by a phenomenon known as super heating. It can occur anytime water is heated and will particularly occur if the vessel that the water is heated in is new, or when heating a small amount of water (less than half a cup).
What happens is that the water heats faster than the vapor bubbles can form. If the cup is very new then it is unlikely to have small surface scratches inside it that provide a place for the bubbles to form. As the bubbles cannot form and release some of the heat has built up, the liquid does not boil, and the liquid continues to heat up well past its boiling point.
What then usually happens is that the liquid is bumped or jarred, which is just enough of a shock to cause the bubbles to rapidly form and expel the hot liquid. The rapid formation of bubbles is
also why a carbonated beverage spews when opened after having been shaken.'
If you pass this on you could very well save someone from a lot of pain and suffering.
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Depression and Being Your Own Boss
Julia Kline spoke at our 2010 Ultimate Profit Explosion Boot Camp about using Social Media and sent me this email that I felt was very relevant. She graciously gave we permission to share it with you.
Only read this article if you are an business owner (entrepreneur) and "depression" is an issue in your life.
I call attention to those two seemingly obvious facts because I'm about to share some pretty personal stuff, and I want to be sure I'm talking to someone who understands.
A couple weeks ago I put on a four-day live event. By all accounts, it was a huge success:
- 88% of the people who registered showed up
- 73% of the people who attended the first two days signed up for the additional
bonus day (for an additional fee) - 25% of attendees signed up on the spot for my next marketing event, 4 months
from now - I got fifty-three video testimonials during the event
- One attendee said that of all the many seminars he's attended, this one was the
most valuable he's ever been to - And perhaps most important of all - the event was profitable!
So given all that, you might think that for the days and weeks following the event, I was
floating on air. Basking in my success. Appreciating and giving thanks for all the
blessings in my life.
But, since you're someone who is reading this article, you probably know better ...
... You're probably already anticipating the truth: for two weeks after the event ended, I
sunk into depression ...
... And, more importantly, you've probably done the exact same thing at some point in
your own life.
I happen to be a pretty open person. I share what goes on in my life, and so other
people tend to share their lives with me. So I know that there are LOTS of entrepreneurs and business owners who have similar struggles with depression. We're successful, we've got lives that other people long for, we're even sources of inspiration for other people. But inside, we don't
always see ourselves and our lives the way other people do.
At this point I don't have any answers for you. This isn't one of those "happy endings"
articles. Rather, I just wanted to share & validate my own recent experience - in the hopes
it might inspire you to share and validate some of your own experiences.
And if you'd like to do that publicly, I invite you to wander over to my Facebook wall, where
I've posted this article as a note. Feel free to leave a comment if you'd like, and/or pass it
along to someone else you know who might benefit from it.
And for what it's worth here are a few of the tools in my toolbox. These - and probably a
lot more that I'm not remembering right now - are what I used to pull myself out this last
time around.
- Take a deep breath, lift your chin a couple inches and put a smile on your face.
- Seek out humor - funny TV shows, comic strips, YouTube videos ...
- Listen to a couple songs that always make you smile and want to dance
- Watch a Tony Robbins video (or whoever you find inspirational).
- The next time you're feeling happy, write a list of all the reasons you're feeling
happy. You'll be amazed how easy it is to pour out excited, grateful, enthusiastic
words when you're feeling on top of the world. Then when you're feeling bad,
go back and read your list.
- The next time you're feeling in control of your life, make a list of the tasks on your
list that require little or no creativity or passion - change the light bulb in the ceiling,
delete the duplicates on iTunes, scan your latest stack of business cards and fix
the typos. Then when you're feeling down and unmotivated, you can turn to this
list and accomplish a task or two. Accomplishment often shifts my mood!
- Make a similar list of the things you can do to care for someone you love, that
take no creativity or passion. Thinking about someone else's needs is an incredibly
fast remedy for depression.
Keep this list handy for the next time you need it - and let me know if it helps you!
Julia Kline
Green Island Marketing
PO Box 607022
Chicago, IL 60660 |
Staff and Mushrooms Have Nothing in Common
While there is a lot of truth in the saying "knowledge is power," many people choose to interpret this adage to mean that if they share their knowledge, their power is lost.
In the case of some managers, they believe that if they keep information to themselves, then they will be better able to control their staff.
Mushroom management, which describes a management style where managers keep staff in the dark and feed them manure, typically has devastating effects on workers and frequently reflects badly on the managers in question.
Not dealing honestly and openly with employees engenders mistrust, which in turn impacts the workforce's morale, willingness to cooperate and, ultimately, its performance. Rumors and incredible distortions of the truth run riot, information is misinterpreted and chaos ensues as a general lack of understanding takes over.
Research has shown time and time again that one of the things that workers value most is being able to appreciate where and how their roles fit into the bigger picture. Yet, all too often, managers feel inclined to keep vital information to themselves about the organization's strategy. Not only is this hugely frustrating and demotivating for staff, but managers suffer as their employees work according to the wrong perceptions, using entirely the wrong set of priorities toward entirely the wrong set of objectives. Treat workers like mushrooms and all you will really end up with is vegetables.
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