Want to increase sales? Increase attention to customer.

There are stores, dealers and websites fighting for sales every day. They have similar products, similar selections, and a wide array of options as to delivery--some are a click away on the web, others may be down the street a few miles. So how does one of them get to win the battle for our money?

Attention

Prices, selection and convenience are pretty much commodities today. But paying attention to what the customer needs and giving them special focus is the best way to win them over.

I buy stuff from a guy named Mitch. We never have met or talked in-person. Mitch emails me back with recommendations, he's generous with pricing, and he delivers (via UPS or FedEx) as promised. I like him and want to see him do well.

Two miles from my house, a guy named Tom sells the same stuff for a little more money, but he is convenient. Problem is, Tom doesn't proactively reach out and he seldom returns my calls. I don't mind him succeeding, but it's not top priority for me.

Now a new store opened up a mile from my house and they sell the same stuff at good prices, they're convenient, and they will actually deliver stuff to my house. I like this guy, and just like Mitch, I want to help him do well.

Now I have two sources for the stuff I want. Tom, my other option, is now squeezed out of the mix. He didn't give me the attention he could have. He lost a lot of money because of it. It all comes down to one thing:

Attention

Barry LaBov
LaBov & Beyond
www.labov.com
LaBov Sales Channel
PB&J Newsletter

Stability, all of a sudden, is important

Until this economic downturn, employees valued certain things, including good benefits, a competitive salary, and a positive working environment. Now add one more thing to the list:

Stability

Stability, which used to be taken for granted, is more important today than it has been for decades. A well-run, healthy company that isn't strapped at the end of each month to meet its payroll is a plus. A company that is debt-free, or at least not debt-burdened, is a winner. Why?

A company that is financially challenged will be tempted to make poor decisions. Poor, desperate decisions lead to a downward spiral that usually ends in a crash.

It's time to look at that calm, fiscally conservative company as a pretty attractive place to work.

Barry LaBov
LaBov & Beyond
www.labov.com
LaBov Sales Channel
PB&J Newsletter

You Don't Bring Me Flowers

If you want to stand out and make an impact, don't whitewash or "BS" your customer. Today, we need to know the truth, the whole story, and we need to know it now. We don't need glad-handing or verbose compliments. Too much is at stake. A mistake recognized immediately and fixed is far more valuable than an insincere pleasantry.

I once met with a grizzled corporate executive and was giving him my rundown of what my company, LaBov & Beyond, had discovered during an assessment of his company. As I told him the good things they were doing he fidgeted, looked at emails and was expressionless. Then I turned to the problems his company had that must be tackled immediately and he transformed. He was on the edge of his seat, email was turned-off, and he was totally engaged.

He needed to know the tough stuff. The good stuff was nice and feel-good. But the tough stuff was top priority for him:

Bring the customer the whole truth, warts and all. They don't need "flowers," they need the truth.

Barry LaBov
LaBov & Beyond
www.labov.com
LaBov Sales Channel
PB&J Newsletter