Debra Kasowski

Is the Value in Your Pocketbook or Your Customer’s?

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Are you a serious (or maybe serial is a better term) shopper? What I mean is, do you think about your purchases as a want or a need? Do you shop around for the best deal or value for your money? What are you expecting when you hand over your money for a product or service? I know some people may not even give it a second thought, they just hand over their cash or credit card because they are buying something they feel they need or want to have. Whereas, others will want to know what they get in exchange for this transaction. They are looking at getting more value for their money then the listed price. The sale itself is more about the value and the impact it will have in your customer’s business or life than the currency exchange. Are you creating more value for your customer or pocketing riches instead?

Let’s start off with – What does the term “value” mean to you? You may see value in content rich information, video tips, material items, and referrals. These suggestions all have value. Why? Because you and I give them value and importance. When a person has an emotional connection to what is important to them or provides value, money is secondary – it is the vehicle that gets the end to the means. The genuine value and experience your customer is looking for.

Do you want create more value for your customers? In order to do so, you must first value your gifts and talents and know that someone is waiting for your to share them. Secondly, discover what your customer values or deems as important. Thirdly, identify ways in which you can help support them in maintaining or achieving what is important to them. Fourthly, be a “Go-Giver” (Read Bob Burg and John David Mann’s Books – The Go-Giver and Go-Givers Sell More). Give to others freely because you want to serve others and help them achieve the results they desire. You do not have to break the bank to provide value to others. Give of your time, talents, and feedback. Finally, let your personality shine and just be you as you can not be authentic by trying to sell someone something.

People relate to the stories you share and the experience you create. Give them more than they paid for and show them you care. Value can be created many different ways: discussions and forums, tips and techniques, checklists, templates, referrals, and information just to name a few. The more people you create value for the more people you will have raving about you and the more people who will be interested in your products and services. People want value for their money. Are you ready to give it to them?

 How do create value for others and live rich from the inside out?

 

 

What Do You Mean You Can’t Teach Effort?

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Today I was waiting at the deli and one employee was busy serving customers and the other was standing with her back toward the customers staring at the clock for a good 3-5 minutes. The other employee asked the girl if she was okay and if she was could she please help serve the awaiting customers. She proceeded to put on the plastic gloves and with a big sigh she said, “I guess so”. Wow, that took the cake! As she started to serve me, she had a long drawn out conversation with her fellow employee saying that if she did not eat right away that she would die. Oh my goodness. I was ready to start laughing as the same girl did the same thing last week when there was a line up of customers. Her colleagues had to ask her to help and she reluctantly did. But this being the second time, I decided that perhaps this person needed some coaching, especially since her fellow employee was mouthing apologies to me on her behalf. I went to speak to one of the supervisors and they knew exactly who I was speaking about.

 What coaching do you think she needed? From my perspective,  she needed to:

        1.        Gain a greater awareness of how her behaviour was affecting  her colleagues and the customers.

        2.       Understand that her role was to serve others.

        3.       Prepare and eat before her shift.

        4.       Understand how important her role was to the store.

Number #4 is the most crucial one! Each person from the janitor to the CEO carries importance to an organization. Imagine what would happen if they were not there…garbage would pile up, no direction or delegation would occur, and no one would be served. If you do not believe your role is important, you are wasting your gifts and talents. The biggest disservice is to you.

You might say to yourself, “I do not have the natural ability that the other person has.” You may not but can you learn the skill? Can you improve over time? Can you work hard and give your best effort? The person, who gets noticed and remembered in the long run, is the person who puts in the effort consistently and gives their best at the time they do a task. Sometimes those with the natural ability – do not produce consistent results, they do not try to improve, and they do not give their best effort because they know they can get by. You cannot teach effort to another person. You can role model it but the pure desire needs to come from within. The intrinsic desire to give your best will get you to your prize faster than anything else. What you do is important!