After having spent 15 hours with me, my host, Jeffrey Gitomer, asked me “Am I taking you home?”  You see, I was at his home on a Friday night at about 10pm. His family (including his 3-month-old daughter) had already gone to bed, and Jeffrey and I were wrapping up and reviewing from a three day workshop.  My hotel was only about a five minute drive, and I had planned on taking a cab, or perhaps even the train.  I wouldn’t have dreamed of accepting Jeffrey’s offer.  But before I could answer, Jeffrey smiled at me and simply said “Of course I am.”

The ride home was short but we continued talking about how excited we were for the coming months.  When we arrived at my hotel, I shook Jeffrey’s hand and told him I’d see him in a few weeks.  My flight was at 7:30am.  Jeffrey looked confused.  ”What time am I picking you up, then?”  He wasn’t willing to take no for an answer, and I hesitantly agreed to meet him in the lobby at 6am.

5:59am Saturday morning, Jeffrey pulls up and simply says “Hey, buddy.”  I thanked Jeffrey for picking me up and told him I felt bad.  After all, when I’m home with my family there’s two things I love to do:  spend time with my girls, and sleep in once and awhile.  Jeffrey responded, “I offered to pick you up.  I wouldn’t let you take a cab.  Three reasons:

1.  I don’t like to sleep.  Sleep is the biggest waste of my time.  One day, I’ll sleep forever.  Until then, I’m making use of my time.

2.  I like you.  But, even if I didn’t, I’d still you pick you up, because;

3.  I’m a traveler, so I know the needs of travelers.  A little ride here and there makes all the difference.”

Wow.  Relationship builder?  Yes. Memorable?  Yes.  Meaningful? Yes.  Cost?Only his time.  I’ve been to thousands of offices in my career, and no one has provided personalized chauffeur service like Jeffrey.

I’ve been given watches, hats, jackets, liquor, wine…and I couldn’t tell you for a million dollars who gave me what at this point unless the donor happened to print their name on the watch (and, oh yes, they do this).  Think of the thousands of dollars you spend on ad specialty items.  No matter how much you spend, a simple, personal gesture–giving of your time–will always be infinitely more powerful, impactful, and memorable.

Ask yourself, “What can I do that’s personal, memorable, and more valuable than what I’m doing for my customers today?”

Want some tips?  Here’s 6 ways to get started:

1.  Pick your customers up.  And drop them off.  Don’t let them take a cab or rent a car even if you have to watch your kids that night.  Bring the kids with.

2.  Cook for them.  Have a BBQ at your house or your office.  Cooking a meal shows care and it’s more intimate than a restaurant.

3.  Go to a ball game, a concert, or an art exhibit WITH your customers.  Don’t just spend the money on tickets, invest your time into being friends with your customers.

4.  Hit the gym, play sports, or paintball WITH your customers.  Competitive activities that put you and your customer side by side on the same team will help you to play on the same team in business.

5.  Golf together.  In just 18 holes, you will close more sales than in 18 months with your customer.

6.  Offer to help your customer with a difficult assignment or project.  Perhaps your customer is working on a training manual, or big presentation.  Offer to do it with them.

If you implement these ideas (or a few of your own), you’ll have cut expenses and increased revenue.  Both lead to BIG profits.  And you’ll make great relationships.

Note:  Not everything I’ve offered is devoid of investment.  I do plan to spend a small amount of money in preparation to host my next guest at my office.  About $20.  It’s time to wash my car.  Thank you for the lesson, Jeffrey.

I just returned from a week in Phoenix, Arizona, where I attended an industry conference and had the chance to rub elbows with roughly 1,500 potential partners, vendors, and customers.  As I unpacked my bag, I grabbed the stack of hundreds of business cards people gave me and I found myself struggling to remember who some of these people are.  A handful of the cards have handwritten notes on the back (I always write something to jog my memory if I know I intend to follow-up after the show), some have photos on them, but most are indistinguishable from the rest.  Isn’t the point of a business card to provide a tool for follow up after meeting someone for the first time?  A business card should reflect your personality.  If you’re boring, have a boring business card.  If not, then here are 10 ways to revamp your ineffective (and boring) business card:

1. Be creative. Especially with the title. Have fun and call yourself something that will make people smile.  Don’t be a salesperson, be The Sales Cowboy.  Don’t be a Customer Service Representative, be a Customer Loyalty Specialist.  Don’t be a receptionist, be the Director of First Impressions.  Don’t be an assistant, be the Chief Executive Assistant. Don’t be an Account Manager, be The Princess of Profits.  Got it?
2. Be clear. About what you can DO for someone, as opposed to using a nondescript and professional (think, faceless) title.
3. Be memorable. If someone lost your card, would they call and ask for another?  Or would they not even realize they had lost it?
4. Be valuable. Provide a tip, an idea, a link to more information, or a code for online redemption.
5. Be different. Be so different that ANYONE you give your card to shows it to EVERYONE they know.
6. Be “WOW-able”. If people say,“WOW!  I’ve never seen anything like this before,” then you know your card is working for you.
7. Be easy. Include your office phone, your cell phone, fax number, email address, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn accounts.
8. Be shapely. If your card is the standard size and shape, it fits nicely in a pile of all the other cards people forget about.  Make your card a different shape or size so that it stands out — and stands alone. A great card can’t be put in a pile.
9. Be YOU. Put your picture on your card.  And not your high school yearbook picture—make sure your picture looks like you do.  If you’ve changed your hair color, lost or gained more than a few pounds, or aged more than a few years, get a new card.  You want people to look at your card and remember meeting YOU.
10. Be independent. Worried that your boss won’t pay for your new cards?  Or that your boss won’t allow you to make creative cards?  Ask for forgiveness rather than permission.  And you probably won’t have to ask for forgiveness when you bring back success stories as a result of all the new connections you’ve made with your creative business card.  About the money—you can now buy business cards online in large quantities for less than the cost of that new shirt you bought to wear at the tradeshow.  Your boss didn’t pay for your shirt, did he?  Invest your own money in the most important person in the world – you.

As I began sorting the cards in my hands, I made two piles:  one for scanning and filing, and one for immediate follow up.  Guess which pile is bigger?  I’ll help you. From the hundreds of cards I started with, I kept twenty on my desk. There are two ways to get into my short stack—the one that means I’ll be reaching out to you within a week after meeting.   You need to offer GREAT value when we meet or you need to have a GREAT business card.  If you have both, you’re guaranteed that I (and most everyone else you meet) will want to get in touch quickly.

Think you’ve got a great business card?  Email a copy to noah@gitomer.com and, if I agree, I’ll post it on my blog at www.rickun.com.

I recently flew from Milwaukee to Minneapolis and then on to Fargo, ND.  Each time I landed, I felt my iPhone vibrating in my pocket, indicating that I had received a new voicemail, email, or text message.  When I pulled out my phone in Minneapolis, I had 17 new emails, 2 voicemails, and 3 text messages. That flight was only about 90 minutes.  I had a 45-minute layover, so I did my best to return calls and emails, but I didn’t get to them all.

By the time I landed in Fargo I had more emails, 5 text messages, and 3 additional voicemails—all in an hour!  Half of the messages were people re-sending their original message (perhaps in a different format) because they were upset that I hadn’t responded yet.

Today, my customers, employees, and partners expect 24/7 availability.  I am connected via email, text messaging, iPhone, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and four different instant messaging platforms.

For most people, the added pressure of technology has complicated “The Balancing Act” even more.  Everything becomes a trade-off–with only 24 hours a day available (minus a few for sleep), you must choose to either ignore or neglect certain needs.  Often, it is family and self-care that is overlooked.  It’s an emotional decision that we attempt to rationalize with logic.  For example, I’ve found myself thinking, “I’d sure love to work out today, but I’m behind on emails.  I’ll do the emails now, and work out tomorrow.”  Problem is, tomorrow is not any less hectic or task-packed than today.

In the end, I prioritize tasks and work through them one-by-one. Commonly, I do what is expected of me rather than what I think is important.  I know that everything I do, I could do better if I were able to devote more time or mental energy to the task at hand.

My major issue centers on the notion of PRESENCE.  With an iPhone in my pocket, I am rarely 100% present in any setting.  I can’t remember the last time I spent with my daughters where I didn’t have to step away once or twice to respond to an email or voicemail.

The last safe haven (until recently) has been the airplane.  That’s always been “me” time.  Time to reflect, to write, to nap.  There are no expectations from outside parties.  Until now.  Several airlines have launched Wi-Fi on their flights, which puts me right back in touch with everyone, and everyone’s expectation that I will respond within minutes!

The bottom line is this–if you can master the art of being present, quality rules and quantity becomes much less important.  One hour of focused time with my children far outweighs four hours of the kids trying to get attention from a distracted daddy.  It means much more to all of us.

I have no self-control when it comes to connectivity, so I’ve had to follow some strict rules to keep myself in check.  I have found these rules works best:

1. Blend work and home life–to a degree.  Be sure to include your family in major work events and to take time at your office each day to call home once or twice.  Bring some work home, but limit the work to specific hours (i.e., after children are sleeping).
2. Leave your cell phone and laptop in your car when you first get home.  Eat dinner with your family and then spend time after with one another BEFORE you even think about getting back to work.
3. Create a work area (i.e., office) in your home and DO NOT work anywhere else.  Don’t answer your cell phone, don’t check your email, and don’t respond to text messages unless you are in that work area.
4. Do more work in the early AM rather than at night.  Wake up before everyone else in the house rather than staying up late.  It’s incredible how much more productive you are after a good night’s rest.
5. Above all else, remember the age-old question:  “Do you live to work, or work to live?”  Make a decision and always judge your actions against your priorities.

By no means have I mastered the five steps I laid out above, but I am conscious of my deficiencies, and I recognize I have choices.  And, just as technology has created new expectations, challenges, and additional workload, technology has also created solutions.  I am currently working to leverage technology to help me service my customers better, faster, and more proactively.  I figure if I can free my inbox of everything but ORDERS and THANK YOU LETTERS, I’ll be rich and happy.

In the meantime, I have a rule that I ALWAYS follow—ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS respond to EVERY customer contact (whether it be a voicemail, email, instant message, text message, or smoke signal) before you go to sleep.  Even if it’s 3am and the only thing you have the energy to write is, “Hey Mr. Customer, thanks for the email.  I wanted to let you know that I received it and that I am working on a great solution for you.  I’ll be in touch tomorrow with an idea and answer to every question you’ve asked.”  My rule does not result in perfect service, but it works.  It puts the customer at ease and it shows your customer that you care.

BIG TIP:  If you send the email late at night (after 10pm) or early in the morning (before 7am), you’ll impress your customer with your dedication.  Now, dedicate yourself to responding within an hour and work toward getting there as soon as possible.  When you get there, you’ll be hours ahead of where you are now, and light years ahead of your competition.

Want a list of technology solutions (software, hardware, and gadgets) that can help you to serve your customers faster and better than you are currently doing?  Go to www.rickun.com and click on “Cool Tools for Sales Dudes.”

You’ve probably heard the mantra Carpe Diem a thousand times. It’s on t-shirts, bumper stickers, motivational posters, and screensavers. Some people even have it tattooed on their bodies.

The phrase is originally from a Latin poem written by Horace over two thousand years ago, where it appeared as “Carpe diem quam minimum credula postero” or “Seize the day, trusting as little as possible in the future.”

But what does this have to do with sales? I recently created and adopted a new sales mantra: Carpe Salesem . I want to share it with you.

Carpe Diem (seize the day!) is a philosophy for life.

Carpe Salesem (seize the sale!) is a philosophy for sales success.

In light of my discovery, I’ve made a conscious decision to approach customers with value, with ideas to improve their business, and with a focus on long-term relationships rather than wham-bam-transaction-slam! You might be able to manipulate prospects into making a one-time purchase, but that slam! above is the sound of your one-time customer slamming the door on future sales.

It may take me a little longer to get the first order with the Carpe Salesem philosophy, but I keep my customers for life. And so can you.

Carpe Salesem is NOT “selling by telling.” It’s not about pressuring your prospect or customer to buy now.Carpe Salesem is about balancing buyer urgency (or lack thereof) and seller patience. Let me be clear: I’m not suggesting you take a passive role in your success. You MUST take actions every day that create a buying atmosphere, and that identify buyer needs and wants, rather than your product’s features and benefits.

The Carpe Salesem philosophy incorporates best practices from my personal sales experiences, and lessons from successful salespeople I have worked with over the years. By no means do I consider myself a literary god (take, for example, the fact that I invented a Latin word— Salesem —without proper authority), but I do know that my mantra works for me. And, it can work for you IF you apply the elements to yourself and your business.

Here are the essential elements of my Carpe Salesem philosophy:

1. Seize every opportunity. Not just the sales opportunity, but opportunities to serve others in memorable ways that lead to relationships.

2. Enjoy the sales process. Don’t just seize the sale; enjoy it. Make use of your passion and your customers will love you for it.

3. Help your customers. Offer valuable insight and solutions. Become known as a resource—someone who is helpful, rather than someone who is just looking for a commission.

4. Be prepared. Plan your day the night before and come in to the office (or better yet, to a customer appointment) with your sales guns blazing. Understand the importance of Monday morning and Friday afternoon. You can put in eight productive hours (four on Monday, four on Friday) while your competition is either hung-over or leaving early for happy hour.

5. Be responsive. I have a rule that I ALWAYS follow—ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS respond to EVERY customer contact (whether it be a voicemail, email, instant message, text message, or smoke signal) before you go to sleep. Even if it’s 3a.m. and the only thing you have the energy to write is, “Hey Mr. Customer, thanks for the email. I wanted to let you know that I received it and that I am working on a great solution for you. I’ll be in touch tomorrow with an idea and answer to every question you’ve asked.” My rule does not result in perfect service, but it works. It puts the customer at ease and it shows them you care.

6. Be friendly. A smile costs nothing, but it’s worth millions. Being friendly sets the tone for a great relationship. And a great relationship sets the stage for big sales. I landed the best account of my life by befriending the biggest jerk in my industry. Turns out, he wasn’t that bad of a guy. He just didn’t know how to smile.

7. Be memorable. Differentiate yourself from your competition with creative ways to serve your customer.

8. Be studious. I’m not an expert at sales. I’m a student of sales. I’ve been that way since I started selling 20 years ago, and I’ll stay that way until I die. Staying a student means I learn something new every day.

9. Be inquisitive. Instead of telling your customer everything about YOU, ASK your customer about their needs—and don’t stop until you know everything there is to know about them. Your competition will be reciting features and benefits, marketing drivel, and lines from Cheap Sales Tricks 101 while you’re finding out how to actually get your customer to buy. It’s up to you: Don’t ask…don’t sell.

10. Be persistent. Nothing says Carpe Salesem more than persistence. And the key to mastering the elements above is being persistent in everything you do. Don’t quit until you know in your heart it’s over. If you have to ask yourself if it’s over, it ain’t over. It’s only over when you sincerely believe that you can no longer be of service to your customer.

This list is by no means exhaustive, and each element is a lesson in its own right. In the coming weeks, I’ll share those lessons and how to apply them to your business in more depth.

My wife and I have two young daughters. Before our first was born, we transformed our house into a child safety zone. Goodbye glass coffee table, hello cushy ottoman. All of our cabinets suddenly required a college degree to open, and our electrical outlets became impossible to use. We wanted to do everything to ensure that our kids would be safe and happy.

When our second daughter was born, my wife felt it was time for a new car. She needed a new car because hers didn’t have the LATCH system. (For any parent who raised children before this millennium, this is probably a foreign term). Also, her car was a sedan, rather than a big SUV like most other suburban warriors were driving. I live by the philosophy that a happy wife equals a happy life; and so began our search for an SUV.

We put the same effort into our new car search as we did with baby-proofing our house. And after an exhausting process, the Toyota Sequoia appeared to be a great vehicle for us. When we went to pick it up, we were surprised how BIG it was in person! I could tell that my wife was a bit frustrated with the size of the Sequoia, but she kept it because she felt safe. She perceived that it was the best option for our girls. It was the best option… until that fatal day several weeks ago when the news about the Toyota accelerator pedal hit the airwaves. We anxiously waited for a response from Toyota, the most trusted brand. And then it happened. Decades of trust were wiped away in a matter of days by Toyota’s pathetic attempt to maintain credibility.

While Toyota instantly lost corporate trust, I found a beacon of hope in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I was several states away at the time the news hit, and was concerned about whether or not the Sequoia was safe to drive — so I immediately called my Toyota dealer, Andrew Toyota, to ask for advice. To my surprise, I reached the owner of the dealership on my first attempt. Andy Schlesinger (Andy is short for Andrew, THE Andrew in Andrew Toyota) gave me his best advice on how to take precautions while continuing to drive our Sequoia (what to do about the floor mats, what to do if the accelerator sticks, etc) and then assured me he would have our recall procedure done quickly. I’ve known Andy for a few years and my family has been buying Toyota’s from his dealership for three decades, so I assumed that when Andy offered to schedule the accelerator fix the very next day AND PICK UP the Sequoia from our house he was giving me special treatment. Not the case. Andy kept his service center open seven days a week and longer hours each day to be sure that he took care of EVERY customer. If you live in Milwaukee, you may have seen Andy’s TV commercials that always end with “Andrew Toyota—Where customer service is not a department, it’s our passion!” Andy and his staff live by that maxim and it shows.

I used to trust Toyota quality and value. Today, I am skeptical. Millions of others have written off Toyota forever. But I trust Andy Schlesinger. Had Toyota followed Andy’s example of being proactive, admitting fault, and offering answers and solutions, then Toyota would have strengthened its reputation as a responsible and customer-focused automotive manufacturer.

So what can we learn from Toyota’s poor decision? Here are five takeaways about trust:

1. It always costs less to fix the problem than to not fix the problem.
2. Trust takes years to earn, yet only moments to lose.
3. There is nothing more valuable to a company than trust. If your customers trust you, selling is easy. If you lose that trust, you will eventually lose the customer.
4. Being known as trustworthy is far more important than being known as clever, smart, innovative, or trendy.
5. Trust is all about consistency, reliability, and truthfulness. If you are consistently truthful, your customers will feel that they can rely on you.

Is your company trusted? Are YOU trusted?