Is your enthusiasm showing?

Have you ever noticed that people with enthusiasm are more charismatic? They draw others to them.

Have you checked the apparent enthusiasm level of your employees who deal with the public, especially those who answer the telephone? Enthusiasm and clear diction can be potent allies in your public relations effort! How is your enthusiasm level for your work?

Do you know the details of your products?

Today a salesperson recommended a brand of a product to me. What was interesting was that she did not give me details. The product was "the best" she said. When I asked why, it took quite a while for her to tell me what she liked about it.

An excellent salesperson should ask probing questions first, to determine a customer's needs and wants. Only then can he recommend the "best" product, and can explain why it is such a great match for a given customer.

Have you had an experience with a super salesperson? If so, what made it so wonderful?

Corporate Outgoing Voice Mail Messages

Today I called a company to ask some questions about their products. To my amazement, their outgoing message stated that their lines were overwhelmed with callers, and I should call back on a Thursday or Friday. (Today IS Thursday.)

This was a poor choice in public relations for this company. They are spending a presumably large budget on getting prospective customers; yet when such a customer does call, the customer is supposed to keep calling back repeatedly, even on a day when it is lighter in call volume.

So, in essence, they are attracting customers and then driving them away. Each frustrated prospective customer will tell others about this company, so the damage is magnified.

Have you had an experience like this?

Going Way Beyond Expectations

Today I talked with a service employee in a small store. Her store has an owner and 1-2 employees. While there making a purchase, I asked how the little store gets customers. To my surprise, the woman told me that it is mostly word of mouth - and some other techniques. In ten minutes flat, she outlined all sorts of free or very low-cost techniques they use, from magnetic signs on their vehicles to online classifieds for the local community, to donating services for auction of a local charitable organization. She was incredibly knowledgeable on marketing on a budget - and on what works for her company. I walked out with a lot more than I expected - and I will definitely give them more word of mouth advertising!

Have you had an experience in getting wonderful service? What made it so great? Tell us about it!

A Word in Time Saves Nine

Today I was looking through the day-after-Christmas sales circulars. Despite all the pretty pictures, use of the color red to promote urgency, and apparent hope that certain items would be so sought-after that people would buy them at 6 AM, smart copy-writers used "powerful wording" to seize readers' attention. Words such as premium, deluxe, best, biggest and door-buster were there to attract interest.

A wise choice of words results in less text and more space for pictures or for other items to be included. How's your writing, whether for ads or for e-mails, letters or more?

To find such powerful words make a habit of noticing which words grab your attention. Then write them down in a little notebook. You'll see wonderful words on billboards and in books, magazines and other sources, and hear them on television or when powerful speakers talk.
Make those words yours; use them!

Excellent customer service in spite of long lines...

Today is the day before a major holiday, and lines everywhere were long. In spite of the extra hours the stores' staffs worked these past few weeks, I was impressed by their excellent customer service. Although they sounded and looked very tired, cashiers and other store employees still tried to smile, joke with customers, offer to carry packages out to the customers' cars and answer questions.

The sole exception was a new employee who had not been sufficiently trained. She was pushing a cart around her store, putting items away. When asked where an item could be found, she looked around desperately and pointed to an obviously incorrect aisle. It would have been so much better for public relations if she had worn a "trainee" badge, or had simply said, "I'm new here. I'll be happy to call my supervisor and ask him."