I Want Super, Not Visor

"Tell the customers to hold on, I need you to go to gate 28."

That's what I heard come across the walkie-talkie as I stood there in disbelief, across the gate counter, while attempting to board an earlier flight from San Francisco to Charlotte. And then she ran away!

Pauline, the supervisor for US Airways, just ran away. No words, no motions, no acknowledgement. No nothing. She just ran off to gate 28, leaving me to ponder: How was Pauline a supervisor?

Pauline was not a supervisor of superior employees.
Pauline was not a supervisor of superior positive attitude.
Pauline was not a supervisor of superior customer service.
Pauline was not super.
Pauline was only a visor.

I had just facilitated three full-day YES! Attitude trainings earlier that week, so my sense of YES! was at full force. From the moment I walked into SFO, I was greeted with US Airways employees (Nora, Jean, and Pauline) who were full of won't, can't, will not, don't wanna, don't care.

In the YES! course I teach how to start with what CAN be done, not what you can't.

Newsflash - customers don't want to hear about all the ways you can't help them, or your company policies (which, by the way, only tick us off more), or anything else that you are trained to say that ISN'T about being friendly and helpful.

Newsflash - customers want people who understand how to be human and treat them as they would want to be treated. Yes, everything we ever needed to learn about being a good person, a positive person, a helpful person, we gleaned from our mothers and kindergarten.

Newsflash - when a customer asks to speak to a supervisor, they are most likely not happy (when was the last time you asked for a supervisor to praise their employee?). If I'm seeking out a supervisor it's probably because the employee I was working with wasn't too super and I'm hoping you will be superior and super.

What does it take to be a superior supervisor?

1. Focus On The Super. The definition of super is to be very good or pleasant; excellent. I love that the word pleasant is in the definition. So infrequently people realize that friendly trumps nearly anything. Be nice to me and you win. Be helpful with me and you win. Be accommodating instead of combative and YOU WIN. To focus on the super, you have to be excellent in attitude, friendly, service, and communicating.

2. Avoid The Visor. The definition of a visor is a shield or protection of the face and eyes. Most supervisors focus solely on the visor part of their title. They are a shield or protector of their company, NOT the customer. They are the person who follows all policies that are not helpful. They are masterful at telling you can't and won't instead of being 'can do'. Personally, I've never like visors, they aren't a good fashion accessory. And I definitely don't think that a visor is a good leadership accessory.

3. Teach What's Right. Sounds so easy, yet many companies and leaders, struggle to convey and empower their employees to simply do what's right. Our day at SFO started out at a ticket counter where Nora refused to check me into an earlier flight because it was 10:29 and the flight was at 11:05. HOWEVER, their company policy is that it can't be less than thirty minutes to take off. Math may not have been my favorite subject, but I would say I had a good SIX minutes left before the cut-off. Nora didn't care. She didn't care about policy or the customer. Her supervisor struck out. Maybe Nora had not been taught to be nice, to care, or to understand that the company’s policy was thirty minutes, not thirty-six minutes before take off.

What would Nora and Pauline's mothers say about their actions?
What would your mother say about your actions and interactions with your customers? Would she say you are super? Would she say you are a visor?

I'm betting she would say you are super (that's what mothers do), but would your customers?

I'm your Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista. How may I help you help yourself?

Stephanie Melish, one of the few, hand-selected, Gitomer-Certified Speakers is the ONLY Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista in the world! Stephanie trains, sells, and speaks to companies and associations all over the country. To book Stephanie for your next event, please visit www.GitomerCertified.com or contact the friendly folks at Buy Gitomer via email or by calling 704-333-1112.

Season to Rebuild

Are you ready for some football?

YES! Oh, pick me. I am! I am!

Football represents the most glorious seventeen Sundays of my year, every year. The start of football signifies so many things: fall, the holidays coming, school starting, work intensifying, and pumpkin EVERYTHING. It's back (according to Starbucks), the pumpkin spice latte that is!

Football also signifies the beginning of my loyal relationship with the Cincinnati Bengals. By loyal, I mean, sitting through season after season of pure heart-wrenching disappointment. And I LOVE it, every single second of every single game on every single Sunday.

This past Sunday was the first game for the Bengals and it was the least excited I've ever been for the beginning of the regular season. Ochocinco (wide receiver) was traded, Carson Palmer (quarterback) refused to show up despite his contract, and other key veterans were gone. This team was facing a "rebuilding season," a nice way of saying they aren't expected to win many, if any, games. So you can imagine my shock and awe as I watched the Bungles beat the Brownies 27-17! WHO DEY!

How could a team that prognosticators doomed to an 0-16 season, start out 1-0?

I started to think a little deeper about why the Bengals won the first game of their supposed rebuilding season. And I thought about how many companies, who are going through their own rebuilding seasons (hello Bank of America), could learn something from the Bengals.

So, I wondered: What does it take to succeed in a rebuilding season?

1. Talent. (Rookie Quarterback Andy Dalton) To rebuild anything (your X), you must first have the talent to do so (sort-of sounds like a famous quote)! Whether the talent is you or someone else, you must recognize the opportunity for improvement and act on it. X is not going to simply rebuild itself, it's going to take people, talented people. Your job is to identify who the talent is and build upon that.

2. Belief. (Who Dey, Who Dey, Who Dey think gonna beat them Bengals? NO ONE!) The number one indicator for success lies with your internal belief system. Do you believe you are going to win the game? Do you believe you are going to get the job? Do you believe you are going to exceed your sales quota? Do you believe you are going to lead your team to victory? Do you truly, deep down, gut-checked, know with all your heart, believe you can rebuild or rebound? If you don't believe, why even waste your time? Not believing only leads to losses. Some may be small, some may be big, but over time not believing in yourself and your abilities will only create disappointing failure. Take the time to list out WHY you believe you can accomplish whatever your X is. Do it now! Please. Reflecting on the "why" will help solidify your belief.

3. Seasoned Coach. (Marvin Lewis - head coach for eight years) A coach is instrumental in the success of rebuilding anything. Having a mentor or leader that can effectively teach and coach, motivate and inspire, demonstrate and set the example for the team, sets the tone and amplifies each persons individual talent and belief. The coach is the nucleus of success. This is the person who creates the game plan and calls the plays. A coach's job is to showcase the talent, make decisions for the team, make mid-game adjustments, and do whatever it takes to win. Who is your coach?

4. Backup. (Quarterback Bruce Gradkowski, replaced the hurt Dalton in the second half) This is probably the most overlooked piece of the puzzle. In football, you have several strings of backups, but in business, very rarely do you have a back up for each person. Think about it, or more specifically, think of someone in your office who does something instrumental to the companies success; do they have a back up? Do you have a back up plan for when someone gets hurt (sick, laid-off, quits, goes on maternity leave)? Back-up your people, your talent, your team, your coach, and your hard drive so you can keep the momentum going.

The Bengals didn't win their game because of dumb luck, though some would argue with me on that one, they won because they had genuine talent, they believed that they could, they had an experienced coach leading them, and a back-up plan in place.

There was another showcase of rebuilding this past Sunday, as it marked the tenth anniversary of 9/11. Our country showed its pure resilience for a national "rebuilding season." I challenge you to take the spirit you had this past Sunday, because I can't believe that anyone didn't have a heightened spirit and sense of pride that day, and apply that same spirit and pride to your work.

The season to rebuild is NOW. Not yesterday, not tomorrow, right now.

Are you the talent? The coach? Or the backup?

Identify the role you plan to play this rebuilding season and partner that with your belief, so that you can win.

I'm your Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista. How may I help you help yourself?

Stephanie Melish, one of the few, hand-selected, Gitomer-Certified Speakers is the ONLY Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista in the world! Stephanie trains, sells, and speaks to companies and associations all over the country. To book Stephanie for your next event, please visit www.GitomerCertified.com or contact the friendly folks at Buy Gitomer via email or by calling 704-333-1112.

Firework Economy

“You just gotta ignite the light and let it shine. Just own the night like the 4th of July”



These lyrics hit me like a ton of bricks a few weeks ago while I was riding in my car, jamming out, singing like a fool - like we all do when a good song hits us. Now, you may think I’m crazy, because this is a Katy Perry song, (did you know she is the first female artist to EVER to have five #1 singles from one album?), but she is doing something right!



Love her or hate her, and I’m not particularly fond of her, I was struck by the lyrics in her hit song Firework. They were an anthem, yelling at me to be my best. Don’t believe me? Play the song and listen to it with the intention of being motivated – both professionally and personally.



I mean it – GO! Listen to it right now, I’ll wait…



Are you paper-thin?

Are you buried deep?

Do you want to start again?



You can ignite!

You can let your colors burst!

You can show them what you’re worth!



This is a firework economy, an economy where if you aren’t your best, you are going to be left behind.



Where are you? Struggling to get the job, to keep the job, to make the sale, to survive the changing tide?



Where’s your firework for this economy? Why aren’t you igniting yourself with passion and motivation? Why won’t you let your colors burst? Why can’t people see what you’re worth?



It’s simple. It’s because somewhere along the yellow brick road of the economy you lost your groove. You quit jamming out and singing like a fool! You quit.



Stings, doesn’t it? OUCHIE!



You quit. You quit going above and beyond. You quit being passionate about your life, your work, your economy.



In that moment, in that car, listening to that song, Stephanie got her groove back!



Is it time you got your groove back?



First, you have to Light the Fire. Easier said than done, I know, but not impossible. The hardest part is figuring out what motivates you to be your best. What drives your inner champion? What makes you tick? What catapults you to succeed? When you are able to put your finger on that, BAM! the fire will start burning and you’ll start seeing change. You’ll be happier, you’ll be friendlier, you’ll be more helpful, you’ll accomplish more and stress less.



Once you light the fire, you have to Work Harder. This is the hardest part and the one thing that separates you from everyone else. How willing are you to work harder? To take on more than you think you can handle? To accept the challenge of contributing more to help you, your colleagues, and your company thrive? If you aren’t willing, you’ll never be better than you are today. If you are willing, then you have to act and act now. Don’t wait! Tomorrow is always a day late. Start now.



“It's always been inside of you, you, you. And now it's time to let it through-ough-ough”



Got it? Light Your Fire, Work Harder, and you’ll be a firework in this dim economy.



I’m your Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista. How may I help you help yourself?



Stephanie Melish, one of the few, hand-selected, Gitomer-Certified Speakers is the ONLY Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista in the world! Stephanie trains, sells, and speaks to companies and associations all over the country. To book Stephanie for your next event, please visit Gitomer Certified or contact the friendly folks at Buy Gitomer via email or by calling 704-333-1112.

Change Communication

"Your words are your most powerful tool. There is nothing more powerful than hearing someone say, I love you or (dramatic pause) I hate you."



I said this today during a training seminar on customer service. I was spending four hours with one company to help them understand this imperative. We had gotten to the section where I was emphasizing communication and I spoke those words.



And, it was as if I were speaking to myself (which I do sometimes, most of the time, OK - all the time!). I realized that my words are my most powerful tool, but they are yours as well.



When we communicate with others, the words we choose to use can either motivate or defeat someone. The words can inspire or infuriate. The words can evoke or emote. The words can attack or embrace. The words - your words - are power.



Most people don't think about the words they choose. Most people don't realize the power behind their words, their message (I only had this A-HA today). Most people don't know that by choosing the right words they can create, instill, initiate, and shape CHANGE.



Change was Obama's word and, like him or not, you can't argue that he built a campaign on that one word. It was the right word at the right time in a world that needed hope that something new could be promised, that something would, that's right, change.



So what are you promising?

What words are you choosing to use to deliver your message?

What words do you use when you parent, teach, lead, sell, serve or tweet?

Do you think about those words before you use them?

Do you choose them wisely?



NO?! I'm not surprised.



Being a writer, speaker, and trainer, I must constantly think about the words I choose when transferring my message to an audience. Not every word will be powerful - but if I can make a few of them, just a few, more powerful than the others, I can inspire action. I can inspire change. I'm in the business of change - change to know more, to sell more, to serve better, to be the best.



What's my secret to change communication?



1. The Package. Put your message in a box, wrap it with beautiful paper, place a bow on top, and put a gift label on it. That's how to present a gift to someone. Why wouldn't you present your message in the same way? Put your message in a clear and concise box. Wrap the message into a creative presentation (hello theme!). Place a WOW! word bow on top. And right before you end your message, address it to a specific person or audience. A properly packaged message that's personalized is more likely to grab their attention and get them to start to entertain a change. That's the power of message packaging.

2. The Passion. Passion is directly tied into the belief that you have in your message. When you truly believe in what you are trying to transfer over to the listener, you'll naturally exude passion. I am passionate about BAD customer service. I am passionate about asking powerful questions in sales. I am passionate about changing your attitude. I am passionate about helping other people become their best. This passion backs my message and puts some OOMPF! into my delivery. Passion is contagious and when it catches it creates change. That's the power of passion.

3. The Pause. There is nothing more powerful or painful in delivering a talk than a pause. Those moments when you allow the words you so carefully chose to sink in. Those are the precise moments when your audience will soak it all in and consciously decide to (hopefully) change. That's the power of the pause.



You have the power.



You have the power to choose your words with precision and purpose.

You have the power to deliver the package, the passion and the pause.

You have the power to change communication.



I’m your Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista, how may I help you help yourself?



Stephanie Melish, one of the few, hand-selected, Gitomer-Certified Speakers is the ONLY Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista in the world! Stephanie trains, sells, and speaks to companies and associations all over the country. To book Stephanie for your next event, please visit www.GitomerCertified.com or contact the friendly folks at Buy Gitomer via email or by calling 704-333-1112.

Blogger Gone Bride Wild

I was recently asked to be a part of a wedding contest. Isn't that fun? A contest found me and asked me to enter, all because of one four letter word - BLOG!

Of course, there was something in it for them. DUH - free advertising. Soliciting brides to be who are bloggers is a great way to market your product. So I decided to play along. Besides, who wouldn't want to win a free video of the biggest day of their lives?

So all of you, get to help me win - and read the story of how my fiance and I met.

Go to: http://weddings.storymixmedia.com/wedding-blogger-stephanie-melish.html

Read our story.

Leave a comment - that's how you vote for me!

And share the link with as many people as you can.

This is a week long campaign - and I'm going to be elected.

I'm Engaged and You Aren't Engaging

I'm engaged, yeah! While I don't think you want to hear all about how I got engaged (Grand Cayman, dinner on the beach, harpist playing Wonderful Tonight, and a dream bling ring), I'm sure you want to hear about this.

As a future bride, I've been receiving solicitations via phone, email and snail mail. Invitations this, photographers that, venues, caterers, and flowers, OH MY! It's quite overwhelming, so in the massive landfill of wedding solicitations, it takes a lot to grab my attention.

About a week ago, I received an envelope in the mail that did just that. It not only grabbed my attention, it choked it! When I opened the envelope I found a nicely, tri-folded piece of normal white printing paper with blue, purple and black ALL-CAPS text, exclaiming to me:

"ATTENTION: FUTURE BRIDES
COME CHECK OUT THE BLOW-OUT SALE OF THE YEAR"

As I read down the rest of the 8x11 flyer, I started to realize a few things:

No phone number.
No address.
No email address.
No web address.
No contact name.

It wasn't until I read the flyer for the 5th time that I caught the name of the company. Are you dying to know who it was? More about that later.

My point is, I'm engaged! And you, Ms. ALL-CAPS, Multi-Color Font, Flyer Maker Extraordinaire, are not engaging me. You're piece offers NO value. It doesn't even offer simple contact information. What if I, for some silly reason, want to do business with you? Who do I call? Where do I go?

This flyer was an opportunity for "Bridal Company X" to engage me and they failed, miserably!

So, how do you engage the engaged (or anyone for that matter)? I have three easy ways:

1. Make it about them. Newly engaged people (primarily the bride-to-be) love soaking up wedding anything. It's what is most important in their lives at that moment. Your job, when attempting to engage a prospect or customer, is to find out what is most important to them. It's never about you, it never was. Businesses are built to create products or services for other people. When you work with a servant mindset, to help others first, you'll find that more people want to engage with you.

2. Make it easy for them. The biggest problem with this gorgeous flyer was that it didn't make it easy for me to find the company. I honestly couldn't find the company name until I re-read the flyer again while writing this article - NOT GOOD. And I just realized (literally, right now!) that there are no dates for this fabulous sale! How am I supposed to find further information or answers to my questions? When you are engaging with your prospects or customers, make it easy for them to contact you. Make it easy for them to understand your message. Make it easy for them to do business with you!

3. Make it valuable to them. This is the trickiest on the list because value is in the eye of the beholder. What is valuable to me, future bride, is different even to my fiance, to my mom, and to my dad. When trying to engage your prospects or customers the easiest way is to talk in terms of their perceived value. How do you know what they think is "value". Easy! Ask them. Use power questions to uncover their needs, wants, and hot buttons. This will lead you to what value you can bring to the engagement.

Wedding bells aside, being engaged both in life and business is fun. I love to become engaged with a company. All they have to do is make it easy, full of value, and all about ME!

Want to know who "Bridal Company X" is? Go to my Sales Barista Facebook Page to see a picture of the flyer and I'll let you try to find the company name!

I'm your Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista, how can I help you, help yourself?

Stephanie Melish, one of the few, hand-selected, Gitomer-Certified Speakers is the ONLY Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista in the world! Stephanie trains, sells, and speaks to companies and associations all over the country. To book Stephanie for your next event, please visit www.GitomerCertified.com or contact the friendly folks at Buy Gitomer via email or by calling 704-333-1112.

Ask Kisser

I'm an ask kisser. That's right, I said it. I'm an ASK kisser.

I'm sealing deals and kissing checks because I've learned the power of making the "ASK". Not making the sale, making the ask. Most people don't close the sale because they never ask for the sale, or even worse, they never ask anything, period.

I love sports, so indulge me on this analogy: questions are to a sale what a quarterback is to football. Without the quarterback you essentially don't have a game (who's going to throw the ball?), without questions, you don't have game.

When you ask a question, you throw the ball to the other player - your customer or prospect - you get them involved. Question after question, you lead them down the field, first down, second down, first down until you've got a TOUCHDOWN (enter end-zone dance here)!

The questions you ask put you in position to make a sale. How do you know what your client needs? Wants? Thinks? Believes in? How do you know what your prospects past experiences have been? What they find of value? Are you assuming, or asking?

As an ask kisser, the best feeling in the world is to have someone smile and say, "That's a great question." AH, success! That's what being an ask kisser is all about. It's about asking relevant and powerful questions that get your prospects to smile and then reveal something about themselves, their buying habits, their needs, wants, thoughts, beliefs, past experiences or what they find of value.

Being an ask kisser doesn't happen overnight. It takes preparation and practice. It also requires that you put into action what you already know.

Here's how to be a great ask kisser:

1. Ask open-ended questions. DUH! I'm not telling you something new; I'm just repeating something that the majority of people still don't do! Break the bad habit of asking questions that allow your client or prospect to reply with a simple yes or no. If they don't have to think about their answer, you haven't asked a good question.

2. Prepare questions before hand. Spend time creating questions before you meet with your prospect or client. Asking relevant and powerful questions doesn't just happen. You have to put some work into it. Do your homework and write out at least five questions to take with you to your next appohntment. You'll be amazed at how differently the conversation goes when you arrive prepared, with not just knowledge about the prospect but, with questions too.

3. Ask what your competition isn't asking. I'm a creativity advocate. I believe that creativity kills the competition. One of the key areas in sales to get creative is with your questions. If it's a question you've heard everyone and their Grandma ask, then don't ask it. Think outside the Magic 8 ball (where you only get yes or no or maybe answers) and be forward thinking. Ask questions that no one else is asking - but please don't be risque or offensive. Be thought provoking, relevant, and creative to move the sales process forward.

4. Ask for the business. This should be the easiest on the list but usually it's the one that salespeople fear the most - the fear of rejection. Making a sale is like landing a date. You'll never get anywhere if you don't ASK! What's the worst that can happen? They say, "NO, get out of here you creep?"

Asking questions and asking the right questions is key to getting what you want, both in sales and in life. What's your best ask-kisser question? Post it on my Sales Barista Facebook page. I'll pick my favorite on July 4th and the lucky winner will receive one of my favorite things - a Starbucks gift card.

Stephanie Melish, one of the few, hand-selected, Gitomer-Certified Speakers is the ONLY Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista in the world! Stephanie trains, sells, and speaks to companies and associations all over the country. To book Stephanie for your next event, please visit www.GitomerCertified.com or contact the friendly folks at Buy Gitomer via email or by calling 704-333-1112.