The big OE

Edition 83 Monday March 28th  2011

Hi, there is nothing better than getting away for the weekend especially when you go overseas! We headed to the family holiday home on Waiheke Island a mere 45minutes from the grid locked chaos of downtown Auckland. It is so cool to get away from the city for a break, just a couple of days is like a week away.  The decision to take the motorbike had the potential to ruin hair, clothes, holiday and relationship but due to some skillful driving and a lot of luck we stayed together and relatively dry. The visit was long overdue, I had forgotten what a jewel this special place is in Aucklands crown… if you haven’t been for a while or ever, then why not plan a trip there with family or friends soon.

After our recent trip to Taupo we promised to get away more often on the weekends so we programmed this one in and several others going forward. Its good to have something to look forward to and always fun to visit different or favorite places. The Waiheke trip was also another tick on the goal list as I had promised Mum and Dad I would get there before the end of summer. Good feeling when you make a commitment and then actually deliver on that promise…good boy jonesey.

I hope you all managed to stay dry and have a relaxing weekend as well… Cheers Jonesey

Harry the hound was tired & tight muzzled about the state of the house and the party his brother had on Saturday night!

“Trust is the emotional glue that binds suppliers and customers together” Brian Tracy

I am in the middle of a deal at the moment and there are two major competitors chasing the same sale. The point of differentiation I have established is ‘trust’.

I have worked hard to earn the trust of my customer where my competitors have focused on rushing in to present features , benefits and price all the good old traditional sales tools and techniques. My aim has been to get to know my customers business so well that they see me as an integral part of their future. This involves building trust and thinking like a  member of their own team. This has taken time but has been well worth it as I have established a strong bond with the husband and wife owners of the company that has seen me gain the inside running to win their business.

My competitors have started to bad mouth me to the customer and apply closing pressure to them in an attempt to win the sale. This has done nothing but increase my chances of success as their approach has hindered rather than helped their cause. The amazing thing is that both competitors have the experience and the ability to do an excellent job however, instead, their approach to winning the sale has been unprofessional, complacent and aggressive.

Building trust and rapport will win this business for our company, ‘complimenting rather than competing’ is why we are the preferred supplier and why there is daylight between us and the others. This has been a good lesson for me and one I wanted to share with you . My advice to you is to forget going for the jugular and instead spend time listening and earning the trust of your staff and customers and you will find you will be more successful in any situation. Good luck.

“It takes years to build up trust and only seconds to destroy it”  Zig Ziglar