Get your froth on !!

         

 

 

                                                                                       Edition 320 Monday 29/02/16

 

 

 

 

 

Hi,as a long suffering Blues rugby fan it has been hard to stay positive over what seems to be endless footy seasons!.More recently I would have settled for our team at least being competitive or showing some signs of actually caring about their results and their fans!So after another coaching change and some uncustomary pre season form I along with 20,000 at the garden of Eden held my breath as the dawn of what we hope to be another great era began.There is no better way to start than by taking down last seasons champions…..long may the form,attitude and success continue!!Go the Blues!!

Fletcher reckons; he is primed for his first ever Round the Bays race having checked pram tyre pressures and all chassis nuts and bolts.Now it is all up to his 56 year old engine competing for the 30^th time….you up for it Dad??.....hope so bro…..bring it on, watch this space (RTB March 6^th).

As part of the Round the Bays entry pack we also got to enter a contest with a prize for two to travel and compete in the Melbourne equivalent in July!!Interesting family selection process approaching!!!!

We had a cool week combining work with catching up on family and friends proving that the two can be juggled successfully if you plan and make allowance for it.You will never regret it.

Too often we let work dominate to the detriment of maintaining contact with the people we know are there for us unconditionally….there is a lot wrong with that picture so get juggling team!!

Crikey our 32 year old turned 33 last week……like a good vintage we get better with age !!! J

Have a great week ahead making the most and getting amongst……..Cheers Jonesey!

 

Harry and the Hendersons reckon the Blues could be the real deal this season…Go Tana!!!

 

 

“You only get one chance to make a good impression and yours might be in the hands of the receptionist!” Harvey MacKay

 

I rocked up to an appointment last week with a customer with whom I have had an association for over 30 years!!!

There on reception was a lady who has been there for all of that time and more.

We instantly recognised each other after what must have been at least 10 years since we had last seen each other or spoken!

There was a deep and meaningful connection and plenty of history to talk about which was cool.

The even cooler thing was this lady made sure she pointed out to the two ‘young guns’ about to meet with me that they couldn’t be dealing with a more helpful or efficient person as me!!!

Crikey I couldn’t have introduced myself any better if I had prepared something for days!!!

This example proves how you can make lasting impressions with people you meet through your actions and commitment to service quality.

Clearly this was the case in this instance and it cretaed a favourable first impression with the guys I was meeting and also provided our company with a powerful opening endorsement.

Never underestimate the importance of first impressions and the integral role a receptionist plays in most if not all businesses so getting her onside is critical to your success.

They can and often do have influence within companies and as such provide you with a strong internal ally as you pitch for the business or more information.

The other thing I like about this lady and the organisation she works for is that they clearly are a good company to work for or she wouldn’t still be there.

This also tells me that they are a company we probably will enjoy and want to do business with.

So in this fast paced world and business environmenmt we work in there are still examples of the power of long term business relationships resulting in referrals for more business!

Don’t ever lose site of the importance of forming those term relationships….good luck!

 

“Be kind and friendly to the Receptionist,she has had a hard day.” Rebecca Pidgeon

Mayhem!!

 

 

 

                                                                                       Edition 318 Monday 22/02/16

 

 

 

 

 

Hi,nothing beats ticking off items on the weekend ‘to do‘ list,trouble is the list is always too long and often for us basking in the pleasure of a job well done is short lived.Especially true if Fletcher Jones is within a 5km radius!A spotless bedroom,lounge or bathroom is like an open invitation to our threenager to seek and destroy leaving toys, towels and teddybears in his wake.Even the leaves I painstakingly swept up from our courtyard were replaced with interest the next day after a stiff Sou-wester!!.....so you say “why bother?”…because we are the Joneses of course!!!!!

Fletcher reckons; it’s a bit rough blaming him for the sou-wester but he is more than happy to take responsibility for most domestic drama and mayhem at 48.Btw his favourite toy above all others is the homemade paper dart that Dad made,simple pleasure and plenty of fun with the old boy!!

We checked out the Lantern Festival on Saturday night in the Domain.We were amazed to see such a huge,vibrant and ethnically diverse crowd,WOW the multicultural face of Auckland on show!!

Talking about impressive what about that whirlwind world record innings in his last test by Brendon McCallum!!!??? OMG…what a legend he is and will always be.For us it was all the more enjoyable listening to it on AM sports radio on our preloved solid state Radola.Quite awesome live commentary whilst having to picture the drama unfolding at the picturesque Hagley Oval in the Garden City!!!!

We were thrilled to discover an ‘Elvis Monthly’ mag in a junk shop recently…64 pages of info on The King , unadulterated adulation for the purist. Fascinating stuff and now on its way via retro post to my Auntie in Melbourne who is a fan…I am so excited I cant wait till she gets it. How cool is that? I never feel like that about email…its too instant,post is about the anticipation and the enjoyment!!

Have you sent a letter or card to someone lately?.....go on youll love it and so will they, dare yuh!!

Have a great week ahead making the most and getting amongst……..Cheers Jonesey!

 

Harry and the Hendersons reckon DOG spelt backwards says it all rather aptly!!

 

 

Some people want it to happen,some wish it would happen ,others make it happen.” Michael Jordan

 

One of my first Managers and someone who became a mentor used to encourage me to get out of the office to ‘kick tyres and talk to people at the coal face’. He maintained this was the only way to understand what was happening in the company and the industry.

I took his advice and still continue the practise today because it works.

Google doesn’t see our customers as much as our drivers,Google doesn’t talk to our customers every day when they call our team and Google is not at the cutting edge of our industry and present daily in the changing environment we operate in there is no substitute for physical tyre kicking!!

I have learned more and uncovered countless leads and opportunities from following this advice.

I also meet people daily who recount amazing stories from putting themselves into ‘right place at the right time’ scenarios from  doing exactly the same thing….basically taking the time to talk to people!!

Like my mate whose career was starting to go places with potential who needed a Business Manager and met one at a local school function.One thing led to another and now his career is soaring to new heights on the back of this random meeting with his soon to be future business partner!!

Or the rich source of contacts and leads to be gained from industry networking functions. Many people avoid these because of a reluctance to mix and mingle however if you are prepared to put yourself out there then the benefits can be significant.

Or what about saying gidday to people you see everyday wherever you may be? I started talking to a guy I see everyday at the pool and discovered he is a Manager at a huge potential customer !!

Crikey, how exciting,just saying hello and having a chat can transform your life… so don’t be shy……!!

 

“I love the smell of possibility in the morning.” Zig Ziglar

"Its funny how things work out sometimes....."

         

 

 

                                                                                       Edition 318 Monday 15/02/16

 

 

 

 

 

Hi,no matter how commercialised ‘they’ say it has become Valentines Day is still a special day for romantics.It is a day where unlimited free license to express ones feelings for another exists.There are ‘others’ who reckon if you need a day specially created for the purpose then how romantic are you?....all said and done I enjoy taking the time to say thanks and to express my ‘true feelings’. I hope you did too or that maybe someone else recognised your special qualities anonymously?? :)

I am writing to the romantic backdrop of our pre-loved ‘solid state stereo’ dutifully delivering dulcet smooth Valentines Day tribute love songs on a legendary AM channel…….pure retro magic!!

Fletcher reckons;we should definitely start a ‘give a little’ page to buy Matua Vineyard considering  the amount of time he spends there chasing frisbees and footballs!!....Hmmmm not a bad idea kid, ‘youll move mountains my boy!!....watch this space !!

Surfing, swimming,pizza,pinot and strawberry icecreams completed another busy weekend for  the Joneses in the Nor West as we made the most of our very own slice of paradise.

Life sure doesn’t have to be complicated or over priced there are plenty of cool things to do close to home that don’t cost an arm or a leg in fact many are totally free….no excuse really!

Get out there ‘in amongst’ with the friends and family that matter most to you……..Cheers Jonesey!

 

Harry and the Hendersons reckon sleeping inside is the ‘Gold card’ equivalent for dogs!

 

 

“Things work out best for those who make the best of the way things work out.”

John Wooden

 

Its funny how things work out sometimes J.

My recent dramas ended last week with the loss of my bid to save my train wreck deal.

In an ironic twist my customer won a better outcome and was grateful to me for it.

Rather than deflated I was motivated and determined to make ammends!

Interestingly there were numerous opportunities last week to do just that!!

I met a former colleague who is CEO of a major National company and we got talking.

From that chat I was offered the chance to win business at 20 new sites in Auckland.

There was also an invite to present to an industry conference to further enhance both our brands!

Then I did a favour for another customer who duly offered me a day out fishing with more customers!

Crikey I was on a roll when I received two invitations to industry networking events where a number of key decision makers from large potential customers were also attending…count me in!!!

As if that wasn’t enough to make me quickly forget the drama of the previous weeks out of the blue I received a follow up call from two more major potential customers wanting to talk turkey.

One I have been chasing for an appointment for months and the other who also has multiple sites in Auckland who would have thought it would be such an amazingly eventful short week!!!!

So….what a roller coaster ride the start to 2016  has been already for this commercial traveller!!!!

Mistakes made, lessons learned,opportunities lost, new ones uncovered,bad luck offset with good luck in spades(life is like that),deals cooking,some burned some done to perfection (sales is like that)and above all an ‘Upbeat’ attitude regardless to get me through!!

Yes life and Sales is like that and no matter how tough things seem at times there are always good things through the next door you open,the secret is to keep knocking on and opening them!!

I cant wait for next week and the one after that and that yet who knows how many or mediocre my opportunities might have been if I had not been sat back on my bottom recently!!

Its funny how things work out sometimes J.

 

“Life is like a camera,focus on whats important,capture the good times,develop from the negatives and if it doesn’t work out take another shot.” Clinton Jones