Costco Connection - October 2007

FRESHviews
WALLY AMOS: BE POSITIVE

Wally Amos is the founder of Uncle Wally’s Muffin Company. You can reach him at www.wallyamos.com.

^Hw^Oeb^T site

Growing from hard times

IT SEEMS THAT I HAVE become the poster person for adversity. People writing about overcoming life’s challenges often seek to include me in their books and articles. I do appreciate their interest, and I have had my share of ups and downs, but no more than others.

Times of adversity catch up with all of us regardless of our stature or position in life. My experiences have taught me that it’s not what happens to you that matters, it’s how you respond. Adversity has become my best teacher.

Years ago, with a wife and two children, I left a secure job as manager of the supply department at

Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City without having another job in sight. I landed at the William Morris Agency as a messenger in the mail room for $35 less per week than I was making before. It was not the best of times.

Years later, after moving to Los Angeles with a new wife and child, I had to admit my wife to the hospital for exhaustion, return our baby son to live with his grandmother in North Carolina for a while and find a new place to live. A partnership I was in failed. Time to move on.

In these examples and many others, adversity forced me to consolidate my resources. I have always emerged stronger from adversity than before. I have learned to overcome fear and focus on answers and solutions.

A quote from 365 Tao, by Deng Ming-Dao, sums it up: “Without the difficulty of being hemmed in, the tree in the forest would not be forced to marshal its power to grow toward the light. It must truly bring forth all its inner strength to spread its branches. If it becomes grand, it is in part because of its suffering. Thus the times of adversity can be crucial to the development of one’s inner personality.”

Adversity comes into our lives. It’s tough, but remember: Adversity adds strength and character. C

Sure steps to “yes”

WHEN ENTREPRENEURS start a business, they may possess expertise in their field but too often lack one essential critical skill: salesmanship. Deborah Walker, a longtime Costco member and small-business coach ( www.RevenueQueen.com), offers these tips to help entrepreneurs become successful salespeople.

Make sure your prospect is a qualified buyer. Ask qualifying questions such as “Would you like a price quote?” “How soon do you need it?” “Will you need financing for that?”

Find hot-button buying motives. A buyer’s hot button is his or her reason to purchase. If you can learn the hot buttons, selling points will be easier. Ask “How will you be using this?” “What is the most important feature you are looking for?” “What has been your experience in the past with other service providers like me?”

Listen for the first thing the potential customer says, anything he or she repeats, anything spoken with passion, and craft your sales pitch to make sure everything is relevant to the answers.

Don’t forget a call to action!

After your presentation, let the prospect know what action to take to close the sale. You might ask: “Shall we take care of the paperwork today?” “When is a good delivery day for you?” “Shall

we schedule your project for next week, or is the first of the month better for you?”

PHOTODISC

If the prospect is not ready to take action, ask, “What concerns do you have that prevent you from making your decision today?” If the prospect needs to “think about it,” ask permission to follow up in a few days. Use a question such as: “Do you prefer that I call you on Monday morning or Tuesday afternoon?”

Walker says, “Some buyers really do need to think about it. This type of buyer will resist being rushed into a sale, but they will respect your persistence in following up with them.”

She adds, “Once you perfect these three key steps of the sales process, you’ll see sales climb and profits grow. More importantly for new business owners, you’ll greatly increase the odds of your business’s survival in a competitive market.” C

Handling disaster

NOBODY LIKES TO think about the worst. Hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, ice storms, infrastructure collapses. They can affect any business but can be more devastating to small businesses, whose supplies, backup systems or personnel may not be available to fill the void. Where can you turn for help?

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce recently reached an agreement to pool resources to “more effectively respond to major disasters, paving the way for faster recovery.”

The SBA’s Disaster Assistance program has a Web site with information on resources for recovery assistance—and on how to prepare for emergencies before they occur. Visit the site at www. sba.gov/services/disaster assistance/. C

Discover
fine foods of
the Americas

THE 10th Americas Food and Beverage Show takes place in Miami this year, October 29 to 31, at the Miami Convention Center. Sponsored by the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the show provides an opportunity for U.S. companies to interact with retailers and food-service buyers from the states, Latin America and the Caribbean.