Don't let them miss the message

I am sometimes (ok, maybe often) a little louder than the average person. You may be thinking that I shouldn't care, as long as I don't offend anyone and stay true to who I am - and I agree. One problem, my MESSAGE may get lost as some people get distracted by my tone and pace.

Since it is very important to me that people don't miss the message being deliver, I do my best to tell them what to expect, up front, when seeing me for the first time.

You should do the same with your customers. It may not be that you speak loud and fast, but soft and slow, which can be just as irritating for some. The bottom line is that when first impressions are being formed, it is critical that the "right" connection is made. If you have a delivery that you think may "frustrate" or "intimidate" the other individual, just give them a heads up as what to expect so your message is not lost. Or, you always have the option to adapt and adjust to the other person's preferrred style of communication - just don't lose your "it" factor along the way.

You have choices

How you handle each situation. Condition yourself to have a positive mental outlook, and attitude, and I guarantee that your customer will follow suit.

Remember, you just don't become what you think about all day long, but also who you associate with. Be miserable and half-empty and those are the customers you will attract. Doesn't make for a very fun transaction, does it?

Valentine's Day Special

We are only as good as the people we surround ourselves with. This includes our loved ones and friends.

Positive energy, support and encouragement, and lots of hugs and kisses go a long way in motivating us to succeed and fulfill our potential. Thus, make sure they (whomever "they" may be - spouse, friend, roommate, mom, etc.) know that you need their love.

This is the most "hokey" you will ever see me get. Sorry, but the hug my 3 year old gave me today did wonders for my energy levels.

Listen much?

When someone is speaking with you, what are you doing? Like most, you are probably preparing a response while that person is still speaking - inevitably missing most of their message. A big NO-NO.

Why do you do this? Who or what is creating the need for such rapid fire banter? You, that's who. You are directly responsible for creating most of this chaos.

Slow down!!! Listen to the other peron closely. Stay present in the conversation so you can figure out what buttons to push in order to move the conversation in a positive direction. A good little tip to find extra seconds to formulate a response is to simply repeat back what the other person just said. For example - "John, I just want to confirm what you just said. You expect to find a 2 bedroom, 2 bath with a minimum of 1100 square feet, in downtown Manhattan for under 1,200,000 in the next 30 days. You also expect to utilize a down payment of approximately 20%. Is that correct?"

Repeat things to ensure that there was no misunderstanding and to give you some extra time to formulate a sound response. Do this, and you will be more successful today than yesterday. EBL's definition of true success.

Don't overwhelm

People typically don't remember much of what you say, but they do remember your "delivery" and "energy".

You are probably thinking - "tell me something I don't know." So why doesn't this stop you from spewing tons of information upon the other individual in an attempt to impress? And guess what, they remember none of it!

Don't be afraid to focus on ONE or TWO specific points that you think the other individual (not you) wants to hear. Make it powerful and make it very, very clear.

Remember, less is generally more when it comes to someone processing information and making a decision.

Enjoy the superbowl....