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Casual Articles - How to Turn Water into Lemonade by Giving a Flavored Answer to a Fruitless Question
Managers or supervisors need certain skills and knowledge such as how to delegate, communicate, hire, resolve conflict, and work with difficult people. However the first step for people to become excellent supervisors involves their managing themselves.Budgeting time multiplies the results gained each day. Time budgeting means a person can and does know how to deal with interruptions, understand and manage procrastination, and learn what to control and what to ignore.A manager needs to deal with interruptions wisely: Is the interruption necessary, or can it be “put off” until another time or indefinitely? Unless a supervisor can say, “Let me think about this and call you back,” or “I’m sorry, but I’m busy right now,” then she and her employer lose. Planning ahead can help avoid interruptions; delegating can keep interruptions down; setting up an in-office protocol for when and how to handle emergency situations will avoid many interruptions. Being organized will limit many problems. When unavoidable interruptions occur, as they will, a supervisor who can control her reactions and adjust will find such interruptions managable.Procrastination is another problem that wastes time. Something that needs to be done or finished, but isn’t, shows a lack of self-management on the part of a supervisor. According to Time Management on BusinessTown.com, we procrastinate for five reasons:1. We haven’t really committed to do the activity. 2. We’re afraid of the job. 3. We don’t place a high enough priority on the job. 4. We don’t kno
But have you ever gone out of your way to truly answer openly and honestly? Here’s an example that demonstrates the reciprocal nature of self-disclosure.
A few months ago I was working the lobby door at the Ritz Carlton when my eyelids just about closed on me. I was exhausted from working all day. As a guest rapidly approached the hotel I greeted him with, “Welcome in sir, how are you this evening?”
“Fine, how are you?” he quickly replied.
“Tired.”
He almost flew right past me, but the moment that word came out of my mouth he stopped in his tracks! He looked back with a tilted-head smile and said, “Yeah… I guess I’m kinda tired too. I had a long day of meetings and I just want to get some sleep.”
That’s odd…I thought he was “fine.”
Cherise the Waitress
About once a month I eat at a restaurant in St. Louis called Ozzie’s, named after the great Cardinals shortstop. This is where I first met Cherise. One day,
The number one etiquette tip for interviews is writing a thank-you letter. This is not a tool commonly used by job seekers right now. If you are looking for an advantage and a way to stick out above the other job applicants then follow up your interview by showing appreciation and courtesy.The letter should be written and sent within 24 hours of your interview and sent to all people who either interviewed you or helped you out in the process. If it is not appropriate to send a letter to everyone who was involved with your interview, then just send one to the highest-ranking interviewer.Writing to the employer is another way to showcase skills and competency in communication and your career. Make sure your letter is understandable, easy to read and professional yet personal. Now that you have met the person or people you are writing to it is okay to include some personalization.The letter format should include the following:* First, express your sincere appreciation for the interview.* Second, reemphasize your best qualifications for the position requirements.* Third, reiterate your enthusiasm and interest in the job. At this time you may want to offer additional information not previously given.* Fourth, once again mention your appreciation.SAMPLE LETTER:AddressDateInterviewer’s Name Title Business AddressDear Mr. Henley,I want to thank you for the chance to be interviewed for the assistant project manager position yesterday. It was a pleasure to meet you and becom
Glug...glug...glug...
Ahhh! Lemonade! My cheeks tingled from the surprising tart flavor as I gulped down an unexpected swig of Country Time.
Woooo-weee! That woke me up at 6 in the morning!
When it comes to conversation, giving flavored answers to fruitless questions works the same way. Think about your responses to ritual questions like “How are you?” “What’s up?” “How’s business?” or “How you doin?” (If you live in New York City)
What’s your answer? Good? Great? Grand? Wonderful? Perhaps you use the ever popular fine.
Guess what? Your answers are BOR-ing! In fact, fine is probably the worst of the lot - it can mean anything! For example, last summer I went to a Cardinals game on a warm Sunday afternoon and felt fine until I vomited from eating 4 orders of nachos...after which I told my girlfriend I felt fine. (F.I.N.E is actually an acronym for “Feelings I’m Not Expressing)
Nevertheless, these close-ended, one syllable words are conversation killers. They offer limited spice to your encounters. And most of the time, people use them as fast getaways to be polite, say hello, and get on with their isolated lives.
On the other hand, when you offer a flavored answer to a fruitless question, it magnetizes people. It makes you more approachable. People won't be able to resist talking to you because you will be so darn sweet! In other words, you will turn water into lemonade.
Fine Doesn't Sell Couches
I first tried flavored answers a few years ago when I sold furniture in Portland. As a salesman, it was my job to greet every person that came through the store. Daily, my opener to customers was a simple, “Good morning, how are ya?”
People responded with “Good,” “Fine," “Excellent,” or whatever bland, monosyllabic pseudo emotion that disguised their real feelings which ended the conversation so the annoying salesman would walk away.
But then, they'd ask the same question back to me. I would respond with such flavored answers as “Exhausted from lifting couches,” “This place is a circus on Sundays!” or “I’m hopped up on sugar from our free donuts!”
No customer ever walked away from me! No customer felt uncomfortable! And no customer avoided eye contact so he wouldn’t have to talk to some pushy salesman.
But every customer had fun. Every customer smiled. And every customer engaged with and related to me as they eventually offered their real states of mind.
Then all of the sudden, my sales skyrocketed! Customers loved me! We got to know each other through engaging, fun conversations which made the sales process relaxed and personable. And all I did was give a flavored answer to a fruitless question. (Therein lies a mini sales lesson on building rapport with your customers!)
Your flavored answers must also have a mixture of the right ingredients. Here are seven characteristics that will lay a foundation from which you can create your own flavor. Read these, and soon you will be turning water into lemonade with only a few words!
MAKE YOUR ANSWER...original. Become known for the way you answer mundane questions with something unique and creative. When I saw George Carlin in concert, he told the audience this: “I hate answering the same stupid, mundane questions in the same, stupid way. So I’ve decided that every month, I will use a new adjective just to keep my answers fresh. This month, it’s ubiquitous.”
MAKE YOUR ANSWER...a personification of your attitude. People can learn a great deal about your attitudes and values simply by the way you reply to “How are you doing?” What’s more, flavored answers to fruitless questions are self-fulfilling prophecies: tell someone you’re “On top of the world,” and you just might find yourself there.
MAKE YOUR ANSWER...surprising. Say something completely unexpected. Say the exact opposite of what the person expects to hear. Several years ago I was wearing a Michigan Football hat the day after Ohio State demolished them 49-10. A man wearing an Ohio jersey approached me, rudely got in my face and with utter arrogance said, “Hey man - did you see the Ohio State/Michigan game last night?!”
“No, I don’t like sports.”
He was silenced. Dumfounded. A complete a loss for words! I smiled back and he ended up changing the subject after which we had a friendly conversation.
MAKE YOUR ANSWER...appealing. Use your smile, tone of voice and even touch to activate and enliven the senses. This combination of words and actions will make your answers almost seem three dimensional! My friend Samantha once suggested the idea of having “National High Five Day” in order to make conversations more fun! Now that would add some flavor to the fruitless!
MAKE YOUR ANSWER...memorable. Discover words that differentiate you. Millions of conversations take place every minute. So, what can you say that resonates in someone’s heart that they haven’t already heard 20 times today? I’ll never forget the time I asked an elderly man, “How are you?” to which he replied, “I’m old, I’m Italian, and I’m rich!”
MAKE YOUR ANSWER...honest and open. People are afraid to disclose the way they really feel in response to mundane, ritual questions because: there’s little time to do so, revealing emotions doesn’t seem worth it, or “fine” is just the first word that comes out of their mouths. This isn’t conducive to much reciprocation or flow in your conversation.
But have you ever gone out of your way to truly answer openly and honestly? Here’s an example that demonstrates the reciprocal nature of self-disclosure.
A few months ago I was working the lobby door at the Ritz Carlton when my eyelids just about closed on me. I was exhausted from working all day. As a guest rapidly approached the hotel I greeted him with, “Welcome in sir, how are you this evening?”
“Fine, how are you?” he quickly replied.
“Tired.”
He almost flew right past me, but the moment that word came out of my mouth he stopped in his tracks! He looked back with a tilted-head smile and said, “Yeah… I guess I’m kinda tired too. I had a long day of meetings and I just want to get some sleep.”
That’s odd…I thought he was “fine.”
Cherise the Waitress
About once a month I eat at a restaurant in St. Louis called Ozzie’s, named after the great Cardinals shortstop. This is where I first met Cherise. One day, a
You invest a lot of time and money in developing a loan officer marketing brochure that will get results. But maybe your materials are starting to have the same look and feel as your competition. What can you do to solve this problem?First, think about why it is a problem. Maybe consumers are not as focused on differentiating loan officers, but Realtors certainly are. If you focus on building a thriving business (one that relies on them), materials that make you look just like everyone else brings it to a dead stop.Most loan officer marketing brochures have three common mistakes:Feature Focused MessagesMost basic sales training programs focus on delivering features and benefits as a standard part of the sales process. But this is a huge mistake when developing your brochures for mortgages.Imagine writing a brochure that focuses on: quality of service, loan rates, refinance plans, origination, points, APR, mortgage insurance, etc. Developing a list of features does not tell the reader anything. In fact, it may only confuse them.Basically, you are in the service industry. But the service you provide is hard to quantify. To get the reader to pay attention, you need to talk about problems. And even more importantly, you need to tell the reader how you have solved those problems.Messages with JargonJargon is such a part of our everyday language that we rarely give it any thought. But many readers lack familiarity with much of the jargon used in loan officer marketing materia
Fine Doesn't Sell Couches
I first tried flavored answers a few years ago when I sold furniture in Portland. As a salesman, it was my job to greet every person that came through the store. Daily, my opener to customers was a simple, “Good morning, how are ya?”
People responded with “Good,” “Fine," “Excellent,” or whatever bland, monosyllabic pseudo emotion that disguised their real feelings which ended the conversation so the annoying salesman would walk away.
But then, they'd ask the same question back to me. I would respond with such flavored answers as “Exhausted from lifting couches,” “This place is a circus on Sundays!” or “I’m hopped up on sugar from our free donuts!”
No customer ever walked away from me! No customer felt uncomfortable! And no customer avoided eye contact so he wouldn’t have to talk to some pushy salesman.
But every customer had fun. Every customer smiled. And every customer engaged with and related to me as they eventually offered their real states of mind.
Then all of the sudden, my sales skyrocketed! Customers loved me! We got to know each other through engaging, fun conversations which made the sales process relaxed and personable. And all I did was give a flavored answer to a fruitless question. (Therein lies a mini sales lesson on building rapport with your customers!)
Your flavored answers must also have a mixture of the right ingredients. Here are seven characteristics that will lay a foundation from which you can create your own flavor. Read these, and soon you will be turning water into lemonade with only a few words!
MAKE YOUR ANSWER...original. Become known for the way you answer mundane questions with something unique and creative. When I saw George Carlin in concert, he told the audience this: “I hate answering the same stupid, mundane questions in the same, stupid way. So I’ve decided that every month, I will use a new adjective just to keep my answers fresh. This month, it’s ubiquitous.”
MAKE YOUR ANSWER...a personification of your attitude. People can learn a great deal about your attitudes and values simply by the way you reply to “How are you doing?” What’s more, flavored answers to fruitless questions are self-fulfilling prophecies: tell someone you’re “On top of the world,” and you just might find yourself there.
MAKE YOUR ANSWER...surprising. Say something completely unexpected. Say the exact opposite of what the person expects to hear. Several years ago I was wearing a Michigan Football hat the day after Ohio State demolished them 49-10. A man wearing an Ohio jersey approached me, rudely got in my face and with utter arrogance said, “Hey man - did you see the Ohio State/Michigan game last night?!”
“No, I don’t like sports.”
He was silenced. Dumfounded. A complete a loss for words! I smiled back and he ended up changing the subject after which we had a friendly conversation.
MAKE YOUR ANSWER...appealing. Use your smile, tone of voice and even touch to activate and enliven the senses. This combination of words and actions will make your answers almost seem three dimensional! My friend Samantha once suggested the idea of having “National High Five Day” in order to make conversations more fun! Now that would add some flavor to the fruitless!
MAKE YOUR ANSWER...memorable. Discover words that differentiate you. Millions of conversations take place every minute. So, what can you say that resonates in someone’s heart that they haven’t already heard 20 times today? I’ll never forget the time I asked an elderly man, “How are you?” to which he replied, “I’m old, I’m Italian, and I’m rich!”
MAKE YOUR ANSWER...honest and open. People are afraid to disclose the way they really feel in response to mundane, ritual questions because: there’s little time to do so, revealing emotions doesn’t seem worth it, or “fine” is just the first word that comes out of their mouths. This isn’t conducive to much reciprocation or flow in your conversation.
But have you ever gone out of your way to truly answer openly and honestly? Here’s an example that demonstrates the reciprocal nature of self-disclosure.
A few months ago I was working the lobby door at the Ritz Carlton when my eyelids just about closed on me. I was exhausted from working all day. As a guest rapidly approached the hotel I greeted him with, “Welcome in sir, how are you this evening?”
“Fine, how are you?” he quickly replied.
“Tired.”
He almost flew right past me, but the moment that word came out of my mouth he stopped in his tracks! He looked back with a tilted-head smile and said, “Yeah… I guess I’m kinda tired too. I had a long day of meetings and I just want to get some sleep.”
That’s odd…I thought he was “fine.”
Cherise the Waitress
About once a month I eat at a restaurant in St. Louis called Ozzie’s, named after the great Cardinals shortstop. This is where I first met Cherise. One day,
You're ready. You have your proof - you have your specifications. So what's next? You're now ready to choose your catalog printing company. With so many full color printing outfit out there, where should you start?Choosing a print company for your catalog requires serious thought. Not only are you looking for someone to print your catalogs, you are also looking for a partnership that will help you launch your business to potential clients. A reputable and efficient catalog printer is one of the crucial decisions you must make for your business. Hey, it’s not only your money that’s involved but also your future reputation in your chosen field.The NetThe internet is a very accessible and viable place to look for your printer company. They’re a dime a dozen. Just go to Google and you’ll have a smorgasbord of catalog printing companies to choose from. From here to Timbuktu, you can get one that can cater to your specific needs. It isn’t called the World Wide Web for nothing. However, with so many you might get just a tad overwhelmed. Because each one of them are promising you the sun and the moon when it comes to full color printing your catalog. (By the way, studies show that printing your catalog in full color proves to be more effective in attracting customers than those printed in one or two colors.)Stay Local or Go LocoOne of the things you should look for in a catalog printing company is its location. Not only is it a practical decision but it is also the wisest one. Can you imagine having to drive so many kil
Your flavored answers must also have a mixture of the right ingredients. Here are seven characteristics that will lay a foundation from which you can create your own flavor. Read these, and soon you will be turning water into lemonade with only a few words!
MAKE YOUR ANSWER...original. Become known for the way you answer mundane questions with something unique and creative. When I saw George Carlin in concert, he told the audience this: “I hate answering the same stupid, mundane questions in the same, stupid way. So I’ve decided that every month, I will use a new adjective just to keep my answers fresh. This month, it’s ubiquitous.”
MAKE YOUR ANSWER...a personification of your attitude. People can learn a great deal about your attitudes and values simply by the way you reply to “How are you doing?” What’s more, flavored answers to fruitless questions are self-fulfilling prophecies: tell someone you’re “On top of the world,” and you just might find yourself there.
MAKE YOUR ANSWER...surprising. Say something completely unexpected. Say the exact opposite of what the person expects to hear. Several years ago I was wearing a Michigan Football hat the day after Ohio State demolished them 49-10. A man wearing an Ohio jersey approached me, rudely got in my face and with utter arrogance said, “Hey man - did you see the Ohio State/Michigan game last night?!”
“No, I don’t like sports.”
He was silenced. Dumfounded. A complete a loss for words! I smiled back and he ended up changing the subject after which we had a friendly conversation.
MAKE YOUR ANSWER...appealing. Use your smile, tone of voice and even touch to activate and enliven the senses. This combination of words and actions will make your answers almost seem three dimensional! My friend Samantha once suggested the idea of having “National High Five Day” in order to make conversations more fun! Now that would add some flavor to the fruitless!
MAKE YOUR ANSWER...memorable. Discover words that differentiate you. Millions of conversations take place every minute. So, what can you say that resonates in someone’s heart that they haven’t already heard 20 times today? I’ll never forget the time I asked an elderly man, “How are you?” to which he replied, “I’m old, I’m Italian, and I’m rich!”
MAKE YOUR ANSWER...honest and open. People are afraid to disclose the way they really feel in response to mundane, ritual questions because: there’s little time to do so, revealing emotions doesn’t seem worth it, or “fine” is just the first word that comes out of their mouths. This isn’t conducive to much reciprocation or flow in your conversation.
But have you ever gone out of your way to truly answer openly and honestly? Here’s an example that demonstrates the reciprocal nature of self-disclosure.
A few months ago I was working the lobby door at the Ritz Carlton when my eyelids just about closed on me. I was exhausted from working all day. As a guest rapidly approached the hotel I greeted him with, “Welcome in sir, how are you this evening?”
“Fine, how are you?” he quickly replied.
“Tired.”
He almost flew right past me, but the moment that word came out of my mouth he stopped in his tracks! He looked back with a tilted-head smile and said, “Yeah… I guess I’m kinda tired too. I had a long day of meetings and I just want to get some sleep.”
That’s odd…I thought he was “fine.”
Cherise the Waitress
About once a month I eat at a restaurant in St. Louis called Ozzie’s, named after the great Cardinals shortstop. This is where I first met Cherise. One day,
As the U.S. and the global economies move up and down, there is always some talk that arises about concern of a worldwide recession. Let’s acknowledge that we are sometimes over-run by pessimists. When the pessimists start talking up a recession, people start to worry, get scared and begin to develop contingency plans. So what would a strategic thinking professional do to make his or her business recession resistant? There is one thing that must be crystal clear – you must never stop marketing! If you stop marketing, your business will fail.Using a strategic thinking and business coach approach, here is my recommended strategic action plan for recession resistant marketing. 1. NEVER STOP MARKETING! Marketing is a continuous, not an intermittent or sometimes endeavor. 2. Contact and reactivate past clients. Call them or send them a letter, but make sure you contact them. 3. Deliver consistent superior service to your clients. Create a WOW factor with your service. 4. Develop your 100 most desired clients list and plan an aggressive business marketing campaign to retain existing clients and attain new clients. 5. Develop and implement an effective Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Plan. 6. Develop and implement a contact strategy so you will gain “Top Of Mind Awareness” by being in regular contact with your clients and prospects. 7. Employ cross selling and up selling tactics to increase revenue from new and existing clients. 8. NETWORK! NETWORK! NETWORK! 9. Develop and follow a yearlong marketing activity plan.
“No, I don’t like sports.”
He was silenced. Dumfounded. A complete a loss for words! I smiled back and he ended up changing the subject after which we had a friendly conversation.
MAKE YOUR ANSWER...appealing. Use your smile, tone of voice and even touch to activate and enliven the senses. This combination of words and actions will make your answers almost seem three dimensional! My friend Samantha once suggested the idea of having “National High Five Day” in order to make conversations more fun! Now that would add some flavor to the fruitless!
MAKE YOUR ANSWER...memorable. Discover words that differentiate you. Millions of conversations take place every minute. So, what can you say that resonates in someone’s heart that they haven’t already heard 20 times today? I’ll never forget the time I asked an elderly man, “How are you?” to which he replied, “I’m old, I’m Italian, and I’m rich!”
MAKE YOUR ANSWER...honest and open. People are afraid to disclose the way they really feel in response to mundane, ritual questions because: there’s little time to do so, revealing emotions doesn’t seem worth it, or “fine” is just the first word that comes out of their mouths. This isn’t conducive to much reciprocation or flow in your conversation.
But have you ever gone out of your way to truly answer openly and honestly? Here’s an example that demonstrates the reciprocal nature of self-disclosure.
A few months ago I was working the lobby door at the Ritz Carlton when my eyelids just about closed on me. I was exhausted from working all day. As a guest rapidly approached the hotel I greeted him with, “Welcome in sir, how are you this evening?”
“Fine, how are you?” he quickly replied.
“Tired.”
He almost flew right past me, but the moment that word came out of my mouth he stopped in his tracks! He looked back with a tilted-head smile and said, “Yeah… I guess I’m kinda tired too. I had a long day of meetings and I just want to get some sleep.”
That’s odd…I thought he was “fine.”
Cherise the Waitress
About once a month I eat at a restaurant in St. Louis called Ozzie’s, named after the great Cardinals shortstop. This is where I first met Cherise. One day,
Increasing your network - We hear a lot about the importance of increasing our personal networks. Networks being those special people that we know we can call on when we need advice or input on an idea that we might have.For the purpose of this message I'll assume that you're already sold on the value of having people in place to fill this need in your life. Now the question remains where in the world can I look for such people? The answer to that my friend is not always an easy one, but here's a source that I've used in the past successfully yet often goes untapped. SCORE is the Service Corp Of Retired Executives.These folks are a resource partner for the U.S. Small Business Administration. The best part is that they have local offices in just about any area you can imagine. I've used the organization in the past and can honestly say they make a great addition to just about anyone's personal network.In essence we get the chance to learn from those who have gone before us. Best of all these are folks who have walked the walk. I never have really understood why the resource isn't fully taken advantage of except that perhaps many aren't aware of it. Well consider yourself in the know. Have a look at their site at http://www.score.org .Another source can be found in the many online bulletin or message boards (my own site being one). Depending on what topic you're looking for you'll surely find a good community of folks you can get plugged into. I personally take part in several online communities and have found it to be an excellent way to share and learn
But have you ever gone out of your way to truly answer openly and honestly? Here’s an example that demonstrates the reciprocal nature of self-disclosure.
A few months ago I was working the lobby door at the Ritz Carlton when my eyelids just about closed on me. I was exhausted from working all day. As a guest rapidly approached the hotel I greeted him with, “Welcome in sir, how are you this evening?”
“Fine, how are you?” he quickly replied.
“Tired.”
He almost flew right past me, but the moment that word came out of my mouth he stopped in his tracks! He looked back with a tilted-head smile and said, “Yeah… I guess I’m kinda tired too. I had a long day of meetings and I just want to get some sleep.”
That’s odd…I thought he was “fine.”
Cherise the Waitress
About once a month I eat at a restaurant in St. Louis called Ozzie’s, named after the great Cardinals shortstop. This is where I first met Cherise. One day, after taking note of my “ready to order” behavior, she walked over to my table.
“Good afternoon, my name is Cherise - how are you today?”
“I’m awesome, how about yourself?”
“I’m blessed, thanks for asking!”
Wait a sec. Did she just say “blessed”?
“Excuse me Cherise, but did I just hear you say ‘blessed’?”
“Yes I did! I’m just so fortunate to be blessed in all areas of my life and I love to share that with all of my customers!”
Wow. Now that’s a flavored answer. I inquired further about Cherise’s “blessed” life and discovered she was not only a waitress but a musician who was in the process of signing her first record contract.
Now…in my life, I’ve had somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 bazillion waitresses. Give or take a few. But I never had anyone like Cherise. Her original answer turned water into lemonade because she created memorable presence. Once she said “I’m blessed, thanks for asking!” I no longer saw her as a waitress, but as a magnification of God’s love whom I would never forget.
Henry the Bellman
I met Henry during one of my first shifts at the Ritz Carlton St. Louis. You can’t miss the guy: fifty five years old, six-foot-six and always smiling! One evening as I waited by the front door, I noticed Henry strutting in my direction. As he passed by, I quickly glanced at his nametag and introduced myself, “Hi Henry, I’m Scott - how ya’ doin?”
I’ll never forget what he said next: “Alright! Everything is beautiful!”
Hmmm…awfully chipper for someone about to work 11 PM – 7 AM, wouldn’t you say? I later discovered that Henry had been the overnight bellman for more than 10 years. He strutted into work every night at 11:00 PM, and didn’t leave until every shoe was polished, every bag was delivered and every guest got his newspaper. And Henry always had a smile on his face.
I found Henry's flavored answer to be incredibly magnetic because it surprised me. The overnight bellman is not the most glamorous of positions; it’s not the most profitable and it’s certainly not the most recognized. But Henry doesn’t care. To Henry, everything is beautiful. Even if it’s late at night. Even if there’s a million things to do. Everything is beautiful. And to this day, Henry still says that same sentence every time I see him.
Jeffery the Salesman
Last year I attended Jeffrey Gitomer's sales seminar. During one of the modules in his presentation, Jeffery spoke about using positive sales verbiage. He asked the audience to chorally respond to mundane questions like “How is business?” or “What’s new with work?”
Most people in the audience yelled “Business is slow,” “It’s picking up,” or “Well, the economy is down.”
“Your answers suck!!” Jeffery said.
“You’re in sales to make money!” he continued, “So when people ask ‘How is business?’ say something like, “Cashin’ checks baby!”
Now, keep in mind Jeffery isn’t your typical salesman, so his answers won’t work for everybody. But his flavored responses are honest,open and funny. And I am lucky enough to call Jeffery one of my friends, so I will attest that as a person, he is honest, open and funny. Therefore his answers also personify his attitude.
Now that you have discovered which ingredients will enhance your flavor, you are ready to turn water into lemonade. Whether you're with a customer, making a new friend, on a date or networking with colleagues, here are the six benefits that you will receive when you offer flavored answers to fruitless questions.
YOUR ANSWER WILL...show someone that you care. This is undoubtedly the most important virtue of communication. The openness and honesty of your flavored answer will show someone that you value the conversation, and therefore, them as a person.
YOUR ANSWER WILL...make a good first impression. We spend so much time on our appearance, dress and behaviors that we often overlook the importance of the first five seconds. This is the amount of time during which people decide if they like you or not.
YOUR ANSWER WILL...build trust. Self-disclosure – the act of making yourself manifest – is reciprocal commensurate with the amount of information you reveal. So, whether you’re at a sales meeting, on a date or joining a club, give part of yourself to the other person immediately. They will do the same, and as a result you will feel like you’ve known each other for years!
YOUR ANSWER WILL...remind people that talking to you was worth it. Have you ever left a conversation with someone and said, “Boy…I'm sure glad I talked to him!”? Now, what if everyone starting saying that about you?
YOUR ANSWER WILL...trigger someone’s psychological need to be included. I don’t care how much of a rush, how bad of a day or how tired people are – they need be included and engage with each other.
YOUR ANSWER WILL...magnetize people to you. How could anyone hear the words "Everything is beautiful" and not be completely drawn to the person who said it?
Make 'Em Tingle
Every time someone asks a fruitless question like "How are you?" "What's up?" or "How's business?" they expect to hear you say "fine." They expect to have
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