It’s been 2 years…and some days it seems like yesterday.

Two years ago (on November 5th), I lost a man who meant so very much to me. A man I loved even before I knew what it meant.

My uncle, Raymond Campbell.

Today, rather than TELL you about Raymond and the Five Star Life he lived, I think it’d be better if you heard it straight from my mouth:

May your life shine with all Five Stars.

My husband and kids enjoy haunted houses. They LIKE the thrill of something jumping out at them.

They even beg me to join them every year to go to various haunted houses, hayrides, and corn mazes…which I politely but firmly decline.

Not because I’m being a stick-in-the-mud…but because being ‘scared’ isn’t fun to me.

Wanna know what I think is even scarier than a haunted house???

Putting your livelihood (read: income, business, FUTURE) in the hands of others!

Others? I mean the US Government, politicians, or ANYONE who doesn’t align themselves with the way you think and believe.

I’m not going to go on a tirade on the current state of our government, on the future of our country, or anything of the sort.

**Side note – if you wanna know how I feel, pick up a copy of Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged” and take a read…

The “Occupy” movement has really picked up steam recently.

A lot of people protesting (some actually know WHAT they’re out there for)…but how much of what they claim Wall Street is keeping from them could be resolved if they only started their OWN business instead of relying on others to pay, clothe, and feed them?

How many more people wouldn’t have to rely on government assistance if we showed them HOW to fish instead of HANDING them the fish?

What would happen if we taught entrepreneurship in public schools? To offer kids another way to create income, jobs, and wealth?

I learned a long time ago that it was scarier to put my fate in the hands of people who DON’T have my best interests at heart than it is to kind of screw things up and muddle through my mistakes to get to success on my OWN terms.

What do you think? Scarier to be in business for yourself…or scarier to put your livelihood in the hands of others. Reply, post on my blog, and lemme know!

If you’ve heard anything about the Law of Attraction, you know that it is based on two things: that “like attracts like” and the importance of having an “attitude of gratitude”.

Don’t worry, I’m not about to get all woo-woo on you today…

Zig Ziglar says it best, “The more you are thankful for the things you have, the more you’ll have to be thankful for!”

Many people find this hard to do, especially when life could be better. Many entrepreneurs tend to struggle with this at first as well. If you’re struggling with paying the bills, finding new clients, or finding the funds to go grocery shopping even, then trying to be grateful for anything can be tough.

Often times though, one simple shift can make a world of difference…

When you take the time to consciously be grateful for what you’ve got – no matter how small it is – you put yourself in a more peaceful mindset – and are better able to receive AND share. You stress less over what you don’t have or what you may be missing – and start enjoying what you do have and are able to spread the wealth.

Here’s what I mean…

One of the most unappreciated jobs out there is that of a food-server (aka waiter or waitress). They spend day after day serving others, and often getting yelled at or ignored, and may not even get tipped for all of their hard work.

One thing I started doing to stay in an “attitude of gratitude” is leaving a quick “thank you” note on the back of my credit card slip. I mean, everybody wants to feel appreciated, right?

One day, one particular waitress ran me down in the parking lot after I’d paid and left her place of employment with tears in her eyes. No one had shown her that level of appreciation in years.

The feeling of gratitude that I expressed (which only took a moment for me) made her day, her month even, so much better. And the feeling that I got from being able to share that simple act with her is comparable to none.

Another great example…

Ali Brown (chapter 4 in Conversations with Female Millionaires and star of ABC’s “Secret Millionaire”), shares a great story on gratitude as well.

Once, she received a generous gift from a former client of $300 cash – three crisp $100 bills. At first, she started to give it back, thinking “I don’t deserve this?!” But she then realized that it was something that she should be grateful for… her client was able to share, and Ali was able to receive and share as well. She kept 2 of the 3 hundred dollar bills, but left one for her hotel room maid.

She’d never met the maid before – but can you imagine how that generous tip may have impacted the maid’s life? To know that people generous and caring?

When you’re constantly worried about what you need or don’t have, it effects your ability to grow, receive, and achieve. How can you service the client in front of you well, when you’re constantly thinking about the clients you need? That’s taking quality service away from the client that’s already there.

How can you expect to do better with more (insert what you want here) when you don’t appreciate and take care of what you’ve got? If you have 20 clients today, but don’t appreciate them, how can you effectively serve 40 or 60 or even 100 clients?

I can think of at least one book that says something to the effect of “A cheerful heart does good things…” Staying cheerful – gratious even – allows you to work at a higher level.

Back to the Law of Attraction… If like attracts like, are you operating in a way that will bring more of what you want?

If you’re low on cash – do you respect what you’ve got so that more will come?

If you’re low on clients – do you honor and provide excellent service for your current ones? They may be what brings more to your door.

If you want a better house – do you take care of the one you’ve got? How will you handle a better space if you’re not doing your best in your current one?

Be grateful for what you’ve got, and you’ll be even more appreciative of what more comes later.

What are some things that you can be grateful for today? (Leave a comment below and let me know!)

As entrepreneur’s, we strive to provide excellent customer service and build strong customer relationships. It’s one of the best ways to attain repeat sales (read: make more money) and fuel the enjoyment of what we do. Being that we naturally like to jump right in and git-er-done, we tend to overlook one of the most important steps of building a strong business… Cultivating Strong Customer Loyalty.

The million-dollar question is how?

I Recently watched this short, but highly effective commercial that is a true representation just that. It was a truck commercial… They show how important it is to know your customer and to reach them on their personal level. These two steps (combined with excellent customer service) help to build a strong loyalty base.

Many of us are familiar with the Cheverolet brand manufacturer – they build cars, trucks and SUV’s. But how many of us have witnessed how loyal their buyers are? (Their website even has a section titled “Chevy Culture”.) We all know a person who is loyal to a specific brand – Apple, Chevy (we’re a Ford family, actually), Starbucks – to name a few, but how do these brands reach and keep their customers?

It’s quite simple really…

People naturally prefer working with companies and individuals they like and trust. It’s been said that “All things created equal – prices, services, etc. – a person is going to go with the company or individual that they like, and connect with, the most”. So, how can you be that brand for your clients?

Do what Chevy does.

Know your customer. I mean more than just what they like to buy. Know them down to the heart strings. Know what makes them tick. And show them that you know and care (via marketing, advertising and following up with them).

Chevy knows that it’s clients are generational truck owners. (Hence the tagline – “Chevy Runs Deep”.)

In the Chevy commercial, they showed a man torn between having to pay the extra money to fix an old truck, or purchase a new one. The mechanic even said “…good news, you’re getting a new truck.” (And who doesn’t want a new truck?!)

Then you see the truck owner thinking back…to his childhood, working on the truck with his father…to days past enjoying the same truck…So, even though the mechanic said it would cost MORE to have the truck fixed than to buy a new one, in the end, the man decides to get his ‘Old Faithful’ fixed.

Do you know what tugs at your customer’s heart strings, or are you just selling to what they say they need? Have you taken the time to figure out their pains or just listened to their wants? When your clients feel that you are looking out for their best interest – for what makes their lives easier – they will stick with you no matter what the cost.

Remember – people buy what they WANT, not what they NEED.

Reach them on their level. In this commercial, Chevy showed a family in a rural, farm-like setting with the local mechanic. They know that most of their customers can relate to this scenario – because the majority of their truck customers began in more rural communities.

Who are your clients and what is the best way to connect with them? What is their profession? What do that want to do with their lives? How did they come to need or want your products and services?

Connect with them in a way that they understand and can relate with.

•If your ideal clients are aging and want to look younger – show them how they can age gracefully.
•If your ideal clients are looking to “save the earth”, show them how your green products will help them do so.

Whatever the issue, show them how you can solve that problem.

People want to be appreciated and understood. And if they know you “get them” they’ll choose you over the “bigger” or “newer” competition any time.

People fall in love with brands that they know, trust and believe in (just look at any Apple product). And when we find something we love, nothing costs too much to keep us away.

To Your Success,
RY

As entrepreneur’s, one of our main objectives is to make a profit. (Or, at least it should be.) That’s why so many of us were happy to “fire-the-boss”, because we enjoy taking what we’re good at and using those talents to live our best lives. We’re in competition with large chain stores and are constantly seeking ways to stand out to our customers. But, I know a secret… It’s actually a simple concept that we all know, but unfortunately forget to maintain…

What’s the secret?

Superior Customer Service. By being the best manager you can be, and showing your customers that they come first, your business will continue to grow and stand out from the rest.

Lemme show you what I mean in these 3 real-life examples below…

Example 1: The other day, I made a quick stop through a McDonald’s drive-through to get a couple of cheeseburgers for my husband. My order was simple: Two cheeseburgers with no ketchup. When I drove to the window, I was handed FOUR cheeseburgers with no onions (and plenty of ketchup)! Hmm… that was no where near what I’d asked for… So I drove to the pickup window to get things corrected and the employee that took my order actually blamed me – the customer! She claimed that I ordered more that I really needed, and wanted a topping that Imy husband is allergic to. The nerve! I wonder how many people have driven away with orders they weren’t happy with, and complained to their friends and family…? I wonder how that’s affecting that locations’ sales? Needless to say, the manager was called over, and to their credit, took responsibility of the employees’ error, fixed the order and amount due. Problem solved. Customer happy.

Example 2: Time is important, and I am not a person that enjoys going all over town (read: wasting time) to find something. The easier it is to get things done in one swoop – the better. In this scenario, I’d been (literally) driving all over town looking for a pink First Place ribbon for an awards ceremony that one of my ladies’ group had coming up.

I’d travelled to 3 different stores (all of which referred me to the other), I ended up at Micheals., a local hobby and crafting store. Having learned from the first 2 stores, I went straight to the manager of Michaels and asked if they had the pink First Place ribbon I so needed.

After explaining everything I’d gone through, the manager informed me that they didn’t have a pink First Place ribbon, and then did something none of the other stores had considred…she offered to make the bow-award for me! Right there at the store, and at no additional cost to me.

Was it an obvious time-consuming process for her? Yes. Were there other people who needed her attention? Sure. But it didn’t feel like it to me – and as the customer who is paying for your product or service – that’s the point!

Example 3: I’m a gym FANATIC and am frequently in one facility or another at least 5 times a week. I also champion my local gym and have used them in numerous photo shoots, promotional material, and marketing campaigns for my weight loss book, What If You Were Thin?

One day, after dropping one of my kiddos off at a birthday party, I decided to try a different branch of my local gym – to keep from driving across town to get to my usual location.

On the way into the gym, I noticed a trainer from the other gym standing by his car, watching me go inside. Odd, sure, but no harm done.

After inquiring at the front desk and explaining my situation, I was told “Sorry, you have to pay to work out here since you belong to the other location.” s(omehow it’s ok for me to pay you dues for almost 3 years and I can’t work out at a different facility ONE TIME?)

Angry, I walked out and called my husband, describing the events as they occurred. I see the trainer is still standing by his car and is now walking towards me. t turns out this FORMER trainer was the manager of that location, recognized me from the other facility and knew what was about to happen, waited for me to exit the gym, and then escorted me back inside the facility to work out as his guest. (He actually had to firmly tell the employee to let me in as his guest).

Are policies and procedures keeping you from making return clients into happier clients? Do your policies risk turning a happy client into a former client?

How Can You Beat McDonald’s?
So, what’s one way you can beat McDonald’s, Michaels, and The Rush? You have the ability to provide excellent, memorable customer service. As a business owner, you must: A) Step it up when an employee fails, and B) Make sure your customer knows that you value and appreciate her. In each scenario, the manager recognized that their employee was in error, found a fair solution and made sure their customer was content with the service.

How many of us still do this in our business? How many of us assume that our employees are always doing their best, and care about our company image? When you started your business, it was a top priority to be #1 in customer satisfaction. (I hope…) It’s easy to get lost in the day-to-day operations of running our business, especially when we hire employees. And we assume that the people we’ve hired have the same drive to make our customers happy. That’s not always the case.

You have been willing to “take one for the team” even if the problem was not your fault (as in the case with Michaels and The Rush). Regardless of what they’ve experienced (read: the baggage they are bringing from) elsewhere, they should walk away from working with you feeling content – ready to spread the word about how great you are.

You also have to be a leader. Show your team that the customer comes first. If you can brighten (read: fix) their day, by all means – do so! People are quick to share a problem they’ve had, but they are even quicker in sharing a positive experience. A person will always remember when you stepped up and helped out.

Which would you rather be known for – the one that corrected the problem, or the one that caused it?
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Upcoming Book News:

“How to Ask for What You’re Worth and Get It (Without Feeling  Guilty)”, Rachel’s latest book, will be available on Amazon in  late October, 2011.

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Love and Success,
Rachel D. Young
Conversations with Female Millionaires