Satisifed vs. Loyal

In his ezine this week, Jeffrey Gitomer once again addresses the topic of customer satisfaction - one of my favorites! His point is that satisfied customers are worthless. It’s the LOYAL customer you want. Think about the satisfactory grade in school. That’s a C. It’s just about passing. Is that all you want for your business?

He claims most businesses will settle for satisfied customers because making customers loyal is too much work. Measuring loyalty is easy.
1. will they do business with me again? and
2. will they refer others to do business with me?

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. In order to create loyalty, you have to build that fence around your customers. And the foundation of that fence is outstanding service. Are you getting unsolicited referrals on a regular basis? Only if you have loyal customers.

Want to see Jeffrey’s entire column? Click here.

Bribery or Appreciation?

I just got off the phone with a potential client. She mentioned several times in our 10-minute conversation that “this is what everyone in her industry does.” She was referring to the practice of essentially bribing dealers to sell her company’s product by giving them rebates and monetary incentives when they reach a certain amount in sales. And that’s how they show appreciation for their dealers. They give them money for selling their product.

That’s not showing appreciation, nor is it building a strong relationship. It’s just doing business. Money is definitely a motivator, but it’s not as big a motivator as some people believe it is. Relationships built on money as a reward will go away when the money goes away. Relationships built on trust, appreciation, gratitude and value will endure a lot longer.

The conversation ended with her commitment to continuing to do what everyone else does. That will assure she will get average results. Apparently she’s okay with that, which is exactly why she wouldn’t be a good client for my company anyway.

Good Day Atlanta

Fox 5’s Good Day Atlanta covered the Great American Dessert Expo live on Tuesday morning. The Gratitude Cookie ™ and Zen Rabbit were featured in this segment, right after Spice Rack Chocolates. Want to see it? Click here.

 

 

The Dessert Experience

The Great American Dessert Experience and my first “big girl” trade show is over. While it wasn’t exactly what I was expecting in terms of overall size and number and quality of attendees, I did meet several other exhibitors with great companies that I would recommend you check out.

Jodi Braun started For Goodness Cakes and mmm, mmm, mmm, they are good! Kind of a cross between a cheesecake and a coffee cake. She gave me a cinnamon one to bring home at the end of the show and we are quickly eating our way through it. Read more about them at www.forgoodnesscakes.com.

My “next door neighbor” at the show was Spice Rack Chocolates, created by Mary and Paul Schellhammer. These are solid chocolates enhanced with a variety of herbs, spices and flavorings. Think lemon with basil, grapefruit with lavender or, from the en fuego collection, crushed Thai chilies (yes, it is HOT!). Check out all the flavors at www.SpiceRackChocolates.com.

Winners in the “Small Bite, Big Taste” competition, 3 Sisters Creative Specialty Foods makes confectionary covered popcorn. We’re talking mini popcorn balls drenched in strawberry or key lime or chocolate coating. Sweet and crunchy. See what I’m talking about at www.popon-line.com.

Other cool products include Wine Cellar Sorbet (www.winecellarsorbet.com) which is exactly what you think - sorbet made from wine and PhotoFrost which is a system for printing pictures on cakes, cookies, cupcakes or anything else edible using a regular inkjet printer (!) (www.photofrost.com)

If you need bakery equipment, I now recommend calling my new friend John Stricker at www.bakery.com. And in case you want to certify your kitchen and products as kosher, contact Steve Sichel at Star-K Kosher (www.starkosher.com).

Next trade show is World Tea Expo in Las Vegas, May 30-June 1, 2008.

People To Meet

Recently I sent out an email to a group of people who had written articles for Jeffrey Gitomer’s ezine “Sales Caffeine” to introduce them to the Zen Rabbit Gratitude Program. I took a guess that since we had all contributed to this publication and were presumably Jeffrey fans, we probably had similar philosophies about client appreciation. And lists of clients or other contacts who might feel the same too. As I pressed “send,” I set the expectation that this email would reach and inspire the “right” people to respond. In other words, I knew not everyone would resonate with that email. But the ones who did would be the ones I was supposed to connect with.

As it turns out, I was right. I have since had some amazing phone conversations and made some fantastic contacts! Today I did a podcast interview with Tara Robinson, owner and CEO of Zugunruhe Coaching on the Gratitude Cookie and the importance of gratitude in general. Check back here for the link to that podcast, which is set to air in early April. During our first conversation last week, Tara commented that she and I are from the same tribe. I totally agree and it’s so cool to find someone with whom you have that connection. Check out Tara’s amazing blog here: http://zugunruhecoaching.typepad.com

Jason Seiden is another person I “met” through this email. Jason runs Seiden & Associates in Chicago - a consulting group that helps “professionals translate improved self-awareness into revenue- and productivity-enhancing behaviors.” He’s also an author and is getting ready for the release of his book “How to Self-Destruct.” He sent me an advanced copy and I’m about one third of the way through it. Again, check back here for the complete review once I’m finished. In the meantime, you can get a preview at http://jasonseiden.com/how-to-self-destruct.

And thirdly, I have to tell you about Wes Moss. Wes’ purpose in life, through his books, radio show, and professional career, is to help people make better financial decisions. He’s the author of the books “Make More, Worry Less” and “Starting from Scratch.” I’ve just come back from the library with “Starting from Scratch.” Guess I’m going to be quite busy reading this week! Visit his website at http://www.wesmoss.com.

When you open yourself to letting the universe bring you the people and experiences you are “supposed” to find, you get what I can only describe as awesomeness. Today I’m grateful for my new friends.

Today I’m grateful for…

As Zen Rabbit prepares for its new concept launch, I’m reworking the website to put more focus on the idea of GRATITUDE. One other thing I’ll let out of the bag is that website visitors will be able to post and discuss what they’re grateful for. And I’ll post regularly here at the blog things that I’m grateful for, along with great stories of gratefulness that I find. And I encourage you participate too; tell us what you’re grateful for.

Today I’m grateful for being able to sleep in for a few hours after a long weekend of working at the Palm Beach County Home Show at the Convention Center in my photographer husband’s exhibit booth. If you’re looking for outstanding portraits of your family, pets or products, find someone who really understands lighting and angles. Even many professionals don’t and it makes a huge difference in how good the pictures are.

I’m also grateful for the amazing people I’ve met and talked with over the past week. Yes, there are plenty of weird or deceitful or unethical people in this world, but I have to agree with Anne Frank’s declaration that “people are basically good at heart.” Now, what are you grateful for today?

Big Girl Trade Show

A big change is brewing at Zen Rabbit and I’m eager to tell you about it. BUT, I will restrain myself until the whole concept is created, so I can share it with you in full. One component that I can tell you about is that Zen Rabbit will be exhibiting at the Great American Dessert Experience in Atlanta, April 7-8. This show is not open to the public. However, I do have some admission tickets to give a way at my discretion. So if you are in the Atlanta area or will be those two days and you want to get in and eat, let me know and I can hook you up.

One hint for you about the big announcement, at this show, Zen Rabbit will publicly unveil it’s brand new retail packaging.

Zen Rabbit created many new aficionados this past Saturday at its Green Market debut at the Abacoa Green Market in Jupiter, Florida. From my area, I could see the local and organic produce stands, a soap maker, a bread baker, some artists. There were more vendors there but it was so busy, I could never leave my booth to check out the rest. Thanks to everyone who stopped by.

I had a couple of retail packaging prototypes on the table. These are packages I’m considering creating for gourmet and specialty food stores, coffee cafes and other retail locations. Based on how many people wanted to buy them, I’m guessing they’ll do well.Since I now know how to put up the canopy, look for Zen Rabbit there next week and the rest of the month of March.

Don’t insult your customer

My car is a 1997 Hyundai Tiburon that has been and continues to be a fantastic vehicle. Of course having a great mechanic to keep it that way helps a lot. The other day I stopped at a Hyundai dealership to get a new oil cap. As I was pulling into the parking area, I saw a salesman practically running for the door. He was in the lot as I got out of my car.“Looks like you got here just in time,” he says. Is he insulting my car by implying it’s old and needs replacement?

“Just in time for what?” I demanded; he’s already annoyed me.

“We’ve got all these new models and blah, blah, blah,” he went on.

I’m thinking, who taught this guy how to interact with people? I replied, “I’m not here to buy a new car. I love my car.” And I turned away and went inside to the parts department, where they could not have been nicer.

I thought about that original greeting the rest of the day and the more I thought about it, the more annoyed I was. He was my first interaction at that dealership that day and he was insulting. He was the classic car salesman. I thought the industry was moving away from that stereotype. The perfect example of why car dealerships desperately need the Zen Rabbit Gratitude Program. I would call the general manager if I thought he would care.

Lesson number one in making sales and keeping clients - in any industry, don’t insult a probable purchaser/potential customer.

Are you in Palm Beach County this weekend?

Feed your craving for Zen Rabbit cookies! Pick up a dozen this Saturday at the N*E*W Green Market at Abacoa Town Center. From 10am to 2pm, Zen Rabbit will be creating new addicts and supplying the current ones. Come by our canopy and mention this posting to get $2 off your one dozen bag.

You can also get some fresh, organic fruits and veggies from the local farmers who will be there.  See you Saturday!