1. WHICH HOT DOG VENDOR?

After completing a morning tour, we were ready for a quick bite to eat before moving on to our next destination. We saw a row of street food vendors a short distance away.

As we walked past first hot dog vendor, I noticed that he was absorbed in reading his newspaper. He didn't even notice us walking by. I knew that there were a few more hot dog vendors along path so we continued walking.

As we approached a second hot dog vendor, he looked directly at Maria and I and asked with a big smile, 'How are you today?'

'Fine,' we said.

Then he said, 'Are you ready to try one of best hot dogs you've ever eaten?'

I smiled and looked at Maria, she nodded her head enthusiastically, and a sale was made.

Why did we walk past first hot dog vendor, and why didn't we walk past second?

Because second knows a lot about effective marketing, and first knows very little -- or is independently wealthy and doesn't need money.

The hot dog marketer knows something about Give to Get -- our marketing philosophy and strategy. He gave a little bit of attention to us and made us feel important. The first one made us feel -- invisible.

Were they 'best' hot dogs we've ever eaten? Probably not. But when you're hungry, and they're served with a smile, they sure taste good.

People buy things they want from people they know, like and trust! If you want your customers to like you, and buy from you, then treat them as though they are most important people in world. You don't have to go an extra mile. Sometimes just an inch will do.

2. HOW ABOUT A PRETZEL?

Now, this didn't happen, but I wish it would have. Our savvy hot dog marketer still has room for improvement.

Also available at his hot dog stand were delicious looking hot pretzels. But he never asked us if we would like one to go with our hot dogs.

Now, you may say, he probably assumed that if we wanted a pretzel, we would have asked for one. Or you may think he would have been pushy suggesting more products.

Folks, if you have such thoughts, please listen carefully, because those thoughts are costing you thousands of dollars in lost sales.

The only way you can know if a person wants something you have is by making an offer. Then they will have to make a decision -- yes, or no. You are not being pushy by offering your customers something else that you know they will enjoy or benefit by. Customers want you to suggest.

Your customers are not always thinking of your products. They have a million other things on their minds.

For instance, once I had ordered our hot dogs, I had to think about what we wanted on our hot dogs; what we wanted to drink and how I was going to hold everything and pay him at same time. Plus, I had to think about a place for Maria and I to sit down to enjoy our meal. I wasn't thinking about his pretzels at that time.

But, I can guarantee you, that if he had said to me, 'I can give you a special price on pretzels today -- fifty cents off! How many would you like -- one or two?' I would have said, 'Sounds great! Give me two!'

Maria and I would have been happy, and he would have been happy.

But he didn't offer, so I didn't buy. Oh well, nobody's perfect. There's always room for improvement.

Let's say you decide to make personal sales visits to customers. You need a sales pitch kit. This is material you pull out to show client and help make sale.

Try using a three ring binder for your sales pitch kit. Use plastic pages you can insert photos and paper pages in. This makes it easy to add, remove, and rearrange pages for maximum effect.

Unlike a mass produced catalog or brochure, you can easily update your sales pitch binder. Some top sales people rearrange pages for each customer so they can appeal to specific likes and concerns.

Your sales pitch kit can include: * Samples of your work * Articles about you, your product, or industry * Testimonial letters from previous customers * Photos of completed work. Nothing tells your story like a picture! * Licences and permits to reassure customers * Your satisfaction guarantee printed nicely on a page.

Once you have your sales pitch kit together you've got something to talk about with your potential customer. The next thing to think about is HOW to talk to your customer.

Many industries are in habit of using business language. It is not too different from lawyer language.

You get a memo that starts: Pursuant to yesterday's communication between concerned parties....

Eh? You will get far better response from your marketing and customer service materials if you switch business language to people language.