Don’t allow yourself to fall victim to this behavior:

• I would’ve done it if I had more money.
• I could’ve tried if I had more time.
• I should’ve called them but …

This happens more often than not, when you get an idea and fail to act on it. This simply does not have to happen.

Once you have an idea for a notion to do something, do it. Don’t think it to death. And don’t procrastinate until you forget what it is you were going to try. Read the rest of this entry »

We are just days away from what historians refer to as a New Year.

In addition to calendar manufacturers, a great number of our peers are getting excited as 2020 comes to an unceremonious close.

Here are the facts. Yesterday has come and gone. Mentally, politically, and financially – it is done. Over. Kaput.

The one and only question worth asking is, “What are you planning to do with today and tomorrow? I’ve said it before, and I will say it again, you are driving the bus. Where you take it is entirely up to you.

One thing is for sure. Read the rest of this entry »

A phrase I find somewhat humorous (not) while talking on the telephone is one you might be guilty of yourself. “I know you’re busy so I’ll let you go.” Translation: “I’m done talking to you. I have better ways to spend my time. I gotta go. Ta-ta.”

I am reminded of an old Yogi Berra saying that reminds us “It’s not over ‘til it is over.” Your conversations are not over until they are over. This is particularly apropos if you are interested in making a favorable “lasting” impression when speaking to both prospects and current clients.

I’ll cut to the chase, and leave you with today’s reminder Read the rest of this entry »

Today is the perfect day to wish everybody who reads my column regularly a very Merry Christmas, along with sincere wishes for a fun and productive 2021.

But before doing so, I would like to share two experiences with you I had just yesterday. They have nothing to do with each other, but both serve as good reminders.

The first one occurred during my biweekly Inner Circle Meeting. The meeting ran a full 70-minutes, but by the reports received we accomplished a great deal. It wasn’t until I signed off at the end of the meeting that I realized that I had neglected to hit the record button. Since many of my members rely on the recording you might imagine how poorly I felt as a result of this oversight. The word I used was DUMB! Read the rest of this entry »

Like everything in life, there are two sides to every coin. My observation will not sit well with everybody reading today’s message; but it does, and will, pertain to many of you.

I was sitting at my desk the other day when I glanced out the window and spotted one of my older neighbors shuffling toward the mailbox. I watched, hoping I would not have to run to his aid should he stub his toe and take a tumble.

He made it unscathed to the mailbox and inserted his key. Upon opening the box I saw him lean down and peer into an “empty” box. He closed the box and headed back to his apartment with no news, good or bad. Read the rest of this entry »

If you are looking for a good business book to read, I highly recommend Jeff Walker’s Launch. It reminds us of the importance of timing and the value of “setting up” your next important project. I was introduced to a great example of how “anticipation” works earlier today.

Stuart Cohen and I are training for an Ironman 70.3 Triathlon along with a mutual friend of ours, Frank Adornato. The race is not until May 15^th, and they have been postponing registration week after week. Since this is a rescheduled race, and we were not originally planning to compete, we were beginning to fear that the regularly allotted positions would be taken. Read the rest of this entry »

­

I was thinking about this word the other day (mediocrity) and, for reasons unknown to me, I connected it with the travel industry. Maybe it had something to do with a previous article I wrote focusing on doing things above and beyond that which is expected. I am sad to say that the “expected” does not involve more than simply showing up today. On the other hand, the “unexpected” demands attention, admiration, and a certain degree of creativity.

To borrow from a book titled with the same reminder, the secret is to Become The Exception. This, like all good advice and good intentions, is easier said than done. Allow me to fill in a few blanks. Read the rest of this entry »

We have spoken about sales and customer service in days one and two of this three-part series. Today, MOTIVATION is our focal point.

As I warned you yesterday, what you are about to hear should not come as news to you, but I am betting you are not following through on these reminders. Please, prove me wrong. Read the rest of this entry »

Yesterday, we spoke about five sales reminders that will put you miles ahead of your competition. Today, customer service deserves our attention.

The first three reminders are borrowed directly from The Ritz Carlton’s famous reputation for superior customer service. Brace yourself for a blinding flash of the obvious. Read the rest of this entry »

In cleaning out an office drawer last week, I came across an old business card of mine. It brought me back to the days when my slogan was TGIF: Thank Goodness It’s Today.

On the back of this card were 16 reminders split into three categories. Starting today, and for the next two days, I will share my thoughts on each of these 16 reminders.

The first category was SALES: Read the rest of this entry »

A recent home remodeling project is responsible for today’s message. My example may not be pertinent to you at this exact moment, but I think you will connect with today’s message on your own terms.

One wall in our guest bathroom was recently tiled. It butted up a newly painted adjacent wall. The resulting joint (seam) was not as clean as my wife would have liked, so we resorted to man’s greatest invention… Quarter-round molding.

(Next to the wheel, molding of any type is man’s greatest invention.)

I made a special trip to Lowe’s to purchase two 8-foot sections, which was ample to complete the job. That was easy. I painted each section with the same paint used for the adjacent wall. That was easy. I used “liquid nails” to fasten the molding in place. Once again, easy. Read the rest of this entry »

This may be considered a cop-out as far as crafting daily articles goes, but as Leslie Gore once reminded us back in 1963, “It is my party and I’ll cry if I want to.”

I learned long ago that songs are like speeches (presentations). Everybody interprets the same words differently based on their current mindset and position in life.

These words sung by Tim McGraw strike a chord with me and, rather than conjure up for the umpteenth time a message worth reading according to me, I will just piggy-back off of Timmy boy today and see if this boat floats. Read the rest of this entry »

Something happened this week during my Inner Circle Sales and Marketing Meeting that I wanted to share with you today. It was simple, yet profound. And it just may be an example of the most underutilized marketing tactic used today, with any degree of effectiveness.

I was sharing my experience of placing a cold call to a highly recognized and respected person I wanted to meet, after years of just “thinking about it.” One day, I picked up the phone and made the call. I asked for a lunch date, and was genuinely surprised when the person agreed to meet with me. That person was Vicki Freed from Royal Caribbean. Read the rest of this entry »

During my daily walk, I often listen to audible books I have downloaded over the past few months. The most recent title I have been listening to is a book called Essentialism by author Greg McKeown. In a nutshell, this book reminds us to eliminate all but what is essential in our daily lives.

I’m not sure in what chapter I picked up the following three letter reminder, but it struck a chord with me and I thought I would share it with you today. Read the rest of this entry »

I met my stepson when he was seven. Brian is 45 today. As hard as that is to believe, I consider that thought to be a HUGE wake-up call. “Time waits for no man.”

You are probably wondering what does this have to do with you, and why am I sharing this useless statistic with you. Maybe nothing. Maybe today’s message is for me.

As many of my loyal readers have come to understand, I am a big fan of “repetition.” At the risk of repeating myself for the umpteenth time, here comes a reminder that is worth remembering. I am sure you have heard it before.

Today’s message is being taken from a sign I have hanging over my desk. It simply reads: “WORK HARD TODAY TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT TOMORROW.” Read the rest of this entry »

 

“The look in your eye, the sound of your voice, and the energy that comes off of you affects everybody.”

I came across this quote while reviewing a few of my past articles on a Saturday morning.  A recent experience came to mind, and I believe it carries a message worth repeating. Let me set the stage.

I am beginning to train for a 70.3 Ironman Triathlon which is scheduled to take place in the northern panhandle of Florida in May.

A significant training snag is preventing me from preparing properly for the bike portion of the race. My bike is in upstate New York, and I am writing this article in southern Florida. Read the rest of this entry »

Most people know what a football looks like. Many others actually know how the game is played and how the scoring works. Kicks, passes, blocks, runs, and punts all come into play and most people “get it.”

But as good as you may be at watching a football game, what is “really” going on between the lines on both Saturday and Sunday afternoons may have you scratching your head in wonderment faster than a “quick slant on a silent count.”

Having a little experience at the college level, I know a little bit about today’s message. In fact, the University of Massachusetts thought enough of my quarterbacking skills to agree to pay for my education. (The older I get, the better I was!) Read the rest of this entry »

When asked for a “four-letter-word” that begins with the letter “f”, most responses would rhyme with luck, buck, duck and Chuck. I personally think this is one of the nastiest words used today, and it seems it is being uttered by more and more people daily. Quite honestly, I am appalled. If it were up to me I would ban this word from the dictionary permanently.

The four letter word I am talking about that begins with the letter “f” is… Read the rest of this entry »

If you are an honest, hard-working business professional who has more than a modicum of interest in helping others get through this whacked-out world we live in, then I say it is your obligation to let us know you exist and are here to help us.

The secret is, (and keep this to yourself, as it seems very few people know this) you have to do something.

• Piggyback your story off a well-publicized current event.

• Call local media personnel and ask them, “How can I help you?”

• Always keep the audience in mind.

Read the rest of this entry »

I was reminded this week of a human frailty that I am guessing you and I have in common. At face value, it is not bad although now that I focus on it, it is not very good either.

Let me try to set the stage by asking you a few questions.

1. Have you ever registered for a webinar and failed to attend?
2. Have you ever bought or requested a free E-Book or Special Report and never found the time to read it?
3. Have you ever decided that you were going to contact, call, or reconnect with a person of interest only to allow time to pass without taking any action?

Read the rest of this entry »

Not unlike many of my messages, I want to feature a mistake I made yesterday in hopes that will help you avoid the future embarrassment, or worse.

I try earnestly to stay a few days ahead when submitting my articles to my editor at Travel Research Online, but sometimes the holidays and other last minute occurrences have me up against the eight ball.

It was Sunday night when I realized I did not have an article for Monday morning’s edition. I sprang to my laptop and begin documenting my thoughts as they entered my mind. All in all, I thought it was a pretty good last-minute piece. I hit the send button and for the next 24 hours I thought my life would be under control. Read the rest of this entry »