Most of us have had the experience of purchasing an automobile from a car dealership. There are certainly many, many aspects of the experience that are good examples of bad examples for anyone seeking to learn something about sales. Too often, the “come-on” is too strong and the salesperson inauthentic. What is most obvious, typically, is that the salesperson on a car lot is all about the transaction, and your needs are secondary.

But.

Car dealers know how to get you to relate to their product and to find your emotional connection to the vehicle. Let’s go for a test drive. Read the rest of this entry »

I am a yoga convert. Let me first tell you that my 65-year-old  body so strenuously objects to yoga that at times I resemble a trauma victim more than a practitioner. I know I am making progress by the simple fact that fewer people at each session ask me the question “Are you OK?” But your local yoga studio has something to teach travel professionals that perhaps we should examine.

Yoga stresses the value of practice to both body and soul. Yes, stretching is great exercise. By performing yoga on a regular basis, the dedicated student becomes more limber, less susceptible to muscle strains, and to the perils of everyday movements. By diligently practicing yoga, a student can gain strength and flexibility and can even lose weight.

But there is more. Read the rest of this entry »

Hairdressers. Stylists.  Barbers. Beauticians. The profession goes by many names, but chances are pretty good that you have one in your circle of acquaintances. As I was once told by a wise woman, only crazy people cut their own hair.  Certainly, my own experience with stylists indicates some important qualities: Read the rest of this entry »