Never Lose Who You Are

Today I shared this post with a select group of my business partners from all over the world. The message is a simple yet powerful one, and I believe it is for all of us, regardless of profession. Read on and enjoy, I trust this will be a blessing to you. - Tim!

I have some homework for you. It'll only take you a few minutes, but you really need to do this. Trust me. I wouldn't steer you wrong.


Many years ago I wrote a great song titled 'Never Lose Who You Are' (If you haven't heard it, you can find it here). Today I want to share a few thoughts on my own recent journey from 'Who I was being' back to 'Who I really am'. None of us are immune to these challenges my friend, read on and enjoy.

A few years ago I realized something myself, and I wanted to share it with you. Play along for just a few minutes... go ahead, take a quick break from what you are doing - you have my permission.

Right now - while you are reading this, think about the things that are most important to you TODAY. Right Now. Think about what you TREASURE more than anything else.

Is it time with your family? Is it serving others? Maybe just some quiet time to relax and reflect? Perhaps is being able to provide or give back in a way that your parents, family & friends were never able to do.

I want you to know that I did this same exercise, and here's what I noticed:

* I wasn't doing ANY of those things - the 'important' things, the things deep in my heart
* I was caught in the 'daily grind' of working through my checklists - with no relief, no real joy nor satisfaction, just another few items on the list added each day
* I was telling myself I'd 'get to them later' once I 'finished' what I was doing. Later never came.
* I knew I was lying to myself on a daily basis just to get through the days working. The great salesman in me was selling MYSELF into the lie, day in - day out.

Personally I was putting in 70+ hour weeks so that I could spend more time with my wife and our children. I had done this for YEARS and somehow justified it over and over again. That doesn't even MAKE ANY SENSE!

You see, I didn't have a CHOICE. I needed an option. A different plan if you will.

When asked 'who they are' the vast majority of professional men and women will respond instead with 'what they do'. Test yourself on this - when you meet someone new and are asked 'what you do', count how many times your first response is your work. Are we not parents, children, volunteers, spouses, friends etc. before we are tradesman? My friend, there is a difference.

As for me, I was stuck in the 'what I did' life and it didn't align at all with the real me, the 'who I am' part of me. - And that can be a troubled, dark and lonely place to exist.

As I look back now it's obvious that I needed to make some changes. Through much prayer and what seemed at the time like some abrupt changes (economy, industry, layoffs) God brought me around to where we are today - and we're realizing the dreams of our hearts, focusing on what is really important to my wife and I.

So what is it for you? What is keeping you awake at night. . . What thought, dream, goal or vision is lingering in your mind EVERY DAY. . . What is your persistent desire that always seems just out of reach?

Maybe you're like I was, and you've even started to just 'give up' a little bit. . . saying things like 'Well, it's probably never going to happen for me anyways' or 'I guess it's too late for me. . . '


Here is good news for you - it's NOT too late! Never Lose Who You Are!

Here's the last part of your assignment. Now that you've taken a few minutes to reflect on this - I call it your 'Why' - I want you to hear from a few of my friends in the SendOutCards business. We all have the same opportunity in our hands. Your story and situation is unique - you are SPECIAL in all the world.

Listen to my friends as they share their experiences, and think of your own while you do.

It'll be time well spent.

Here they are: http://my3and10.com Click on the 'YOU Videos' button at the top of the page.

May God Bless you & yours, and remind you today of how special you wonderful you are to so many - especially to us.

In Service,
Tim & Nicole Mancuso
Full-Time Independent Distributors
SendOutCards
P: 303-351-1404

A Little Appreciation Goes a Long Way

 When it comes to business marketing, a little appreciation goes a long way. 

Why? Because not many businesses are focused on appreciating their clients / customers. 
This can give you an advantage in the market if you focus in and do the right thing. 

Client Appreciation is more than a 'Thank You' - but it all starts there. If you haven't thanked the people responsible for keeping your doors open, you are literally gambling with your business. Begin with making sure that your customers / clients feel appreciated during their interaction with you & your staff. Here are some practical examples to help you implement this TODAY: 






1. Make sure your place of business says 'I appreciate you'
Is your parking lot swept and well lit? Are you windows clean and clear? Do you have proper signage posted to direct your customers? Is your lobby / waiting room / register area neat and clean? Are your staff well-groomed and attentive? These are all basic essentials for any client-facing business, however often the 'busy-ness' of business gets in the way of our letting the customer know we appreciate them at the time of their visit. 


2. Make sure your staff says 'I appreciate you' (words count)
Now that we've shown it, let's make sure we say it. Simply telling your customers that you appreciate them can make a world of difference. The reality is that the people you interact with on a daily basis have other things that they could be doing with their time *and* their money. Letting them know that you understand they have a choice, and appreciate them choosing your business is a best practice that should be a regular part of your customer experience. NOTE: Studies have shown that a posted sign is okay for this, but not as effective as a personal word from your staff. Why not implement both? 


3. The Fortune is in the follow up
No doubt you've heard this before - however often in a service-based business we are so focused on the tasks at hand we move right along to the next customer. There's much more to the customer experience than just their time in your hands - if they leave happy and satisfied with your business, they are worth an additional 3-5 referrals over the next 96 hours. Follow up must be an essential part of your business process in order to continue to grow and attract new customers. 


4. Become a part of the family
A good friend of mine shared the story of how a local REALTOR (we'll call him Tony) had met with them over 8 years ago and during that time learned about their children, family, and needs for a home. They never did buy a house from this person, however for the next 6 years they sent a Birthday card to each of the family members, simply wishing them a wonderful day showing their appreciation. At one point my friend's teenage son overheard a conversation she was having about needing a REALTOR and he said 'Mom, why don't you call uncle Tony?" This professional had done so well at personal appreciation that the kids literally thought he was THEIR UNCLE! Talk about top-of-mind... you can't buy enough advertising to get a relationship that strong, but you can build it with consistent appreciation.

Okay - let's summarize the points above with a hypothetical business.
Let's say Joe owns a local garage with 3 service bays. 


Point #1: Joe keeps his location clean and neat. His lot is swept, his signage is clear, his bays are clearly marked for his different services (enter, exit, brakes, oil change, lobby, etc.). Joe's staff is busy, but always greets the customer when they arrive - even if they are on the phone (note: this counts double, as both the incoming customer AND the phone customer experience the appreciation from the staff).


Point #2: Joe has a sign up in the lobby with a photo of his service team saying 'Thank you for your business!'. In addition, every transaction concludes with a 'Thank by name' and some type of 'we appreciate you coming in today Mrs. Johnson' by his staff.


Point #3: Once Joe's customers have left, his appreciation continues with a 'Thank You' postcard. Nothing elaborate, but a simple reminder that Joe and the Staff remember Mrs. Johnson's visit, and look forward to serving her next time. Joe includes a coupon for a service visit - something she can use or hand to a family / friend to drive a referral. This typically arrives 3 days after her visit, and is a tangible reminder of her experience with Joe's business. 


Point #4: Every year on Mrs. Johnson's Birthday, Joe sends out a Birthday card. Additionally, on the Holidays she'll get a card with a kind sentiment from Joe and his staff. Sometimes these may include a special 'VIP Offer', but most often they are just appreciation cards. Joe knows that Birthdays and Holidays are times when his customers get together, and by appreciating his patrons on those occasions he's becoming part of the conversation... and part of the family, too.


Hopefully you've learned something from Tony and Joe above that can help your business. Psychologists tell us that the #1 human need is the need for appreciation. Your customers are craving it - give it to them today. It's simple, essentially free, and very good for business.

 Remember, times are tough - the market can be vicious. Stay in Touch to Stay in Business!

Need more help? Have specific questions?
Contact me directly: 
Tim Mancuso
P: 303-351-1404

Use a Little 'Uncommon Sense'

Thanking clients is an age-old 'must' for business success. 

That doesn't mean it's a current or common practice, however. In fact, looking at real-world examples and statistics you'll find that proper follow up has moved from 'Common Sense' to 'Uncommon Sense' - particularly in the business world, but also within our personal realm. 

What are the reasons we come up with for this self-destructive behavior? There are a few more common examples, see if any of these resonate with YOUR business:

1. I don't have time, I'm too busy with the 'next' client, meetings, traffic, etc...
2. It's too expensive, my budget doesn't allow for it
3. I intend to - but I always forget

Look - I get it, I really do. As the saying goes, I've personally and professionally 'Been There & Done That'. My background is primarily in the start-up space - it doesn't get any busier than that. My colleagues and I wore so many hats we'd often get to meetings & presentations with no idea which aspect of the business model we would be discussing. We simply had to know it all; always ready, always 'up' - anytime day or night. 

Not good.

Sit back and read back through those 3 excuses again. Go ahead, I'll wait. . . 

. . . Ok, great - notice anything about them? You'll see they are not just about our follow up practices (or lack of them) - we tend to use those same excuses for nearly everything else in our lives that we 'know' we should be doing. Think about it! What about your personal health and fitness goals? Eating right? Auto maintenance? How about that yardwork that needs to be done??

You see, it's the same for all of it. Excuses are just our logical way of reasoning through failure in an attempt to let ourselves 'off the hook'.  

NEWSFLASH: Excuses don't work.
If they did, you wouldn't be reading this - you KNOW that you need to make changes. Eventually, you will be forced to make them.

If you continue to let your health go for long enough, eventually it will catch up with you, right? Remember - everyone quits smoking at some point; doesn't it make more sense to do it while you are still breathing?

Rule #1: STOP letting yourself off the hook. 

Take responsibility and set your target to BEGIN TODAY with a consistent program of follow up. Make it a 'must', eliminate the options - they all lead to failure & loss.

It's OK to take it slowly - I'm not saying to reach out to all 500 people in your A-List at once - just start with that 'next' deal. Start there and see what comes of it. You'll be amazed in your result, and it will bring in referrals and success that you can leverage to increase your follow up going forward. 

To fix excuse #1, simply 'make' the time. Schedule it. If it's not on your calendar, it's not real. Take it from intention to behavior by writing it in your planner. (Ok, I know-  that's old school. You get the drift)

For excuse #2, you need to change your mindset. 

Required Belief: You can't afford to NOT follow up! The fortune is in the follow up friend, you simply must go after it if you expect anything other than 'flash in the pan' success. 

As to excuse #3, that depends largely upon your personality. I use a system that reminds me. I've found that if I don't have a mechanism in place to remember for me, it simply won't get done. Maybe sticky notes work for you, perhaps you have an assistant that can manage your tickler file. Realistically though if you are going to depend upon a system, make it something you own and control. It's better for the long term.

Are you ready for the change? Start with TODAY - with right now. That next deal can be worth thousands of dollars in referrals to you, but as the song says: 'you've got to follow through.'

By the way, if you want to know what I use for my follow up and reminders, just drop me a line. I'll gladly share what I know with you, and help in any way I can. 

Remember, times are tough! The market place can be viscous - Stay in Touch to Stay in Business!

-Tim!

Related articles

• Manning Up: No Excuses. Part 1 of 3. (peculiarfellow.wordpress.com)
• What's your excuse? (3dimensionallife.wordpress.com)

Pouring Into Others' Lives - What is YOUR Cup Full Of?

"Never stop learning, never stop growing, 

Always improve and receive help, knowledge 

& wisdom so that you are able to pour the same into others' lives when called." 

                                                                                                                        -Tim Mancuso  

Are you full of 'Yuck'?

Newsflash: This may be new information to some of you, but its important to remember that we are always pouring into others' lives - whether consciously or not, it's happening all of the time. IF you haven't taken the time to invest in yourself with wisdom, peace, grace & knowledge; you just may be pouring 'yuck' all over folks. Now before you start feeling too bad and start making those apology calls - it happens to us all. The fix? Get out and fill yourself up with something worthwhile and beneficial to yourself, your business, and to others.


Invest in Yourself


Think about it - when is the last time you invested time in yourself? I don't mean relaxation - this isn't about your spa day (though that can be important as well) - I'm talking about stepping out into the perimeter of your comfort zone / income zone and submitting to the coaching, teaching and mentoring of someone who has been where you are, and IS where you want to be.


I had the opportunity to do just that this past week and have come away with a multitude of ideas, options, and direction to apply directly to business. I was recently invited as a guest to attend an exclusive event in Orlando, FL with multiple top earners from varying industries - including: Medical / Physician, Insurance, Sales, Writers / Authors, Musicians, Live Performance (Stage & Screen), Auto Dealers, Network Marketers, and more. 

Are You Willing to Share?


I have to admit - sitting at the table surrounded by success is one of my most favorite things to do. The Q&A and honesty that comes of these impromptu discussions is nothing short of PRICELESS. I learned more in 3 days from these champions of industry than a stack of books could provide over the course of a year. 


Interested in finding out the specifics? Here's the great news: I'm more than willing to share. 


Over the next 90 days I'll be working with five (5) individuals to share these strategies. I will personally mentor and work with them individually to implement an entire program of success into their daily life and business. 


Are You Ready to Make a Change?


Still interested? 
Don't delay, I've only got the time to share and help 5 people - so contact me today if you are serious and ready to win.


Remember, I don't sell coaching sessions, I'm not a 'seminar guru' type, I won't have you walking on hot coals (though that is really, really cool...), and it doesn't matter what your background is or where you come from. (Speaking English is pretty important though, unless you have a translator handy). I'm just looking for a few people to come with me on this excellent adventure. 


If you are reading this, it's probably YOU. These things don't happen by accident - it's providence.


Join me in this journey to success and greatness. Not only will I be there with you when you arrive - I'll walk with you every step of the way. 


Best to You!


-Tim!

Is there anything 'new' and exciting happening in the Title Insurance Industry?

Image via Wikipedia
Let's face it - Title Insurance isn't a particularly 'sexy' business. Numbers, numbers, numbers, and after that - more paperwork with numbers.

While the Title Insurance industry is an absolute necessity for a successful real estate transaction, lately I've been noticing that the 'sizzle' has gone from the steak.

What's New in the Title Insurance Industry.

Although the market has softened substantially,  that is no reason to see the death of innovation. Plenty of opportunities exist for iPhone and iPad apps, Android apps, improved interfaces to the kludgy transaction management platforms - and how about marketing tools? REALTORS need them more than ever in this sparse transaction environment.

What about in your market? If you have any particularly innovative offerings from your super-star Title Reps, please share them here.

I'm sure they'll appreciate the plug and we may all pick up some great ideas along the way!

Image via WikipediaImage via CrunchBase

Tim Mancuso is a musician, public speaker and the former VP Sales & Marketing for Social Media startup ViewMyLife. He is focused on training and coaching business owners and entrepreneurs on leveraging traditional and new media to Stay in Touch with their clients, prospects, and key influencers. Follow On Twitter @TimMancuso or connect on Linkedin.com and Facebook.com

Stick With Your Work (Author Unknown)

"Stick with your work.

Do not flinch because the lion roars; do not stop to stone the devil's dogs; do not fool away your time chasing the devil's rabbits.

Do your work. Let liars lie, let sectarians quarrel, let critics malign, let enemies accuse, let the devil do his worst; but see to it nothing hinders you from fulfilling with joy the work God has given you.

He has not commanded you to be admired or esteemed. He has never bidden you defend your character.

He has not set you at work to contradict falsehood (about yourself) which Satan's or God's servants may start to peddle, or to track down every rumor that threatens your reputation. If you do these things, you will do nothing else; you will be at work for yourself and not for the Lord.

Keep at your work. Let your aim be as steady as a star.

You may be assaulted, wronged, insulted, slandered, wounded and rejected, misunderstood, or assigned impure motives; you may be abused by foes, forsaken by friends, and despised and rejected of men. But see to it with steadfast determination, with unfaltering zeal, that you pursue the great purpose of your life and object of your being until at last you can say, "I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do."

- AUTHOR UNKNOWN

2 Timothy 2:3-4
2 Timothy 2:22-23
2 Timothy 4:5
Hebrews 4:13
I Corinthians 4:2-4
2 Corinthians 10:12-13