August Issue

InsideThis Issue:

Page 2We’ll Make You

Shine!

Page 3Confidently Leading a

Conference Call

Page 4Whole Ball of Wax

Page 5Reports: Tips for

Getting Them DoneRight

Page 6In That Year

AvoidingCommunication

Mistakes

Five Ways toStimulate Creativity

Page 7Book in Review:“I Love You MoreThan My Dog”Guess Who I Am

Page 8The Building Blocks

of Trust

August 2010Your Sales, Marketing, and Business Management Newsletter

place, the rest of your communication with aclient will be unstable.

Trust is something that needs to beearned—be careful not to assume it isautomatically present. Here are some waysto help build trust and credibility withcurrent clients, as well as potentialprospects. Build carefully.• Don’t exaggerate the benefits of yourproduct or service. If your clients are hearingwords that seem too good to be true, chancesare they’re right. Let your products andservices speak for themselves, and allow theclient to make judgements based on what theysee—and how they believe the product orservice could help them succeed.• When appropriate, be honest and upfrontabout any disadvantages or weaknesses inyour product or service. This goes back to theopen and honest communication that isfundamental to good relationships. Don’t tryto pull the wool over your clients’ eyes.Eventually the truth will come out, and you

The building blocks of trust are beingput in place from the moment you begin aninteraction with a prospective client. Themost basic of these blocks are openness andhonesty. These important building blocksform the foundation of your credibility asa salesperson. Without these two pieces in

may lose their business.• Don’t be afraid to promote and displayyour qualifications. If you are an expert orpossess vast knowledge in a certain area,let people know it. If you or your companyhave received an award, be proud and placeit where people can see it. While it isn’tappropriate to toot your own horn for noapparent reason, letting a client know thatyou have an expertise in an area that willprove beneficial to them is a good thing.• Develop a portfolio of reputabletestimonials and endorsement fromsatisfied customers, and use their words toencourage a prospect to work with yourcompany. People find comfort in knowingthat others trust your company to take careof their needs.• Follow up with each client. You workhard to earn a credible reputation with yourclients. Be sure you are doing what it takesto maintain that positive relationship.

The Building Blocks of Trust

Address215 MTCS Rd.

Murfreesboro, TN 37129Phone

615.893.4290eMail

[email protected]

615.893.4295Web

www.WaxFamilyPrinting.com

Wax Family Printing is the onlyCPrint™® certified printer in Middle

Tennessee.

published monthly by

Wax Family Printing, LLC

STANDARDPRE-SORTEDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDMurfreesboro, TNPERMIT NO. 86

Jeff Carlton Sales

W A X F A M I L Y P R I N T I N G

Business Quotes

2 � Business Savvy

“More business is lost every yearthrough neglect than through anyother cause.”

—Jim Cathcart

“Goodwill is the one and onlyasset that competition cannotundersell or destroy.”

—Marshall Field

“The employer generally gets theemployees he deserves.”

—Walter Gilbey

“When the product itself is right,you don’t have to be a greatmarketer.”

—Lee Iacocca

� Strictly Business

August 2010 � 7

People like working with companies that respectthem. That value who they are and what they need.And what happens when customers feel valued, evenloved? They fall in love with the company.

People are bound by the things they love. AuthorJeanne Bliss asserts that capitalizing on this truth willhelp you grow your business. To that end, she haswritten, “I Love You More Than My Dog” in hopes ofshedding light on what ordinary companies can do tomake their customers fall in love with them.

Bliss presents five decisions that must be made bycompanies that wish to be beloved in the eyes of theircustomers. They are: the decision to believe in theiremployees and their customers; the decision to stickto a clear purpose; the decision to be consistentlyreal; the decision to be there for their customers; andthe decision to humbly say “sorry” when things don’tgo right. “All of the beloved companies make thesehumanity-defining decisions, which set the course oftheir businesses and earn the right to their customers’devotion and to their story.”

Through her engaging, easy-to-read style andintriguing, practical advice, Bliss has crafted a must-read for companies looking to win the hearts of thosethey serve.

Book in Review

by Jeanne Bliss

� Guess Who I Am

Born in Vienna, Austria, in 1909,this man grew up during the WWIera and has often been known tocredit President Hoover’s generousoverseas food program for savinghis life.

Educated inAustria and England,this man received his doctorate inInternational and Public Law fromFrankfurt University while workingas a newspaper reporter. He thenworked as an economist for aninternational bank in London beforemoving to the U.S. in 1937 to beginhis teaching career.

He has worked with many of theworld’s largest and most successfulcorporations as well as smalland entrepreneurial companies;with non-profits such as hospitalsand universities, and communityservices; and with agencies of theU.S. Government.

His ideas helped shape thedramatic expansion ofAmericanindustry in the post-WWII periodand have had a profound influenceon world-wide thinking aboutmodern-day business methods.

Throughout the years, he hasreceived many awards and honorarydegrees from several universities.He’s also been featured in magazinessuch as Forbes and Business Weekand is the prolific author of 31 bookson subjects ranging from societyand economics to politics andmanagement.

This business icon, who isrecognized as the “father of modernmanagement” and often declared thewisest of all business philosophers isfound somewhere in this issue!

“I Love You MoreThan My Dog”Five DecisionsThat Drive ExtremeCustomer Loyalty inGood Times and Bad

We’ll Make You Shine!If you’re tired of watching

your marketing materials getlost in the crowd, stop by ourprinting firm. We have thecreativity and equipment tomake your company, and itsmaterials, outshine the

competition!



August 2010 � 3

Confidently Leading a Conference CallGetting people together to share ideas and come up with solutions without assembling them in the same physical location may

seem like a daunting task. But conference calls can yield positive results if they are handled correctly. Here are some tips for

leading such a call.

• Schedule the call. This is tasknumber one. Decide on a timeand then make the necessaryarrangements with all attendees.Avoid lunch hour, first thing inthe morning, or calls that requirean attendee to work after normalbusiness hours. Also consider thatsome people may be in differenttime zones.As soon as you’ve decided ona time, send a meeting request.This meeting request shouldinclude an agenda with topics thatneed to be discussed, includingany responsibilities (reports ordocuments they should prepareprior to the call) for the personbeing invited.• Send a reminder email prior tothe day of the call. Anyone thathas prepared a report or documentfor the call should send it to youat this time. Then, send anotherone the day of the call if it’s afterlunch, or the day before if thecall is scheduled in the morning.This will help make sure everyonearrives on time. You can also usethis opportunity to send any reports

or documents that will be neededon the call. If someone else createdthese materials, be sure to give themcredit. It is your responsibility asthe leader of the call to ensure thateveryone is on the same page andthat everyone has completed theirresponsibilities prior to the call.Include anything the attendees andparticipants will require to log intothe call (e.g. call in numberANDpassword).• Start the call. Don’t be late. Logon to the conference call 10 minutesearly if possible. Be sure to test thebridge in advance if you areunfamiliar with it.• At least one person will be late,so have some notes handy toinitiate small talk. Make sure allthe attendees are introduced (name,title, and the role they play) toanyone they are not familiar with,especially your clients. Start thecall 3-5 minutes after the scheduledstart time when possible, even if allattendees are not present.• Follow your agenda. Be sureyou keep an eye on the clock, asattendees may not be able to stay

past the scheduled stop time. It’syour job to make sure everything iscovered.• Don’t over promise. Feel free tosay you’ll get back to everyone withanswers to questions you were notexpecting.• At the end of the call, ask ifanyone has questions, and makesure they are answered or will beanswered after the call. If a follow-up meeting is needed, schedule thisbefore anyone hangs up. Thankeveryone for their time.• Immediately after the call, createa recap and send it to all theparticipants. This recap serves twopurposes: 1) it ensures everyoneunderstands and has a list of theirresponsibilities, and 2) it documentsthe conversation in writing in casethere are any discrepancies later.• After the call, follow through!Be sure that you take action asdiscussed and answer any questionsin a reasonable amount of time. Ifany deadlines were set, meet them.

When done professionally,conference calls are an ideal way todo business.


� In That Year

1987� Hollywood legend Fred Astairedies at age 88, and pop artistAndy Warhol dies at age 56.� British Prime MinisterMargaret Thatcher is elected for athird term.� The U.S. Supreme Court rulesthat Rotary Clubs must admitwomen.� “That’s What Friends Are For”becomes the song of the year.� The Minnesota Twins beat theSt. Louis Cardinals in the WorldSeries, 4-3.� Prozac is released for use in theUnited States.� Irish cyclist Stephen Rochewins the Tour de France.� The television seriesthirtysomething debuts on ABC.� Stock markets around theworld crash on “Black Monday.”� Electronic “techno” musicbecomes popular at raves andclubs across North America.

• Holding stuff back. Try not to edit or holdback on important stuff when appropriate.Open communication requires honesty, not justthings people want to hear.• Allowing stress to interfere.Although stress issometimes hard to avoid, communication will beclearer when external factors are not involved.• Insincerity. Do your best to be sincere ineverything you say to others. Others willrespect knowing they can trust your opinions.• Broadcasting. It is hard to communicate withothers when conversations are dominated bycomplaints, stated opinions, or being full ofoneself. Try to spend less time talking andmore time listening.• Speaking too soon. Fully listen to whatpeople have to say and don’t cut them off.

Humans thrive on communication. Hereare some things to avoid when it comes tocommunicating with others:• Feeling the “need” to communicate. Ifyou feel you have to communicate, you’veprobably already missed the ideal timeopportunity for great communication.• Attempting to prove you are right. Step backif you find yourself pushing someone to seeyour way or attempting to create evidence tostrengthen your side. If you’re correct aboutsomething, you usually don’t have to push it.• In one ear and out the other.Communication always goes two ways.Respond so that the other person knows youare listening and that you care about whatthey are saying.

Avoiding Communication Mistakes

Down to Business

• Let go of being right. Keep your mind opento new ideas—especially other people’s newideas. Letting someone else be right will boosttheir confidence and strengthen the team.• Be willing to suspend judgement. Be anencourager of ideas instead of a squelcher.Withhold your judgement as long as possible.• Do away with assumptions. First you mustrecognize your own assumptions, and thenyou can let them go. Keep asking why insteadof relying on what you assume to be true.

Feeling stuck in a rut? Here are some waysto rev your engines and get out:• Get rid of your “yes-but” attitude. Insteadof focusing on what won’t work, look pastthe initial negatives and take an idea to thenext step. A “yes-yes“ attitude is sure toprovide greater opportunities.• Pretend you’re a beginner. This will helpyou look at old problems in a new way.Invite people who know little about theproblem to offer their insight.

Five Ways to Stimulate Creativity

Business Savvy Published monthly by Wax Family Printing | 215 MTCS Drive | Murfreesboro, TN 37129

4 � Business Savvy August 2010 � 5

� Three men served as president of theU.S. in 1841: Martin Van Buren, WilliamHenry Harrison, and John Tyler.� The Pontiac Silverdome was built in1975 for $55,700,000. It sold recently foronly $583,000.� A telegram sent to Eleanor Rooseveltfrom the 1939 World’s Fair in New Yorkused a current produced by electric eels.� The venomous copperhead snake smellslike fresh-cut cucumbers.� There are stray dogs in Moscow that havetaught themselves to use the subway system.� By 2040, 40% of Japan’s populationwill be senior citizens.� There are twice as many ATMs inAntarctica as there are permanentresidents.

Kevin WaxGeneral Manager

[email protected]

Yep, You Need aComprehensive Goal Sheet

Last month I promised thatI would give you an insidelook at my ComprehensiveGoal Sheet. Here it is!Notice that all goals areorganized by date. I haveyear long goals that I amworking on…every day.My actual Goal Sheetcarries more specificity;I list number and dollarfigures on numbers oneand two. Also noticethat I have color codedthe goals that I am introuble on. I also statewhere I am on thesegoals. My first goalis to see companysales increase by20%; right now weare only up 4%, so we still have ourwork cut out for us.

Those first three goals are doable. We’ve seen increases of this size in1997, 1998 and 2006. So, on the SMART meter (S = Specific, M =Measurable, A = Aggressive, R = Realistic, T = Timely), this goal is veryspecific, measurable, aggressive (stretchy!), realistic, and timely. I believeall of these goals measure up.

Did you see that my Comprehensive Goal Sheet is three hole punched?Seems simple, but part of why this works is that it’s the first thing I see everyday in my business workbook.Also note that I have listed 6 month goals andmonthly goals. If you could take a look at my daily worksheet, you would seeall of these goals INADDITION to my daily goals. I’ll give you a look at thatsheet in September’s Business Savvy. Until then, may God bless you withBusiness Savvy!


Whole Ball of Wax� Did You Know?

Reports: Tips for Getting Them Done Right

When your company has somethingto share, reports can help you get the jobdone. There are many reasons that yourcompany may need to assemble a report,and regardless of the audience, thereare elements of style and content thatshould be included. It is important thatthese reports send the right message, andthat they are appropriate for the intendedaudience. Here is an overview of just afew things you should keep in mind whenproducing a printed report:

• Know your audience. Your reportshould be written to address the needs andconcerns of your audience. A report forshareholders will need a different tone—and perhaps a different look and differentcontent—than a report for employees orthe director of your department.

• Start with a purpose. Why are youwriting the report? What message areyou hoping to convey?Answering thesequestions before you begin will help youorganize your thoughts accordingly.• Don’t beat around the bush. Mostpeople are too busy to wade through alot of background information beforegetting to the meat of what you want tosay. An executive summary is a greatway to make your point up front. Thenback it up with data and other relevantinformation in the subsequent pages.• Provide visuals. Reports often containvaluable data about sales figures orexpenses. Visual aids, such as chartsand graphs, provide an attractive way topresent this data in a form that is easy tounderstand. Give each element in a

visual aid its own color, and make sureitems are clearly marked.• Follow an outline. Divide informationinto digestible chunks, using headers andsubheads. This will help provide structurefor your report, let your readers know whatis coming, and give them a quick overviewof the topics at hand.• Keep things active. Use active verbs, andcut out any unnecessary information.Concise, active language will add a senseof conviction to what you write.• Have the report professionallyprinted and bound. Presentation is animportant key to any successful report.The answer this month is Peter Drucker.A professionally printed and boundreport will make an immediate, positiveimpression on your audience.

Well-designed reports are a great way toupdate key people about certain areas ofyour company. We can help you produceimpressive reports. Stop in and ask today!

August 2010 � 3

Confidently Leading a Conference CallGetting people together to share ideas and come up with solutions without assembling them in the same physical location may

seem like a daunting task. But conference calls can yield positive results if they are handled correctly. Here are some tips for

leading such a call.

• Schedule the call. This is tasknumber one. Decide on a timeand then make the necessaryarrangements with all attendees.Avoid lunch hour, first thing inthe morning, or calls that requirean attendee to work after normalbusiness hours. Also consider thatsome people may be in differenttime zones.As soon as you’ve decided ona time, send a meeting request.This meeting request shouldinclude an agenda with topics thatneed to be discussed, includingany responsibilities (reports ordocuments they should prepareprior to the call) for the personbeing invited.• Send a reminder email prior tothe day of the call. Anyone thathas prepared a report or documentfor the call should send it to youat this time. Then, send anotherone the day of the call if it’s afterlunch, or the day before if thecall is scheduled in the morning.This will help make sure everyonearrives on time. You can also usethis opportunity to send any reports

or documents that will be neededon the call. If someone else createdthese materials, be sure to give themcredit. It is your responsibility asthe leader of the call to ensure thateveryone is on the same page andthat everyone has completed theirresponsibilities prior to the call.Include anything the attendees andparticipants will require to log intothe call (e.g. call in numberANDpassword).• Start the call. Don’t be late. Logon to the conference call 10 minutesearly if possible. Be sure to test thebridge in advance if you areunfamiliar with it.• At least one person will be late,so have some notes handy toinitiate small talk. Make sure allthe attendees are introduced (name,title, and the role they play) toanyone they are not familiar with,especially your clients. Start thecall 3-5 minutes after the scheduledstart time when possible, even if allattendees are not present.• Follow your agenda. Be sureyou keep an eye on the clock, asattendees may not be able to stay

past the scheduled stop time. It’syour job to make sure everything iscovered.• Don’t over promise. Feel free tosay you’ll get back to everyone withanswers to questions you were notexpecting.• At the end of the call, ask ifanyone has questions, and makesure they are answered or will beanswered after the call. If a follow-up meeting is needed, schedule thisbefore anyone hangs up. Thankeveryone for their time.• Immediately after the call, createa recap and send it to all theparticipants. This recap serves twopurposes: 1) it ensures everyoneunderstands and has a list of theirresponsibilities, and 2) it documentsthe conversation in writing in casethere are any discrepancies later.• After the call, follow through!Be sure that you take action asdiscussed and answer any questionsin a reasonable amount of time. Ifany deadlines were set, meet them.

When done professionally,conference calls are an ideal way todo business.


� In That Year

1987� Hollywood legend Fred Astairedies at age 88, and pop artistAndy Warhol dies at age 56.� British Prime MinisterMargaret Thatcher is elected for athird term.� The U.S. Supreme Court rulesthat Rotary Clubs must admitwomen.� “That’s What Friends Are For”becomes the song of the year.� The Minnesota Twins beat theSt. Louis Cardinals in the WorldSeries, 4-3.� Prozac is released for use in theUnited States.� Irish cyclist Stephen Rochewins the Tour de France.� The television seriesthirtysomething debuts on ABC.� Stock markets around theworld crash on “Black Monday.”� Electronic “techno” musicbecomes popular at raves andclubs across North America.

• Holding stuff back. Try not to edit or holdback on important stuff when appropriate.Open communication requires honesty, not justthings people want to hear.• Allowing stress to interfere.Although stress issometimes hard to avoid, communication will beclearer when external factors are not involved.• Insincerity. Do your best to be sincere ineverything you say to others. Others willrespect knowing they can trust your opinions.• Broadcasting. It is hard to communicate withothers when conversations are dominated bycomplaints, stated opinions, or being full ofoneself. Try to spend less time talking andmore time listening.• Speaking too soon. Fully listen to whatpeople have to say and don’t cut them off.

Humans thrive on communication. Hereare some things to avoid when it comes tocommunicating with others:• Feeling the “need” to communicate. Ifyou feel you have to communicate, you’veprobably already missed the ideal timeopportunity for great communication.• Attempting to prove you are right. Step backif you find yourself pushing someone to seeyour way or attempting to create evidence tostrengthen your side. If you’re correct aboutsomething, you usually don’t have to push it.• In one ear and out the other.Communication always goes two ways.Respond so that the other person knows youare listening and that you care about whatthey are saying.

Avoiding Communication Mistakes

Down to Business

• Let go of being right. Keep your mind opento new ideas—especially other people’s newideas. Letting someone else be right will boosttheir confidence and strengthen the team.• Be willing to suspend judgement. Be anencourager of ideas instead of a squelcher.Withhold your judgement as long as possible.• Do away with assumptions. First you mustrecognize your own assumptions, and thenyou can let them go. Keep asking why insteadof relying on what you assume to be true.

Feeling stuck in a rut? Here are some waysto rev your engines and get out:• Get rid of your “yes-but” attitude. Insteadof focusing on what won’t work, look pastthe initial negatives and take an idea to thenext step. A “yes-yes“ attitude is sure toprovide greater opportunities.• Pretend you’re a beginner. This will helpyou look at old problems in a new way.Invite people who know little about theproblem to offer their insight.

Five Ways to Stimulate Creativity

Business Savvy Published monthly by Wax Family Printing | 215 MTCS Drive | Murfreesboro, TN 37129

Business Quotes


“More business is lost every yearthrough neglect than through anyother cause.”

—Jim Cathcart

“Goodwill is the one and onlyasset that competition cannotundersell or destroy.”

—Marshall Field

“The employer generally gets theemployees he deserves.”

—Walter Gilbey

“When the product itself is right,you don’t have to be a greatmarketer.”

—Lee Iacocca

� Strictly Business

August 2010 � 7

People like working with companies that respectthem. That value who they are and what they need.And what happens when customers feel valued, evenloved? They fall in love with the company.

People are bound by the things they love. AuthorJeanne Bliss asserts that capitalizing on this truth willhelp you grow your business. To that end, she haswritten, “I Love You More Than My Dog” in hopes ofshedding light on what ordinary companies can do tomake their customers fall in love with them.

Bliss presents five decisions that must be made bycompanies that wish to be beloved in the eyes of theircustomers. They are: the decision to believe in theiremployees and their customers; the decision to stickto a clear purpose; the decision to be consistentlyreal; the decision to be there for their customers; andthe decision to humbly say “sorry” when things don’tgo right. “All of the beloved companies make thesehumanity-defining decisions, which set the course oftheir businesses and earn the right to their customers’devotion and to their story.”

Through her engaging, easy-to-read style andintriguing, practical advice, Bliss has crafted a must-read for companies looking to win the hearts of thosethey serve.

Book in Review

by Jeanne Bliss

� Guess Who I Am

Born in Vienna, Austria, in 1909,this man grew up during the WWIera and has often been known tocredit President Hoover’s generousoverseas food program for savinghis life.

Educated inAustria and England,this man received his doctorate inInternational and Public Law fromFrankfurt University while workingas a newspaper reporter. He thenworked as an economist for aninternational bank in London beforemoving to the U.S. in 1937 to beginhis teaching career.

He has worked with many of theworld’s largest and most successfulcorporations as well as smalland entrepreneurial companies;with non-profits such as hospitalsand universities, and communityservices; and with agencies of theU.S. Government.

His ideas helped shape thedramatic expansion ofAmericanindustry in the post-WWII periodand have had a profound influenceon world-wide thinking aboutmodern-day business methods.

Throughout the years, he hasreceived many awards and honorarydegrees from several universities.He’s also been featured in magazinessuch as Forbes and Business Weekand is the prolific author of 31 bookson subjects ranging from societyand economics to politics andmanagement.

This business icon, who isrecognized as the “father of modernmanagement” and often declared thewisest of all business philosophers isfound somewhere in this issue!

“I Love You MoreThan My Dog”Five DecisionsThat Drive ExtremeCustomer Loyalty inGood Times and Bad

We’ll Make You Shine!If you’re tired of watching

your marketing materials getlost in the crowd, stop by ourprinting firm. We have thecreativity and equipment tomake your company, and itsmaterials, outshine the

competition!



InsideThis Issue:

Page 2We’ll Make You

Shine!

Page 3Confidently Leading a

Conference Call

Page 4Whole Ball of Wax

Page 5Reports: Tips for

Getting Them DoneRight

Page 6In That Year

AvoidingCommunication

Mistakes

Five Ways toStimulate Creativity

Page 7Book in Review:“I Love You MoreThan My Dog”Guess Who I Am

The Building Blocks

of Trust

August 2010Your Sales, Marketing, and Business Management Newsletter

place, the rest of your communication with aclient will be unstable.

Trust is something that needs to beearned—be careful not to assume it isautomatically present. Here are some waysto help build trust and credibility withcurrent clients, as well as potentialprospects. Build carefully.• Don’t exaggerate the benefits of yourproduct or service. If your clients are hearingwords that seem too good to be true, chancesare they’re right. Let your products andservices speak for themselves, and allow theclient to make judgements based on what theysee—and how they believe the product orservice could help them succeed.• When appropriate, be honest and upfrontabout any disadvantages or weaknesses inyour product or service. This goes back to theopen and honest communication that isfundamental to good relationships. Don’t tryto pull the wool over your clients’ eyes.Eventually the truth will come out, and you

The building blocks of trust are beingput in place from the moment you begin aninteraction with a prospective client. Themost basic of these blocks are openness andhonesty. These important building blocksform the foundation of your credibility asa salesperson. Without these two pieces in

may lose their business.• Don’t be afraid to promote and displayyour qualifications. If you are an expert orpossess vast knowledge in a certain area,let people know it. If you or your companyhave received an award, be proud and placeit where people can see it. While it isn’tappropriate to toot your own horn for noapparent reason, letting a client know thatyou have an expertise in an area that willprove beneficial to them is a good thing.• Develop a portfolio of reputabletestimonials and endorsement fromsatisfied customers, and use their words toencourage a prospect to work with yourcompany. People find comfort in knowingthat others trust your company to take careof their needs.• Follow up with each client. You workhard to earn a credible reputation with yourclients. Be sure you are doing what it takesto maintain that positive relationship.

The Building Blocks of Trust

Address215 MTCS Rd.

Murfreesboro, TN 37129Phone

615.893.4290eMail

[email protected]

615.893.4295Web

www.WaxFamilyPrinting.com

Wax Family Printing is the onlyCPrint™® certified printer in Middle

Tennessee.

published monthly by


STANDARDPRE-SORTEDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDMurfreesboro, TNPERMIT NO. 86

Jeff Carlton Sales

W A X F A M I L Y P R I N T I N G

August Issue

Documents

Transcript of August Issue