Yes! Network Seminar Highlights 5/18/11

Seminar Reviews by Casey Pachota and Clarity Patton Newhouse - Clarity.tv
Compliments of Sunny Media Group, Inc. - SunnyMediaGroup.com

The Yes! Network is one of America’s leading seminar training companies. President Michael Jeffreys offers complimentary workshops that can take place at your business, networking group or association meeting. For more information, visit YesMidwest.com.

May 18, 2011 - Novi, Michigan. This month’s Yes Network event presented two dynamic speakers with emotionally charged business topics, Scott Deming on “emotional branding” in customer service and Jonathan Sprinkles on “being the one” to achieve bigger results. In case you missed either of the seminars, or would simply enjoy a refresher, here are some of the highlights.

AFTERNOON SESSION: EMOTIONAL BRANDING

Scott Deming’s seminar titled “Emotional Branding: Six Critical Steps for Creating the Ultimate Customer Experience” is packed with helpful information that can benefit any business.

Scott’s formula for sustainable success, personally and professionally, lies within one’s ability to create the most powerful, memorable, emotional, relevant, one-of-a kind and unexpected brand. Scott says that awareness alone cannot build a powerful brand. In other words, just because we know about something doesn't mean we desire it. It only means we’re aware of it. According to Scott, Emotional Branding is an emotional connection based on an experience. It’s also the reason why customers abandon you. “You can't be successful without a powerful and emotional brand,” says Scott.

Scott describes branding as the most misunderstood topic in all of business. “Many of the top business and even marketing leaders do not understand how to build a brand,” says Scott. Branding is separate from marketing. Ask yourself, “Who are you, what do you do and what do you sell?” Often what you think you sell and what your customer thinks you sell is very different.

In order to establish and “emotional brand,” you must focus on relationship. For example, Starbucks doesn’t sell coffee. Coffee gest them in the game and gest them revenue, but the brand is what gets people to stand in line. “Starbucks is not a cup of coffee, it's a brand that people want to be connected to,” says Scott. “People are willing to pay a premium price for a premium experience.”

Another example is Harley Davidson, says Scott. “The Harley lifestyle keeps people coming back, because Harley riders are not riding a Harley, they're living the Harley life.” A Harley-Davidson marketer famously said, “We don’t sell motorcycles. We sell to 43-year-old accountants the ability to dress in leather, ride through small towns and have people be afraid of them.”

Scott pointed out that an important key to success is to differentiate between “good profit” and “bad profit.” He explained, “Whenever a customer feels mislead, mistreated, ignored, or coerced, then profits from that customer are bad.” On the other hand, “Good profit is about creating value, turning customers into evangelists and building a cult brand.” People follow a cult brand blindly because they trust them and want to belong to them. In other words, they are emotionally connected. Cult brands enjoy sustainable success because they dare to be different and they make people feel good about themselves.

Scott’s one word of advice for anyone who truly wants to succeed is “innovate.” His word of warning, “product loyalty does not exist.” Instead of changing what you sell, change how you sell it. “This is the only way to differentiate yourself,” says Scott. “Brand building is not about messaging, it's about behavior: understanding, changing and improving behavior.”

“People will only buy from people they trust and the only way to trust someone is to get to know them on an emotional level,” says Scott. He explains that over 90% of the things we take action on are done subconsciously. “We are not rational animals, we are emotional animals,” Scott reminds us. “We make decisions based on emotions and then use rationale and reasons to justify those choices.”

Scott encourages us to create an Emotional Experience for our customers, because a powerful experience stays with us forever. On the negative side, if you have a miserable experience with a store right by your house, you will drive ten minutes out of your way to go to a different store. On the positive side, this is the same if you have a wonderful experience at the store further away. “People are not loyal to things,” says Scott. “We are loyal to the expectations of what things will do for us.” In other words, we are loyal to people rather than things.

Scott also warns us not to underestimate the impact of an unhappy customer. People will say that their experience is “good,” but that doesn’t mean they’re happy. “Only 4% of unhappy customers complain to the company,” says Scott, “but 40% of them tell other people around them.”

In order to create the ultimate customer experience, Scott recommends that we focus more on relationships and less on features and benefits. Accomplishing this involves getting everyone at the company on board. Scott says that leadership is a huge issue because most leaders are brought up through operations and lack people skills. Scott’s tip for leaders is to constantly let their employees know how they're doing. “People need to hear recognition and know that they matter,” says Scott. “Empower them to do the right thing for the customer.

Scott warns us to watch out for the Lake Woebegone Effect, “Where the women are strong, the men are good looking and all the children are above average.” He points out that, “We all think we are better than we are and we think our service is a lot better than it is. Instead, think of your service as always needing to improve.”

“If anyone’s corporate mantra is to satisfy the customer, get rid of it,” says Scott. “Either shatter expectations or create completely new ones.” To do this, points out Scott, you have to ask your customers what their expectations are, because you can’t exceed or even meet your customers’ expectations without first knowing what they are. Everyone says "Lets figure out what the customer wants and find a way to give it to them." But if you go to a store and get exactly what you want, you’re not blown away. Instead, Scott says that the entire process has to blow you away.

In conclusion, Scott shares that the secret to life is empathy and with each customer he encourages us to ask ourselves, what could I do to transform this person's life? “You never know who you're dealing with or the outcome of the relationship,” says Scott. He ends by reminding us about the Butterfly Effect, that huge results can come from tiny causes.

For more information about Scott Deming visit www.scottdemingesp.com.

EVENING SESSION: BE THE ONE

In Jonathan Sprinkles' motivating evening seminar titled “BE THE ONE! How to Step Up, Take Responsibility and Achieve Bigger Results than Ever Before,” he makes the case that personal responsibility is the key to personal achievement.

He reminds us that “In America, it doesn't matter where you start. The only thing that matters is where you choose to finish. It's not your fault. But it is your responsibility." As Jonathan points out "Nobody can live your potential for you. No matter what your "it" is, it is still possible. In order to go from where you are to where you want to be, you have to grow from how you are to how you ought to be."

To illustrate this point, Jonathan notes that in America - where all things are possible - immigrants are 4 times more likely to become millionaires on US soil than are natural born citizens. According to Jonathan, that's because they understand choice. If you have a choice but you don't make use of it, that's as good as not having one. He also believes that what you emphasize is what you see, i.e. the more you whine, worry, and complain the more you have to wine, worry, and complain about.

Jonathan also stated that fear, blame, and a sense of entitlement are significant impediments to personal achievement. “Everyone is fearful of everything. People are afraid of the future. Blame has taken over. Nobody is willing to take the blame anymore." He notes that a sense of entitlement develops when you expect something but don't want to work for it. Everyone believes that they should be rich, but they believe someone else should provide it for them. According to Jonathan the solution is self-responsibility.

Jonathan said there are 2 types of people in this world. One type he calls the "Thermometer." These people give you an accurate reflection of their environment e.g. 'It's hot...It's cold'. On the other hand, some people are the "Thermostat." They tell you how it's going to be, and they're the ones who are going to change the environment. These people use two key words; "until" and "yet" as in 'the best is yet to come.' As Jonathan says "You have got speak what is not as though it were until it is."

Jonathan also reminds us that many people are living like this is a dress rehearsal. Don’t live like you’re dying; live like you have something to live for. He says that being 'the one' means being the first, being the best, being the difference, being the reason. Be the one who owns the outcome.

According to Jonathan, any time you receive a "no" from someone it's due to one of three reasons:
1. You were talking to the wrong person.
2. It was the wrong time.
3. You didn't position the benefits correctly.

In this regard, it's important to motivate people, i.e. to give them a compelling reason to act. If you talk to someone and it wasn't the right time, they don't yet have a compelling reason to act. You haven't shown them the advantages they will gain, so they don't see a compelling reason to act in your favor. Remember, a sale is a transfer of enthusiasm and Jonathan reminds us "when you do more than you’re paid to do, the time will come when you're paid more for what you do."

At the conclusion of this powerful presentation, Jonathan offered three keys to a good Thank You note:
• Immediacy - Send your Thank You within seven days. If you wait too long your recipient will take that to mean that you weren’t really very grateful.
• Accuracy - Accurately describe what the person did for you and the impact it had.
• Intentionality - You have to be intentional about creating emotion with your note.

For more information about Jonathan Sprinkles, visit www.jsprinkles.com.

Your comments and feedback on these seminar reviews are welcomed and appreciated. Sincerely, Casey and Clarity

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