You're Going To Be Great At This!

In a world where automation and AI are becoming the standard, human-centric service is no longer just a "nice-to-have"—it is a competitive advantage. In a recent episode of the "You're Going To Be Great At This" podcast, Dave Gulas,  co-founder of EZDC 3PL and host of the Beyond Fulfillment podcast, tells us about how he makes customer service a priority while making the most of his competitors' complacency. We also discuss 3PL's (third party logistics) and how they help online businesses. He also  shared his philosophy on how to bake customer service into the very DNA of an organization. Dave emphasizes that you cannot provide world-class service to your clients if you aren’t providing it to your employees first. When employees feel supported, valued, and empowered, that positive energy naturally overflows into their interactions with customers. One of the simplest yet most effective ways to stand out is through responsiveness. Dave discusses the impor...

Networking is important for the success of our business, sales goals, and even personal relationships. Meeting people and building a rapport with them can lead to other introductions and referrals. But what should you do after a networking event to increase the odds of meeting your goals? Years ago, I would go to a networking event and hand out business cards like I was dealing poker. People would be polite and say "thank you" with an occasional "I'll give you a call". Of course, they did not call. Disappointed, I would question why I should bother and ask myself how this was working for other people. A coworker explained that I needed to be more proactive. Instead of handing out my cards (which are not cheap, by the way), I should be collecting cards from others, and following up on my own. This worked and I was soon booking appointments and getting some traction. Recently, I had Dorien Morin-Van Dam, host of the Strategy Talks podcast (a great listen) and we ...

As entrepreneurs, business owners and other self-employed types, we are always try to learn how to work efficiently, maximize profits and keep our focus on the future. Sometimes, we overlook an obvious resource. By listening to the stories of how others in our shoes have made the journey to successful business person, we can see how our own stories are either similar or completely different. I personally love reading biographies of successful business people throughout history. Recently I finished David McCullough's book, "The Wright Brothers". Most of us know the story of these two bicycle shop owners who figured out how to fly and control the flight. However, there were other parts of this story that I learned. Their tenacity, business acumen and planning were integral to their success.  This is usually the case of most successful people.  By reading or hearing of these kinds of examples, we can look at our experiences to learn as well. Recently I had Adam Griggs of the...

For those of us who are in sales or are self-employed, we tend to concentrate on marketing, networking, production numbers and other factors that affect the bottom line. However, we often overlook an important factor. When considering your state of mind when selling, one should also how they feel physically as well. By exercising and staying healthy, we are more productive, can increase our working years and be more effective.  Victor Fernandes of Fernandesfit.com was a guest on a recent episode of my podcast and we discussed how staying healthy and moving our bodies can impact the success of our business.  Coincidentally, I was a guest on his podcast as well, which is on YouTube . In both of these we talk about getting up out of the chair and keeping healthy by doing the "small things", like drinking water and walking. Small changes can make a big difference! Chris Castane s is a humorous speaker who helps sales people succeed through workshops and humorous presentations. H...

In today's fast-paced world, staying connected and informed is key to successful networking. Imagine having a tool that keeps you updated on your prospects' achievements and interests without lifting a finger. Enter Google Alerts—an easy way to keep your network engaged and your name top of mind. Google Alerts allows you to monitor the web for specific keywords, such as a prospect's name or industry-related topics. When you set up alerts, you receive notifications whenever new content appears online. This enables you to congratulate a contact on a recent achievement or share relevant articles, demonstrating your attentiveness and interest in their success.  Consider a scenario where a client, Mary Johnson*, is mentioned in an article for her outstanding work. With Google Alerts, you receive this information promptly and can reach out with a congratulatory message. This small gesture can strengthen your relationship and keep you in their thoughts for future opportunities. Ne...

Over the years I have moved around a bit working for several companies. The reasons for doing this have varied, but mostly it came down to a couple of factors. The first one being money.  For example, I went to work with a very large insurance company years ago. They offered me a base salary and a commission based on my sales. My job was to contact current clients and have them come by the office to purchase life insurance. When these people would come into the office the other staff members would write the policies seeing notes I had already put into the client's file. I didn't get my commissions and brought this up to my superior, who didn't care. After seeing this happen again and again I left with no explanation.  Another reason I have left jobs is because the recruiting manager was less than truthful about the job. As I have mentioned in my book, when I interviewed for my first sales job (I was right out of college) the recruiter said all kinds of things that weren...

When I graduated from college, the idea of a career in sales was not scary, as much as it was just strange. In my head, sales people were pushy, manipulative and a bit underhanded. There was no way I was going to be the stereotypical sales guy.  However, I was in need of a job, so I used some sort of twisted logic to believe that if I could do well selling crappy accident insurance plans, I could move up in the organization. I apparently was incorrect on several parts of that argument.  It didn't work out that way at all. But I did get some basic sales training, which helped me in my next career move, which was at an office supply company.  The owners of the company had decided that they needed to add an outside sales person to the mix, something their competitors had been doing for years. They took one of their employees, Ed, who worked part-time in the retail store, and moved him to a newly created outside sales position for a summer. With no training, Ed managed to get...