The Donald Cooper Corporation Newsletter
Volume 2, Issue 12 - December 2003
 Greetings !
If this is your first time receiving our Newsletter, "Welcome"!! We post all past Newsletters on the Free Articles section on our website.
1. The incredible power of a "Thank you" every day!
(time to read this article is about 45 seconds)
For a printable version of this article, click here.
The #1 reason that most employees stop trying in any business is that they believe they don’t make a difference. And, if you genuinely believe that you don’t make a difference, it would be stupid to keep trying because trying takes a lot more effort than not trying.
One of the simplest and most powerful ways to let your people know that they do make a difference is to “thank” then every day. In fact, it’s so simple that it’s usually overlooked.
“Thank you for that excellent market analysis!”
“Thank you for getting those rush orders out on time!”
”Thank you for redoing those product costings!”
If you got a “thank you” every day, how could you ever believe that you don’t make a difference?
If you’re still struggling to understand the power of a simple “thank you”, I ask you if you have someone in your life, right now, who you know, intellectually, loves you. And yet, don’t you still like to hear it every day. And if you don’t hear it for a few days, do you ever start wondering if maybe they don’t? Well, a “thank you” at work is like an “I love you” at home…and don’t get those two mixed up. It can really mess things up!
Clients often tell me, “But I have lots of people working for me who don’t do anything most days worth “thanking” them for. My first advice is to look harder. Find something to “thank” them for on a regular basis and see if their attitude and effort increases. Give them specific things to do, by a specific time…and “thank” them when they come through. If they still don’t perform, they’re not for you…deal with it!
2. Donald receives the speaking profession's highest honour!
(time to read this article is about 12 seconds)
At the annual conference of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers (CAPS), I was surprised and delighted to be inducted into The Canadian Speaking Hall of Fame. This is the highest honour in the profession of speaking.
Created to recognize those few individuals who have achieved true excellence in speaking, while making a significant contribution to the profession and to the community, I’m only the 13th member of the Hall of Fame (but, hey, I’m not superstitious!).
It's always very special to be recognized by one's peers.
3. The Christmas Tree Man:
(time to read this article is about 2 minutes)
For a printable version of this article, click here.
I’ve often spoken to clients about the danger of “judging” customers by their appearance or by how they’re dressed. Back in my days as a retailer of ladies fashions and gifts, I learned a powerful and moving lesson from “The Christmas Tree Man”. It’s particularly appropriate at this time of year. Please take two minutes to read it.
Our staff came to me one day to express concern about an unshaven, disheveled and generally unwashed gentleman who kept coming into our store. As he shuffled through our ladies clothing and gift departments he would glance out the window every few minutes and then, sometimes, he would rush out the door empty-handed. This process was repeated several times each day…sometimes resulting in a purchase and sometimes in yet another mysterious disappearance.
When he did buy he always paid cash from a huge roll of bills with an old elastic band wound twice around it. But mostly he would look out the window, then rush out the door…and this strange behavior was spooking our staff.
When they started making some very unflattering assumptions about this unusual character I assured them that there was probably a logical explanation and I promised to chat with him on his next visit.
Sure enough, a few hours later he reappeared. I approached him, explaining that our staff was quite intrigued by his mysterious comings and goings. “Oh”, he said, “I’m the Christmas tree man. That’s my Christmas tree lot just down the road with the little house trailer. I grow the trees on my farm up north, you know, and then I come down here for three weeks each year to sell them.”
“I work all alone so I have no time off to buy gifts and I don’t get back home until well after midnight on Christmas Eve. So, whenever I have a few minutes, I rush up here to shop. I really love your store. You have wonderful things and every day I choose a few gifts for the ladies on my list.”
“But you keep looking out the window.” I said. “Oh,” he replied, “I’m just checking to see if anyone has pulled into my lot to buy a tree. And if they have, I have to rush back before they leave, or I won’t get the business. You can’t replant those trees you know. Once they’re cut, they’re cut.”
“By the way” he said, “I know that I don’t look like your usual customer. In fact, I probably look a bit scary and I guess I don’t smell too good either. I don’t have much more than a bed and a stove in my little trailer. No place to wash up. There’s not a lot of money in real Christmas trees anymore, you know. It’s kind of sad. But your staff, they’re so wonderful. They treat me with respect and I really appreciate that!”
The Christmas tree man spent almost $3000 in our store over a three-week period. He came and he went, he came and he went, day after day, always looking out the window, sometimes rushing to serve a customer…and at the end, on Christmas Eve, he brought each of us a real Christmas tree!
4. What "simple little thing" could be killing your business?
(time to read this article is about 45 seconds)
Earlier this month I had the pleasure of speaking at the 2003 Conference of The Ontario Marine Operators Association. One of the other speakers on the program was Joe Tyson who specializes in helping folks in the Marina and Recreational Vehicle industries to grow their business…and he was great! He told a valuable story that I pass on to you.
As Joe was preparing for a recent presentation to Recreational Vehicle Dealers in the USA, he called five dealers who regularly spent a small fortune on advertising to attract new customers. He intentionally called each dealer when they weren’t open so that he could leave a message on their voice mail.
In his message he explained that he was an executive who would be retiring in six months and he and his wife wanted to buy a luxury motor home to tour North America. He left his number…and here’s the astounding result! Not one of the five RV Dealers called him back!
This is about as stupid as it gets…spend a fortune on advertising and then don’t call people back! But, as “goofy” as this may be, the question is, What “simple little thing” could you be doing that’s killing your business…and how can you fix it?
5. Seven things to know before spending a penny on advertising!
(time to read this article is about 90 seconds)
For a printable version of this article, click here.
What we learn from the article above is not to spend big bucks to attract customers if you’re not even going to call them back. Here’s seven other things to know before you spend a penny on advertising.
1) What is advertising anyway? “Advertising is creative bragging.”…that’s it! Many companies think that they have an advertising problem when, in fact, what they have is a fundamental marketing problem. They aren’t doing anything worth bragging about.
2) Get good…then brag! Don’t brag and then try to figure out how you’re going to pull it off!
3) When you’re delivering compelling functional, emotional and financial value to well understood target customers, compelling advertising is easy. If you don’t know who your target customers are, what they really value and what your compelling message will be…you’re not ready to advertise.
4) Your most powerful and cost-effective advertising is the enthusiastic recommendation of delighted customers!
People love “showing off” when they find a wonderful product, service, restaurant, hair stylist, etc. It makes them a “big shot” with their friends. Plant the seed by asking delighted customers to recommend you. Tell them “You’ll be a hero…your friends will love you!”
5) Don’t lie! People aren’t stupid.
For almost a year there was, in the Toronto Airport, a big backlit ad for a chain of mediocre hotels that said, “You won’t find any nicer hotels in Canada.”…This is a lie…and everyone who has ever stayed in one of their hotels knows it.
6) Advertising is so expensive that it only makes economic sense when you’re good enough to achieve “leverage”. “Leverage” occurs when the experience that you actually deliver is so compelling that every new customer that your advertising attracts enthusiastically recommends you to at least six other people! If you’re not good enough to achieve "leverage" you can't afford to advertise!
7) Advertising only works if what you say about yourself is congruent with what “others” are saying about you. If you’re saying that you’re the best while the media or respected authorities are saying that you’re not…you’re wasting your money.
So, are you ready to spend big money on advertising…or do you have work to do first?
6. The world's simplest and best SHORTBREAD RECIPE ever!
(time to read this section 40 seconds)
For a printable version of this article, click here.
Let’s face it…at this time of year 10,000 people brag about having the world’s best shortbread cookie recipe. Well, they’re all lying…because here it is!
Three simple ingredients and three simple steps. You can decorate them if you want but plain, they’re sublime. You should probably make a double batch because they’ll be gone in a flash!
The 3 ingredients:
- 1 pound of butter…softened at room temperature.
- 1 cup of brown sugar. (light brown or dark brown…your choice. I prefer dark)
- 3 to 4 cups of all-purpose flour. (depending on how moist the brown sugar is)
The 3 Steps:
Step #1…making the dough: Thoroughly blend the softened butter and the brown sugar together by hand or with a spatula. Don’t use a mechanical blender. Then add the flour a little at a time, kneading by hand to create the dough.
Step #2…making the cookies: Roll the dough out to ½ inch thickness. Cut into squares or diamonds…or use cookie cutters for fancy shapes. Place cookies on a cookie sheet that has been covered with 2 sheets of aluminum foil. Note: Cookies spread out when baking so space them at least one inch apart. Chill in fridge for ½ hour.
Step #3...baking the cookies: Bake cookies at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes.
7. Do you know who and what is really making money in your business?
(time to read this article is about 45 seconds)
For a printable version of this article click here.
This may seem like an obvious thing to know…but, sadly, many businesses don’t. Here’s a great example…
In the past few months I’ve done a number of speeches to Parts and Service Managers for one of the “big three” auto makers and one especially fascinating piece of information came to light. Here it is…
In a car dealership one good Service Advisor generates as much gross profit for the company as the sale of 206 new cars. Now here’s the disturbing reality.
Any new car salesperson who sells 206 cars a year would be the “hero” of the dealership. The boss would fall all over them with daily “thank yous”, free dinners, big commission cheques and a trip to Vegas…you name it.
But what does a great Service Advisor get in most dealerships? A smock with their name on it. Why? Because, in most cases, the boss is focused on the sales end of the business where most of the profit used to be…and isn’t any more. They simply don’t understand the current reality of their business.
Do you know exactly who and what’s making money for your business…and what’s not? And how are you acknowledging and rewarding your real contributors?
8. What does your business want for Christmas?
(time to read this article is about 25 seconds)
Does your business want more loyal and profitable customers, more innovative products, more effective advertising or maybe a shiny new Vision or Mission? We can help!!
Our new Human Marketing Video Seminar (on CD or DVD) will be the gift that keeps on giving as it shows you how to create, deliver and communicate compelling customer-owning value!
This 3 hour interactive Seminar, complete with Implementation Guide, delivers the powerful insights and simple, do-able processes that clients all over the world pay me thousands of dollars to deliver in person.
To quote the editor of Profit Magazine, "A bottom-line business message...brilliantly delivered!"
We recently received an email from a business owner in Victoria, BC telling us that he learned more about marketing from me in just 3 hours than he had learned in his whole life!
He went on to tell us that, using the insights delivered on this Video Seminar, he got a $400,000 order that saved his business.
Transform your business now for only $80! Or, it makes a great gift for a business person or business student on your list. It's a marketing degree in a box!
Click here to order through our On-line Store or email us at info@donaldcooper.com.
9. Are you missing opportunities to be famous?
(time to read this article is about 90 seconds)
For a printable version of this article click here.
I’m amazed at how many really bright business people miss golden opportunities to get their local media to help make them famous.
One of my more interesting repeat clients this past year was the Hydroponic Merchants Association. “Hydroponics” is the process by which plants are grown indoors, quickly and efficiently, in nutrient enriched water, usually under artificial light. If you want to see an absolutely amazing display of how this works, visit the Epcot Center at Disney World in Orlando.
As part of my pre-conference research I spoke with a hydroponic retailer in Baltimore, Maryland who told me that, through a friend in the US Government, he won a contract to design and sell a complete hydroponic growing system to the big US Research Station in Antarctica.
Living thousands of miles from nowhere, in perpetual ice, snow and 30 degree below weather (studying who knows what) these scientists need fresh vegetables for both health and sanity. The answer…hydroponics!
This is a great story and here’s how it sounds…“Baltimore hydroponics retailer is selected by the US Government to design and supply a complete indoor vegetable growing system to keep Antarctica scientists healthy under the planet’s most adverse growing conditions!”
I asked this guy if he had contacted the local newspaper and TV stations with this story…and, of course, he hadn’t. He missed a huge opportunity to promote hydroponics as a healthy lifestyle and productive hobby. He missed an opportunity to promote himself and his business as the local experts on the subject. And he missed an opportunity to become “famous”. Not Hollywood famous…but famous in his local area, to his target customers.
He could have had a full-page interview on the front page of the Lifestyles Section of his local paper, complete with pictures. He could have been interviewed on a local TV cooking show, gardening show and general interest show. And, since the media are sheep, that could have led to even more interviews and more exposure.
Who knows, he could have ended up on David Letterman and convinced Dave to set up a hydroponic growing system right in the studio to check up on each week. It would be called “Dave’s Big Science Fair Project” and would include Dave’s “Top 10 reasons to grow your own vegetables indoors!”, And one small business in Baltimore would have become “famous”.
Clients always ask me, “But why would the media do this for me?” They’re not doing it for you. They’re doing it for themselves. They have to fill 100 pages of newspaper or 24 hours of airtime every day…and that’s a huge problem.
When you’re doing something unusual, bizarre, heartfelt or extraordinary...that’s “news”. When you get an unusual order, sell to a famous person, solve a customer’s impossibly difficult problem, or win an award, that’s news. Now you're a solution to the media’s problem…and they love you!
So two final thoughts here…
1) Learnto recognize a "story" when one comes along and to visualize what the most wonderful exposure would be that you could get from it. Then, start with your local media and go from there.
2) Start proactively creating “stories” of interest to the media by creating events, products, special services, acts of kindness or bizarre promotions.
In our retail days, our one amazing store on the outskirts of Toronto got 133 major media exposures in just three years because of stuff like this…and we became “famous”! What will you do to make this work for you?
10. The perfect $40 gift for the boss who's struggling to be a more effective leader:
(time to read this article is about one minute)
Back in our October Issue I wrote a short article focused on helping business people make the important transition from being great “Players” in their business to becoming effective “Coaches”. To check out this article click here.
When I'm working with CEO's who are struggling with this problem, I give them two baseball caps to keep on the corner of their desk. One's beautifully embroidered with the word "PLAYER" and the other with the word "COACH".
I tell them, "Every time someone comes into your office, every time your phone rings and every time you go into a meeting, I want you to look at those two hats and ask yourself, 'Which of these two hats does this business need me to wear, right now?'. Not which hat you'd rather wear, or which hat you think is more comfortable...but which hat this business needs me to wear. Because, at that point, it isn't about you...it's about the business and about your people."
Now, here's the really neat part. When you have your two hats, call your team together, show them the hats and tell them that their purpose is to help you be a more effective Coach. Then, tell them that whenever you seem to be "wearing" the wrong hat because you're "playing" when you should be "coaching", you give them permission to glance at the top of your head and say, "Hey boss, which hat are you wearing right now?" What this does is to empower your team to help you make one of the most important transitions in your business and your life…from being a “Player” to being an effective “Coach”!
Now, here’s the good news! When we ran the article back in October, we had so many requests for sets of the two PLAYER & COACH caps that we’ve had a bunch made up. They’re $40 for the set of two…plus tax and $5 for shipping. If you had them made up yourself, you’d pay $48 for the two hats PLUS $70 for setting up the embroidery…so, at only $40 bucks they’re a “hot ticket”! And it’s a business expense, so you can write it off!
The caps come complete with my article on “How to become a more effective Coach in your business!” which explains how to use them to help you, or your boss, make the transition from being a “Player” to being an effective “Coach”. To place your order, simply email Sharen at sharen@donaldcooper.com.
11. Here's 5 ways to get more value from our Newsletters!
(time to read this section is about 45 seconds)
We continue to get “rave reviews” for our content, our punchy no-nonsense style and our respect for your time. Folks love our little note saying how long it will take to read each article and it’s amazing how many other E-Newsletters around the world have now copied this simple innovation.
We’re also getting feedback from folks about the various ways that they’re getting extra value from this Newsletter. Here are some of their ideas that may work for you…
1) “I send your Newsletter to all our franchisees each month…and they love it. I could have you send it directly to them, but this way I look like the hero every month!”
2) “We regularly use your thought-provoking articles at our monthly management meetings to challenge our team on issues of marketing, service, leadership and where we commit to be in three to five years. We used to struggle to find agenda items that focused us on the really important stuff…but no more. Thanks!”
3) “We use some of your articles in our own company Newsletter…but, of course, we always credit you as the author and refer readers to your website.”
4) “We use your articles in our industry trade magazine. They’re punchy, to the point…and just the right length! In one issue alone we used three of your articles. It saves us both time and money”
5) "I use your Newsletter articles to impress my boss. Before each meeting with her I read one of your short articles and then work your points into the conversation. So far, I've gotten two promotions, so please don't stop the newsletter!"
12. That's it for this month!
“Thanks” for all of your feedback and suggestions! We especially love to hear of your successes using our insights. Don't forget to visit our Free Articles section on our website for lots more valuable info…and try the Scallop Chowder recipe on our website. This is the time of year for thick, creamy chowder and this recipe is simply the best!
If you know of others anywhere in the world who will find value in this E-Newsletter, we'll appreciate your forwarding it to them.
Our very best wishes to you and your family for this holiday season, whatever your religious persuasion…and our best wishes for health, love, joy and prosperity in the New Year and beyond!
Kindest regards,
Donald Cooper, MBA, HoF
Certified Speaking Professional
Preview a Video Clip of Donald in action!
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