Sales is more than just a numbers game...

Clothes Dryer repair opens door to better ventilation

When I wrote about the heater element going out on an electric clothes dryer, I was focused on the fact that the element would fail without notice. In talking to a friend, he offered the thought that most people would probably start a drying cycle and walk away, not noticing the longer drying time. Good point.

Since most clothes dryers have an automated sensor cycle to determine dryness – I would be curious as to how many people used a timed vs. an auto sensing cycle – the failed element could go for some time without notice. It’s probably a little like a hot water heater where one element fails, and the hot water diminishes sooner than expected. You can see in the picture to the left (click to enlarge) how one element in the dryer broke and the other remained intact; note the cracked insulator.

After performing the repair (I chose to use the restring kit vs. a new element assembly – more labor, less cost), I spent some time thinking about the overall operation of a clothes dryer and the installation of this unit. It’s in a hallway, behind a set of bi-fold doors; it shares space with the washing machine. Unlike a laundry room, this could be considered an alcove or closet installation. When I looked at the airflow diagram, it was interesting to see the draw from the rear, passing ‘hot’ air over the clothes – the air passes over the heater element into the drum – then exits by the lint filter. There is a small fan to push/draw the hot air out the vent.

That’s when it hit me. If our bi-folds were closed, you could be limiting the natural airflow required for efficiency, and potentially diminish the service life. Looking closer at the installation manual, for an alcove or closet install, I came across the following: “Closet doors must be louvered or otherwise ventilated and must contain a minimum of 60 sq. in. of open area equally distributed. If the closet contains both a washer and a dryer, doors must contain a minimum of 120 sq. in. of open area equally distributed.” This appears to apply to both electric and gas dryers. Also, check your model’s installation manual for more specific information in this regard.

Since we run our dryer with the doors open, which are not louvered, it’s not a problem. But, I was left wondering how many installations happen without taking note of this requirement. More so, I came across a ‘handyman’ use tip that encouraged people to close doors during the summer, and open them in the winter; the idea behind the tip was for more efficient heating and cooling in the house as a result of the hot air surrounding the dryer. After reading the installation manual, that’s probably not a good idea, especially if the installation was like ours with solid bi-fold doors in an alcove.

One other interesting note in the installation manual was, “If your dryer is approved for installation in an alcove or closet, it will be stated on a label on the dryer back.” In all the times I have purchased major appliances, I can’t recall my being asked about the installation at the time of purchase.

Being proactive with a recent refrigerator install, by measuring the space first, I found that some newer models and styles would not have fit our older cabinet space. That simple step saved me from the grief of a great looking refrigerator that wouldn’t fit the space. Like many purchases, it pays to read the installation and use manual, first. In the case of the clothes dryer, it would be a good idea to check the labels, too.

Podcast: Become a trusted advisor

You know you should be calling on higher levels of management, but you are not sure of their needs when compared to those who may use your product or service. How can you best meet their needs and further your success in their company? In this episode of the One Goal - Revenue Generation ® series, Peter Kusterer of NvestNtech tells you how to move the sales objective from merely selling someone to becoming a long term trusted advisor, and play a key role in their decision process. Download this episode - “Become a trusted advisor.”

Offer your comments, questions, or initiate general discussion with other listeners of the One Goal - Revenue Generation ® Podcast series. Use this LinkedIn Group to discuss your own personal selling situations as they might relate to an individual podcast episode, or in a broader sense of the profession of Sales.

Click on this link for the Podcast directory that includes the One Goal - Revenue Generation ® series, as well as additional Podcast episodes and related topics. Our podcasts are featured on iTunes, Odeo, and Podcast Alley.

0 to 60 in less than 5: Web-enabled vs. Web in-use

I am starting a new type of Post in the blog today, and calling it "0 to 60

in less than 5"; it's named after the performance of my car in the 0-60 time

trials (Motor Trend says it's 4.7 seconds). These will be short bursts, with

little if any links. You won't find them as a category until I make some

edits, later - I am testing mobile blogging and posting this remotely.



Yesterday, I attended a "Meet the Media Luncheon" sponsored by Business

Wire, Charlotte (NC). Always an enjoyable experience and good information

you can put to use, now. The Business Wire folks

(http://www.businesswire.com) bring out the best in guests and they are good

about holding to a time schedule.



At one point, the question from the audience was something on the order of,

"Which is better coverage, print or online?" One of the guest panelists

turned it around and asked the audience, "How many of you have a Web-enabled

device?" Most everyone in the room raised their hand.



I believe he was making the case for online may be better than print;

earlier the panel mentioned that online was good for breaking news, and

print was better for in-depth coverage. However, the question hung in my

mind for a time. It's one thing to have a Web-enabled device, it's another

thing to make good use of it with PR-driven news.



What is your take on this? Does having a Smartphone or other Web-enabled

device make you more or less likely to get company and product information

from online sources? Does it matter? Is it one of those, "It depends." kind

of answers?

A healthy shout out to our U.K. subscribers

Whenever we release a new Podcast, I see the RSS subscriber numbers go up. This is partly due to iTunes and Odeo subscriptions, but also everyday subscribers who are following the text side of this blog via the RSS feed get our Podcasts. Included in those numbers are those of you who get an email version of the Post by way of FeedBurner email.

When we installed the Feedjit widget on the blog for a map of recent visitors, it was no surprise to see the concentration of readers in the U.S. But, in looking at the FeedBurner reports of subscribers (to the RSS feed), we have been following the recent ratio favoring the UK. Depending on the day, the UK FeedBurner subscribers far outpace the US.

Let me take this opportunity to send a healthy shout out to the UK and say, “thank you”. Having spent a fair amount of time in the UK, and a three-year employment stint working for a UK-based company, I get a warm feeling being able to share some conversation across the pond.

But now I find I have a question gnawing at me. What am I doing in putting Posts together that has a broader appeal such as this, and seems to favor a UK audience in some form? When working in the UK, and other nearby countries, I found we were all faced with similar issues as it relates to business and work/life balance. But this blog often goes down a path that is not related to business. Whether a new product introduction, or reflections on a recent do-it-yourself project, not all the links or stories seemed global to me. Or, are they?

Podcast: The introduction to Disc One - Manage the Sales Cycle

The One Goal - Revenue Generation ® series is grouped into discs and tracks. Each Podcast is a track, and the discs are arranged much like a chapter in a book. As you download each Podcast, you will find additional information embedded in the file that will help you navigate across the discs and tracks in the One Goal - Revenue Generation ® series.

Disc One - Manage the Sales Cycle. This disc includes those topics on managing the sales cycle and following a disciplined process to secure an order. In this episode of the One Goal - Revenue Generation ® series, Peter Kusterer of NvestNtech introduces Disc One - Manage the Sales Cycle. Download this episode - “The introduction to Disc One - Manage the Sales Cycle.”

Offer your comments, questions, or initiate general discussion with other listeners of the One Goal - Revenue Generation ® Podcast series. Use this LinkedIn Group to discuss your own personal selling situations as they might relate to an individual podcast episode, or in a broader sense of the profession of Sales.

Click on this link for the Podcast directory that includes the One Goal - Revenue Generation ® series, as well as additional Podcast episodes and related topics. Our podcasts are featured on iTunes, Odeo, and Podcast Alley.

When U. S. auto companies get the bum rap, it can trickle down to dealers

Since I have both domestic and foreign autos in my family fleet of automobiles, I feel comfortable in making comparisons between the two. When I have turned to the dealerships for support, I have been fortunate in having mostly good experiences. It wasn’t that long ago that I told the story of “BMW dealer’s vehicle “porter” turns into frontline salesperson”.

With the press going on about Chrysler, and their reduced performance in sales and production quality, it’s no wonder their dealers may seem a bit skittish with a headline like “Dealers Anxious as Chrysler Stays Mum on Car Plan”. From my vantage point, it doesn’t seem fair.

With three Jeeps having gone through our garage doors, and two left in service, I don’t see changes in brand anytime soon. We reluctantly parted with the Wrangler, but the Cherokee and Grand Cherokee continue to perform well. The Cherokee has over 150,000 miles on it, and is still running strong. The Grand Cherokee is a little over half that much and I don’t regret any maintenance costs with it.

I have always felt comfortable about my local Jeep dealer relationship, especially with the parts department. Regular readers know that I like to tackle a few repair jobs along the way. Although the location is the same, the name has changed; the receptionist now greets incoming callers with, “Welcome to the all new Leith Chrysler Jeep”.

The parts department continues to deliver helpful and patient service, along with a willingness to offer some advice. This morning was another good example as I commiserated with one of the parts staff who shared my fondness for the ’96 Cherokee; he told me the story of running one of his Jeeps for nearly 300,000 miles.

It’s this level of service and satisfaction that keeps customers coming back; and not just for parts. Good customer service in the parts department can carry forward when it comes time to purchase a new car.

Having experienced Chrysler’s past troubles in the early 70s - I was selling steel in Michigan back then to many of the auto plants – I have confidence that if they put their minds to it, they can turn it around again. But, they need to treat their dealers well. After all, that is the customer-facing arm of the company.

Have product; need a review

Whether you are a large company with big bucks for marketing, or a start-up on a shoestring budget looking for some attention, there is nothing like a product review to gain some market traction.

In the old days, you worked with a PR firm to be placed in a magazine or trade journal. Today, your product can also appear as an informal user review, based on a purchase (on the merchant site), or a little more in-depth coverage in some form of social media or online discussion.

The simple lesson here is that your product can be reviewed by your choice and selection, or at the whim of someone who has no connection to your company. In one instance, you can control, to some degree, the outcome of what is said about the product; in the other case, you will have to accept the opinion of others – the worst of which would be to find yourself in a bit of damage control.

This places new emphasis on not only quality control and innovation, but the customer experience as well. You must be watchful for any write-up that may happen without your prior knowledge. There are numerous opinions about how to answer the negative side of things; some people advocate leaving it alone so as not to stir up more dust.

Encouraging reviews and customer experiences on your own Web site is one way to keep order. Without exercising undue censorship, it is better to have people voice their appreciation or displeasure under your roof, than elsewhere throughout the neighborhood. When the commentary turns negative about your product or service, people gain an appreciation for you and your company by witnessing the way you handle things. Reasonable outcomes that demonstrate fairness toward either party can do a great deal of good, and turn a bad situation into a positive conclusion.

Don’t be shy. If you think you have a product that could use more attention, and possibly a critique along the way, reach out to those who write about such things. They are likely as interested in looking at something new as you are about getting the word out about your product or service. But, avoid the ‘blast PR’ strategy of sending out generic press releases or marketing hype as an invitation to do a review or solicit an interview with company execs. Take the time to write something that shows you understand their audience. It’s no different than a freelance writer pitching a story idea; read the publication, first.

p.s. Regular readers and subscribers are aware of my curiosity for why things work the way they do, and how companies compete in the marketplace. The reviews and interviews I have done in this blog are the result of my own personal experience with a purchase or use, something has caught my eye or I stumbled upon it by accident, a reader sends me a note about their own experience, or a company has sent a product to me for testing and evaluation. The range of products varies a great deal. Whether it is a new software application, or something to complete a DIY project, I am always up for a test drive – be it my own motivation and need, or something I think will be of interest to you. 

Morning Light – A film for your next retreat

Not in the mood to get back in the car to retrieve a movie, and in-between Netflix choices, I go for the remote and Time Warner Cable’s On Demand. Up and down the choices, nothing catches my eye. Ah, but what’s this? “Morning Light” – a true-life documentary of fifteen (young) rookie sailors, soon to be a team of eleven, competing in the Transpac Yacht Race.

My sailing days were short-lived once I discovered flying, and then moved to the West Coast. I picked it up again when a friend asked me to crew on his 26-foot sailboat in the San Francisco Bay. Although I did some racing, it was nothing to brag about. Maybe that’s what caught my interest; what would it be like to have competed on such a large scale?

Go ahead and watch the trailer; but I would encourage you not to spoil the enjoyment of the film by watching the rest of the clips. From Disney.com, here is the Plot Summary:

“Experience a riveting and inspiring true-life adventure aboard the high-tech sloop MORNING LIGHT. Fifteen rookie sailors have one goal in mind -- to be part of her crew, racing in the most revered sailing competition on Earth, the Transpac Yacht Race. From start to finish, it's a rollercoaster ride of emotions and physical challenges, beginning with six months of intense training. Only eleven will survive to race in the grueling 2,225-mile Transpac. Matching wits and skills against experienced pros and the unforgiving, unpredictable Pacific Ocean, these young men and women develop a powerful bond and prove how dedication, teamwork and an unyielding spirit can overcome the greatest of odds.”

What a film! I thoroughly enjoyed it from many perspectives. You see the training, selection, and performance of the various members of the team from a wide range of vantage points. You witness the preparation for the race, and an emphasis on safety as a key to success. The scenery was beautiful, but so were the close-ups of the highs and lows of the competitive environment. Also, the character-building outcome is documented as you watch the rolling credits at the end of the film.

For those of you planning a retreat for teambuilding and planning, take some time out and show this film. Rated “PG”, it is a family worthy film, too.

p.s. If you have seen the film Morning Light, jump into the discussion with a comment, below.

Good job, cowboy! – nothing like a little praise for a job well done

Many years ago, while living in California, our family passed through Orange County Airport (SNA) for the trip back home to the San Francisco/Bay Area. At the time of this visit, a prominent bronze statue of the actor John Wayne, fondly known as "the Duke", had been erected near the main entrance of the terminal building - the airport was renamed to “John Wayne Airport” back in 1979.

As we walked past this statue, my daughter – who at the time was quite young – looked up and said, “Good job, cowboy!” It was a spontaneous comment that seemed to come out of nowhere. Little did I know how much I would use that phrase over the years to offer up appreciation or praise for the work of others.

It came forward in my mind the other morning, pre-dawn I might add, as I crafted a brief email to someone in order to show my appreciation for their effort. I had witnessed qualities of leadership and style, in their words and actions, that often seems rare in our ‘hurry up and get it done’ way of life. I was careful in my choice of words, pondering how they may be taken by the recipient. That is the downside to email; you only see one side of the response.

Many situations pass our way each day. But, how often do we take a minute to acknowledge the positive brought upon us by others? Not just in those instances where we stand to gain some ground. There are many situations or acts that we bear witness to where we can learn how to handle something better, or grow in our character and well-being.

This is not limited to co-workers and friends. Keep in mind, your boss might appreciate a little praise once in awhile, too. So, the next time you see or feel the positive effect of someone else, take a moment to say, “Good job, cowboy!”

Photo Credit:  John Wayne Airport - owned and operated by the County of Orange.

“The John Wayne Associates commissioned sculptor Robert Summers to create a bronze statue of "the Duke" in commemoration of the late actor and true American patriot John Wayne.

The nine-foot statue was dedicated to the County on November 4, 1982 and placed outside, in front of the Eddie Martin Terminal. After the Thomas F. Riley Terminal was built, the refinished and restored statue was placed in the lobby of the new Terminal.”

What the business world needs now is another email newsletter company

While working out the details to a new series of podcasts last night, we found ourselves talking about the proliferation of companies trying to make money with near identical solutions; in this case, we were talking about Internet browsers and how do you make any money at it. Yes, we went down the route of ad revenues, etc., but it still left a void in our minds.

As I looked through my Webmail account early this morning, trying to ignore most of the banner ads, one ad catches my attention. It is an advertisement for a new email newsletter service. My mind meanders to the thought, “Another one (of these)? Why?”

Seeing this ad flash by made me think of all the ways companies are trying to get information, usage tips, and new product information across people’s desk(top)s. In our case, we have used an eNewsletter for many years, with Constant Contact as our current provider.

I have noticed a drop-off in ‘Opens’ and ‘Clicks’, most likely a result of firewalls, spam filters, and other screening devices. Even though we use a Spam Checker before we send the email – to which we normally score a ‘zero’ (as in, it should easily get through) – subscribers are telling us that the eNewsletter is being trapped.

I have experienced the same thing with inbound email. It seems no matter what format or medium, be that a PDF attachment, hyperlinked text, or a well-mannered HTML presentation, more emails end up as ‘Junk’ in my Inbox.

With yet another email newsletter company looking for customers, I am now wondering what means do companies use to send their information to customers and prospects. Without including the likes of YouTube videos, and regular advertising, I created a simple five choice selection poll.

The choices are:

• Plain text email with hyperlinks
• Attach a PDF file to an email
• Use an eNewsletter provider like Constant Contact
• Send something via regular (snail) mail
• We don't send anything via email or mail

I’ll hold the poll open for a couple of weeks, then post the results as a Comment to this Post. We’re going to send this to our eNewsletter subscribers, too – many of which get our eNewletter and subscribe to this blog. You can take the poll by clicking here.