Archives for Kordell Norton

Minus 36 degrees . . .Cookstoves . . .Carrott . . . How to make email and voicemail that connects.

Research shows that 80% of all interaction in the workplace is done with you communicating with some sort of technology.  Voice mail, email, etc.  So how do you “get through?” I arrived to 36 degrees below zero temperatures. When it I got up the next morning and started the car, the transmission was frozen.  I had to let the car sit in idle for 15 minutes before it worked. Canada in March.  The coldest cold in my life.   I was there for a series of presentations over three days in various Alberta and Saskatchewan cities. And then there was the
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Bionic Bob goes quack quack quack

I am sitting in a meeting room with my friend Bob Cannon.  The quiet of the room is interrupted by the load quacking of a duck.  Since the library bumps up against a park with a stream, my first thought was, “what window is open?” Looking across the table I watch Bob smack his chest and say, “Hello, this is Bob.” I thought, “what the heck is he doing?”  I sat amazed as he acted as if he were on the phone with someone, sitting there, grinning at me.  Next I thought, “hey, my friend is getting old, just humor
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When the Buyers is Saying Bad Things . . . it is a Good Thing . . . for YOU

When the Buyers is Saying Bad Things . . . it is a Good Thing . . . for YOU by Kordell Norton Your buyer calls in a panic.  They were about commit to huge amounts of business, but are now asking for last minute concessions, extra conditions, better pricing . . . or else. What  was a solid sale, now looks shaky.  What happened? As sales people become more conversant in consultative selling, an advanced selling skill that is often helpful is to understand the psychological processes that the buyer is going through. Several years ago, Xerox did research
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Are YOU Happy? . . . my conversation with Alex Trebek

It took a minute because he was out of place, at least in my mind. After I sat down, I looked at the row of seats opposite mine in the airport gate area.  There in front of me was Alex Trebek of Jeopardy fame.  He had a slight warm smile as our eyes met.  (I have since learned that he is worth about $45 million so he should be smiling. . . no?) I asked him.  “May I ask you a question?” “Sure.” “Do you ever get tired of your celebrity?  Are you happy with what you are doing?” Alex
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What YOUR Competition Does NOT Want YOU To Know About

It is called Sub Rosa.  You need to be aware of this term.  It could sneak up on you.  Consider some recent news stories.    ·         The recruiting of Sales and Marketing Executives has found new levels of attention and activity by Executive Head Hunters (Wall Street Journal) ·         Restaurant Sales are way up over last year (USA Today) ·         Victoria Secret’s new Miraculous Bra is expected to show great sales in 2010 signaling a time when women are ready to spend on themselves again. (NY Times) The economy is coming back (no surprise) and when that happens the focus
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They Squeak when you bite them.

It was an awards dinner and the table talk turned to what is unique about Canada.  I was in Ottowa, where I was speaking to  the Chamber of Commerce Executives of Canada.  What a absolutely beautiful city.  Cosmopolitan, very European in fee.  Of course you put a bunch of Chamber of Commerce people together and the fun meter kicks up about 5 clicks.  “We Canadians are a humble lot,” said one of my table mates.  “We apologize for everything . . . sorry about that.”  Now that is funny.  Then another volunteered that Poutine is unique to Canada.  What? Poutine. 
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The 10 Commandments of How to Handle Angry Customers

The 10 Commandments of Angry Customers By Kordell Norton I – Thou Shalt Assume That Thy Customer Has Rights . . . Including Anger Every decision is made by its decision maker.  That person may not be the smartest, most qualified, or the right person to be making the decision . . . but it is still their decision.  It is our job to persuade them as much as we can to make the right decision, or in our favor if that is the case.  That decision maker has the title of CUSTOMER.  If they don’t make it in our
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Only a professional speaker would find something good in having their car stolen

“Dad, my car got stolen,” the words coming fast and in panic from his cell phone. My home-bound college student had just lost everything he owned while he sat in the restaurant.  “Even my birth certificate and social security card,” he declared.  For a couple of days all he owned were the clothes on his back and his iPhone.  He was able to stay on top of a police investigation, cancel credit cards, start on the insurance spreadsheets, apply security protection on his identity and keep us informed of his activities  . . . all on his phone. On his
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The best of the worst and the worst of the best.

Are you feeling pressures to provide your value and reduce your price? Average.  The best of the worst and the worst of the best.   The Bankruptcy Gap is the phenomina the requires you to drive down your costs and compete on price OR move your to offering unique and improved value and move up in the pricing world.  If you stay in the middle, the average . . . you are courting bankrutpcy . . . until time serves it up to you.  This is comparing Dell to Apple.  Dell competes on price, Apple on the customer experience.  This is
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