April 2018
Reading Builds Relationships
Many of you might not know, but April 2 is Children’s Book Day. This day of observance really hits home with Dave and me, as we used to be the “poster family” for the Treasure Valley Reading Foundation back when we were on the air. “Reading, whether done alone or with your kids, creates great experiences.” Reading to children, no matter what age, is beneficial for both you and the kids. Not only does reading to youngsters give them a break from school, it enhances their imagination and plays a critical part of language development and writing. Having read to my children quite often, I can say that it’s rewarding in and of itself when I can spend even a half hour with either of them. It’s always been a source of quality time with Carson and Clare. Dave, the kids, and I were featured on billboards (see photo) promoting and encouraging parents to read to their children. At least 20 minutes per day is still the goal. We were happy to help spread the message since we’d been reading to our children since they were infants. The foundation also gave books to families that wouldn’t otherwise have access to them. We relied on donations mostly — companies would send them in bulk! — and we’d get them distributed. It was fulfilling to be a part of the effort.
Carson and Clare were about 3 and 5 years old at the time. We read all sorts of Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein books to them. I had fun creating accents and characters with each book I read, which helped them enjoy the books as much as I did. Years later, I even read assigned books to my kids in high school. After a stressful, busy day, it allowed them to just sit back and relax. Plus, I loved spending the time with them. We could discuss the reading and delve deeper into its meaning.
hope to get grants and donations that will help the library grow. We want to keep it updated and current so our patrons can get what they want and need. While I encourage others to read, I am myself quite the bookworm. I always have several books on my nightstand — right now I’m reading through a business book written by one of my mentors, Patrick Lencioni, called “The Ideal Team Player.” I’m also reading “Unbroken,”
Even though our time with that campaign has ended, my love for encouraging children, teens, and adults to read more has not faded in the least! Currently, I am helping to form a foundation for the Meridian
library. Our library is small for our growing population, but it offers so much to the public. It’s not about books sitting on a shelf getting dusty. The library has a lot of technology for patrons to check out and use, and it offers so many literacy and community programs. Our challenge is that the Meridian library is not run by the city, and most people don’t understand that. We do receive taxpayer support through a separate taxing district, but it’s only enough for operations. By forming a foundation, we
which tells the story of war hero and Olympic runner Louis Zamperini. I usually have a collection of books I’m reading simultaneously. Reading, whether done alone or with your kids, creates great experiences. You never really know what you may learn from opening a book. This month especially, I encourage you to read and explore a book with your kids or just for your own entertainment. Have a happy April! Claudia Weathermon
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Helping People Isn’t Just for Nonprofits
When two MIT graduates, Dharmesh Shah and Brian Halligan, observed that customers weren’t responding to tried-and-true marketing tactics — and that Shah’s unassuming blog was driving way more web traffic than sites with huge marketing budgets — they created Hubspot, a marketing and sales software company. Shah and Halligen realized that most companies were forgetting about the human element of sales. Instead of helping people, these businesses treated customers like numbers, all in the pursuit of their bottom line. So, they started Hubspot to do the opposite. They decided to help other businesses forge human relationships with their customers and create an “inbound world.” Knowing Hubspot’s origin story, it comes as no surprise that their No. 1 salesperson, Sharen Murnaghan, lives by the mantra of “Always be helping.” She and Hubspot both believe that helping others is part of business. When you look at Hubspot’s “About Us” page, you’ll notice their vision is to build a company where business is “empathetic, human, and personable.” Before joining Hubspot, Murnaghan had a successful sales career in the publishing world, but was ready for something new. She had an impressive amount of sales experience but almost no knowledge of digital marketing, an industry she knew was clearly on the rise. So, “armed with nothing but a desire to learn and a willingness to work hard,” she enrolled in a digital marketing course, got a certification,
and eventually found her way to Hubspot. She started in an entry-level sales position, and, after putting in 12-hour days and many more hours of continued education, she became their No. 1 salesperson. She’s held the spot ever since.
Besides putting in her time, what strategies got her there? Murnaghan found success by exercising the same values that Hubspot was built on. “People don’t want to be interrupted by marketers or harassed by salespeople,” Shah and Halligan say of their empathetic approach. “They want to be helped.” Murnaghan’s interactions with customers hinged on her desire to help others, and she was determined to carry out that mission. Once, she connected a client’s daughter with friends in Canada after learning the girl was starting university there. What lessons can we glean from Murnaghan’s and Hubspot’s success? Don’t forget about the simple act of helping people. Make this a priority above selling a good or service. As you shape and define your company’s values, hire people who exemplify them. Like Murnaghan, if they live your values, they’ll wow your clients, build relationships, and bring you both to the top.
Tester-
MONIALS
“You gave us the motivation to pick up the phone and call prospects. I’m now able to adapt to different people’s personality styles on the phone. Most of all, it was fun and entertaining — and I love your shoes!”
–Lauren, Realtor at the Dialing Strangers Training Class (Las Vegas, Nevada)
Tax Tips From Grandma
Outline a strategy for what’s going to be in your wallet:
1. Identify what you spend each month for your living expenses (tighten your belt).
April can be the start of something great, even with Tax Day looming. If you’re not happy with your W-2, decide to change it. If you’re spending more than you’re making, read this excerpt from my grandma’s wallet. My grandmother, Helen, who lived into her 90s, was a child of the Great Depression and the daughter of a homesteader during the Dust Bowl days in Montana. She was the matriarch of the family, with three successful sons, including one who became a U.S. senator. She also owned three homes and 3,000 acres of land when she passed. I was fortunate to get her insights about living within one’s means while still striving to live beyond one’s wildest dreams. I remember as a child that Grandma’s wallet always had cash in it. At the time, I thought it was wonderful, but only today do I fully understand why she only carried cash. It is the reason why even to her last day, she still had plenty of it.
2. Create an envelope system and stick with it (pay in cash).
3. Pick up a part-time job (pay off your credit cards).
4. Look for deals (start shopping for Christmas right now).
5. Get rid of your credit cards.
6. Open a savings account.
7. Fill up the pantry.
8. Figure out how much debt you are in and build a plan to eliminate it.
9. Think ahead (i.e., kids, college, and weddings).
10. Teach your kids the basics of money management.
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The Importance of Over-the-Phone Customer Service
It was in the sixth grade that I was taught the importance of over- the-phone customer service by my dad. Pop was a veterinarian, so our home phone was constantly ringing. As a kid, it was annoying. All I cared about was going to play football with my neighbor and the phone was just a distraction. But when my dad was out making house calls, it was my job to answer it. Learning the art of customer care when you’re in sixth grade wasn’t art at all — it was a mess. My dad would come home asking about the phone and why it rang: What calls did he miss? Who called? What was their name? Their phone number? Why did they call? Where do they live? Did they sound worried or concerned? What was their pet’s name? The questions went on and on. As an entrepreneur or person in business, it’s important to remember that the phone ringing is never a distraction. In fact, it’s how we eat. I can still hear my dad reminding me of the importance of the client and how we need to take care of our customers even on the phone. He taught me never to let the phone ring more than three times — after three rings they would call another veterinarian, or a friend that knows medicine, and that would be the end of a relationship. My dad assured me that the client, or something he called a “prospect,” would be impressed that we care enough to not only get a first and last name, but to use their name while talking with them
over the phone. He stressed that, just in case we didn’t have it handy, we get the client’s phone number so that we could call back as soon as the doctor was in. He wanted me to get all the little details together to make a great impression. All of this was finally put to the test one night when my parents were at a veterinarian convention two hours down the road. I received a call from a Claud Hutchins whose basset hound, Pluto, had a tick attached to his head. I was not only able to calm him down and prove that I cared by going through the steps my dad had given me, but I helped him get the tick off his beloved Pluto. That call was life-changing for my new title as “director of first impressions” for the family practice. The skills I learned in sixth grade didn’t just end right then and there; they followed me through my life. As a businessman, these skill sets can help you provide the best customer service you can offer over the phone.
For your needs, remember the TICK and HOUND acronym when answering the phone:
H ear what’s not being said O wn your script U nderstand and have empathy N ame and number D irector of first impressions
T hree rings I nformation gathering mode C ustomer care is number one K eep great notes
Take a
Molasses Sugar Cookies
BREAK
Ingredients
• 2 teaspoons baking soda • 1/2 teaspoon cloves • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon • 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar • 3/4 cup shortening • 1/4 cup molasses • 1 egg • 2 cups flour
Directions
1. Heat oven to 375 F. 2. In a large bowl, mix sugar, shortening, molasses, and egg. 3. Stir in flour, baking soda, spices, and salt. Mix until combined. 4. Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in granulated sugar until covered. 5. Place dough balls 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. 6. Bake 8–10 minutes.
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Tester TIME 808 W. Colbert St. Meridian, ID 83646 (208) 707-9807 www.dialingstrangers.com
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
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Reading Through the Days
The Secret Behind Hubspot’s No. 1 Salesperson
Tax Tips From Grandma
The Tick and the Hound
Entrepreneurship Library: ‘Thinking in Bets’
Annie Duke’s ‘Thinking in Bets’ What a Poker Pro Can Teach You About Risk Annie Duke may seem an unlikely business consultant given that she’s most best known as a professional poker player. But the lessons in her new book, “Thinking in Bets,” extend far beyond the felt. Duke, who studied psychology at UPenn and has consulted for a number of companies, takes the decision-making lessons she learned at the poker table and applies them to the hard choices we have to make in business. To emphasize the nature of her work, Duke begins with an introduction called “Why This Isn’t a Poker Book.” She writes that the process of thinking in bets “starts with recognizing that there are exactly two things that determine how our lives turn out: the quality of our decisions and luck.” When you make a decision, you rarely have perfect clarity regarding all the factors at play. This imperfect picture is what makes every business decision risky. Duke argues that ignoring inherent risk results in dangerous outcome-based thinking. As an alternative, she proposes that you acknowledge that not every decision will be the right one. This way, you can investigate the nature of your decision-making process and improve it without being blinded by lucky (or unlucky) results. Poker provides a fertile analogy for this concept. It’s a game of imperfect information. No matter how much poker you’ve played, you never know which cards the other players hold. You
can make educated inferences based on the information you gather, but there is always going to be a risk in calling a bet. The process parallels how we decide what’s best for a company. We analyze all the information we have at hand and make a projection about the best option. Until the decision plays out, we won’t know the outcome. Though Duke knows more about poker than just about anyone, she doesn’t limit her examples to gambling. She writes with equal skill and depth about everything from CEOs to football coaches. “Thinking in Bets” is a comprehensive overview of risk assessment that provides countless tips on how to improve your decision-making. Even if you have no idea whether a flush beats a straight, you’ll find “Thinking in Bets” a valuable addition to your leadership library. Entrepreneurship requires making millions of decisions. Don’t you want to make them better?
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