Turning Weaknesses Into Strengths

We all know many of our limitations. You may feel uncomfortable confronting conflict or criticizing a boss or client.  Almost everyone has habits that limit their performance.  The challenge we face is first to confront our weaknesses and then figure out a way to overcome them. Usually, we are not particularly adept at doing so. According to a recent study, fewer than 10% of employees change habits or behavior following a performance review.

When many people when have to confront a difficult project or engage in situations that make them uncomfortable, they tend to put off the unpleasant or challenging task by checking emails frequently, taking a break, returning calls, etc.  To stop procrastinating, identify what you do when faced with a challenge or uncomfortable situation.  New York Times best selling author Joseph Grenny calls these situations crucial moments.  To become more comfortable, address unpleasant challenges head-on even if you only focus on the challenge for a few minutes each day. 

Practice will make perfect. Not all unpleasant situations will cause you to break out in a sweat.  Practice responses to uncomfortable situations in those incidents that are less taxing.  Afterward, do a debriefing with yourself and evaluate your performance and stress level.  Over time, you will become more comfortable in these taxing situations and those that you typically want to avoid. 

The final key to turning weaknesses into strengths is to have the emotional competence to make unpleasant acts more pleasant or, at the least, manageable.  Before addressing the issue, ask yourself, what's the goal and what do I really want to accomplish?  This will help you to overcome fears and help you to better focus on goal accomplishment.

Building a Lasting Network

We certainly know that taking a vacation from your desk and networking with potential clients and peers not only keeps your fingers on the pulse of your industry, but also helps your business grow.  You can't think "out of the box" if you never leave the box you are in. That's one of the reasons why the DPHA Conference is a must-attend event (October 12-15, 2017, at the Sheraton Grand Wildhorse Pass Resort, Chandler, AZ).

 

A common misnomer about networking approaches, especially with potential clients, is believing you need to impress someone or tell them what you believe they want to hear. This approach may actually make you appear inauthentic and self-promoting.  It also can make you more anxious and less genuine.  In fact, research at the Harvard Business School found this approach does not work.

 

In one study of entrepreneurs making pitches to potential investors, it was found that those who catered to investors' interests fared far worse than those who were themselves and pitched their ideas based on their own merits.

 

Another reason you should not cater to the perceived perspectives and interest of your target audience is that it requires too much guesswork.  Unless you are intimately familiar with the interests and "ah ha" moments that will captivate your audience, more often than not you are shooting in the dark when you try to cater to someone's interests.

 

Bottom line:  Be yourself.  It will certainly reduce your anxiety, especially if you are not exactly comfortable networking with others you don't know.  And don't forget, most people can spot phonies a mile away.

Standing Out in a Sea of Noise

Do you know anyone who would admit they don't receive enough emails or who want more information about anything?  You, your clients and customers and those you want to be your clients and customers are bombarded in a sea of noise looking to capture attention on a daily basis.  How do you stand out in the cacophony of digital communication?

 

Dorie Clark found in her book, Stand Out, there are three foundational elements to break through: social proof, content creation and networking.  Social proof is the reason why someone would pay attention to what you have to say.  It takes considerable mental energy for someone to think, so most people would rather ignore you than determine if your message is credible and has meaning to them. How else could you explain that a large percentage of employees who are eligible for a 401K match don't take advantage of the free money because they can't figure out how to invest the funds that would be given to them. 

 

Social proof is the rule of thumb that individuals use to judge something.  They base their affiliations, writes Clark, on people and brands they trust.  If a previous client recommended your showroom to a neighbor, the new customer is more likely to trust you than a competitor down the street.  The lesson here is to align your showroom with known entities that are respected by your client base.  For example, if you start a blog aimed at the design community that makes their jobs easier and provides information that helps them expand their business, your credibility or social proof increases dramatically.  "Social proof enables others to 'relax' about you; they don't need to be so vigilant in evaluating your credentials because you've already been vetted by others.  That primes them to listen to your ideas more carefully and with an open mind." Clark concludes. That's the reason why positive reviews on Houzz, Yelp and other social media sites are so valuable.

 

Content creation also is essential in helping you stand out from the crowd.  As Marcus Sheridan related at a previous DPHA Conference, the easiest way to create content is to answer the questions your clients and customers ask most often.  Focusing on content that makes it easier for your client base to buy from you establishes you as an expert in the field of decorative plumbing and hardware.

 

Leveraging your network is the third leg on the stool of "standing out from a crowd".  Having a vast network exposes you to different perspectives that not only can help you generate new ideas, but also will provide you with valuable feedback.  Having a wide network allows your ideas to spread more quickly because you have a larger audience who may share your ideas with their network. 

 

The bottom line is that if you want to stand out in a sea of noise you need to be viewed as credible.  Share your expertise and ideas so that you establish your credentials with those who are likely to buy from you and have a network that will share the content that you develop.

Who Are Today's Luxury Consumers?

Surprise!  The majority of luxury product sales are made by those with household incomes less than $100,000, according to Shullman research.  Americans with higher incomes certainly spend larger amounts more frequently on luxury goods, but the average consumer of luxury products are mainstream Americans, claimed founder and CEO of The Shullman Research Center, Bob Shullman.  In 2016, more than 67 million consumers in the U.S. bought luxury items, however, 37 million of those buyers made less than $100,000.

Ken Nisch, chairman of the retail store design firm, JGA, claims there are major changes coming to luxury, and new markets and business models are likely to emerge that include clients following products through their life cycles instead of cutting ties after a sale.  Speaking at Luxury FirstLook 2017 in January, Nisch noted that Gen Z (those born after 1995) might have more equity than Millennials because Millennials started their jobs and wealth acquisition during the great recession. Plus, Nisch said, Genzers are much smarter consumers.

Nisch also believes that a paradigm shift has occurred in consumer thinking.  Today's luxury buyers are more interested in the "how" of the life of their product and where it comes from instead of what it is.  "They want experience over product and are willing to pay more for it."

Shullman Research Center also found that currently the biggest spenders in the luxury market comprise Gen-Xers and Baby Boomers with incomes of more than $250,000 per year.  Luxury consumers also continue to trade up and down, picking and choosing products and experiences that deliver the most value to their individual lifestyle.  Someone may spend $5 on a cup of coffee and then go to Chipotle for lunch and spend $6.75 on a burrito. 

Providing compelling customer experiences will continue to gain importance in decorative plumbing and hardware showrooms in order to attract the hearts and wallets of the next generations of luxury consumers.  Sales approaches need to focus on the "why" and "how" instead of the "what".

The Benefits of Routine

Have you ever wondered why some people can accomplish so much more than others in a typical workday? It's not necessarily that one person is exponentially more intelligent or experienced than other team members. It may have more to do with Aritstole's observation of, "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence is not an act, but a habit." 

Chris Winfield writes in Inc. magazine, "Establishing a positive daily routine is both a self-investment and a way to do your best for the rest of the world. It also provides additional benefits like giving you structure, building forward-moving habits and creating momentum that will carry you on days when you feel like you don't have the strength to carry yourself."

Winfield identifies the following keys to establishing a more productive daily routine.

1. Be positive. The Mayo Clinic reports that positive thinking reduces stress and can improve your health. Consider adopting a daily positive mantra that you start each day with, such as, "Today, I am going to be at my best."
2. Be proactive instead of reactive. Don't look at emails or social media the very first thing when you wake up or arrive at the office. Instead, pick one task that you want to accomplish and focus on that goal since that is being proactive, while responding to emails and social media posts are reactive.
3. Visualize success. Professional golfers and other athletes use visualization to their advantage. Hockey great Wayne Gretsky said, "A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be." Visualize how you want your day to go, focusing on specific achievements with a positive mindset.
4. Read more.  Reading exercises your brain, makes you a better leader and expands your worldview and knowledge base, even if you only read a couple of pages each day in a book, blog or magazine. Famed marketing guru Seth Godin rightfully points out that every time you finish a book, you feel smarter.
5. Be accountable. Have someone, such as a mentor, hold you accountable for reaching goals.
6. Write something every day. Write a blog that answers the questions your customers ask every day. Write down 10 ideas that you would like to try, from really small ones (like walking an additional block with your pet) to large ones (such as growing your business 20%).
7. Make a daily to-do list that is realistic. Don't place too many goals or tasks on the list. Your daily to-do list needs to be manageable and achievable.
8. Take frequent breaks throughout the day to recharge your batteries.
9. Break up your day. Divide your day into chunks and then specify the tasks that you will undertake at specific times.
10. Theme your workdays and weeks. Winfield writes that Jack Dorsey ran both Twitter and Square simultaneously without getting overwhelmed by specifying different tasks for different days of the week. On Monday he focused on management. Tuesday was for products. Wednesday was dedicated to marketing and growth. Thursday he concentrated on developers and partnerships, and on Fridays the theme was company culture and recruiting. Saturday he took off and he spent Sunday reflecting and developing strategy. It may not be realistic for you to assign full days to a specific task, but you may be able to dedicate chunks of time during the day to focus on specific issues.

Selling to a Material Girl in an Internet World, by Darryl Jones (QuickDrain USA), an Education Committee Member

E-Commerce is still a fast growing and often changing segment. The pressure of Internet retailers on kitchen and bath showrooms has been immense and caused manufacturers and showrooms to review their sales practices. Manufacturers have added MAPP policies and showrooms are starting to charge for their design expertise. We are certainly not the only industry that has had to deal with price-gouging competitors, nor will we be the last. Auto mechanics got a wake up call when Auto Zone and Pep Boys opened and started selling parts directly to the STM (Shade Tree Mechanic, a person that works on their vehicle over the weekend). An STM would take the automobile to a mechanic to diagnose the problem and then purchase the parts from an auto parts retailer. In the DPH industry, kitchen designers took a huge loss when Eagle, Home Depot and Lowes opened their mega superstores. Potential clients would visit an established showroom, but would then take their drawings and purchase cabinets from a cabinet retailer. The market response has been to implement "diagnostic" fees if the car isn't repaired by the mechanic, or a design fee if the potential client wants a copy of the drawings. These two industries are different and yet the same, because initially neither had a perceived value for their services. The Darwinism that comes to mind is that it is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but it is the one that is most adaptable to change. We as an Industry will, and must, change.

An earlier article from the Washington Post stated, "A study from researchers at Ohio State University sheds some light on that issue, and also perhaps offers some insight on how Amazon has pulled off such explosive growth in sales and market share. (Point of note: Jeffrey P. Bezos, the chief executive of Amazon, owns The Washington Post.) The researchers studied household spending data in 19 states, examining what happened to shoppers' spending on Amazon after their state chose to implement what they call an "Amazon Tax," or legislation that requires Amazon and other e-commerce sites to charge them sales tax.

The effect is significant: When the so-called Amazon Tax was put in place, shoppers spent 8.3 percent less for products on Amazon after the tax went into effect. The researchers described that dip in spending as a permanent decline even though shoppers' total tabs remained essentially unchanged. In other words, shoppers were shelling out the same amount overall on purchases from Amazon, but because a share of that tab was now going to taxes, the shopper was getting less product for their spending and Amazon was pulling in less revenue from that transaction.

What service's do you offer that neither your competitors nor the Internet do? Does your sales force have the knowledge and tools in place to close the sale when the customer is in the showroom? Are you as a team making use of the tools that you have at your disposal (i.e. the DPHA training manuals)? We live in an instant information society and we need to know more about the products we sell than our customers do. Be sure to share in as many round table discussion's as humanly possible. Take charge, take control, and most importantly, never stop trying to learn!

Time to Get Lucky! The Connections Friday the 13th Issue

Okay, we realize that some of our loyal Connections readers won't open this issue, because it is dated Friday, January 13. They are among an estimated 17 to 21 million Americans who fear this day. Some refuse to fly. Others won't buy anything and still more may not leave their homes. Why is Friday the 13th feared by so many?

It has something to do with the number 13, which is viewed as unlucky. Next time you go into a high-rise, look at the elevator pad and see if there is a 13th floor, or at the airport, do you see gate 13? What's behind this superstition and fear of the number 13?

One theory dates back to Greek mythology. Twelve gods were having a dinner party in heaven (aren't you curious as to what was on the menu?).  A thirteenth uninvited guest known as Loki then arrived (we all know a Loki don't we). Loki was a manipulator and convinced Hoder the blind god of darkness to shoot Balder the Beautiful - the god of joy and gladness - (I wonder what they were drinking at this party) with a mistletoe-tipped arrow (how does a blind person shoot someone and consider that unlucky). When Balder died, Earth went dark, causing the entire planet to mourn. It was a bad, unlucky day. From that point on, the number 13 has had negative connotations.

If 13 is associated with bad luck, then why is it only Friday the 13th that causes some heartache? You can thank Chaucer for making Friday deadly. When The Canterbury Tales were published in the 14th century, Chaucer wrote, "And on Friday fell all this mischance." Whoda thunk it?

We, on the other hand, believe Friday the 13th is a lucky day because we get to share Connections with more than 2,500 members of the DPHA community. Happy and lucky reading.

Keys to Keeping Your New Year's Resolutions

It's that time of year again when many of us decide the New Year is the perfect time to lose some weight, get in better shape, read more or improve our health and well-being. Unfortunately, most New Year's resolutions are not kept even though they are heartfelt and determined. We don't accomplish our goals for a number of reasons and many of them are perfectly explainable. One key to making sure you follow through on your change commitment is to start with a realistic goal. If you want to lose weight, don't set your goal at 20 or 30 pounds. That may be difficult (your Executive Director can attest to that). Instead, commit to losing two pounds in January and two pounds in February, another two in March and two pounds every month thereafter until the goal is achieved. (Tip: Want to lose weight; use smaller plates when you dine.)

A second key is to define what you are going to do. For example, if you decide to get into better shape, consider exactly how you are going to do so.  Commit to walking a mile every day or going to the gym three days a week. And get even more specific - if you are going to visit a gym, perhaps decide to spend 20 minutes on the treadmill the first day, on the second day spend 20 minutes on the rowing machine and lift weights on the third day. The more specifics you can attach to your resolution, the better the odds that you will achieve your goal.

Famed behavioral economist Dan Airly points out that most Americans say one thing but do another. Changing your behavior is hard work. In order to be successful, you need to have the right mindset and this most certainly applies to one's work environment as well. It's difficult to improve your showroom's performance if your mind is distracted by having to care for an ailing family member.

Time management is another key to resolution victories. If you commit to going to the gym but feel the pressure from the showroom consuming all of your time, then the gym most likely will be put on the back burner. Get yourself into a routine where the time you allot to achieve your goal is sacrosanct.

With the year less than a week old, develop an action plan to achieve your personal and professional goals. Don't dwell on past shortcomings. Be positive and focused and prove that you truly can achieve the changes that will make your life that much better. Best of luck and welcome to 2017!

Emotional Competence

How many times have you responded to a critical email or comment and wished that you could recall the email or retract your statement the moment after you hit send or responded? We've all reacted to situations in our business and personal lives where our emotions got the better part of our judgment.

Dealing with our emotions effectively not only helps prevent making bad decisions, but also can help assure that we make better ones. When we are anxious, not confident, embarrassed, fearful of a task, meeting or potential confrontation, we tend to become defensive and subsequently are unwilling to challenge someone or speak our minds. How can you keep emotions in check? Social Scientist and New York Times best selling author Joseph Grenny offers some practices that you just may want to explore.

The first is to own your emotion. Grenny says that you can't change an emotion you don't own. If you are insulted or your professional competence is questioned, it's okay to accept that you are angry or embarrassed. Most emotional reactions are caused by an incident or event. It's not the event that should be the focus on your response, but instead your role in the event.

Emotions are the result of both the event and the story you subsequently tell yourself about what happened. Grenny gives each of the stories a name. A villain story is one that exaggerates the faults of others and attributes what's happened to evil motives. A helpless story, on the other hand, is one in which it does no good to respond. When we are challenged, we often focus on how the person causing the emotional reaction was wrong.  Instead, it is often better to look through the lens of the accuser and assess what is actually correct about what they are saying. If someone is critical of you, ask yourself, what is the right thing to do? When you ask questions, you move from a defensive posture to one actually working towards a resolution.