Do You Believe in Yes or No

Well, it looks like Spring has come and gone. In case any of you missed it, it was last Sunday and Monday. The weather does little to lift people's spirits and coupled with how generally quiet things are in the business world, I'd like to congratulate you on finding the courage to get out of bed and face the day.

The trouble is that those people who carry on preaching doom and gloom seem to be oblivious to the fact that they are actually adding to it. Having a positive mental attitude is not a cliche - I just took a sales call from a young lady who was upbeat and ready to answer my questions. She is someone who essentially believes in YES.

It's easy to spot these people - they're the ones to whom you actually do say YES. Conversely, it's not difficult to work out those people who believe in NO.

So how do you shift your beliefs? It's really very easy. The next time you're about to ask someone for something, be it a favour, a sale or even a raise, tell yourself that the person you are asking is going to say YES. Remove any doubt from your mind. No matter what you already know about this person or their situation, fix it firmly in your mind that this person is going to say YES to you. Better yet, make the prospect of them saying NO inconceivable.

If you're someone that forms an opinion on the outcome of a conversation before you have even had it, then it might be a good idea to practice first. Think of a small favour that you could ask of a friend and as you ask them, make a note of your tone and your body language. Pay attention to the words that you use and how much time you give to your friend to ask you questions. Remember, before you even start you have to believe with all your heart that this person will say YES.

For an added bit of fun, try doing the opposite as well. Try approaching someone whom you know will say NO to you and observe the changes - you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Marketing works in very much the same way. If you don't truly believe that your product is the best thing since sliced bread, your message will reflect your beliefs. The true measure of your product is the value that you can add to it. There's no point competing on price alone - someone out there will be cheaper than you and if the client is hell bent on finding the cheapest price, he or she will shop around until he or she has found it. Then you're left with the agonising choice of lowering your prices or walking away, which for most of us is a no win situation.

Customers are really not interested in what your product can do. They want to know what it can do for them. Do you really want to go to the market believing that the only benefit of your product is that it is cheaper than everyone else's? Sure, the economy is tight and people are looking for a bargain, but noone walks into Harrods and then moans that Lidl is cheaper - they know what they want. More importantly, Harrods firmly believes in YES. YES we are an elite store. YES our prices are high. YES we know why you shop here.

Your marketing must reflect your beliefs, and offering a gift to your customers shows them that you're in a position to go the extra mile to make them feel good. If they feel good about you and your products, they're so much more likely to buy.

As I have said many times before, the gift in question doesn't need to be anything too extravagant, but it does need to reflect what it is you're trying to say. You really don't need to thumb through endless catalogues and websites - a good consultant will do all of that work for you.

So what are you looking to achieve with your latest products and how can Merchandise Mania help you? Are you interested? I believe that your answer is YES.