In Business, Live Positively and Without Judgement

I remember, clearly, a story a good friend of mine told me years ago that I've carried with me ever since. He was a very successful building contractor who was quite a family  man and worked hard during the week so he could dedicate his weekends to his wife and two daughters, ages 4 and 6. He told me that he knew he needed to invest in new company trucks—4 to be exact—and so planned to spend a Saturday taking his wife and girls to a local carnival they had been wanting to go to and then swing by a couple dealerships to see what he could find. After the carnival, the girls were tired and fell asleep promptly in the car. So, when he stopped, he and his wife each carried one to walk around the lots and decide which trucks would best suit their business needs. 

After being out in the new truck area of a particular dealership for over 15 mintues with no one coming out to inquire if they could assist them, his wife went inside to see if someone could come out and speak to them regarding a couple of the models. She was wearing cut off jean shorts and her tshirt had some snow cone stains on it from their children. Her daughter had gotten somewhat dirty at the carnival and had cotton candy dried on her little face and her shoes off. Outside, her husband was dressed similar and of course, their older daughter looked ragged as well after the long day of rides and games and carnival food. Not a single solitary person said anything to her when she asked for help. They all just stood looking at her. No one stepped forward at all and after a couple of minutes, she turned and went back out to the lot. They loaded the girls in the car and headed out, angry, frustrated and feeling slighted. They drove to a nearby dealership who greeted them warmly, offered to let them put the girls in the lounge in the air conditioning near their receptionist and spent all the time needed to find the perfect fit for them in the 4 vehicles they needed. My friend wrote a check for the full amount of all four trucks, warranties, taxes, delivery, etc. And left a happy customer, sure to return in the future. 

But he didn't go right home. He swung by the previous dealership which had failed to wait on them and parked out front of the show room. He went in and asked for the manager. A gentleman stepped forward—one of the same men who failed to respond to his wife's request for help—and told him about how he was here earlier and couldn't get anyone to assist him. The man said "well, you didn't look like someone who was in a position to buy today, so we thought we'd just let you look." What???? My friend replied, "well by not giving us the time of day, you just missed a cash sale on 4 brand new trucks and warranties." And the whole group of those salesmen instantly looked shocked. My friend left and told me he realized that day how important it was to always realize that anyone you meet—regardless of age or appearance, is a potential customers. See, they had looked at the way my friend and his family were dressed, seen they appeared dirty and unbathed, and had assumed they were not good candidates for a brand new vehicle. THEY decided they weren't a potential customer.

I can't emphasize enough that when you are a business owner, selling an opportunity, service or product, you need to treat everyone you meet as a potential customer. You need to act with respect and courteousness to anyone you come in contact with. From the grocery checker and bag boy, to the receptionist at the hair salon to the lawn service guy, they are all people who have dreams and goals and are probably always open to the possibility that what you have to offer may be exactly what they have been looking for to change or improve their lives. Introduce yourself, say "hello" and thank them for the service they provide you. Your consistent kindness and friendliness should extend to every area of your life. 

What people don't always take time to think about is, that you never know what drives a person or what they are looking for. If you adapt a positive attitude in your day-to-day interactions, people will sense that and will respond in kind. I've had someone ask me about what I do just because I made friendly banter at a check out stand and they then wanted my card so they could check out the opportunity. Had I been distant, or rushed or hard to approach in my demeanor, they probably wouldn't have wanted to be a part of anything that I had to offer. 

We all have probably been guilty of "judging a book by its cover" at one point or another in life. I've worked hard on that for years, simply because our son is tattoo artist in Denver and at first glance, you see someone who looks "rough around the edges" and even a little intimidating with his tattoos. To know him, you realize he has a heart of gold, is actually very funny naturally, and loves his kids more than anything else in the world. We know that what you "see" at first glance, isn't always what you get. 

In your business, present your best self, everyday, in every situation. You have nothing to lose. And you will gain friendships and valuable acquaintances that could just be your next potential customer. Living positively and without judgement leads to a life of abundance—personally, financially and spiritually.