November 2013 Volume 4, Issue 11 The Workplace Newsletter That’s Both Informative and Fun! Here's how to close the deal To represent the company, you have (so far) done everything right. You know the industry, understand the company and its needs, and even better, you know you have just the right product for them. But the deal is just coasting. How do you close it? Here are some thoughts from the sales training firm Richardson: * First, treat closing as a process. Depending on the product or service, it may come after one meeting or after a series of meetings and negotiations. Sometimes "closing" means moving to the next level. * Set an appropriate closing objective for each meeting. It must be measurable, like getting a map of the company's decision-making process or to write the order. * Ask questions that clarify the situation and confirm that what you're selling matches what the customer needs. Ask the customer if it sounds right to him or her. Ask what timeframe is needed for delivery. * Seize the moment. If you have a productive dialog and you're sure the customer is ready to buy, then ask. Just do it, say Richardson advisors quoted on Inc.com. * Celebrate your effort. Whether you close or get shot down, remember that the only real failure is failure to try. Fill your days with victories, large and small, and you'll have more confidence next time you are ready to close. TEAMWORK: Express yourself ~ An argument can generate ideas, clear the air Every team wants its project to move ahead smoothly. But, ideally, the team includes people with different types of skills and ideas. They view the project from different aspects, which is why they were brought together. It's a fertile ground for an exchange of ideas. When team members defend their positions on a project, a deeper understanding of it develops, that is, unless they are just defending their pride. Bosses or team leaders shouldn't always make a call just because they are the most powerful. This leads to poor decisions, bruised egos and reduced quality of work. In the book, Rework, co-author and business founder Jason Fried says on less-significant problems at his software firm, team members with different views will trade, saying "You get this one. I get the next one." Another tactic involves determining who cares the most about the matter. Someone who is qualified in the area almost always cares passionately about his or her position. Give in to the most experienced person. A second great way to consider a decision is to see who's willing to take responsibility for it. If they are willing to deal personally with the success or failure of their idea, there's a good chance it's the right one. Writing in INC., Fried also says that giving away decisions just to avoid conflict is the worst thing you can do. Early settlers, explorers celebrated Thanksgiving At the University of Florida, historians argue that the earliest attested thanksgiving celebration, in what became the U.S., was celebrated by the Spanish on Sept. 8, 1565 in what is now St. Augustine, Fla. Some historians say the first celebration in the U.S. was in Virginia. Thanksgiving services were held there as early as 1607. A day of thanksgiving was codified in the founding charter of Berkeley Hundred Plantation in Charles City County, Virginia in 1619. Others say the first Thanksgiving was on Berkeley Plantation on the James River in 1609. According to the History Network, the first celebration in the New World may have been at San Elizario, near the present-day city of El Paso. In 1598, it was celebrated by a weary group of Spanish explorers, led by Juan de Onate, who had just completed a long trek across the Mexican desert to the banks of the Rio Grande River. The traditional story of Thanksgiving focuses on the Pilgrims at Plymouth in their first small harvest in the autumn of 1621. Their numbers diminished by half, 53 Pilgrims celebrated their modest harvest with a company of 90 Indians. Both Pilgrims and Indians had suffered mightily during the previous winter of disease and starvation. Free Cleaning Tips and Specials at www.celebritycleaning.com Do You Know... Help Wanted! ... someone that could use our services? Perhaps a colleague, friend, family member, or networking buddy? When a new client signs up for regular cleaning services at your recommendation; you will receive $100! We are always looking for good reliable employees. If you know of anyone looking for a part time job please have them call us! If you would think of 3 or 4 people that could use our services, then don’t hesitate to call them and give them our name and phone number. Be sure to have them mention your name when they call so we can send your $100 Bonus! Thanks in advance for your help and we look forward to sending cash your way! Asking ‘why’ is usually counterproductive As people try to work through difficult situations in their lives, they sometimes focus on "Why." They ask: Why was there a tornado; why did I get laid off; why was there a car accident? Why me? Modern psychologists say they are asking the wrong questions. "Whys" keep them in the victim state and focusing on placing blame. They should begin to focus on how to get on with their lives by asking "What" and "How." These questions focus on solving problems, and the answers keep you moving forward: "What should I do now?" "How can I make my situation better? "What can I do to get through this and come out a stronger person?" Doctors at Psychiatric Associates in Indianapolis say asking how and what questions helps you focus on the future instead of the past. You begin to realize that you have the power to make changes. They recommend honestly admitting to yourself what your thoughts and feeling are. Allow yourself to experience the crisis. Ask yourself the right questions and develop a plan of action. 'Top Dog' guy tells how to have a successful career Po Bronson is the co-author of Top Dog: The Science of Winning and Losing. Recently interviewed for CNNMoney, he makes some interesting observations. * If you're just looking for stability in your career, you'll lose your edge. You're playing to lose rather than to win. * Competition at work is crucial. It makes you tap into hidden reserves of effort and motivation. Competition is energizing and gives you focus. * Maladapative competition is the bad kind and can destroy people as they try to win at all costs, even if it means cheating and destroying relationships. * Adaptive competition is the right kind. It's about playing within rules and striving for excellence. There's no downside. * Someone who isn't inclined to be competitive can still excel. A "worrier," for example, is prone to anxiety but is a very good planner and does lots of preparation. Even if you are uncomfortable with competition, it's important to put yourself in the spotlight, says Bronson. * Fight burnout. You need periods of rest and recuperation. Spending time with family and doing volunteer work can give you new ways of thinking. * The competitive drive isn't reduced with age. After age 50, we compete just as intensely but are more selective in what we choose to compete over. * Short-term stress triggers energy for what you need to achieve. Longterm stress is bad for performance. * The home field advantage can help your career. We act differently on our own turf. You increase your chance of getting a raise by asking for it in your own office. You make more successful pitches to clients at your own office. At meetings, arrive first and spread your papers out. * What makes a long and satisfying career is an adequate challenge. When your work is respected and honored by people around you, your life is meaningful. Trivia Teaser – A Rocky Start 1. What is the name of Rocky Balboa's wife in the Sylvester Stallone "Rocky" movie series? a-Julia, b-Adrian, c-Cynthia, d-Peggy. 2. What is the highest peak in the Rocky Mountains? a-Mount Whitney, b-Mount Shasta, c-Mount Elbert, d-Mount McKinley. 3. What actor played gangster Rocky Sullivan, condemned to the electric chair, in the 1938 movie "Angels with Dirty Faces"? a-Ronald Reagan, b-Eddie Albert, c-Humphrey Bogart, d-James Cagney. 4. What tiny creature is a vector for Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Lyme disease? a-Tick, b-Mosquito, c-Flea, d-Bedbug. 5. Rocky and Bullwinkle are not only the best of friends, but also share what middle initial? a-J, b-K, c-T, d-A. 6. Who provided the voice of Rocky the Rooster in the animated film "Chicken Run"? a-Glen Campbell, b-Wayne Newton, c-Mel Gibson, d-Will Ferrell. Long work hours make companies encourage napping About 20 percent of people in offices suffer from sleepiness during the day, according to studies by Stanford University. For workers, like computer programmers, who may work 12 to 16 hours in one day, the percentage is much higher. At Stanford, studies show that short periods of sleep improve alertness, memory, motor skills, decision-making and mood. And they reduce stress. Some companies are providing nap areas in an attempt to reduce lost productivity caused by drowsy people. Quiet rooms or resting rooms may include a sofa or the new SleepPods, recliner-type chairs equipped with ergonomic support and a music system with headphones to eliminate background noise. According to Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Google, Proctor & Gamble and Cisco Systems have them. Some are installed in common areas. Scientists at the National Institute for Occupational Safety say a nap gets people back to top performance but doesn't interfere with night sleep. It's very helpful for a person who lost an hour of sleep the previous night, but a short nap won't help anyone who was up all night. Sleep scientists say the best nap is 20 to 30 minutes long. A parked car is a good location. Avoid caffeine, nicotine, diet pills, alcohol and antidepressants for a few hours before napping. 7. What boxing champion retired in 1951 after taking a beating from Rocky Marciano? a-Archie Moore, b, Ezzard Charles, c-Joe Louis, d-Sugar Ray Robinson. 8. According to the lyrics of the classic country song, in what state is "Rocky Top?" a-Kentucky, b-Alabama, c-Tennessee, d-Louisiana. 9. On what TV drama series does Rocky Carroll play Director Leon Vance? a-"Bones," b-"NCIS," c-"The Agency," d-"24." 10. Who shot Rocky Raccoon according to the Beatles song? a-Dan, b-Bobby, c-Ray, d-Johnny. 11. What TV private eye called his father "Rocky"? a-Joe Mannix, b-Jim Rockford, c-Thomas Magnum, d-Richie Brockelman. Sharing Thanksgiving with family, friends, the less fortunate 1063 Seventh Street North Catasauqua, PA 18032 610-266-7800 - 610-266-9630 fax www.celebritycleaning.com.com About Our Company Celebrity Cleaning Inc. is a full service commercial cleaning company that serves the greater Lehigh Valley. Services include but are not limited to: general cleaning, carpet cleaning, upholstery cleaning, all types of hard floor care, window washing and construction cleaning. Owners, Wally Myers and Kevin Brown, have been in the cleaning industry for over 25 years, and they feel it's important provide cleaning services that place the utmost importance on the health and safety of their clients and employees. For that reason, they are active participants in industry associations ISSA (International Sanitary Supply Association) and BSCAI (Building Service Contractors Association International). Save your waistline: eat the peel with the apple If you peel your fruits and vegetables, you may be tossing potent nutrients in the trash. An apple skin, for example, has a dozen antioxidant and anti- inflammatory compounds that can fight cancer. Quoted in Prevention, Rui Hai Liu, professor of food science at Cornell University, says the ursolic acid in the peel may stave off obesity. Parades, football, turkey and thankfulness define November 28, the fourth Thursday of the month, a national holiday by federal decree. Family members, often from great distances, come "to break bread together." It's Thanksgiving Day. Traditions are observed. Everyone is eager to kick back, laugh, catch up on what everyone is doing and comment on how the kids have grown. TVs are turned on early in the morning to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Football games are available for the rest of the day. This year, the networks give fans an NFL triple-header; no station switching necessary. Local stations may broadcast Turkey Bowls, high school games held on Thanksgiving or the day before; every state has them and thousands are in attendance. Many gatherings hold their own backyard games, and rivalries enhance the fun. The need to connect with loved ones and to express gratitude is at the heart of this day of feasting. It may be over a dining room tablescape of china, crystal, candles and a filled cornucopia and attendance at a church service. The day may include staging of a deep-fried turkey barbecue in the backyard. Fancier arrangements may include turducken (chicken and duck stuffed into turkey) or, for vegetarians, tofo turkey. Not a cook? Enjoy a classic holiday menu at a local restaurant. Or pick up an already prepared turkey with all the side dishes offered by many grocery stores and restaurants. Appreciation, the gift of time and the spirit of thankfulness all contribute to a great family day. November Birthdays and Company Anniversaries Birthdays th 14 – Donna Jones rd 23 – Annette Noll Anniversaries 7 years – Lisa Carroll 6 years – Noreida Muniz 6 years – Kathy Bedocs 5 years – Kris Mohring 4 years – Judy Kressley 2 years – Diane McCowan Take the Trivia Challenge and Win a $25 Gift Card to Applebee’s! th Call our office with the correct answer by the 15 of the month to be entered into the drawing! Sleep scientists say the best nap is . . . A – 5-10 min. B – 10-20 min. C – 20-30 min. D – 30-40 min. “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” -- John F. Kennedy, 35th President of the United States HINT: The answer is hidden somewhere in this newsletter. HINT: The answer is hidden somewhere in this newsletter.