I have to warn you…this week I am writing about something that I certainly am not an expert on. Not even close. It’s something that I’m trying to do better. Sometimes I come close, but most times I fail. I know it’s important to do, but when work piles up it’s something that seems almost impossible to achieve.

I hear the same from many people so I know I’m not alone with this and know that many will relate, and some of the comments that relate to this come from many of the “seasoned veteran” leaders from around the community. This week I hope to help some people that may also be in my boat as I will also look for help from others that can relate and do a much better job than me. So this will be a short article, but hopefully will provide some great value to me and many others in the future.

It’s Monday afternoon and I am sitting down to write this week’s article. I’m mulling over a few topics that I’ve been thinking about. I’m looking at what kind of articles I’ve written over the past month or so to keep the topics at least somewhat even between marketing, sales, networking and attitude. But this week’s article really doesn’t fall into any of those categories. On the blog, this article will be filed under “Uncategorized.”

To my right are the job folders of projects that are going on and a flock of coffee mugs and soda cups that I need to take downstairs. To my left is a never ending to-do list of websites and other projects to start working on, notes of follow-up calls to make this week and four 3-inch high stacks of business cards that I’ve acquired over the past few months that haven’t been scanned in to my Outlook Contacts yet. And there on the corner of my desk is a row of books that I reference and some that I need to read yet.

But just to the left of my screen is perhaps the biggest and most important reminder of something that needs some attention. It is a picture of me with my beautiful wife and our two girls. (Actually, it’s more like one daughter and one diva!) What is it that I need to do? Achieve balance.

In the next week we will have two anniversaries – wedding and first date. We’ve been together for five years now and cannot believe how fast it’s gone! They say that time flies when you’re having fun. It has been fun, but it’s also been busy. All my girls have been great and very understanding of the late nights and early mornings. They know that there is a lot of work that always needs to be done so they don’t really complain.

But therein lies the riddle – for me and I’m assuming for many others: Achieving balance between working hard to both provide for your family and over-the-top service for your customers while carving out more consistent time to spend with your family. It seems like it should be such a simple riddle to solve, but your insight and experience is very welcomed and appreciated. Please e-mail your pearls of wisdom to workinghard@helpingusellu.com and let me know if it is ok to share them with everyone in a future newsletter.

Thank you for visiting helpingusellu.com! I’m looking forward to providing simple, yet effective ideas to increase your profitability through improved sales/customer service. The key word being service! We will look at service a little closer in the near future. For now, I just want to provide a quick introduction to the site.

Why am I “Helping U Sell U?” Well, if you’re like me, you can see or sense a sales pitch coming from a mile away. Too often, people in sales try to use strategies, techniques, smoke and mirrors to coerce people to buy. My biggest pet peeve, and that of many of the people I deal with, is the pushy sales rep that “works you” to sign on the dotted line. There have even been times where I would want to buy, but didn’t because I felt like I was being sold. Don’t insult my intelligence. Just ask me a few good questions to see what I need, show me my options and explain how your product or service is going to make my life easier or my business more profitable.

Now that you’ve asked the right questions and clearly communicated the value of your product or service, you’ve ALMOST earned my business. As soon as I feel that you genuinely care about helping me with my need, and that you will stand behind your product, service and word, I will pull out my wallet and ring your register.

That is the principle behind “Helping U Sell U.” People don’t buy from your business, your company, your catalog…they buy from you! Before you can sell anything, you have to sell yourself.

How do you do that? There is a lot that goes into it, but in the end it is very simple – Go the extra mile. Heck, in many cases, all you have to do is go the extra block, or yard for that matter. (Sometimes all you have to do is just show up! I’ll share a personal story on that in a later entry…it was great!) It’s not that hard to do, yet relatively very few people do it any more. Unfortunately to the extent that many times when I do so during my sales day, jaws will hit the floor when I do something for someone that has nothing to do with the sale.

Imagine the reaction you’ll receive when you go that extra mile and provide service above and beyond anything anyone has ever experienced. You’ll not only gain a sale or a new customer, but a new friend that will tell all their friends about you!

Well, there you have it. A brief, surface introduction to the philosophy of the site and service. Again, I look forward to sharing more and more insight with you and also look forward to your comments and building new friendships here.