There is Always Enough Time for Courtesy

 

Title: It Begins With Please and Doesn't End With Thank You; Transforming Business Etiquette Into Sales Performance

Author: Edwin P. Baldry

Publisher: River Grove Books

Publication Date: October 19, 2021

Length: 260 Pages

About the Author
Edwin P. Baldry is CEO and co-founder of EPBComms, an international enterprise that connects the worlds of business communications and financial technology.

Be Courteous, Kind, and Genuine
Do good manners and etiquette make a difference in business and in all interpersonal relationships?
YES, THEY DO! The author explains how good manners pertain to the core practices, principles, and protocols of business and sales.

My Thoughts
The target audience for this book appears to be business and sales professionals. However, there is plenty of valuable information here for the improvement of all communication skills and just getting along with other people.

Mr. Baldry gives many examples from his own sales career about how the use of good manners gave him an advantage over his competition. It is all about building relationships.

This book provides specific pandemic protocols that can be used in remote communications. There are practical guidelines for etiquette when using social media platforms.

I loved a poignant story the author told at the beginning of Chapter 17. He made a sales call at UPS and later sent a handwritten note to thank the young professional for seeing him. The recipient of the note pinned the letter up in his cubicle and it was still there months later when Mr. Baldry returned for another visit. The author believes people are starved for personalized touches like this and they will hang onto them.

This is a well-written book with practical examples of how to use good manners and etiquette in everyday life. There is always enough time for courtesy!

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5

FYI ~ I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley to read and review.

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Book Review: Speak Easy; Mary Lou's Rules For Engaging Conversation

Title: Speak Easy; Mary Lou's Rules For Engaging Conversation

Authors: Matthew Calkins & Mary Lou Walker

Publisher: Cupola Press, 2010

ISBN-13: 978-0-0703345-7-3 (ebk)

ISBN-13: 978-0-09793345-8-0 (paperback)

About the Authors

Mary Lou Walker is a retired Social Studies teacher who received the 1985 New York State “Teacher of the Year” award. She presently teaches "Colloquy" courses in libraries and wherever people want to gather for enjoyable conversation.

Her son and co-author Matthew Calkins serves as Rector of St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church in Fairfield. He is currently working on completing a Doctor of Ministry degree from Hartford Seminary. He lives in Connecticut with his wife, Mary Calkins, who teaches art in the Fairfield public school system.

The Fine Art of Conversation
Mary Lou Walker believes that everybody talks, but few master the fine art of conversation. She believes that if you practice the method in her book, you will become a better conversationalist.

In the first part of this book, Ms. Walker shares "Mary Lou's Ten Rules".  Each chapter includes a reflection on a larger "life lesson" that pertains to the rule being presented. Chapters also include a brief sample dialogue to further clarify an aspect of conversation.

What is the difference between just talking and participating in a conversation? Why does becoming adept in the art of conversation matter? What role does listening play in the art of conversation? What happens when your conversation turns into a debate? Why is it important to think before you speak? How do you keep your cool when the conversation gets hot?

These are just a few of the questions that are covered in the "Rules" section of this book. The last part of the book instructs the reader on how to organize and conduct a "colloquy", or conversation group. This is similar to a group that comes together to discuss a chosen book or other topic of interest. The only difference is that the group is open to choose their own topics and a moderator is charged with the task of making sure the "rules" are followed.

Skip Morse, a marketing professional, wrote the last chapter of this book on the subject of business conversation. He reminds us how important it is for business owners/sales reps to build a relationship with clients before trying to make a sale. He believes that if more business training courses adopted "Mary Lou's Rules", deal closure would gain a higher probability of success.

My Thoughts
I think this book is excellent, awesome and outstanding. Ms. Walker has done an excellent job explaining "why" we need to improve our conversation skills and "how" to accomplish this task. I think the "life lessons" that are included in the text are very effective in demonstrating our need to work on our conversation and listening skills.

I wish I lived in New York so that I could attend one of Mary Lou's colloquy groups.  Kudos to Ms. Mary Lou ~ she is truly a life-long learner and teacher.  I am going to start practicing these rules when I converse with friends and family members. Highly recommended to all who want to sharpen their communication skills.

Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ I received a complimentary digital copy of this book to read and review from Matthew Calkins. Thank you!

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

An Amway Network Marketing Fiasco

Have you ever heard of Amway? I imagine each one of you answered a resounding "YES" to that question.  Amway is a direct selling company and manufacturer that uses network marketing to sell a variety of products, primarily in the health, beauty, and home care markets. It was founded in 1959 by Jay Van Andel and Richard DeVoss.
I recently read My Father's Dream (Kindle Single) by Erik German. This is a poignant story about how Erik's father quit his job as a journalist and went to work selling Amway products as an independant network marketer in the early 1980s. Roger German's family had fallen on hard times and a close family member introduced them to the Amway "opportunity" at a time when the family was in desparate need of extra income. This business promises to make you $150,000, in your spare time, in just a couple of years. All it costs to get started is $250—and a dream. Roger worked hard and recruited over 100 people to sell under him, but instead of making a profit he amassed a crushing Amway-related debt. 
The author tells about the night when his tearful and incoherent father was standing in the kitchen of their home. The family had an empty gas tank out in the yard, an empty gas tank in the car, empty cupboards and an empty band account. It was a final culmination of bills due and no money to pay them. The family went to live in the basement of Erik's paternal grandparents home for eighteen months. His parents both worked constantly to pay off the debts. After they moved out of his grandparent's home, his father found work as a remodeling contractor and gave up journalism for good.
Two decades later, Erik German is an investigative journalist and sets out to learn how Amway works and how it failed his family. Mr. German reveals Amway's formula for recruiting and motivating sales people. The author found that the secret to making big bucks with Amway is not selling the products but by selling motivational books and tapes to your recruits.
This book brought back memories of my personal experience with Amway.

The Amway Opportunity Knocks On My Door
In the mid-1990s, a couple from our church approached my husband and I about an opportunity to improve our standard of living. They asked if they could come to our home and share this valuable information. We had a feeling that this was about selling and we are NOT salespeople.  Honestly, my husband and I could not sell a fur coat to a naked Eskimo in Alaska.  We are really that bad. The couple was very persistent and we didn't want to hurt their feelings so we agreed to a meeting with them.
On the appointed evening, the couple showed up at our door. They made some small talk and then started sharing the fabulous opportunity that Amway offered. The husband was a very smooth talker and said that it looked like we were doing pretty good but it was now time for us to go to the next level...a nicer house, new cars, vacations, FINANCIAL FREEDOM! 
Well, I told him that I was really satisfied with my life and that I would rather down-size instead of taking on the responsibility of more material possessions!  I wish you could have seen the look on Mr. Smooth Talker's face.  He was speechless.  I just shot down his entire sales presentation.  The couple left soon after and I am so glad that we did not take advantage of this "opportunity". 

The Book
I highly recommend My Father's Dream (Kindle Single).  This book contains 30 pages and can be read in an hour or less.  It should be required reading for anyone considering a network marketing opportunity. Read it and weep.

Please let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.