Rules of Engagement

     Whatever business you're in, whether you're a comedian, exotic dancer or if you sell propane and propane products, the one thing you MUST do to be successful is to engage your customer.

When I do a comedy or hypnosis show, my main goal is to engage my audience.  To make them care about me and to want me to have a successful show.  And… the best way to get them to care about me is to care about them.  I want them to have the best experience possible.  I want them to feel like welcome guests in my home.

And no matter what business you're in (unless you stare at a computer screen all day and have virtually no human contact) your goal should be to engage your customer.  Whether your customer is a client, an organization, your boss or your co-workers.

When people like you, they want to do business with you, promote you or cooperatively work with you.  They also want you to like them, and the circle goes round and round.

So, tomorrow, go out of your way to engage: smile, converse with and show genuine interest in your clients, bosses and co-workers.  The benefits you reap will be more than worth your effort.

Know your audience

Know who the decision maker is. It doesn't matter what type of business you’re in it is crucial to know who can say, “YES”. And that person has the ability to say “NO” also. Your focus has to be on the decision maker. Making the mistake of concentrating on an individual who is not going to be making the decision to give you an account, buy your merchandise, etc. can send you crashing and burning. How do you know who is the decision maker? The best approach if appropriate is to simply ask, “Who will be making a decision with regard to this acquisition/project etc.?” Sometimes the decision maker will tell you, “I will be making this decision.” That facilitates the process but sometimes it’s not that transparent. 

Shelly Shelton

Currently, Shelly Shelton is a city planner but started out in the hospitality and entertainment industry. She loved working as a waitress, bartender and club manager. Shelly enjoyed working with and serving people. And her background has been exponentially beneficial. Most of the places she worked had excellent training programs and high expectations for their employees. Best of all, Shelly left work with cash in her pocket.  The skills she developed in her former profession have paid off in countless ways in her current career. After many years in the service industry Shelly acquired excellent communication skills, conflict mediation, superior customer service skills, and a pretty good bullshit detector.