Upstate Grows

October 16th, 2009

As a business owner in the upstate of South Carolina, We have made a pledge to our customers that we have kept for over a dozen years and continue to keep to this day. We promise to provide the best and highest grade products. We also promise to use as many “local” products as possible. Some times, local products aren’t available. Sometimes, the price is too far out of line. But, if there is a logical choice, we’ll definitely opt for South Carolina products.

What happens when we use local products in our gifts? We put other local people to work, so that they can spend more in the upstate. By spending their money in the upstate, they keep our economy in Greenville, Spartanburg, Pickens or Anderson counties strong.

Is it better to fuel the economy in the upstate? Or in Tacoma, Washington? We’ve decided. Now it’s your turn.

Rick

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Pick up the phone

October 6th, 2009

I guess one of the biggest “gripes” I have of my fellow business people is their inability to return phone calls. How many times has this happened to you?:

You place a call first thing Monday morning to a potential customer, some one you had met at an event and who had expressed more than just a passing interest in your product or service. In fact, they asked you to contact them!  Since you get the voice mail, you leave a detailed message.  On the office voice mail and the cell voice mail.

Monday passes into Tuesday and then into Wednesday without a return call. Mid-day Wednesday, you place another call to that potential customer, again leaving messages, only to see 5:00 PM Friday come and go without hearing from him\her. The scenario is repeated the next week with the same results.

This has happened to us a number of times. Actually, more times than I want to count. It is very perplexing!

I know that people are busy.  But, too busy to take five minutes to pick up the phone and call you back?

Has it happened to you? …How have you handled it? Have you ever made contact with that person? Or, if not, how many times  do you try to get in touch with him\her before tossing the number in file 13?  All thoughts are welcome.  I think!

Rick

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