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    The Great Gordino Newsletter - Issue 346 - Mon 19th Dec 2005
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    Archive Issues online at - gordonbryan.com/archive

    Hi There,

    I hope Monday finds you well.

    You know how I'm aways saying that talking to people about your plans and
    ideas can bring opportunities your way?
    Well this happened to me last week, and it ties in with another of my favourite
    topics, so here we go...

    I had mentioned to a friend that I was thinking about getting myself a
    juicer/smoothie maker.

    I eat plenty of fruit, but not many varieties, and some vegetables, though
    probably not enough.
    A smoothie maker would allow me to enjoy more varieties of fruit that I probably
    wouldn't buy otherwise.

    Anyhoo, the friend told me that one of the big UK catalogue stores was
    advertising half price smoothie makers!
    That was good enough for me, and before you could say 'tight-arse', I was at
    the website.
    See?
    Only a few days after I had spoken about it, a half price offer was right before me.
    I do believe in coincidence, otherwise they wouldn't have invented the word
    'coincidence', but nevertheless, talking to people about your ideas is a good way
    forward.
    (Although sometimes it is better *not* to talk to people, something I cover in my
    book, link below!)

    Back to the smoothie maker, which came with a recipe book which hopefully
    included lots of chocolate...
    This store had the option of reserving online.
    You then go to the store, use an auto machine to avoid the notoriously long queues,
    and it's all quick and easy.
    I've used the service many times, so quickly hit the keyboard.

    I went to the store this morning, and giggled smugly at the queue stretching
    out of the door.

    2 of the 3 auto machines were out of order, but the 3rd was working, so that
    was ok.
    You may be ahead of me on this one...

    The machine said it was unable to read my card, so could I try another.
    It didn't fare any better with the second card, but displayed a message
    telling me that I was welcome to go to the manned till.

    Long-time readers will know full well what my answer was to that, and for newer
    readers, it begins with 'B' and ends with 'ugger that'.

    Think about the sales process.
    The store spends all that money on TV advertising.
    Its' message was seen by someone, my friend, and word of mouth had taken the
    message to me.
    I had placed the order, gone to pick it up, and at the final stage, where I wanted to
    give my money to the shop, they whacked an obstacle slap bang in my way.

    I wanted to tell someone, but the queue at the customer service desk was even longer
    than at the till, so I just came home and munched into a good old fashoned apple, er,
    with some chocolate for a starter.

    That's not a moan at the store - they offer great value products and usually an
    excellent service, but 6 days before Christmas they are effectively throwing customer
    business away by letting a fixable problem go unfixed.

    Don't make this kind of mistake with your business, on or offline, and don't make it in your life.

    Sometimes people want to help, want to give you things, but we put blocks in their way,
    whether deliberately or not.
    It's something that might take some evaluation to work out, but are you blocking people
    that want to help?

    Over the last few weeks I've been getting a weekly dose of goal achievement on TV, and
    the show finished this weekend.
    It was 'Strictly Come Dancing', where pro dancers are paired with celebrities in a
    knock-out ballroom dancing competition.

    The bits I liked best were the rehearsals.
    Probably all the celebrities were crying with frustration at one point or another,
    desperately trying to master something they had never done before.
    It would have been easy for them to say 'forget it', and pull out, but they were commited
    to the live Saturday show in front of millions.
    After the show, various celebrities would tell how they were shaking uncontrollably
    with nerves, throwing up, panicking that they had forgotten the steps.

    The celebrity list included international athletes, and experienced live performers, so
    it was fascinating to see them push themselves like that, it really gives an insight
    into the mind of success.
    They are all confirmed achievers, but that didn't stop them quaking with fear and trepidation.
    You can't stop it when you are in new territory, and to try to is folly.

    What you can do though, is learn to accept it for what it is, your mind working at an
    unusual level, and you can push through the feeling.
    It's an essential element to success, and one that *every* success story will include.

    Ok, that's it for today, and for the year.
    My next issue will be in 2 weeks.
    Whatever you do over the next fortnight, however you celebrate, I wish you health
    and happiness, and I'll see you in 2006!

    'Til Next Time,
    Health and Happiness,
    Gordon
    email me at gordon@gordonbryan.com - you'll have to copy and paste
    thanks to the idiot online spammers!



    
    Get my book here!


    

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