It's been a party here! As you can see by the balloons and the smiling faces, it's been a great couple of weeks of catching up with a few friends - without traveling more than 20 minutes for a change!
Our globe-trotting friend Ray Andrews was in town for a Unique Self seminar which was fantastic, and it was wonderful to catch up face to face for a change. Ray was partly responsible for my Create the Life Journal, which we published in December last year. Ray he taught me the value of writing down my thoughts - it's a life-changing habit!
Our cousin Brett celebrated his 21st birthday on the weekend and guests traveled to his party from all over Australia, including Longreach, Tumut, Wagga, Tamworth and beyond! The party was themed "Formal to the waist and the rest bad taste" which made it extra fun!
In other news we've been pulling together lots of inspiring ideas for "The Best-Seller Project" as it's affectionately known around here! The working title is "Lifting the Lid on Quiet Achievers - Success Stories of Regional Entrepreneurs" and it's going to the publishers over the next 7 weeks! This book will delve into the thinking of successful entrepreneurs across Australia and New Zealand. You'll discover little-known stories of people who are succeeding in many different industries and their inspiring ideas and success tips.
If you haven't seen the survey we sent out on possible book titles, we'd love your opinion.
NEWSFLASH!! If you're a member, or considering becoming a member of Create the Life Club, check out the exciting news below!
Have an awesome week!
Cheering you on,
Lyndon and Kerrie
PS.
We've also started a group on Facebook called Entrepreneurs in Regional and Isolated Areas, so if you're on Facebook please find us there, share your opinion and connect with others!
Todays Success Tip comes from Kerrie Phipps
Kerrie coaches passionate entrepreneurs in regional and isolated areas to find the clarity and confidence to live their unique purpose.
Permission is not just for Primary School!
Customer service – which is basically people service – is something I get very excited about. It makes your day when you’re treated to unexpected kindness and respect... and even more when you treat others like that!
When you walk in to a store, you tend to expect a little more kindness than out on the street, as you know the people there want to sell you something. I think that retail is the place where, as a customer service providers, going the extra mile is essential. It often impacts the amount of money the customer spends, how often they return, and how many others they introduce to the business.
In Orange recently, I was taken by a friend to a beautiful little tea shop. I felt welcome from the moment we walked in and were offered a table wherever we liked in the lovely two-room café. From the time the girl employed in the store approached us, her performance was faultless. As we were a little overwhelmed by all the amazing choices of herbal teas on the menu, she brought a few samples to our table so we could see them and smell them. 
We finally made a choice as another friend came to join us. Feeling confident that this store catered for all tastes, and quite hungry after my long drive, I asked if they had any gluten-free snacks. She was so enthusiastic about the flourless chocolate cake that I was sold immediately.
She offered my friends “a little something” and they resisted, claiming that they were “being good” and “it wasn’t long since lunch”. However she didn’t take no for an answer and if she hadn’t been so friendly and supportive so far, she could have been annoying. When they rejected the gourmet treats she offered, she cheerfully suggested "something simple like scones and jam".
The girls still declined, but were very happy to acknowledge that she was doing a great job and we all laughed about it.
This is where I had the insight. She had permission from her customers to sell! She was generous in her time and service to us to that point, so her suggestions rather than frustrating us, left us amused and feeling well looked after.
Permission is not just for primary school!
This is a powerful tool in any conversation, and is one of the basics in coaching, where we’re supporting someone’s brain to think more effectively.
How powerful can it be in business? Do you have permission to say “would you like fries with that?” if you are not looking your customer in the eye, or haven’t thought about whether juice might be a better accompaniment to their salad?
How can you gain permission more often this week?
Introducing a very exciting blog!
(A blog to accelerate your business through speaking opportunities!)
If you've been following our journey this year, you'll know who Joanna Martin is - we're excited to share her brand new blog - launching today, which is packed with amazing content that she is now sharing with the world!
Joanna is an expert on public speaking and business growth - pop in to her blog and see what she's up to - Click Here