Cherie Sohnen-Moe

I started setting goals, writing affirmations and doing visualization since I was 19 years old. At the beginning of each year I would spend a full day mapping out the next year. For the next fifteen years I facilitated a lot of workshops on goal setting, and the ones that were at the beginning of the year were titled “New Directions [insert the new year].” They were a lot of fun and incredibly valuable for us all. Although I have stopped doing those workshops, I continued to actively set goals, participated in MasterMind groups and got together with friends every year (usually January 1^st) to set our goals and make collages (vision boards).

I still set goals—particularly for business, but my personal life is not so much about the “doing” any more. I don’t have many goals (specific, measurable). My life is more concentrated on the beingness of life and I’m not as attached to the specifics of what that looks like. My life purpose has always been about service ever since I can remember. Many years ago, I honed the wording to: I am a catalyst for positive change. I have decided that my theme for 2012 is: I live each day in harmony. I am happy and appreciate the blessings in my life. My health continues to increase each day. I express my love and graciously accept love from others.

I will probably set some specific goals for ways to manifest my theme, but for right now, I plan to let that theme soak in and see what unfolds.

If you haven’t clarified what your life purpose is, I encourage you to do so. It’s the umbrella for everything else in your life. Purpose is very general—it’s a direction, a theme. You can never actually complete a purpose; it’s an ongoing process. Take a moment and think about what is really meaningful to you. Is there a common thread—one statement that encompasses your ideals, values and dreams? Once you have clarified your purpose, then it’s much easier to set goals and make appropriate life choices.

Happy New Year!

On December 11, 2011 the massage/bodywork profession and the fitness world lost a legend. I lost a cherished friend. Bonnie Prudden was a true inspiration to me. She was smart, compassionate and funny! She didn’t mince words or restrain her opinions. She always said it like it was for her. She was a woman of incredible passion and commitment. She has left a hole that can not be filled.

She is famous for her quote of, “You can’t turn back the clock. But you can wind it up again.” And she did that for almost 98 years. She will be missed by millions.

I read a great blog in the November 24, 2011 edition of Small Business Trends. It was written by Jeanne Bliss. It was so inspiring that I asked her for permission to repost it here and she said yes. The story illustrates the power of excellent customer service as well as reminding us of the importance of knowing the lifetime value of a client. Plus she uses one of my favorite phrases, “Do the Math!”

Zane’s Cycles Is Deliberate About Becoming Their Customers’ “Go to” Place
Picture a dad on a Saturday morning toting a bike with a broken chain and a disappointed kid. Dad’s already been to the hardware store, with no luck. Two stops later, exasperated and increasingly frustrated, both father and son find their way to Zane’s Cycles in Branford, CT.

Within minutes they find out what will fix the chain: a 25-cent master link. The salesman at Zane’s hands it over, with a firm “No charge.” Zane’s has decided to give these parts away. Anything that costs a buck or under, they give to any customer who needs it. Though small in price, these parts are usually attached to a frustrating experience for the customer.
Owner Chris Zane says: “I could either charge the guy one buck or two bucks for the part or give it to him. So I give the part away, along with an extra one.  By making seven good impressions, we keep customers connected and returning to us.”

Emotional Bonds Create Lifelong Customers
Zane’s wants to become the lifeline for their customer throughout his or her bike ownership. And that sometimes means throwing in a bike part for free — especially at frustrating moments. Zane’s wants to build strong relationships through creating indelible memories, like the one that made the day of that father and son.

Chris Zane is astute enough to know that in these moments, an emotional bond to his store is created. And this will translate in the future into a prosperous customer relationship. Zane’s works to deliver at least seven “wow” moments for each customer. They do this because at Zane’s they believe that seven powerful interactions prove to customers that Zane’s is (a) consistently good to them, and (b) the best (and only) place to go for anything regarding bicycles.

Why does Zane’s do this? Because it’s the right thing to do.  And because they have a track record of success with these acts of kindness. Zane’s “pays it forward” consistently with their customers, and that grows their business.

By Extending Human Kindness, Zane’s Wins Market Share
The memories customers have of times when they were stressed and Zane’s came through, with no strings attached, pull them back to the store. And once a customer walks back into Zane’s, he or she usually buys. Each Zane’s customer spends an average of $12,500 with the company. And Zane’s experiences unheard of 43 percent margins.

You do the math: Wouldn’t you spend $1 to make an impression that will earn a customer worth $12,500? How many “wow” impressions do you encourage your people to deliver in the course of a day, a month or a year to your customers? Consider if those nickel, dime and dollar charges are costing you more than you’re charging in lost goodwill and future customers.

Have You Planned for Heroic Acts of Kindness?
Zane’s Cycles decided to give away bike parts costing less than $1. This makes Zane’s the lifeline for their customers throughout their bicycle ownership. These gestures create “wow” memories that pull customers back to the store.  Ask yourself these questions:

• Is everyone in my business ready to go the extra mile? Do they have permission? Are they inspired?
• Do I celebrate heroism every day?
• How would I rate my intent and ability to enable and deliver heroic acts of kindness?Do customers rave about my heroic acts of kindness today?
• How does my decision to go the extra mile compare with this beloved company?
• What’s one simple gesture I can make to give people permission, ability and the freedom to go the extra mile?

Jeanne Bliss is the founder of CustomerBLISS; a consulting and coaching company helping corporations connect their efforts to yield improved customer growth. Her best-selling books are; Chief Customer Officer: Getting Past Lip Service to Passionate Action and I Love You More than My Dog: Five Decisions for Extreme Customer Loyalty in Good Times and Bad.

This time of year I find myself reflecting on all that I am grateful for and the people in my life whom have made a profound impact on me. One such person is no longer with us any more, yet she remains a vivid testament to the power of touch and the honor of being allowed to touch someone. I met this woman in a drumming circle. She was probably in her late 60s at the time (I’m not very good at guessing age). She was a retired teacher and a very loving soul. She also had several major physical ailments. I asked her if she was receiving massage. She told me she was very uncomfortable with her body – she had received a radical double mastectomy 30 years before. I tried to allay her fears and told her that I would help her find someone with whom she could feel comfortable. She looked at me and very quietly said these words that I will never forget, “I wish you were still in practice because I know you wouldn’t judge me. You are at ease with your body.” I reflected on what she said and told her I would come out of “retirement” to gift her a massage.

When she came for her session I decided to start her in a supine position. After working on her neck and head for a little while, I began working on her chest. I had never seen such devastation caused by a surgeon. It was difficult to maintain my objectivity and not cry. Well, actually I did a little. We both did. I acknowledged to her that the way her body looked was not the result of anything she did and that unfortunately, at the time when her surgery was performed, they didn’t have the same knowledge or technology that was current. I had her breathe into the area and visualize sending love to that section of her body. As I worked on different muscles I would describe how the damaged tissue restricted her movement and what she could do to extend her range of motion. I also pointed out what was working well and the incredible way other parts of her body compensated so she could function. By not pretending that everything was “fine” and also acknowledging the magnificence of her form, she totally shifted her self-image. It was a very powerful session for both of us. I felt so honored that she trusted me with her body. After the session was over, she thanked me and said that she now felt comfortable finding another massage practitioner. She continued to receive massage on a regular basis.

Those who touch for a living are truly blessed. Every client you see is a work of art. You are the lucky sculptor who gets to help smooth and lengthen tissue, release holding patterns and facilitate balance. I invite you to acknowledge the true beauty and magnificence of every client, regardless of their appearance and physical condition. And be thankful for the honor your clients bestow upon you by allowing you to touch their bodies and their souls.

Halloween is tomorrow and I’ve been thinking a lot about this holiday and how it relates to business. I live in an area where the houses are far apart and there are few children in the neighborhood. We haven’t had anyone come by in costume in over 15 years. I really miss seeing the kids all dressed up. Then it hit me – why not go to a friend’s house in a child-filled neighborhood and help them pass out goodies? That’s a win/win idea!

The same can be applied to business. If there is a niche of clients that you would like to work with, but your office isn’t accessible for them, consider arranging space 2-4 times a month in an allied practitioner’s office.

Another Halloween lesson I’ve learned relates to being true to yourself. We previously lived in a housing development that had lots of kids. For 3 years we didn’t eat any refined sugar, so we had to be very creative about Halloween goodies. We stocked up on crayons, colored pencils and stickers. We also raided our coin jar for the older kids. It actually worked out well. At first the children looked disappointed that we didn’t have a bowl of sweet treats, but then most of them were excited that they could choose “toys.”

In terms of business, you don’t have to deny who you are or work in a way that conflicts with your values. Sometimes it takes a bit of creativity to appeal to your market, but then again, that’s part of the fun of being in business.

Happy Halloween everyone!