Text Box: By Gina Burgess Executive Director, CEO     Last week we talked about how emotions stimulate motivations for buying. Those emotions can be anything from anger, to pride, to sympathy, to fear. Someone once said that fear is the greatest motivator. Maybe.     Brian Tracey has said for years that there are two motivations: 1. Needs, 2. Wants. He taught me that fear is a much greater motivator than anticipation of gain (how much better off the customer is by buying the service or product). I agree with that to a degree… but, I guarantee you that Brian Tracey never had his air conditioner go out in the middle of August.     Secondary motivators are those benefits that trigger the emotional response, things like security: greater freedom (new car as opposed to broken down car); or more time for a fun thing:  increased efficiency. Studies show that 90% of the buying decision is based on only 10% of the benefits. Identifying that benefit will sway your customer. That’s the hard part.     It could be the relationship, or your company’s reputation, personal reputation, a satisfied friend who refers you, or something as simple as immediate availability. McDonald’s is on the way home, Mom is tired, sale is made.     If the benefit is too small, then no matter the price, the force of habit is greater than the force of benefit, because people do not like change.     Case in point. I had a very old and outdated cell phone because I positively dreaded learning how to use a new one. The technology had speeded past me like a locomotive and I did not want to expend the brain energy to learn new tricks… imagine that! Change does strange things to people therefore the benefits must be greater than that inertia of standing still.     Inertia is basically laziness. The effort is just too great to change, and often ego gets in the way. It takes a lot to set pride to the side and admit we need help.     Desire to be in a better state is a strong motivator. If you can drive that desire high enough

Text Box: Why People Buy

Text Box: August 19 7:30 am   Bank Plus hosts   Morning Call Breakfast Paul’s Pastry RSVP today

Text Box: Newsletter Spotlight Text Box:        

Text Box: Investing in the Future

Text Box: Vol. 1  Issue 20   ◊   8/13/08

Text Box: E-ZINE

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Text Box: Community happenings and more information are posted on the Community Calendar Copyright 2008, all rights reserved.

Text Box: FRIENDS OF THE NRA Dinner and Auction September 25, 6 pm Knights of Columbus 408 Carroll Street Picayune Tickets at the door or Call Buddy McDonald 601-749-7488 Text Box:                                                   By Gina Burgess Executive Director Taking a break this week. I've given enough opinion above.

Text Box:   Women's and Children's Health and Safety Bazaar October 28, 2008 4pm - 7pm Jack Reed Park Picayune, MS   Highland Community Hospital would like to invite women and children in our area to attend our Health and Safety Bazaar.  The event will feature health and safety information, Halloween costume contest and other fun filled activities.  For more information please contact Debbie Green (601-798-4711 ext. 1280 / dgreen@highlandch.com) or Amy Esslinger (601-798-4711 ext 1391 / aesslinger@highlandch.com) for further information.

Text Box: the sense of urgency will automatically follow. But, the slow as molasses process may make the most patient person run screaming out of town. Eagerness plus patience is a very rare attitude. So the main goal is to take away pain, satisfy a need and help achieve a goal.     Consumers today want Plain Truth, Information that will help them make up their own minds and to be helped Without High Pressure.     In a conversation the other day, all I wanted to hear was, “I’ll put that in the mail for you today and I’ll call you next week to see if you have any questions.”  Such a simple thing, rather obvious, and very helpful. What I got was, “I didn’t know you were having a bad day.”     What???     I had told this person that I was extremely busy and had about four fires to put out. Any regular person would understand that,     1. I had no patience for idle chit chat.     2. I needed her to quickly get to the point.     Instead, this person from out of town tells me that I’m having a bad day.     I didn’t know I was having a bad day, just a very busy day. I had already told her once that what I wanted to hear was, “I’ll put that in the mail to you today and call you next week.” Again she said she was sorry I was having a bad day. I began to get steamed. What is so hard to understand about not wanting to make a decision on a product without being able to read about it and ponder it? It isn’t unreasonable to ask for something in the mail. She tried to make an appointment. I didn’t want to wait for her time table to match mine. Just put it in the mail already.     Finally, I told her. “Listen to me. If you want me to refer customers to you, then we’ll end this conversation with you saying, “I’ll put it in the mail to you today and call you in next week.” Now, did she give me what I wanted? No. Will I refer her? No. It isn’t very hard to get a customer, but keeping them and getting referrals is a very fine art. 

Text Box:   Open House this Friday from 4-6pm at Magnolia Personal Care Home located 174 Cliff Mitchell Road. Refreshments will be served, music will be provided by the Oxford Rhythem Masters. Hope to see all of you there.   Make a Wish Chicken Wing Cook-off 1060 Highway 90, Bay St. Louis, MS 39520 228-469-0255   Sunday, August 17, 2008 – Contest begins at 1PM and all food must be presented at 6PM.   100% of every dollar will benefit 2 terminally ill children in Hancock County.     Come one, come all Help Make A Wish. Text Box: Advertising Pricing   Newsletter ……...Business Card Size Ad $  25.00                                   ¼ page      $  50.00                                   ½ page      $  75.00                                   Full page b&w$ 100.00                                   Full page color                                        printed by Chamber$ 200.00                                   Insert        $ 100.00 Website………...Small banner ad $  50.00 qtr.                                   Large ad    $ 235.00 qtr. Email…………...  Small business card size $  25.00 for 2                                   Large size $  50.00 for 2 emailings

Text Box: Ambassadors are HERE! Thank you to:     Alicia Elam                           Beth Lenoir                           Brandon Rhodes                           Paula Whitfield                           Shasta Leninger                           John McAulay                           Lynn Dupont They will be out and about meeting you and talking about the Chamber.