Stephen Schiffman writes in 101 Strategies for Sales Success: In my view, the most important rule for succeeding in sales is this seemingly simple principle: put yourself in the customer’s shoes to understand the situation they are in.

🔹 This approach is known as the empathy strategy, yet many salespeople ignore it and casually say, “Honestly, it’s none of my business what the customer is going through or what problems they have. I’m not here to pry.”

🔹 But with such an attitude, do you really think you can build a deep relationship with a customer and encourage them to buy from you again and again?

🔹 To better understand the importance of empathy, imagine a day when you were feeling terrible and didn’t even have the energy for your own tasks—yet a colleague asked you to help them finish their work early so they could go home on time for a dinner date with their spouse.

🔹 Naturally, you would think: What an inconsiderate person—can’t they see I’m in no mood for anything or anyone?

🔹 Many times, customers feel the same way about us. They think: Why doesn’t this salesperson understand that I’m not even sure whether this product is right for me—or whether I can afford it?

🔹 For example, imagine visiting a corporate client and realizing their company is in the middle of a merger, and all the managers are worried about their future positions. If you ignore their concerns and immediately start pitching your product, do you think you’ll succeed?

🔹 In such situations, no manager is willing to listen to a salesperson. So all the time and energy you spend on presenting your product will be wasted and won’t lead to the result you want.

🔹 Therefore, before jumping into your main tasks—like presenting your product or negotiating price—make an effort to understand the customer’s emotional and psychological state. Show respect for their situation, and then move on to your responsibilities.

🔹 Just remember: empathy does not mean prying, interfering, or giving unsolicited advice. It simply means expressing understanding and sensitivity toward the customer’s situation.

Jim Blythe writes in 100 Great Marketing Ideas: Sometimes distribution channels are so tightly controlled by competitors that entering them becomes extremely difficult. New or small companies often cannot easily access existing distribution channels.

🔹 This is why new and small companies usually have to make significant financial commitments to the owners of major distribution channels—such as renting shelf space for long periods or offering long‑term credit terms—to gain entry.

🔹 In such situations, the best strategy for new and small companies is to create a new distribution channel for their product.

🔹 For example, when Red Bull energy drink first entered the market in 1987, it was extremely difficult to get into traditional distribution channels like supermarkets and retail chains, because these channels had no understanding of what an “energy drink” even was.

🔹 Since Red Bull targeted young consumers, the company decided to distribute its product in places where its target audience regularly spent time.

🔹 As a result, Red Bull formed a marketing team of university students to distribute and promote the product in gyms and nightclubs.

🔹 When the owners of these venues realized what an energy drink was—and that it would likely appeal to young people—they welcomed the idea of selling Red Bull. This allowed Red Bull to enter the market without giving in to the heavy demands of supermarkets and retail chains.

🔹 So instead of trying to push your product into traditional distribution channels, look for places where your customers naturally spend time—and then work to turn those places into your product’s distribution network.

Stephen Robbins writes in Managing People: Most companies complain about their employees’ lack of motivation, yet they refuse to accept that the real problem does not lie within the employees themselves—but within the company’s management and work systems.

🔹 In reality, when an employee lacks motivation, the root cause should be sought in processes such as poor hiring decisions, unclear or unrealistic goals, ineffective performance evaluations, flawed reward systems, and a manager’s inability to communicate properly with employees.

🔹 Based on this, if you want to understand why your employees are unmotivated, you must answer these three important questions:

◽️ 1. Do employees believe that if they put in more effort, others will notice and acknowledge that effort during performance evaluations?

◽️ 2. Do employees believe that if they are recognized as effective and capable performers in the evaluation system, they will be appreciated and receive appropriate rewards?

◽️ 3. Are the rewards employees receive for higher and more effective performance the type of rewards they actually need and value? For example, an employee may increase their effort with the goal of earning a promotion or a managerial position, but the company may only offer them a financial bonus. Naturally, the employee will lose motivation.

Every manager dreams of influencing their employees so they can achieve the organization’s goals—and at the same time being respected by their people. In other words, influence and respect are two sides of the same coin: each reinforces the other and together they accelerate the achievement of organizational objectives. Of course, combining these two ideals is challenging, because an excessive focus on targets often leads to employee dissatisfaction, tension, and damaged relationships. Yet one of the great skills of successful leaders is their ability to achieve both simultaneously.

◽️ 1. Discover your own leadership style One of the most important things a leader can do is develop self‑awareness and identify their personal leadership style. Whether you lead your team through technical expertise or through charisma and personal presence, clarity about your approach helps employees trust you and respect your leadership.

◽️ 2. Be genuinely caring—and show it Nothing destroys a manager’s influence and respect faster than indifference toward employees. When leaders show kindness, empathy, and appreciation, this behavior gradually becomes part of the organizational culture, making employees naturally loyal and supportive.

◽️ 3. Expand your knowledge as much as possible The more a manager understands the organization’s environment and challenges, the better their decisions will be. Strong knowledge and insight increase a leader’s credibility and elevate their status in the eyes of employees.

◽️ 4. Invest in yourself Great leaders are lifelong learners. By continuously acquiring new skills and knowledge, they invest in their own growth. The logic is simple: the more a leader knows, the more effectively they can support their team—and being helpful naturally increases their popularity and respect.

◽️ 5. Manage your personal brand As the leader of an organization, you must actively manage your reputation. By gathering feedback from customers and stakeholders, you can strengthen the image and credibility of the organization you represent.

◽️ 6. Focus on the future A manager’s primary responsibility is to concentrate on what must be done in the future. Analysis of past performance should be delegated to other team members. The art of great leaders lies in envisioning the future and aligning the organization’s energy toward long‑term goals. A leader should not spend excessive time on daily operational issues but instead guide the organization toward its broader vision.

When you enter the Lankford Sysco facility just a few kilometers off Ocean City Road in Maryland, you might not immediately feel that you’ve stepped into a special workplace—but within seconds, you begin to sense that something is different.

🔹 First, an unfamiliar smell reaches you—a mix of raw food and machine oil. As you walk further inside, you find yourself surrounded by neatly arranged shelves and moving plastic conveyor belts. After a few minutes, the environment becomes more familiar as you learn about the company’s history through the photos on the walls and the informational displays. You begin to feel a sense of comfort being there.

🔹 When we sit down with the company’s CEO, Stanley Lankford, we realize just how unique this organization is. Employees genuinely love their workplace. Absenteeism and tardiness are astonishingly low. Complaints about working conditions are virtually nonexistent. Everyone works wholeheartedly because they feel a sense of ownership. Customers, too, are extremely satisfied with the company.

🔹 We asked the CEO how such an atmosphere is created. He pointed to the company’s innovative programs, performance‑based reward systems, and comprehensive support for employees during difficult times. As a result of these initiatives, all 840 workers and staff members feel a strong sense of workplace happiness, and it is rare for anyone to leave the company.

🔹 Such ideal workplaces—where employees work with passion and commitment—exist around the world. But the real question is: what must be done to create an environment where everything aligns and employees genuinely enjoy their work?

🔹 Experience shows that employee satisfaction inevitably leads to customer satisfaction. When employees are happy and productive, they produce the best products and services, which in turn increases the number of loyal, long‑term customers.

🔹 But here comes the subtle and difficult question: Should companies retain talented employees solely through financial incentives and performance‑based rewards? In reality, high‑performing employees often complete their tasks efficiently and routinely. Over time, they become accustomed to financial rewards, and these incentives lose their motivational power.

🔹 The truth is that once the financial needs of talented employees are met, managers must focus on their most sensitive and essential need: trust. Leaders must demonstrate that they fully trust these skilled employees and can confidently delegate important responsibilities to them.