It is especially important in business. A good business person is one that gives great customer service. Not only should your business offer a product or service with great quality but you should also know how to take care of your customers. When people order your product, get  it to them in a timely manner. If you say it will be shipped in 7-14 days, try to ship it out sooner. People will love your great customer service which gives you more business and happy customers. They say some of the best free advertising is word-out-mouth referrals but bad news can travel even faster. One unhappy customer can do a lot of damage.

Quick shipping times aren’t the only thing you should be on top of. When you receive an email, respond to it as soon as possible. My policy is to respond within 1-2 days and unless there is some major catastrophe and I can’t get to a computer, I have always stuck to that timeframe. People don’t want to wait forever for a response. This also applies to comments. If someone takes the time to write a nice comment, you should at least recognize them and send some type of response back, even if it’s just a simple thank you. If they have a question or issue but you don’t have an immediate answer, at least let them know you are looking into it and will get back to them as soon as possible. Then follow up and do what you say.

Remember to always treat people how you would want to be treated even if it is over the Internet. One of the most frequent comments I receive is how quickly I send out my products and people are even more surprised when I respond to their emails usually within the first day. That is a huge compliment and it also shows that they are a little surprised, probably because not every business has good customer service.

If your business is so big that you can’t do everything yourself, then make sure you hire someone just for customer service. Whatever it takes, that should be a high priority.

Golden Rule:
Good customer service=customers
Bad customer service=no customers=no business

You can read more common sense tips in my book, Bitten by the Business Bug: Common Sense Tips for Business and Life from a Teen Entrepreneur. Order your autographed copy directly from my website. Part of all proceeds go to support Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego, CA.

My parents have had this saying for as long as I can remember. “Say what you mean and mean what you say.” If you say you will do something, then do it. If you think you won’t be able to do what you say, then you better not make the commitment in the first place.

Sometimes no matter how hard we try or even if our intentions were right, things can still happen where we can’t keep our commitments. If something unexpected happens, the best way to deal with the situation is to communicate right away. Never let the other person wonder what happened to you because chances are, especially if they don’t know you prior to that, they could think of you as a flake.

Stick to your commitments. People will know they can count on you. There’s no secret to this. It’s just common sense.

Life is a little like a maze. There are many different paths that to take to get to the end result but the big difference is, life has unlimited options at the end.

Last month I spoke at the TEDxRedmond Conference held at Microsoft headquarters in Redmond, Washington. I called my talk, “Take Off Your Blinders” or as they titled it “Goals vs. Plans.” While I wasn’t talking about mazes, it does have some connection. If you go through life or the maze with your eyes closed or get so focused on one path, you may miss other opportunities that might pop up right beside you and are even better than your original path.

When I created Pencil Bugs in 2005 at nine years old, I never ever imagined that I would be where I am today. If someone would have said I’d be named on a Forbes Top 10 List of Role Models 18 & Under or would be a published author or any of the other things that have happened, I probably would have just laughed. But with the help of my parents, I went through the maze in the last five years and found new paths as I went. I don’t know where it will lead from here. I am almost 15 so I don’t feel I have to have my whole life planned out at this point. That’s the fun of keeping your eyes open, seeing what opportunities might pop up, and making the most of this maze of life. You never know what can happen.

Think of commercials. How many times do you remember what the product or service is during that 30 seconds? Unless you specifically want or need what they’re selling, most of the time people remember other things about what they see and hear. Haven’t you heard someone say something like, “Oh, what’s that commercial with so-and-so in it?”  They don’t remember what that person is selling but they remember the actor.

I once heard that a company can sell anything if they use a kid, especially a cute kid or a dog and especially a cute dog, or better yet to use both. People are more likely to remember the who than the what.

The same goes for your business. Who knows how many websites there are in the world? The competition is tougher all the time. Unless you are one of the big guys, it’s hard to get noticed and sell anything. So what can you do?

Sell yourself, not your product or your service. What is it about you that makes you different? People have so many choices for things, many times it comes down to who is selling it.

I started my Pencil Bugs business at age nine. In the beginning, I held many sidewalk sales where  I would get a store’s permission to set up my table outside and sell my Pencil Bugs. Even at that age, I quickly realized that many customers bought my products simply because they wanted to support a kid’s business. Did they really need a pencil topper? Probably not but before long, people knew my business because of me — “the Pencil Bugs kid” and that was fine with me. Looking back, I now see that I was also building my brand.

Selling is an art. It’s who you are that matters and that is what will make people stand up and take notice.

My grandpa has a saying that is a perfect sales analogy. “Old Harry could sell a refrigerator to an Eskimo.” It’s the person who makes the difference, not the product. Well, you get the point. And if you haven’t bought my new book yet, Bitten by the Business Bug: Common Sense Tips for Business and Life from a Teen Entrepreneur, I share a lot of Grandpa’s wisdom in it. You can read excerpts from my book using Amazon’s Look Inside feature if you’re interested. Then buy a copy on Amazon or get an autographed one from my website. It’s a fun read for all ages. A portion of all sales is donated to help kids at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego, CA. I also have a big teddy bear fundraiser I do for the kids at Christmas. If you want to read more, visit The Bears Are Back in Town.

So do you need a pencil topper or another inspirational book or have you already donated your limit for this year? It’s not about the products. It’s about the person behind the products. Thanks to everyone who continues to support me, my business, and my charitable efforts. Because of you, I have been able to encourage other people of all ages to try their ideas. It’s good karma.

Whether you’re blogging for your business or just for fun, at least show the world that you know how to spell correctly and use proper grammar.   

I’m lucky that I have my mom to proofread and edit my writing.  Even with school papers, she looks them over because most teachers don’t take time to even check for spelling or grammar.  And if kids turn in assignments they think are correct and no one ever shows them how to improve, what good was the assignment in the first place?  Mom also reads every blog, letter, email, and basically all other business things that I write.   At 14, I still have a lot to learn but at least I can present my business in the most professional way possible.

So maybe your mom or dad isn’t the best at writing, editing or even proofreading.  Find someone that is and ask them to at least proof for spelling and grammar errors BEFORE you post your mistakes for the world to see.  This doesn’t apply just to kids either. I have read many things online that are the most basic mistakes and it doesn’t make the person look too good.

If you absolutely can’t find anyone to help out, at least go back and read it yourself.  It’s easy to skip over your mistakes because you know what you already wrote and what you meant to say but reading it out loud, very . . .  slowly, word . . .  for . . .  word, will help you find your mistakes.

One of the most common mistakes people make, and I see it on Twitter all the time, is the difference between YOUR and YOU’RE.  Those are two totally different words and meanings.  If there is an apostrophe, it is actually two words combined. 

Your the best is WRONG.

You’re the best is CORRECT because it actually means You are.

People form opinions and first impressions for a lot of different reasons.  If avoiding simple spelling and grammar mistakes when you write can make a better impression, wouldn’t you want to do everything you could to improve?

Thanks Mom.

Photo courtesy of Debbie Lefever

Public speaking is difficult for most people. Whether it’s a group of 4 or 5 in a class or several hundred at an event, it can make you pretty nervous.  These are five basic tips to help you speak in front of any size group.

1. Do not stare above the audience.  Many people will suggest the speaker focus on a spot in the back of the room and not look directly at the audience.  The logic is that they won’t get as nervous if they don’t really see anyone.  That’s not always true and I found something that works even better.  I actually scan the crowd and look at several people now and then which makes it feel like I’m talking to just a few friends instead of a few hundred people.  If you focus on just one thing, you will still know there are many people starring at you even though you’re not looking directly at them which will definitely make you nervous.  The point is to deal with the situation head-on instead of avoiding it.   Almost everyone is ok with talking to one or two people. Make it personal and you will feel more confident.
2. Make notes. You are never too old to make notes. I use them every time I speak and so do many other famous speakers who are much older than I am.  Notes shouldn’t be your whole speech. It’s better to only write bullet points or key phrases,  just enough so you can remember what you want to say.  Some people think that notes are only for rehearsal.  That’s not true.  Think about it.  Wouldn’t you rather hold some notes and glance at them once in awhile than stand up there all nervous trying to remember what to say?  As long as you don’t read from them, you’ll be fine and deliver a better presentation or speech.
3. Rehearse.  You have to know what your going to say and how you are going to say it.  Use all the props that you would for the real deal so you can get a feel for it.  This is one of my least favorite steps.  I hate to practice or rehearse but it does work and it is a necessary part to public speaking. It’s pretty easy to listen or watch someone who knows what they are talking about, feels comfortable on stage, and makes the topic interesting. If the person isn’t prepared, not only will they be uncomfortable but they will make the audience uncomfortable too and probably put a lot of people to sleep with boredom.
4. Write your own presentation.  Unless you’re the President of the United States, you’re better off writing your own speech or presentation.  And if you watch any public figure give a speech, wouldn’t you rather believe that they wrote at least part of what they’re saying? If they simply read it, you wonder if they even believe in their message.
5. Know your audience.  Even if you’re talking about business but your audience is elementary kids, make sure you talk so they can understand. That doesn’t mean talk down to them but make it interesting for the appropriate age group.

This can apply to many things: sports, music, swimming, or even playing video games.    Let’s take one of my video driving games and my parents as an example.   I could explain in detail how it works, what the object is, go through all of the buttons on the controller and show them what each one does.   They nod their heads and agree they understand everything.

“Okay, we know how,” they say.  ”Let’s try it.”

I get the game set up for them to play a round.  They each have their controller.  The green light starts but Mom’s car isn’t moving.

“Tell me again which button is for the gas,” my mom says.  Even though I showed her what controls to use, until she actually did it for herself, just knowing wasn’t good enough.  Actually doing it for herself made all the difference.

This situation is just one example.  Most of us, especially kids, have probably had a similar situation at one time or another.   As kids, we think we know everything even if we’ve never done it before in our lives.  We think being told or shown how is good enough.  Then the surprise hits.  We actually try it for the first time and realize the difference between knowing how versus doing is huge.

What’s the point?  You can learn more from doing.

In any part of life, either business or personal, wouldn’t you want to deal with honest people?   Some people feel it’s okay to bend the rules as far as they can without breaking the rules.  There are also those who think it’s okay to break the rules if it benefits them but not okay if it benefits others.  No matter how you look at the situation, it’s better to be honest with yourself and others.  You will get a lot farther in life.

So the next time you make a new friend or business contact, invite them to play golf.  You may learn a lot about them that you wouldn’t have known otherwise.

Most of us have to work hard, whether it’s starting a business, becoming a musician, athlete, or actor.  Pretty much anything you choose to do is going to take a lot of effort.

This is easy to say but that doesn’t mean I always like doing it.  Everyone, no matter what age you are, is going to get tired of work, work, and more work, especially if you can’t see the reward right away.  That’s why everyone, but especially a kid, needs someone to support and encourage them when they want to quit.  And that will happen at some point.  That’s where a parent or other mentor really helps.  Maybe it’s their age or their experience but somehow my parents can see the possibilities and opportunities much farther down the road than I can.  But I keep learning as I go.

Success won’t happen overnight.  The only guarantee is that if you quit, nothing will happen.

Contests are one way to get some free advertising.   You would be surprised at how many people skip by this option for various reasons.    One of the reasons is that there are usually a lot of details to follow in order to qualify and many people just don’t want to spend the time to enter.  Another reason someone, especially a kid, may not enter is because of age restrictions.  But sometimes you have to ignore that rule and still submit your application WITH an explanation of why you’re entering even though you may be under age.

This has happened with me a lot but I don’t let that stop me.  Depending on who is sponsoring the contest and what the specific rules are is how I handle the entry form.  Sometimes I try to contact them ahead of time and ask permission to enter explaining why I think I should be allowed to.  Sometimes I just send in my entry form with the explanation attached.  Believe it or not, I haven’t been turned down yet.  And if I do get a “no”, it’s not a big deal.  There are always other contests.

The very first contest I entered was sponsored by the Young Entrepreneurs of America.  The rules clearly said you had to be 16.  I was only 11 at the time but I had had my business for about a year and a half by then.  I figured that I could go up against anyone over 16 and have just as much of a chance to win as they did.  The prize was being named “Young Entrepreneur of the Year.”  I knew if I won, that would give me some really good national recognition, especially because I was so young.

So I entered.  I filled out all the forms exactly as requested but in my essay, I explained and justified why I felt they should consider me.   The worst they could say was “no.”  After a few months, I got a big surprise.  Not only did they consider my entry but they said the judges were so impressed that they created a whole new category for kids under 16 and I was their first recipient.

There wasn’t any money attached to it, no prize, no trophy, and not even a certificate.  But the national recognition from them and what would follow was worth more than any piece of paper or statue.   Less than a year later, we got an email from Forbes saying they wanted to include me in their first Top 10 List for role models 18 & under.   They said they found me because of my Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

I’m not saying it’s easy to find contests of any sort for young entrepreneurs so sometimes you have to think outside the box.  Just this year, I found out about a contest sponsored by Intuit.  I was way too young according to the rules but I found a person to email and actually got written permission back to enter anyway.  I didn’t care if they even put me in the actual contest because they said they would at least post my information on their website which gave me a lot of exposure.

When I was a contestant on NBC’s game show ’1 vs 100′ for their all-kid episode, I lost on the second question.  I got teased and people actually sent me nasty emails about it but the 2 minutes or so that the host, Bob Saget, talked to me on camera about my Pencil Bugs business was worth more in the long run than what the remaining kids finally won.

I also entered a contest from Kohl’s department store.  Not only did I win a college scholarship but my picture was on a huge poster in our regional stores which was pretty cool.

Free advertising?  Absolutely.  Can you afford to pay for advertising like this?  Probably not.   Remember, contests are just one way to get more exposure for your business.  It’s always worth the effort even if you don’t win.