Today I was filling up my candy dish at work. And it got me to thinking.
I have been using a candy dish at work for about 15+ years now. I always keep it stocked with good candy, not the back shelf bargain fake chocolate - but stuff like Reese’s peanut butter cups, hershey’s minis, dove squares, etc.
And I keep an M&M’s gumball-style dispenser next to it, for those who prefer that.
I love the psychology of it. As a contractor, I’m often the “new chick” on the block. It used to be hard for me to get to know people, but it’s amazing how people will find reasons to introduce themselves when there’s candy to share.
It also works really well when people owe me paperwork. Usually sometime mid-morning and an hour or so after lunchtime, people will often drop off the signed copies of work I have been asking for - and help themselves to a little pick-me-up. People also have a hard time yelling at you while their mouths are full of chocolate-y goodness.
It’s one of the business practices I use no matter where I go - and it always works out well for me.
Another business practice I learned (and I think someone else on the Dope has mentioned it as well) is when it comes to job-quoting. We always “throw in a helicopter.”
Basically, there are some people who always have to find something in your proposal to cut. They are not happy until they cut something and it can be almost anything. So, when I was back in advertising, one of my bosses taught me that we always add something totally unnecessary. Like an aerial photography shot for a photo shoot, aka, a “helicopter.” The ad campaign might not need a helicopter shot - but if the client tried to cut something, we would steer them away from the thing that was necessary, and offer to cut the helicopter instead.
It’s a great tool - and I still use it today. So you might ask, “What if the client doesn’t cut anything? Do you use the helicopter?” Well, no - but I will usually use that as a cushion if some other problem crops up during the campaign, or come back to the customer and say, “Hey - we figured out a way to do this without the helicopter, so we’re going to come in under budget!”
Either way, you walk off with your program the way you need it, and looking like a team player.
So - what business practices or tools have you discovered and used over the years? What tips and tricks of the trade do you care to share?
I’ve been doing it for almost 10 years. I recently switched jobs and thought about ditching the M&M’s, because I was finally tired of buying them, but I think I’ve changed my mind back. Right now I’m in a temporary office while my new customer vets me, and when I finally move to my permanent space I’m pretty sure that I’ll have the M&M’s in tow.