Browsing Tag Marketing

How to Tear Down Customer Resistance

How many people who walk into your business, or who take an interest in your products and services, end up going ahead with a purchase? In sales, this is called a closing rate.

To manage something, you first have to measure it. That way you know where it’s at, so you know what you need to do to improve it.

So here’s a simple question you need to have an answer to – if 10 prospects are interested in doing business with you, on average how many out of those 10 end up doing business with you?

The percentage itself isn’t important. In stores with a lot of traffic, you can do 1 out of 10 and be fine. I have a website where I do 1 out of 100, and it’s good enough for me to make a great return on investment, because it takes hardly any time or effort. In some businesses, you need 5 out of 10 just to have a chance of making a profit.

What is important is knowing how to improve your percentages to a more “acceptable” range. So if you get 5 out of 10, do the math and see how much more you’d make if you got 6 out of 10. Since they’re already coming in the door, most of the work is done. You’re just looking for those “little things” to get more customers.

There are a lot of different ways to improve your closing rate, and some are more complicated than others. I always look for the “80/20” factor in any given task. In other words I’m looking for that one or two key things that will make most of the difference between someone purchasing from you or not. Here’s some insight to help you discover that “vital one fact” that gives you a majority of your results.

Do you know what three things are required before a prospect becomes a customer? Knowing this will give you the answer you need. Here are the three things needs:

First, they have to want what you offer.

Second, they have to have money to purchase it.

Third, they have to believe that you’ll actually come through on your end of the deal.

The more inclined they are to already want what you have, the easier it is to sell to them. The more money they have set aside for making consumer purchases, the easier it to the sell to them. The more they believe that you actually will deliver on your offer, the easier it is to sell to them.

I have before me a phone book with yellow page ads. I’m going to flip through it and quote some phrases. Here’s one:
“Dependable & Quality Service”
Here’s my thoughts – Oh yeah!? Says who?
“Value, Service & Convenience”
Here’s my thoughts – PROVE IT!
“Friendly service”
Here’s my thoughts – yeah, right!

In other words, these are hollow phrases of puffery that everybody uses. It’s so easy to say those things, and so saying those things mean very little. I’ve actually called a business whose yellow page ad said “friendly service” only to be treated rudely by the receptionist who answered the phone. Guess someone forgot to tell her!

So how do you go beyond mere puffery and actually prove your case that you’re friendlier, more valuable, offer better service and are more dependable than every other option they have available?

Well, I’ll share with you one simple way to do this, that will drastically differentiate you from every competitor, both direct and indirect. As a bonus, it’s also very simple to do, is extremely cost effective and when complied, can be used in a variety of different outlets and mediums. What I’m talking about is customer testimonials.

The Selling Power of Testimonials

If you want to increase your closing rates without resorting to any fancy tricks or learning a bunch of new skills, just start being an avid collector of testimonials.

I don’t care what anyone else says, they work.

Consider this – what if I told you I was the greatest marketing consultant of all time? Would you really believe me? What if your friend called you up and told you I was the greatest marketing consultant? Then you might believe it.

But what if your lawyer, your doctor, your mother, your children’s principal, the head of your trade association and the guy you buy bell peppers from at the local farmer’s market told you I was the greatest marketing consultant of all time?

I bet you’d be really interested in sitting down and having a talk with me, wouldn’t you? You’d probably think a great deal more of me than me just calling you up and bragging about my skills.

This is such a simple principle, it makes me wonder – why don’t all businesses use testimonials? I don’t know why. I think it should be a requirement of doing business personally. That is because, when it comes to raising your closing rates, it makes all the difference.

Now let me show you when, where and how to get these killer testimonials that will increase the believability of your offers.

How to Become an Avid Testimonial Collector

If you go looking for opportunities to get testimonials, you’ll find it’s easy to begin collecting them.

The best opportunity is when your customer is in heat. What I mean by this is that you’ve just did something that has “wowed” them. They might come in to pay their bill and say “I can’t believe what a wonderful service you did. It’s better than the last five people I’ve went to!”

They are in heat! You say: “Thanks! Would it be okay if I shared your story with others who might be interested in our services as well? It really helps us better serve our clients!”

Or, you can say: “Thanks. Would it be okay if I wrote down what you just said and shared it with others? It would mean a lot to me!” Then just write down really quickly what was said, and have them approve it.

Or you can simply say: “Thanks. Did you know that one of the best ways we get good clients just like you is sharing the success stories of our past clients? Would it be okay if we quote you in some of our marketing and sales communication?”

Don’t make it harder than it has to be. The main process is – get them when they’re in the good mood. Ask if you can have their permission to quote them and share their story. Then get their commitment. That’s it.

Also, it’s smart if you ask them if you can share their name with others as well, just to be on the safe side.

If you do nothing else, just collect testimonials from customers who are in heat and have just expressed how appreciative they are of you and your services.

Another good time is when you “save the day”. Did you do something for a customer that was out of the ordinary? Maybe you made a house call at 8:30 at night to fix an emergency, free of charge. Or perhaps they wanted something that was supposedly discontinued, but you went the extra mile and tracked down what they were looking for.

Anytime you save the day, just ask them for a testimonial. In fact, I intentionally look for opportunities to save the day, because it serves in my self interest. If I go the extra mile, then I know they’ll give me one heck of a testimonial!

Once you get good at the first two, consider sending out a customer survey once in a while. Have them answer a few key questions. Then, retype those answers up in a letter form, and ask them to sign off on it as a testimonial that you can share with others.

There are more aggressive ways to get testimonials, and I would encourage you to be aggressive about getting them, especially after you’ve gotten the knack for getting the low hanging fruit. Once you get used to asking your “in heat customers” and those who you’ve “saved the day for”, experiment with actively seeking out testimonials to further prove your case.

FYI, my team can set up systems for you that automatically collect testimonials. Click here.

How to Use Testimonials for Maximum Effect

I’m going to give you some examples that you can literally knock off and use in your own business, and also that you can use to brainstorm your own ideas from.

Let’s return to the yellow book example. Instead of the typical puffery, your ad might include something that says:

“Look, any business can say that they care about the customer and that they are dependable and have high quality service. Instead of us touting our own horn, maybe you’d rather hear it from some of our customers themselves. Just call our ‘satisfied customer hot line’ to hear a pre-recorded message of what our customers think about our services…”

You know how much a voice mail account costs? Something like $4 a month. For $4 a month, you can have a recording of your best customers. How do you get these recording?

Well, think a bit. Perhaps you have your sales reps call your customers a few days after the sale. Explain to the customer that for quality issues, would it be okay if you recorded the call? This can be done inexpensively with a digital phone recorder that costs less than $50, or through an online service for like $10 a month.

Then, ask them what their thoughts were on the service or for the product. At the end, ask them if it would be okay if you shared their thoughts with others who might be interested in the products or services.

That’s just one way to get you testimonials recorded. There are others.

We can do it for you and set up all the technical details through www.FireballTeam.com

But now you have a tool – you have people talking about how good you are. You can put this pre-recorded message into all of your marketing communications! Your believability goes through the roof.

Here’s something else you might want to consider – gathering up a “testimonial book”.

Do you know ANY salesperson who has a testimonial book? Hmm… Wouldn’t that distinguish you from every other competitor out there? I think it would… and in a good way.

Let’s say you really went the extra mile and totally knock it out of the park for a customer. They were so happy they called you up and thanked you personally, and said they were so impressed with you and that you went above and beyond the call of duty.

Well how about this – you ask them if it would be okay to feature them as “case study” in your next advertisement. Then you could write an advertisement that looks like an article, where you simply tell the story of what you did for this customer. These type of advertisements are about a million times more effective than “BUY MY PRODUCT!” advertisements you currently see everywhere.

At the very least, you should include some testimonials in your advertising, just to enhance your claims.

One person I knew went as far as recording on video his customer testimonials. Then, when someone didn’t purchase the first time they came into his store, five days later they’d get the video in the mail that contained all these wonderful customer testimonials.

Needless to say, a lot of people came back and ended up purchasing who otherwise would not have.

The Anatomy of a Good Testimonial

Now, some people have tried testimonials and have told me that they don’t work. Well, it reminds me of my friend telling me five years ago that his DVD player didn’t work. I asked him — “Did you plug it in?”

Oops!

Testimonials are like anything else – if you do them half-assed then they probably won’t work. In order to do them right, you must know what a good testimonial looks like.

Here’s a bad testimonial:

“You did a good job!”

Here’s a killer testimonial:

“You responded to our call and were at our house in 7 minutes. The last guys took 2 hours. Not only that, you helped us save 13% off the cost. Thanks a bunch!” — Jason Happypants, Fire Fighter, Fresno, CA

The difference is obvious. Bad testimonials are bland and really don’t don’t say anything. Good testimonials are specific, and give you hard facts. I love it when someone says to me: “I read your book on Thursday, and by Saturday morning I did one thing I learned on page 8 that results in me making $15,867.13 in profit by the following Tuesday. You’re a genius!”.

That’s a far better testimonials than “your ideas helped me make more money”.

Not only is specificity needed, but it’s good to have a name, location and occupation. Otherwise people will think that maybe you’re just making up the testimonials yourself, even though that is illegal. (Which is why audio and video testimonials are the best)

Also, there are other things that can influence your testimonials. What’s better – five testimonials featured in your ads from white males aged 43 and over, or a mix of ages, races and both males and females?

Well, it depends. If your product targets white males that are 43 years old, then it’s a good idea. If it targets a wide variety of audiences, then you want testimonials from a wide variety of people.

Lastly, as humans we’re hardwired by nature to trust authority. That’s why testimonials from scientists, doctors, nurses, fire fighters, and other esteemed positions tend to have more pull than regular testimonials. Just think how much more credible a testimonial is from a rocket scientist than a janitor.

So set a plan – come up with the different ways you’re going to capture and use testimonials, and make sure everybody in your business starts to become a testimonial collector. It’s one of the easiest ways to increase your sales closing percentage.

Did you like this article? I’ll appreciate if you would send me a testimonial through this page. Or just post a comment below…

Normal advertising sucks. Why? Because normal advertising will get you normal results. You don't become an industry leader, or a dominant presence by doing things the “normal” way.

Most small businesses advertise in the yellow pages. I think you're going to find yellow page advertising is going to become weaker and weaker, because more people now use the Internet to find their information.

Besides, almost all yellow page ads look the same. Hmmmm... could it because they're all designed by the same person? So, everybody is normal.

Newspaper advertising is also falling. But let's look at it – almost all the ads look the same. Could it be because they're all designed by the same person? Hmmm... If everybody looks normal, everybody gets normal results.

Finally, consider this – you're advertising in the same place as your competitors. That's kind of dumb isn't it? I'd rather advertise in a vacuum, where I'm the only choice.

We have to think outside the box! I fashion myself as a collector of good ideas. I look for those different ways of advertising that don't get normal results... but extraordinary results.

What I'm about to show you is going to give you a far greater return than normal advertising ever will... it will also dramatically enhance the relationship you have with your fellow business owners... and finally it'll just make others think you're some sort of genius because of your innovation.

I'm talking about center of influence marketing. Here's the premise – instead of going out hunting down your ideal prospects, what would happen if you already went to where a bunch of them hang out, and just put your sign up in front of them?

You're going to where they already are, instead of picking them up “one by one” in the newspaper, on the television, or in the yellow pages.

Okay, so here's what we're going to do – we're going to come up with a bunch of different places where our ideal customers frequent in large quantities... then we're going to construct an offer that will allow us to siphon those ideal customers off into our sales funnel... and, it's only going to cost us a small “toll booth” fee to do this, which we will only pay out of a portion of the profits we've generated.

Let' take a second to talk about target marketing. Say you and I both owned a pizza place. I would only need one competitive advantage, and I could destroy you and win every single customer. I'd give you all other advantages, because, when totaled, they still wouldn't give you a chance.

Yes, I would give you the best ingredients. I'd give you the best employees. I'd give you the best location. I'd give you the coolest store layout. I'd only ask for one thing...

I'd only ask that all my customers being dying of hunger!

When someone is hungry, they don't care what your store looks like. They don't care if you have good service. They don't care if the food even tastes good. They are just so hungry, they'll practically pay anything and eat anything to quell that hunger.

What target marketing does is isolates and focuses your efforts on singling out those who are “hungriest” for whatever you offer.

Let me make it real to you. Let's say you're in the retail flooring business. Okay, now people who buy flooring... what else do they tend to need that compliments it?

Well, a lot of people who need flooring also need paint. What would happen if you had a majority of the paint stores sending the customers who needed flooring your way?

If I wanted to market to small businesses to offer my marketing consultation services, where would I go? Well, I'd start with the local accountants, because they help a lot of business owners with their taxes.

I would go to the heads of trade associations that small business owners would be apart of (like the chamber of commerce, for example), and volunteer for free to give a speech where I'd share my expertise on how to get more customers.

I would go to attorneys that helped people form corporations, and attorneys who specialized in helping small businesses.

See what I'm doing here? I'm finding a complimentary, non-competitive business entity that already attracts the “hungry” customers that I'm in search of. Instead of having to find those customers myself, I'm leveraging their efforts.

Now, here's how to NOT make this work. Go up to one of these centers of influence and say, “Hey, why don't you tell your customers to come to me when they need X.” Stupid, stupid, stupid.

You have to make it make sense for them to refer others to you before they will. What's an easy way to do this – why not say, “Hey, I know from time to time you have customers that also need my services. So how do you feel about this? Every time you send someone over my way, and they become my customer, I give you X% of the sale?”

Warning – in some industries, it's illegal to do this. And since I'm no lawyer, check your laws first to make sure they apply. I'm just giving you one example here. There are other ways you can reward them.

For example, send customers to them in return. It could be as simple as making a stack of fliers up to put in their business, and they do likewise in your business. Now it's a “referral revolving door” and more importantly... it's a win-win situation.

Here's how you can make it work for you. First, pull out the yellow pages. Go through them, and each time you find a category that would be complimentary to your business, write it down.

Get 5-10 different complimentary “industries”, and then pick the top 3 businesses in each of those industries. Now you have a list of 15-30 businesses to approach.

Second, create your irresistible offer to these businesses. If you can give them a cash incentive for a referral, then consider that as your offer. Or come up with something equally enticing that answers their number one question -- “What's in it for me?”

Another thing you can do here is to give a special offer just for their customers. It could be a discount, or something extra they get for free that you would normally charge for. This way, the “What's in it for me?” is that their customers will like them more, because it looks like the owner went to bat and negotiated a special deal just for them.

How many businesses could you do this with? Well, as many as you would like. This can take care of the new customer acquisition end of things, especially when you combine it with referral marketing.

Think about it – you could easily get ten businesses that were complimentary to you to promote for you for some sort of incentive.

For some, it might just be where you put up some fliers at the counter, with a special “freebie” just for their customers. For other businesses, it might be a customer exchange. You send customers their way if they send customers your way. For others still, it might be were to downright pay them a cut of the sales.

In any case, realize the importance behind this – most of the cost for customer acquisition will only be paid after the customer is acquired. You pay a percentage of the sale – after the sale is made. You get referrals because you refer.

This truly takes the risk out of advertising, because you'll only pay for it if it works. Not a bad deal!

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Gaining modest results from marketing by playing it safe and adhering to traditional techniques can work very well for some companies. They trudge along with a reasonable amount of success without ever looking beyond to see what else they might be able to achieve.

Why is it then that some companies succeed beyond the wildest dreams of most people, even if their products or services are average at best?

Quite often it all comes down to marketing. How it is approached and what techniques are used can make all the difference in the world. When more than modest results are desired, it is imperative to think outside the box and tap into the secrets that some of the most successful companies from Madison Avenue to Hollywood have long known about. There are methods that go beyond the tried and tested norms that can make campaign results soar.

One of the biggest secrets used by major companies in their marketing efforts involves appealing to the inborn programming people are simply wired with at birth.

Think this does not matter? Well, think again.

Just as certain animals migrate at set times during the year and most living creatures are born with an innate sense to protect their young, humans come preprogrammed with certain ingrained traits. When these traits are triggered through marketing, people respond without even knowing why in many cases. They will favor products marketed under programs that trigger their programming and they will make purchases even if another product is cheaper, prettier or even just plain better.

When marketing efforts use traditional techniques for promoting products and services, they can pay off, of course. This is why so many companies fail to take their efforts to the next level. They just don’t know a next level even exists. If they do, they are unaware of how to make the secrets work for them.

Companies that have made it to the upper levels in their industries, however, often rely on different techniques to get the word out about what they have to offer. They have learned to activate the inborn programming of people to drive their businesses forward. When this happens, consumers tend to beg for a product rather than have to be asked to purchase it.

Consider some of the most successful companies in the world. Their products speak for themselves. People inherently trust them and make purchases even if another option that is better is readily available.

The same understanding of inborn programming has long been evidenced in Hollywood where moviemakers appeal to the subconscious to get people to buy tickets to shows that might not even be all that good. Fast-paced trailers that flash gripping images in rapid succession can sell even the most mediocre of stories and turn them into real box office blockbusters.

One of the biggest secrets to corporate success is already found locked in the subconscious of consumers all over the world. Products and services do not have to be “the best” to sell that way. The marketing, however, has to be right. Appeal to consumers on the right level and success beyond the wildest dream is likely to follow. Stick with tried and tested techniques and modest gains are likely all a company will see.

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On the surface, most marketing campaigns appear alike. They mainly rely on the same advertising vehicles, involve the same types of agencies and tend to cost a fair amount of money no matter what.

Why is it then that some campaigns turn companies into near overnight successes and others just fail to make the grade? How is it that some companies with fairly average products can become household names, but companies with better products and even pricing might not even register as a blip on consumers’ radars?

In most cases, it all comes down to the techniques that were employed in the campaign. Common techniques can and do make sales. This is why they have become common. They do not, however, break records or catapult products to the top of sales charts. These techniques are simply missing the edge that others can provide.

If you want to see your business grow, the techniques used in your marketing will matter. Go with standard, straightforward tactics and your business will likely see results. Think on a deeper, more creative level and the impact will likely blow away expectations.

Consider some of the world’s most successful companies and the products they have to offer. The biggest burger chains do not necessarily have the best burgers in the world. The greatest selling sneakers might not be the most comfortable. The hottest rock bands might hurt people’s ears. Despite these things, the products they offer sell and they sell well.

So, how do they do it? The companies that are found at the pinnacle of their own industries tend to use marketing techniques that are slightly different. While their advertisements might only seem slightly slicker than others, there is more to their strategy than that.

Companies that succeed in their marketing efforts tend to appeal to people through:

Symbols – Their logos and advertising designs might appeal to people through symbolism. Whether it is a blatant effort or simply by chance, the right logos can reach out to people on the subconscious level. When the right message is received, people will respond.

Inborn responses – People, just like all other animals, are born with certain things that they respond to. When marketing triggers innate programming, people take notice. They will sometimes do so whether they want to or not.

Emotions – Appeal to people on an emotional level and they will be sold. When natural emotions are triggered through marketing efforts, people will tend to gravitate toward a product. If marketing makes people believe a product will make their family happy, provide them personal satisfaction, deliver fun, smiles, sex appeal or what have you, sales will follow.

Tried and true marketing techniques can build up your company and its product sales in a modest way. If it is time to take efforts to the next level, appealing to customers in a different way is a must. When campaigns reach out to people’s emotions, their inborn wiring or even their trust of certain symbols, the sky is often the limit.

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While it is important to have a good product or service to offer, this is often just not enough to realize major sales upon release. When a runaway hit is desired, planning needs to go well beyond the actual product. In many cases, success or failure is determined not necessarily by the item offered to consumers but the manner in which it is offered to them. Marketing, in short, can make or break a product. It can also make or break a company.

Products that sell incredibly well are very often not the best of their kind out there. They might not even be the most reasonably priced. Still, people will line up to get them and even feel compelled to purchase them. In many cases, consumers believe they have to have a particular product to be happy. They might not even really need the product and they might even see a better one as they are on the way to make the purchase, yet their cash will be plunked down for item X no matter what.

If you are ready to exercise this kind of marketing power to the benefit of your own products and services, you need to look at the secrets that highly successful marketers use every day.

Marketing efforts that manage to turn a decent product into one that people think they cannot live without target consumers in a slightly different way. On the surface the ads used might look the same as all others, but pay close attention and the differences will stand out. Marketers that enjoy runaway successes tend to speak to consumers on a different level than just run of the mill good marketers will.

When real success out of marketing is desired, it is important to understand these things about human beings:

People have innate triggers they will respond to – Just as most animals will fiercely protect their young and some animals will migrate during set seasons and travel to set places, people are also preprogrammed in many ways. When marketing campaigns trigger the right programming cues, people will respond.

People act on emotions – Marketing campaigns that are designed to elicit certain emotions or desires can enjoy huge success. When people believe a product will help them look like the people in the commercials, enjoy the same level of happiness displayed on a screen or have the same level of appeal to the opposite sex, they will make purchases.

People respond to symbols – The language of symbols is one that has been used by people for eons. When marketing campaigns use the right symbols to elicit trust, desire or emotions, consumers tend to respond by opening their wallets.

These are just a few of the truths about people that highly successful marketing campaigns are built around. When campaigns reach out and speak to people on the innate or subconscious level, a runaway hit can be enjoyed. If they do not, even the best product of its kind might not enjoy runaway success.

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Marketing is a very tricky game that most people tend to prefer to play safe. While tried and tested efforts can gain results, they generally will not turn companies into household names on a national or international level. When something more is desired, companies can learn a thing or two from the ancient and not-so-ancient past.

Consider some of the most successful companies in the marketplace today. No matter the type or types of products these companies offer, they all tend to have something beyond their powerhouse status in common.

So, what is that thing?

It happens to be the use of signs and symbols in their marketing campaigns. Think of any company that is at the top of its field and chances are strong that it will be readily identifiable by its symbols alone.

Companies that enjoy success on a major level do not necessarily have to have their names stated in commercials and other marketing efforts, their signs and symbols speak for themselves. Anyone who doubts this need only consider the companies that are recognizable to toddlers. Toy companies, cereal brands and even sandwich and French fry joints will all make youngsters who cannot even read jump up and down for joy when their symbols are seen. The products might not even be a child’s favorites, but a response will be elicited nonetheless.

Why is this?

Long before there was written language, there were symbols. Humans have moved in a world where certain symbols stand for specific things. In many cases, symbols are also tied to strong emotions or subconscious responses. When companies capitalize on the use of the right symbols in their own marketing people tend to take notice without even noticing they are doing so.

Consider the many symbols out there that elicit positive responses in people. A checkmark, for example, is a sign for a job well done or completed. It makes people happy and gives them a sense of accomplishment. Olive branches and doves are signs of peace. An image of a lion stands for strength and loyalty. The examples go on and on.

When companies take familiar symbols that have positive meanings in the eyes of clients, alter them and make them their own, they can reach out to consumers on an emotional level. Some companies have also managed to create their own unique symbols and give positive meaning to them through tactical marketing campaigns. Regardless, the symbols, just like a checkmark on a homework assignment, have come to represent certain emotions and elicit specific reactions from consumers.

While not all highly successful companies have learned to tap into the power of symbols and their ability to say more without actual words, many have. When logos, product packaging designs and advertising efforts use the right symbols and manage to attach the right meanings to those symbols, household name status can follow.

Standard marketing efforts can go a long way in helping companies enjoy modest success. When going beyond is the goal, marketing needs to take on a different strategy. Reaching out to customers through symbols and speaking to them on the subconscious level can provide the impetus needed to turn a good company into a great one.

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At the age of 15, I was already working at a McDonald’s restaurant to help in making ends meet for my College education. But it only took me less than 3 months to stay. Why? Maybe I really hate having a BOSS.

But my son Ruiz took a part-time "job" at McDonald’s in a kids workshop where they stay at a McDonald’s branch to learn how to serve customers, build their self-esteem, and apply CAYG and FIFO (more on that later), and a lot more…

First day at "work" — Ruiz is NOT motivated. (Not really, he just loves to make faces. He’s the one who was eager to hop into the McJob.)

McDonald’s says this about working for them:

"McDonald’s is one of the best-known brands in the world - and as soon as you put on your McDonald’s uniform and name badge, you’re responsible for representing the brand to the hundreds of customers visiting our restaurants every day."

Well, I agree. While I was working at McDonald’s myself, I learned…

Always Be On Time

We can’t stress enough how important this is. Why? Because being late for your shift puts unfair pressure on your team mates and that means that our customers might not get the service they expect. So you need to be sure you can be right on time for all of your rostered shifts.

Look Good

At McDonald’s appearance counts. This means a neat, clean and wrinkle-free uniform, plus good personal grooming. Feeling smart gives you confidence too. For more info check out the Employee Handbook.

See my son Ruiz below:

Team Talk

Whatever you do at McDonald’s will involve being part of a team. You don’t have to be the loudest or the smartest. You just need to do your job the best you can, be ready to help out your fellow Crew (especially when it’s busy) and communicate clearly.

Attitude Check

Being polite, friendly and respectful with both customers and your team mates is a top priority. It helps create the McDonald’s experience that everyone enjoys. It’s also what makes McDonald’s a great place to work!

Great attitude whenever there’s a camera even if it’s time to work?

Squeaky Clean

Cleanliness is very important at McDonald’s. So you’ll find we’re committed to our Clean As You Go (CAYG) and strict hygiene policies. Everyone has their role to play in keeping our restaurants and their surroundings squeaky clean.

See Ruiz cleaning the tables:

OK. I won’t bore you telling you how great McDonald’s is. For me, just some parts of working with McDonald’s are OK. Instead, just download the employee PDF handbook here and see for yourself.

Anyway, I let Ruiz join McDonald’s so that he can learn some things that he can apply in business when he grows up…

I also told him to watch out for his competition…

And all work and no play makes him a dull boy…

Most important thing, ALWAYS STAY HAPPY.

Oh, before I forget, as mentioned above, CAYG means "clean as you go" and FIFO means "first in, first out" …

Another thing…

Ruiz now pays for whatever toy he wants to buy...

How?

We brainstormed for a solution… click here!