January 9th Nine Sizzle! Sizzle!

Everyone likes excitement. When people bubble with personal energy, others enjoy being around them. Business firms like to hire a staff that brings zest to the establishment. Some national restaurant chains, for example, train their staff to form an impromptu ensemble and sing “Happy Birthday” or “Happy Anniversary” to their customers on special occasions. It produces more than noise. People keep coming back.

One restaurant, knowing how people respond to excitement, devised a special plan. When a customer ordered a steak dinner, the chef placed the meal on a hot steel plate. Then, just before the waiter left the kitchen, he would drop an ice cube on the platter.

The waiter was instructed, “Walk slowly to the table. We want everyone to hear the sound of that hot platter.” It wasn't the steak that was sizzling, but the ice. The plan worked like instant advertising. If customers were in the process of ordering, they'd hear that sound and choose a steak. The sizzle produced the sale.

Today, think creatively. Ask yourself, “How can I add some excitement to what I plan to deliver?”

快乐制造

每个人都愿意感受快乐，而且人们也都愿意聚集在能散发出无穷魅力与欢乐的人的身边。商业公司希望雇佣的员工给各种的企业带来活力。有些国有的饭店培训员工时，会让他们表演即兴的节目，比如当某一特殊时刻唱“祝你生日快乐”或者“周年快乐”之类的歌。客人们喜欢这种热闹的感觉，饭店也留住了很多回头客。

有一个饭店深知人们喜欢意外的惊喜，精心的设计了一个计划。当一个顾客点了牛排，厨师就会把肉放在一个滚烫的盘子里，临到侍者走出厨房的时候，在盘子上放上一个冰块。然后交代侍者，“要慢慢的走到顾客那里，我们想要其他的顾客都能听到牛排发出的‘咝咝’声”。牛排当然不会发出声音，而是冰块在热盘子上融化的声音。这个计划的效果非常明显。当顾客在点菜的时候，他们一听到这个声音，就会要一份牛排。饭店牛排的销量非常好。

时代需要创新，我们应该问自己，“在推销时，我要如何制造令人兴奋的卖点?”