MAKE THE FIRST TIME MEMORABLE

Even if your job makes you say something 150 times a day, never lose sight of the fact that it may be the first time your audience is hearing it.

I think about that every time I’m shopping in a store and the cashier or an employee on the PA mumbles “thank you for shopping with us.” They don’t mean it. They don’t even try to pretend that they mean it. It’s something they’ve been told to say, so they say it with no enthusiasm.

It’s right there with “haveaniceday” or “we know you have a choice when you flying so thank you for choosing us.” Nice lines when they’re delivered with enthusiasm; otherwise they’re throwaways.

If you expect your employees to deliver such lines, remind them that every time should sound like the first. Even if they can’t wait to go home, it’s important that the customers find them enthusiastic.