ADVICE CAN BE FISHY

Some years ago, while Jon was shining shoes in the shop, a customer was giving him business advice. Since the man is retired from a rather successful business, I was pleased that Jon listened. However, the conversation reminded me of how easy it is to take too much advice.

I heard of a man who opened a fish market but was having little success. A friend stopped in and asked how things were going.

'Not well," the entrepreneur replied. "Well, I can understand that," the friend said. "You don't even have a sign advertising your business. How do you expect to get customers if they don't even know you're here? Get a sign.'

This seemed like good advise. So the merchant hung up a big sign: FRESH FISH SOLD HERE TODAY."

After a while, business improved. Then someone walked in and said, "I've been wondering why you have TODAY on your sign. Obviously, it's today and not tomorrow." So, the man decided that the customer was right and painted over "today."

Before long, someone else came in and said that the word FRESH seemed unnecessary, since obviously he, being a man of integrity, wouldn't sell old fish. So, off came "fresh."

Next, someone said the words SOLD HERE seemed unnecessary, since it was obvious he wasn't in business somewhere else.

So, all that remained was FISH.

Then in walked a customer and announced, "I smelled your fish three blocks away. Isn't that advertising enough?'

So, that was the end of the sign.

Several months later, the man was bemoaning his business woes. "Well, what do you expect?" a friend remarked. "You don't even have a sign!"

BARBER-OSOPHY: Most successful people have a knack for knowing who to listen to.

Copyright 2004, Sumerlin Enterprises.

Permission is granted for you to copy this article for distribution as long as the above copyright and contact information is included. Please reference or include a link to www.barber-osophy.com.

About the author: Terry L. Sumerlin, known as the Barber-osopher, is the author of "Barber-osophy," is a columnist for the San Antonio Business Journal and speaks nationally as a humorist/motivational speaker.