Running away to join the circus instead of getting a proper job was always a story I heard growing up as a kid and wondered what on earth adults were talking about? I have just arrived home from watching the Circus show ‘Fantasia’, which is doing a tour of the north west at the moment and as we pulled up in the car park my kids were amazed at the size of the tent and how great It looked standing at over 100 feet tall with flags flying.

They asked me how long it had taken to put up to which I guessed “a long time and a lot of hard work.” We were then waved into our parking space in a very organised fashion by men in high vis jackets and ushered into the ‘big top’ by very friendly men in suits who took our tickets and then introduced to very glamorous ladies offering anything from face painting, Pop Corn, toys, pictures with Spiderman and of course candy floss and ice cream, we filled our boots and took our seats waiting for the show to start. In the next hour and a half we were amazed by performances nothing short of anything I have seen on the Las Vegas strip, then as they all came out to take a bow and the lights came on we gave the performers a standing ovation and it was only then I realised that the guy who had shown me to my parking space was the same guy I had just seen perform the tight rope! The lady who sold me some candy floss was the same lady who had just finished the show with an amazing acrobat routine and the ring master was the same guy that had took our tickets, on realising this I would of given any of them a job right there and then, but why? No, not because I am starting a Circus or need a stilt walker, juggler, fore breather or acrobat for a party any time soon. I would of employed any single one of the 12 performers stood in front of me because they had the right ATTITUDE and were prepared to get stuck in to their business and do whatever needed doing, just like all of the successful Market Traders I know.

The 12 people had, as a team, done everything right to make the night amazing and I’m not just talking about the performance. Every single job had been done by these guys and I mean EVERYTHING! from unloading the wagon, erecting the tent, fixing the seats, making the food, the promotion, the advertising, the cleaning, the light, the sound, the ticket sales and then of course the grand finale, showcasing their amazing talents and whilst doing this had constantly sold their show, the brand and themselves! So what is my point? Well when recruiting staff or indeed looking for new traders for your market we need to be looking for people with the right ATTITUDE!

As part of my consultancy work I was asked to set up two day training camps to help employers assess any perspective candidates to weed through the usual bravado that people come armed with to a job interview, as what good is a candidate if they haven’t got the “get stuck in, make things happen” attitude to drive themselves to meet the targets set? I have recently set up a concierge company in Haughton Green, Denton, employing 14 full time staff and whilst researching the industry I asked concierge staff working for other companies what they actually did?

They came back with several different answers from “I do security” to “I am like a caretaker

My team were employed on attitude and trained in exceptional customer service, and now, when asked what they do they all reply with the same and the right answer…..

Q. “what do you do?
A. “what can I help you with, Sir”

In doing so selling our service, the brand and putting us ahead of the competition. The same ethos needs to be attached to all aspects of Market Trading. The teams we choose to employ and traders who stand on our markets should lead by example just like the amazing circus performers do. Regardless of whether they are showing people to their car park space or walking the tight rope, they give 100% and take 100% pride in everything they do, all of the time, just as our teams and traders should do, whether they are closing the biggest deal of their life or making a relatively small sale that we all know could lead to much bigger things. Maybe the start of building an amazing relationship with a new and more importantly regular and loyal customer. Want the right traders and staff?
Make sure they have the right attitude!