Testing/troubleshooting… A case for…

Testing /troubleshooting…Those electrical circuits

Testing a 120 Volt circuit is pretty straight forward. There we only need to touch one lead of our voltmeter to the black wire and the other to the white one. If we don’t see 120 Volts, the circuit’s dead.

But that 240 volt circuit is a bit more complicated. There we have to test both of the wires (L1 and L2) that are each carrying 120 volts and the common wire (L3) in combination with them.

Let’s say we’re testing a 240 volt circuit problem. We touch L1 (black) and L2 (red) and only see 120 volts on our meter. In that case we need to expand our efforts to see where the problem lies.

To do that, attach the meter’s leads to L1 and L3 (white) and then between L2 and L3 (both should read 120 volts). That will tell us whether it is L1 or L2 that has no power. That doesn’t fix the problem, but it tells us where it is. If that first test shows zero volts, likely we have a tripped or faulty breaker in the box.

Also remember bad readings can result from factors that can include loose connections, incorrect multimeter settings, or damaged test leads. Always double-check your connections and settings before concluding that there’s a problem with the circuit. And inspect your test leads for signs of damage like frayed insulation. Finally if you’re not comfortable, it’s time to call for some knowledgeable help!

A case for…Planned presentations

Mention using canned pitches to almost any self-respecting sales pro and you’ll likely get a pretty strong and equally negative rejection. After all we’re seasoned professionals and don’t need some rehearsed presentation that’s suited for a cheesy telemarketer. But is that really the case?

Truth be known we all use rehearsed approaches to selling our wares. Think for a moment about how you normally present nearly any idea to both customers and prospects. Chances are better that good that the words uttered are pretty much the same. Sure we alter them to address the situation, but in the main the pitch is the same.

Once we accept the fact that we already use them we can focus on what works and what doesn’t. If our pitch about improved results needs work, fix it. If the one about costs is consistently falling short, figure out how to better focus it and then test fire it to see if that fix is effective or not.

The bottom line is that by accepting that we’re already using planned presentations we can analyze them and improve. Of course we could just flail away and experience hit or miss outcomes and waste a lot of opportunities.

Next up: What to sell first.