Recently at a “rare book” auction, a set of the first Machzorim printed in Philadelphia in 1837 was auctioned off. Guess how much it went for? $47,000!

Sounds impressive, right? But get this: a month later, a similar set of antique Machzorim at a used book shop in New England went for only a few hundred dollars!

What impresses me most, and explains the difference in price, is the venue where both of these Machzorim were sold.

When the posh auction house sold those Machzorim for nearly the purchase price of a brand new Lexus, everybody in attendance assumed that these books were of great value – even if the people didn’t know the exact details behind these treasured Machzorim. The very fact that it was sitting on display in a bulletproof glass case at the auction house automatically spoke to the dealers and collectors gathered there and grabbed their attention.

Picture this: You’re visiting the office building of a potential client and stand waiting for the elevator while silently rehearsing your sales presentation.

As the chime dings and elevator doors whisk open, the CEO of the company you’ve come to solicit business from suddenly walks in and situates himself right next to you. The doors close and it’s just you and him standing there for the next half-minute as the elevator slowly ascends to the twenty-something floor.

For the next 30-seconds, you will have his complete and undivided attention. There will be no ringing phones, interruptions by secretaries or distracting employees that can potentially hamper your attempts at landing this account. But one problem still remains: how are you supposed to deliver a successful sales pitch in less than 30-seconds?

Do you constantly look for ways to generate more business? Well, have you ever polled your client-base to determine what new services or features your company can offer? This week’s column will be focusing on the importance and value of customer surveys.

Surveys help businesses by revealing the satisfaction levels and preferences of their customers. A constant flow of customer feedback can help direct companies in making improvements that positively impact sales and profits. There are numerous methods for conducting surveys; some are extremely costly and others are surprisingly economical.

Like most Yated readers, my observance of the “3 Weeks” was preceded with a visit to the local barbershop.

While I generally patronize a shop near my home owned by a Russian fellow, for the past few months I was unable to use him due to “scheduling conflicts.”

So when I went in to his barbershop for a haircut right before Shiva Asar B’Tammuz, I was sure he’d welcome me back with a smile and hello (and maybe even a bear hug!). Actually, I got a lot more than just a routine greeting – I got a one-of-a-kind Mi Shebeirach that would leave my shul’s gabbai absolutely speechless.

“My friend,” he began. “Where you be lately?”