Do you believe in Santa Claus?

Whether you ever did -- or still do -- there are some things about the jolly old elf that wise businesses should consider emulating if they want to establish a year-round aura of good will. Santa has attributes that easily translate beyond the holidays. Here are some I think are worth noting:

-- Good reputation. You can't buy a good reputation; you must earn it. Santa has a positive reputation because he is a magnanimous soul who stands for goodness and generosity.

Nothing is more important than a good reputation in building a successful business. Stand for what is right, and you won't get knocked down.

-- Fun-loving. Santa's elves always look as if they are working very hard, yet loving their jobs. A fun workplace is more productive and attracts people and profits. Your company motto should be, "Thank God it's Monday." You should want your employees to look forward to coming to work.

-- Great memory for names. Santa never forgets a name. If you want people to know how much you care, show them how much you remember. The sweetest-sounding word in the English language is your name being said by someone else. There are many methods for remembering names, such as name association and repetition. It's an important skill to develop.

-- Creative gift giver. Santa's gifts relate to the recipient, not the giver. To do the job right, you have to know your customer as a living, breathing human being with likes, dislikes and interests. A knock-your-socks-off gift doesn't have to be expensive. A gift that shows you have paid attention and have taken a genuine personal interest in your customer says a lot more than a dollar sign.

Santa also understands the importance of rewards. I hate to say this to Santa, but Thanksgiving cards still pack a bigger punch than Christmas cards because they stand out from the crowd.

-- Good listener. If you remember sitting on Santa's lap, you probably also remember that he paid close attention to your requests. You can win more friends with your ears than with your mouth. People who feel like they're being listened to feel accepted and appreciated rather than isolated and rejected. They feel as if they are being taken seriously and what they say really matters.

-- Great smile. Santa's flowing beard may hide a lot of his face, but never his happy smile. I learned years ago that one of the most powerful things you can do to have influence over others is to smile at them. That's why I never underestimate the value of a smile. It should be standard equipment for all people -- at work and after hours.

-- Humility. Santa doesn't take credit for all the happiness he spreads. It's refreshing to come across co-workers, bosses or even customers who have enough self-confidence to let their work speak for their abilities and achievements. Humility is becoming a lost art, yet it's not difficult to practice. It means you realize that others have been involved in your success.

-- Enthusiasm. How can Santa Claus continue to do the same job year after year? He's a pro. He gives it everything he's got. His focus and enthusiasm are obvious. He loves what he does.

If you aren't getting excited about hitting the pavement every day, it will show. You get what you give -- nothing. Enthusiasm is contagious. Start an epidemic.

-- Positive attitude. Santa promotes good will and good behavior wherever he goes. He encourages children to "be good for goodness' sake." Thinking positive has no negative. A positive mind anticipates happiness, joy, health and success. If you get used to behaving in a positive way, you will form good habits. And your habits will help define the kind of person you are.

-- Loyalty. Santa has his elves, just like the Lone Ranger had Tonto. One of the first qualities I look for in employees and friends is loyalty.

-- Respects deadlines. If ever there was a job with deadline pressure, Santa has it. Getting the job done on time is essential in building trust and loyalty.

-- Good judge of character. A naughty or nice list isn't necessary for most businesses. But demanding that people in your organization act with complete professionalism and respect for your customers is not up for discussion.

-- Well-dressed. Say what you want, but Santa dresses for success!

Mackay's Moral: Happy and safe holidays to all!

Sometimes the columns that get the biggest reaction are those that offer the simplest advice. A couple of weeks ago I wrote about street-smart ideas and was inundated with requests for more. A few readers shared their ideas, too. Because I truly believe in the importance of street smarts for success, I'm continuing the list.

Next idea: There will always be a place in the world for anyone who says, "I'll take care of it," and then does it. Don't imply that a chore is beneath you, or that you are too busy to handle the mundane. Sure, you can call in help from subordinates (if you have them), but in order to share the credit, you need to do some of the work.

Next idea: Circle the wagons. For the past 50 years, every time I have wanted to persuade a person of power, I've found a couple friends who have influence with the person to approach him or her from different directions to get the result I want. These are people who know I will come to their aid in return, and who act professionally and discreetly on my behalf.

Next idea: Send in the clones. Whether you are buying a house or a car, send in a clone to kick the tires first. Your clone claims to be ready to buy right now and makes a ridiculously low offer. The goal is to find out the lowest acceptable price. Then you know the real cost.

Next idea: No check, please. When hosting a business breakfast, lunch or dinner, I always take care of the check in advance so it is never brought to the table. I call ahead and give the restaurant my credit card number and tell them to put a 20 percent gratuity on the bill. I have a lot of surprised people when we leave and they never see a bill.

Next idea: Take good care of yourself. It's difficult to find the best doctor or professional in a pinch. Say there are 10 doctors performing a specific procedure at a medical center. I assure you, they do not all have the same skill level. It is your job to be resourceful and find out who is world class before you have an emergency. The same concept applies to lawyers, accountants and so on. As fatalistic as it may sound, if you build a strong network before a problem arises, you have just solved one of your problems.

Next idea: Waiting rooms are named that for a reason. Try to schedule appointments -- whether it be with a doctor, dentist or whomever -- for the first or second slot of the day, or the first appointment right after lunch so you won't have to wait as long.

Next idea: Raise money for charity in return for favors. If someone asks a favor of me, I ask him to write a check to my favorite charity in return for my help. And I am willing to do the same for him.

Next idea: Treat waitstaff in restaurants with intelligence and compassion. People often evaluate how you handle others. Treat everyone with respect.

Next idea: Get your hands dirty. If you need to make a good impression on people, discover the chores they hate and then help them out. That might be doing the minutes for a board meeting, or it could be making fundraising calls. And maybe the request doesn't fit my skill set, but I can help find someone who can help.

Next idea: Gatekeepers can open a lot of doors for you. Treat them with dignity. Respect their power. And above all, acknowledge their help. I tell them that I prefer to work with them. Gatekeepers make and predetermine more decisions than people ever realize.

Next idea: Be prepared for the worst. It's critical to ask yourself or your staff what can go wrong. Prime example: A couple of years ago when the Indianapolis Colts were playing the Chicago Bears in the Super Bowl and it rained during the entire game, then-Colts quarterback Peyton Manning was prepared. Every year he practices a wet-ball drill with his center. He takes a bucket of water, dips the football in, and takes repeated snaps so he is prepared. The Bears quarterback didn't prepare for the weather and fumbled the game away.

Mackay's Moral: The smarter I get, the more I realize I'm not finished learning.

When I was cutting my teeth in the sales game right after college, I made sure to read or listen to everything I could get my hands on from several sales and motivational legends -- Napoleon Hill, Earl Nightingale, Dale Carnegie, Norman Vincent Peale, Jim Rohn and Zig Ziglar.

I, like many people around the world, was saddened to hear about the recent death of my friend Zig. He was one of a kind. I was fortunate to share the stage with him several times, and I will be forever grateful for those opportunities.

His inimitable style was contagious. If you were lucky enough to ever hear him speak, you understand how he stayed at the top of his game for more than 40 years. As he was fond of saying, "People often say motivation doesn't last. Neither does bathing -- that's why we recommend it daily."

Zig was simply one of the greatest motivators and sales trainers of all time. He made everyone better with his extremely positive attitude. Who can forget his classic line, "I'm so optimistic, I'd go after Moby Dick in a rowboat and take the tartar sauce with me"?

He espoused the theory that everyone can develop an enthusiasm for life. He told a story about a woman who was the top salesperson in her company of 1,200 salespeople. She broke every record in the industry. Zig asked her, "How did you do it?" She said, "God didn't make me with an off-switch."

Another big subject for Zig was balancing work and family, which was so important to him. One of his pearls of wisdom on this subject: "Many marriages would be better if the husband and wife clearly understood that they are on the same side."

We were both active in the National Speakers Association and members of its Hall of Fame. We shared a similar speaking philosophy. Both of us realized that in order to educate, you need to entertain. Make your audience laugh every five to 10 minutes. Introduce a new lesson, concept or idea to your audience every few minutes as well, to keep their attention.

Zig was genuinely friendly to everyone. After every speech, he hung around and answered any and all questions until the lights went out. Motivational speakers come and go, but his work will live on because he practiced what he preached.

Zig loved comic strips and sports, especially the amazing feats of teams. He also collected anecdotes because he knew stories can be great teachers.

Zig started out in sales, just as I did. He hawked everything from lawn-mowing services to cookware and insurance. He said, "Every sale has five basic obstacles: no need, no money, no hurry, no desire, no trust."

After many years in sales, he realized that his real gift was his positive attitude and energy. He became a full-time motivational speaker and author. He wrote more than two dozen best-selling books, chock-full of take-home value. Gems like these, short and sweet and definitely to the point, will live on and on:

"Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude."

"There are no traffic jams on the extra mile."

"If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time."

"Outstanding people have one thing in common: an absolute sense of mission."

"If you learn from defeat, you haven't really lost."

"People don't buy for logical reasons. They buy for emotional reasons."

"A lot of people quit looking for work as soon as they find a job."

"Every choice you make has an end result."

"Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have 24-hour days."

"You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great."

"If you go out looking for friends, you're going to find they are very scarce. If you go out to be a friend, you'll find them everywhere."

"You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want."

"It was character that got us out of bed, commitment that moved us into action and discipline that enabled us to follow through."

"Failing is an event, not a person. Yesterday ended last night."

Mackay's Moral (from Zig): "You are what you are and you are where you are because of what has gone into your mind. You change what you are and you change where you are by changing what goes into your mind."