Professional Documents
Culture Documents
188 Business Tips (and 300 Questions) to Get Your Brain Juices Flowing 3
Table of Contents
Give People What They Want, Even If You Don't Have It ............ 161
Introduction
OK so this book began as a daily blog. My goal was to send out one
business tip per day for one year. Well, I got about half way there. I
was a little disappointed with myself, but then I realized I did write
187 tips. That’s not too shabby and certainly enough for a book.
So tip number one is: make the most of what you have. Sometimes
stepping out and trying can lead you to different results than you
expected, but they can still be successful. (I also needed to add one
more tip lest you think this is a book about being a hitman.)
If you have any bolt of lightning inspirations from reading this, please
drop me a line and let me know what it is, I’d like to know. You can
always get my latest contact details on www.MichaelDaehn.com.
-Michael Daehn
Saint Louis, MO 2010
188 Business Tips (and 300 Questions) to Get Your Brain Juices Flowing 19
20 188 Business Tips (and 300 Questions) to Get Your Brain Juices Flowing
Is there a crowd gathered and clamoring for what you do? What
could you do to get a crowd started and the momentum moving
forward?
We all make mistakes, and when you are dealing with customers they
are an opportunity to make a good impression. If you show you are
188 Business Tips (and 300 Questions) to Get Your Brain Juices Flowing 21
When it comes to web design, try to stick with convention. That is,
don't deviate too far from what is generally the standard practice on
other websites. No matter how great your site is, cumulatively people
spend more time on other people's websites.
When I work with clients on new site designs most people want
something cool or innovative. Those are good qualities, but some
areas are off limits. It's not a good idea to come up with new ways to
navigate your site. People get used to navigating sites a certain way so
making them learn a new way to get around your site is not the best
idea. Most people will just leave your site.
When blue words don't link, icons change into a new shape, or
pictures go blank it is confusing to site visitors. When in doubt, ask
users what they expected to happen.
Limit Choices
Giving customers choices is a good idea, but don't give too many or
you will confuse them. When I sold PDA's for FranklinCovey, we
offered IPaqs, Palms and Handspring devices in a wide range of
prices. Most of my customers didn't know where to begin. After
24 188 Business Tips (and 300 Questions) to Get Your Brain Juices Flowing
asking them some questions about their needs and planned uses for
the device I would narrow the best choices down to a few units.
When I first started I would explain the features of any and all the
PDA's people wanted to hear about. This was way too much
information. By narrowing the choices to the best fit for each person
I was providing a service and making the decision easier for
customers. And I started selling more PDA's.
For example:
· Should videos auto play or should people hit the play button? Let
visitors choose to hit the play button.
Leadership is Influence
What kind of leader are you? Are you effective long term? Do
your people follow you because of your influence or because of
your threats?
· Dangle a carrot
· Threaten a whip
Many managers use the jack ass approach, but people are more
complex than animals. Motivating employees is about more than
rewards and punishment, it's about motivation. Find out what makes
people tick and help them fulfill their passion.
Do you use the carrot and stick approach with employees? How
do you motivate them?
188 Business Tips (and 300 Questions) to Get Your Brain Juices Flowing 27
Once you choose the right tools, make sure they are working
together. Do your print ads have a web address? Do you post your
commercials on your website? Do you mail a schedule of events to
your customers?
The more tools you use and the better you integrate them, the more
powerful your marketing is.
· Public Relations
· Publicity
· Advertising
28 188 Business Tips (and 300 Questions) to Get Your Brain Juices Flowing
· Sales Promotion
· Personal Selling
· Direct Marketing
· Internet/Interactive
Some tools work better than others depending on your message and
your audience. Make sure you pick the right ones.
What marketing tools do you use? Why did you pick them?
Marketing is Communication
Timing
Fast Enough
The first PC processors were relatively slow, but eventually they got
fast enough. My car can go 110, but I rarely go over 70. That's fast
enough.
If you keep finding yourself in the same bad business deals guess
what the constant is...you. The same goes if you keep trying the latest
marketing fad, or watching your best people leave the company.
Something needs to change, and that something is you.
If you call a meeting, make sure to send out an agenda ahead of time.
This gets everyone on the same page as to what is to be covered and
in how much time. It also is a way to ensure you cover what you need
to in the time you have. It's a great way to prepare your participants
so they can be ready with some answers when you meet. If you get
called to a meeting, make sure you get the agenda ahead of time. No
agenda, no meeting.
· Apple
· Taco Bell
· Chrysler
· Microsoft
· The Olympics
Since real logos are pictures, they are international by their nature. So
if you ever intend to have a global reach, build a brand around a
pictorial logo.
Use a Logo
Logos allow you to connect with people on another level. Your logo
should be a visual representation of your business that people react
to on an emotional right brain way. If your logo is a font, you do not
have a logo. Unique fonts are great and complement to your logo,
but they are not your logo.
Blogs are a great way to accumulate and organize content. If you can
post a handful of juicy morsels a few times a week, by the end of the
year you will have enough information for a book, or as some call it a
blook. You gotta know I'm turnin' this puppy into a book as soon as
the year is up. (Yep)
Write an Outline
Not everyone is an author, but it can be easier than you think. If you
can write an outline you are halfway there. Can you come up with 7
or 8 key principles to share with customers about your business? You
have an outline. All you have to do is put some detail and explanation
to these and you have yourself a book- presto!
What are some key principles for your business? How could
you share these with customers? Why not write a book?
Write a Book
I hear it all the time when it comes to web design "we'll make the site
and then the designers can make it look pretty." Good design is more
than just making things look pretty. Good design is creating websites,
and products, made for human beings.
Find something more important to put in the prime real estate usually
devoted to these sad vestiges of web design past.
If you want people to make good decisions then provide them with
as much information as possible. If you feel like your people can't be
trusted with sensitive data then you have the wrong people working
38 188 Business Tips (and 300 Questions) to Get Your Brain Juices Flowing
for you. And their imaginations are always worse than anything you
can tell them.
Feature:
Benefit:
It's a quick way to boost you business thinking without spending a lot
of time
You may know why your product's features are beneficial, but you
may need to fill in the blanks for your busy customers.
188 Business Tips (and 300 Questions) to Get Your Brain Juices Flowing 39
Colors Matter
What do you when you come to a red light? How about when you
come to a stop sign? What do these items have in common...they're
both red. Green means go, white means purity, black means death.
Colors have meaning.
hook up with a good designer that can help you make powerful
choices.
What color are you? What colors best represent your business?
There's an old saying in hockey: play for the name on the front of
your jersey, not the name on the back. In other words, play for your
team's success, not your own.
Hockey is a team sport. Individuals can only win when they make
their team better. The best hockey player of all time, Wayne Gretzky,
made his teammates great. He had more than twice as many assists as
goals.
The same goes for business. If you are always out to make yourself
look good, you may hinder your team, and probably look like a jerk
in the process. I know I do better at work when I focus on making
others successful rather than how I am going to get the credit.
188 Business Tips (and 300 Questions) to Get Your Brain Juices Flowing 41
Even if you work for yourself, the best thing you can do is to make
your customers look good. Business is a team sport.
The best companies stay fresh and never let up. The ones that do get
caught off guard by a wily start up or disruptive technology do so
because they get cocky. Make sure you keep playing full speed.
Lay out what people are supposed to be doing before they start work.
If you do not have a clear goal in mind of what you want people to
do, it is likely you will not get the results you want. By putting them
down on paper you have something to discuss and clarify.
Realize that jobs often change over time and that the description may
need to change with it. If you have people currently working that do
not have job descriptions, have them write one for their job and you
write one too. Then compare and contrast your versions, it may
surprise you.
positive reinforcement, and you are also setting the standard for how
you lead and manage your team.
· You talk to the people who are doing the hands on work
· You get a feel for the climate and culture of your organization
· Your butt looks slimmer because you are not sitting at your
desk all day
44 188 Business Tips (and 300 Questions) to Get Your Brain Juices Flowing
Having trouble getting those important books read? Put them in your
bathroom. The next time you need to make a pit stop you can catch
up on some reading.
188 Business Tips (and 300 Questions) to Get Your Brain Juices Flowing 45
What do you read in the bathroom? Are you going to leave this
book in the bathroom?
Get Naked
Stop the hype. Strip down the rhetoric. Be yourself. When it comes
to marketing today you need to be transparent and show who you
really are. Use your real voice. Get naked.
· AmphetaDesk
188 Business Tips (and 300 Questions) to Get Your Brain Juices Flowing 47
· Bloglines
· Fastladder
· Google News
· Google Reader
· Imooty.eu
· Live.com
· mDigger
· Netvibes
· Newsknowledge
· Planet aggregator
· Rojo.com
· Yahoo.com
How could you save time and stay informed by using a feed
reader/aggregator?
48 188 Business Tips (and 300 Questions) to Get Your Brain Juices Flowing
There are lots of internet doohickeys and gizmos floating about these
days, but the RSS feed is really valuable. RSS stands for Really Simple
Syndication and if you have a home page with MSN, AOL or Yahoo!
you are probably already using them. RSS feeds provide the news
stories you subscribe to and the cool thing is if you have blog you can
create your own feed.
I predict that some form of RSS will likely replace email in the future
due to its ability to bypass spam. For that reason alone it's worth
checking out. It is likely to be a major form of communication with
your customers in the future.
Usually our choices are not between good and evil, but between good
and good. That's why it is tough to make a decision, and tough to say
no. Your job is to find the best thing to do with your:
· Time
· Money
188 Business Tips (and 300 Questions) to Get Your Brain Juices Flowing 49
· Attention
· Love
· Advertising budget
There are lots of good things you could do, but what is the best thing
you could do?
Say No
If no is a hard word for you to say to people I guarantee you are over
committed. You may feel like you are being nice by saying yes to
people, but if you can't follow through because of all the stuff on
your plate it's not nice at all.
Better to say no and find time to do it than to say yes and not do it,
even when you are talking to customers.
50 188 Business Tips (and 300 Questions) to Get Your Brain Juices Flowing
Take a Braincation
Give your brain a break. If you are at your computer all day like me,
you should take short breaks at least once an hour. It may seem like
you are being more productive when you work non-stop, but your
brain doesn't think so. A quick walk around the office can really
boost your productivity.
Do you have any idea how customers find you, interact, and make a
purchase? Creating a flow chart can really help you see the whole
process.
188 Business Tips (and 300 Questions) to Get Your Brain Juices Flowing 51
Do you have a flowchart for your business? How do you use it?
Does it help?
We are not sure how domain names are going to factor into future
life, but right now they are pretty important. You probably already
got one for your business (at least I hope you did), but have you
thought about your personal name?
Do a Beta Test
Start a Fight
Hockey fights are great. It's hard to explain to a non-hockey fan the
role they play in the game and why they are necessary. One purpose
is for the combatants to energize their teammates and fans.
188 Business Tips (and 300 Questions) to Get Your Brain Juices Flowing 53
You will often see a fight when a team needs to change the
momentum. Maybe they just went down by two goals. Maybe their
team looks like it is sleeping on the bench. Perhaps the fans are
quieter than a librarian convention.
Look at the crowd, and the benches, when a fight breaks out.
Everyone is on their feet yelling, cheering and getting their blood
pumping.
Maybe you can't drop the gloves and punch someone in the head, but
sometimes you have to do something similar to change the
momentum and get people's attention.
Compromise Sucks
Compromise is 1+1=1
It takes more effort, and maturity, but synergy is always better than
compromise.
Embrace Conflict
I love working with people who take responsibility for their actions.
On the other when they focus too much on what they did or didn't
do, it becomes a distraction. Take accountability and get back in the
game. That's what your team and your co-workers need from you.
What do you do when you make a mistake? How do you get the
focus back on the team?
Ever wanted to have your own TV channel? Well your day has
arrived. Create your own videos and post them to these free sites:
56 188 Business Tips (and 300 Questions) to Get Your Brain Juices Flowing
· YouTube
· Google Video
· MetaCafe
Once posted, you can share these videos on your own website, blog
or social network. You can also let other people download or share
your videos on their sites if they like it. Do you feel like a big
Hollywood producer yet?
Get Permission
Don't Spam
If you send email to someone that they did not ask for it is spam.
You may or not get into legal trouble for violating the CAN-SPAM
Act, but it is definitely bad for business. Don't be a spammer.
Start a Newsletter
58 188 Business Tips (and 300 Questions) to Get Your Brain Juices Flowing
Don't see any online social networks that work for you? Start your
own. All of these sites let you make your own for free:
· Ning
· KickApps
· CrowdVine
188 Business Tips (and 300 Questions) to Get Your Brain Juices Flowing 59
· GoingOn
· CollectiveX
· Me.com
· PeopleAggregator
· Haystack
· ONEsite
How could you profit from creating your own social network
online?
focused for those sites, but there are also business focused sites like
LinkedIn and Plaxo.
Online networks are able to leverage the breadth and reach of instant
and asynchronous communication.
Are you part of an online social network? What could you gain
by being a part? What could you give?
Measure
Usually when I meet with a client they want a new website, brochure
or ad campaign. When I start asking questions about their
competitive advantage, or an explanation of what they do in a
sentence I get blank stares.
188 Business Tips (and 300 Questions) to Get Your Brain Juices Flowing 61
Write an Article
What are you an expert on? Why not write an article to share with
customers, prospects and the world? Once you have written in, be
sure to post in on your website or blog, send it to magazines and
newspapers and/or post to an article directory.
Vlog
Do you have a blog? Do you have a camera or cell phone that can
take video? Why not upload short video clips to your blog using
YouTube or GoogleVideo? Now you are vlogging (video blogging).
These buildings were created as low cost efficient places for people
to live, not homes. People are more complex than machines. Creating
something that works is rarely enough. Creating something that
188 Business Tips (and 300 Questions) to Get Your Brain Juices Flowing 63
Shine your shoes. Clean shiny shoes look nice. A lot of women say
they first look at a man's shoes to size him up.
It's a popular rumor that holidays like Valentine's Day, Boss's Day
and Mother's Day were created by the greeting card companies. How
does that make you feel? Manipulated? Grateful? Jealous?
If it's true, it was a pretty smart move. What guy would be dumb
enough not to buy at least a card for Valentine's day? Well if you can't
beat 'em, join 'em.
When you create events like this, eventually they become a public
standard.
How could you create a special day for your customers to use or
update your product?
188 Business Tips (and 300 Questions) to Get Your Brain Juices Flowing 65
The idea of word of mouth marketing is not new, but the shift here is
in the real power in the marketing relationship. Spreading an idea
virus is dependent on empowering the market, not controlling it. Old
school marketing is all about pushing a message. Marketing today
only works when the market is given control and decides whether or
not it wants to spread the message for you.
There has been a backlash against people who send out and accept
invitations to connect with anyone on social networks. I am a bit
suspicious when I see a business networker with 500 connections. I
think they are more likely a spammer than a good communicator.
If you agree with Anderson's premise, the time has never been better
to offer products with a narrow appeal. As my friend Bob Baker says,
"the riches are in the niches."
The book Blink by Malcolm Gladwell explores the notion that you
make snap judgments about people and situations. The interesting
thing is that those first impressions are usually the most accurate. A
few lessons to be learned:
68 188 Business Tips (and 300 Questions) to Get Your Brain Juices Flowing
· Make sure you are ready when you first meet your customers.
You may not get another chance to impress them.
· You are who you are and people know it at some level. No
amount of glitz and glamour can cover up for a poor product
or lack of character.
There are a lot of short cuts you can take in business, but if you want
to be around long term you must focus on what leaves a lasting
impression. As a salesman I knew I could make a quick buck here
and there by telling customers what they wanted to hear. Instead I
188 Business Tips (and 300 Questions) to Get Your Brain Juices Flowing 69
What I may have lost in short term sales, I gained in credibility. I saw
customers return to the store and ask me questions because they
knew I was honest. When I did recommend a purchase they usually
bought it because they knew I had their best interest at heart.
If you are working for the short term dollar, then don't plan on being
in business for long. Once you have burned your customers once,
they don't come back. By thinking long term and giving up a quick
sale on occasion you build trust and a lasting enterprise.
You can't force that much information into your brain in one night.
The little you do regurgitate on the test is likely to be gone by the
time you graduate and may need some of that information.
Farmers understand that they can not plant their seeds the night
before and expect a crop in the morning. There needs to be a
growing season when the seeds get water, light and time to bloom.
The same is true for business. It takes time to see success. Most
businesses fail in the first 2 years. I think this is because most people
feel it is taking too long and give up. 2 years was never in their game
plan.
What are you really good at? How long did it take you to master
it? Was it overnight?
188 Business Tips (and 300 Questions) to Get Your Brain Juices Flowing 71
I am amazed at the people that still believe you can get rich quick
with no effort. Even the people pushing that message are working
really hard to get you to buy their book, CD or seminar.
You reap what you sow. The more seed you plant, the more likely
you are to get a good harvest. You also must be planting good seeds.
If your product is no good, it doesn't matter how much time you
spend trying to get more people to buy it. It's a dead seed.
Sure your friends can be great referral resources, but the best
business networks are the ones that reach beyond your circle of
friends. Quite often the biggest deals are made with the random
person you meet or a friend of a friend you hardly know. Take time
to cultivate and look for people beyond the folks you know
personally. Reaching out and connecting with new people is the key
to successful networking.
Who are the people on the fringe of your network? How can
you find out if they would be good for your business? How
could you connect with them?
Have you ever been to a networking event? What did you think?
188 Business Tips (and 300 Questions) to Get Your Brain Juices Flowing 75
Create a Toolbar
Have you used the Google Toolbar? It is a handy little gizmo that
stays on top of the pages you are visiting. I use the search box all the
time.
Now you can create your own toolbar and brand it with your
company information. There are companies that will do it for a fee,
or sell you software, but I recommend working with a company
called BenefitBar. They make their money from search, but they
share some of that with you and do all the set up and maintenance of
your toolbar for you.
Create a Widget
You can make some cool little gadgets and widgets that serve content
and information from your site for free. Check out some of these
websites:
· Widgetbox
· Springwidgets
· Lab pixies
· Mashable
I created my own daily blog called Biz Memes where I share a business thought
each day.
Check out the daily blog called Biz Memes where you can get a thought each day
to spur your business thinking.
The first one is all about me. The second one is all about you. If you
want to get into the heads of your readers and customers, make it
about them.
· Layout- based on the content you have, lay out the page to
accomplish your purpose
Sounds simple, but it can be harder than it sounds. Make sure you
take your time and draw this out on a piece of paper or white board
first. Making changes once websites have been created costs a lot
more than erasing a few lines and starting over.
I run into this frequently in web design. When I ask what the page is
supposed to accomplish, I usually get a list of items the customer
wants on the page. Or I get descriptions of being cool, flashy or
professional.
The first challenge is to decide what the primary function of the site
is. The form then facilitates and enhances the functionality.
188 Business Tips (and 300 Questions) to Get Your Brain Juices Flowing 79
So think function first then determine the best form to get it done.
How can you use the form follows function principle in your
business?
While there are exceptions, most people don't watch videos that are
longer than 5 minutes on the web so:
Ask any bookstore manager or buyer and they will tell you that they
do judge books by their covers. In fact, most of the time the only
thing they see is the cover to determine whether or not they should
carry the title.
Even if you are not publishing books, realize you have a brief
moment to capture attention. The better you package and present
your product, or yourself, the better your odds of someone giving
you a chance and finding out more.
I have a 3 year old and have learned to reward good behavior and
ignore undesirable behavior (as long as it is safe). Believe it or not
reprimanding is a form of reinforcement. If the only time my girl gets
noticed is when she acts out, not when she does good, she will do
crazy stuff to get my attention.
I've noticed in organizations that people respond the same way. You
may have process and mission statements in place, but if people are
only noticed when they behave a certain way, they will repeat it, good
or bad.
It is difficult not to always suggest the high priced item when you are
on straight commission. There was also competition on the sales
floor for the limited customers available that lead to an environment
that was not always customer friendly.
URL stands for Uniform Resource Locator, but most people call it a
web address. It's the name of your page after the WWW. How you
name this makes a difference. I'm sure you have seen lots of gobbely
gook like this:
http://www.blogger.com/post-
create.g?blogID=4875028483495417897
What does all that stuff mean? Not much to the human eye, and
often not much to search engines either. Google doesn't seem to like
long URL's with the extra letters and numbers afterwards. As much
as you can, make sure you keep these URL's simple and easy to read
by humans and computers alike.
188 Business Tips (and 300 Questions) to Get Your Brain Juices Flowing 85
When titling your web pages make sure to put the most detailed
information first:
People are scanning your page or search engine results for answers so
it is best to put the most relevant information first. People find it
faster, and search engines index properly.
If your web page title says "New Page" seek professional help
immediately.
Studies have shown that people read in an F pattern when they are
scanning material. If you are writing copy for a blog or website realize
that most people are scanning for relevant information.
When you are writing copy for your brochure, newsletter or website
remember the inverted pyramid:
Notice that the amount of writing increases as you move down the
list, like a pyramid. The idea is to get your main point across early and
provide details for your target audience.
88 188 Business Tips (and 300 Questions) to Get Your Brain Juices Flowing
You can tell I am not a lawyer, but I believe in practice contracts are
worthless:
The bottom line is to work with honest people and go light on the
paperwork.
When is the last time you made a deal with a handshake? How
did it turn out?
188 Business Tips (and 300 Questions) to Get Your Brain Juices Flowing 89
I always wondered why Jack, Chrissy and Janet didn't get the facts
straight more often. You would think they would have learned from
their past mistakes. Well, you know better. If something seems fishy,
go to the source and get all the facts before you make judgments.
If your employees are not buying your product, what you do and/or
what you stand for, it is unlikely your customers will either. Satisfied
employees are at the heart of every successful business.
90 188 Business Tips (and 300 Questions) to Get Your Brain Juices Flowing
If you have a big company, you may want to celebrate all the
birthdays of the month at one time. Otherwise you will need to start
a Weight Watchers chapter on site to combat all the birthday cake
calories your consuming.
Be a Problem Solver
I get so frustrated dealing with frontline sales and service people that
can't think beyond corporate policy. There almost always is some
kind of solution when there is a problem. It may be different than
what the customer or the employee expected, but there are always
alternatives.
92 188 Business Tips (and 300 Questions) to Get Your Brain Juices Flowing
Sell a Solution
Realize that you are not selling a product, you are selling a solution.
Find out what problem your customer has and find them a solution.
You may discover that your product does not solve their problem.
Recommend a product that does. By establishing yourself as a
problem solver, customers will come to you first the next time they
have a need.
Asking yes or no questions can really hurt you on the sales floor:
Customer: No.
On the other hand, when you ask open ended questions you get back
useful information:
Customer: Witty response that gives you insight into what they need.
you stop trying to please everyone and focus on the target audience
that really matters the better off you will be.
Some salespeople find a pitch that works and use the same technique
on every customer. Don't be that guy. Being a robot is not the best
sales approach. Realize that there are different types of customers
including the following:
· I know what I want, let me get it, pay and get out of here as
fast as possible
188 Business Tips (and 300 Questions) to Get Your Brain Juices Flowing 95
It's good to put yourself in your customer's shoes, but don't project
all your thoughts onto them. Your customers are not you. They have
wildly different thoughts, feelings and goals than you. Don't expect
them to approach your business or your product the same way you
do.
If you are not sure how to approach a customer, put yourself in their
shoes. Try to imagine what it would be like to buy your product for
the first time.
· Fear
· Uncertainty
· Doubt
188 Business Tips (and 300 Questions) to Get Your Brain Juices Flowing 97
They most likely have not been to your business before and are not
sure what to expect. Just say hi and put them at ease. The rest will
flow from there.
How can you relieve the FUD factor for your customers?
I put my desk facing the wall in my office. This leaves room for
people to come in and meet. Most of the people where I work have
their desks in the middle of the room. You have to look across their
desk at them when you go in to talk.
I feel like I am going in to see the Principal when people have their
desks like that. When you put your desk against the wall, you are
inviting people to come in and share your space. Unless you are
trying to intimidate people, put your desk against the wall.
When you are doing a deal, or showing someone your product, try to
sit next to them. Sitting next to people puts you on their side, so you
188 Business Tips (and 300 Questions) to Get Your Brain Juices Flowing 99
are working together. When you sit across, it feels more like a
transaction and a negotiation.
When I tutored kids I always tried to sit next to them, or on the same
corner of the table. This is a supportive position that lets them know
I am there to help, not to yell at them. The same seating is helpful
when you meet your customers.
Some people say you should never work with family. Others say it is
a great idea to keep business in the family.
Working with family poses a big risk. If things don't work out, or you
don't get along it can lead to hard feelings. The nice thing about
working with strangers is that you can ignore them or do something
else if things go sour. With family that is not possible.
It is amazing much fun you can have when you are working with
people you love. For Example:
· I get bored working out, but have pumped iron with buddies
and laughed the whole time
Little tasks can be fun, and bonding, when you do it with people you
love. Imagine how cool it would be to work that way all the time for
your business.
Do you love the people you work with? What would your
business be like if everyone really enjoyed the work they did
because they did it together?
If you step off a cliff you are going to go splat. Gravity is the
principle that will suck you down to your death. Gravity is also the
principle that keeps us all from floating off into space.
No matter what area of business you are in, principles exist that will
lead to success or failure depending on how you behave. So figure
out the best practices for your industry and make principles work for
you.
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It is easy to get sucked into the day to day chores of your business.
Don't do it. The great companies and people always reinvent
themselves in some way. The only limitations you have on how you
do business are the ones you place on yourself.
When was the last time you took a few hours to think about
your business from a fresh perspective? When could you
schedule some time into your calendar to do it this week?
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· Have a store- have your product easy to find with a fast check
out. Don't make people wait in long lines to give you money,
they may change their mind.
· Are taking phone orders- let people go straight to the part where
they give you their credit card. Don't make customers
navigate through voice mail or wait on hold while listening to
bad music.
In every case, be sure you take credit cards, debit cards, cash and
checks. Any way people want to give you money should be OK.
Merry Christmas!
The reason I try to get out of it was because I hated calling their
service line to set up the account. You would not believe how hard it
was to get them to take the money from a new subscriber. Often
times I would be told to hang up and dial another number because of
the plan the customer chose. This was after a long time on hold and
navigating multiple voice mail options.
I would think there would be a fast track to the "we'll take your
money now" line, but alas there was not. The thing is when a
customer calls your company they don't understand your internal
departments or divisions. They called to talk to or buy from your
company, not to deal with your organizational silos. Customers don't
understand why they would need to dial another number for your
same company, and they shouldn't have to.
Does everyone who works for you understand they work for the
same company? What would happen if you called the wrong
department in your company? Would you be helped, or told to
dial a different number?
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I was sitting in Barnes and Noble and heard a customer ask the girl at
the coffee counter if they took Starbucks gift cards. The girl said no
so the lady turned to her friend and said let's go to another store.
The cafe at B and N proudly displays the Starbucks logo all over the
place. Why wouldn't a customer think they could buy Starbucks
coffee from a counter selling Starbucks Coffee with their Starbucks
gift card?
And watch what you say, because you never know when some guy
with big ears and a computer is writing about you.
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How to Be an Expert
Being an expert is the best way to get customers today. Some of the
ways to establish yourself as an expert include:
· Blogging
· Writing articles
· Authoring books
· Speaking
· Consulting
· Teaching
· Coaching
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Notice that they all involve writing at some level. Writing is at the
root of establishing yourself as an expert.
Be an Expert
So if you want people to buy your product today, the best way to do
it is to position yourself as an expert.
Be Transparent
The day of the flashy, carefully worded ad are over. The Internet is
about laying aside fake personas and showing who you really are.
This shift in communication has changed how people interact with
companies on every level. If you are still trying to look like a big
company when you are not, or a friendly little guy when you are a
giant you are going to lose. Be transparent, be yourself.
Most people think it is safer to work for a big company than to start
their own business. The exact opposite is true. When you work for
someone else:
It is far riskier to work for someone else and rely on their success to
keep you afloat. When you work for yourself you don't have to worry
about getting fired. And if you structure your business right, you will
have many sources of passive income so that you get paid whether
you work or not.
Do you work for someone else? How could you start to build a
business for yourself? How could you attain passive income?
Most people start their own business because they want the freedom
and flexibility of being their own boss. The problem is that they work
for the business instead of the business working for them. They
become a slave as everything from customer service to mopping the
floor becomes part of their job description.
So how do you avoid this trap? The secret is to hire, trust and
empower people to help you make your business a success.
Do you work for your business or does your business work for
you?
· Requires trust- you have to believe the people you empower are
capable of getting the job done
Empower People
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Have you ever heard the word empowerment? I don't think most
people know what it means. Either people think it is some bizarre
management term, or that it means having other people do things.
Leave a Comment
Allow Comments
If you have a blog or website, make sure you allow comments. You
can learn a lot when you let people talk back. Big businesses pay lots
of cash to get feedback from their customers. Comments are free.
If you are afraid of what people may say, you can always moderate
your comments or approve them before they go live on your site. I
recommend you allow people to comment without screening them.
Even if they say something negative, it shows you have nothing to
hide.
Shake Hands
Nothing like a good old fashioned hand shake to say hello, show
respect or cement a deal. Make sure you always shake with your right
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hand, even if you are a lefty, and get a decent grip. Don't try to
impress the other person with a vice grip, but don't limp wrist it
either, that's worse. A nice solid bite and brisk shake is all it takes.
If you are holding something in your right hand, then move it to your
left and shake with your right. If you are at a party or social scene and
you have a drink, make sure you use your left hand to drink so your
right is free for shaking.
Do you always shake with your right hand? What kind of grip
do you have?
· Rocky
· Rudy
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· The Natural
· Star Wars
If these characters can come back against the odds so can you. But if
you are not into fiction try a biographical movie about one of these
folks:
· Abe Lincoln
· Thomas Edison
· Helen Keller
These were real people who faced some stiff challenges and
persevered. You can too.
What are your favorite inspirational movies? Why not watch one
this week?
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Give Me a Medium
Since most people want the medium size, call it a medium. Don't get
cutesy with your offerings. When you offer medium, large or jumbo
you only confuse your customers. Follow the standard naming
conventions of your industry.
Making your own names not only frustrates people, it makes you
look kind of snobby. If they were smarter, they would know how to
ask for the right product. So unless you are trying to be an elite
company that narrows its customers to a select few, just give me a
medium.
When given the choice of small, medium or Large, most people pick
medium. So why not offer just medium? Because people want to
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have a choice. Plus you will have some people that want to feel
thrifty by choosing a small, and the high living folks that want the
best at all times that choose large.
Knowing your company history is a big deal. It explains how you got
to the culture you have today. Remembering important events and
milestones creates an identity.
People came to hear you speak for a reason. It's OK to use slides, but
use them to enhance what you are saying. Don't make the slides the
speech, or you are unnecessary.
If you are giving a presentation you may think the most interested
people are in the front and the least interested in the back. There is
some truth to this, but studies have shown in academic situations
there is more of a "T" to how people sit.
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This means that the most engaged audience members usually sit in
the front and in the middle, all the way to the back of the room. So
keep an eye out for people dozing off in the other sections, but folks
sitting up front and in the middle "T" are usually into you.
So if you are ready to jump into the web marketplace, strap on your
seatbelt, take a deep breath and enjoy the ride.
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If you are someone who never answers their phone, give it a try some
time. You may be amazed at the response you get from people when
you actually answer your own phone. Some will be shocked, some
dismayed, and some pleasantly surprised.
Did you know you don't have to answer the phone when it rings? If I
am in the middle of something I don't have to drop everything and
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In an age of voice mail and answering machines you can actually call
somebody back. If it is important they will leave a message.
Remember the phone works for you, you don't work for the phone.
If you went to the doctor and she started filling out a prescription for
you without examination or questions you would think she was a
quack. How often do you get the full story from your customers or
employees before you give an answer?
Do you know what your customers truly want. Have you asked
them? How do you diagnose before you prescribe a product?
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Deal or No Deal
Lose-Lose is no good for anyone, but the first two end up being
Lose-Lose eventually anyway. So if you are working with someone it
needs to be a Win-Win or no deal.
How can you make doing business with you a win for you and
a win for your customers?
Where could you use the hook, look, took approach in your
business?
Wear a Tie
There are many ways to stand out, and dressing nice is one of the
easiest.
Even if you work from home, taking the time to dress professionally
puts your mind in the right place.
How do you dress for work? How could you step it up a notch?
Try lots of ideas. Throw some stuff out there and see what sticks.
Sometimes you don't know where your next product, innovation, or
market is going to emerge. By being bold you can test the waters in a
lot of areas and follow up on the things that take hold.
When was the last time you tried a new idea for your business?
What have been your best successes? Where did the idea for
those successes originate?
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1 versus 100
Sow your financial seed and look for multiple streams of income.
Most people get all of their income from one source, usually an
employer. If this income stream dries up you are in big trouble.
Entrepreneurs are on the right track because they are not relying on
someone else for income. The problem is that most entrepreneurs
put all of their eggs in one basket. They spend all their time and
resources on one idea and if it does not work they are hurting. I
know this problem first hand.
Where can you plant some small financial seeds? Would you be
happy getting 100 small checks a month?
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A lot of people use the praise then reprimand approach. "You are a
spectacular person, but you smell bad." The problem is that people
don't remember anything before the but.
It is much more effective to be up front with the hard stuff, and then
follow it with the soft. This works when you are dealing with:
· Employees
· Children
· Customers
· Students
· Pets
Who could you reprimand and then praise? How could this
approach help your relationship?
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Ask Why
Use 2 Monitors
If you are on the computer all day like me then an extra monitor or 2
can really make your life easier. If you are reading an email that asks if
you are available, you can have your calendar open on the other
screen. Or perhaps you want to click on a link in an email, but keep
the email open, just open the link on your extra screen. Once you use
it for a while you will wonder how you ever got by with just one
monitor.
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Make sure your customers are comfortable. If you are trying to save a
few bucks on heating but your customers' teeth are chattering so hard
they can't chew, then you have a problem. Best case scenario, your
customers don't notice the temperature, they are just comfy all the
time in your place.
Give Thanks
Thanksgiving is about thanking God, but even if you are not into that
stuff, there are plenty of people to thank:
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· Parents
· Friends
· Customers
· Employees
· Cashiers
· Postmen
· Pizza Girl
· Cable Guy
Go Green
· The environment
· Superior service
· Customer testimonials
Adults like to play sometimes but they are not given the chance.
Break out some markers or playdoh for your next project or ice
breaker. Adults may moan at first, but after a few minutes its hard to
get them to stop. There is a kid in all of us that still likes to play.
If you are working with kids treat them like adults sometimes. Give
them some grown up responsibilities. Ask them to do more than
people usually think they are capable of doing. Kids love it when you
treat them like they can do more.
Besides reducing clutter, you are sure to have the things you really
use close at hand.
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Use the FAD (file, act, delete) principle to get organized. This works
great with email. When you go through your inbox be sure to file the
message, act on it or delete it right away. Do not read it and leave it
in your inbox. If you do not have time to file, act or delete then wait
until later to read your messages. FAD saves you time because you
only handle each message once. Give it a try.
How do you handle your inbox? Could the FAD system save
you time?
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Read magazines that seem weird to you because you do not usually
read them. You will get great insights and new ideas by looking at
material you usually ignore like:
· Wired
· People
· Time
· Ninja Monthly
Be Yourself
Be yourself.
So be yourself.
Give your brain a break at least once an hour. There is a reason that
most classes are scheduled to be 50 minutes long. Even if you don't
leave your desk, try to give yourself a mental break. It may seem like
you are playing hookie, but you will actually improve your
productivity by getting away for a break.
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A lot of people are afraid to post their email, phone or address in fear
they will get spammed. Well here's the deal, you will get spammed.
The other side of the coin is that you want your customers to be able
to find you.
Particularly on the web, the only way people who don't already know
you can find you is if you freely share your contact information.
Some people have customers fill out a contact form. This is lame.
Post your information so people can call or email you right away. If
you get some junk mail that's just the price of doing business.
Get Ergonomic
Be ergonomic by making sure your work area is a good fit for your
body. How you sit where your desk is, how you set up your monitor
and/or workstation can make a big difference in how you feel at the
end of the day.
If you are having pain in your arm try a trackball mouse. I won't
compute without one anymore. And if you feel a little depressed, try
opening the window shade or installing natural lighting. These little
changes can make a big difference in how well you do you work and
how long.
If you still aren't sure how they work, take a look at this and turn
your head to the left:
:-)
It's a face with 2 eyes, a nose and a smile. Still can't see it? Turn your
monitor clockwise 90 degrees. Just kidding ;-)
Knock, Knock.
Who's there?
Carry a Pen
There are some sleek models that fit in your front pocket. My
favorite is the Space Pen. Don't leave home without packin' some
ink.
If you really want to work with someone don't just give them your
card, get theirs. If you have their information you control your own
destiny and do not have to rely on their organizational skills to
contact you. If they don't have a card then write down their
information with the pen you always carry.
If you won't ask someone for their card, how can you ask them for
their business?
If you are using cheesy clip art, razor thin paper or perforated print at
home sheets then you need new business cards. Have fun and
experiment. It's your card and you can make it however you want. If
your company makes your card, make your own set and hand them
both out. Just because your company is boring does not mean you
have to be.
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Don't be caught without your business card. You should have your
cards with you everywhere you go. You never know when you are
going to make that special connections with someone.
How has being in the right place at the right time helped your
business? How could being prepared with your contact info on
your business card help you next time?
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Have you ever been to a networking event and there is a guy going
around the room handing out his card. He'll come up to you, say hi,
ask your name and hand you a card.
Relationships are not built on business cards. Cards are a handy way
to share vital contact info without writing everything down. BUT the
relationship comes before the card. If you are in a room of 100
people networking making 2 or 3 good connections is much more
valuable than handing out 100 cards to strangers.
· You can all look up and stay on the same train of thought.
Even when you are alone a white board is a great way to sketch out
ideas.
Hey, let some air in there. Real life is not like the cheesy ads for
laptop computers. You probably are not sitting on the beach with
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your computer. More likely you have been cooped up in your office
all day.
Open a window. Can't open the window or you don't have one in
your cubicle? Take a walk outside. It's good for you and what's good
for you is good for your productivity.
You need sunlight and fresh air on occasion. Did you know Vitamin
D comes from the sun? Take a walk and if anyone asks what you are
doing smile and say "gettin' some D, just gettin' some D..."
When's the last time you went outside, breathed fresh air or saw
sunlight?
Take advantage of the season you are in to pitch your product. How
can people use your product for the holiday? Would it make a good
gift? If it is a service why not offer a gift certificate people can buy
for friends and colleagues?
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Be creative. Besides the standard holidays there are seasons you can
capitalize on like:
How can you relate your product to the next season or holiday?
Internally compiling FAQ's helps you determine what people ask the
most. You can then address these concerns up front in your
marketing. It is also great preperation for you sales people. If they
already know what people are asking the most they can be prepared
with some good answers before they make the call.
What are your FAQ's? Where do you post them for customers
and employees?
Bear in mind when you create your marketing that you are not your
customer.
One thing I know for sure, you are more interested in your cool
Flash intro on your website than your customers. They want to get
the product or answer they need quickly, not watch a commercial.
Give people quick access to the bottom line or an avenue to purchase
and options to learn more or ask questions if they need help.
Does your stuff work? Do you use your own product? It's hard to
know if your stuff gets the job done when you don't use it yourself.
Most customers are more concerned with your product doing the job
than your advertising. A well made product is the best advertising.
Drive Nice
Get Testimonials
· On your flyers
· On your website
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· On your bookcover
If you can't find anyone to give you a testimonial then your product
probably sucks and you have bigger issues than advertising.
Sounds silly, but if you have a client visit your bathroom and it is a
mess it makes you look bad. We don't like to think about bathrooms
but consider your own experience. Don't nice places and businesses
have nice bathrooms? Have you ever gone to a yucky bathroom at a
restaurant- kind of rough on the appetite.
Enter a Contest
What contests are there for your industry? Why don't you enter
one?
Transformation Tools
· Surveys
· Blogs
· Comment lines
· Asking questions
· Shaking hands
Take your giving to the next level and give your whole product away.
I recently recommended to a client that they offer free downloads of
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some of their book titles and the room was aghast. Why would
anyone buy the book when they could get it free? This was the
craziest idea they ever heard.
· Major label band Radiohead sells their latest record (if we still
call it that) on their site for download and you punch in the
amount you wish to pay- I put in $0 and that's what I paid.
This is easier to swallow when you are talking about digital content
where there are few cost associated with additional downloads, but
there are ways to kick up what you are giving away to your
customers. Your customers are starting to expect it, and if you don't
do it, your competition will.
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This works great if you are giving away information or advice. If you
are giving product away be sure to narrow your gifts to your target
market or you'll go broke. There are ways to give away part of your
product for free- free consultation, free book chapter, free shampoo
with haircut...
Humans are naturally reciprocal and will try to give you something
back. The ones that don't are the creeps you don't want as customers
anyway.
Give people a reason to start the relationship and make sure you are
good enough to keep them.
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What could you give people to facilitate them giving you back a
chance at their business?
Your customers may be smart, but that does not mean they know
everything about your business. Don't assume people know your
business as well as you do. Avoid jargon and acronyms and give 'em
the straight stuff. Even people that are technical appreciate
explanations in down to Earth terms.
Your customers know a lot more than you think. Treat them like they
are intelligent decision making adults. Respect for their time and
intellect goes a long way.
why my manager didn't get it, but I did and so I did what I thought
was right for the customer. Two months later the manager was gone
and I was still there.
Start Conversations
How can you help customers find what they need, even if you
don't have it?
Listen
What if you went to a doctor's office and they started prescribing you
medication before they knew what was bothering you? What if the
doctor started asking: does your head hurt, do you have a sore back,
does your butt itch... before you could say a word. It makes no sense
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to offer customers things they did not ask for or do not need. Ask
you customers want they want and then give it to them. It will make
you both happier if you listen first.
Celebrate
Share your victories with customers. Let them know your milestones,
success stories, and anniversaries. Make them part of the family. And
since they are family celebrate the great events in their lives. Send
them a birthday card. It's more fun to work with family and friends
than strangers.
Smile
Smiling is good for business. Customers love it when you smile, your
co-workers like you better and golly it just makes you feel good.
Do you smile at work? Give it a try and see what changes. Does
your day, and your business, go better or worse?
The cool thing is this is my first post. I'm doing it now, and I only
have to come up with 364 more (or I guess 365 more since leap year
is coming up)!
164 188 Business Tips (and 300 Questions) to Get Your Brain Juices Flowing