STOP THE GOOD

GREEN CITIZEN B.S.!

     This past week, I passed a dozen retail stores at night with their electric-lighted signs shut off. My opinion? Sheer stupidity that will end up as self-fulfilling prophesy. [My opinion? Nighttime or otherwise, “A business with no sign is a sign of no business!”]

     One major mall-anchor department store I went into had the escalator to the second floor turned off. “Well,” an ernest young employee I asked about it, told me, “we haven’t had enough shopper traffic since the Christmas rush to warrant the overhead costs. At least that’s what the boss told us.” [My opinion? Idiotic, panicky, self-defeating, misguided management.] 

     A retail warehouse shopping club I visited last week had half their lights off with a placard at the entrance explaining that they were “practicing energy conservation and good citizenship by not being a drain on community electric supplies.” [My opinion? That’s B.S.!]

     Pretty opinionated, huh? Well somebody’s gotta do it. Why not me?

     What’s happening here is that businesspeople who should know better have simply stopped thinking. They are all examples of smokescreen public relations, and of admitting that they have run dry on the kinds of innovative thinking that must emerge as pervasive in business today to survive and thrive in this lousy economy.

     “Lousy” economy? Yup. (Sorry; don’t shoot the messenger!) It is frankly not getting better any time soon (until GENUINE small business job creation incentives exist, and with all the token lip-service plans afoot, plus a zero-experienced government running the show, it’s going to be quite a while!).

     Unfortunately, the environment has become a scapegoat excuse for many businesses to cut back on expenses. It’s ludicrous to think that electric lighting cutbacks are substantial enough to offset the reality of lost business, or to think (and proclaim no less) that lower electric usage is benefitting society, and that customers should applaud shopping in the dark and hiking up stationary escalators.

     Here, ladies and gentlemen, is what’s at the heart of this blog message:

Utility cutbacks do not produce sales!

     Sales are what make business go. Sales are what stimulate small business to create jobs. Some may think it sounds good, but the truth is that GREEN is OUT right now. No one — outside of a ten-minute ring around Washington, DC, or Hollywood, cares. Show people how they’ll benefit by your products and services, and don’t allow others to make feeble excuses for their own incompetency in value-adding and catering to customer service initiatives.

     Or let your people focus on cost savings instead of sales … and die on the vine.

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 LOOKING FOR LEADERSHIP? See Hal’s 12/30 Guest Blog Post at TBD Consulting’s Jonena Relth’s HIGHLY-RECOMMENDED site http://bit.ly/XhN1h

 WONDERING WHEN NO is Better Than MAYBE? See Hal’s 1/6 Guest Blog Post in BonMot Communications’ Angelique Rewer’s FREE HIGHLY-RECOMMENDED e-zine www.thecorporatecommunicator.net 

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Just because you’re a hotshot,

don’t blow off doing your homework!

      I recently noticed two free-standing specialty coffee kiosks gone from two strip mall parking lots I regularly pass. The business owners — a franchise I believe — are no doubt fretting that they made a bad investment decision, probably blaming the economy. 

     But the truth is much more obvious. They simply didn’t do their homework. They thought they had an idea that was so spectacular that it would work anywhere: Starbucks-style coffee on the go at drive-up booths in busy shopping areas. You do know the word “assumptions” is spelled “T~R~O~U~B~L~E” ? Apparently, they did not.

     What they overlooked (by not doing their homework) was that you can’t set up shop for a retail establishment of any kind that specializes in expensive, exotic coffee in shopping areas (no matter how much traffic) that boast boarded-up storefronts and are primarily frequented by welfare and food stamp recipients, in a poverty-stricken state.

     Even in good times in a rich state (are there any of either of these left?), to charge $3-$6 for a cup of coffee-to-go approaches the cusp of gouging, and is best left to major parkway service centers and sports stadiums where captive audiences will pay the piper. 

     So these owners knew they had high-traffic areas, but never checked out shopper profiles. And even this would have been obvious had they had their scouting eyes open: junk-heap cars and trucks, and shoppers in Salvation Army-style clothing ear-marked the parking lots.

     Of course it’s possible that these owners might have thought they were so entrepreneurially sharp that they could sell ice to Eskimos.

     Compounding the issue was that perhaps they saw nothing off-putting about cars lined up at these one-person kiosks, having pulled up because there wasn’t time to stop at WAWA or 7/11, waiting in bumper-to-bumper lines for some tweep to order a fat-free, candy cane brandy latte with 3 shots of carmel splash espresso, and skim milk with real whipped cream sprinkled with cinnamon… 

     And even that bit of customer aggravation would be resolvable and — in some neighborhoods wouldn’t matter anyway — if some value-added benefits were made part of the waiting time (not unlike the idea of Starbucks laptop connections).

[Don’t get me wrong here, I am not endorsing Starbucks; I don’t like their operations, their rip-off prices OR the taste of their over-the-top coffees; they are simply a convenient example.] 

Bottom line: Realtors beat it to death, but they are right! Location is indeed critical for every (even in-home) business. But if you fail to do your (complete) homework and don’t think through the strengths and weaknesses of any potential location, you do it at your own peril.”

     If the business has promise, excuses don’t cut it when hotshot entrepreneurs run it into the ground. Specialty coffee –in the right locations — can still command big bucks in this economy. Stupidity cannot. 

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 LOOKING FOR LEADERSHIP? See Hal’s Guest Blog Post at TBD Consulting’s Jonena Relth’s HIGHLY-RECOMMENDED site http://bit.ly/XhN1h

 WONDERING WHEN NO is Better Than MAYBE? See Hal’s Guest Blog Post in BonMot Communications’ Angelique Rewer’s FREE HIGHLY-RECOMMENDED e-zine www.thecorporatecommunicator.net 

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THINK OUTSIDE

YOUR BRAIN!

     Okay, you own and/or operate or manage a small business (or piece of a big one), or you’re a salesperson or an entrepreneur. That makes you a schizoid, right? I mean you have so much going on that even reading this is a sacrifice … but take heart!

     If you’re really serious about what you’re doing, you are also serious about exploring innovative approaches to today’s basic essentials: productivity, customer service, value-adding, and marketing efficiency. Whoa, there’s a couple of new ones there!

     Yup! Those last two essentials that snuck onto that list are the fruits of our egg-sucking economy. Until the going got tough, we never paid no never-mind to ideas like adding product and services value or to pulling out all the stops to maintain marketing impact while cutting marketing costs. They were token pursuits.

     But now we care. Now we’re here. And here means taking a fresh look at what you’re doing. Here’s just one example:

     Do you have any interns working for you? No, not the White House kind … BUSINESS interns. Why not? Have you actually approached your nearby community college or university campus (or even high schools for some situations) and pointblank asked how such an arrangement could be made? Why not?

     Perhaps you think there’s no room in your organization for a wet-behind-the-pierced-ears-tattooed dude? You may want to revisit that thinking. Interns in much of academia will work for free or minimum wage because they can earn course credits for on-the-job experience.

     Interns who perform well often turn out to be loyal, long-term, full time employees.

     Interns need a definitive plan and can sometimes require some extra hand-holding, but they are also typically eager to learn and anxious to please (especially when performance is grade-related!)

     Spare yourself the worry of excessive planning and what-ifs, and make some exploratory calls. If and when you uncover access to an internship program, THEN decide how, when, and where you can use some free or inexpensive project help. Many short-term projects, by the way, can turn into mutually-beneficial long-term assignments.

     The trade-off? Well, you or someone you can trust to provide role-model leadership will need to expend energy (and patience) with any intern(s) you take on, and the intern(s) may not provide what’s needed.

     But, then again, you could end up a major winner and that depends a great deal on your screening skills to start with. Formal programs offer the advantage of giving you recourse to the school if there’s any problem, and you’d probably only be required to provide periodic performance evaluations.

     The bottom line is to think outside your computer, outside your workspace, outside your organization — outside your brain — and start making better use of resources you may have been overlooking, whatever and whomever they are.

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  Hal@Businessworks.US   302.933.0116

  Open Minds Open Doors 

   Thanks for your visit and God Bless You.

  Make today a GREAT day for someone! 

Is Your Vision Statement A Mission?

Does Your Mission Statement

Have Vision?

You’re getting ready for 2010 and you’re confused?

Gee, hard to imagine.

Just because the media and politicians tell us the economy is getting better? Just because we’re looking at a healthcare reform proposal that has absolutely nothing to do with healthcare? Just because enemy combatant terrorist situations surface from circumstances that we’re assured do not exist? Just because global warming hoaxsters had us running to refrigeration investments? 

     We’re probably feeling like confusion is nothing new, right? So why not live with a little more? 

     Well, here’s why: The business you own or manage doesn’t need to be as misguided and convoluted as politicians and the media. Remember they get paid for creating confusion. Your success depends on keeping things simple.

     Keeping things simple starts with attitude, awareness, and hard work.

     First off, don’t let anyone tell you to work smarter and not harder. That’s baloney! Every business success comes from hard work. Next, don’t let people confuse you about the characteristics and values of Mission and Vision Statements. [No, they are NOT the same!]

     A Mission statement is essentially a declaration of intent, challenge and pursuit. It is your goal statement that clearly and succinctly explains what you plan to accomplish over what specific period of time and by what means. It is action-focused.

     And, like every meaningful goal, your Mission Statement needs t0 be specific, flexible, realistic and have a due date. [Without all four criteria, you’ve nothing more than a wishlist fantasy!] 

     A Vision statement is a summation of where you see your business in 5-10 years. It is a picture you paint in your mind and share with others. It answers the question: If you succeed in your mission, where will you be?

     It’s a set of words that best describes what you imagine to be your future state of existence, and how you expect (hope) to be viewed by others: your employees, associates, vendors, customers, markets, industry or profession, and community. It is dream-focused. It’s primary value is to inspire pursuit of your Mission. 

What’s your Mission for 2010? What’s your Vision for 2020?

     Oh, and in the same fashion that it helps to start ANY mission with 20/20 vision, it is often most useful to put your 2020 Vision on the table (to keep focused on it) while you develop your 2010 Mission (or while you think up the ways to get where you want to end up).  

More on 2010 “LEADERSHIP”? Come visit me and comment on my Guest Blog post at TBD Consulting’s Jonena Relth’s site http://bit.ly/XhN1h

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Two simple words, delivered by the boss — with a sincere smile, handshake or back pat, maybe even a balloon or courtesy lunch or coffee break — can work wonders for your business.

     Your people are your most important asset. Your genuine and personal recognition of the single most important day in the life of each employee will come back to you a hundred-fold. Because? Because people talk. And because everyone talks about being appreciated … especially in today’s hard-times existence. 

     It’s become such a rarity to get unsolicited recognition  of any kind, that many people go out of their way to actually ask for it once a year … some boldly, some demurely, some jokingly. “Well, it’s my birthday today,” slips from the lips of total supermarket strangers.

     And what’s the response?  “So what! Who cares?” Not a chance!  Aren’t the next three words always: “Oh, Happy Birthday!”? And except for temper-tantrum toddlers or emotionally-fragile teens, when have you ever seen “Happy Birthday!” not produce smiles?

     For business owners and managers, the bottom line is that the small amount of time and effort required to acknowledge staff and associate birthdays pays big dividends in productivity, loyalty, renewed commitment to company goals, and overall spirit of cooperation. Enthused recipients can foster sales as well.  

     Do you even know the birthdays of everyone who works with you? What about investors, referrers, key suppliers, loyal customers? This isn’t just a local restaurant or chiropractor gimmick to get you back in their doors. This is simply a nice (and smart) thing for every boss to do!

     You’ve been looking for inexpensive high-impact ways to grow your business. This approach is a no-brainer. Do a little birthday homework here. With the right kind of twist, employee birthday news releases and captioned photos can even be newsworthy enough to warrant coverage. (Need help with that angle? Send me an email.)

     Before you decide to shrug off the idea and dismiss it as a frivolous waste of time, question whether it really is, or are you choosing for it to be because you don’t identify with these kinds of values? Fact: As an entrepreneur, you may not need as much recognition as others because you’re more interested in making your ideas work.

     THIS is one idea that will get others interested in helping you make your ideas work. And since all behavior is a choice, this investment in others who work with you is a choice. It’s your choice.

Is it your birthday? Happy Birthday!  

If Jesus Christ

runs your business 

 . . . look before you leap!

     If you believe Jesus runs your business,  God Bless You, but be careful about how you represent yourself. It’s probably a fair estimate to say that a good deal more than half the world could care less about your religious persuasion as a business owner or manager.

     It’s probably also a fair estimate to say  that in most parts of the United States, and especially the major cities, there is even a pointed resistance — and even an antagonistic and spiteful attitude — toward religious (Christian) based businesses.

     Reality: Many non-believers are threatened.  Many dismiss you condescendingly as “just another Jesus Freak.” Many will go out of their way to not do business with you. Some will try to undermine your business efforts.

     That doesn’t mean you should give it up.  It does mean you should be careful. It means you and your spirituality will be best served by exercising Christian values in everything you do and every encounter you have without necessarily advertising them.

     All the time?  No. There are some times and places–and many ways–where it’s appropriate to publicize your beliefs where it won’t cost you business or relationships. You may not like having to “hold your tongue” but reality dictates that it’s sometimes best for your self and your business to not be making public proclamations about your religious orientations. As for ways to do it, HOW you say what you say is the key.

     Certainly, Jesus would advise  tolerance when confronted with contentiousness? Remember that the bottom line is if you believe you and your business are serving Jesus, you will best serve by passive accommodation: i.e., a “customer is always right” focus, which of course works for EVERY business.

     If your business is a local or regional one  that is located in a heavily Christian community, then you can be much freer in expressing your interests and affiliations than in a geographical area not as uniformly receptive to your mission.

     Of course you can be a rebel-rouser  and charge into the marketplace brandishing a religious banner, but you will be risking the prospective success of what your business existence is all about.

     Is closing up shop  worth you having made a lot of noise about the principles your business is founded on? Remember: When your doors close, so does your ability to contribute!

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  FREE blog subscription: Posts RSS Feed

  Hal@Businessworks.US   302.933.0116

  Open Minds Open Doors 

   Thanks for your visit and God Bless You.

  Make today a GREAT day for someone! 

Banking on your bank?

Don’t waste your time!

     The economy continues to hemorrhage.  Oh no, that’s just not true, I heard that it’s not true on the news today:  The federal government says “we’re seeing many signs of things turning around.”

     I can’t imagine  what’s in some one’s line of sight that would prompt THAT statement. Also in today’s news, Microsoft just laid off another 800 employees. You connect the dots.

     The point is that when the going gets tough,  the average hard-working business leader thinks: The BANK. The BANK will bail us out. The BANK will lend us what we need. The BANK is the answer.

     One leading national bank  says they’ll even give loans to illegal aliens. Another says it will help customers who need help. Don’t you believe either one of them, or any of the other sleazy branding line enticements being offered out there in medialand. 

     You cannot depend on The BANK.  Period. Banks are tripping over themselves trying to outdo hospitals and the US Postal Service in the stupidity and low trust departments.

     Banks are at least 50 years behind reality  and –just like the hospitals and US Postal Service– think that slick, clever slogans, spiels, and marketing devices coming from empty suits and empty heads are going to make up the difference, the decades of incompetence.

     Credit unions offer a bit more comfort,  because they answer to their “members” not a board of directors and stockholders (but can also be a bit more risky for businesses because loan percentages, for example, can end up being higher than credit card rates if you’re not careful and alert).

     You think BANK  because the BANK has convinced you that it is your good neighbor, that because it’s been doing business in your town for a zillion generations, that it’s honorable and will loan you the money you need when you need it for a ridiculously low rate because they’re your neighbor.

     Good Luck!  A lot of businesses are failing because they naively trusted The BANK would support them in hard times. Reality Check: The BANK supports itself in hard times.

     What else is there?  Investors. Great, but guess what? Today’s investors want immediate gratification ROI and enough proof and collateral to guarantee it. Not much help if you don’t already have the money you need! 

     “Angel” investors  are getting tainted with skepticism, and are also requiring more than you probably have cause if you had it you wouldn’t be looking for it! Hmmmm. Barter. Right. Well, barter is great up to a point, but it rarely if ever produces money. Stockpiled merchandise and services have increasingly marginal value. 

     So, that leaves (ta-ta-ta-ta-tah-tah!):  SALES. Innovative, value-added products and services = SALES. SALES ALWAYS BEAT The BANK. How to boost sales now must be your number one (and perhaps only) priority. There is no greater or more important issue for you or your business to be dealing with right now, unless of course you own or run The BANK. 

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“Sorry, it’s NOT  FOR  SALE!”

     Think about it.  Almost everything you do and say every day is a form or function or process of  sales, or selling. (And, believe me, the more you think about it, the more you’ll agree!)

     So reality is  that if you’re not relying heavily on customer and client referrals these days, why not just label everything in your store, showroom, briefcase or website as “NOT FOR SALE!” ??? 

     You already know  that the best source of new business is old business … or current business (that translates to targeting past and present customers for repeat sales AND referrals!)

     Past and present customers  are people and organizations that already know you and rely or have relied on you and your company. They have already accepted your ability to deliver what you promise, when you promise. (Also known as “branding”!) They are aware of your reputation. They are aware of your competition and have chosen you now or in the past. 

     You don’t need to “dog and pony show”  or razzmatazz them. You DO need to remind them — clearly and often — how much you appreciate them and their support and patronage and confidence and trust. You DO need to be sure they are still totally pleased with your offerings, and find out what you need to do in order to make sure, if they’re not. 

. . . you DO need to convince them that you will stand on your head and spit wooden nickels for them if that’s what they need, in order to continue counting them as loyal customers.     

     The bottom line is  that you don’t need to convince these people to do business with you, but you DO need to convince them that you will stand on your head and spit wooden nickles for them if that’s what they need, in order to continue counting them as loyal customers or clients — and to be assured that they will continue to refer you to their friends, family, neighbors,  associates, employees, suppliers … even (for publicity and news release coverage sake) media contacts!

     Should you still cold call?  Absolutely! Should you rely on cold calls? Absolutely NOT! You always need to be out there registering positive first impressions with prospects. But remember that the bulk of your sales (studies show close to 80%) will come from established customers and clients.

     Ah, and there are fringe benefits  connected with focusing on present and past customers. Chasing repeat sales and referrals from those who have come to you before or who are presently dealing with you will prove more productive, easier to communicate with and influence, less time-consuming, and almost always more pleasant. Not so sure? How much easier is it for you to spend time with old friends than to make new ones?                                          

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Yesterday’s Customers

Bring Business Today!

     It’s a proven fact: Your BEST source of business is existing and past business!

     So, when the time comes,  if it hasn’t already, to put your shoulder to the wheel, stop working and have a party! No one ever told you that entrepreneurship is all about being spontaneous?

     Really! Stop what you’re doing  and have a Customer Appreciation Party. So what if it’s a last-minute deal? So what if you’re down to your last few nickles? Buy some cheap wine and cheese and make some decorations. Invite your not paid up-to-date lawyer and accountant. Tell them they can be their sharky opportunistic selves and use the gathering to network their own services.

     It matters not  that you run a retail or wholesale operation or a professional practice or service office, or turkey farm or pistol range (okay, well I’ll grant you that maybe it’s not a great thing to have a party at a pistol range) … or whether you have 100 employees or you’re a one-man-band … or whether you operate out of a fancy building, or your basement! 

     You simply call all your best customers  a couple or seven days ahead and tell them to come as they are and to bring friends, family and co-workers and stop in at 5 or 6 o’clock to have an Oktoberfest (or a “Celebrate The Economy”) drink (or 8AM for coffee and donuts! Be sure to invite local police!) and give you the chance to shake hands and say a personal thank you to each.

     Put on some music.  Lower the lights. Get Aunt Jabib to fix a tray of those old lady sandwiches. Pick up a bucket of pretzels. Give out special discount coupons (or even better:  handwritten “20% off until October 20″ on the back of your business cards, which you dole out with each handshake).

WHY? Here’s Why:

     You will get more business  from this impromptu gathering than you will from expensive advertising because you are PERSONALLY interacting with each person, and showing your humble appreciation for the value of their business in a PERSONAL way.

     Don’t believe me?  So go back to work and forget it; what do I care?

     BUT IF YOU DO THIS DEAL,  you’d better invite me as well. Besides I’m a cheap date; I’ll just slink into a corner with a glass of wine and dream up my next blog post! Happy Customer Celebrating!

[P.S. If not enough can make it, have it anyway, and then do it again for those who missed the first one!]

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