Posted by AndyM on July 22, 2010 under Business Growth | 
One of the most common questions that I receive is “how often should I do a newsletter or other broad communication?” Of course, like any good consultant, my answer is “it depends.” Luckily, there are some logical places to start when developing your plan. Answer these few questions for yourself, and see what insight you gain:
How often is someone in your target audience grappling with the very problems you can help solve?
My wife was recently introduced to a website with information about nutrition, exercise, and healthy living. When she signed up for their e-mail list she began receiving one or two messages per day. At first we were surprised, but it occurred to me that their expertise is something people could benefit from each and every day — we are all constantly dealing with choices about how we manage our health. I am sure that they get a fair amount of “unsubscribes” because they communicate to their list very frequently. However, I am also sure they successfully become the primary source of information for many people in their target audience. They simply behave as though they exist to provide ALL of the guidance their followers crave in the area of their expertise.
For comparison, I am not constantly faced with problems or issues related to my auto insurance. Receiving a tip every day would seem ridiculous. Once per month or so might be a better fit.
“Where” do you intend to communicate with your audience?
If you feel your clients and prospects are best reached through direct mail, monthly or quarterly frequency is more common. Via e-mail, a higher frequency may be welcomed (assuming the answer to question #1 is a higher frequency). Through social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, frequencies of weekly, daily, and even multiple times per day are not uncommon.
You may already be familiar with the idea that sometimes e-mail newsletters, blog posts, and social media updates can work in conjunction with one another. This post does not deal with that complexity, but your answers to the above questions will give you a starting point for how often your clients and other contacts would value hearing from you.
Posted by AndyM on June 29, 2010 under Business Growth |
We’ve all heard the phrase “a level playing field” applied to a variety of situations. Whether one thinks the field is indeed level, or drastically slanted in one direction or another, depends on the person and the issue at hand.
One place where the field is inarguably flat (at least I don’t think I would get any valid arguments) is time. We all have the same number of hours in a day. Those that use them more wisely will do better than the rest. As my business has grown, my to do list has grown with it. Thankfully, as a student of time management, I have been able to stay one step ahead. As you may have read here before, I am a big fan of David Allen and the philosophy he laid out in “Getting Things Done” (GTD for short).
I recently seemed to outgrow my paper-based implementation of the GTD system. After wading into a few forums, reading reviews, and experimenting a bit, I came to www.toodledo.com. Wow! This free online tool has allowed me to get dozens of activities easily out of my head and into an intuitive system. It also offers an iPhone application (for just $2.99) that will stay in sync with my online list. If you have read David’s book, or have become proficient in the GTD methodologies through a seminar or other means, I strongly encourage you to check out Toodledo.com.
My second recommendation is something that has been around for some time. Now that I am a user, it’s hard to imagine why it hasn’t become more popular. After nursing sore wrists and fingers a few weeks ago, I decided it was time to investigate speech recognition software. A quick search brought me to a name I had heard many years ago — “Dragon.” At only about $40 on amazon.com, I got the standard version “Dragon Naturally Speaking.”
http://www.amazon.com/Nuance-Communications-Inc-A309A-G01-10-0-NaturallySpeaking/dp/B001B5J7T8/ref=pd_cp_sw_1
Another “wow.” I wasn’t expecting to shave up to an hour of typing off of my day. Even a fast typist cannot keep up with the spoken word.
If you are fortunate enough to have a private office where you can talk at your computer without annoying others around you, you owe it to yourself to check this out. Now replying to a list of e-mails, writing a new blog post, or creating copy for a client can be super fast, making it easier to concentrate on it as a task, not as a way to make hours vanish from your schedule!
Posted by AndyM on February 24, 2010 under Business Growth |
Do you dread going into a “sales call?” It takes a certain kind of individual to get excited about such a meeting — to truly relish it. Well, that’s not me. Some days I wish I was “that guy,” but I’m not. Nevertheless, I have (if I do say so myself) a tremendous amount of value to offer, and it takes money to get it from me…somewhere in there a sales conversation HAS to happen, right?
The answer is “yes” and “no.” Yes, a sales conversation takes place, but no — it’s not the dog and pony show that one thinks of as a sales meeting. From my perspective, a typical sales meeting is setup for everyone to fail. The prospective client wants to get as much information as possible about the product or service being offered, while revealing only as much as necessary about their business or problem. They are usually dreading the meeting and just hope they can learn what they need to learn to make a decision without getting pinned down about timing or budget from an aggressive sales person.
The sales person, on the other hand, wants the prospect to reveal as much as possible about their situation so as to suggest the winning combination of products or services to meet their needs and budget. Sounds o.k., right? But they worry about getting caught revealing too much — giving away the answer to the prospect’s problem without getting paid for it.
So what happens? Well, there is great likelihood of an elaborate dance, and only a moderate chance of a highly productive meeting. Here is a suggestion for going against the grain to improve your sales meeting experience, and win more deals. I call it a no-selling sales conversation:
- Let your prospect know in advance that you will not use more than a few minutes of the upcoming meeting to describe your products or services. Instead, you want to use the time as a true consultation to help them better understand the problem they are facing and the options for solving it.
- Send them questions in advance that will help you both understand their circumstance better and ask them to have answers available at your meeting.
- Put them at ease by letting them know that you will not be proposing a next step or recommending a product or service of yours for them to consider purchasing. They will have to ask you for information about how to work with you or buy your product.
When it comes to the day of the meeting, here is a good agenda to follow:
- After some small talk to establish a connection, open with just a few comments about your background, service or product you offer, and some of what your happy clients have experienced.
- After these few minutes, switch gears to ask about your prospect’s current circumstance. Use the questions you sent in advance as your guide. Your prospect will already have let their guard down after realizing that you meant what you said — you indeed would not be torturing them with a typical sales pitch! Be sure to ask clarifying questions about their current challenges — when did the problem start? what solutions have they tried so far?
- After you have a good picture of their current situation, ask them what a completely resolved state would look like. Getting them to envision a future without this problem or limitation will help them realize how much they really want it.
- Next, ask them to think about what stands between their current state and the future they want. You may only be able to offer part of a solution to that problem. Resist the urge to tout your solution. All you really need to accomplish at this point is helping them truly see what needs to be done.
- Next, ask them to describe how important it is to reach the desired state. Is it something they are willing to invest in to accomplish?
- Finally, simply ask them if they would like you to describe how you work with clients that face similar challenges. “No thank you” is a perfectly acceptable answer, but not one you will get often with this sales approach!
Your sales task is not to get your product or service into their hands. Your task is to help them realize the benefits they are seeking — actually reach the desired state they want. By presenting yourself as someone truly interested in helping them get there, you will set yourself apart and have prospects eagerly asking you to share how they could work with you!
Posted by AndyM on February 11, 2010 under Business Growth |
If you are in sales, you have probably heard that statement more times than you would like to remember — “I’ll have to think about it.” When that phrase falls on your ears, you just go ahead and translate it to “no” in your head, don’t you(?) I know I can react that way when it happens. But of course you feel compelled to follow up with that prospect, to at least show that you are organized and diligent. Plus, aren’t people like me always telling you that thorough follow up is essential? Ugh, it feels like a trap at times — damned if you do and damned if you don’t.
Well here is a thought to help you strike the right balance. First say this to yourself — “my time is valuable and my [product or service] is valuable too.” This, of course, assumes that the prospect you are talking with is a good fit for realizing the value you promise. Okay, hold onto that mindset. You’ll need that in the front of your mind as you take this uncomfortable path…
- When you get that reaction — “I’ll have to think about it” – ask your prospect if they need any more information to make a decision. Anything at all. Have you educated them sufficiently about how you could help, or what your product is capable of doing? Have you helped them understand their problem more thoroughly, so as to determine the importance of fixing it?
- If they raise any issues, then there is your task. Fill in any blanks, answer any questions, schedule the next meeting to include the additional players that will participate — all so they are fully armed to make a decision.
- When you’ve reached the end of that process, and they still need time to think about it, let them know that you will not be following up to check on their progress. Because either they are not interested, and they are just trying to be polite, or they truly need some time to ponder their options to come to a conclusion. Either way, your job is done. You will save yourself a whole lot of time worrying, wondering, checking on their progress — and you will avoid becoming a nuisance.
You’re wondering if you just read that right. I recommended that you have a direct conversation with a prospect to let them know that you will not waste your time, nor theirs, with endless follow up and checking. O.k., so they like you for that. No one wants a pushy sales person. Plus, you can tell when they agree to a date for a follow up call, it’s just a game, right? “O.k., give me a try Thursday…ya, that will work. Right, 1:30…perfect…” Come on, admit it. How many times out of 10 do they really want that follow up call…2?
O.k., so we like this strategy because you get to avoid being a nag. So are you going to just clam up and hope for the phone to ring? Of course not!!! The fact that you want them to come to a decision, and the ball is in their court, is out there. You don’t need to remind them — they know you want the sale. Get busy earning it! Use the law of reciprocity! Instead of checking on them, help them accomplish something valuable. Make introductions, shoot over some tips for increasing their business.
You would have spent time checking on them anyway, use the same energy to truly add value. You’ll get the sale and you’ll have a client for life. Check out our last post for more inspiration Sales “Venture Capital” Style.
Next post, how to have that sales conversation so you get the “I’ll have to think about it” reaction less and less…
Posted by AndyM on January 12, 2010 under Business Growth |
Ever heard the phrase “plan your work and work your plan?” Well, creating your plan for the year (see my “Groundhog Day” post from December) is the “plan your work” part. As you know having a plan and living your plan can be two very different things! So this post is devoted to “working your plan.” Keeping it in front of you, having it guide your actions, and celebrating your successes along the way.
Accountability Partners
Have you shared your plan with anyone else? There’s nothing more motivating to actually achieve your goals than telling others who will pay attention, and you will have to face on a regular basis. Tell your spouse, your neighbor, your customers (so long as your goals are consistent with delivering greater value to them!).
However, many of those people either won’t be interested in, or shouldn’t be subjected to the nitty gritty of your progress. A great technique to keep you focused and inspired is to form a partnership with one or more similarly motivated leaders. Call it a mastermind group, an accountability partnership, an “I’ll kick your butt if you kick mine” pact…whatever you like.
The key!
Here’s the key that only recently came to light for me. Your team, your partners, are not there to beat you up over missing your goals or falling behind. Stuff happens to get in your way. Your group is there to hold you accountable to tracking your own progress and focusing on what YOU said was important. I am part of a great group of leaders that meet twice per month. We hold each other accountable for attending our meetings, share are successes and setbacks, and help one another stay focused and productive.
So your accountability team is not there to ridicule you for falling down; they’re there to remind you to get back up. The fact that you have associated them with how much you will pay attention to your commitments is what makes it work.
Want to do a better job “working your plan?” Find a couple of like-minded, success-oriented friends or colleagues and commit to sharing your goals, developing a list of daily/weekly actions that will get your closer to your goals, and report to one another regularly.
Posted by AndyM on December 15, 2009 under Business Growth |
If you are like many business owners, this time of year is a mixed bag of regrets over what you didn’t accomplish during 2009 and renewed energy to make 2010 your best year ever. In your dark moments, do you feel like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day…doomed to live the same day, with the same issues and challenges, over and over?
In Greek mythology Sisyphus was doomed to push the rock up the hill, only to have it roll to the bottom over and over again. Is that you? or do you envision yourself the hero, winning battles and conquering all challenges that come before you?
Maybe this is a little out there. Let’s bring it back to the here and now. Go through this little exercise:
- Pull out your new-years-resolution-2009-business-action-plan-list thingy that you created in January 2009. Don’t have one? Proceed to step 3.
- Pat yourself on the back for having a list — we need to celebrate whenever we can! Now, look at the list. How many of the items would still qualify as your top priorities in 2010? 100%? Stop patting yourself on the back. Making a list then completely ignoring it is just as bad as not having one (sorry for making you feel good for a moment, then ripping it away). Proceed to step 3. “Accomplish” 50% of what you set out to do? Excellent. Proceed to step 3 anyway.
- Talk to your customers. It doesn’t matter how well things are going, it is important to be paranoid. Why do they buy from you? What worries or frustrates them? What has been the most helpful, exciting thing they spent money on in 2009 (whether or not it has anything to do with what you provide) and why was it helpful or exciting? Year end is a great time to step back and check in.
- Don’t make your action list for 2010 just yet. Start at 50,000 feet and work your way down. A great technique, that won’t overwhelm you, is to put together a One Page Business Plan.
- When you’ve defined the “what” — get help to make it happen. Commit to executing in 2010 so your list in 2011 is a continuation or expansion on your plans for 2010, not a repeat performance. How can you do that? A great way to start is to read Getting Things Done by David Allen.
So what do you do now? Your “next action” (you’ll get why that is in quotes when you read David’s book) is simply to read up on the One Page Plan (the link above) then buy the book, or check it out at the library. Easy right? 2010 is YOUR opportunity to break out of the Groundhog Day curse!
