Its all about business.

Archive for December, 2006

Doing better business…

Dec 31

Posted by Steve Gray in Excellence!, People!, Personal Development, Planning | No Comments

Take a few moments to think about a new years resolution. what would you want… something personal or professional…

On the professional side, just think for a minute, if you had the cash to do a workshop, seminar or other… what would you like to learn?

Idea Sales skills?

Idea Marketing skills?

Idea People Skills?

Idea Customer service perhaps?

Idea or some other…

Drop me a line right here to give us an indication of what you are after… if we can, we’ll organise it. but hurry the year ends today and the new one will spin by in a hurry… Idea

Are you Dreaming?

Dec 28

Posted by Steve Gray in People!, Personal Development, Planning, Risk Management, The Board Room | No Comments

It’s that time of the year when many take a break (down under anyway…) and they get the chance to sit back a relax a little at least.

How many of you want to forget the business, and how many are still wrapped up in it, failing to unwind even a little!

My thought for you at this time of year is how much dreaming about the business are you doing to keep the business fresh, vibrant and very alive?

If you are spending time reading a book to unwind, is it a business book (probably not you want to unwind…) is it a book that leads you to a fantasty land, where dream thoughts can flow in and out with ease… Whatever you are doing in the holiday break I hope it gives you the chance to dream a little so you can set your mind up to be in a brilliant ’state’ for when you are ready to get back into the business.

So there you go back to business, walk in the door and clean up after the Christmas party perhaps… What are you thinking? “Oh no another year of being in this place…” or “Yes! Another year of doing business, WOO HOO! It’s going to be a great one!” I ask these questions to get you thinking about your state of mind, your dreams and goals for the business and the direction you want it to head.

Is now the time to dream? Or is it the time to tune out totally from the business? If its the latter, ask yourself some time in the future, how much fun is the business I run for me, and what would it take to make it a place where I LOVE turning up, even on a Sunday to pack some last minute orders or catch up on some paperwork.

Lets ask ourselves did I create a business in the first place that was to be a mill stone around my neck, or did I go into it to create a better lifestyle… I hope it was the latter!

Dream on budding entrepreneurs, do your homework, set your goals and enjoy creating a brilliant journey through life.

Remember the yacht without a rudder can easily end up on the rocks, so to enjoy a days sailing you have to do more than just get on board,  you have to be prepared…

What’s your finest gift?

Dec 21

Posted by Robert Gerrish in People!, Planning, Risk Management | No Comments

This week – in our final missive until January – I’d like to explore the topic of gifts.
I’m not talking about what we should or should not give to our clients, friends and supporters, as I rather hope you’ve already handled that one. (He said, smugly).
No, the gifts I’m talking about are the ones you are born with yet may not be making full use of in your work.
Making full use of our natural gifts can enable us to work effortlessly…well pretty nearly.
Let me give you an example. A while ago I spoke with Ros, a soloist who was struggling with financial planning. Didn’t like it. Didn’t understand it. Wasn’t doing it. Through conversation it became clear that while handling the money side wasn’t so good, there was no shortage of dreaming and planning.
Ros has a natural gift when it comes to visualising the future. She does it all the time and not just for herself.
We decided to allow this natural gift to run free, the only proviso being that it had to be captured in writing. By so doing, Ros had something tangible – a documented vision for the future of her business.
Armed with this, Ros found it easy to put dollars alongside dreams. In a short while she had the makings of a financial plan. She used one of her natural gifts to support something that did not come naturally.
So what’s your finest gift and how might it positively impact more on your work in 2007?

Seasonal Greetings!

Dec 20

Posted by Steve Gray in Uncategorized | No Comments

To all our loyal supporters a HUGE thankyou! your comments, feedback, forum additions etc have all been truly wonderful. Have a great Christmas and a Brilliant New Year!

From the Free Business Tips team… Bren Ryan and Steve Gray :)

I dare you to try this

Dec 12

Posted by Robert Gerrish in Planning, The Board Room, The Operations Dept | No Comments

It seems to me that we’re well and truly at that time of year where things become a tad hectic and otherwise sane clients and colleagues go a bit wobbly. I think it’s directly related to the incessant broadcast of Christmas carols in shopping centres, but as I have no proof to back-up this theory, I’ll keep moving on.
This week I’m advocating a serious clearing of the decks prior to an end of year close down.Thanks to Lynda Dyer, who I had the pleasure of meeting at a networking event recently, I’ve learned of an extremely effective method of doing this. Let’s see if you’re up to the challenge.
You may recall that some months ago I wrote about Google’s homepage and how the managers of each division of Google – of which there are many believe me – have to put a compelling case to have their ‘product’ profiled on this primary piece of real estate. In reality, very few succeed which is why the homepage is so uncluttered, focused and professional.
Oh, that your office could be so minimalist, pristine and organised!
Guess what? It can be! Now, what I’m about to describe will not suit everyone. All I ask is that you give the notion some thought and at the very least share your thoughts with the rest of us via the online edition of this newsletter.
Ok, so here’s what you do: Enlist the support of a strong-willed and able-bodied friend and move the entire contents of your office out of your office. Yes, you read that correctly. Next, look at every single thing that came out and justify why it should go back in. If you cannot come up with a good reason, it doesn’t go back in. I guess you’d best include yourself in this exercise, just in case!
So will you do it? Are you brave enough? Over the break I’m going to and frankly I can’t wait.

How to Cope With Your Critics

Dec 12

Posted by Alexandria Brown in People!, Personal Development, Risk Management, The Board Room, The Customer Service Dept, The Marketing Dept | No Comments

Every week I publish my ezine, I get almost instantaneous feedback. Most of the time it’s wonderful comments like “Thank you for all you do, Ali!” and “I really appreciated this article. It gave me tips I could really use on that subject.” Or “Great teleseminar you’re offering – it’s just what I need to learn right now!” These emails make me all warm and fuzzy inside.

But I want to level with you that publishing isn’t all peaches and cream. In fact, here are a few excerpts of emails I’ve gotten over the past few weeks:

“Your promotions have gotten too snake oily for me.” (From a woman who complained I was hiding the price of one of my teleseminars on the sales page, when in fact it was listed three times.)

“I’m sad to see you’ve gone the way of the high falutin’ Internet marketers…. At least I can look myself in the mirror every day.” (From someone who apparently did not like to see me become so successful.)

“I’m sorry you want to leave your poor friends behind.” (Responding to my urging my readers to surround themselves with people who are as successful and wealthy as they want to be.)

“Your logo is terrible — it looks like two b00bs and a crown!” (From a disgruntled designer who was upset I recommended some low-cost sources for fast logos.)

And, about a recent teleseminar I gave: “I’d avoid prolonged giggling at things that just aren’t funny.” (Here’s a tip folks… I laugh at stuff I think is funny!)

And there are more!

For example, I took a recent survey of my list and got an amazing 1800+ responses. But at least 5 people wrote me upset that every question required an answer in order to get the free report that was the thank-you gift.

Got Critics? You’re Not Alone

Now, hear me out: I’m not writing this article just to bitch and moan. I’m writing this to let YOU know that if you get complaints like these, you’re surely not alone.

I learned fast and hard that the higher you climb your mountain of success, the easier a target you become for the people down below.

As the saying goes, “You can please some people all of the time, and you can please all people some of the time, but you can’t please all people all of the time!”

Whether you’re an ezine publisher, author, speaker, information marketer, coach, or consultant… you WILL be criticized. The more popular you get, the bigger your list gets, the more “out there” you are, the more criticism you’ll receive.

Don’t Take It Personally

Between you and me, some of these emails have brought me to tears. If I’m feeling the effects, I hop in my Beetle convertible, and take a long drive up the Pacific Coast Highway. It clears my head and reminds me why I chose to do what I do – because I LOVE sharing, teaching, and inspiring. Being the Ezine Queen earns me a great living while I help others at the same time. (And I’m sure that’s the same reason you do what you do, too!)

I used to think it was all me, but after talking with several of my colleagues who also publish ezines, they get the same type of emails all the time! And of course we remind each other not to “take anything personally”.

Honestly, I still have trouble with that one. Maybe I’m the sensitve type, but I always feel an “ouch” when someone takes an obvious jab that is not simply a suggestion or constructive criticism. Then I breathe deeply, and tell myself that the offending person may be having a terrible day, or their pet turtle just died, and it really has nothing to do with me.

Here’s What to Do

What I HAVE learned is that if any of these critics get nasty with you, don’t sink to their level. Remember that as a publisher you’re also in the business of customer service. I typically handle it via one of these three methods:

a) respond calmly and acknowledge their point (some people just want to be heard)
b) disregard or delete their message (if their comments are so inappropriate or hurtful that I can’t answer back calmly)
c) remove them from my list (if they are obviously just trying to make me feel bad)

Through these petty annoyances, remember the big picture of why you started your e-zine or your current venture. It was likely to gain credibility and “expert” status while increasing your marketing reach and revenues. Your professional reputation is always on the line.

You may want to lash back, but in the long run, it ALWAYS pays to take the high road.

Encourage Useful Comments and Feedback!

Don’t forget to welcome constructive criticism with open arms! I’ve gotten many great ideas from my readers’ suggestions and comments, and I hope they keep coming in.

Just remember that Queens have feelings too. : )

inno-ma-vation

Dec 7

Posted by Steve Gray in Excellence!, Innovation and Creativity, The Board Room | No Comments

The title, (don’t let my marketing ’spin’ fool you its all for effect), you see innovation can be the little things that make a difference or the quantum leaps that propel us out of the ball park so to speak.

Lets take a look at the incremental today… (the other is too big for me right now…)

To get precise lets look at innovation as being the little differences in an otherwise banal existence. Business is moving along but lacks the voom to take it to the next level or the path to a next level at least, lets call it the level you want to be at. Consider a small change to the otherwsie banal daily grind of your business (don’t get upset, many businesses have the mundane thing happening) it could be a change of routine for the staff, the introduction of a morning tea break as a vigourous brainstorming chat on customer serivce, or the introduction of a brilliant spray of flowers at the reception desk.

Lets amp this up a little… (I like radical approaches) consder all new full time employees having a time allotment of 30 hours, not 35 – 40 (did that wake you up?) and then set a roster where they come in later and or leave earlier and set it up so they overlap to cover the time slots missed. My guess is the existing staff will be “gobb smacked” (locked jaw hitting the floor after being punched) and be miffed, if any dare to stand up and ask for the same hours, then give it to them… as long as they don’t tell others about it… and see who asks and how long it takes them (to find out and communicate their interest.) Oh and make it a rule that the newbies don’t tell anyone what hours they work, make it a point of confidentiality.

What’s that? You are too afraid it will cause confrontation, upset the status quo, rock the foundations, cause you sleepless nights. Look at it this way, you will have caused it and its something you can have some control over. It also gives you a chance to see who the leaders are in your organisation (or the bullies!)

I know you will probably see it as too hard to do and NOT BOTHER! You will probably take the easy way out (the ol’ path of least resistance) and keep on going the way you have always gone… and the path of change will keep on doing what it does (changing) and your business will probably be made defunct as you blink one day and say “What the? I didn’t see it coming!!”

Wake up, change happens. Either you make it happen or it will simply happen to you (usually not in a good way either).

Take the example of the 30 Hr week, (okay you hate the thought of losing 5 or more hours of production per staff member.) Now put yourself in the boots of the new person being hired, if that was you, what would you think… (I work less hours and get paid the same… mmm got to like that!). Now ask yourself if I like that so much, will I be happier? Happier enough to put in more “productive effort” (read effective not just efficient). Happier enough to speak in more positive ways about your new employer? Happier enough to be more engaged in what’s happening in the induction phase? Happier enough to want to put your hand up for new projects with interest…

Even if its only half the benefits, there is enough in it to make it work. (You know there will be many more benefits anyway).
I will not try to coerce you into do it, I will not even hint at you trying it. It’s your business, business is a game, play it well and you reap rewards, fail to play and you get what you get.

Think outside the square and consider the rewards it could bring.

So what should you do when your prospect says, “I want a better deal – take it or leave it?”

Dec 7

Posted by Wayne Berry in Leadership, Negotiation, People!, The Board Room, The Sales Dept | No Comments

“Negotiating is the
most highly paid work
you will ever do. You
are generally making
more per hour when
you negotiate than
anything else you’ll
ever do!”"

Wayne Berry

This situation is NOT the negotiation. It’s the end result of the negotiation. It’s the symptom, NOT the cause of the sales person’s dilemma.However it’s not all over for the sales person if they possess some good negotiating skills.

It’s not too late to salvage the situation.

A better strategy would have been to avoid getting into this situation in the first place.

The problem is most sales people do not understand that negotiating is a process, not an event.

I hear sales people say things like, “It was all going well for 2 hours until the end, and then the prospect wanted to negotiate.”

I’m sorry but I’ve got some bad news for you if you’ve ever felt this way.

The negotiation did NOT occur at the end of the 2 hours.

It began at the beginning of the interaction with the prospect, and if the prospect is a good negotiator, it actually began long before the prospect started talking with you.

Too many sales people fail to understand this, and end up with an event called “being pressured for a discount”. They think that this is the negotiation. It’s not. They been negotiating for 2 hours and just didn’t realise it!

So what can you do to avoid ending up as “Shark Bait”?

How do you avoid being forced into an unprofitable deal, or even losing the deal altogether?

Here are a few quick thoughts.

1. Learn about negotiating.

It doesn’t come naturally in our culture. It’s a skill that you should develop if you are serious about your career in sales. Not having these skills is costing you big time in lost sales, lost profits, lost commissions and lots of stress.

By the way, many of your prospects ARE developing these skills – ON PURPOSE. They are not just playing it by ear. That’s for amateurs.

The next important thing to do is…

2. Understand what’s happening

There are 6 stages in every negotiation. They are;

a. Preparation.
b. Rapport.
c. Gathering Information
d. Exploring Options
e. Trading Concessions
f. Nailing Down The Deal

We don’t have the space here for a full explanation of each of these phases, however realise that all negotiations involve these phases. They can take seconds, hours, days or months depending on the negotiation. Learn about them and understand what happens in each phase.

3. Know that you have more power than you think in every negotiation

The problem is most sales people think that their prospect has all of the power. That’s simply not true. There are more than 20 sources of power in most negotiations. Problem is if you don’t know what they are, you will feel helpless. Find out about them.

Next…

4. Beware of the ploys, gambits and dirty tricks

Negotiating is game. However it’s a game where a sales person can get hurt if they don’t understands the moves, the ploys, the gambits and the dirty tricks that people use. I teach sales people how to spot and counter more than 30 “popular” ones. If you don’t understand them, learn about them.

Sales people who understand negotiating don’t become “Shark Bait”. They write profitable business and enjoy success.

I received an email about a month ago from one of our clients in London…

John King is a graduate of one of my negotiating workshops and his company sells large scale manufacturing equipment in the UK and Europe.

John wrote in his email…

“Wayne we were getting murdered in deals where we were up against cheaper competitors. My sales people were slashing prices and our margins were suffering badly. We were going backwards fast. I remembered that negotiating game we played in your workshop and thought that’s the answer. You probably didn’t even know about it but I ordered a copy of your audio programme, “Get the best deal every time”. I wanted my sales people to learn the lesson that I learned that night.

Well I thought you might be interested to know that this decision has added more than $5 million good old Aussie dollars to our GP over this last 12 months. I sat my guys down and we went through each CD one at a time at our sales meetings and also they listened every day in their cars and at home. We developed some new strategies and used that 15 page check list of yours. Well you’re right, negotiating skills make all the difference. When I think of all the dollars we gave away before my guys got “Top Gunned”, I could cry. Thanks mate. I owe you a big beer.”

I love getting emails like John’s and his story will shortly join our collection of Inspiring Success Stories and Testimonials at our Web Site. You’ll read another one there too from Michael Giuliano who tells how developing his selling skills through Top Gun has added more than $2 million to his earnings over the last 10 years.

The lesson is – get those negotiating skills!

Anyway until we speak again… Have a great week this week. Make it a great week!

Do it with massive action.

Dec 6

Posted by Steve Gray in Innovation and Creativity, People!, Planning, Starting out in business | No Comments

Many people in prosperous businesses will gladly tell you a significant part of success lies in just doing it. Many times a challenge, project or endeavour may seem too much, or it may seem as if the project is made up of too many smaller parts and things that must be done before anything else can get done . . .  in time we may simply give up, or make a mental note to do it next week, next month, next year. Soon the whole thing is forgotten only to see that someone else has done it months or years later, and often not as well!

Don’t forget, don’t let life’s daily grind get in the way, and avoid making excuses for why you can’t do something. Don’t have enough money? Find a way to get what you need, whether through barter, a loan, or another investor. There are various ways to get what may now seems unattainable, it may take a little ingenuity and some research.

Not enough time? Think, for example, about all the successful entrepreneurs who once may have held down full-time jobs while plotting, scheming and building in their shed at night. Make the time, it may not always be easy, but you can often make a realistic time plan and work the plan by using “idle” time (commuting, lunch breaks, twenty minutes before work, T.V. time, etc.) to work on your ideas.

What about courage? Forget it!. Feel the fear and do it anyway. You haven’t really lived if you’ve never tackled a project that made you excited, motivated, confused, depressed and challenged you to come up with a good answer (all in the one day!). Everyone, even the most successful people in any area, experience fear. The difference between these people and the ones that fail to accomplish their goals is simply that the achievers did it anyway.

Finally, forget about the ‘dream-crushers’. Many people spend too much time miserable in their own lives and bringing down others, which can include their loved ones who want to pursue a passion (even if it is a faint dream to begin with). If you can’t forget about them, use their scepticism as the force to drive you forward, Just like a person at war fighting for truth Justice and the allied way. Pursue your dream, work it, push it, let it frustrate you at times, but most of all give it your best shot.

In time your dreams can become reality and those sceptics who thought you could never do it will be left wondering how you did it. This is the point to move on, the point to make sure you can set more dreams to get greater results, to forge fresh ways when all else may seem to fail around you.

Above all, stick to your dreams, without them life would be a dreary affair, which most would not bother with.

In business there are those that take some action and a few that take massive action. In my experience with business and personal goals, those who take massive action will be streets ahead of the rest and be the most able to handle change, it is as if they know that massive action will get them to the destination faster, more effectively, empower others on the way as well as assissting them to handle an ever changing environment.

These people also note that the ‘dream-crushers’ are no longer a barrier to achieveing, they deflect their negativity and put the energy to more effective use.

So watch out for your dreams, the easiest idea may take the longest, the more complex may be the simplest in the long run, however the amazing thing about pursuing them is the way they will always evolve and challenge you when you least expect it!

Solo Inc. Annual Reports

Dec 2

Posted by Steve Gray in Innovation and Creativity, Planning, The Board Room | No Comments

Every year the major players at the Big End of Town, let’s call them Big Corp., have to produce an Annual Report for presentation to their key audiences: shareholders and stakeholders.These people have invested their hard-earned cash and have a right to know what Big Corp. has been doing with it. Shareholders and stakeholders are naturally extremely interested in the state of the market; they want their investment validated and most importantly, they’re keen to hear how Big Corp. see the future.

Annual Reports are an opportunity for Big Corp. to really tell it like it is and to ensure the support of shareholders and stakeholders as it moves forward. Furthermore, Annual Reports are an essential weapon in Big Corp’s Marketing and Public Relations arsenal. Armed with a bullish Annual Report, Big Corp. can create interest and awareness and so attract more money to play with.

Okay, enough of Big Corp., let’s look at you and your solo business, we’ll call you Solo Inc.

Imagine you are preparing an Annual Report for Solo Inc. Consider what it might contain.

Here are some questions to get you started:

1. How have you performed?

To answer this question satisfactorily you’ll need a firm grasp of the market in which you operate. You’ll have to know what your competitors have been up to and how you have traded in relation to them.

Talk about the opportunities you’ve made, the trends you’ve seen and be brave enough to confess to any decisions that were misplaced.

2. How equipped were you?

Here you’ll need to be confident about your procedures and structures. You’ll have to expose the foundations of Solo Inc. and if they’re a little shaky, be able to discuss your plans to make them firm.

You’ll need to demonstrate your ability to work ‘on’ your business and show a commitment to professional development and training.

3. Where’s it all headed?

Regardless of your current performance, your audience are going to be most interested in what you make of the future. They’ll want to know what you see around the corner, how you plan to maximise opportunities and what steps you’ll take to avoid pitfalls.

But to truly grasp the importance of an Annual Report, to get why as soloists we should seriously consider addressing these issues, we must look at our unique audience.

Look around and remind yourself who comprises your shareholders and stakeholders. Your clients and customers, certainly; your prospects and advocates, undeniably.

But more important than these groups are those who support you with their love and friendship. These are the people who believe in you, keeping you motivated when you can’t see the wood for the trees.

The people who deserve to know what’s really going on, are your family and friends. Tell them what you’ve been up to, acknowledge their role in your evolution and excite them with your plans.

  • You are currently browsing the archives for December, 2006