Thoughtful Thursdays - Do You Call In Depth?

First off I want to wish everyone all the best and much success for 2009. Now that the holiday season is coming to an end for another year thoughts are turning back to business and the achievement of new sales objectives.

Most conversation these days includes talk about current economic conditions and how difficult it is to maintain share let alone grow new business.

So, how well do you know your customer? What might happen if your contact leaves or is laid off? Would you continue to enjoy the business or would it be at risk?

My message today is to know as many people as possible at your customer - call in depth. This would people on the floor to upper management and at each level in between. The more people you know, the less likely it is you will loose the business because you have established an in depth relationship with your customer.

Take the time to establish relationships at all levels and your efforts will be rewarded. Your customer will appreciate the interest you show in their business and will be less likely to have reason to change suppliers.

Until next week, good selling.

Richard

Wise Wednesdays - Gratitude

The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings.
-Eric Hoffer

At this time of the year I like to reflect back on my successes, disappointments and most importantly lessons I’ve learned from the past year. No matter how many times I’ve done this exercise one thing always comes up: A reminder to develop a sense of gratitude. I feel blessed to be living in this part of the world. I’m a believer that you can’t move forward unless you appreciate what you have and what others have done for you.

So before you get all concerned about what the New Year will bring, take the time to look at some of what you’ve already accomplished or learned (no matter how small). We move forward by building on our successes.

Wishing you a prosperous, joyful and grateful New 2009 Year!

Cheers,

Dominik

Wise Wednesdays - Don't Think Business

Success is helping others with their dreams.

Sometimes we get so enamored with our business, our work, our goals that we forget to listen to other peoples' stories. The holiday season is a reminder to listen to others talk about their dreams; their hopes and aspirations; their fears and concerns.

It is quite humbling NOT to think about business for a period of time. It helps develop perspective. It helps me be more understanding towards others.

Here’s wishing that this time of year is filled with heartfelt stories that bring you closer together with family, friends and acquaintances.

Happy Holidays. Merry Christmas.

Cheers,

Dominik

Forgetful Fridays- Get Some Shut Eye

Having trouble sleeping? That’s a common story among business owners- especially with all the bad news we are hearing about the economy. Each of us will have dozens of reasons to worry the night away and get little rest, but it never helps in the long run. So how do you stop this pattern?

Hoping and wishing for the day when you have no worries- is just that- a hope and a wish. The nature of business is that worries will continue to be there- the key is in how you learn to manage these worries.

The suggestion that I have found works best for me and my advisory clients is to create a worry journal. Write down all of those thoughts swirling around in your head before bed- get it out on paper and don’t hold back. Large worries, small worries- they all have a place in this journal. Close it and put it away in a desk drawer.

Then take this exercise to the next level by writing an achievement journal. Write about all that you have done to reach your goals and make your dreams happen. Pat yourself on the back and focus on the positive. When you feel you are ending on a high note that makes you feel satisfied, mindfully close the journal and keep it close to your bed.

By ending each day with positive thinking rather than focusing on your worries, you should see an improvement in the quality and quantity of sleep you are getting.

Forgetful Fridays Lesson #5- Clear your mind, get some sleep. 

Thoughtful Thursdays - Why Don't You Return My Calls?

I had lunch recently with a long-time friend and business colleague. Conversation eventually came around to the economy as it often does these days. At this point in time they have not felt any negative effects as a result of the current economic conditions.

Frankly, I was not surprised to hear that sales continue to meet their objectives. In fact I expect they will weather the economic storm we are experiencing quite well. It is not because they have a unique recession proof product offering, rather it their approach to sales that is key - never leave any stone unturned.

Why is it that people do not return calls to potential customers? I experienced this phenomenon personally recently, heard of another instance from a client this week, and at lunch my friend related a similar story.

Today's thought is: Don't even think about not returning a potential customer's call. Return the call and do it the same day. In most cases you will be able to leave a voice mail if it is after business hours.

Even if you do not have the answers or the product and/or service offering, take the time to acknowledge every inquiry. These are 'warm' calls, people that want to talk to you - what could be easier? Even if you are not able to supply what they are looking for, take the time to ask a few questions about their business, you may identify new opportunities for your business.

Thoughtful Thursdays will be taking a break for the holidays, returning on Thursday January 8, 2009.

Until then, good selling, have a great holiday season and best wishes for 2009.

Richard

Wise Wednesdays - The Tortoise or the Hare?

You’re probably familiar with the tortoise and hare story. During a race the hare decides to go for a nap knowing he can easily outrun the tortoise. Upon awakening the hare realizes he has overslept and rushes off, but to no avail, the tortoise crosses the finish line first.

I began a career coaching and training business back in ’93 thinking like the hare – looking at quick ways to market my business. I could have saved myself a lot of money and grief had I thought more like the tortoise: Looking at the norm of how businesses in my industry market their services and then methodically using these same approaches to market my business.

Ironically, once I learned about proven marketing methods I got more business with less money. Instead of placing glitzy ads in magazines, I was busy networking and following up with contacts. Instead of doing public workshops, I tailored my workshops to the needs of the marketplace. Of course the time it took me was longer but the results sweeter and more satisfying.

From time to time, you hear how a particular business tried a zany marketing idea and succeeded. What you don’t hear is how many did the same and failed miserably. I am reminded by a saying by the Dalai Lama (by now you probably can see I’m a big fan of his), learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.

There are times when you need to seize opportunities when they present themselves. That usually happens because you’re prepared and the moment presents itself.

Now that I have a solid foundation I may decide to try a new marketing idea. I have successfully played the role of the tortoise and I can now try my luck being the hare. But one thing I can assure you is I won’t be taking a nap.

Wise Questions:What rules do you need to learn first?
How can you be more like the tortoise and less like the hare?

Cheers,

Dominik

The Business of Email

At a Meeting not long ago the subject of appropriate use of Business email was raised, roundly discussed and eventually hotly debated. The contention revolved around whether or not one can really express emotion through this medium.

One position was that, email is a wonderful communication tool that allows the sender to construct their thoughts, enabling an accurate expression of just how they are feeling about the subject at hand. The other position was there was no possibility of this actually happening, considering that relaying one's real feelings can only be done in person with a two way dialogue

You may hold to either of these two positions or like me fall somewhere in between, but the whole subject gave pause for thought. The thoughts took me directly to my inbox to review the different styles of my various senders and a few things jumped out.

1- The inbox is really full and although it appears that it has been read, most of it seems not very important. I would guess that about 10% gets a response from me.

2- The rest of it for the most part seems meaningless or I just don't understand what is being said. (In that case I do not respond; if its important the sender will call and then they can explain) . Some of it is very imformative, but not too much.

3- Sometimes people like trying to carry on a conversation through the email. That's when I pick up the phone. It takes a lot less time.

4- There is a lot of inter office email that could have been concluded in the same way as above, especially considering that more often than not the person is no less than 50 steps away.

5- Some people write too much and a lot of it is flowery gobbelty-gook. Its hard to get past the first sentence of this type of issue.

6 - Much as we all enjoy a good laugh, now a days too many people send jokes. There is so much of this, there just isn't time to read through them all. Chain email never go beyond my desk, no matter what the implications of non compliance may be.

An observation. Following the point of view expressed by my colleague who felt that there is no way you can communicate emotion through email, I find that there is a danger, that could end up with a embittered co-worker, an angry boss, a disgruntled employee or heaven forbid a lost customer. Without that real time dialogue, there is a lot of room for lack of clarity and misunderstanding. Bad feeling when the sender had no such intention. That's not good.

Ted Barton

Here's a couple of links on the subject. Most have you have probably visited similar sites like this one about email etiquette http://www.emailreplies.com/

and this one that is a recent interview with guy who invented email
http://itmanagement.earthweb.com/entdev/article.php/1408411

Lastly here's some stats:
E-mail in numbers
170 billion: Number of e-mails sent worldwide each day
2 million: Number of e-mails sent each second
49 minutes: Average time an office works spends each day managing e-mail
34: Percentage of internal company e-mails that office workers say are ‘unnecessary’
30-40: Number of times per hour workers check their e-mail
(Sources: Radicati Group, Gartner, Times Database)