My Small Business Can Bench Press More Than Your Small Business
January 31, 2010
Photo Credit: BigStockPhoto.com (and yes, this was a fun search!)
I was standing in line at the grocery store the other day and overheard a conversation between a man and a woman that went something like this:
Big buff man (puffing out his chest just a little), “Yeah, I lift about 1000 pounds a week…”
The woman’s eyes got wide, “Oh wow, that’s a lot of weight,” but not wanting to be out-gymmed she non-chalantly professed, “I do 4 ½ miles on the elliptical 5 times a week… “
That conversation got me thinking. We love to talk about our accomplishments – some people even take it to the extreme and bore everyone with constant stories of self-aggrandizement; bragging endlessly about what they have or what they’ve done. But for most of us, we simply work hard to achieve our goals and it makes us feel good to share our success.
So yes, we as individuals - as human beings - like to brag a little now and then. But I rarely hear small business owners bragging about their professional achievements. I’d love to be in a networking group and hear a fellow solopreneur proclaim (with chest puffed out), “I got 10 new leads last week and converted 8 of them.” And another respond, “Oh yeah, well I have a 95% customer retention rate”. And a third, proudly assert, “My average sale increased 50% last year!”
Why don’t we hear and engage in conversations like these? I mean we are entrepreneurs for crying out loud! We should be loud and proud! We work our tails off, haven’t we earned bragging rights? Why don’t we talk about these things more? Could it be that we have nothing to brag about? Is it because we don’t set goals or measure results so we have no idea what we’re accomplishing – or even if we’re accomplishing anything ?
You see, the key to earning bragging rights as a small business owner is knowing where you started, where you are now, and where you want to go. Mr. Grocery Store Iron Man didn’t just walk in to the gym one week and start lifting 1000 lbs. And I know his companion didn’t do 4 ½ miles her first time on the elliptical. Without a starting point how can you know what success looks like? And if you don’t know what success looks like how can you share it with others? So start setting goals and tracking success. I want to hear you brag!!!
What do you think? We’d love to hear from you. Leave your comments by clicking here and scrolling down the page.
How to Hire a Small Business Coach or Consultant
January 24, 2010
Earlier this week Duct Tape Founder and Marketing Guru John Jantsch published an article on the American Express Small Business Open Forum entitled, “5 Things You Must Uncover Before Hiring a Coach or a Consultant” It’s a great article and I suggest anyone who is considering hiring either one give it a read.
Photo Credit BigStockPhoto.com
John points out 5 key things to look for:
1. Are they Strategic Thinkers? I love this one because most small business owners I know and work with focus on the tactical; what content should I put in my ad, how many flyers should I create, etc and have some difficulty focusing on the bigger picture – the strategy. Why are you advertising? What is your goal? Lead generation (like building your list) or sales? That’s why it’s important to hire someone who is a strategic thinker. Because if you keep going round-and-round with the tactics, you’ll stay right where you are.
2. Do they have the right kind of experience? John points out that having experience in your industry is not only irrelevant, it can be a handicap. I love working with new industries because I get to bring them new ideas. Don’t let “Well no other business in my industry does that” stop you from trying it! That one thing may end up being your biggest lead generator or differentiator!
3. Do they employ a process framework? Process is key to success. Without process we are just reacting to whatever we’re hit with at the moment. When I decided to start my own business I chose Duct Tape Marketing for the process. It’s simple, easy to follow, and has a track record of success helping small businesses that spans 20+ years.
4. Do they have network of relationships they can share? This is another excellent point. When building a marketing strategy, you need more than a plan. You will eventually need to get to the tactics – or the execution of that plan – and you will need people to help you. You will need web developers, designers, advertising experts, writers, copywriters, SEO experts, and more. Is your Coach or Consultant plugged in to the industry and do they have a network of trusted service providers that you can hire and rely on?
5. Can they demonstrate documented results? I have heard about so many people who hire consultants and coaches without asking for references or success stories and then wonder why they didn’t get the results promised. Is your coach/consultant obsessed with getting results (they should be!)? If so they should be have some case studies that prove the process they use gets results. Again, that is why I joined the Duct Tape Marketing Coaching Network. I have a team of 50 coaches who have been doing this a while and have case studies and success stories of small businesses who have been through the program I deliver to prove that it works. That is powerful.
While we’re on the subject of Coaching and Consulting let’s talk about the difference between the two. I get asked a lot how they are different. Here is a good analogy that illustrates the difference between a small business coach and a consultant:
• A business coach will help you understand how and why you ride a bicycle, help you to determine what’s holding you back from riding properly, and jog along next to you as YOU ride.
• A business consultant will explain why one bike is superior to another, teach you how to ride the bike, and if necessary, ride the bike for you.
Share your comments here. (and then scroll down the page).
Small Business: Disneyland Isn’t Participating in the Recession, Are You?
January 17, 2010
When I ask small business owners what their number one challenge in marketing is I get a range of different answers. Lately I’ve been hearing “the economy”, “the housing market”, “high taxes” or some other force that is beyond our control.
So where does that leave us? If our biggest marketing challenges are these insurmountable forces that are beyond our control then how are we to ever succeed? Doesn’t this seem defeatist to you? Wouldn’t you rather think of marketing challenges in terms of things you can control? Yeah, the economy sucks, but does that mean we should give up? Does that mean we have to sit back and fail? Absolutely not! What it means is that we as small business owners have an opportunity to re-think our marketing strategies, get creative and boldly claim our piece of the pie (yes, it is a smaller piece- but it’s still pie!).
A marketing challenge is a problem your small business is having that you CAN control. Like: not getting enough leads; not converting enough leads; diminishing customer loyalty; decreasing spend by existing customers, etc. You’re probably scratching your head, “But all of these things have to do with a bad economy…” Yes, people are spending less and are more mindful of the purchases they make, but guess what – they are still spending! Are you getting a piece of that or are you sitting back with a defeatist attitude and not doing anything to capture what market share there is?
The economy is bad, there is no denying that. But has everyone stopped buying? No, they haven’t. A friend of mine just went to Disneyland on New Years and it was sold out. He asked, “Where’s this recession I keep hearing about?” Is Disneyland using the recession as an excuse to stop marketing? Quite the opposite, they are out there more than ever offering really great deals to those who are sick and tired of eating in every night, watching every penny and skipping more expensive vacations. Disney understands that the economy is not their number one marketing challenge- reaching their target market with compelling messaging and offers is their challenge.
If you are one of those small business owners who think your biggest marketing challenge is some reality that is out of your control, I want to challenge your thinking: Economies are always going to boom and bust, housing markets will rise and fall, competitors will always come out with a great sale that will attract your market or even make some of your customers think – or worse yet shop. These are not marketing challenges. These are reality.
So, l’ll ask again: What is your number one marketing challenge? And what are you doing to overcome it?
Please click here to leave your comments.
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