I was watching Money Ball with my son last week and it occurred to me that Billy Beane was baseball’s entrepreneur. He thought he could create a product in a different and better way. He found a system he believed in and went “all-in” to see it through against the advice of everyone around him. Isn’t that what we do as entrepreneurs?

 

Small business owners don’t think like most people do. What others see as risky propositions, we see as unique opportunities. It is said that the definition of luck is when preparation meets opportunity. What others seeing as being lucky, entrepreneurs are seeing the culmination years of hard work, years of preparation, and, in many cases, years of failing forward, and years of believing in a vision…and another opportunity.

 

This issue of Dynamic Business is dedicated to those small business visionaries who are unique. They are not lucky, risk-takers. Yes, they believed in themselves and their vision, but what makes them truly unique is that they made that very difficult decision to take that first step into the unknown world of “all-in”. This journey comes along with all of the wonderful fringe benefits that all small business owners experience; sleepless nights, workdays longer than any previous job, strained cash flow, weekends on the clock, missing the family’s activities, and being accused of smart phone addiction because we need to be accessible.

 

Like Beane, we have those around us telling us how we need to…, how we should…, why we can’t…, when we should. All that we know and all that we are has gone into our product or offering. Small business owners are committed to the “all-in” concept. Every morning our feet hit the ground and we recommit to being “all-in” and face they day’s economic pressures, government pressures, regulatory pressures, competitive pressures, market pressures,  deadline pressures, payroll pressures, employee pressures, and the pressures of change.

 

In the move, Billy Beane asked his assistant Peter Brand “I think the question we should be asking is, do you believe in this thing or not?”  Small business owners have all looked in the mirror and asked that question and when the answer was “yes”, the hardest part was the decision Beane made as well;  ”Now, we’re gonna see this thing through, for better or worse.”

 

On behalf of SMC Business Councils, I would like to congratulate and recognize small business owners for committing to being “All-In”. SMC is here to help you “see this thing through.”

Back in my early printing sales days, I would spend a lot of time on the telephone working with clients regarding their color proofs. I’ve always been a doodler. While on the telephone, I would create cartoon doodles of stick people. One stick person would be pictured playing a prank on another stick person. For instance, the smaller person pulling a chair out when the larger sat down or a bucket of water rigged to a chair dumping on the larger when they sat down. Some of them were nice enough to hang by my desk on the wall…until my boss figured out that he was the larger of the two. I know it was a bit juvenile, but it was my way of coping with being the stick person. So what does this have to do with human resources? Let me explain.

 

A mentor once told me a story about some campers or some explorers who were traveling through the wilderness with their burros or donkeys (obviously I was paying close attention). They came to a river they had to cross and didn’t have much time before dark. They also knew the burros didn’t care for walking through rushing river waters. They tried pulling the donkeys, but couldn’t get them to budge. They tried pushing, but the donkeys didn’t care. Desperate to cross, they tried to coerce the donkeys by poking them on the backside with a stick. Just at that time an old prospector came along with is donkey and asked them what the problem was. They explained that regardless of how they tried to force the donkeys across the river, the donkeys would not cooperate. The prospector laughed and said “That’s right, you won’t get them to cross with a stick!” The old man let go of his donkey, scratched under it’s chin, whispered in it’s ear, pulled a carrot from his pocket, broke off a piece and gave the donkey a little nibble. Showing the rest of the carrot to the donkey, the prospector walked through the river and the donkey immediately followed and received the rest of his treat on the other side.

 

Here is the HR angle. There are carrot people and there are stick people. There are also those who need a little of both. I know some people need motivated by the stick and that’s okay for them. As for me; I am not a stick person, but I’ll forge through rushing waters for a carrot! You can’t coach every player the same and you can’t manage that way either. When in doubt, lean toward the carrot.

Back in my days at IUP I would go to the Student Union between classes to study (and take a power nap). In the Student Union was a pinball machine called Centigrade 37 made by Gottlieb (why do I remember that?). Once you racked up enough points you would win a a credit for another game. February 29th reminds me of a bonus game, it’s an extra day that is just given to us every four years. Whatever we do on that day is a bonus! It’s a day to gain bonus clients, gain bonus business, and an additional 24 hours of productivity to help skew my numbers for the better!

Consider this day as if you were Bill Murray in Ground Hog Day, except when you go to bed on February 28, you wake up and it’s not March 1 yet. It’s the last day of February again! A bonus game! So, what do you plan to do with your bonus day? It’s a day you won’t be given for another four years and it didn’t cost you a thing; a free 24 hours. Whether you gain a new client, make another sale, or have lunch with an old friend; remember it’s only 24 hours of bonus time. Make it productive and don’t waste it. Do they still have arcades?

It’s not uncommon for a bunch of the guys in the neighborhood to get together to watch the Pittsburgh Penguins or the Pittsburgh Steelers. We sit, we watch, we smack talk, we complain about the announcers, we complain about the play calls, we high five. That’s exactly what sporting events are recreating with their social media tools.

 NASCAR is going social with the Daytona 500. Speed TV has launched it’s Social Garage where fans can interact via Facebook and Twitter.  Without leaving Speed TV’s web page, fans are able to experience the excitement generated around  NASCAR ’s season kickoff event. Those of us sitting at home are able to get closer to the race as those at the race tweet from the events surrounding the Daytona. It’s just another brilliant way for  NASCAR to continue to build it’s brand, it’s following and it’s excitement.

HOW CAN I GROW MY BUSINESS IN 2012?

 

How can I grow my business in 2012? Once asked, this question became stuck in my brain asking itself over and over like an annoying song. I’m sure you’ve experienced one line of a song you stuck on a loop in your brain (It happened to me this week with M.C. Hammer’s “Can’t Touch This”).

 

To stop the loop, I commit my ideas to paper where I can see them, remember them, work on them, and sometimes share them. So here are my ten low-cost suggestions for growing your business in 2012.

 

1. Connect - If you can’t find a place to network, you’re not looking. SMC offers many networking opportunities. One of my largest clients is BNI, my weekly networking group. Going to a networking function is not good enough. You have to learn how to network. The hard sell at a networking function will certainly get you known, but will also earn you a star in the phone-calls-to-avoid directory. Learn to network.

 

2. Bring more to the table - Take a look at your top 10% of your clients. Find out if there are additional products and services they need and you can provide (value-added). Increase your value to your clients.

 

3. Appreciate More - I recently read a book called “Appreciation Marketing” by Tommy Wyatt and Curtis Lewsey. It’s a fantastic book on conducting yourself constantly from the paradigm of appreciation. Read it! Any description I give will not do the book justice.

 

4. Read More - Become the expert. We have to information in seconds; anytime and anywhere. Read more in the areas which, if you were the expert, would translate into dollars through credibility. SMC’s publications; “Dynamic Business”, “HRM Update” and “Government News” are great places to start.

 

5. Advocate! Every politician will tell you that small business is the engine of the economy. We are the small business and we drive that engine. Regulatory burdens and tax burdens are sometimes speed bumps, sometimes stop signs, sometimes a tree across the road and, unfortunately, sometimes a bridge out ahead. Whether or not it is interesting to you, government advocacy DIRECTLY affects you and your business. SMC is the oldest government advocacy organization in Pennsylvania. Its efforts reach local, state and national legislators. Get involved to help clear the roads and let the engine run.

 

6. Social Media - Dedicate more time to your social media efforts, but be smart about it. Do you put your time in social media because it’s popular, or do you have a social media marketing plan? You’re an expert in your field; engage in online discussions. If you’re not an expert, ask in online discussions. Either way: engage! Check out my Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+, or Pinterest pages and engage!

 

7. Volunteer - Giving of your time is a great way to offer your expertise. Whether it is on a committee, a board, a church, or a neighbor hood project, your efforts are appreciated and will associate good will with your name. You will meet new people (see Connect above) and if you can get your ego out of the way,  you may even learn something from them.

 

8. Be a better vendor - Have you ever surveyed your clients? Maybe it’s time to find out how you’ve been doing. Improve on your weaknesses and build on your strengths.

 

9. Ask, Seek, Knock - Ask for referrals from you best clients. Be sure to follow up on the referral. Not every referral is a fit, but you won’t know unless you knock on that door and engage. Seek out way you can help (not sell), and then knock on that door with a solution.

 

10. Revamp the Plan - Business plans should be dynamic and flexible. Take a look at your plan to see what you can adjust, what you need to adjust and what you need to throw away. SMC offers “Listening to Your Business”, a fantastic seminar to do just that.

 

There you have it. Ten low cost ways to increase your business in 2012. Now if you’ll excuse me, obviously I have ten ideas to work through…”Hammer time! Can’t Touch This!”

 In a society where we see more and more of the “It’s all about me” attitude. I want to say I’m proud to be part of SMC Business Councils advocacy efforts. On two separate occasions we filled buses and traveled to Harrisburg and Washington D.C. Here are business owners countless hours to study the issues concerning Pennsylvania’s small business and sacrificing days of their time to visit with our legislators. We are making a difference on the state level and on the national level. Our members make a conscious effort to sacrifice their individual businesses to fight on behalf of all businesses. Instead of saying “It’s all about me” our members are saying “It’s all about us”!  They don’t have the time to do this. They make the time to do this.

 

This fall has been totally exhausting.  I have two teenagers. My son plays JV soccer, enjoys fall baseball and is diligently working toward his goal of being an Eagle Scout like his old man. I thank God for my wife driving my daughter to dance and swimming.  As much as I can, I help in the concession stands and attend club meetings, where I’m being recruited to take over as president of the soccer club for next season.  I’m an assistant coach to the middle school soccer team.  At least one (and sometimes all) of these activities occurs every evening of the week.  I serve on the Board of the SMC Business Councils and on the Board of the NSBA.  In my spare time, it seems, I own a successful marketing support company in a down-economy where marketing budgets are the first thing that are cut by clients.

 

Go ahead and ask anybody on the SMC Advocacy Bus, and they will give you a similar list. They don’t have the time. They make the time.

 

My wife asks me why I continue to say “yes”.  I guess my answer is this: I can’t stand sitting in the bleachers when I think I can help on the field. When I know that others are there with me, it makes it a lot easier to make the time; and it’s easier to make a difference.

 

To those on the field I say thank you for making the time. To those of you in the bleachers I say there are plenty of positions on the field we can always find more busses!

Celebrities don’t mean diddly-squat to me, because their egos are huge, they think they are more important than the entertainment that they are, but mainly because they never tune in to what I have to say. Recently, I have to admit that I’m lending an ear to a very interesting person making news. In one of his many interviews a reporter accused Charlie Sheen of being bi-polar. His comment was “What does that mean?.. I’m bi-winning!”. Some little voice deep inside me said “Now there’s something I can relate to!”. I’m pretty sure we don’t agree on anything else, but I like the idea of bi-winning.

 

Bi-winning. What an awesome mental picture. I’m not entirely sure I can wrap my brain around the context it was used, but I sure do like the sound of it. How can you be bi-wining? Here’s my take (in my best Jeff Foxworthy impression).

 

- If your client comes to you for help on a tight deadline, and you deliver a day ahead of schedule, then you and your client just might be bi-winning.

 

- If you can bring a new solution to your client that your competitors haven’t thought of, then you and your client might be bi-winning.

 

- If your client is looking for a specific result but doesn’t know the steps to accomplish the result, and you show them the way, then you and your client just might be bi-winning.

 

- If you provide multiple solutions for your client rather than pigeon-holing them in to a single option, then you and your client just might be bi-winning.

 

- If your client comes to you with something they want to do and you give them a better solution and which saves them time, or money, or produces better results, then you and your client just might be bi-winning

 

- If your client has a challenge with which you don’t have the solution, but you introduce them to someone who does, you might be bi-winning.

 

- If you are referred by an existing client to a new client and you make it easy and enjoyable to do business with you , then you and your new client just might be bi-winning. OR You and your existing client just might be bi-winning. OR Your existing client and your new client might be bi-winning.

 

But isn’t that TRI-winning? And isn’t TRI-winning three times the value of bi-winning? Maybe, I like to think, I’m one up on Charlie Sheen.

 

“Can’t is the cancer of happy.” - Charlie Sheen (Okay, we agree on two things.)

I had dinner last night with a friend who told me a story about his snow blower. OK, so the snow blower story wasn’t that exciting so won’t go into it. Although, in the middle of the snow blower story, the Penn State vs Pitt wrestling match came on the big screen in the restaurant which caused him to light up and launched him into another story, and another and another.

John is a former wrestler. He loves wrestling. He has coached and continues to travel all over the northeast United States to tournaments and knows everybody in the sport, or so it seems to me. He is a former two-time WPIAL Wrestling Champion, a one-time PIAA Champion and continued on to wrestle for Pitt. But prior all of that, John spent four years wrestling without winning a single match. How does a winless athlete become a champion? Hold that thought.

What organizations do you belong to? Are you a member of Rotary, your local chamber, BNI or another networking group, SMC Business Councils? If so, you have paid a membership fee and now you are a member. One of the benefits of being a member is that other members find out your name, research your business, drive to your location and write you a check….NOT!

Getting something out of an organization without putting something into it is like somebody joining a wrestling team and expecting to become a champion without putting forth the effort. Let me jump back to John for a little bit.

“No way did you go winless for two year!” is said to John, because I’ve seen the championship photos and trophies and medals. “What happened?” John continued to tell me that he, like a lot of wrestlers, athletes, and business people didn’t understand his potential, didn’t think it was achievable, and, as a result,  didn’t care enough to put in the proper effort. Then one day, he won his first match and a light went on in his head. He said to himself “hey, I can do this!” He started lifting weights, working out, and working harder at practice. He started winning. He said “I can do this, and I’m pretty good at this.” He started expecting to win and worked even harder and before long he said “I can do this better than anybody else!”. And then he did.

What kind of effort are you putting in to your organization? Do you show up for meetings? Do you attend networking functions? Do you join any committees? Do you attend any training? Do you review the members-only benefits to see how they can benefit you?

Be a Champion of your organization. Become involved, meet some people, get some wins. Pretty soon you may learn that you can do this better than anyone. You may learn that you cannot afford to NOT be member!

As for John? After his wrestling days, he was selling for a window and door company when his dad told him that he should become an entrepreneur and start his own window and door business. He told his dad that it was too hard and too much work. His dad looked at him and said “John, you’ve never failed at anything you put your mind to. What makes you think you’ll start now?” John went to the entrepreneurial mat and began to pay his dues. He has owned his company for over twenty-five years. I met him 16 years ago when he sold me windows and we became friends. For several years he told me “Dan, you can do this, and you can do this better than anyone.” I finally listened. He taught me to pay my dues.

So you want to become a Champion? Once you pay your membership fee, think about paying your dues.

“Press 1 for Accounting, press 2 for order status, press 3 for customer service, press * to repeat this message” (How about press 4 to be forwarded to your competition).

“Thank you for calling. All customer service representatives are busy servicing other customers. Your business is important to us, (sure it is…but I’m not) so please stay on the line and your call will be answered by the next available representative”

(INSERT SOUND OF ME SLAMMING THE PHONE….AAAAAAAARRRRGH!)

 

Seriously? That’s the face of your customer service? What is your goal? Is your customer service goal to be slightly less inefficient than the inefficient customer service of your inefficient competitor? GOOD JOB, YOU NAILED IT!

When your clients call, do you pick up the phone? I called a well known national supplier the other day to check on the status of an order. The operator answered. I told her I needed an order status. She transferred me to customer service. I told that person I needed order status. She asked for my state and business name. She transferred me to my customer service person. “Hello, you’ve reached Pam. I’m not at my desk or on the other line….” I hit “0″ and went back to operator, who transferred me to customer service who had me hold for the next available representative. Then I found out the order had shipped. FINALLY!

            “Can you give me the shipping cost?”

            “I’m sorry, I don’t have that information, but if you want to call back on Monday, it might be posted.” …Sure thing…I’ve got nothing better to do (Are you detecting sarcasm in my voice?)

 

BE EASY - If your client had 60 seconds to call you to get an answer, could they? Things move fast in our businesses and clients need answers quickly.

            Customer Service: Don’t let your phone go into voice mail if you don’t need to.

            Customer Excellence: Unless you’re with someone else who will be sending you a check, answer the phone when you know it’s a client on the other end.

You need to be so easy to do business with that it is painful for your clients to consider your competitor.

 

BE PHONE ACCESSIBLE - If your client needs YOU. Can they reach you by dialing 10 and only 10 numbers?

            Customer Service: Give them your direct number.

            Customer Excellence: Give them your cell number.

 

BE MULTI CHANNEL ACCESSIBLE - If a client needs to reach you, do they call or email?

            Customer Service: Let your customer know how to reach you when the absolutely need to reach you.

            Customer Excellence: Be accessible regardless of how your client chooses to reach you. Be sure they have your direct number, but forward it to your cell. Be sure they have your email, but forward that to your cell. Be sure they have your cell number to call you. If they’re comfortable with it, get their cell number so if they text you, you don’t have to text back “who is this?” Let your clients know  they can text you ANYTIME!

Check out SMC’s website at www.SMC.org where they have an online Business Concierge live chat to get their clients answers immediately. Now that’s Customer Excellence!

 

BE RESPONSIVE - When you get a phone message or email from your client be sure to get back to them quickly.

            Customer Service: Find out what they need and call them if they called or email them if they emailed with an answer ASAP.

            Customer Excellence: If the issue is something which will take some time to track down an answer, respond back immediately. My favorite response when I receive an email with a question or a request that will take some time, I respond immediately with “I’m on it!”.

Being responsive tells my client a few things. First, that I did receive the request. Second, that the request was not lost in email or voice mail limbo. Third, that I’m taking action and it’s just as important to me as it is to them. Fourth, that I will get back to them as early as possible. Fifth, as my client, “you are important to me” which means more to them than “your business is important to me.”

 

If your client does leave a voice mail, do you return their call promptly? By the way “promptly” is NOT within 24 hours like some companies like to boast. “Promptly” is definitely that day, if not that hour, but preferrably within a 15 minute period. In my business, my clients are extremely busy and these questions are coming from their superiors a lot of the time. They don’t have time to keep their bosses waiting. Responsiveness is king.

 

BE HONEST - Don’t promise what you’re not sure you can deliver. We all WANT to give our clients what they want. Are we ABLE? Be honest with your client. If you are not able, then give them the option to try elsewhere. That may be painful, but if you truly care for your client’s best interest you should want them to get what they need, not just what you can provide.

            Customer Service: Only promise what you can deliver. Turn it down if you can’t.

            Customer Excellence: Whatever you promise, deliver it with greater quality, and faster than you promised. If you can’t, then provide alternative solutions to give your clients options.

Recently a client asked me to source a product. I was able to get the exact product in the timeframe they wanted, but the supplier of that product received a “D” rating or lower on 50 out of 57 recent ratings. Chances were my client would have been disappointed, so I provided several solutions and warned them of the high risk. They know they can count on me to keep them out of trouble. They remain one of my best customers.

 

Whatever your competition is doing, do it better. Whatever you’re doing, do it better. Customer excellence is to consistently outperform their expectations. Don’t strive to provide good customer service. Instead, strive to provide great customer excellence.

PROSPECT: “Hey Joe, how is your business?”JOE: “Terrible! This economy is killing me.  Everybody’s doing bad!”

PROSPECT: “OK then, good to talk to you.”

PROSPECT: “Hey Dan, how is your business?”

DAN: “Not bad! Sure, last year I took a hit, but I’m digging back out of it. I’ve brought some new clients on board this year and I’m filling my pipeline with more prospects.”

PROSPECT: “Good for you!  What have you done to make the difference from this year to last year?”

To quote Monty Python, “RUN AWAY! RUN AWAY!”  Nobody wants to talk to Joe. Even if Joe is telling the truth, nobody wants to go there.  Let’s put business aside for a minute and put ourselves in any conversation at a party or a ball game or golf outing and you spend a significant amount of time with several people. Now you’re driving home and thinking back about Joe and Dan.  Dan was a breath of fresh air when compared to Joe. In the future I’ll be sure to avoid Joe because he’s just flat out depressing. Dan, on the other hand, is the light at the end of the tunnel. I want to hear more about Dan and his strategies. I want to be like that guy. I’ll be sure to follow up with Dan.

We are all in the same game of growing our business and we’re all fighting the same battles. Being positive and staying positive is hard work but it also becomes a habit if you work at it.  What is the payoff of being positive (+) verses being negative (-)? Whatever the event is, you are constantly networking whether you realize it or not. Let’s take a look at the impact:

NETWORKING:

(+) Prospects will be more likely to engage and stay engaged in conversation.

(-)  Prospects will disengage and run away and never come back.

(+) Prospects will have favorable memories of you after the event and may tell their contacts about you.

(-)  Prospects will remember how negative you were and try to forget you.

(+) Prospects will be more likely to introduce you to other colleagues at the event.

(-)  Prospects will not want to associate themselves with you and your negativity and certainly don’t want to be responsible for bringing the downer into somebody else’s world.

(+) You leave the prospect with a positive subconscious feeling about you and your business.

(-)  The prospect is trying to get you out of their mind as quickly as possible. You’ve become forgettable, or worse, you will be remembered to be avoided.

(+) Positive events that occur the following week may remind the prospect of the good conversation they had with you at the event.

(-)  When something bad happens to the prospect the following week that will cause them to say “Joe was right” and you are associated with negative events.

(+) When you call to follow up with the prospect you hear “Sure Dan, I’d be happy to meet with you! Wednesday is good for me.” The prospect will make time for you.

(-) When you call to follow up with the prospect you hear “I’m really tied up for the next couple week Joe. Follow up with me in a couple week.” They go out of their way to avoid you.

So when somebody asks how your business is doing, take an extra minute and be positive about your answer.