Refuse to believe "that's the way things are"

Think of all the "rules" that were broken by people who refused to believe "that's the way things have always been", or "that's the way we have always done it". Now we take for granted every day gravity, flight, radio and television.

*When looking at your day do you think "out of the box", or do you accept that there are no better ways to more effective, or efficiently complete your task? Are you stuck in the 1950's because your afraid to move forward with technology. Do you Assess your Processes?


Remember that the BEST do ordinary things better then anyone else!

Work like its a hobby

Think about your hobby, lets say you golf. You set a tee time early so you can get the day started right. Its sunny, your with friends and having a good time. Are you thinking of anything other than your game? Its your passion that shines.

*Do you look at work like a hobby? Do you just "go to work", or do what you have to? When is the last time you or your employees looked at work with "passion"? What about getting up EARLY on their day off. They take golf lessons to get better at thier hobby, when is the last time your employees completed a class or watched a webinar to improve their game (I mean job)?

Key Questions

Everyone wants to feel special, so make sure your customers know how much they mean to you. Customers will go where they feel invited, and return where they feel appreciated.

*Design a key question to ask customers to sort out the new from the returning, and set up a database to track them. Then devise a simple yet effective process to consistently reward both your old and new customers.

Choose your relationships

Have you ever wondered how often chance or coincidnece was actually guiding you? Chance can open many doors, but you can only walk through them with the right intentions. Intentional relationships take time and effort, but they are definitely worth it!

*Make intentional part of your vocabulary to describe the relations you want to have now and in the future.

RAVE

Success is equal parts who you know and who knows you. A good association can help you with both halves of that equation.

*Look around to see what local, regional, or national associations you can benefit from. You should handpick a few that you want to get involved with, and contact them about becoming an active member. Remember to R-A-V-E.
Read all materials, Attend the events, Volenteer on projects, and Enjoy the social outlet.

Its all about Relationships

Yogi Bear, the cartoon character always said that you can see a lot when you look. Think about how much you can accomplish if you start building relationships with people who have ideas like yours.

*Consider putting your own small group together. Get to work identifying other companies, and people like your and build relationships that can pay off for everyone involved. There are many resources that can help you identify these companies. The secret is to understand that help is out there!

Host a lunch

The best way to reduce your cost of prospecting and get results is to host a breakfast or lunch during business hours. Pair up a sizzling agenda and a free meal, and you'll be surprised at how quickly your prospects become loyal customers.

*Always follow the acronym S-A-F-E to make sure people know that it's okay to come to your event. S-A-F-E stands for Secure, Accepted, Free of Fear, and Enthusiastic. Feeling safe is an incredibly important part of any relationship.

It's not how much you know, it's how much you care

Prospects don't care about you until they know how much you care about them. Make sure your relationships are positive for everyone. It is important for your prospects to understand that you are not trying to take advantage of them or your relationship.

*List your customers and prospects. Then identify why you have a good relationship with them, or why you don't. Work to strengthen this relationship until you've created a true marriage of equals.

Make Me Feel Important

Brainstorm what you can do to make people feel important.  Develop a system to do every day, and with every customer.

*Make yourself a note, sign or poster. Put it on your mirror at home, on your dashboard in the car, or near your phone in the office. Write M-M-F-I, and remember it every time you contact a customer.

What Gets Rewarded

What gets rewarded, gets repeated.

Involve Me

Tell me, and I'll forget: Show me and I may remember: but involve me, and I will understand. That is a perfect example of relationship building between associates.

Power of Education

Never overlook the power of education for your employees if you want to enhance your business.