Leaders - Want Results...? Include These People!

Want faster more effective results?  Include these types of people in the decision making process up front.

1.  Set out the issue and desired outcome to those directly involved

2.  Include those to be consulted - when and how

3.  Give feedback to those that need to be informed timely 

Make decisions using this guide, then you'll achieve results faster and more effectively than you would otherwise.

Let's have a conversation on leadership and team issues if they are getting in the way of predictable increasing profits and productivity.

Passion Changes Everything

Business Owners and Salesmen are you finding the B2B procurement process more intimidating?

You're working with professional B2B buyers trained, hired and retained because they removed all emotion from their job.   All but one...FEAR.

Their world is transactions, buying commodities.  They build procurement processes to mitigate fear of a bad purchase, not to ensure a good/great purchase.   

The greatest antecedent for their fear is your passion.  Your resolute conviction that what you offer works as promised.  You believe/know this or else there is no further discussion, if otherwise.  You're representing the situation, solution and mitigating the risk and avoiding the risky so an informed decision is made.

When you find the B2B procurement process is interfering with your profits, then let's have a discussion to find solutions that show how passion changes everything.

Your Price is too High...? 20 Proven Responses to a Tough Objection

When you're receiving this objection, you may be getting somewhere with your customer.  They're acknowledging the need for a solution, so follow up with further questions.

  

1.  Which means?

2.  Compared to what?

3.  What was your expectation?  

4.  If our competitor is much less, what does that tell you?  

5.  You can always find a cheaper solution but you won't find both the quality and value.  Isn't that what interests you?

6.  It is high compared to what some companies charge.  What does the fact that we have over 500 customers buying from us imply?  

7.  It costs only about 15¢ per hour of operation.  What kind of peace of mind does that buy?

8.  Our price is high, compared to what some others companies in the field in charge.  But I believe it’s not high enough for what it does.  As a matter of fact, as the economy improves we're expecting a price increase any day.  Why not buy now and get our high quality at today’s price?

9.  I am glad you mentioned price.  Is it the amount or the terms?  

10.  Have you ever figured the price of not having a high quality?  The price of breakdown, the cost of wasted time, the extra phone calls, the headaches, the repairs bills…you see, high quality actually saves you money in the long run.  Why not order today?

11.  Don’t deceived by today's prices.  You actually pay less because we are giving you more service, more quality, more expertise, and more security.  Isn’t that what you really interested in?

12.  You really feel that our price is too high?  Could you explain that for me?

13.  The sweetness of low price is quickly forgotten when you have to deal day after day with the bitterness of low quality.

14.  We can lower the price right now, but you need to make a decision on what options to cut from our proposal.  Okay?

15.  I might get in trouble for saying this, but I know a way to save you a few bucks.  What if I cut my commission on this transaction to lower the price?  

16. Yes, we are not the cheapest in our field; however, we do over $8 Million a year at the same price.  We cannot do that if our customers weren't convinced that this is the best buy.  Wouldn't you agree?

17.  Does your company pay you only to buy the cheapest products?  Are they really interested in getting the best value for the dollar?  Shall we talk about value?

18.  Our price is too high?  We very rarely hear that, what do you mean?

19.  How much too high is it?  Do you realize that if you keep and use your products for 5 years, and most people do, the price difference is only 12¢ a day?  Isn't it worth 12¢ a day to have the very best?

20.  If it were cheaper, would you want it?  Good!  Then what you are telling me is that you're interested.  Let's look at some ways you can afford it!

So there you have it, 20 ways to reply and most are questions that get the customer to share what's holding them back from a purchase.

If your sales team is facing objections that's consistently hindering sales, let's have a discussion on improving their effectiveness. 

   

CPA's - Do You Have Capacity for One More Client...?

I'm interviewing DFW accounting firms providing traditional tax, audit and bookkeeping services to businesses and seek to significantly increase their financial, managerial and operational accounting billings.  The right firm currently has at least 75 business owner clients with revenues between $500,000 and $3.500,000.  The objective is to grow your client's business and increase your billings doing more predictable and interesting high value work with clients you enjoy. 

Here's the concept:. We work together to evaluate your clients based on existing performance and owner's desires to accelerate their growth.  We invite them to participate in an event, interview those interested to ensure they're qualified and make offers for them to participate.  The clients selected and accepting of the business coaching and higher value accounting services program are provided your services individually once a month.  The one-on-one monthly accounting sessions are facilitated by me and I pay your hourly rate.  

I call this co-coaching.  You're coaching them on their numbers and I'm coaching them on all the other facets of business building from business action plans & strategies, marketing & sales, systemization, team building and operations.  

Example:  $300/hr rate x 7 clients/day = $2,100/day for 12 sessions/year = $25,200/yr incremental services.  Can you see how you get a predictable revenue stream doing high value work for your best clients?  During the other 3 or 4 weeks in the month the client receives business coaching on the other growth areas from me.

If you're open to having this discussion, let me know soonest as I know the lull in accounting activity closes quickly and only 2 accountant firms can be handled this summer. 

Logic Gets You Thinking...Emotion Gets You Acting - You Need Both!

If you're like most business owners, you're about actions.  Whether working with employees, engaging with prospective clients, seeking funding or ensuring performance, these conversations or meetings lead to doing.

Yet blind actions leads to chaos without prudent thinking.  So next time you're seeking to influence others, combine both.  Provide the discussion with logic to get them thinking on how to do the right things right.  And appeal to their emotions and passions so they feel the propensity to act on what they know and decided.  This combination of logic and emotion achieves more than what could be otherwise.

If you're facing challenges on how to approach your next sales presentation, team meeting or negotiation and want to brainstorm approaches to combine the logic and emotion to think and act, let's discuss how. 

Running Your Business Getting Any Easier?

Participate in this 16 week intensive Business Success Academy 202 where you will learn how to leapfrog your competition, dramatically boost your revenue, build a championship team, take control of your bottom-line plus have more time for the important things in life…

I'm conducting a live webinar on June 13th, Thursday, 01:15 pm to explain exactly what the BSA 202 group coaching workshops are as well as some of the actual strategies from the academy.  Register Here...

  

Business Success Academy 202 goes for 16 weeks.  We'll conduct the academy via webinar with other like minded business owners to put you and your business through the paces.           

Here’s some of the specifics of the Business Success Academy 202 -“The 8 Keystone Sessions To Grow Your Business And Turn Your Business Into A High Performance Profit Machine.”  You’ll participate in - eight intensive two and half hour sessions over the next 16 weeks plus five individual one-to-one coaching periods.  It starts July 09^th, 2013, Tuesday and conducted bi-weekly on late Tuesday afternoons.  Each session and coaching period is full of “how-to” materials to move you forward.

Session 1 – Setting Your Future:  If you don’t know where you are going, how do you expect to get there?  You may have general direction goals but do you have the specifics on how to build a great business from the ground up…

Session 2 – Generating Cashflow:  Open your eyes to the principles of Leverage and Cashflow Marketing. Discover the fastest ways to increase marketing results in your business that you can apply IMMEDIATELY… 

Session 3 – Streetwise Marketing:  Reveal the uniqueness in your business so you get more clients as a result.  You’ll learn how to develop client loyally so that your customers keep coming back again…and again…and again…

Session 4 – Sales Made Simple:  Discover how to avoid selling the “Old” vs. “New” way.  Find out how to leverage the phone, the internet, the power of the question funnel and rejoice at receiving objections so you can professionally help your prospects buy from you…

Session 5 – Team Building and Leadership:  Once your business is working, how do you bring on the team you’ve always wanted?  Learn how to recruit great people and inspire your staff.  Ultimately lead your team so you don’t have to be there all the time…

Session 6 – The 6 Steps to Massive Results:  Find out the steps to truly leverage every opportunity in your business.  You’ll learn how to apply systems that not only run your business and achieve MASSIVE results – but most importantly give you the opportunity to work “ON” vs. “IN” your business…

Session 7 – Leverage “The Game of Business Board Game” – Putting Into Practice All That You Learned

Plus Session 8 – Special “Business Make Over – Surprise”:  If your company is selected you’ll have the benefit of having your company made-over with the insight of a CPA, business broker or marketing expert critiquing and recommended more implementable ideas in 2 hrs than you could get in 2 years…

If the headline didn’t cause you to pause and think…there are a few things “bugging or challenging me”…then my congratulations.  But for most owners the business-of-business is running them harder than ever.  As far as we know, your business and your life are not a rehearsal.

Join me live via webinar on Thursday at 01:15 pm to get all the details.   Click Here...

Business Owners Rewarded for Value & Results vs.Time & Effort

Business owners recognize the two competing economies.  There is the "Time and Effort" economy which seeks security, predictability and stability.  A trade is made for an employees time and talent to be applied in a job.  This represents the preponderance of the workforce.  The other economy is defined by "Value and Results."  As an owner, your customers don't care how hard, long or stressed you work.  They expect the product or service promised on the other side of price.  Owners focus on the opportunity to delight customers as their reward.

What separates the two economies is the perception of "Risk & Reward."  The world rewards high risk and high reward.  Yet, business owners are some of the most cautious people I know.  They make a distinction between Risky and Risk.  Jumping out an airplane without a parachute is risky.  A trained jumper with equipment is less risky than driving.  Business owners assess risk - determine what they know and mitigate what they don't and prepare.

If you're a business owner preparing for new opportunities or reviewing your current direction, then let's talk.  We'll facilitate a brainstorm or strategy session to ensure you can make an informed decision and avoid risky.

How Would a 10% Change in Your Marketing Budget Impact Your Business?

How would a 10% change in marketing either up or down impact your business?  A quick poll done with 14 businesses owners with revenues less than $3.5 mm and 16 employees, believed that customers, revenues and profits would be impacted, somehow.  While a small poll, all owners agreed the impact should be known.  One owner laughingly summarized his answer with, "80% of marketing didn't work and didn't know which 20% did."

Without knowing your marketing numbers how do you know what to do more or less of?  Marketing budgets are the first to be cut because the right numbers are not gathered and a ROI can't be calculated.   Let's change that.

Marketing measurement builds respect, accountability, integrity, credibility, predictability and even likability.  If getting control of your marketing effectiveness hinders your business's growth, then let's talk.  As business coaches we ensure your marketing is an investment not an expense.

4 Words Guaranteed to Make Your Team More Productive...

Ever leave a meeting with questions about who's doing what per issue?  You're not alone, this confusion often leads to enormous mis-communication and waste.  Here's how to bring clarity and higher productivity after each meeting by assigning names to these key words.  Who's Responsible, Accountable, Consulted and Informed...

Whether you’re participating in your business, charitable foundation or local tennis club, meetings are meant to lead to decisions, action plans and results.  So let’s place the name the person responsible, accountable, consulted and informed per ActionPLAN or Issue.  The chart's visual simplicity provides clarity, aligns interests and leads to higher productivity.

ActionPLAN / Issue	Responsible	Accountable	Consulted	Informed
Issue #1	(Put the names of individuals in these blocks)
Issue #2
Issue #3

These team building skills are what our ActionCOACH business coaches do daily with our clients.  If leading teams to higher performance is your responsibility, are you open to the idea of getting there faster?  Let's get started. 

The 11 Rules for Problem Solving & Brainstorming Success

Rarely is there a problem without a solution and often the solution is within your Team's capabilities to solve.  Here's how to facilitate your Team toward a solution.

The 11 Rules for Problem Solving and Brainstorming. 

1. Headline the Problem / Issue / Opportunity:  Newspaper headline terms
2. Provide Background: Current situation, Which are Symptoms and Causes, Give context in which a solution is sought, Define the ground rules for a successful solution
3. Re-define the Problem:  After discussions with the group working the Problem / Issue / Opportunity reframe the Problem.  Likely a new problem statement emerges
4. Define the Desired Outcome:  What is needed/wanted/must have?  How important and committed are the players to the solution? What does success look like? Begin with the end in mind. Work the outcome backwards – what do you have to believe to achieve the outcome, what are the assumptions?
5. Generate Ideas of Possible Solutions:  No idea is a bad idea, no critique of person with idea.  Look for relationships of ideas: Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive and Complete - MECEC
6. Select Ideas of Possible Solutions:  Prioritize selected ideas as compared to desired results
7. Get Benefits and Concerns:  What are the pluses of going forward?  Concerns – what I Wish I Knew – IWIK and How To – H2, Go through “what if” questions and scenarios - What if things go right? What if they go wrong?
8. Work the Critical Concerns:  What are the critical concerns that would impede success?
9. Define an Action Plan & Next Steps for Implementation – Rules of the Game, Urgency to act – why, who, what, when, where, how, mission – strategy/tactics
10. How to Sell / Persuade / Communicate in the other person’s interest – WIFME (What’s in It For Me) perspective, factor the people’s personalities involved and how best to communicate with them
11. Work Fast:  Keep the tempo up.  Go for the 80/20 solution.  Keep sessions short and flexible.  Focus on what you can do.  Identify issues that aren't important and urgent and assign a smaller group to work and report back.

This is one more area where our business coaches excel.  They know how to facilitate these important sessions so business owners and their teams are aligned. What would that do for your business productivity?