Time is N:OW to Act

Whether you celebrated New Year's with fireworks or not, the time N:OW is to act.  Let's have the conversation that leads you to a commercial profitable business that works without you always being there.  

eM:  StephenMarino@ActionCOACH.com or ph:  972 709 6776

Yes, that's what ActionCOACH - Business Coaches do globally with over 12,000 clients per month.  It's time for you to accelerate your growth.

Time to High Grade Your Clients…?

Your business exists to serve clients better than anyone else.  Yet, if your client retention, average dollar sale and transaction frequency is not increasing then how much of your day is invested in improving existing clients vs seeking new clients?   

Start with the question, is pleasing your existing clients the best way to attract better clients?  Many times it is.  After all you have an existing relationship to leverage.  So ask, how do you want your clients to change?  Note that I use the word, "Client" vs. "Customer."  A customer makes a transaction.  A "Client" is….

• a partner
• a person with a vested interest in outcome - they win, I win
• a person with an emotional bond
• a person that they won't work with if the "trust is broken"
• the source of my reputation "up" or "down"
• pays the bills
• my life

So select your clients…you're as good - or as bad - as your client list.  We are defined by the people who buy from us…as much as the services/products rendered.

If I'm to be know by my client list then take time to rank your clients into one of three categories

1. Top client is one that makes me grow and defines me to be know by.  A person jointly committed to excellence where I feel, "I love this work!"
2. Tier two - "I can tolerate it and it's what I do for a living."
3. Tier three - I can't stand type of work or person.  "I wish I could get rid of them."

It's ok to fire or lay off a few clients occasionally.  

Create an expectation by connecting with the best.  After all, why let clients that choose not to apply your services to grow deny your dreams of serving more and better clients?  There is no question you can succeed the question is will you matter?  Working with top clients goes a long way to having significance.

If you're having this discussion about your clients and seek further insights on how you can work with the best, then give me a call.  It's what ActionCOACH - Business Coaches do…Think Bigger, Insist on Win/Win and Be First to Inspire!  em:  StephenMarino@ActionCOACH.com ph:  972 709 6776

How to Move Yourself UP to Entrepreneur Level in 2014

If asked what level entrepreneur you are, which definition describes you best?

1.  Entrepreneur - you create money.  Have you had an initial public offering?  You leverage other peoples - money, ideas, distribution and network?  Congratulations you're on top.  If this definition not suitable then you must be…

2.  Investor - you make money with money.  Your stock and bonds, commodity, real estate, and oil and gas portfolios are worth more today than they were six years ago.  Congratulations.  If not then you may be…

3.  Owner - you make money from the company's dividends.  Not a draw, loan or salary but from the excess cash after paying all the expenses.  Congratulations.  If that doesn't quite fit your situation then you may be…

4.  Manager - you earn money from a salary, directing a few people and operate with systems.  By the way your salary when calculated on an hourly base needs to be higher than your lower level employees.  Congratulations.  Still doesn't describe you, then you may be…

5.  Self Employed - you earn when you work hard and long.  You may have employees and systems but if the business doesn't work without you then you work for the business.  

The good news is that regardless of which definition matches your situation, there is a way to move up.  That's what ActionCOACH - Business Coaches do.  Contact me now and we'll get you started for 2014!  eM:  StephenMarino@ActionCOACH.com or ph:  972 709 6776

   

7 Sentences in 7 Minutes to Develop Your Marketing Plan

Here’s a simple 7 sentence marketing plan that can be done in 7 minutes…if it takes much longer reconsider the KISS principle. 

1.    Tells the purpose of your Marketing…to buy a client.  And the purpose of your SOCIAL media marketing…is to build a relationship.  How does it attract them and move them to be advocates and raving fans of your products and services?

2.    States the competitive advantage you'll emphasize.  What is the Solution to a Problem?

3.    Explains who your target audience is…Who are your core relationships?  Who do you know who?  Who do they know who?  Where to find the greatest quantity of those that go beyond want & need to MUST have!

4.    Lists the marketing tools you'll be using.  Which social media tools are applicable? Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Google+, eBlogger, etc…

5.    Explains your niche in the marketplace….Not competing on price.  Can increase price…Making it easy to do business with you – Removing Risk – Providing a great Guarantee

6.    Sets forth your identity to your customer.  What experience is created for them?

7.    States your marketing budget, expressed as a percentage of your projected gross sales.   

Completing these 7 sentences ensures your Marketing Plan is communicable and therefore implementable.

Want to know how to make this happen in your organization?  Contact me at StephenMarino@ActionCOACH.com or ph:  972 709 6776.  This is what ActionCOACH - Business Coaches do…Think Bigger, Insist on Win-Win, Be First to Inspire!

How to Attract Top Talent...

Whether your company is experiencing rapid growth or replacing people, knowing how to attract top talent is an essential business function.  

Here are 5 essential steps to this function to save you time, money and ensure a great fit for your company. 

1. Define the position - skills and competencies as well as the cultural fit with your vision, mission and values
2. Attract a large pool of applicants.  In today's job environment there are nearly 90 applicants per job with a well written and placed advertisement
3. Design the recruiting process that mimics the qualities you want completed.  With a large number of applicants, you can manage the process by having applicants demonstrate their competencies and show their desire to go the "extra mile."  Allow your candidate to de-select themselves based on the initial advertisement and instructions throughout your process
4. Once that applicant number is manageable, then invite those selected to a group interview with your team.  Make this a multi-hour session where you share information about your company, the position and get the applicant to step up and perform many of the essential job required tasks
5. Review input from your entire team and decide 

This process is efficient and effective for you and your team because in a relatively short amount of time there is more input and insights gained to help you make a decision on selecting not only for skills and capabilities as well as a cultural fit. 

If you're adding talent to your business this quarter then give me a call and let's discuss how to make this process work for you.  This is one more capability ActionCOACH - Business Coaches have…ph:  972 709 6776 or email:  StephenMarino@ActionCOACH.com  

How Much More Valuable is Your Business When it's Profitable and Works Without You...?

What direction is the value of your business going?  Are the discretionary cash flows increasing year-over-year?  If not, why not?  

How loyal is your client base?  Do they rave about their experience and stay with you even when you reasonably increase your prices? 

How solid are your people and systems to deliver great products and services on time, to spec, on budget and wow every time?  

How accurate and timely are your numbers that reveal the direction of your business?  These go beyond routine bookkeeping into predictive indicators allowing you to see the future cash flows and health of the business.

If you didn't answer "Yes" to these questions how much more valuable would your business be if you made more with less stress?  How about when you wanted to "exit" the business?  People pay a premium when the business works without the former owner there.  Let's have a conversation on how to fortify your business to become a commercial profitable business that works without you always being there.  

Great, give me a call at 972 709 6776 or email at StephenMarino@ActionCOACH.com and we'll have conversation about how you can still achieve the goals you went in to business for originally - to be profitable and it works without you...

How to Determine Pay Mix for Sales Force - Commission vs Salary…

Which variable in your compensation package incentivizes your sales force to deliver the results desired - more clients, higher revenues and gross profits?  The consensus from sales teams globally is that it varies based on whether the salesman must find new customers or delight existing customers or both.  Since it takes at least six times more effort and expense to attract new business than it does to sell to your existing customers, the risk reward relationship favors compensation with a higher commission rate when they must seek new customers.  Here the commission rate range may vary between 50 to 70%.  For those sales consummated with existing customers, the salary percentage goes up and the commission rates goes down.  The salary rate may vary between 50 to 70%.

Of course this is only part of the sales compensation formula with further blogs coming.  If you're seeking to make your sales team perform better then let's have a discussion.  This is what ActionCOACH - Business Coaches do - accelerate your growth.

Call me at ph:  972 709 6776 or email:  StephenMarino@ActionCOACH.com