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

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 Much More Business Would You be Doing with a New Game Book...?

Business owners are like the Rangers playing day-after-day and keeping their fans a.k.a. customers excited and loyal.  The Rangers follow a game book for their offense to score more runs equaling more profits, a pitching and fielding defense shutting down hitting & scoring reducing expenses and effective base running yielding higher on base & advancement percentages improving productivity.  Now they're back into contention.  You can too with a new business game book.  You're invited to the workshop where you'll document your business plays so your team can execute for more customers, revenues and profits.
  

While we'll cover all aspects of your business game book the emphasis this 90 day period are the plays to make the client experience more memorable so they're loyal and profitable longer.

We continue to use the Ranger Ballpark venue because it's a championship environment.  You step outside your day-to-day perspective and to surround yourself with like minded business owners and top business coaches focused on your growth.

So let’s get started...!

Yes!  I’m taking control of my business.  Sign me up for the Massive Action Day - 90 Day Planning Workshop – "The Game Book for My Profits and Productivity."  No more procrastination, no more excuses, I’m ready to take ownership of the company’s performance and have an incredibly successful final quarter in 2013.  After each 90 Day Planning Session, I’ll leave with the right specific actions in each of the following areas:

1. Mastery - Time, Delivery, Processes, Purpose and Money - Move from Chaos to Control
2. Niche - Attracting and Keeping Customers, Making it Easy to Buy from you with Iron Clad Guarantee - Not Competing on Price
3. Leverage - Systematizing the Routine for Effiiciency - Humanizing the Exception. Producting On Time, Spec, Budget and Wow - Every Time
4. Team - Moving from Employees to Team - Team Makes Decisions in Interest of Owner
5. Synergy - Well Oiled Machine - Sustainable Growing Cashflows. Owner Works "On" the Business. GM/Pres/COO is doing the Day-to-Day Operations
6. Results - Business Works "For" the Owner. Gains Freedom, Capability, Opportunity and Growth

The workshop includes a 10 page pre-pack workbook to prepare you to get the most from the day.  At the workshop you'll receive and complete your "Game Book for Your Business."  It's now 76 pages to learn, apply and document your specific goals.  From the best suite in the ballpark overlooking the field, you'll record your vision and describe your team's performance.  And of course we include lunch with the famous Nolan Ryan hot dogs.

There are various ticket options so you can bring your team and get results faster, as well as, invite others.  I know the investment amount is not an issue at $425…And the EARLY Bird Tickets Offered Now are $325, because as usual, I give you my Iron Clad Guarantee that by participating - you'll leave knowledgeable, energetic, passionate, enthusiastic, self-directed, prepared, focused, supported, systematic, timely and proactive.  If you continue to feel drained, directionless, pessimistic, vague, reactive, impulsive, critical, haphazard, scattered and hesitant or just plane dissatisfied you can just stand up and walk out with a refund…

For every other business owner, vendor or client you refer, I'll refund you $100 off your ticket and they'll receive $100 refund off their ticket too.

There's no reason to operate a business in Texas and not have plans to achieve your goals.  Sign me up...

Do you know of a single successful business owner who isn’t GOAL directed, persistently measuring, perfecting and re-directing their efforts? When your GOALs remain in your heart and head, how much chance is there of achieving them in the shortest amount of time and energy? And if you are one of the select few with written goals, are you holding yourself accountable to doing the small things today that get you to your BIG dreams of tomorrow?

Once registered you'll receive a Prep Pack immediately via email and a call to ensure you're prepared to the most from this Massive Action Day. 

Here's what other business owners have stated about their experience from Massive Action Days...Click Here

Yes, taking massive action is optional but getting more productive and control of your business is not.  Investing in yourself and your team is a surefire way to get your business on the track to more productive time and personal gratification.

Register here and rewrite your game book for more customers, revenues and profits! Playball!

What Clients Want to Feel...Before They Retain or Rehire You!

If you’re like most professional service advisors from accountants, architects, doctors, brokers, engineers, contractors, attorneys, coaches and consultants - you thrive when there’s sufficient client communication to ensure the work is done on time, spec and budget.  That gets you through the job.  What keeps your retained and rehired?.  

That answer depends on how the communication is conducted.  Statistics show that when the firm was not rehired and technical performance was not the issue it was because of the intangible things communicated.  How did the firm demonstrate they heard the client?  How did the firm sought to understand the client’s purpose?  And finally how did they appreciate the motives of the client?  

To place you in the best position to be retained and rehired, here’s an outline of a firm and client conversation that’s held periodically throughout the project.

What’s the client’s objective...?

• “When we initially choose to selected this ____________program, it was for _____________reason(s).   Is that still your primary reason?  Any changes?  What caused the change?”
• “How do you rate our progress on a scale of 1 to 10 high achieving your goals?  How so?  Tell me more?”
• “What outcome would make our discussion about our work together a great success today?”
• “What specifically do you want to accomplish near term, long term?”
• “What will be different as a result of working on this area?”
• “How can we make that goal measurable – so we know when we’ve achieved it?  What would success look like?”
• “By when do you want to have this done?”  “Are the resources available?”

Current Situation - Where does the client see where we are we starting from - real and perceived?

• “What is their confidence level are they at right now?”
• “How do they perceive progress?”
• “Are there others involved impacting the situation, and how?”
• “What’s been tried already? What difference did those actions make?”
• “Are there other factors important in this matter?”

What are our Options?

• “What other potential courses of action are there?”
• “Let’s shoot for a least five potential solution. What else could be done?”
• “If we had unlimited resources and knew we couldn’t fail, what would you do?”
• “What if this obstacle was removed? What would be done then?”
• “What could you do to overcome this obstacle what are you options?”
• “Who could help you?”
• “What other resources could you draw on to tackle this? Who else could ask for creative ideas?”
• “What have you seen others do that might work for you?”

Decision

• “Is there anything else that you need to know to make a decision about implementing the ____________________  program?”
• “How do you want to proceed?”
• “Are you ready to say, ‘yes!’ to greater vitality, or would you like to explore further?”
• “What is holding you back from making a decision?”
• “What step would you like to take out of this conversation to keep moving forward?”

Recommitment

• “Which option(s) do you want to pursue?”
• “Turn that into an action step: what will you do by when?”
• “What step could be taken this week that would move us toward your goal?”
• “You mentioned that you could do _____________. What will you commit to doing?”

Assuring Action

• “On a scale of one to ten, how likely is it that this step will get done in the time frame you’ve set?”
• “How could we alter that step to turn that ‘six’ into an ‘eight’?”
• “Are there any other obstacles we need to address to make sure this step gets done?”
• “How does this move you toward you achieving your potential?  Why/ Why not”

Having this conversation demonstrating you hear what’s important to your client, understand them and appreciate them, this gives you the best chances to be retained and rehired.

If you want to have a conversation on how to structure these types of conversations with your client, give ActionCOACH - Business Coaching a call at 972 709 6776 for a complimentary coaching session.  

The 10 Components of an Internal Succession Plan for Professional Service Firms

We're at the beginning of one of the largest ownership transfers as the baby-boom generation retires.  Here are 10 components of an internal succession for professional service firms such as accounting, consulting, legal, architecture, construction, engineering or coaching.

1.  Assess the Adequacy and Desires of People that will Replace Departing Partner(s)

2.  Determine the Partners Intentions with Respect to Succession

3.  Determine the Value of the Partner’s Equity

4.  Consider how all of the Retiring Partner’s Roles and Responsibilities are delegated 

5.  Factor how the Client and Staff Relationships are protected

6.  Have Succession Plan cover all possibilities of loss of partner

7.  Create a Economic Win/Win Proposition for both Parties - Departing Partners and Remaining Partners

8.  Strengthen the Support and Service Team

9.  Have a Contingency Plan for the Firm if terms for transition are adversely affected

10.  What are Options if Internal Succession Plan is not Viable?

If you find your firm at this pinnacle point i.e. within 4 or 5 years of a partners retirement then let's have a discussion on how to ensure you'll succeed.

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

Your Team Works to Live or Lives to Work? Impact on Productivity & Profitability...?

Team's tend to fall into two contrasting philosophies about work.  Depending on which philosophy you lead your business by you'll attract like minded team members and customers.

And which philosophy will reward you and your business most?  Hint:  Your customers enjoy working with people that are passionate about delighting them.

To have a discussion on which philosophy guides your company and what you can do improve it, give us a call at O:  972 709 6776 or email: StephenMarino@ActionCOACH.com