Fallacy of the Social Media Boom...

If you're like most small business owners, you're being approached by social media evangelist claiming the demise of your business without Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google +1 marketing strategies.  The premise is everyone is doing it, the start-up costs are nominal and you're going to loose out to those that do.  Well let's test the premises.

1.  Everyone is doing it.  The social media info graphs show phenomenal growth over the past few years.  Yet my non-scientific study of nearly 900 business owners inclusive of B2B and B2C in the DFW area, with revenues less than $3 mm, with 3 to 35 employees and in business at least 2 years revealed few had social media accounts much less a company strategy.  Many still didn't have any web presence at all.  The alarming finding what that less nearly 20% didn't even answer the phone with a high percentage going to a boring voice mail.  How much business is being missed here?  Technology may be a help with call forwarding to a cellphone.  People still want to talk to a human being first.  The first question is where are your customers in the greatest quantity?  Ask whether there is sufficient market penetration to merit the investment?  Or recognize you're going to invest a lot to pioneer this effort.  

2.  The start up cost are nominal.  Partially true.  To open an account it is without a monetary cost.  Next comes the smarts and labor required to put relevant, timely and valuable content into numerous social media platforms.  By the way, you need to tailor your content and for each site differently so that the message is suited to each social media's purpose.  For instance...you Tweet - "I'm eating donuts,"  Facebook - "I like donuts,"  LinkedIn - "Eating donuts is one of my skills."  Google +1 - "I am a donut eater and I have the data to prove it."  This is worst than grammar class congregating verbs back in the day.  This initiative requires a lot more energy to inform, attract and edu-tain long term.  How would this work enhance new or existing customers?  Is there a ROI - if so is it near or long term?  

3.  You're going to loose out to those that do.  Well who is making money today applying social media?  I'm told this is not the right question.  This is all part of brand building and takes time.  Okay.  Most business owners are seeking to delight their customers.  If you can enhance the experience with social media go for it.  Just go into this with your eyes wide open and make the judgement call when to get apply the resources to be effective in social media. 

Social media is here to stay.  It is growing fast.  Learn enough to assess if your customers are there before investing.

Why Goals...

Let me see your current list of goals.  No list?  I can guess your bank account, stress level, overall level of happiness.

Your list of goals defines your future.  Ask yourself what has to happen for you to feel happy about your progress in the next 36 months?  That list will become your future state.  The equation is simple - fuzzy goals equals fuzzy results.

"If you go to work on your goals, your goals will go to work on you. 

If you go to work on your plan, your plan will go to work on you. 

Whatever good things we build end up building us."  Jim Rohn - Business Leader

Do you believe that life - professional & personal - is by design, not by coincidence or accident.  This implies you have a lot more control and thus responsibility than you thought or acknowledge and may be difficult to accept.  But it's true.  Goals call your attention to a resource - your imagination and starts you thinking about your future – near, mid and long term.

Goals are like a magnet.  They pull, and the stronger they are, the more purposeful they are, the bigger they are, the more unique they are, the stronger they pull.  When the going gets tough they pull you through the tough times.  When the goals are big and your reasons why big then the how gets easier.  Making them achievable requires a high level of desirability and believably.  You overcome the internal fears and obstacles that will come up.  All of us face resistance.  It’s how we overcome that resistance that determines our character.  Life's events do not determine the man.  Life events simply reveals the man.  So let's choose our what you want to HAVE in your life, decide what you're willing to DO and ensure it's the person you want to BE.

Do you see yourself successful and fulfilled because of these goals?  If not reset them.    You have more control than you may believe.  

Want to discuss this concept about how much more control you have with GOALs than you thought, have a conversation with your ActionCOACH business coach.  

How to Avoid the 7 Habits of Hightly "Ineffective" Business Owners...

Business Owners, GM's, Entrepreneurs, Sales Teams...

1. Having BIG plans…taking little action
2. Reacting constantly to urgent unimportant tasks…allowing the momentum of the day to consume your attention and money
3. Being too busy to plan…no appreciation of the value of your time
4. Believing everything is important…being drained emotionally & physically going nowhere
5. Having fuzzy goals…and getting fuzzy results
6. Getting snarled in the detail and complexity…so nothing gets started  
7. Having no accountability to your dreams…delaying dreams often denies them

You have the best intentions of avoiding these 7 habits but...how often have you fallen victim to them and failed to convert your goals into an implementable plan.  We all have.  That’s why I'm inviting you to our personal Massive Action Day (MAD 90) so that you can get Massive Results in the next 90 days. 

Imagine converting all the things you know you should be doing and prioritizing them so you can actually do them?  You’ll gain control of your time and convert your aspirations for more time and money the next 90 days into the present.  In this one MAD 90 day you’ll stop procrastinating and begin implementing.    

This is a full day intensive workshop to get your best plans documented so you can achieve more in 90 days than most business teams do in a year.  We’re confident of that because we’re coaching you all along the way.  It’s only a month away at:

The Ranger Ballpark in Arlington - May 14th, 2013

Registration Information Here

You’ll meet other business owners that are working or have worked though similar challenges that you’re facing and/or you may be able to help them overcome challenges with your solutions. 

Yes - this MAD 90 day is optional but getting control of your business is not.  Missing this one day is simply a bad idea. 

As usual, I give you my Iron Clad Guarantee if you are not satisfied with the content by noon you can just walk out with a refund.  You keep the "Preparation Pack" and MAD 90 Playbook materials and even stay for lunch.    

What are the 5 Questions That Earn You the Right to Sell?

How many sales meetings with business owners are focused on what you have to offer rather than how to make them more money, surround themselves with higher quality teams and/or systematize the business to work without them?  Answer - too many.

View YouTube Presentation

Here are 5 Questions that will earn you the right to sell.  

Ask questions about their situation and what's most important to them. For instance...

1. What's their #1 priority?  
2. Why that one? Who's working on it? How long has it been this way? What have they tried?  Getting the results that they expected?
3. Is this important to them? Why?
4. What are the consequences of not having this? Why?
5. Does this concern you?

It's only after you've listened, shown you understand and demonstrate you appreciate their situation will you be able to ask the question that will move the conversation forward... "Are you open to solutions?"  It's only at this point are they receptive and you know exactly how to position what you offer to solve their problem.

If you've like most business owners with sales team falling short of goals, then lets have a conversation to turn this around.

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

Massive Action Day - 90 Day Planning Workshop - Playbook for Your Business - Testimonials

Massive Action Day - 90 Day Planning Workshop Testimonials - "The Playbook for Your Business"

These Business Owners converted their intentions and aspirations into Massive Results ... more Profitability and Productivity!

“ When I went to work on my goals go to work for me. The more frequently I read them, the faster they happen. Get some help with them.  When I achieve them – I set new ones.  Life is hard by the yard … but a cinch by the inch.” WB Real Estate Broker 

 "When it was all said and done....more was said than done...in my business, so I enrolled in MAD 90 to move forward and I’m pleased I did.  I’ll see you in 90 days with MASSIVE results.”  Paul Avins – Professional Services Firm

“MAD 90 workshop is mandatory for any serious business owners. These SMART goals will help me budget my time and energy more effectively.” Jim Goon – Geeks on Call, Frisco

“Really helped us put the vision for our business on paper. Before MAD90 our vision was not tangible because we had not taken the time to get it out of our heads and into an action plan. Thanks Action for helping us move our business forward!!” T.S. & S.B. - Splish Interactive

“Planning is a must for any business owner who really wants to achieve their goal.  It also helps moving forward in a clear direction, and to a place we choose to be.” George Daves & Steve Ayles – Calidad Industries

“It’s taking a big Picture look at how the last period has gone and how to use those experiences, success and failure to spring board into the next 3 months.” David & Kelly Parnham – The Vege Man

“MAD90 set and clarified my direction.  I have new possibilities. I was limited by my past. MAD90 gives me a new beginning.” Harriett K. Gibbe – HKG Productions & Entertainment – Dallas

Warning:  "This message is to those that think you have goals and plans but don't have them written down.  You are deluding yourself.  You're robbing yourself of your future.  You can't efficiently make your business dreams real until you have a written ActionPLAN.  I believe this so fervently that I'll give you may IRON Clad Guarantee that if you don't see the value, I'll refund your tuition!"  Your Coach - Stephen D. Marino

Join us for the next Massive Action Day from The Ranger Ballpark in Arlington - Tue, May 14, 2013

Details here

Coaching You to be TexasRICH - Think Bigger, Insist on Win/Win, Be First to Inspire!

Massive Action Day - 90 Day Planning Workshop - Playbook for Your Business

Massive Action Day - 90 Day Planning Workshop - Playbook for Your Business The Ranger Ballpark in Arlington *|FNAME|* - You are invited to participate... Business Owners, Executives & Sales Professionals look at your business from this view... How's Your Hitting, Scoring & Defense - Customers, Revenues & Profits? Time to get away from the office and into The Ranger Ballpark for a refreshing perspective on how you're going to achieve your double digit growth GOALs this quarter and beyond. 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? Here’s how to convert your next 90 day goals from intentions and aspirations into highly desirable, 100% believable and empowering reasons consistent with why you went into business originally – “To Create A Commercial Profitable Business That Ultimately  Works Without YOU…!” 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 – Playbook Book for My Business. I’ll prioritize this time to step out of the business and get focused.  I’ll participate with a group of like-minded business owners and experienced business coach committed to moving my business forward.  No more procrastination, no more excuses, I’m ready to take ownership of the company’s performance and have an incredibly successful 2013.   After each 90 Day Planning Session I’ll leave with the right specific actions in each of the following areas: Level 1: Mastery – Time, Delivery, Processes, Purpose and Money – Move from Chaos to Control Level 2: Niche – Attracting and Keeping Customers & Easy to Buy from You with an Iron Clad Guarantee – Not Competing on Price Level 3: Leverage – Systematize the Routine for Efficiency – Humanize the Exception - On Time, Spec, Budget & Wow - Every Time Level 4: Team – From Employees to Team – Team Makes Decisions in Interests of Owner Level 5: Synergy – Well Oiled Machine – Sustainable Growing Cash Flow.  Business Owner Works “ON” the Business. The GM/Pres/COO doing the day-to-day Level 6: Results – Business Works “FOR” the Owner - Owner Gains Money & Time 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 $395…because as usual, I give you my Iron Clad Guarantee if you’re not satisfied with the content you can just stand up and walk out with a refund… An early Bird rate of $100 off regular pricing in effect till April 16th. Yes, taking massive action is optional but getting more productive and control of your business is not.  Missing this Massive Action Day is simply a bad idea.  Investing in yourself and your team is a surefire way to get your business on the track to more productive time and personal gratification.   Here's what other business owners that participated with ActionCOACH - The World's #1 Business Coaching Firm had to say about their Massive Action Day experience... After this Massive Action Day, you'll know your team has a playbook for more customers, revenues and profits - Play Ball! May, Tuesday 08:30 am - 04:00 pm 14 REGISTER NOW FOLLOW ON TWITTER FRIEND ON FACEBOOK FORWARD TO A FRIEND Copyright © 2013 ActionCOACH Americas, LLC All rights reserved. Unsubscribe • Update subscription preferences

Do You Run Your Business with a Pitchfork or Wheel...?

Are you the type of business owner/operator that operates their business using the pitchfork or wheel style? 

The pitchfork style has you dictating to your employees what to do, when to do it and how to do it. You have all the intellectual property in your head plus all the key relationships with vendors and clients residing with you?  No wonder you have the time, team and money stresses making you work harder for your business vs. the business work hard for you. 

In contrast the wheel style has you leading your team so they can make economic decision in your interest and they focus their energy delivering on time, spec, budget and wow products and services everytime.  And with delighted clients and customers they bring the wheel full circle with increasing revenues and profits to the owner. 

Wasn't the wheel style what you had in mind when you started your business where your focus is on attracting and developing great people vs. poking every business area?