Business Life

Todd Sattersten, CEO of 800CEORead, talks with me on BlogTalk Radio

Zane — 2009-02-25T15:31:14-06:00

Todd Sattersten, CEO of 800CEORead, shared 90 minutes with me about...his book, 100 BEST Business Books of ALL Time: What They Say, Why They Matter and How They Can Help You and authors and the publishing world.

Here's some of his thoughts on why you should be an author, the 7 Sales required with each book and 3 tips for authors. In reverse order:

3 Tips for Authors:

* Better be ready to deliver.
* Make sure you're far enough along to make it successful. Make sure your platform is big enough. [Platform = your megaphone. How will your message reach enough people to inspire 10,000 people at a minimum to buy your book.]
* It's a multisell process.

7 Sales Required for the Purchase of One Book. (Or the 7 people who have to buy your book before your readers can pay.)

* Your Agent, a Publisher's Agent...who sells your idea to the
* Editor at the Publisher... who sells it to their...
* Editorial Board where the Editor presents their ideas. They in turn sell it to...
* Marketing People who are told ...here's a great idea. They in turn sell it to...
* Sales People. Marketing People sell it to the Sales People who...sell it to
* Distributors, store chains.

KEY: Build Word-of-Mouth into this process.

Why Be an Author

It's the most unparalleled means to build expertise. The process itself hones your ideas, forces you think about them hard, in preparation for writing the proposal, the book itself, the webinars, the presentations, the panels, the speaking engagements.

People love authors.

You can listen here:

Get Out of Your Own (White) House

Zane — 2009-02-13T09:40:29-06:00

Interesting column this week in the NY Times: Get Out of the (White) House

It reminds me of the challenge of so many leaders to not create, become locked-in, their own bubble. Isolated. Distant. Out of touch. Customers and employees becoming distant memories, one-dimensional creatures identified in business plans or in the case of these three leaders...policy reports.

Get out of your office. Go talk to people. Call them on the phone. Use your blackberry. Write em a note. Stop by their desk. But them a cup of coffee, listen to them.

It's tough. It's time-consuming.

What? You have something more important to do?

9 Stories Main Stream Media Can Report to End this Recession.

Zane — 2009-01-26T15:00:57-06:00

Dog bites man isn’t news.
We’re in a recession isn’t news either.

What is newsworthy are the stories of all the companies who are not laying off their employees or see growth ahead in 2009. Most, if not all, of these companies are small businesses and startups. That makes sense. Historically, recessions end when jobs are created. Jobs created generate spending. Spending drives an economy.

Who creates those jobs in a recession? Small business and startups.

What we need now are the stories of these small businesses who are not issuing pink slips. What we need are stories, profiles and case studies, of businesses and their leaders who are thriving...right now.

Mainstream media is desperate for readers, for an audience. These stories would be interesting. These stories would bring readers. And you would be doing a service for your community, if not our country, by sharing tips and tools, resources and profiles, of companies who remain successful right now.

Here’s 9 stories, that mainstream media can report that will A. bring readers, avid and loyal, to your publication (that will help save your business); B. help save businesses in your community; C. their success will bring more jobs to your community; D. Collectively, if enough stories like these are shared... speed the recovery of our economy.

1. Profile companies in your community that are growing.
2. Share tips and resources that help small businesses grow.
3. Provide a forum for business leaders to share their expertise in guest columns.
4. Host a live, in-person, community forum for business leaders, owners, members...to meet and share ideas and concerns.
5. Advocate for more funding for small businesses.
3. Write editorials pointing out how small business creates the jobs to drive an economy out of a recession.
6. Interview political leaders. Ask them why they're not providing more support, removing more barriers to small businesses and startups.
7. Allow guest columns from leaders in innovation. Innovation creates new products and markets that require new companies with new jobs.
8. Push for more transparency and accountability in any bailouts. Demand to see the jobs those funds will create.
9. Host job fairs. Maybe at this point, it's unemployment fairs, but get people together and talk and share ideas. (You're looking for reasons to bring people to your paper...)

Mainstream media: You're looking for readers. Your readers, and those in your community, are looking for jobs and the companies that are creating them. We're all looking for solutions. I think there's a match, here.

BlogTalk Radio Interview: David Zinger

Zane — 2008-05-12T14:28:28-05:00

Each Wednesday at 9:30 AM Central, I talk about WOM or word-of-mouth on my radio show at Blog Talk Radio.

This week, May 14, I have a special guest: David Zinger. David's the founder of the Employee Engagement online community. He's also a recognized expert in creating employee engagement, an excellent public speaker and blogs regularly at www.davidzinger.com.

Ok. So...you're wondering why I'm excited to have an expert, a passionate leader, in employee engagement as a guest on my show that's focused on WOM or word-of-mouth.

Isn't WOM about advertising, customers at best?

To many in the advertising industry, WOM or word-of-mouth, is their exclusive domain. But once you look past that perspective's veneer you realize WOM, word-of-mouth, customer evangelism and customer loyalty starts not with your ad agency but with your employees. It's their engagement with delivering your brand's promise, their engagement in honoring their personal brand promises with each other, that inspires your customers to become your loyal and fervent evangelists.

And I spoke last week about the connection between customer evangelists and employee engagement last on my radio show.

So, let's talk with David Zinger, an expert on employee engagement, the foundation of WOM, word-of-mouth, from your customers.

You can listen in streaming mode at this link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/zane-safrit. You can call in and participate by calling 646-915-9212 and entering 19978# at the prompt.

Again, the show's every Wednesday at 9:30 AM, Central time. Be sure to check back and see our list of guests each week from the WOM and small business community.

Who'd you help today?

Zane — 2008-05-01T10:21:47-05:00

ltGreat post at David Truss on the power of this simple question: Who have you helped today?

At the end of the day, it's what it's all about, anyway. If your business isn't helping anyone, it's not successful. If your life isn't helping anyone...well...is it any different?

Link from Terence Seamon at Here we are. Now what? I met Terence from his introduction through Employee Engagement Network.

The power of a phone call to your customer

Zane — 2008-04-30T13:26:54-05:00

From Chris Brogan, Thank You Continental Airlines. Chris shares his experience receiving a phone call from a Customer Service rep with Continental Airlines.

It's a simple act. Doesn't cost a whole lot, really. Done right, as it seems here, look what it does.

Enough. Chris' post is excellent.

BlogTalk Radio: Number One Reason Why Word-of-Mouth is Central

Zane — 2008-04-30T10:45:58-05:00

I just finished my weekly BlogTalk Radio show.

Since it's Wednesday's, I talked about WOM, word-of-mouth, in particular why it should be central to your business success.

There are lots of reasons. ( I may turn my weekly talk show into a Countdown-like show. Instead I'll label it CountUP show, counting the reasons why WOM, word-of-mouth is central to the success of a business, especially if the business wishes to remain sustainable, self-sufficient, in control of its own destiny: debt-free, free of shareholders' needs.)

The number one reason why WOM should be central to your business is...cash-flow. Or more importantly, I should say positive cash-flows.

Cash-flows are the life of every business. Positive cash-flows sustain it, grow it. Otherwise, the business grinds to a halt.

And a company that's generating huge amounts of word-of-mouth from its customers singing its praises is at an advantage for generating positive cash-flows compared to its competitors. Here's 3 reasons:

* Higher Sales Conversation Ratio. Your sales force will convert a greater number of prospects into customers, and do it faster. Why? Because these prospects have already been qualified, evangelized if you will, by hearing the stories of your customers experience with you..from the mouths of their friends and colleagues. And that means more revenue, faster.

It also means an inspired, motivated sales and support staff, too. Nothing adds positive buzz and enthusiasm in a company than a high sales conversion ratio.

* Reduced Advertising Expenses. If your customers volunteer to champion your product to their friends and neighbors, you'll need to advertise less. Referrals, Word-of-mouth, from trusted sources (friends and neighbors) is the best form of advertising. Its ROI far exceeds that of any advertising campaign. With enough WOM, you won't need to advertise. That means you can stop investing, or donating, your cash to an agency or Google. Instead you can invest in your cash balances or your customers and employees to start another round of WOM.

* Product Differentiation. Nothing forces you to lower your price than the lack of product differentiation. Nothing protects you from doing that like...product differentiation. Make your product different. Add value. Added value bolsters your unique selling proposition. A bolstered Unique Selling Proposition bolsters your price. Bolstered prices mean bolstered cash-flows.

There you have it. If you want to run a business in a cash-flow positive way, if you want to control your destiny as a business owner, if you want to run a business you can be proud of, build a brand everyone's proud of, then:

1). Stop advertising

2) Invest that in differentiating your product with added-value and incentives connecting your employees' goals with your company's goals.

3) Your customers will volunteer to do the rest.

4) Stir and repeat.

I'm slowly publicizing this project with BlogTalk Radio as I get more familiar with the tool and what's required.

My BlogTalk Radio show is every Wednesday at 9:30 AM Central. Here's the URL to listen in streaming mode: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/zane-safrit. And here's the call-in number 646-915-9212, code: 19978#.

I hope to see you. Bring your examples of great WOM, word-of-mouth, to toot your horn and to help others. And be sure to join SWOM, The Society for Word-of-Mouth.

Chicken or Egg? Happiness or Success?

Zane — 2008-04-29T09:48:20-05:00

Which comes first?

A great post at Dumb Little Man, Which Comes First, the Happiness or the Success?

Here's a couple of snippets:

Success comes from within, knowing the true worth of our human potential.

Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.- Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) Preeminent leader of Indian nationalism.

I can work with these. What do you think?

Note: Dumb Little Man offers great big tips.

Never apologize...

Zane — 2008-04-28T09:14:11-05:00

for showing feeling. When you do so, you apologize for truth. - Benjamin Disraeli

Emotions give meaning to our day, depth, color to the black and white, shades of gray of logic. Logic adds order. We have to have it. But the Truth, the Beauty, comes only from deep emotion, a knowingness if you will, of what's right. And hiding that depth serves only to confuse.

Happy Monday. Have a great week.

Tax Rebates. Are they going to turn this economy around?

Zane — 2008-04-25T09:36:59-05:00

The much-heralded, much-ballyhoo'd, tax rebates hit the mail and some direct deposit accounts Monday.

Hey. I'm all for free money. Never look a gift horse in the mouth. And a nod is as good as a wink to a blind horse.

But...is it going to help this economy? When the author of the plan says he thinks the money will help people cope with higher food prices and higher gasoline and fuel prices...I tend to think not. Home foreclosures are at a record number and growing, personal bankruptcies are rising, unemployment figures remain high (and that's just from those filing for unemployment and those still actively seeking employment. The rest of the unemployed aren't counted.) and there's no sign prices for food and fuel will drop anytime soon. The peak driving season is coming.

The irony of the idea that tax rebates will help us all cope with higher fuel and food prices stems from economists in recent years referring to these two categories as non-core items. Discussing inflation last year, economists would refer to food and fuel prices as non-core items. Non-core meaning non-important. Now the economy's recovery is based on how well we can cope with the rising prices of these non-core, non-important items.

Somehow, the idea of giving a few bucks to us to help us cope with the rising food and fuel prices strikes me as throwing a few sheckels to the poor, the unwashed masses. Like a monarch throwing gold coins to the peasants in their time of need when the crops fail, we're thrown a tax rebate of some amount to help us provide food to eat for our families and fuel to drive to work and warm our hearths, ie, cope.

But, hey, never look a gift horse in the mouth, nod-nod, wink-wink.