Gil Effron's "Here's How I See It!"

Talk To Lots Of People Every Day

2009-04-18T18:10:00.001-04:00

Of all the activities that can make or break any business owner, the willingness to talk to lots of people is the one I see as most critical.

It stands to reason that if you sit behind your desk waiting for the phone to ring, it won’t.

But the willingness to be proactive… to reach out to as many people as you can… is the one way – perhaps the only way – that good things happen (regardless of the state of the economy).

The key is, to talk to lots of people every day. Attend networking events. Use social media to reconnect with old friends and business acquaintances. Never eat lunch alone.

Tell friends, neighbors, church members, store owners, about your business… and what you’re doing to help people. This doesn’t mean that you have to sell to them. To the contrary, you just need to talk to them.

And, above all, when you’re out there talking to lots of people, remember that talking should be only 20% of your conversation… and listening should be 80%... because the more you listen, the more you learn.

Perhaps the headline of this posting should be "Listen To Lots Of People Every Day."

Late For Dinner

2009-04-03T18:39:00.003-04:00

When you arrive late for dinner, you may miss out. The good stuff could be gone and you’re left with only soggy green beans and red Jello.

Being a relatively latecomer to social media such as LinkedIn, I thought I’d be missing out.

Through the past several weeks, however, I’ve learned that it doesn’t matter when you arrive… just so you do arrive. There are no dates to indicate when you joined and no counter to track how long you’ve been a member. Everyone at all times is on an equal playing field.

Of course, some people use social media better than others. But that really has nothing to do with how long you’ve been using it. Some have more contacts than others. That, too, I'm finding, is irrelevant in making it work for you.

And, as in the case of many departments of our lives, practice makes perfect. So, once a skeptic, I am now a believer!

Remind Me To Remind You!

2009-03-28T17:27:00.003-04:00

My friend Gary Anzalone invited me to be the “guest speaker” at his mastermind group last Friday. As you might expect from a group that has been meeting monthly for about three years, the eight members of the group know each other extremely well.

Suffice it to say these serious-about-winning business owners know it all. They’ve discussed just about everything from marketing and sales pipelines to Michael Gerber, Sun Tzu, goal setting, and accountability.

I talked for about an hour and covered three major topics that I’m sure they’ve heard before. Feeling a little badly that I couldn’t bring anything really new to the table, I apologized to Gary.

He reminded me that everyone in business already knows everything and has "heard it all"… but needs to be reminded constantly. If they’re not reminded... and reminded often... they drift off course.

Gary said he was grateful that I touched on things that brought the entire group back to basics regarding accountability… reminding them why they’re in business… and balancing surviving today’s economy with planning for tomorrow.

Gary nailed it. We do know what we need to do. But we are often distracted by the crisis du jour. And by the time we’ve lined up several days or weeks of crises du jour, not only are we off course, but we have forgotten what the main course is.

So remind yourself to remind yourself to focus on the basics. Or remind me to remind you.

Social Media Pays Off

2009-03-22T12:23:00.004-04:00

Curious to know if all the time I’ve been spending learning LinkedIn, Facebook, and Plaxo was paying off, I Googled “Gil Effron.” Much to my surprise, the very first listing was my recently updated profile on LinkedIn -- my fully-updated profile that incorporates all the tricks I’ve been learning thanks to Hilary Topper and LinkedIn expert Jan Wallen.

What was even more surprising as I clicked through the listings were how many references there were to “Gil Effron.” I counted seven pages of solid hits followed by a thinning out over the next several pages… then I stopped. By comparison, when I did this exercise a couple of years ago, there were only six hits.

But I learned several things through this little exercise. First, nothing… absolutely nothing… is private. Anyone in the world can find me… and find out about me. Fortunately, I don’t have too much to hide. (Or do I?)

Second, other people have referenced me or acknowledged me… and my name and activities appear along with theirs. That’s pretty cool.

Third, whatever is out there doesn’t go away. It’s there forever. For example, there were frequent references to my book Direct Mail Success. I found this a little embarrassing. The book was written in 2000. The content is desperately out of date… and the book is out of print (except for 200 copies I have tucked away for a rainy day).

I wasn’t so embarrassed that the book is still there. It was right on target when I wrote it. But I was embarrassed by the fact that I haven’t written another since. So guess what I’ve just added to my to-do list? No problem! I needed something else to do.

Perhaps writing a new book will push the old one to the back and I won’t be embarrassed anymore.

St. Patrick's Day Parade, NYC

2009-03-17T17:37:00.005-04:00

It was a great day for a parade and... drats... I missed it. It wasn't as though I was standing on the wrong street corner. I was chained to my desk getting ready for two days out and about.

Fortunately, during my lunch break I was able to catch about 15 minutes of the parade on television. Of course, it's never the same. But it looked like a nice day to find a sunny spot along 5th Avenue and watch the Irish celebrate their day.

Daylight savings time is here. This coming Friday is the first day of spring. For a former Floridian, I'm glad... because I'm telling you I can't wait another minute.

My promise to myself when (and if) spring ever arrives is to catch a few more parades... and take a day here or there to attend one of the many New York street festivals... or just to sit in Bryant Park during lunch and feel the warmth of the sun and watch the rest of New York emerge gently from hibernation... and parade around the park without their winter coats and without their winter hats and without their winter gloves.

Go green!

I'm Now "The Expert"

2009-03-15T15:34:00.006-04:00

Everytime I turn around, someone is talking about social media. So far, I've been happy with "unsocial media." But now it's time to change... to get with the times. Time for an old dog to learn new tricks.

So, for the past two weeks I've been digging in to social media. First LinkedIn and now Facebook. My rationale, after attending a program sponsored by Hilary Topper, is that I just have to jump in and work with it... get to understand how it works... what it does... and what makes it work.

LinkedIn is logical and orderly... and I relate to that. I can also see its relevance to people like me who are in business. Facebook is more of a challenge. I don't understand the logic. But I'm getting there. And I do have a few friends. It's a start.

Part of my digging in has been to invite people... to connect with others I know... in order to build my network.

By reaching out to "old friends," I'm now getting calls from these old friends asking ME to help them. I'm working through this trial and error. That's how I'm doing it, but they don't know that. Doesn't matter. Now, they see me as the expert and are asking me for help.

I feel like the student teacher trying to stay one lesson ahead of the students.

I'll be heading up to Norwalk, Connecticut and the University of Phoenix Campus next Thursday. Part of the activity is to attend another workshop on the subject... this one sponsored by Gotham City Networking.

My Take On What To Do During These Crazy Economic Times

2009-03-13T09:36:00.006-04:00

Several weeks ago I had the pleasure of speaking with the member of the NYC chapter of the Society of Environmental Graphic Designers (SEGD). My talk with them was based on a report that I created about 2 months ago entitled:

7 Critical Mistakes Business Owners Are Likely To Make In The Toughest Economic Turnaround Since 1929… and how to avoid them!

I get a lot of positive feedback about this report and I'm happy to share it with anyone who asks... as well as those who haven't yet asked.

You can obtain a copy of this report now. Click here and to download a PDF. Let me know if you find it helpful or inspiring in any way. The good people at SEGD found it helpful. It sparked a lot of conversation, questions, and sharing of ideas.

Wisdom!

2009-03-12T08:03:00.003-04:00

While wisdom surrounds us, it's interesting to note that the world's most abundant and concentrated source of wisdom can be found in Chinese restaurants... in fortune cookies that are served along with the bill and a slice of orange.

This was mine from dinner last night:

The future comes one day at a time.

You must admit that this sums up what we're all experiencing and fretting about these days. We'd like to know exactly when all of this economic turmoil will stop turmoiling... so that we can get back to business as usual.

You don't have the answer... nor do I. But we do have a hint. Spend more time in Chinese restaurants and pay attention to the fortune cookie.

P.S. My lucky numbers are 22, 12, 20, 27, 47, 51. Hey, they gotta know, right?

Welcome Katie!

2009-03-11T08:39:00.003-04:00

Today I become a grandfather for the 3rd time.

This time, for a precocious, friendly little 2-year old named Katie who, as you can tell, doesn't sit still long enough to have a photo taken that's not a blur of activity.

My son Roger and his wife Marion -- and Katie -- went to court today in Clearwater, Florida, where Katie's adoption became official.

The adoption process was lengthy. The reward was well worth the wait.

Welcome Katie.

Working Too Hard!

2009-03-10T15:29:00.004-04:00

I've never been an early adopter.

When I saw yellow Number 2 pencil in elementary school, that seemed a perfect answer to me. No need to look for anything more.

Then, when I started using a typewriter for the first time, I couldn't think that anything could ever replace it. So when the computer came along, I resisted. Obviously, at one point I jumped on board and, as you can see, here I am... and I'm a whiz bang at it in many respects.

For the longest time I resisted what's called "social media." I'm learning now that this is the marketing world of the future.

I'm also learning that it's not enough simply to understand it intellectually. One has to jump in and get ones hands dirty, so to speak. So as of yesterday, I jumped in... attending a seminar yesterday conducted by Hilary Topper at HJMT Communications. I worked on my LinkedIn page. I started LinkedIn about 3 years ago, but didn't do much with it. Last night was full speed ahead. After this, it's on to Facebook... whatever that is! (I can do it. I have a face!)

One of the other topics of the seminar was blogging. And as you can see from my last posting some time ago, it's been a while. I learned that blogging isn't supposed to be letter perfect. I learned that blogging is a way for people to get to know who you are, how you think, and what you're doing. I was working too hard trying to impress people with my prose.

Here I am. The newly improved and considerably more casual-about-writing blogger. I'm off to a good start with this, too. Here's my first posting of my new approach to blogging. Faster to publish and not lettr perfect. (See what I mean?)

It’s Not What You Want To Say, But What They Want To Hear!

2008-08-24T08:20:00.007-04:00

A new client asked me to write a sales letter. Naturally, I think I’m pretty good at writing sales letters. Heck, my Remington and I have been at it a long time.

But the client rejected three drafts that reflected my best practices when it comes to developing a sales letter that needs to be contained to a single page. (I always prefer more pages, but that’s a story for another day.)

I finally had to stop and dig deeper into his objections to what I was writing.

Ultimately, he said, “Gil, I just don’t think my personality comes through… and this really isn’t explaining all that we do.”

My response was immediate. “Bob,” I said, “It’s not what you want to say that matters, but what they want to hear. They’re not interested in your personality, how many years you’ve been in business, that you cover six states, and so on.

“They’re only interested in what you can do for them TODAY… to help them make more money… to minimize their expenses… to maximize their sales… to eliminate their pain.

“Your personality ultimately will emerge… and will be a bonus to them. But for starters, you need to tell them what they want to hear.”

I went on to explain that a sales letter is a simple communication (or art form) with an equally simple objective. That objective is to create an interaction… an interaction from the person who receives the letter to you.

That interaction could be come in the form of a phone or email or fax… or by them going to your website and providing you with their first name and email address so that you can send them additional information.

How they interact isn’t nearly as important as that they do… and, of course, what you do next.

The Power of "Thank You"

2008-07-20T13:58:00.003-04:00

Everyone knows that saying “thank you” is a nice thing to do.

Sure, it’s common courtesy… but it also makes a big and often lasting impression.

Although the salesperson says “thank you” when taking the order, clients and customers like to hear it again.

Personally visiting each of your clients to say “thank you” is tough. You probably can’t afford the time or money to call or visit each one.

But mail, email, and the phone are extremely personal ways to say “thank you.”

Sometimes, you can automate a thank you. The last activity in the order fulfillment process could trigger customer service to send a thank you note. Since the team in the fulfillment department knows exactly what the customer purchased, you could personalize the note by including information such as: We hope you enjoy your new Acme 250.

Always Ready To Say “Thank You”

Or, you could hand write a personal thank you note. Is it time consuming? Yes. But it certainly shows your client how valuable they are to you.

Several very successful business owners I know carry a stack of blank thank you cards with them wherever they go.

The envelopes are preprinted with their return address. The envelopes already have a fancy stamp on them… so they’re ready to mail as soon as the address goes on.

The fold-over insert cards have company logo on the front and their address and contact information on the back.

After writing thank you notes for many years, they know exactly what to say:

Thanks for lunch…
Thanks for the information…
Thanks for taking time from your schedule to meet with me…
Thanks for the referral…
Thanks for the tickets…
Thanks for introducing me to so-and-so…
And so on

Following a meeting… or a phone call… when they’re watching TV at night, waiting for a train, or waiting for their lunch appointment, out comes the stack of thank you cards and envelopes.
Talk about a simple but highly effective and appreciated program.

And the best part is that the cost of expressing your appreciation is practically nothing compared with the cost incurred when you lose clients or customers and must replace them.

Saying “thank you” is a wonderful way to build a lasting relationship with a client you appreciate… and that would be all of them!

Keep in mind that you really can’t say “thank you” often enough… when it’s sincere. Letters that are addressed “Dear Customers… we want to thank you for your…” are insincere, impersonal, and a waste of time.

You can thank your customers as a group when they’re all sitting in front of you. At that point, the plural “customers” makes sense. At all other times… well, why bother?

So, what else is there to say… other than, “Thanks for reading this report.” We hope it gives you some new ideas.

Avoid The Creative Abyss

2007-12-17T13:31:00.000-05:00

The creative process is important. Without it, the world of marketing and advertising would be lost, because creative ideas inspire people to take action.

Unfortunately, the creative process is also a black hole where the unwary enter, never to return.

The creative process requires lots of time, and it is complex. This lengthy process includes many time-consuming activities, from concept, strategy, and planning, to dozens of specific details pertaining to production, printing, data selection and management, and more.

When businesses are planning and deliberating over what to do, they often lose valuable selling time.

If it takes them two months to launch a lead generating campaign, that is two months of lost responses… and lost sales. Once lost, there’s no earning it back: not a month, not six, not a year.

Businesses often procrastinate when it comes to de-ploying a lead generation campaign because they are afraid of doing the wrong thing, and with good reason. Doing the wrong thing can be expensive. But if doing the wrong thing is expensive, consider how expensive it is to do nothing.

One way to eliminate the creative abyss is to start small. A simple yet well-conceived lead generation activity such as a fold-over postcard, traditional sales letter with a business-reply card, or a simple flyer is better than a grand plan of nothing. There's still a creative process, just more manageable.

Another is to hire a professional team –– one fully experienced in the process of generating leads.

While relying on and investing in a professional team increases your out-of-pocket costs, it more often than not increases your response. The investment justifies itself time and time again.

"I can do it myself"

2007-10-16T17:50:00.001-04:00

My granddaughter Trudie just turned six.

She's now at that age that when you show her anything... try to help her do anything... or suggest she try something differently... the adorable, precocious little six year old looks me straight in the eyes and tells me, "Grandpa, I can do it myself."

I seem to remember my own children saying that to me at various times throughout their lives. If I go back far enough, I can probably remember saying it to my parents.

There's a natural desire and tendency for people to want to do things their own way.

It's how we learn. And everyone, at some point in their lives, relies on this approach that we fondly refer to as "trial and error." Trial and error describes my learning process when it comes to computer software. I'd never dare read a manual. Taking a computer class would only confuse me. So I play and play and play until I finally can say, "Got it!"

The problem with a do-it-yourself trial and error approach when it comes to business is that it can be a dangerous path to follow.

While you may ultimately solve your problem... while you may ultimately learn how to do it... the cost of your learning curve in both time and money could far outweigh the cost and benefit of turning to a professional to get it done properly and a whole lot faster.

As a business coach and consultant, I see this phenomenon far too often.

Case In Point!

Recently, at a chamber of commerce event, I chatted with a young man just starting a new business. He and partners have a very viable business idea and model. I believe that it could ultimately be extremely successful.

One of the first things I learned from my young friend is that they're having difficulty getting the right kinds of leads... and enough of them. He took time to describe to me what they're doing, what is working (very little), and what's not.

I offered to meet with him... talk to him... point him in the right direction. I recommended one or two events that would be helpful for him to attend... and volunteered to arrange and meeting with a one of the most highly respected authorities on lead generation. "No," he said, "I think we have it covered. We've been trying different things."

Pay Attention To The Real Value!

When it comes to business -- either startups or those in a rapid growth mode -- you don't have the time... and most don't have the money... to live through all the trials and errors that could come our way.

But you do have a telephone and that telephone can lead you to an expert with answers... to an industry authority, professional, coach, consultant, or advisor who can save you thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours of time by doing nothing more for you than saving you from becoming sidetracked or stuck in a do-it-yourself trial-and-error learning curve.

Instead of wasting time on your learning curve, you'd have time to book more business. In the end, that would be substantially more important than saying, "I can do it myself.

The "Busy" Trap

2007-10-02T12:06:00.000-04:00

Being busy is a trap.

Being very busy –– so busy that you can’t take time to work on your business –– is an even bigger trap.

When you don’t have time to think… to plan… to organize… to work out ways to accomplish more in less time and with less effort… and when you don’t have time to think about how you can make more money or take a day with your family, you are in a crisis mode.

There’s only so long a person can live at a pace that is so demanding and all consuming. Ultimately, something has to give. A 12-ounce glass holds only 12 ounces of liquid.

As with almost every problem, there are solutions to this one as well.

The first step is a willingness to change… to look for ways to do what you’re doing better and more efficiently.

Many people can’t get passed this because they can’t visualize how to do it differently or better. They add it to their list of personal to-dos that is already too long – the list that somehow never gets shorter.

When they are willing and able to step outside of believing that they must personally solve this problem and engage the services of a coach or mentor, things can and do change. The mere activity of sharing and discussing business challenges is often all that’s needed as a catalyst for significant change.

When that coach or mentor helps keep the business owner or professional focused and on track, things invariably take a turn for the better.

It all comes back to willingness on the part of the business owner or professional to change. If you can say, “I’m willing to change” (or even “I think I’m willing to change”) you can change.

Fiction v. Non-Fiction

2007-09-22T16:34:00.000-04:00

In the world of book publishing and printing, books fall into one of two categories: fiction or non-fiction.

It seems logical enough.

But, after all this time, I felt the need to stand up and question the choice of words.

Fiction means “not true, a made-up story.” I understand that.

And non-fiction means “a true or real story.”

So my question is, if fiction is untrue, why isn’t the other category simply called “Truth?”

The librarian would say, "Oh, you can find that in the 'truth' section under 'politics.'"

Okay. Now I get it!

(Just for fun.)

On Adopting A Culture Of Accountability

2007-09-16T09:05:00.000-04:00

A powerful and effective accountability process helps your team and its members eliminate finger pointing, tear down organizational silos, learn to ask better questions, and accomplish more.

It helps people make better choices within the moment… and better choices that result in a better attitude among team members.

The ultimate payoff is better, more consistent performance by each and every team member individually… and the entire team as a whole.

“Life before accountability” places the blame onto someone or something else. You can identify this toxic business culture by the types of questions you hear… with many team members prone to asking questions such as:

1. When is somebody going to train me?
2. When is someone going to tell us what’s going on?
3. When are they going to do their job right?
4. Who dropped the ball this time?
5. Who’s going to solve the problem?
6. Why are we the last to know?
7. How do they expect me to do my job if so-and-so doesn’t do his first?

As your team becomes “accountability dependent…” and a culture of accountability begins to emerge… they change their mindset from negative to positive. You start to hear questions that begin with “what” or “how…” and that contain a positive “I” combined with a focus on action.

As a result, questions such as these become part of your organization’s corporate culture:

How can I help?
What could I do to make a difference?
What choices do I have right now?
What’s best for the company?
What’s the ROI?

When we––as managers or team members––ask better questions (such as the five just mentioned) we get better answers… and we definitely get better results!

In the process, we enhance our emotional energy… and the emotional energy of those around us.

Asking better questions helps your organization to eliminate blame, complaining, and procrastination… thus allowing your team to grow––and leading the way to a corporate culture that gets the job done… on time… and well!

Here, then, are the 10 bottom-line payoffs you can expect when you introduce an effective accountability process into your business:

1. Adaptability, receptivity, and willingness to change
2. An atmosphere that fosters creative thinking and decision making
3. Boosting morale
4. Building effective and productive teams
5. Developing people power
6. Enhancing communication
7. Increasing problem solving abilities
8. Increasing productivity
9. Retaining good, better, and best employees
10. Tearing down and eliminating organizational roadblocks and silos that previously brought your organization to a standstill

CONCLUSION: As a business owner, implementing a formal accountability action plan and process is critical to your success… and to your ability to run your business like a business… and not a kindergarten in which you become the baby-sitter-in-chief. When you develop a culture of accountability that integrates with an easy-to-master, easy-to-use accountability process, you stop being the baby-sitter. At the same time, you watch your business grow and prosper.

No two situations are the same. If you’d like some tips and specific ideas on how you can integrate a culture of true accountability into your day-to-day business and personal lives, send an email to gil@strategiesforgrowth.net… or call me.

"What'd He Say?"

2007-08-28T07:09:00.000-04:00

Ever stop to notice sometimes how difficult it is to know exactly what the other person is talking about?

The reason is simple: Communication doesn’t take place on the sending, writing, or speaking side. It occurs almost exclusively on the reading and listening side.

You can write and chatter all you want in the clearest language you know. But no matter how clear it is to you, if it sounds like a foreign language to your reader, you are not communicating.

When it comes to marketing, the people you talk to sometimes know more than you do about what you are selling. Other times, your readers have only a rudimentary understanding of the product. Since you may never know the level of your clients’ expertise, I recommend that you incorporate basic summaries and overviews in your copy that anyone can understand.

Marketing words need to find a happy medium between speaking to experienced buyers and communicating with prospects who know almost nothing about you — except that they might consider doing business with you, or at least learn more about you and your product, if they understood what you can do for them.

The goal is clarity. Avoid long sentences, big words (unless they are essential), and jargon. When you use easy-to-follow headlines and subheads… and recap your text in short and frequent summary blocks… clarity and understanding mushrooms.

Keep in mind that unless your readers understand your entire message, the tedious hours of selecting just the right words could go to waste.

Please feel free to contact me directly for additional strategies to increase the precision and effectiveness of your messages.

Do You Measure Up?

2007-08-15T18:30:00.000-04:00

Running a business is a skill... separate from everything you think you know about your business.

And many talented people fail to achieve the bigger rewards in business because they don't realize the importance of this skill.

After all, simply because you are good at a particular technical skill –– creating software, building bridges, making donuts, and so on –– doesn’t necessarily guarantee your success in running a business in the real world.

But here’s a quick self-scoring test that will help you see where you are… and how you measure up.

First, take out a piece of paper. Then, make a list down the left-hand side that includes all aspects or departments of your business. Your list may include marketing, sales, employee motivation, finance, bookkeeping, shipping, receiving, and operations. The list can go on and on… and it will be different from one industry to the next.

Then, in a second column, put a plus (+) next to each item that you’re truly very good at. And put a minus (-) next to those activities that you really wished you didn’t have to deal with personally.

Second, think about this: If you started your business with a technical skill, there is a good chance that you can be successful and take a company through the early stages.

However, unless you have a strong business background –– coupled with experience, training, and a formal education in business — you may want to consider hiring someone that can take your business to the next level.

Even if that means hiring a president or a general manager and taking less income out of the business for a period of time, your business could have a higher value once you have completed that process.

Third, analyze your “business bus!” Let me explain. The example I use most often is for business owners to think about their company as a bus –– a city bus or a school bus, it doesn’t matter.

The key is that you want to put the right people on the bus in the first place… and then you want to put those people into the right seats.

When you do –– when you put the right people on your bus and put them into the right seats –– your company will be very successful. When you don’t, your bus could be heading for disaster: a course that takes you in the wrong direction and that ends in a dead-end.

A Vision Checklist

2007-08-15T18:17:00.001-04:00

Most business owners know about goals and objectives. But they don’t understand the concept of a “vision.”

Here’s the difference: A personal vision is what the owner of a business sees in the crystal ball in 5, 10, or 15 years… such as being retired, living on a yacht, or working only two days a week. A goal is something that you do or accomplish in order to get to that vision.

To be a viable vision, that vision must be realistic… and it must come from the passion that the owner has both personally and about the business.

Now the problem is that the consequences of a business owner NOT having both a personal vision and a business vision can be disastrous... and could sentence the business owner to a life that becomes far more demanding on the one hand… and much less rewarding on the other!

So you have to know where you are… and where you want to be. This, of course, is your vision both personally and professionally (from a business standpoint). And the absence of knowing is the GAP that you hear me talk about all the time.

Now, the key is that having a personal vision is essential for the success of a business vision. The reason is that if the two visions don’t match, one of two things can occur:

First, either the business vision will fail, because it doesn’t match your personal vision. Or, second, if the business vision is successful, as a business owner, you will be miserable if it doesn’t match your personal vision. As a result, the business vision has to complement the personal vision.

The key is that what you want to do is to develop “big picture” goals to get you from where you are today to the vision that you have for yourself and your business 5 to 10 years out.

Once you see the vision… and get your hands on that vision… you can develop those goals by developing specific strategies to achieve each of those goals that supports your vision.

You’ll also want to develop specific action plans… and steps… for each strategy, so that you know who has the responsibility to do what… and when they are supposed to be completed. So, critical to this is to include timelines and responsibilities.

Then, because this is not a one-time activity that you implement and then forget about, you need to review this every year.

Escaping Our Past

2007-08-07T09:16:00.000-04:00

They say we can never escape our past.

When people ask, “Gil, what did you do before you got into business coaching?” (…and they invariably do), I say, “Marketing… specifically lead generation.”

Their ears pop up and they want to know more. With good reason, too, because every business needs lead generation. But most ordinary lead-generating approaches are dull. They don’t do the job… as evidenced by the lack of response or the poor-quality leads they produce (or don’t produce).

Then they ask, “What kind of lead generation?”

I answer that I specialize on working with and helping businesses that have special needs when it comes to prospecting. These are businesses that face lengthy and complex sales cycles… have hefty price tags or expenditures associated with the products or services they deliver… live in a highly competitive marketplace… and sell products or services that traditionally require a relationship.

One thing leads to another and they say, “Would you have time to talk to us about our situation?”

To which I say, “Of course. I always have time to talk lead generation.”

Suffering In Silence

2007-07-17T20:57:00.000-04:00

Many business owners spend the majority of their lives suffering in silence.

They have no one to talk to.

Their spouse has heard the same tale of woe too many times.

Their close friends change the subject when any conversation about business comes up.

His employees tell him exactly what they think he wants to hear.

Their accountant talks about the numbers from last month or last quarter but doesn't really think about the business beyond the numbers.

Their family dog looks up with his sympathetic puppy dog eyes but isn't really listening and has nothing to add.

In other words, they’re all alone!

They’re working hard. And painfully they’re trying to figure out why the reality of their business and personal lives doesn’t match the perfect picture they once painted for themselves –– when they first went into business.

“Mirror, mirror on the wall…”

It’s not just being able to say what’s on their mind. It has to do with getting answers, advice, guidance, feedback… and questions posed to them that help them navigate the challenges and opportunities in front of them.

Now if that doesn’t sound like the perfect spot for the business coach to enter stage left followed by a marching band, I don’t know what is.

If you’re not currently working with a qualified, certified business coach, I strongly recommend you give it a try… for at least three sessions. (Five is better.)

Seek out a coach where you feel there’s a good and comfortable fit. And by all means, find a coach who knows the power of accountability.

Committees And Accountability

2007-07-15T17:58:00.000-04:00

It's best not to hold committees, groups, or two or more people accountable for making things happen.

The reason is that committees can become “he said, she said” when it comes to taking responsibility. No one really knows who's supposed to do what.

However, when one key person has the responsibility and is accountable, you know who to praise… and who to blame. The key is to make sure one person -- or one champion -- is responsible and accountable for each key assignment… and make sure everyone else knows who that is.

This doesn't mean that the person who is accountable works alone or does everything personally. They can turn to their committee, team, or group provide support to the task at hand... and apply the same philosophy as it pertains to responsibility and accountability. They make individuals within their team accountable for specific subtasks.

Stop Being A Friend

2007-07-15T17:55:00.001-04:00

A leader can’t be everyone’s buddy. A strategic business operator can’t be popular. After all, this isn’t high school.

Yet too many business owners try to be liked instead of respected. Let's face it. Holding people accountable can appear confrontational at times. As a result, many owners avoid tension, conflict, and ongoing performance reviews. But such avoidance is dangerous to your business and the growth and development of your people.

As a leader, you need to be respected, not necessarily liked. Above all else, you are their boss and a challenging coach that demands the best of each player.

I kept my fingers crossed as I watched Jeff C. (owner of a printing company), fret over firing a longtime employee. Jeff held parties, picnics, Christmas gatherings, and Easter egg hunts at his home. Everyone in the company was chummy –– one big happy family. There was no professional distance between Jeff and his employees.

When the firing of that longtime employee finally occurred, the company (the other team members) went into a state of depression… more like mourning. It was as though someone in the family had passed on.

The moral of the story is that you can’t be chummy. You don’t have to be mean or distant. You just need to be the leader!

Takes Longer; Costs More

2007-07-13T14:30:00.000-04:00

When it comes to business, some people are lucky. Like magic their idea… their business model… their plan work clockwork. Overnight, they’re off and running... all the way to the bank!

For most of us, however, there seems to be a natural law that pushes us in the opposite direction. It goes like this:

Everything takes longer and costs more

than you ever plan for... or think it will.

When we’re in a planning mode, things are extremely clear in our thoughts. We want to see everything working just as planned. And while we may think about contingencies, human nature compels us to focus on a perfect, ideal, and harmonious outcome.

But when the time comes to launch, the reality doesn’t match the perfect plan. Things that should work don’t. Things that we didn’t even think about are now biting us in the you-know-what and bringing about an entirely different result.

I contend that it’s impossible to plan so precisely as to avoid negatives contingencies.

And it’s particularly hard to plan when you’re the only one sitting in those planning sessions.

Planning is best when it’s a team sport. Put people on the team who think differently than you. If you’re a driver personality, grab an analytical and put them on the team. Let them all express themselves.

And then find some people on the outside that you trust to challenge your plan while it’s still on paper. Encourage them to point out pitfalls they see… to tell the truth… to ask why… and to point out alternatives that they see.

Remember, don’t sell them on your plan. This is a time of listening and learning. Let them shoot holes… encourage them to rip it apart... insist on honesty.

In all practicality, you can’t and won’t take all the advice. Pick and choose. Then go back to your plan, refine it, and get on with it!

P.S. Professional coaches with business and marketing backgrounds can be extremely helpful in this regard. Put one in the planning session… just for the fun of it!