Phoenix from the ashes

Having Fun Growing Your Business In A Recession

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Denny) — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 19:25:00 +0000

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Dare I Approach A Bank?

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Denny) — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 18:12:00 +0000

After going through explosive growth once before, I have a dilemna. You see last time, we didn't realise it would explode. And it did.

Am I scarred by my past so much so, that I can't take an opportunity to grow?

You see the touch-paper is lit. We're about to fly into the sky. And if we decide to jump aboard, we're a little scared this time that someone has stowed gun-powder again.

This time though, it's a bigger rocket. The deals we are doing are bigger and badder than before.

But then again, we've already done some big deals. And they weren't bad. In fact, the retainer income and the ease was proportionally less effort than we anticipated.

We had some adjusting to do, but the second and third big client became easier than the first.

I have written a business plan. I have the financials for 3 years. I have discovered some potential government-backed routes.

Anyone who has read this blog before - firstly sorry for losing the continuity - but secondly what's your take?

The global recession is working in our favour. The quotes we have "live" right now, exceed our entire last year turnover.

My gut says find a way to do it. My mind is scarred by past experiences. But the quality of what we're doing is opening doors. We're very good at establishing growth.

But have we learned our lessons?

Should we consider a partner to guide the ship (even a remote control partner) while we go do what we're best at?

Myself, Steve and Angela are an unstoppable force when we get going. And the rest of the team is the best we've had (by far).

But when it comes to finance and borrowing to justify the momentum, I get nervous. I suspect we qualify for the new government-backed finance.

The plan fits the criteria exactly.

I got in an accountant who is accusing me of pessimism in it!

Or do we "merge" with someone else to plug the gaps?

Or are the banks really lending? In terms of the new guarantees, they are approving £1M a day for small businesses in the UK right now - and that's only over the last few weeks.

Or should we re-trench, slow it down and miss an opportunity that is ripe for a company that can outsource an internal IT function with ease (and reduce costs for organisations that need to)?

IF ANYONE IS STILL LISTENING, I'd love your views. While this is a muffled shout to the big place which is the internet, if anyone hears the first cry for opinion, please give your views now.

Cheers

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Business Recovery - 2 Years On From Failure...And Now Slap Bang In The Middle Of A Recession!

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Denny) — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 21:31:00 +0000

I'm not surprised I haven't produced a blog post for absolutely ages. Been a little busy!

It's close to 2 years (May 2006) since we went bust and started again.

But, I came up with 8 things you need to do (2 of which you may laugh at - see below) which I guarantee will lift the gloom - unless you're an irreversible pessimist that is!

But now the recession is official, I thought it was about time I reflected on the lessons I've learned, the state of mind I'm in, how optimistic or pessimistic I feel.

And for anyone who once picked up the odd strand from my little story (are there?), give you an update on the personal and business position.

After Going Bust In The Good Times, How Am I Faring In the Bad Times?

For those who don't know, our company went bust in 2006 and re-started. It seemed impossible to do, but we scraped ourselves off the floor and tried again.

With a repeat prescription for blood pressure tablets, a little coaching from a good friend in being able to mentally cope when everything around you has actually collapsed, and alot of moral support from too many people to mention and thank, we got going again.

After protracted negotiations on an insurmoutable level of personal guarantees on business debt, we managed to achieve what felt impossible and satisfy them all.

Before I could even take a sigh of relief, the personal debt (which was really business debt!) struck home too. And I managed to stave off bankruptcy by negotiating a 10 year repayment plan, and in most cases freeze the interest to make it achievable.

The actual numbers involved are scary and a little embarassing to detail. However, it was far more than a 6-figure sum.

And in between all this, we had to re-start a business.

And learn not to repeat the mistakes we made. And be able to sleep at night.

And also try and find the energy to be positive again. It took maybe a year to re-discover that entrepreneurial spark that made us want to go into business.

When we re-started, there were 5 of us.

Most of our clients stuck with us. And while touched by their loyalty, some of them we had to let go. Quite simply because we didn't think we could service them all having reduced our workforce by 75%.

So we fell on our sword and in many cases facilitated their move to alternative suppliers.

And that was a pleasant experience - we're still very friendly with former clients who have found good suppliers since. I have a coffee or beer occasionally now with several former clients, who I now think of as good mates.

Where Are We Now?

Well we're up to 16 staff. Our client base is still smaller in terms of numbers, but our retainer income is at the same levels it was in the former company.

Our cost-base is lower than it ever was (we have more part-time and junior staff than before).

And a good number of clients we honourably let go to others have begun to return - without us asking (and I won't ask those who haven't called because it aint good form to do so!).

How Are We Coping With The Recession?

Despite the history of this blog where at times I have obviously been a little unhinged, by nature, I'm positive. My glass is never half-full - it is overspilling.

But even the most fervent optimist can't help but be touched by the non-stop flow of negativity around them. And from time to time, I find myself beginning to buy into the gloom.

...before I quickly kick myself up the arse.

You see it is the optimists who will spark the turn-around. And if they buy into the gloom, then we're all doomed.

At some point, people will tire of the pessimism and tune into the optimists. A tipping point will be reached, and we will all start believing again.

Personally, I tune into the optimists. And there are many of them about.

Some of them have thrived through downturns and scoff at the doom-mongers who ignore the opportunity around them.

And much of the current malaise is caused by how we choose to perceive what's happening around us.

Could it be as simple as fashion? If the current vogue is doom, then we're instantly unfashionable if we don't buy into it.

Personally, our retainer revenues are up by 33% over the last 5 months. So how can I possibly buy into the new trend for talking things down?

Fair enough, if I was being pedantic, our growth slowed in December and early January. And that's when most of the media-gloom descended as the focus of their reports was the down-turn, Xmas spending reports, and the closures in the high-street retail sector.

But how much attention was given to the explosive growth of online sales? How did Amazon do? Why has the Woolworth's brand name been bought to re-launch as an online-only retailer?

To what extent was the trend away from the high street and towards online purchasing going to happen anyway?

I would agree that overall spending was down, but not nearly as much as the doom-mongers believe. It became a self-fulfilling prophecy as people cut-back - even though I suspect it was marginally.

How many online-only retailers went bust?

So, while my pedanticness could have associated our December/early January blip with some mysterious global problem, how true was it?

In reality, we always have a dip each year. And in years gone by, we never worred about it. In fact we expected it. So why was this year any different?

In reality it wasn't.

As I write, we noticed the same pattern as the previous year. People have started spending again with us. And it has followed the same pattern - the new year "hangover" ended around the middle of the month, and the usual level of enquiries/demand ensued.

BUT I very nearly - for about an hour - got sucked into this negative void.

What Lessons Have I Learned 2 Years After Going Bust And Re-Starting?

Well, the first thing to note is how I feel. I don't worry nearly as much as I used to. I don't fret about negatives any more.

Yes, we still have challenges, but when you have over-shot rock-bottom and had to dig yourself out of the grave, any challenges we now experience don't affect me nearly as much as they used to.

Okay, the challenges we have nowadays are minor.

But the one thing we have discovered that is more important than anything else, is....FUN.

The more fun you have, the better pretty much everything else becomes. What seemed impossible to achieve in a company that was floundering and eventually went bust, becomes achievable.

I knew back then that a key point behind our sucess was delivering a fast service. Achieving it though against a negative background felt like an arduous journey that would take years.

Just last week, we decided to change our average IT support incident fix time from 2 hours to 1 hour. We'd examined for just a few days the methods which would make this possible (a simple logistical reorganisation).

So we announced it on the Friday in a team meeting and introduced it on the Monday.

On the Monday, we achieved a 51 minute fix average. On tuesday, it hit 21 minute as we all realised that is was not only achievable, but acutally very easy.

If I turn the clock back to the end of the previous company, things had gotten so bad back then, that we couldn't figure out how to make a cup of tea without an extended consultative process that was pretty much doomed from the outset.

Now, we can dream something up, examine how it can be achieved, implement it, and celebrate our sucesses - sometimes within hours.

Towards the end of the last company we had an average of around 100 outstanding support calls at various stages of completion. Today, we had 5. And those 5 were outstanding only because clients have asked us to delay the work until they were ready.

The key to implementing things at the speed we now do is essential - the right people.

With the right people, you can achieve anything.

The atmosphere in our office is fantastic. It's fun. I love going into work every day. There are genuine smiles.

And in an industry where you answer the phone knowing something has gone wrong, that's an amazing achievement.

One Small Confession

I broke one of the rules I had on re-starting. Particularly over the last 4 months. I've been fortunate to meet (ahead of schedule), the right kind of people for our company.

And because I knew they were exactly the kind of people we needed, we took them on - perhaps a couple of months ahead of schedule.

But I remember the advice of someone I admire who says that the right kind of people can do pretty much everything.

And that advice has been vindicated with the performance of the new folks. They have actually supplemented the positive atmosphere we have. And accelerated our development (and inspired me too!).

To round off this meandering blog-post, I'll finish off with a bit of advice for these troubled times:

1) Seek the company of optimists

2) When you meet them, supplement their optimism with your own

3) Reply to any negative viewpoints you hear with an optimistic alternative viewpoint

4) Question what the media portrays and read between the lines - good news is not in fashion, so when you hear it tune iN.

5) When you hear bad news, tune out - it will only slow you down in your journey towards good stuff

6) Analyse facts - and when they are negative, imagine you are a PR person who is tasked with adding a little spin - perception can become truth. And negativity can become lies if you give it the chance

7) Whenever you see snowfall, rejoice. There's nothing better than chucking snowballs around your street. Snow is beautiful. And when it slows your car journey, instead of moaning, look at the brightness around you, and admmire the sheer majesty as it floats to the ground around you.

8) Support Everton FC. They are eternal optimists who are seeing results despite the seemingly insurmountable odds, lack of investment, and amazing over-performance despite the odds!

Thank you for listening (Mum).

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Grilled Frogs on Toast Anyone?

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Denny) — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 18:45:00 +0000

His book is wonderful for disorganized people like me. Trouble is, for a few weeks, I’ve had some giant frogs that I couldn’t face eating. And because I didn’t want to eat the frogs, I ignored my to do list. So I wasn’t getting all the little frogs eaten either.

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Turning Enquiries Into Sales

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Denny) — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 11:24:00 +0000

I was recently asked a question by a friend. He had a client who was awash with enquiries, but was struggling to convert them into sales.

And I had the answer. From bitter experience! A few years ago, I'd had the same problem.

And it's a really easy one. But first, this tip works best in business-to-business sales. It's really simple, but the answer is not always obvious.

It's all about conversion rates. The rate of enquiries you receive for example when you send a mailing. The conversion of those enquiries into appointments to meet the client. And the conversion of those meetings into sales.

Treat it like a relay race. To cross the line and clinch the sale, you have to keep hold of the baton. But it is so very easy to drop it.

The first baton change is often where it is dropped. You see too many people attempt to close the sale too far from the finishing line. The objective of the first baton change is to pass it to the next person without dropping it.

And that means making an appointment to see the prospective client.

Too often this goes wrong. And there are numerous reasons:

1) The person making the appointment is not skilled enough

2) Being overly-polite. Gently asking someone to meet can drop the baton. They will have numerous reasons NOT to meet you, even though they enquired!

3) Too many steps. For example, emailing the customer to ask them when they are free. This then needs them to think. And respond.

In our line of work, it is almost impossible to provide a quote for IT support, which reflects what the customer wants, without meeting them first.

So the first thing you need to consider are the reasons why you need to meet the prospect to take the enquiry forward. In our case, we need to look at their IT set-up. But think of your own reasons.

The second challenge is politeness and salesmanship. If an administrative assistant is tasked with making the appointment, they may fail simply because they lack the sales skills.

Remember, you are NOT selling your product or service at this point. Your objective is to make an appointment. So you have to sell the appointment.

If you don't have the staff with the skills, consider creating an email template which does the job for you. A message that will always deliver a consistent message and give reasons for the appointment.

And it needn't be long. Nor complicated.

In fact it needs to be polite, but assertive. And the most important element is that of suggesting the data and time of the appointment rather than asking when they are free.

This cuts out email or telephone tennis. It also does alot to cut out the most common objection - "I'm too busy". People say that because they feel busy, when their diary may be relatively empty.

So by suggesting a date/time, in a high percentage of cases, people will accept it if they are free.

We've found that around 60-80% will accept the first date offered. Those who don't, aren't saying no, they tend instead to either suggest an alternative, or state they are not free.

I'd suggest this format for either the telephone or as an email template:

Subject: Meeting following your enquiry

John,
Firstly thanks for your enquiry. To help us give you an accurate quote for our widgets, I have taken the liberty of booking you in to meet my colleague, Sue Smith, on Friday 29th August at 10AM.
During the meeting, Sue will run through a series of questions which will help us arrive at a proposal which perfectly meets your requirements.
If I don't hear, I'll assume you're free, and Sue will see you next week.
Many thanks etc

This simple approach works wonders. It is light and polite. And cuts out much of the telephone and email tennis which is generated by being too polite - i.e. asking when they are free.

It maximises the chance of a smooth baton change and passes it to your last-leg salesperson.

Your chances of converting enquiries to sales are therefore increased dramatically.

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Ever Felt As Though Being In Business Was Meant To Be Better Than This?

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Denny) — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 20:56:00 +0000

Ever seen the original Superman films? He loses his powers. But a shard of crystal from his homeland still had a dull spark. And that brought his powers back to life. Just in time to save the day.

After failing miserably, I certainly felt drained of any power at all. In fact, I still don't believe I found the strength to try again.

I mean all of my dreams in tatters. Overly mortgaged. Far more unhealthy. Lacking in energy.

Why on earth should I even bother trying again.

So why do I feel different? A small spark was still alive within me. Just.

That entrepreneurial seizure that gives you the zeal to break away from employment wasn't just a false alarm. It was real.

But something happened in between. Your first business plan and projections were fantastic.

And then all of a sudden, other stuff happened which got in the way of your goal.

Let me guess if my list was any different to yours:

1) Money

2) People

3) Meetings - what do they achieve?

4) Clients not sharing your enthusiasm and beating down your door to buy

5) The stuff you're not as good at as you thought you were

6) Organising yourself - before you were, now with a million other things to do, you're not

7) Focus - it starts laser sharp, but suddenly you need glasses to keep on track

8) Stuff changes - the market, the product/service you thought you had, the people and clients around you, in fact you too - you change as the reality of what's happening takes a grip

I could go on. But that doesn't help.

You see I failed. And started again. And all the stuff on that list was reversed to be positive. You see I had the benefit of hindsight.

And why am I saying this? Very simply because you can either avoid the mistakes I made, or if you have or are about to fail, consider trying again.

I realise many people would rather run away following a failure.

But this is exactly the right time to re-start. Just when you have the experience and knowledge of what NOT to do, and more importantly, what TO DO.

And if you're struggling, and not yet reached failure, get in touch like others have done.

I don't charge because this is a personal blog and I have a business to run. Nor do I get anything out of it. Except the satisfaction that I've helped people turn things around, or at least given them some support through the rough times.

If I can help you find that spark of life that brings back your powers, get in touch.

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Credit Crunch Myth Confirmed

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Denny) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 19:25:00 +0000

I can appreciate complete jealousy when I give you my credit crunch anecdotes. As someone who has formerly failed and is now prospering, many people who are struggling are likely to detest my stance.

I am now getting completely ticked off by it to be frank. I am officially hearing more face-to-face accounts of people experiencing growth and therefore scepticism about the reality of the crunch.

Yes, some businesses are suffering. Yes, food prices are higher. Yes, oil is spiralling out of control.

But has anyone spotted the blindingly obvious in all of this hype and counter-hype?

Consumption is increasing. And the only reason for the hype is the blips in the property markets, but more importantly the main reason for the pessimism.

There has been a global shift of power. Is China and the East slowing? No. The indirect effect is an economic shift and adjustment.

It just so happens that liberal lending policy in the former financial capital of planet earth has caused a ripple effect.

We are now associating too many unrelated issues as being the same malaise.

In reality, property and property-related endeavours are feeling a dead-cat-bounce effect. And the ripples of inflation from commodities like oil, grain, food prices are completely unrelated.

Are production levels world-wide higher than ever? Yes.

Have they really slowed? No.

We are experiencing a dual-speed global economy where a shifting pattern of global financial influence and muscle is being mistaken for a slowdown.

It's a bit like ADSL. Your download speed is not the same as your upload speed.

Both me and my colleague Steve meet our clients to review their IT. Both of us ask each client (small businesses) how the crunch is affecting them.

We've seen people affected negatively. But equally, we've seen too many people waiting for the slowdown, but not experiencing it happening.

Has anyone else experienced the chitter-chatter of credit-crunch sceptics? People who are seeing volumes of business remain similar or even increased? And wondering where the problem really lies?

Personally, we're growing again. The main thing which has stopped me until recently is the credit-crunch myth.

In the last 3 weeks, we've taken on 3 staff. We've also just appointed 2 more.

And for a company that employed 8 staff beforehand, moving to 13 within less than month is a huge growth spurt.

Fuelled by realism by the way rather than false optimism. That's more than a 50% increase in staffing levels (and office space) in an incredibly short period of time.

Tell me I'm talking out of my backside please! Or check out out our revived company to see how we're doing - http://www.multisolutions.co.uk/.

5 Minute Later Update

Over the last few years, the local bird population has been noticably increasing - blackbirds, sparrows (hundreds or thousands), starlings etc.

Tonight, a few minbutes after hitting publish, I saw a bird of prey (a sparrow hawk) swoop into our garden and capture a sparrow.

Sad? Yes, for the sparrow. No for the local balance. Bird of prey are on the increase too as a result.

Abundance is everywhere is you look hard enough - for me, that was the first time I had ever seen the local rumours of of increased bird population for myself.

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Another "Credit Crunch Is A Myth" Article With A Difference

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Denny) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 10:26:00 +0000

I realise many people are struggling with the credit crunch. I can see it locally as the ripple effect affects law firms, trades people, property developers, estate agents etc.

But in every down-turn there is opportunity for the brave. Those who dig in can prosper.

I've not posted for a while because I feel slightly guilty.

Things are going exceedingly well for us right now. Just over a year ago, we were liquidated and re-started. And if you dig backwards, you'll see the ups and downs we had.

But if we can come back from such adversity and with such strength, then a credit crunch feels like a minor blip.

Anyway, today we've taken the office next door to us. We're about to start the search for our third member of staff having taken two more on in the last fortnight.

The lessons of the past of unbridled growth are not though a distant memory. A dose of sobre consideration has underpinned each decision.

Opportunities present themself if you know where to look.

Don't get drawn into the doom-mongering and darkness.

Instead, switch on your flashlight and go find the opportunity the bleak-minded won't be able to see.

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Still Alive? Yes

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Denny) — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 20:54:00 +0000

Deliberately Displease People For Better Results

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Denny) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:50:00 +0000

For someone who reads alot, I'm a complete idiot when it comes to putting it into action at times.

I've read, and re-read business books. And I really do get the concept of grouping your clients into distinct niches.

But even then, we try to please everyone within that niche.

The big problem I believe is stereo-typing. I work in business-to-business. That means I may perhaps talk to accountants differently to lawyers in a marketing message.

But it's easy to forget that people take off their suit or overalls when they go home. And by and large, they are all people.

My point?

Think of people as people. If you try to please every accountant with what you say, you won't.

They are people too. With individual character traits. Some are cheery. Some are grumpy. Some are sarcastic. Some are straight-laced.

And because people are different, if you try and please everyone with your marketing message and how you package your product or service, you may just fail.

Why aim for indifference with 100% of your audience? Would it be better to have 50% of people loving what you do and the other half hating you?

I've had some amazing criticism for our new web-site. I've even had people bitterly complaining. Even casual visitors who are not even a client.

Why? Because we do some things that people think are "unprofessional". Like being videoed getting pelted with custard pies because we didn't get 100% perfection on a customer satisfaction survey.

I personally can't see what's wrong with a bit of fun. Or self-deprecation. Or being truthful about who we are as people.

Let's face it, the people who don't like it, I probably wouldn't get on with in a private or professional capacity.

I spent too many years building a business on a foundation of trying to be all things to all people.

It failed.

One way to stand out is to be yourself. That way you'll attract clients you like. Repel clients you won't get on with.

Take music. Throw a representative sample of the population in the room.

Play them the current number 1. Play them some classical. Some jazz. Some heavy metal. Punk.

And ask each of them to tick "Love", "Hate", or "Take it or leave it" for each sample you play.

What sort of a spread of answers will you get? Some accountants will love punk. Some students will love jazz.

Me? I'd rather have a third of the market, and every single one of them was an avid fan. I couldn't care less about the people who hate us.

Lately, we've recruited some clients we get on with like a house on fire. They read the web-site in detail. And rejoiced in our self-deprecation, tackiness, and occasional silliness.

Does it mean we do a bad job? To the contrary, we do a better job. But doing a better job isn't good enough if you dilute yourself by trying to appeal to everyone.

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This Blogging Lark Is Hard - How Do You Cope When Other Stuff Gets In The Way?

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Denny) — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 20:23:00 +0000

I have to be completely honest. I am struggling to find the time to post stuff to this blog.

NOT, I hasten to add, because I don't want to. I've seen too many blogs fizzle out and disappear, and fretted for their absence.

Now I am in danger of being a hypocrite. I have a website and blog for our rejuvenated business and all of a sudden, it's started delivering business. In bucket-loads.

And I can only hypothesise as to why. It's not just the blog by the way.

Like many things in life, I think I can detect a 1 + 1 = 3 effect.

At the core of it all I suspect is the decision we made to learn from past mistakes.

And one of those was not understanding what clients really want.

You see I suspected (I have no research budget, just experience and gut-feel) that small businesses want their IT problems fixed fast.

And in my own mind I had an invisible line. Below the line, people don't recommend you. Above it, they do.

I guessed that the line was how fast you fix things when they went wrong.

So I completely forgot everything else and put all of my chips on that particular bet.

And at first, it didn't work.

It was quiet. Nothing happened. Then, it started to happen - and by happen, I mean "free" sales. These are sales initiated by clients telling people about you.

And not just telling, saying good things too. So that the new clients are almost pre-sold when you meet them.

And that's what I always wanted. And I got it. But I also got something else too which I didn't quite expect.

People finding the web-site, enquiring and wanting to buy too WITHOUT that recommendation. Friday just gone, we got 2 enquiries the same day.

Each of them saying they wanted to switch to a company that could fix things as fast as we could.

They had been let down and "googled" us. Time will tell whether these convert into clients.

My point?

Blogging at times feels like a chore. But it's one of those deceptive practices - sometimes you think nobody is listening, but they are - quietly watching from the sidelines, or even arriving at the party, seeing everyone is having fun, and joining in straight away.

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New, Aspiring, Failed Or Successful Businesses - Share Your Business Story -

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Denny) — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 12:31:00 +0000

Share Your Story

Whether you still have a day job and dream of striking out on your own. Or you have a business but are struggling. Or maybe you're doing okay or would describe yourself as successful.

Be anonymous. Be yourself. Create an alias. Most importantly share your story in the comments section. Or email me using the address (top right).

I'll answer my own questions to give you an idea. So you can either answer these questions or choose your own. Or if you just couldn't be bothered, just write a small comment instead.

I will publish each of your submissions as separate posts. And where the author supplies a link to their site, I'll include that too. Here we go, my story...

Why did you start in business?

Like many people, I thought I could do it far better than my boss. I was 29, and my first daughter had just passed away after a 21 day struggle to make it after her birth. Life felt too short to keep wondering, so I gave it a whirl.

What is the biggest barrier for a new business to hurdle?

Adjusting. Just because I was okay at marketing, it didn't mean I was any good at managing cash, administration, and eventually managing people.

The hours are longer than you first anticipate. And the learning curve steep. You have to learn to multi-task or outsource.

If I could turn the clock back, I would probably have considered systems far more. Considering the customer journey through the business is essential. Each step from initial enquiry, quotation, meeting, invoicing etc should be quick, efficient and take less time if you plan it well.

Why do you think you failed?

Overall, it was principally caused by unbridled growth. Both myself and the people involved were too busy reacting to the huge pats on the back as word-of-mouth spread and clients flocked to our door.

Then, when the cracks started to appear as the service deteriorated, the growth slowed. But the overheads were now fixed.

A deeper understanding of the underlying trends in your business is essential. Make sure cash management and a keen eye on your fixed costs underpins your decisions. If necessary, politely turn down work rather than push the boat out and take it on.

How happy are you personally as a small business owner?

Quite frankly? I am now, but I wasn't for the last 2-3 years before our failure and re-launch. A business can become all-consuming. It is really hard to keep a personal and family life when all you can think about is work.

When things aren't going well, you re-double your efforts. Eventually, there is nothing left in the tank and you can't squeeze anything more out of yourself.

I would still recommend going into business. Thankfully, going bust was the best thing to happen to the old business. The opportunity to re-start and apply all the experience we gained was a joy once we mentally emerged from the fog.

During the dark days, I'd often find myself thinking "if only we'd not done that" or "if only we had done it a different way at the start".

Don't get me wrong, the failed business was not all doom and gloom. There were some incredible highs. And I have to keep reminding myself about those too!

What single piece of advice would you give to someone struggling?

This isn't a throw-away line, but focus on the positives. It is amazingly easy to focus far too much of your energy on what's going wrong.

More focus on the good things - and there will be far more than you think - can potentially save you.

Especially in bad times, there are opportunities. Those who hold their nerve may soon have an influx of customers as competitors fail. Take a look at Small Business Credit Crunch Survival Kit for a fresher, more rosier perspective.

And finally, you may think going bust is the end. I'm living proof that it isn't. It is possible to bounce back. Some of the most successful people on the planet have a failure or two behind them.

If you're killing yourself by keeping going, sometimes it's better to throw in the towel and start again. A fresh start can re-energise you and give you the chance to benefit from the experience you undoubtedly now have.

And, if it is sales you need, you will be doing yourself a dis-service NOT visiting the site of Drayton Bird. With a failure or two behind him, he rose to become one of our planet's leading authorities on direct marketing.

I don't make a penny for clicks or anything. I read his books, had the honour of meeting him, and can vouch for how his expertise can help you create sales. I've said it once before, but it's his fault we grew so spectacularly.

His books though don't directly teach good business sense! So he's blameless for our original demise!

How do you define success in business?

Personally, doing a good job. I don't want to go to work for an "okay" company. A company that constantly lets people down and fails to fulfil its promises.

I want to deliver the best. I want to hear how pleased our customers are. That may sound cheesey, but I don't care. It's how I feel.

You see being happy with what you do starts to feed into your personal life too. I've had too many years of stress. And right now, the stress is insignificant.

At last we're doing a good job for our clients. The word-of-mouth has started again. Just last week we got 3 excellent referrals. The source? Happy clients.

Happy clients do more for marketing your business than any marketing will ever do. Especially in a relatively small but vocal community like ours.

So, What's Your Story?

Are you a struggling business? Failing? A former failure who has bounced back? Just happy because your business is doing okay? Or are you a resounding success?

Perhaps you are still working in a day-job but haven't quite plucked the courage to strike out on your own.

Regardless, email me your story, give me a quick or long version in the comments below. I'd love to hear it.

Just remember - tell me if you're okay with me cutting and pasting it into a post and whether you want me to link to your site/blog if you have one.

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Your Feedback Resulted In These E-Book Changes

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Denny) — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 07:38:00 +0000

Thanks to those who gave me feedback on the e-book.

BUT the biggest change I made is making it easier to get. I've taken off the sign-up process. Mainly because I'd love more feedback on the content and don't want to get reservations about giving email addresses a barrier.

Our business is now out of recovery and standing on its own two feet. But I don't have a huge marketing budget.

And the e-book is going to be distributed locally in a local Chamber of Commerce circular very soon, so I'd love more feedback on the content.

There's no pitch in it for our services. And unless you're based in the Merseyside area of the UK, we couldn't take you on as a client anyway!

I still have a couple of suggestions to add, but please get a copy.

If you're not a small business imagine you are while reading it. If you are, you may find it useful.

Go to this page to get it:

Myths About IT That Could Sink Or Float Your Business

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How Awful Is My First Attempt At An E-Book? Tell Me The Brutal Truth

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Denny) — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 12:17:00 +0000

I've heard about e-books. They help build a conversation with your customers apparently. Or, if you're at the top of your game, people will pay for them I understand.

Well guess which one I am? I'm not telling. But I'll give you a clue; mine is free.

I'd really love some feedback - NEGATIVE feedback in particular is very much welcomed.

First-time visitors - I went bust. I started again. And I'm still trying to improve the results of our marketing without spending a fortune.

Everyone - I would really appreciate it if you could take moment to grab my e-book. It's actually aimed at small business owners, so if you're not one yourself, imagine you are while you read it.

It's only short, and you can get it here:

Myths About IT That Could Sink Or Float Your Small Business

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Why Don't Businesses Sell To Me When I Ask Them To?

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Denny) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 19:10:00 +0000

This blog is about business survival and turning things around.

Which is exactly why I'm going to use it as a forum for a LOUD rant about courteously responding when someone wants to buy from you.

You will naturally recoil in horror at the thought of NOT answering the phone? Right?

Now imagine answering the phone and listening to this:

"I'm interested in buying what you offer. I've just been to your web-site, and it sounds like you do exactly what I'm looking for. Could you give me a price for 10 of your green widgets please?"

What would you do? I'd imagine you'd start off with something like

"Certainly. Can I take your name and address and ask you a few questions about the exact shade of green you need for your widgets..."

Now imagine instead saying nothing. At all. They tell you their needs, and even though they say:

"Hello? Hello? Is there anyone there?"

Instead, you say nothing. Despite the volume as they begin to shout. In fact, you put the phone down completely and forget they even called.

Your enthusiastic prospect meanwhile crosses you off their list. Forever. And goes to get their green widgets from the first person to answer the phone.

THAT'S HAPPENED TO ME TWICE OF LATE

And all I did was have a need. I shopped around. I shortlisted from some great looking web-sites. I fill in the forms on their web-site or emailed them all with a standard enquiry. In each case giving them some detail on what I wanted and inviting them to call to clarify anything before they quoted.

Case One: I recently looked for an outsourced call answering service. I emailed/filled in forms with around 9 of them. In hindsight expecting a flood of phone calls. After all they should be pretty good at making a phone call? Yes?

In the end, only one called me. A couple emailed a response over a week later. Needless to say, the people who called won the business. It just so happens they cared. They asked questions. They tailored a package.

They were actually "competitive" because I was honest and told them that I'd invited a number of people to quote. In the end, though they won by default, but don't tell them!

Case Two: I wanted to have a circular sent to members of several e-newsletter providers who offer just such a service. I sent 4 requests. To date, 48 hours after they were first sent, I have had no replies at all. Not even an acknowledgement of my enquiry.

Unlike the first case, I may actually use all of them. I will balance budgets against results, return on investment, and probably give all of them at least a chance to assess their quality.

But it frustrates the hell out of me.

Last week, I had an enquiry. I responded by going to see them within 18 hours face-to-face. And in between they had confirmation/acknowledgement of their request.

Their needs were complicated. And a further 24 hours later, and in between a phone call to tell them when, I had their proposal with them in writing.

And not just a standard one. In fact, I ran the word-count, and the proposal contained 4,887 words. 28,992 characters (with spaces - 24, 079 without).

The entire proposal had been spell-checked by the PC and critiqued by a colleague before sending.

After I sent it, I called him to tell him it had been sent so he could call if there were any reception issues.

Where am I going wrong? How can any business hope to survive in an incredibly competitive world where people can find an alternative supplier with a few clicks of the mouse?

Is it complete insanity to do anything OTHER than respond politely and courteously to each and every enquiry? Even if you can't answer their questions instantly or supply what they request just as quickly?

Rant over. That's why I love blogs. Even when you have a barren spell of no articles like I have, they always come to the rescue as a virtual psychiatrist's couch to let off steam.

However, what do you think? Should we be more tolerant and patient and give people a few days to respond? Or should we judge people on their willingness or ability to do so?

Let me know - comment below - or it you are receiving this article by email, please visit the site and click the comment link to have your say. OR reply, and I'll post the comment for you.

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You Are The Best - So Why Don't New Clients Beat Down Your Door?

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Denny) — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 21:28:00 +0000

Are you good at what you do?

If you are, raise your hand. Mine's up.

So you're good. You produce the best darned widgets. Or deliver the best service for miles around. I do.

So Why Aren't You Inundated With Work?

This really frustrates me. So let's talk about my frustration quickly. It may be similar to yours.

I've put blood, sweat and tears into the business I'm a partner in. I've tried so hard it hurts. And lately I've focused on making sure we're the best for miles around.

And I bet you have too. So why aren't people beating a path to your door?

I was so confident that people would knock on our door, I very nearly missed a universal truth.

Why change? If they're kind of satisfied with what they have now, and they're busy, it's just too much hassle to switch.

And here's me, thinking that people will just melt when they hear how much better we are.

The Cold Hard Truth Is They Won't Switch

Even if you are better. Even if the gap is significant. I have a theory. And I really want your view on this. It's called comfort zone. Your customers, whoever they are, have someone scratching the itch that you can scratch better.

But stuck in their comfort zone, they become lazy. While someone's scratching their itch, they don't really need to find a better scratcher.

And that's my problem. My perception is different from theirs. I can scratch better than my itch-scratching rival.

But I have no right to take their place. Why should they bother switching?

I Usually Offer Solutions - But Today, I Need Your Help With This Challenge

It's like TV. You subscribe to one provider. Another has a better offering. And you know it. You can save money and maybe even get more channels too.

But it takes effort. You have to pick up the phone. And maybe even sign a piece of paper.

Please Advise Me

I have the best IT support service for small businesses in the Merseyside area (United Kingdom). And I am winning more clients.

But too slowly. Recently, we have taken on more cost. Mainly because we have invested in becoming the best.

Please tell me how I can make people sit up, take notice, and more importantly get out of their comfort zone and switch.

I have been marketing what we do of late. And realised that people have a relationship - like we do with our clients - which makes them loyal.

Even if their current provider takes days to fix a problem (our recent average fix times are less than 1 hour), they don't really want to change.

Answers on a virtual postcard by clicking the comment button underneath. Please!

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Sky TV: Bad Customer Service Or Theft?

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Denny) — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 09:26:00 +0000

Sky TV steal £1000 ($2000) from a customer and refuse to give a refund. Why should these large companies be allowed to get away with blatant theft?

read more digg story

Small Business Credit Crunch Survival Kit

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Denny) — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 06:01:00 +0000

A primeval urge to escape the hunter instantly drives the hunted to flee.

Now it's different when a large, fanged animal jumps out from behind a bush. You react. You run or hide.

But when it's something which has just appeared on the horizon, maybe you'd better pack something to eat before you dash off.

6 Definite "Must Haves" To Pack In Your Small Business Credit Crunch Survival Kit

1. Pack A Calm And Almost Serene Attitude, Especially When Others Panic

One thing's for sure, some will panic and flee. They will re-trench, cut costs, or even sell-up and exit the market.

Anything other than face the predator that threatens their very existence.

Predators have an instinct to attack those that are fleeing. So they may well run right past you. You stay in the green and luscious plains of plenty. While the predators chase their prey (and your former competitors) into the wastelands.

Those that stand their ground will have less competition.

2. Pack A Flashlight: Opportunity Is Often Hidden In The Dark While Threats Are Under A Glaring Spotlight For All To See

All that happens in a recession is that the focus shifts to the negative. The same headlines heralding a booming economy are simply inverted.

Yes, there's less money around, but instead of glaring at the headlines declaring imminent doom, go against the flow. Look for the oportunities.

Why not give credit terms? Or offer what you do with a small deposit and one or two easy instalments. Be mindful of threats - for example use credit checks.

3. Pack A Compass: You Need To Find The Best Spot To Pitch Your Tent

Don't be the prey, be the hunter. Everyone else will be too busy reading gloomy headlines. They'll be like the rabbit staring at the headlights of the approaching juggernaut.

Be the juggernaut. But don't run over frightened bunnies. Instead, head where your clients are. Don't run in the opposite direction. They're still there, albeit with a bit less cash in their pocket.

4. Choose A Sturdy Bag To Carry Your Stuff

Your business needs to be rugged to carry you through this. Lean and mean. Cut the fat out. No expensive investments in non-essentials like furniture, water coolers, expensive new vehicles etc.

Trim back excessive stock.

But...

5. Take A Flare: You Want The Right People To Find You

In a recession, your rivals will cut their marketing budget. They will become invisible. The customers that are still spending won't find them.

But you're a survivor. You realise that this is an opportunity. So fire off your flare. In other words keep spending on marketing. If you can, spend more.

You see you'll gain market share. You will be the lone beacon the customers will flock to.

Keep sending brochures, newsletters, emails etc. If advertising works for you, negotiate more space for the same money - advertisers want to keep your business when other's are cancelling or trimming back.

As you come out of recession, your competitors will have lost ground or at best stayed static. You on the other hand will have a larger client base and market share.

6. Pack Your iPod

As you march away, keep your spirits high with a good old sing-along.

And download some happy songs. Very soon, others will tire of the gloom and start looking for a bit of good news.

So tell your happy story. Tell people how you beat the recession and business is booming. Be the lone voice at the back of a miserable crowd. Soon people will ignore the stage and turn around to listen to you instead.

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To add your comment, I recommend you choose the "Name/URL" option. You can then use your own name, an alias or a nickname. If you have your own web-site, you can add this too if you like so people seeing your comment can click to visit it - enter your address in the URL box. Or leave it blank.

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Blog Authors - How To Get More Comments Per Visitor

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Denny) — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 09:03:00 +0000

The joy of a blog is engaging with readers. For a small business, it can be a vital sales and marketing tool.

But are you getting enough engagement? Do visitors realise they can comment? Did you realise that when you first visited a blog? Let me explain.

You go to a game. Soccer, Football, Baseball, whatever.

You're part of a crowd of 50,000 people who love watching that sport.

You are all one family. You know the teams. The rules. The players. Everyone in that same crowd talks the same language as you.

Now go back in time, say 100 years. The sport was barely established. Everyone kind of knew the rules, but they hadn't really been written. The first amateur or professional teams in the sport drew crowds of a few hundred.

Outside of that few people had heard of the sport. Never mind understood the rules or the name of the team. They certainly didn't know the language.

Blogs: To Get More Crowd Participation, First, You Have To Educate

This graph is my guesstimate at the stage we're at. Somewhere between early adopters and early majority.

A bit like the early stages of most modern sports, people are becoming aware blogs exist, but few have seen a game so to speak.

You're Missing Out On A Huge Audience

In my last post, I suggested that a high percentage of your visitors may not even know they're looking at a blog. As for commenting, they're used to web-sites being one-way traffic.

You will notice I have drawn a line on that graph. I suggest that a percentage of the total audience are bloggers. And because they understand the medium, they are far more likely to participate and comment.

Now because we are arguably still in the early adoption phases, a large percentage of blog visitors aren't yet attuned to comment.

Why not get an early slice of non-blogging market and engage with them through your comments section?

Blogger and Wordpress - Creating An Autosignature

In my last post, I advocated capturing that interaction through the creation of an autosignature to each blog post.

Include these 3 elements:

1) A short statement, briefly defining blogs and their interactive nature

2) Guidance, relevant to the layout of your own blog, about where to find the comment link and what it looks like

3) An explanation of what to complete to have their comment accepted - remember, entering a URL is not essential, and many non-bloggers will not have one and potentially be put off commenting if they don't understand

My suggestion is:

This is a blog. A website that thrives on interaction from every visitor including you. Your comments are welcome.

Depending upon how you arrived at this site, you will see either 'Posted by Ian Denny 23:00' followed by a 'Comment' link you can click. Or you will see comments already made and/or a link you can click with the text 'Post a comment'.

Blogger

To achieve this in blogger, firstly sign-in. Then choose "Customise".

Click on setting and formatting. The scroll down to the last option on the page which looks like this:
Enter your own autosignature and save.

Now, whenever you create a new blog post, this text will automatically appear and increase your chances of capturing comments.

Wordpress

This is an excellent step-by-step guide for a DIY Wordpress signature:

Making A Wordpress Post Template

Help Blogs Reach That Tipping Point

Add your own autosignature. Educate non-blogging visitors. More importantly, improve your own experience by receiving more interaction from the non-blogging audience.

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This is a blog. A website that thrives on interaction from every visitor including you. Your comments are welcome.

Depending upon how you arrived at this site, you will see either 'Posted by Ian Denny 23:00' followed by a 'Comment' link you can click. Or you will see comments already made and/or a link you can click with the text 'Post a comment'.

To add your comment, I recommend you choose the "Name/URL" option. You can then use your own name, an alias or a nickname. If you have your own web-site, you can add this too if you like so people seeing your comment can click to visit it - enter your address in the URL box. Or leave it blank.

Campaign Against Rude Bloggers - And A Call To Action

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Denny) — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 12:53:00 +0000

A short while ago, I had a blinding flash of guilt. When I started this blog, I barely knew what one was.

I started it because a blog seemed a quick and cheap way to diarise my thoughts, and possibly help out people like me who had gone through something as stressful as a business liquidation.

The Bloggers Club - We Don't Notice When We Join, And We Quickly Forget Our Manners

A blog is interactive. It thrives on comments from visitors. Forgive the quick explanation, but a blogger is someone who writes articles on their own website (or blog) or as a guest writer on others. And a blogger knows how to submit a comment.

But how many people stumbling on a blog know this? Do we quickly get inducted into the bloggers club and forget those who don't know?

How often do even bloggers struggle to find the comments link or button underneath each article (hereafter referred to as a "blog post").

Join Me In A Campaign To Educate Non-Bloggers - How About A Standard "Autosignature"

I wrote a whole section on my blog - see the "About You" section a little further down - which explains that comments are welcome and describes how.

But what about ending each blog post with a standard phrase which assumes the visitor doesn't understand blogs?

So what should we include to educate non-bloggers? How about this list:

1) A short statement, briefly defining blogs and their interactive nature

2) Guidance, relevant to the layout of your own blog, about where to find the comment link and what it looks like

Here's an example of what I mean:

This is a blog. A website that thrives on interaction from every visitor including you. Your comments are welcome.

A bit too long do you think? Perhaps. But a non-blogger may not know these things. I'd love to hear ideas - particularly any which can achieve the same thing in fewer words, and without any jargon!

How Else Are We Rude?

Some of us have a niche topic for our blog. Some niches are narrow. Some are very wide-ranging. Either way, I have had my wrist-slapped by one fellow blogger, and she is so right.

I don't include as many links to other resources on the same topic.

Now my angle is very narrow. I have spoken about my busines failure in an attempt to help others. But the niche is quite wide if you also include small business advice.

To put that right, I need to refer my target audience to other blogs which can help them.

Givers gain. If you do to others what you would have done to you, you will benefit. It's rude not to help your visitors find valuable resources elsewhere. And particularly to those who do not immediately recognise or understand they are reading a blog.

So, For Bloggers And Non-Bloggers Alike, Here's 3 Great Resources

I want to help struggling, failing or failed businesses. And while I can share my experiences, there are many more who can help. I recommend you find blogs as they cut out intermediaries and charge nothing for their wisdom.

Because the topic of this article (or to use the jargon, blog post) is how rude we are as bloggers, ignoring those who may not know what one is, I have chosen 3.

Two of them talk about blogs and social media, but the first is from Cath Lawson who gives great small business advice. Her strapline is "Bold Advice For Business Success" and this post grabbed me as required reading on the topic of outsourcing:

The Pros And Cons Of Outsourcing (click these words to read her article)

The second is from Barbara. She gives great advice for both new and experienced bloggers. And I liked this article in particular as it's a great personal story in its own right.

It talks about how people are a little backward in coming forward at first when they read blogs. And the importance of asking for help in what is a very supportive worldwide community all are welcome to join:

Stubborn Blogger Wouldn't Ask For Help (click these words to read her article)

And finally, still on the topic of blogs, I had to include Maki from Dosh Dosh. I've only been across there a couple of times myself, but mainly on recommendations from others. And so far I've never been let down.

Any struggling business, or anyone wanting to develop their career can benefit from the article I recommend. He talks about establishing a blog as a home-base for either yourself or your business.

It's a fantastic article which goes on to chronicle the steps you can take to engage with the right communities, establish a brand, and publicise your work. He uses a case study of someone wanting to establish themselves in the art world:

How To Use The Web To Build A Powerful Reputation In Any Industry (click these words to see the article)

For Current Bloggers Only

Should we agree a standard blog-post signature which educates and encourages participation from those uninitiated in the blogging world? Should we ditch our tendency NOT to link to other valuable resources?

I can understand why many don't - fear of driving traffic to potential rivals. But surely visitors appreciate and remember the source of the referral, and this is more likely to build audience?

So in the spirit of this blog-post (I mean article!), please add your comments. In particular, what would your auto-signature be? Can you shorten mine and still retain the clear guidance? Or perhaps mine wasn't clear at all, in which case I'd welcome feedback.

I am now going to change my posting template to include my autosignature. So please tell me if you like it or have better suggestions!

Engage in active debates, find other small business and blogging resources - subscribe in a reader (top right) or receive these articles by email so you don't miss out by forgetting to come back

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Non-US Citizens Vote In Next US President

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Denny) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 23:15:00 +0000

Not normally political, and completely off-topic for this site, what rights do the rest of the world have in the US elections?

The answer is none. And rightly so. So why pose the qustion? The Internet, blogging and social media has made the world far smaller. So if we have become a global village, are we moving towards an influence on world matters?

Probably not. But I sit here, in the UK worried. The US president has his finger on lots of buttons.

I could say more but I won't. I know nothing of US politics, but it would be interesting to have my view tested - based purely on TV images, I have to say I go for the person. And while I'm not so niaive to believe presidential candidates aren't highly trained media-savvy experts, I have to say that my preference is the democrats and Obama.

Now imagine a world where we could actually vote? How would non-US citizens vote?

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Ordinary People Taste Ubericious Small Business Success: My 3 Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Denny) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 04:42:00 +0000

Why ubericious success? Because it's a made-up word the search engines won't pick up.

You see if I said fabulous success, eventually Google will deliver people who are searching for a short-cut. And this aint it. Sorry.

To use some jargon, I have "search-engine deoptimised" this post.

While I think these tips can deliver substantial success, most small businesses fail. Mine did. But the new one is successful (not fabulously yet!).

It's headed in the right direction, so if you think experiencing moderate success is a worthy stepping stone on the way, then read on.

Because I can prove how it's possible. And if you're a realist rather than a short-cutter, then it may even help you along the way.

You see I'm ordinary. And I still am. In fact let's get real honest here. I'm a complete buffoon.

Turnover Is Vanity, Profit Is Sanity (Tip 1)

Now if I'd started this post with a blazing title to ensnare the thrill-seekers, I'd have said "How to go from zero to £1M turnover".

That's what we did. We grew spectacularly. And I know how to do that. My talent for buffoonery though knows no bounds. In our excitement, we only remembered to make a profit in one of those high blood-pressure filled 8 years.

So blindingly obvious tip 1 is to remember to make a profit. Too obvious you say? No way. It happens all too often. That entrepreneurial rush has you sprinting off the millisecond you hear the "B" in the "Bang!" of the gun.

Meanwhile, sanity is left at the starting line puzzled and struggling to catch up with you.

Systems You Idiot (Tip 2)

Yawn. Rub your eyes. Switch off. Systems are so darned boring. I'll bet you're brilliant at producing your widgets or service. Heck, that's why you're in business already or thinking about starting one.

You can do it far better than your old or current boss.

Not only can you make or deliver what you do brilliantly, you can probably sell it too - or you know a great salesperson that can do it for you.

And if you weren't in accounts before, how hard can that be? It's so easy isn't it?

If you've bought an e-book from a glitzy web-site before I'll forgive you. But please be aware, it simply isn't as easy as they tell you.

The biggest mistake we made was succumbing to the seduction of our own adrenaline. The adrenaline can have you leaping tall buildings. You can feel like a deity, overcoming all barriers one-by-one.

But an adrenaline rush is just that. Short-lived.

Systems are vital. By that, I mean documenting the processes and sub-routines necessary to deliver what you do.

Systems may seem boring. They may even seem like something you'll do later. Take it from someone who had the same good intentions, you'll keep putting them off.

Bite the bullet. Create them before it's too late. Better still, create them before you start.

We went bust and our systems became far more important than ever. We went from 16 staff down to 5 when we re-started. Most of our clients stuck by us. We had no choice but to systemise and automate as much as we could.

So we all got ready to work 18 hour days and weekends too to deliver the service and keep the clients happy.

But that only lasted for less than a few weeks. In fact we were astonished to discover that we were doing the same work as more than 3 times the people we had before. Unbelievably, some days we could even leave early.

Because our systems had us doing far more, in less time, with fewer people.

Don't Be Average, Deliver The Best (Tip 3)

Shoot me. I've said something else which is so obvious you may even skip past this one.

One of the reasons you are in business is that you thought you could do it better. And when you start out, you will be.

But it's a moving target. Benchmark yourself against your competitors. That's a good start. But the one thing you can do to really stay ahead is check what customers really want.

There's a difference you see. By creating a list of what your competitors do and beating them, you'll be competitive. But you may not spot the competition before it's too late.

So check what your customers expect. There is always a gap between what's being delivered by you and your competitors. If you spot that gap and plug it, you will be the best.

More on being the best: Want A Better Business, Build A Better Mousetrap

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The Best Bloggers Are Left Handed

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Denny) — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 21:26:00 +0000

** UPDATE ** 24th February 2008

7% of people visiting this page will be shocked. The left-handed in other words. You see since I invited comments, the best one by far is by someone right-handed. I have repeated her comment at the end of this post for your convenience. In the meantime, here's the original post...

Wikipedia refers to an association between left-handedness and creativity.

A 1998 study suggested that between 7 and 10% of the world population is left handed.

So does that hold true in the real world?

The evidence seemed a bit flimsy to me. And it appears more anecdotal.

So do left-handed bloggers produce better content?

Is there any research to suggest using your left hand can force you to exercise those creative parts of your brain?

In Britain in the 18th and 19th century there was a social stigma associated with left-handedness. It was essentially "beaten out" of people.

The poor lefties were forced to use their right hands. Did this cause a wave of stupidity?

Allegedly, left-handed people earn more than right handed.

That Sounds Like Nonsense Doesn't It? I Agreed Until I Read Wikipedia:

"In his book Right-Hand, Left-Hand, Chris McManus of University College London , argues that the proportion of left-handers is rising and left-handed people as a group have historically produced an above-average quota of high achievers. He says that left-handers' brains are structured differently in a way that widens their range of abilities, and the genes that determine left-handedness also govern development of the language centers of the brain.

McManus also says that the increase in the 20th century of people identifying as left-handed could produce a corresponding intellectual advance and a leap in the number of mathematical, sporting, or artistic geniuses.

In 2006, researchers at Lafayette College and Johns Hopkins University in a study found that left-handed men are 15 percent richer than right-handed men for those who attended college, and 26 percent richer if they graduated. The wage difference is still unexplainable and does not appear to apply to women."

Personally, I think it's a load of tosh. But as a kind of straw poll, please leave a comment to tell us which hand you use and whether you've noticed if left-handers are more intelligent or creative.

Or even if you think those Nintendo gadgets can help the afflicted right-handers get closer to the those gifted lefties.

Don't comment though and admit your right-handedness unless you're prepared to be judged (not from me by the way although I may take a peek!). From others - I bet you'll get a load of visitors checking out your blog to see if your stuff is any good!

And if you are left-handed, I look forward to the intelligence, wit and creativity that will flow through your prosaic words!

P.S. If you don't have a blog, still feel free to comment and tell me I'm right or wrong (anonymously or otherwise because that's what blogs are about! Sharing your opinions).

Underneath this article is a "Comment" link. After you hit that you're on the comments page. Choose "Nickname", then use an alias or your real name together with your email address (I never share that with anyone - left or right handed) and your web-site (if you have one and want people to find it)

** As Promised - Here's The Current Winner For The Best Comment **

It's from Mrs Micah: Finance For A Freelance Life. Despite being right-handed, she was able to come up with the best comment so far. Her excellent "reading between the lines" puts her above the inflamatory comments from some of the right-handed brigade...

"*cries* I'll never be a good blogger. I might as well give up now.As a kid, I actually worked on become ambidextrous. My sister had to do it after she broke her right thumb, so I got interested. Plus my dad is a lefty. And I eat European-style with the fork in my left hand...mostly because my Danish uncle taught me all kinds of table manners for my trip to Denmark (like proper positioning of utensils on the plate to signal whether I wanted seconds...it's cook stuff).

All things considered, I'm definitely ambidextrose---I can eat sweets with both hands!!"

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Snooker - Nostalgic Trip Down Memory Lane

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Denny) — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 21:57:00 +0000

Tonight, I've been thinking mostly about snooker.

For those who don't know, it's a game. A 12' x 6' cloth covered table where you hit one ball with a wooden stick onto another. The object ball then disappears into a corner hole on the table.

Forget any business analogies. There isn't one. It's just a passion that I realise I lost when business replaced it. Or rather the stresses and deadlines of creating and turning around a business that had got out of control had done so.

Playing snooker.

I played every week with the lads. At least one night. I had my own cue (a wooden stick you hit the balls with).

If I dug around, somewhere in the house I'd find that cue. And I could look. But if I find it, I'll want to play again.

"But I can't"

If I do play snooker again I'll be entering my own personal time machine. I'll be turning the clock back to a time when I could do something personal.

Spend some time with my snooker friends. But they weren't there for the snooker per se. Like me, we were there for each other. We enjoyed each other's company. We laughed.

Now I'm at a crossroads. I started a business. It took over my life. 8-9 years later, I have forgotten what I used to do - like play snooker.

But is this the first germ of recovery? Myself and my colleagues have turned the business stuff around. When you've recovered from a business failure though and taste some success like we have, you start to think again - perhaps for the first time as the brain synapses reconnect with your former life.

I fancy a game of snooker.

I usually end each post with a request that you subscribe. But please don't. This post was personal. And even though there's loads of stuff underneath these words to think about, instead, think about your own version of snooker.

What are you passionate about? Or if you;ve been side-tracked in life by other stuff, think back to the things you enjoyed and set yourself a goal.

DO THOSE THINGS AGAIN - THE STUFF YOU REALLY ENJOY DOING.

P.S. Sorry to shout.

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E-Mail Marketing: Tuning Yourself To The Right Station

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Denny) — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 13:42:00 +0000

6.7 Billion Radio Stations Broadcasting Now On Planet Earth

Imagine if everyone in the world had their very own radio station. Transmitting inside their heads 24/7/365.

To an audience of one. Themselves.

You're one of them. And inside your own head, you hear everything crystal clear. It's crisp, with full surround sound.

In other words, you're perfectly attuned to your own message - every thought you have.

So why can't others tune in?

Well firstly, you need a transmitter. And at the other end you need an antenna.

And out of 6.7 billion people we're yet to get a good signal. You see we transmit with our voice. And at the other end our audience listens.

But neither are properly tuned in.

What we hear is out of tune. There's a hiss and a crackle. We get a few seconds of clarity when we listen, but then we lose the signal again.

Housekeeping

The fourth in a series on email marketing. First, a little housekeeping for those who want to catch up...

Article 1: Email Marketing For The Cash-Strapped Small Business Person

How I went bust DESPITE knowing a bit about email marketing
The exponentially better results you get from doing little things better: triple your responses
How knowing your audience can improve results

Article 2: Email Marketing Is NOT Spamming

Why email marketing need not be spamming
Why it is rude NOT to sell
Creating proactive word-of-mouth with email marketing AND getting great client testimonials too

Article 3: Email Marketing: Don't Spam, Know Your Audience

How thinking about and categorising your audience can make your messages more relevant
How to use Microsoft Outlook to profile your contacts

By now you will know your audience. Exactly who they are. If you're clients are the general public, you'll know their interests, their wealth, their age etc.

If your clients are businesses, you'll know their industry, size, location and which contact within that company makes decisions on buying your product or service.

But what conversations are going on in their heads? What station are they tuned into?

The Message Which Perfectly Tunes Your Broadcast

So far I've talked about the importance of avoiding spamming. The people you talk to, generally, should either know you or have given you explicit or implicit permission (for example given you a business card) to communicate with them.

They should either be a client or a prospect. They may even be people who have subscribed to a newsletter, website/blog etc.

So you have two clues to find the right channel to tune into:

1. The basis of your relationship (client, prospect)

2. A profile

Let's focus on their profile. Our revived business is a computer support company. We know what sector they are in. Their size. Their location. And who makes the decision to outsource.

I'll come onto the words you use, but for now, let's think about the core of the message.

Their profile tells you what station they are tuned into. So imagine you are them. Inside their heads is a phone-in show. There's a topic of the hour. The host makes a speech to introduce the topic.

They then start taking calls. A lively debate ensues on the pros and cons of the topic.

The topic of the hour is your product or service. And your company in particular.

The first caller tells the host "I don't know that company you're talking about. But I know one which delivers quicker so surely they are better?"

The host retorts "I see your point. They do sound faster. But what about their quality?"

And so it goes on. At the end of the hour, your product and your company has been debated at length.

Different aspect of your service have been debated. Callers have compared you to the rest.

The core of your message is therefore why you are better. If you are not, then you have a non-marketing challenge to the way you produce or deliver your product or service. Differences like this will be amplified in the marketplace.

Discover more free email-marketing techniques. Don't forget to come back and miss out on more sales for your business. Please subscribe by email here:

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