Are You Afraid of Cotton Balls?

How about clowns, snakes or things that go bump in the night? OK, I realize that most people are not afraid of cotton balls, but if you are one of those who are, then your fear is real. That person’s fear of cotton balls is just as real as someone else being terrified of spiders. So what is your fear(s) when it comes to your business?

Maybe it is public speaking, or maybe you are not comfortable in social settings like networking events. Just know that you are not alone. Most of us find that we must overcome our fears if we want to be successful in business. Behaviorist talk about adaptive verse nature style and it often shows up on DISC profiles in CEOs.

Last week was the 25th anniversary of our business and as such caused a moment to pause and reflect on the journey. One of the most profound bits of self-realization was that I have overcome (OK, well maybe “come to terms with” is more accurate) many of my personal fears. I still don’t like public speaking, but I do it all the time. I still feel uneasy at first in new groups but by using learned techniques I have found a way to be effective.

The bottom line here and the point of this month’s “Talk” article is we must face our fears if we want to be effective in business. It does not happen all at once but you can gain control of the fears that have up to now had so much influence on your growth and productivity. There is help out there such as Toastmasters for fear of public speaking and there are other such resources and support groups for other business related fears. But the first step starts with the desire and courage to face your fears.

Take a moment now and make a list of your fears. Be real, be honest. Then next to each fear write the date when you want to be free from each.

You my friend are now on your way to being a better leader, more effective businessperson and a much happier human being.

Happy Halloween!
Michael Sawitz, CEO

Carmel Apple Latte Please.

I am standing in line once again at my local coffee place. The guy in front of me gets to the counter and the barista says, “Your usual?” The guy nods and hands her his coffee debit card and then moved to the end of the counter to wait for his “usual”

While I was waiting in line I was perusing the menu list and noticed several new seasonal offerings. When I got to the front of the line and it was my turn to order the barista asked me if I would like to try the Pumpkin Spice latte or the new Carmel Apple offering. I went for the Carmel Apple. I paid my tab and then moved down to the end of the counter to wait for my new taste sensation to be concocted.

As I slowly sucked down my coffee drink I began to think about both transactions. Mine resulted in a verypleasurable experience with my new got-to-have another one seasonal special versus the guy in front of me that was not offered the special at all. He seemed OK with the whole thing. I think he probably would not have bought a seasonal special in place of his “usual.” Actually, I probably would not have purchased the seasonal special if I was not asked if I wanted one.

So, why was I asked and he was not? Was he slighted? Or was I because the barista did not recognize me from my numerous prior purchases?

Then I realized the real loser here was the coffee house owner. Why? Simple. The seasonal special was $2.00 more that just a cup of coffee. If the business served 400 customers per day and 10% were like me and responded to the suggestive selling the result would be an additional $29,200 per year.

Knowing your customers buying preferences is crucial to growing a profitable business. Knowing who is a regular and what they generally want and having it ready for them even before they ask can be a shinning example of terrific customer service. But, as you can see from my example in this case extraordinary customer service may stifle growth if you are making assumptions for your customer. Can you think of examples like this in your own business? Do you have situations where you are not asking for the order? Do you have regular customers that you continue to fill their orders and do not suggest new products or promotions?

All too often we confuse customer service with the sales process, or emphasis one over the other. To grow a profitable business you need both. Without an active sales process there would not be any customers to provide extraordinary customer service for. And without execution of an extraordinary customer service program there would be fewer and fewer customers to sell to.

Do not miss the opportunity to make additional sales to your existing customer base. This is the quickest and most effective way to build sales. And often your customer will thank you for your attention. Give it a try!

If once upon a time could start now...

If once upon a time could start now...what would it look like? A silly question? I don’t think so.

If you don’t have a clear picture in your mind of what you want to achieve, you have very little chance of ever living out that dream. Call it “imagery”, “self-hypnosis” or the “power of positive thinking” the label does not mean anything. Whether you do it or not means everything.

Napoleon Hill in his classic Think and Grow Rich had it right; "What the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve". Don’t get me wrong. You need a business plan. You need skills. You need resources. You need drive. But all of that is wasted if you can not clearly see in your head exactly what success looks like. Visualize it and believe it with all your passion is the ticket. That is how you will achieve your goals.

Michelangelo said that he saw the finished statue in side the block of marble and all he did was to remove what did not belong. Simple really. If you can clearly see your goal. Impossible if you can’t.

You have the opportunity to achieve your goals, To reinvent yourself. To create. To do anything you really want to do. Start by answering the question: If once upon a time could start now...what would it look like?

What is the cost of a cup of coffee?

I was standing in line the other day at a local coffee house. I was waiting in a line that was about 8 or 10 people deep. A few feet away were people in a different line. Those in the second line were customers who only wanted a cup of coffee, where those in the line I was in wanted anything else on the menu.


Two things became very clear to me as I was waiting for my morning "fix" of a steaming hot Latte. The first was that the other line was moving much faster than the line I was in. That bit of information is actually not news at all since somehow I always choose the wrong line to stand in. I have an uncanny talent for getting in the slowest line at the movies, checking out at the supermarket, at my bank or any other place where I can stand waiting to give someone my hard earned dollar.

The fact that the other line was moving faster is not the focus of this month's Small Business Talk. The revelation that I had while standing in that slow moving line was that the other line seeming to get better service. I am not saying that the customers in the "regular line," where I was, were not getting good service. My point is the customers in the fast moving "express line" were actually spending less money per transaction than those of us in the regular line, but we had to wait longer. Point being; what kind of a message is being sent by the use of the express line? Could it be that this particular establishment values the small, quick commodity sale over the larger, high value/high profit sale? Is management saying that the $2 coffee customer is more important than the $4 latte or the coffee and muffin or coffee and breakfast sandwich customer? It does not matter what the intended concept was. The result was that a clear message was being sent to those of us in the regular line that we were not special, or at least not as special as the coffee only customer. That violates the number one rule in dealing with the public; that is, all customers are special.

The question for you is, "What mixed messages are you sending in your business? What can you change in your order process, work flow or customer service that would clearly shout that you believe all customers are special?"

So, that was my first revelation that morning.

My second thought was that my mind focuses on too many negative thoughts before I get my much needed caffeine. Or, is it that I need to go back to just ordering coffee in the morning, so I too can use the express line?

If any of this makes any sense to you? Or if you have created solutions to this type of customer service challenge? Then please share it with others.

Please weigh in with your take on this issue and post your comment on my blog. Let's hear from you.

Michael

Middle-Age Entrepreneurship Is On The Rise

Middle-age entrepreneurship is the leading demographic in new business start-ups. "More than 80% of all start-up businesses in the United States are launched by people over 40 years of age," according to research by the Kauffman Foundation, a private entrepreneurship organization.
Over the next 20 years, it is estimated that nearly 80 million baby-boomers are expected to retire. For some, the decision to start a business is a reality of not having the resources to retire in a manner of their choosing. For others, it is the excitement and challenge of finally owning their own business. Either way, this demographic is a huge driving force in the American economy.


Is your business positioned to capitalize on this new wave of entrepreneurs? Do you have products or services that can be utilized by middle-age entrepreneurs? Is this important demographic group included in your marketing mix?


Or are you a candidate yourself for owning your own business? If you do not have a concept or dream for a business you have secretly wanted while you were working for someone else, then franchising may be the best route for you. It has been for me and for thousands of others who have found there is life after your current or last career.


You don't need a higher education degree or specialized knowledge to start a franchised business. The beauty of franchising is that you are provided a proven system. It's your job to use that system to create wealth and a new life for yourself.


I chose an industry that is positioned to greatly benefit from this projected wave of new entrepreneurs. The millions of new business owners will need support services that AIM Mail Centers is uniquely qualified to provide. If you are a baby-boomer who has started your own business, we welcome you as a valued customer. We can help you grow your business.


If you are not sure what type of business is right for you, I will extend an invitation to you to explore our business opportunity as an AIM Mail Center franchisee. Let's talk.


Please weigh in with your take on this issue and post your comments below.

Does It Take A Crisis To Create A Leader?

Moses, Abe Lincoln, Winston Churchill, and even Steve Jobs are acknowledged as great leaders, but only after being tested by turmoil. So the question is; “Do great leaders arise out of the ashes of pending defeat and soar into the sky “faster than a speeding bullet”, or were they great leaders before their call to duty?


History exposes how many superior leaders were initially failures as leaders and in many cases also failures as human beings. Alcoholism, drug use and other human failures are a common occurrence among the list of extraordinary leaders. Ulysses S. Grant, Winston Churchill both come to mind as boozers, yet both are regarded as extraordinary leaders of their times.


That creates a side question of; “Is it OK to be an alcoholic or drug dependent if you are still good at what you do?”


Back to the original question; “Does it take a crisis to create a leader?” Are there great leaders that were not born of conflict?


This is a classic debate between nature vs. nurture.


Please weigh in on this one. Let’s hear from you.

Link to a Small Business Pod Cast

I have been following http://www.blogtalkradio.com/smallbiztrends recently and have found some really timely topics on small business.  Check it out for yourself.