No Cows!

The question came from out of the blue.  It's a type that I tend to be very careful answering.  It goes like this,  "What can you tell me about (name of person)?"  



This time the query came from a trusted friend, but I still replied carefully.  I paused for what seemed like hours, but really probably was only 5 seconds, to collect my thoughts.

You see, the person, in question, we'll call her Suzy, was demonstrating that she is all "show."  She had signed up for several committees but had never gone to a meeting.  Recently literally at the last hour, she asked if there was any way she could help.  Good intention, but bad placement.

When I teach the referral-based sales course, we talk about finding out what goals and accomplishments people have.  Obviously, if we know their goals we can help them to reach them.  Even more important is to notice if their goals and accomplishments in line with each other.  If there are lots of goals and fewer accomplishments, or ones that are not in line with the goals, then that particular person (Suzy) has Big Hat Syndrome.  Oh, you haven't heard of that?  It means, big cowboy hat, but no cows!

I caution everyone to really look at their time before they sign up for anything that is related to community service. Not being active in the community can be detrimental, but being half active is even worse!

What's My Plan????

Michelle Schenk in background

I love to learn and Shannon Benge and Michelle Schenk, owners of Beyond Business, are helping me to do that.  Their company helps small businesses to address all their marketing needs, especially in the social media arena.

On the first Friday of the month they are having a FREE hour long discussion of various marketing topics, focusing on just one for each session.  This past Friday is was on Marketing Strategies and how to think of that concept.  They have a unique knack of being able to take a complex subject like this and put it into extremely simple terms so people like me can understand it!

Shannon says that the reason many people don't follow a strategic marketing plan is that they are too complex.  She recommends having no more than 5 measurables. But most important, they both reinforced that writing stuff down means that it will probably get done.

So you all know that one of my strategies this year is to meet with two new people per week  Just putting it in this blog gets it published.  I also have our course previews and graduations all set, because they have to get on the calendar in advance.  I am going to post to this blog at least 12 times per month.  So that's three.  I'm am trying to determine if I need to add more and in my gut, I think I do.

I'll keep ya' posted.  

And if you are in the Toledo area and would like to participate, contact Shannon and Michelle through their website.  I've provided the link above.

If You Don't Ask, You Won't Get!

The most difficult aspect of my work is asking for help!  I think I am probably not alone in this.

But it is so empowering to do so, both for me and the person you ask.

As I mentioned, I am going to meet two new people per week this year.  I am doing ok as scheduling those appointment, but in one area that I work in, I am lagging a bit.  So, this morning, I put it out there on our Connext Nation One-to-One Facebook page, that I would like some help.

It wasn't but a few minutes later that my friend, Karla Lewis, called to run through a list of names to see if I already knew them.  Most of them I did not.  So I hit a mother lode of people that I can get to know. 

Of course, I asked Karla what help she wanted.  Karla is the owner of Marvel Consulting.  She helps business owners who want creative marketing ideas for their businesses, including providing event planning for said businesses.  She is having a Marvelous event on January 15 at noon and would like a good number of people to come.  You can bet that I will be inviting people for that event!

What happened when you asked for help recently?

Goals, What Do They Have to Do With Networking?

The other day, I was cleaning out my notebook that I use to hold all my important membership "stuff" for my BNI chapter. It was getting a little thick and it had that bulging look that meant it was time!

I found an interesting piece of paper. It was a goal sheet that had used to set my target for what I wanted to achieve with my BNI membership in 2010. I remember when I set the revenue goal at $17K, I thought to myself, "That's a pretty big goal."

Well, guess what? At the end of last year, I hit almost $19K in revenue; even more that I thought was a big stretch.

OK, so what's that got to do with networking?

Two things.

1) If I set goals for networking and write them down, my brain will help to make sure I reach the goal.

2) Without networking, i.e. doing one to one meetings with my fellow members, I would not have developed the relationships needed to gain those results.

Pretty simple, but I think most of us don't want to have the chance to fail. (I must admit that it was a thought in my mind when I set the $17K goal.) So not setting goals protects us from failure, but it also helps us to settle for less.

And in my book, that is failure!

Oh Those Fun Goals

I've had several conversation with friends regarding goals in the last couple week. Hm-m-m, you'd think it was January or something!

In a couple of those chats we realized that the goals they had set were too global. Now don't get me wrong, I am one to shoot for the moon and would be even happier to get to another solar system. But in order to launch the rocket, all the little tasks that make up the larger targets, need to be identified and noted.

My friend, Linda Everhardt Kardux, VP of Business Navigators, would tell me that I can only address two or three tasks per day. She's probably right, but I always think I can do more. I like to have the thrill of checking items off! So that means I'm a huge advocate of smaller tasks, because of my need for instant gratification.

After talking with my two friends, they realized that they were already frustrated with their goals because they weren't making progress -- or it least it seemed to them that they weren't. But actually, they were, but they just didn't notice the slow movement forward.

One goal I have for this year is to learn how to do webinars -- good, interesting webinars. Personally I'm not sure that is possible, but I'm up for the attempt. My first step is completed. I called my friend Tami Norris to tell her that I want to hire her to help me learn this new technique.

Check!

Goals; Part II

A little over a week ago, I was honored to speak for the vendors of the Tuscarawas County Chamber of Commerce Business Expo.

Jill McCartney, President/CEO of the chamber, asked me to help the vendors be more successful with the ideas I presented in my talk.

Of course, this may have been a little late, since I was presenting at their vendor lunch just before the doors opened. But better late than never.

One thought I gave them was to establish goals for what they wanted to achieve for the show. (Does this sound like a broken record?) As all 50 or so exhibitors listened, I knew this idea was a new concept for most. To help get the idea into action, I asked for a few volunteers who would be willing to share their newly formulated goals with the rest of the group.

Guess what?


Two out of the three who volunteered had other vendors stand up and extend their business cards, because they already could be of help in reaching the goals.

So vendors, set and share your goals. I think you'll be surprised at how helpful everyone can be.

And then share you story with us in the comments.

Goal Update

At the recent Annual Women's Entrepreneurial Network (WEN) Trade Show, my goals were to schedule 3 paid and 6 gratis speaking engagements. Did I achieve my goal?

No, I didn't.

But let me tell you what has happened since then.

One gratis engagement was scheduled just before the trade show, because I had talked about my goals in advance. Thank you, Jason Conklin!

One person has asked me about a possible speaking engagement since the event as a result of seeing my goals displayed at my booth. Thank you, Amy Cameron!

Then yesterday, I met with Kim Cira. who I had reconnected with at the show, had read this blog in preparation for our meeting. My goals were written about in one recent post. As a result she came to the meeting with three speaking engagement ideas that she wanted to run by me to see if I wanted those types. With my nod, she is going forward to see how she can get me hooked up.

So I don't know if you're counting, but I am and that leads me to five possible speaking engagements so far.

Wonder what the number would be if I hadn't first set the goal and then published and announced those goals to the world?

What's New For This Year?

In my opinion, networking doesn't pay off 'till I sit down and chat with a person that I've met at a networking meeting or event. With that in mind, I am changing my goal this year. From this day forward, I want to walk away with two appointments from each networking event that I attend. And this is not about selling, but finding out what these people do, how they do it and what I might be able to do to help them. Simple.

Another thing that I want to get better at is either entering business card info and comments into my database and then throwing the card away....or throwing the card away immediately. I would say that I am 75% there, but I must admit that there are some business cards sitting on my desk right now.
Bad Girl!

The reason for some of this is that I have tried not to walk into my office at least a couple times per week, just giving myself permission to be Debby! Usually that means reading, but also it could mean yoga or dancing class. (more about that later) When I have really busy days, the paperwork and business cards can mount up, especially when those busy days link together. So, my thought is that I will spend a maximum of 1 hour in my office on a night when it is not a "work night." And the only reason for that time will be to remove those little cards from my desk.

There, you have it. My two resolutions for the year.

Nose to the Grindstone

Part of networking is setting goals for what you want to achieve.

One of the students in my Certified Networker class shared one way that he keeps doing what he needs to do to be successful.

His fiancee is one of his accountability partners. Their commitment to each other is that on Friday night she asks him if he has done what he said that he was going to do for the week. If the answer is yes, they go out for dinner, if not that money they set aside for dinner instead goes to a charity.

He knows that she'll want to go out to eat, and while he doesn't mind giving money to charity, he likes to share time with this wonderful woman in his life.

It is simple and ingenious, because both accountability partners have something to gain in the process.

What systems have you set up to be accountable?

New Sales Manager Tips #2

Yesterday's post gave the first three of nine tips for new sales managers taking over an existing sales team. Three more are listed today. Even though these were written over 13 years ago, they are still good advice.

4. Streamline written sales reports. If upper management or you aren't using the information, eliminate it. Do make sure sales people have what they need to help them plan for the future or review the past. (This was written in the days when most sales people wrote their reports in longhand. With the advent of computers, it is even more tempting to ask sales people for more and more information. That's not bad as long as it is used.)

5. See the goals...and the results. Install a white board to display individual and team successes. Establish small rewards to recognize higher levels of performance. This will also instill a competitive spirit within the team. (Good sales people like to see their name in lights!)

6. Small goals. Encourage team members to write weekly goals and copy to you, so that you may check back regularly to foster accountability on their part. (It also gives you reason to celebrate more often!)

Come on back tomorrow to read the final three.

And keep those sales manager stories coming in.

Wish Me Luck

One of my goals in life is that I want to be paid to present at a national conference.

Well, today I will be halfway there!

Today, I will be giving what is called a Group Round Table at the International BNI Conference in San Diego, California. A Group Round Table is a trial run that is given to a presenter to determine whether the topic or the person is worthy of a larger audience.

These sessions are not recorded as the others are, and since fewer people come, they are more intimate.

But still!

I must admit that I am a little nervous and really I am giving only one third of the presentation.

It's about The Button Jar.

But that's for another time.

I just think it is pretty wonderful that when we put aspirations out to the universe, many times the universe makes room for our wants. And actually I have my friend, Deanna Tucci Schmitt to thank for recommending me.

What would you like to tell the universe?