Many Heads Make it Better

Being a one person organization, I need the thoughts and feedback of outsiders.  That's why I have a group of people that meets monthly with me.  Most people would call them a board of advisers, but I have named them the Board of Action.

Let me tell you a very specific instance where they helped me to think bigger and broader.

One of my networking contacts, a grad of our course, suggested that we might become

a provider of Connect4 lunches, since the local chamber is no longer offering them.  I called the company to see if we could become one of their providers.  The answer was no, that they only market to chambers of commerce.

OK

So I reported that information at the next BOA meeting.  Basically I just wanted them to know.  But here's where it gets great!  My members said, "Well, why can't we just do it ourselves?"  Yeah!  Great question.

As a result of having more than one brain helping in my company, we had our first Fantastic Four Power Hour lunch on Monday.  We have sixty registered participants, so I guess there was a demand.

How do you get help in your company?

Who Owns the Poster??

For years now, Dave Achen, Edward Jones Company, has been the "poster boy" for Connext Nation.  He took the  course years ago under duress, not happy about it at all. He had been in the business for decades, been to lots of training courses and didn't see how CN could possibly be of help.  Dave did a 180 and ever since has proclaimed and owned the poster boy status.

Dave, I'm sorry to say that someone may be moving you over!

And he is not even a CN grad.

You see, Joshua Klein, is a young man who wanted a job.

B.A.D.L.Y.

Josh has a speech pattern that makes it challenging for him to easily communicate, but with a degree  in accounting from Lourdes University, he would be behind the scenes in his work.

Josh pushed himself to attend networking groups and events and with one of his connections he landed a job.  He is doing great at the job because of his attention to detail.  He also volunteers with United Way during tax season.

But what has won him super poster boy status?  With almost a year of work experience behind him, he continues to email the people who he says helped him along the way to give them updates of where his journey has taken him.  I think in the year I have received two or three very nice email communications from him, letting me know what's going on and how his job is playing out.  When I read them, I feel like I'm talking to Josh.

Every time I get one of those notes, I think to myself, "When was the last time I updated everyone important in my life?

Josh Klein, Super Poster Boy!

Execution the Discipline of Getting Things Done

I am excited to bring you another wonderful book report from our guest reporter, Don Kardux, president of Business Navigators.

Twelve years ago Larry Bossidy and Ram Charam teamed up to create an approach to “Getting Things Done” in the world of Business.

This excellent book explains their approach and focuses on (in Part II) The Three Building Blocks of Execution and in Part II, The Three Core Processes of Execution.

They began, in part I, by establishing how important the discipline of execution is and how without execution “breakthrough thinking breaks down, learning adds no value, people don’t meet their stretch goals, and the revolution stops dead in its tracks.  What you get is change for the worse, because failure drains the energy from your organization. Repeated failure destroys it.”

They believe that the first building block is to clarify the leader’s seven Essential behaviors.

• 1.     Know your people and your business

• 2.     Insist on realism

• 3.     Set clear goals and priorities

• 4.     Follow through

• 5.     Reward the doers

• 6.     Expand people’s capabilities

• 7.     Know yourself

All of these platitudes’ are of limited value unless clearly explained and they do in a very readable way.

The second building block is to Create the framework for Cultural Change.

The third building block summarizes the job you should never delegate ‘that is, having the Right People in the right place.

These are great ideas but without the “how” pretty worthless.

The ‘how’ begins in part III starting on page 141 and now the book reveals its extraordinary value.

There are three ‘Core Processes’

• 1.     People

• 2.     Strategy

• 3.     Operations

In my view it doesn’t matter the size of your organization. What Larry and Ram have to say applies whether you have three people or three thousand.

It’s worth the read. 

For dinner it’s steak and mashed potatoes.

What's the Value on the Table?

Why would anyone want to meet with you?  What might you bring to the table?

I have had to face those two questions alot recently as I have been expanding my training business to Cleveland.

Each business person I approach with the request to chat over a cup of coffee, I am sure they are thinking those two questions and sometimes they are saying them right out loud!  It is a little humbling to say the least!

Here's what I think I bring to the table:

1.  I am a good creative listener so that even though I am new to that area, I have already figured out helpful connections to make.  That may be just a natural ability that I have, but I think everyone can do this if they work on it a little bit.

2.  I like hearing the story of each person and many times just being able to tell his or her story makes a person's day.  

3.  I learn from each person.  They may not know that they are teaching me, but it is the little things they do or show me that make my selling just a bit easier.  One gentleman just recently gave me the perfect words to say when a prospect uses the objection that they are already doing training.  When I have received this type of help, I let people know how much they have impacted my life.

4.  I am willing to donate my time to volunteer within the community as much as I can.  While it may not be as much as someone who lives in Cleveland full time, I figure every little bit helps.

5.  I'm good at sharing what I've learned about each person with others that I meet. I help their message to travel farther!

So for those of you breaking in to a new location or a new territory, determine what you offer when you are getting acquainted with your new friends!

It is as Bad as an Ugly Remodel?

I don't know if you watch Nicole Curtis on Rehab Addict (it is one of my guilty pleasures) but the premise behind the reality show is that Nicole rescues houses that are in bad repair but still have potential to be wonderful homes.  She restores them using materials that would have been used in the homes during the time they were built.  Many times she discovers beautiful woodwork that has been covered in a later, very ugly, remodel attempt.  She can always be heard saying, "What the heck?!?  Why would anyone do this?!?"

That is the very way I have been feeling about some people on Linkedin recently.  The premise behind this application is for people who know each other to stay in touch.  If there is someone listed that you want to meet, an introduction is encouraged by another known person in your Linkedin network.

So with that all being said, when someone in my personal network asks for help in connecting with someone I don't know, the first place I research is Linkedin to see if that target person is listed and then if so, who in my Linkedin network is connected to him or her.  I then ask for help in making the connection.  Good strategy, right?  Wrong!  Five times, yep, count em', five times within the last couple months, when I have requested help being connected, my acquaintances have said something like, "I am only connected to that person on Linkedin, I don't really know them."

So channeling Nicole Curtis, "What the h......?"

Do you think people have forgotten what Linkedin is about?  Or am I all wet?

Asking for Three, Part 2

I do have an example of when asking for three actually worked!

Years ago I managed a sales team for a payroll service company.  50% of our business came from CPA referrals because we called on the accounting community, developed strong relationships with them and then continued those business friendships.

One sales person, Cathy,  received almost the remaining other 50% from client referrals.  When asked about

it, Cathy said, "Well when I first go out to visit them, I ask for a referral and I usually don't get one. Then when I set up the payroll, I ask again and don't receive one then either."  "BUT," Cathy said, "When I deliver the first payroll and go over it, I ask the third time and probably half the time I get a good referral."

So this is a little different than asking everyone for three referrals.  Cathy asked the same person for referrals three TIMES over a period of several weeks or longer.  They got to know her and felt comfortable by the third time she asked to them to deliver the valued name.

Does your type of sale offer the opportunity to see a prospect multiple times, enabling you to allow the to get to know you fairly well?

Asking for Three

I can't believe it is still being taught in this world of relationships.  But it is!

Many sales managers are still telling their sales people to ask each person they meet with for three referrals.  My guess is that for many it is not too successful.  Here's why!

If you've just met with someone, they really don't know you all that well and let's face it, you don't know them either.  And yet you are asking them to cough up friends and family.  They feel surprised and not in a good way, because they were not expecting this request at this time. Would you hand over your friends' names if the situation were reversed? 

Now I know in the sales world that if you do something long enough it eventually pays off.  So the manager is banking on that one person who gives three great names.  But there are probably 100 who give nothing.  And even worse, the sales person receives three names, just to get them to leave.  Those names now take up so much time following up because they are not very qualified.

Frustration hits and the sales person stops asking way before they get to that one great person.

Even with e-commerce a big part of our purchasing and selling today, we all read the reviews before we purchase.  We don't just blindly turn our money over to someone we don't know.  It's the same with asking for referrals.

Build a relationship and continue that relationship until you have earned the right to the names of that person's best clients or family. 

Tell us what works for you in gaining referrals.