Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Does Your Phone Compliment You?

A few years ago, Apple redefined the parameters of advertising a product. Not only does a product need to be functional, but it also needs to be convenient, personal, and beautiful. Those are no longer added bonuses - they are defined as a necessity. After all, the products you use become part of your image; therefore, they should complement and compliment you. You don't want something perfectly functional that doesn't also look good sitting on your desk, do you?



Consumers no longer see a sign, make a phone call, and patronize a business that can serve their needs. In an oversimplified sense, this may still describe a small percentage of business activity. But years of thriving economic conditions have made changes to our perception of needs and wants. It's not unusual for consumers to browse shopping malls, online websites, and even Facebook with a subtle inclination to impulse buy. Looking for someone to tell them what they want (or better yet, what they need), consumers are open (and have become accustomed) to powerful marketing messages that suggest where that "extra" money should go. Apple was one of the first companies to capitalize on a changing consumer mindset, and gave it a boost to a new level when they rolled out all the "I"s. It's not a "youPad" or a "wePod." It's a fashionable, necessary accessory that links you to the top bracket of the consumer crowd. "iPhone" - do you? You must - it fits your needs. Whatever they are - it fits them. Functional? Of course, but that's not where the real value lies. Doesn't it look slick? You need one. You're slick, too. Everything about you should say "slick." Are you listening to me? You should. I'm slick. iPad.

Cue a new consumer reality. Suddenly needs and functionalities are on the same par as wants and extras. In fact, they sometimes fall behind. Don't waste your money on something that satisfies your needs. Spend it when you can have your cake, eat it, get the solid silver plate, and have your teeth (and your friend's teeth) cleaned afterward. Why settle for just cake? That doesn't do anything for you, does it? Peripheral advantages - that's what you really need. Cake is just cake. My cake will make you a star. Isn't that what is most important, after all?

It's a definitive shift in advertising structures and schemes. No longer can businesses expect that because they put up their shingle people will come running to buy their product or service. In fact, it can be detrimental to a business if this is the extent of their marketing. It's not about you providing a service or product - however good it is. It's about delivering it in a gold package, in a surprisingly good timeframe, with bells attached and ideally a self-softening ingredient that will automatically soothe the skin of the consumer when they open it. Value in your product? It's there - right under the big red bow.

Advertising - it's no longer just putting up a sign. It's not just the value of your product or service - it's how you deliver it. It's how you follow up with it. It's how well you center the consumer in your processes. Put an "I" in it, if you can.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Big Business vs Small Business

Which is easier to coach - a big business or a small business?

The answer is a big business. Hands down.

A big business is led by people that understand they did not achieve their company's size on their own. They had help along the way. They had mentors, experts, consultants, training, business education opportunities, and/or other business knowledge bases that they took advantage of. They are already familiar with the concept of coaching, because they have already used third-party methods to drive the growth they have already experienced. They welcome the opportunity to bring in a trained coach to put their business on a path toward key goals. The Business Coach is there to lead that process and ensure objectives are met, goals are obtained, and success is realized. A big business becomes an even bigger business, using tried and true tactics and a professional overseer.


A small to medium-sized business is often built on the hard work and risk-taking of one or two business owners. It's an enterprise that owes its existence to good ideas, solid product or process management, sufficient financial practices, and some level of effectiveness in marketing. Blood, sweat, tears, time, and money have all been drawn from the owners to make their enterprise a system to supply them with money to live. How does a Business Coach fit in that scheme?


The key element that illuminates the role of a Business Coach for a small or medium-sized business is the need for growth. It's the moment in time when a business owner wants to take steps toward becoming a large business - a solid industry leader. It's that moment when a business owner's dissatisfaction with the state of his enterprise overcomes resistance to change. That is the moment when a Business Coach becomes a key player in that business's success.


 
But will the dissatisfaction of that moment carry the small business owner through the learning curve ahead? Will that business owner be able to trust and keep up with the foreman they have placed in charge of their business growth to ensure the results they want are obtained? Is that business owner willing and able to shift their mindset to the next level, and take their business to the next level with it? Those are some of the questions a small to medium-sized business owner needs to ask themself.

If it's growth you want, ActionCOACH has the systems and tools to make it happen. Don't procrastinate making the most of what you have. Take action and call me today.


Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Making Tough Decisions

It's true that the only constant in life is change, and as we adapt and react to it we often have to make tough decisions. Sometimes the choices we make will adversely affect people we care about, slow the progress of causes we have a passion for, or stem the tide of personal financial increase. Making tough decisions requires unique strength, and the ability to weather the consequences of those decisions is a mark of true endurance and perseverance.



How do you face and make tough decisions? Business owners make tough decisions on a fairly regular basis. Some are more tough than others.

1. Separate yourself from the issue. In business, it is important to remind yourself to look at a situation objectively and work from the most unbiased standpoint possible. We can easily rationalize what we do when it will save us grief. But when we eliminate our personal emotional involvement, we may discover that the situation takes on a whole new light. Depending on the weight of the situation, I would also recommend removing yourself physically. Take a day or two away. Step out of the everyday, regain your perspective, and make a decision that makes sense whether you are in the trenches or not.

2. Make sure you're focussing on the important factors. This might sound redundant, but just because you've separated yourself from the issue doesn't mean you've appropriately prioritized what is truly important in this decision-making process. Try to nail it down to three utterly imperative factors that must be taken into account. And make sure those factors are really the ones that are most important. One way to do this is to match them against steps and processes essential to your business success. Are these factors the weighty ones that will help or hinder your company from achieving its goals? If not, it might be time right now to re-evaluate how much time you've spent already on this decision.

3. Evaluate possible repercussions. No one can effectively predict the future, but it's invaluable to look ahead and try to determine to the greatest extent possible how your decision will reverberate through your business. Consider both the positive and negative probabilities and possibilities. If you're leaning towards a choice with a number of negative consequences, now is a good time to consider how you will counter those effects and how much they may impact your productivity, business strategy, and ultimately, your success.

4. Take as much time as you need. Tough decisions shouldn't be made easily. Whether it takes you two hours, two days or two weeks to weigh in the factors that need to be considered, take the time to do it. You are the business owner - take as much time as you feel you need to make a good decision. But be careful - don't use the "I need more time" feeling as an excuse to procrastinate. You can only dedicate your time to one god - either Idleness or Productivity. Take the time you need, but take no more than what you need.

5. When the choice becomes clear, make the decision. It's that simple. When the door opens, walk through it. Don't hesitate, second-guess, or procrastinate. It will only cloud your judgment, tempt you to rationalize what shouldn't be rationalized, and draw out a situation that doesn't need time to become more complicated. When the way becomes clear, follow the path.

6. Make a plan. A plan for execution and fallout clean-up of this decision. Maybe it's simple and maybe it isn't. But after the consideration you've given this issue, be sure you consider how to effectively implement that decision and handle all the adjacent side effects. Write it down.

7. Don't look back. When you walk through that door, don't forget to close it behind you. You gave that decision all it required - adequate perspective, weighing in of the important factors and consequences, and time to make sure you'd considered everything appropriately. You made the decision to the best of your ability. Now man up, move forward, and take whatever the fallout is in stride. You made a good decision.

Our economic climate is demanding more and more people to make tough decisions. Are you prepared to face those decisions? As business owners we are concerned with success - both our success and the success of our families and communities. There's no lack of wealth in our system, but the distribution and redistribution systems of that wealth are changing. The value of commodities is shifting and worth is being determined by altering standards. In this kind of uncertain environment, people withdraw into personal circles of security. Loyalties diminish as each individual struggles to find their niche, meet obligations, or simply survive. Trust becomes more scarce as each person seeks to find a way for themselves amidst these fluctuations. As a business owner, you are going to need to make some tough decisions. Take time now to prepare to handle them.