Three Things to Grow Your Business (and Your Life)

In today's climate, it does not pay to be a jerk. In fact, the most successful business owners recognize that people are what runs and sustains a business, and the Golden Rule applies more than ever before. Here are three things you can do to grow your business, and all it takes is a new way of thinking.

1. Connect: Find ways to connect on an emotional level with your customers, suppliers, prospects and employees. It's a fact that people do more business with people who they like, and the best way to be likeable is to find lots of things that you like about others.

2. Think: Consider the multiple options before diving into a business decision. There is always more than one path ... in fact, there are usually hundreds of routes that will take you where you need to go. Some are just faster than others. Avoid people who try to take away your thought process by telling you there is one single thing that you MUST do to grow. Usually they have an agenda and are trying to sell you something that you may not need.

3. Thank: Sales move 90% faster when they come through a referral. There is almost no limit to the number of referrals you can generate for your business ...as long as you are always thankful when they are received. Call anyone who refers business to you immediately, and send an e-mail, card, or even candy if appropriate to follow up. Do whatever it takes to encourage the people who tell others about your business to do it more often.

I did it!

I tried a new form of yoga yesterday called Iyengar yoga and did crazy things that I never thought I could do! I stood on my head and did various other poses that I really did not think were possible with my body. In fact, I nearly walked out of the class when I realized what was going to be expected of me.

Instead, I stuck with it, and, you know, those poses aren't really so crazy after all!

I discovered that, as with most difficult things in life, they only appear difficult to the mind, but once you can overcome your mental hesitations and distractions, they are entirely possible!

Oops!

I think I have mentioned that my greatest asset/liability is speed. I have noticed that most of us have a greatest strength/greatest weakness that both serves us incredibly well but can also trip us up without mercy.

Such is my speed. Most of the time it is a wonderful attribute; I get things done very quickly, and thus am able to do a lot of different things, including working and being a mom. It's great.

On the flip side, I make mistakes based on my speed. Last week I made a $1,200 mistake based on my speed. Luckily I can fix it for my client, so the only real loss ends up being (my) money, but it is soooooooo frustrating!

I met someone last night at a dinner party, and she was lamenting the fact that she works very slowly, and is working on working faster and not being such a perfectionist. I had to laugh, since I'm working on the exact opposite challenge: I am desperately trying to work a little bit slower at times!

We thoroughly enjoyed talking about the pros and cons of both personality traits, and it was such an important reminder that when you erect a barrier separating two sides, the grass always appears greener on the side you can't access. Amazingly, when you remove the barrier, you realize that there are benefits and drawbacks to both sides, and it's just a matter of balancing them as best you can.

Working Mommy

The other night I was at a professional group with other coaches and noticed an interesting chain of events:

1. I told a man what I do professionally
2. He nodded, understanding
3. I mentioned that I have a 3-year-old
4. He looked confused; asked whether I "work, too"
5. I was taken by surprise and got a little flustered; tried to explain that I am both a "full-time professional" and a "real mom" (whatever that means!)

This isn't the first time I have noticed myself struggling to describe the balance of my professional status and motherhood. I know that full-time moms struggle with the reverse of this situation. I am still working on the best way to present my work/life situation - a way to accurately describe that I am both a professional and a mom.

Any ideas that you have would be greatly appreciated!

How to Create Your Supporting Messages

The best possible response from someone who has just heard your key marketing message is another question. This is because it means that your message gave them just enough to engage them in the idea but still left enough room for conversation and interest. To prepare for this wonderful event, you should have supporting messages ready to answer the most common questions ... known in journalism as the W's: who, what, when, where, why and how.

Who: Think about who you like to work with; who likes to work with you; and who you are actually working with (and getting paid by) right now. Use all of this information to make the critical decision of describing who you work with. There is a fine line that you need to walk between setting your intention of who you want to work with and who wants to work with you (and can actually pay for your services).

What: What products and services do you provide? List them simply and succinctly and describe the benefits of each. For example, if you are a plumber, you don't just fix leaks (the feature), you prevent expensive water damage and bring peace of mind to homeowners (the benefits).

Why: Consider exactly why you do the work you do. Perhaps it is as simple as you like helping people and thus became a chiropractor. What is important here is that you mention both your natural inclination or interest in your field and also some kind of credential or supporting evidence that explains not just why you do it, but why you are qualified to do it. Combine both of these into a simple statement, and you will be well on your way to success.

When: Think about when your customers want or need you most. This relates to their "pain." For example, a vet is needed in both emergencies and for annual check-ups. By having a message to support when your customers need you, they get a clearer idea of how you can help them.

Where: This should be your simplest answer - it could be "in my office," "at your home," or "on the phone." There are lots of options, but the main point here is to tell people where you work.

How: Specifically how do you work with customers? Do you sell them a product that will solve the problem? Do you provide them with DIY information so that they can solve it themselves? Do you ask the right questions so that they find the answer themselves? Some combination of the above applies to most businesses.

You probably already have answers to these questions, but I encourage you to write them down so that you can see in black and white exactly what you are selling. Remember to focus on benefits and pain rather than features.

Good luck!

Slow Down to Speed Up

When I want to move quickly (which is almost always), my natural tendency is to form a logical argument peppered with facts, figures and knowledge. This tendency is based on the flawed expectation that by educating someone I can help her achieve resolution (and success) faster.

Of course, this approach completely backfires for one simple reason: education is not how we change minds. It doesn't matter how many facts and figures we have at our fingertips - people will ignore them (and even resist them) unless we 1) make sure that we understand what they want; and 2) allow them to arrive at the resolution by themselves, without being too invested in a single route for getting there.

Thus, it is my goal to slow down to speed up. To ask more questions and give fewer answers. When I do this, the result is invariably a shorter time to resolution without arguments, disagreements or disappointments.

It's amazing! Please let me know if you have observed this principle in action!

How to Create Your Key Message

Your marketing messages are anchored by a single "key message," which is a sentence or two that answers the question: "What is this?" or "What do you do?"

To get started, first answer these four questions:

(1) What is the name of your product?

(2) What is your product? (e.g. a soda, a bike, etc.)

(3) What does your product do?

(4) What are the major benefits of your product?

Next, fill in this sentence with the answers above: (1) is a (2) that (3), which (4).

This will probably form a pretty klunky sentence, but at least you have the basics down. Now smooth out your klunker to craft a meaningful sentence or two to communicate your key message.

Examples: Key Messages

The PowerMop features 10 individual battery-powered scrubbing brushes that can be used on all types of floors. This powerful, easy-to-use tool gets your floor up to 10 times cleaner than a regular mop.

Jenkins & Perkins is a law firm that specializes in mediation services for the construction industry. It helps its clients avoid costly, drawn-out trials, allowing them to get back to work more quickly.

Tri-Star Fitness is a group of personal trainers who work with developmentally-challenged teenagers to help them find empowerment through movement.

Next Time: Your Supporting Messages