"Only the Remarkable Thrive"
Program Description
A crowded marketplace. Hyper-competition.
Trying to do more with less. The competitive treadmill has not just been taken
up one notch, it's been cranked up to full-blast! How do you not only survive,
but more importantly, thrive in this environment? What are the winners doing to
get results in this "full-blast" world?
Recently, before a speaking engagement I delivered to a group of fast-growing
companies I went searching for this "magic switch" - companies who had sustained
success in the full-blast world. The good news is I found "it" and I'm going to
share it with you! The cool thing is I can name this advice in two words or
less. Repeat after me (shh, softly so your competitors don't hear) - Remarkable
relationships, Remarkable relationships.
That's it. The magic switch of fast-growing, profitable companies who have
increased profits and revenues through the ups and downs of the economic cycle
are their remarkable relationships with customers and people in their business.
Here's 3 ways you can follow their lead to remarkable relationships and making
some money in 2004:
- " Strategy 1: Focus on the Right Relationships
- Customers are not created equal! You obviously want profitable, growing,
accounts that pay their bills. How do you find them?
Analyze whom you are doing business with today (by customer and market segment).
What margins and payment history do you have? Are their numbers going north or
south? Why? Get out and meet the best (or who
you think has the potential to be the best). Ask about their challenges,
problems, opportunities, and strategies. Given market realities are their needs
changing? Are they seeing a different mix of work? Possibly smaller vs. bigger
jobs. Could they use you on these projects? What people, structure, processes,
systems would you need to deliver effectively for them?
Make sure to ask the #1 Question, "How can I help you make more $$$?" -
" Strategy 2: Stop Satisfying Customers - You might think I've
gone off the edge on this one, but "satisfying" customers is not enough any
more. Here's why. There are a lot of companies who "satisfy," and they'll
price it cheaper than you! Winning companies are remarkable. They solve
problems and add value with their specialized expertise. They are "Mother
Theresa in a UPS Uniform" - they serve and deliver! They go deep with
customers to go up with results. Here's some quick ways how:
Dig their turf! The best way to get to know someone is to meet on their
turf. Consider not only attending your customer's trade associations, but get
involved with their issues. Learn their hot-buttons and always be thinking how
you can help.
Locate the "King Pins" - Who are the movers and shakers in your key
market segments? Do they know you? Allocate the highest percentage of your time
to helping these people. Do them right and they will create the "buzz," do the
"selling" for you in their industry. Your best salesperson should be your
customer!
Be easy, not cheap - I recently bought the generic brand of hair growth
tonic (yes, this is one area where I don't want to take after my Dad!) and my
wife (with her Doctorate) and I (with my MBA) spent 20 minutes trying to figure
out how to open the special "child-safety" lid! Finally my wife (the smarter
one) cut the doggone thing off! Yes, I bought cheap, but was it worth the loss
of time? Your key to remarkable, profitable relationships is to become the
easiest to do business with. Ask your customers how you could work with them
better. What are their "child-safety lids" (i.e., burdens, hassles, problems)
that you could get rid of? Become easier. Become more profitable!
-
" Strategy 3: Provide V.C.R.'s (Vision, Challenge, and
Return) to inspire remarkable people - Simply put - the best people
work for the best companies in up markets, down markets, and sideways markets.
Despite tighter labor environments thriving businesses find, develop, and
inspire the brightest stars on the set. Here's their secrets:
Vision - You can't create winning results unless your team has a
clear picture of what a winning scoreboard will look like. Share where your
business is headed, what customers and market segments your company will choose
to focus your remarkable expertise, service, and delivery. Identify how you plan
to measure and track performance. Make sure to connect the dots for your people
by connecting their skills to your vision and plan? Let them know what's in it
for them?
Challenge - You don't want employees! Yes, that's right. You want
"partners" (in the field, in the office, at your customer's job trailer) who
want to be challenged to deliver easier, better, and more remarkably than your
competition. People who will go "to the fan" when the crap hits it, and solve
daily problems! To inspire these type of people do the following:
1. Identify their current skills, capabilities, and
interests.
2. Ask them to dream about where they would like to contribute in the future.
3. Sketch out work assignments that would provide challenge and growth.
4. If possible, match your needs to their interests.
Return - Everyone wants a return on time invested. For some it's
"show me the money." For others it's a pat on the back, a personal letter
recognizing their contribution, a gift certificate to a local restaurant to say
thanks for the family time they have sacrificed to get a job done. As a
remarkable business owner how can you both personalize how you appreciate your
people and increase their returns?
So there you have it, three easy (OK, maybe not that easy!) strategies for
growing remarkable relationships and results in a competitive world. The
challenge is being focused and inspired to be remarkable with both your
customers and your people. The key question is, "What do you need to do today to
flick the magic switch to be remarkable with your relationships?"
Program Leader
This program will be lead by Mike Foti. Mike is the CEO of Cleveland Glass Block (a glass block contracting and distribution business) with 7 locations in 4 states where sales have grown over 330% over the last 10 years.
Through his firm Leadership Builders Mike speaks professionally to groups and also works one on one with entrepreneurs to help grow their businesses and their people. Mike also has an MBA from Case Western Reserve University (ranked as a Top 10 school in the world for Entrepreneurship).
If you would like to book Mike, please click here. Learning More |
