3 Keys to Business Development

October 26, 2011   /   by Collaboration   /   in Being a Business Owner, Leadership, Relationships in Business, Sales Growth and Tracking
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As a business owner, you are the leader of your sales efforts, whether you like it or not. Much like the act of purchasing an Apple product conveys the feeling of being connected to Steve Jobs, it’s your reputation, innovation and expertise to which clients and employees are attracted.

Collaboration’s Business Development expert, Christin Frederick, shares her 3 Keys to Success for business owners to drive their sales:

1.    Connect to Your Ideal Client Profile
“It takes some time to narrow down what that profile looks like, and then to learn where they network and figure out how to connect. But if a business owner can make a shift from thinking they need to be salesy in promoting their business to just reaching out authentically and wanting to have a conversation with someone, then it’s a natural step.”

2.    Create a Strategy to Build Relationships
“Business owners will mistake a short term or inconsistent advertising campaign for their marketing or business development plan. It’s only a piece of it. Advertising can’t replace relationship building, and that’s where a lot of business owners will stumble.

“Relationship building begins with a conversation, with listening and trying to understand someone’s story. You need to connect them with the value you provide. For example, I do that by sharing articles I discover that address specific issues a potential client has expressed, or by inviting them to attend a particular function I think would benefit them. I’m aware of their needs and of how I can help.”

3.    Be Fearless
“Don’t be afraid to ask for a meeting – or whatever the next step in your sales process is. It’s the act of building the bridge between the general public and your company. One of the keys of a really strong business development plan is to know what the appropriate next step is for that potential client, and if they are your ideal client profile and you’ve built a relationship with them, you will know. Sometimes opportunities are missed because you expect a potential client to make the next move, but it doesn’t happen that way. You have to be proactive.”

Bottom Line
Don’t make it harder than it actually is. Get active and make your business known. The more you connect with people, the more present you will be in their minds when they do need your product or service and the easier your sales process will become.

Are your employees giving your business a bad reputation?

October 20, 2011   /   by Collaboration   /   in Being a Business Owner, Customer Service, Overcoming Challenges in Business
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By Michael Gunther

I recently was on a flight from Oakland to Kauai and had an odd experience with one of the flight attendants – ok, odd isn’t quite accurate, she was blatantly disrespectful and intentionally rude.

Before you’re welcomed to the Hawaiian Islands, the state of Hawaii requires a completed Agricultural Declaration form to identify any foreign animals or plants that might come into their contained environment. This is standard and very similar to a customs form which is required in order to enter a foreign country. As an annual visitor to Hawaii, I’ve completed this form many times. It’s simply routine now, especially since my mind was focused on the much needed week of R & R that was just beginning.

As the flight attendant came to our row with the forms, I said I only needed one since we (I pointed to Steve, my life partner) were together. She immediately began to argue with me, asking if we had the same last name and insinuating we didn’t count as the same party. I assured her that we were together – for the past 18 years to be exact – but she insisted we were not.

I had to literally debate her and state that we are a ‘legal domestic partnership and registered in the state of California,’ at which time she tossed the form at us and angrily walked away. She proceeded to the front of the plane and relayed this story to another flight attendant, who replied and then continued with her work. There was no apology and no hint of customer service or awareness of the severity of the situation.

I was thoroughly embarrassed; other passengers were staring at us. I was angry that we’d had to endure her lack of training and her ignorance, and because of her actions I will never fly that airline again – no matter the cost of alternate travel arrangements. I realize there are more extreme cases of poor service that happen regularly, but this truly was the first time that I have felt deliberately disrespected because of who I am.

I then began to read the form, and right in the beginning it clearly stated that only one form was required per party – in fact, your party could be six different people as long as you lived in the same household! Wow. I really started to fume. Was this her first flight? Did this company not train their employees? Did the company deem it acceptable to discriminate against their customers?

The story continued to unfold as I learned that she was actually a senior flight attendant. How could she not understand her role? She had made a conscious decision to treat a passenger with disrespect and for what reason? Was she even aware of the damage her actions could have on her job and ultimately her employer?

Organizations that don’t value their customers and provide poor service – much less display discriminatory attitudes and behaviors – do not deserve my business. In addition, in this economy where businesses are struggling to survive, especially within the airline industry, how can they possibly afford to treat customers as if they don’t matter?

The Bottom Line

Businesses must be aware of how their employees are representing their organizations, and issues of bad customer service need to be addressed immediately. Especially in the age of social media, your reputation for bad service will spread rapidly and damage your image and your brand permanently.

So, Alaska Airlines, you should consider how you’re training your employees and spend some significant time focusing on creating a culture of inclusivity and a reputation of exceptional service. This will be the last time I fly your airline. Good luck in the friendly skies – wait, that’s the other airline I do like to fly.

This is another article in a series on Michael’s entrepreneurial story and how being raised in a large family has influenced his career. To read the previous articles in this series, visit his blog at www.Collaboration-llc.com.

Michael Gunther is Founder and President of Collaboration LLC, a team of highly skilled business professionals who are dedicated to assisting proactive business owners to build profitable, sustainable businesses through results-oriented education and consulting services. Learn more at www.Collaboration-llc.com.

Are you a 9 to 5 leader?

October 11, 2011   /   by Collaboration   /   in Being a Business Owner, Leadership, Professional and Personal Life Balance, Time Management
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By Michael Gunther

Recently I had a conversation with Kaitlin, one of my team members, about leadership as it relates to building and growing a business. We were discussing a few of the various leaders we know and identifying some key similarities between them. She thought that the strongest ones were those who were active leaders beyond the 9 to 5 work week, as opposed to what my friend Lee calls “Levi’s leaders” – the ones who leave every day at 5:01, just like the blue jeans.

As I pondered these ideas and concepts, I wondered if what we were concluding was that leaders needed to be workaholics versus living a balanced life. Is there a perception that working longer hours makes you a better leader? With this in mind, I asked some other leaders and business owners what they thought about the concept, in hopes of gaining a wider perspective on the 9 to 5 leader.

What I discovered was that the strongest leaders worked smarter at their day-to-day tasks in order to have time to focus on developing their leadership knowledge and skills, which in turn made them better leaders and more successful at building high performing teams and organizations.

In fact, they were not only developing their leadership knowledge and skills related to their professions, but they were also focused on personal interests. It was actually quite intriguing – the individuals I spoke to had very distinct activities including flying, wine/food aficionado, surfing, photography, teaching fitness classes, and so on. These extra-curricular activities were driving them to excel as leaders, providing an outlet away from work to stretch their skills and abilities in different ways.

It appeared that the leaders with solid activities outside of work tended to be less stressed about their companies and more focused on getting the things done every day at work in order to enjoy their outside activities even more. Another characteristic I identified was that these individuals were avid readers. They didn’t just read business books and literature, but they read historical novels, biographies and current news periodicals. These leaders had a thirst for knowledge and were constantly expanding their views and outlooks on the world and how it related to their lives.

They were also able to respond to the day to day challenges at work quickly and were good problem solvers. I have to believe that these traits are again related to their constant quest for learning and improving their personal and professional skills.

Lastly, these leaders were all stimulating conversationalists – people who you want to enjoy an evening with discussing a wealth of topics and ideas. They have diverse life experiences and are knowledgeable in many interesting areas.

Bringing it back full circle to the work environment – no wonder they tend to be strong leaders. Their lives don’t revolve around their jobs, but their work is an element of their lives. They understand in order to achieve their personal goals, they have to learn how to work effectively through others. And isn’t that part of the definition of a good leader – one who helps others achieve their goals and outcomes?

Bottom Line

This concept made me think of a proverb by James Howell from over four hundred years ago – All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy (1659).

Don’t be a dull boy like Jack – hone your work skills, develop outside interests and become a better leader. Your leadership skills will grow stronger the more you try to excel in activities both at work and in your personal life. Don’t just be a specialist in your profession. Become a specialist at something about which you’re personally passionate.

This is another article in a series on Michael’s entrepreneurial story and how being raised in a large family has influenced his career. To read the previous articles in this series, visit his blog at www.Collaboration-llc.com.

Michael Gunther is Founder and President of Collaboration LLC, a team of highly skilled business professionals who are dedicated to assisting proactive business owners to build profitable, sustainable businesses through results-oriented education and consulting services. Learn more at www.Collaboration-llc.com.