Glenn Smith

For today’s Growth Coach blog, we are fortunate to have Glenn Smith as a guest blogger. Glenn Smith is a Growth Coach Franchise Owner from the Houston/Sugar Land Texas area and is a highly regarded business coach, prolific blogger, an accomplished marketer, and has recently been recognized as “The 2011 Coach of the Year” by The Growth Coach System.

You can learn more about Glenn, his credentials and his coaching services at www.TheGrowthCoachhHouston.com.

Create a “Wow” Experience for your Customers

What differentiates us from our competitors usually has less to do with our products or services, and more to do with how we treat people! The best companies in the world get this and place a major emphasis on the customer experience.

I have come to appreciate and use what author Fred Reichheld calls The Ultimate Question. From extensive research Reichheld has concluded that most customer satisfaction surveys are mostly ineffective. He wisely advocates that we can know everything we need to know by simply asking our customers the “ultimate question.”

The ultimate question is quite simple. It is quick and easy to ask, and through research Reichheld and his team have created a scoring system called “The Net Promoter Score” (NPS.) The ultimate question is simply this, “On a scale of 0-10 (10 being high), how likely are you to recommend our product or services to your friends or colleagues?”

From research what we have learned is that if our customer gives us a “9” or “10,” they are a promoter. If they give us a “7” or “8,” they are neutral. If they give us a “6” or less, they are a detractor. The goal is to prevent “detractors” and to turn every customer into “promoters.” We do this by creating a “Wow” experience for our customers.

I use this tool all the time and it is amazing how helpful it is (and challenging.) But as a business coach and executive coach, I’m commited to delivering the most outstanding customer experience possible to my clients! How do we do this?

Now it is not enough to just satisfy your customers. We must find ways to exceed their expectations. This is what creates “Wow!” Numerous other research projects reveal common factors that contribute to “Wow.” They include:

1. How company employees engage and interact with prospects and customers – polite, courteous, positive, caring, and most of all being a good listener to understand what the customer needs.
2. Execution – identifying and offering the best solution to solve the customer’s need, then providing that solution with quality, speed and excellence.
3. Problem Recovery – resolve and fairly compensate the customer for any problems; companies should have a clear, simple problem resolution process, and the frontline staff must take responsibility to solve the problem in a positive and efficient manner.

Once I get my NPS from the client, I start looking for what we did right or what we need to do better. It almost always boils down to one of these 3 factors. I hope you will make a commitment today truly create a “Wow” experience for your customers!

Referrals from customers play a major role in the success of your business. They already have some faith and trust in the credibility of your business. Referrals are the prospects to really pay attention to. Are you? All it takes to start is a single question. Ask your satisfied customers if they know anyone who would benefit from your services. Here are some simple steps to help you focus more on how to seek out and obtain referrals.

Asking 

After you have finished providing services to your client, make a short follow-up call. Ask them if they received the value they expected and how satisfied they were with your business. If they were satisfied, feel free to go ahead and ask if they know anyone else who may be interested. Explain that referrals are important to the success of your business, but do not attempt to force them into it. There should be no pressure on your client.

Here are some additional ways to ask for a referral

• Customer feedback or satisfaction surveys
• Message on invoices
• Customer letters (add a PS at the end)
• Signature line for customer emails 
• Website

Maintaining Referrals

Once you’ve received a referral, don’t  stop there. Make sure you continue to build a relationship with your happy customers. Take time to thank and reward those who have referred new customers to you. Building a strong relationship with your referral sources means more referrals and greater success.

Here are a few different ways to show your appreciation.

• Cash rewards
• Gift  Cards
• Free Additional Services
• Thank You Cards

It doesn’t have to have a monetary value. Just demonstrating that you are thankful can be enough.

Go Beyond Customers.

Although customers have first-hand experience with you and your company, they are not the end of your resources. Who are the other advocates for your business? Family, friends, vendors, suppliers and strategic alliances all be good sources for referral. Educate and engage them as well.

Take the time to talk to any potential advocates about your services and what you offer to your customers. How do you help them and how can you help others? Explain the problems you can solve and why they should choose you.

Bill Hurston, The Growth Coach based inSt. Louis, held many different positions before becoming a coach, from Financial Analyst for the U.S. Army Special Operations Command to CPA. On June 2, 2011, he began coaching Darryl Carron, owner of an electrical contracting firm, founded in 2009. Over the next few months, Bill helped Darryl improve his business and improve his life.

When Bill first began coaching Darryl, his gross revenues were around $400K for 2010 and his small firm had only three employees. The most troubling part of Darryl’s business is the toll it took on his personal life. He received more than 100 phone calls a day. Most of the daily functions of his business rested solely on his shoulders, from electrical work to driving the company van. Darryl was so busy and overwhelmed by his business he hadn’t found time to take even a small vacation in years.

On June 2; however, Darryl resolved to hang up his tool belt and start acting like a CEO, not a technician. He began to understand that the key to business success is to work on your business not in it. Darryl is a master electrician with years of experience in his field so leaving the technical work to his employees was not an easy task, but he managed to do it. By delegating and creating systems, Darryl’s business is now booming.

Darryl’s revenues for 2011 more than doubled. For 2012, he predicts they could double again and reach $2 million dollars. The small firm has grown from three employees to 21 and Darryl expects that number to keep climbing over the next year. The number of phone calls he receives is down to 25 a day or less, saving him between 500-700 hours a year of precious time and greatly reducing the clutter in his life. As a result, Darryl was confident enough in the self-sufficiency of his business to take not just one, but three small vacations since June.

These are just some of the highlights of the great things that have happened in Darryl’s life and business since Darryl began experiencing the Growth Coach process he became able to remove himself from the equation. He began to take control of his business instead of letting it control him. By hanging up his tool belt, he mastered the position of CEO. Every business owner faces the difficult task of delegating the daily operations of their business to others, but it is necessary to obtain greater business success. Hang up your tool belt today and begin the journey from technician to CEO.

Simply going along with the decisions and actions you made last year could keep your business from growing, and will cause it to stagnate. Consider all the things that weren’t working last year and make it a priority to fix them. If something goes wrong, be accountable and learn from your mistakes, but don’t be afraid to make them. You have to start making the changes and taking the risks that are needed to begin this new chapter, no one else can take them for you. You are the author of your business and as you look toward a new page, reflect on the previous ones.

Don’t dismiss the past, learn from it. Everything you did in 2011, both the good and the bad, will stay exactly the same if you don’t take the time to meditate on what happened. This is the perfect time to change your business and change your results. As you reflect, ask yourself some of these questions

·What didn’t work in my business in 2011? ·

What does a potential buyer see when looking at my business? What are their concerns and fears?

· Where there any problems I refused to face?

· Did I put off making decisions or making change?

· What worked well last year and how can I replicate it?

· If I could change one thing about my business or personal life, what would it be?

Use these to help you gain focus and clarity. Once you understand what’s wrong, you can change it and get back to what’s right. The New Year is a new opportunity for you. Utilize it to reinvent your business and reinvent yourself but don’t think that the change stops at the end of the month. Continue this process of reflection and action throughout the entire year to really see improvement. Be accountable for the past, and use it to build a better future and a better business.

Driving a car is a lot like running a business.

Watch this two minute video on GPS = Business Coaching.

Like a GPS, coaches leave the driving up to you. You’re still in charge of your ultimate success during your journey. A coach can help lead you toward it, assist you and guide you along the way. Coaches illuminate the path ahead of you and keep you on course. Whenever you need additional guidance, a coach can point you in the right direction.  Coaching is empowering and fulfilling, showing you the road, but not walking it for you. You are the one who must make the journey and achieve your goals; coaches are simply there to keep you steady on the long drive to success. The path to a better future lies before you. You can reach it if you’re brave enough to start. Keep a coach, a business GPS, along with you on the road, and you’ll find yourself at the goal.

Look at all the things your business has to offer. Utilize some of your time to put yourself in the shoes of your prospects. What do they see when they look at your business? What are their concerns, expectations or fears? Start to think about how you know your prospecting skills could use help, but don’t just stop there. Take a strategic time out from your work to consider the following tips. If you can answer or complete all these tasks, then you’re well on your way to greatly improving your prospecting effectiveness.

1. Define what your ideal prospect looks like and would want what you offer

2. Segment your prospect list (size, opportunity, etc.)

3. Prioritize where to start (work best opportunities first for positive reinforcement)

4. Set new contact goals on a daily and weekly basis

5. Minimize distractions during “selling hours”

6. Practice and know your Unique Selling Propositions (USPs)

7. Practice developing effective responses to common objections

8. Review your sales calls and meetings to better prepare you for future calls and meetings

9. Develop meaningful referral sources and stay in contact with them

If you were uncomfortable with any of the tips outlined above, ask yourself “What am I afraid of?” Is there anything on that list you couldn’t do, or didn’t want to? That’s where you need to focus your attention. If you aren’t developing new prospects, your business will suffer as a result. Keep in mind the importance of prospects as you go about your day to day work, and remember these steps if you’re getting stuck. The power to change your business is in your hands, don’t be afraid to start making the changes and facing the truth. The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step, so when you’re lost, use these easy steps to get your journey back on track.

While rejoicing in all the things you are thankful for, don’t forget to also consider the areas where you could have improved over the last year. What are you strengths and what are your weaknesses? Look at all the great things you’ve done, but also try to learn from the failures. When you’ve identified your problem areas, make a promise to yourself to focus your efforts there, and hold yourself to that promise. Be accountable for your business and to yourself. The end of the year is the perfect time to reflect on yourself and your business. It’s a great time to start working towards a long term change. Success is within your grasp. Don’t be afraid to reach out and grab it.

As you enjoy the Holiday surrounded by family and friends, make sure to appreciate the time away  from your business too. You and your business can’t be one in the same all the time. Use this time to get away from your work. As a business owner, entrepreneur or professional remember that your job is really to be thinking big picture, not to focus on every little task that needs doing. Enjoy this time at home, time that you can spend doing the things you love with the people you love. Don’t you wish you could do it more often? You can. Delegate the small tasks to others, your job isn’t to manage everything. Deal with the big issues and focus there. If something isn’t working, examine it and fix it. Don’t be afraid to let go of all the busy work.

The Thanksgiving holiday is a great time to reflect and allow yourself to have fun, but it shouldn’t be the only time. Take 15 minutes each day for a strategic time out. Use this time to reflect, re-energize and plan. Don’t forget to hold yourself accountable. Allow yourself more time to have fun and spend time with family. Your happiness is important and never forget to give yourself  a break when you need it. Most of all, enjoy your business, enjoy your holiday and be thankful for all the wonderful people and opportunities in your life. 

Persuasion is an important part of becoming a better communicator and becoming a better communicator is the key to gaining more success. It is defined as the process of enacting a change on another’s beliefs, attitudes or behaviors.

Persuasion is about articulation, not manipulation or coercion. A master of persuasion lets others draw conclusions on their own, which creates a good feeling for both parties.

Being able to persuade is a sign of a highly competent communicator. Improving your own communication skills can help you in both your business and personal life. To start, familiarize yourself with these simple elements of persuasive arguments from Robert Cialdini, professor of Psychology at ArizonaStateUniversity

• Reciprocity - Give and ye shall receive. Give your clients a reason to want to give back.
• Commitment– Give people a reason or incentive to commit. It’s much easier to continue making commitments once you’ve made the first one.
• Social Norms – Let people see what your business has done for others. Knowing that you’ve worked with many different people builds trust.
• Authority – Let people know about your qualifications and achievements. They will feel secure knowing that you’re an expert.
• Liking – This one is simple. Just try to be friendly and personable. We are more likely to be persuaded by people we like.
• Scarcity – Offering limited time deals can sometimes be a way to persuade. If people think they might miss out on a bargain, they will be more likely to act.

When attempting to make a sale, keep these elements in mind. Don’t try to force anyone into it, simply allow them to make the choice on their own. They’ll be more likely to commit to a deal and will feel more satisfied with your business as a result. Become a better communicator and watch your business grow.

Read more about Robert Cialdini and his works here

Click here to locate a certified business coach near you.

Click here for a helpful and free e-book on “Becoming a Strategic Business Owner”.

If you want to become a business coach to help others, click here.

To learn more about Keith please visit: www.growthcoachnorthshore.com/

There are many attributes that chess Grand Masters need to be competitive and continually improve their game, but I think these are particularly useful for them and for business leaders as well:

Effective Use of Time: Chess is played on the clock. Players need to decide among myriad options, think 5-10 moves ahead, and then put their opponent under time pressure as quickly as they can.

Business owners and executives are pulled in 1000 directions every day, with competing demands requiring their attention. The most successful business leaders have learned what NOT to do, and devote their time on the few critically important things that will determine the success of their organization. They don’t confuse Activity with Accomplishment. They value their time very highly, and refuse to spend it on trivial, low value tasks.

All Pieces are not Equal: A Queen and a Pawn do not have equal value. Each piece on the board has its uses, depending on what its movement capabilities are.

Every worker, supervisor and manager has capabilities unique to them, and an effective leader recognizes these differences. He/she does everything possible to ensure each employee is positioned to leverage their strengths so their contributions to Winning The Game are maximized.  

The Focus is on Results: In chess, you win, lose or draw. The object is to win.

In business, the object is to win. Its up to each business leader to define what constitutes “winning” , but once that is defined, its time to get to work. Results are what matters, not intentions or activities or initiatives or strategies or plans or anything else.  

There are no Excuses: Chess is a contest with the result determined exclusively by the Actions of the Players. There are no externalities, no lucky or unlucky bounces, no good or bad economy, no weather conditions, no wishing for a miracle… it is 100% based on the moves made by the players.

Business is also a game of no excuses, but we see them all around us. Don’t make them, and don’t accept them. OWN your results, because they are what you made them!

For today’s Growth Coach blog, we are fortunate to have Glenn Smith as a guest blogger. Glenn Smith is a Growth Coach Franchise Owner from the Houston/Sugar Land Texas area and is a highly regarded business coach, prolific blogger, an accomplished marketer, and has recently been recognized as “The 2011 Coach of the Year” by The Growth Coach System.

You can learn more about Glenn, his credentials and his coaching services at www.TheGrowthCoachhHouston.com.  

Increase Sales Through Relationship Selling

If you want to increase sales I strongly recommend that you learn to develop a relationship selling approach. A classic resource, though sometimes difficult to find, is Jim Cathcart’s timeless book Relationship Selling.

Cathcart points out that “Relationship Selling transcends the sales transaction and looks beyond it to the ongoing relationship built between the buyer and the seller.” Unfortunately, many sales people do not get this!

To increase sales you must understand that there are 2 types of relationships: superficial and substantive. Superficial relationships are characterized by small talk about the weather, golf, or other “easy” topics. These relationships are built on casual interactions and lack any real depth.

On the other hand, the substantive relationship is characterized by mutual benefit. Potential customers are not looking for a new “best friend.” They are looking for people who can bring value to their lives. When mutually beneficial, win-win relationships begin to develop you have a substantive relationship.

The way to increase sales is to build substantive relationships!

Cathcart notes that successful salespeople have 2 common characteristics: they love to make sales and they respect their customers. As a result, these salespeople focus on building a substantive relationship with their customers. And, they focus on providing valuable service through that relationship.

Selling should be a caring act. It should be something we do to help people. It should be something we do with people and for people, not to them!

How can we increase sales and help people through our selling process? We can do this in 3 ways:

1.    We can reduce our customer’s fears by understanding them and making them proud of their purchase.

2.    We can enhance our customer’s confidence and image, and in the case of b2b, we can enhance their competitive standing.

3.    We can help achieve the customer’s goals.