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Getting too clever – a sales strategy that backfired

15. May 2013 · 2 comments · Categories: Your Business · Tags: ,

A couple arrive at a restaurant.  They are told there is 15-minute wait and are offered a spot at the bar while they wait.  They decide that they are ok with a 15 minute wait, but as they head towards the bar, they start to look a little surprised.  The path towards the bar is lined with unoccupied tables. Some had reserved signs, most did not.  After a few more paces, they turn around and return to the front desk.  They comment about the empty tables and ask if they could be seated at one of them. The waitress says “oh, we are not serving those tables today”.  They try again, asking for a reason but get the same response.  Flabbergasted, they look at each other, obviously changing their minds about eating at that restaurant and walk out, unlikely to ever return.

~~~

A Waitress taking a breakfast order at Kahala ...

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Why did they leave?

They realised that the 15-minute wait was not genuine.  It seemed like a ploy to get them to the bar to spend more money.  The restaurant did not appear to be under-staffed that evening.  Three waitresses were hanging around the front desk, idle.  Unless there was something wrong in the kitchen and they had to pace the orders, there seemed to be no other rational explanation. “We are not serving those tables today” just wasn’t good enough.

 

The “sit at the bar” strategy is a common one, but this is one scenario where it went wrong.  The empty tables were too obvious.  The explanation the waitress gave did not make sense.

When you employ any strategy to get your customers to buy more, take the time to put yourself in their shoes for a moment and consider what it might be like from their point of view.  If you are not careful, the cost of short term gain could end up being long term damage!

 

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Core values in your business

08. May 2013 · 2 comments · Categories: Your Business · Tags:

Having core values that are clearly articulated sometimes means making difficult choices.  It is about taking a stand and having conviction.  When questioned about their core values, many people have difficulty responding.  They either can’t pinpoint them or produce generic answers that are “nice” words and ones often used for the purpose of developing “core values”.  But words mean different things to different people. Respect to some means tolerance.  To others it might be more ego related.

Core Values: Mutual Commitment

Photo credit: Venessa Miemis via Flickr

When I work with clients on their core values, one of the questions I often ask is what really drives you crazy?  What makes your blood boil?  People seem to tap into what could be seen as “negative emotion” far more easily than positive emotions.  These questions are by far easier to answer than “what gives you purpose?”  ”what makes your heart sing?”.  If you are struggling to identify your own core values, try this reverse psychology exercise.  It will give you useful and interesting clues.

Core values are inviolable.  They are your filters and knowing what they are helps you on the process towards clarity.  For business purposes, it determines your culture.  When you work through the next step which is to determine how these core values are demonstrated, they become guidelines and boundaries for acceptable behaviour.

“Respect” as a core value rather than “providing good service” is far more powerful especially when its meaning is clearly articulated.  I use “respect” as an example because it comes up in 9 out of 10 core value conversations.

An example of “respect” being applied:

Respect means listening to someone.  Respect means returning calls.  Respect means not keeping a customer waiting, or offering an apology if they have to wait etc.  Respect means not being dismissive when someone has a complaint.

When you choose your core values, choose the words that have most meaning to you.  Then elaborate as appropriate for your business.  What does each core value mean in the day-to-day life of your business?  How should it be embodied?  If you have staff, these core values should form part of their performance appraisals.

I am very sceptical of processes that reduce core values down to acronyms, especially when they conveniently “match” the business’ name.  It is a shame when a potentially powerful and important process is reduced to an exercise of creative semantics!

 

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“Cost-benefit analysis” – Is the term offensive when used outside a business context?

24. April 2013 · 3 comments · Categories: My Reflections

You would not give it a second thought if you heard the words “cost-benefit analysis” used in a business context.  It would be expected.

Weighing up decisions, proposals has been a necessity in my career so cost-benefit analyses have been a natural part of my decision making process, and unfortunately, a part of my vocabulary.  When I use the phrase in non-business contexts though, it evokes vehement responses.  When it comes to relationships, I realised that people don’t like to be reduced to the result of a “cost-benefit analysis”.

Cost-benefit analysis in relationshipsThe thing is, whether we acknowledge it or not, we do it all the time.  It may not be as clear cut as a business proposal and not necessarily a conscious process but it is, nevertheless done.  Do we continue in relationship with our partner?  Do we continue to invest in a friend when it no longer seems to be a two-way street?  Shall we go out with these people for dinner this weekend?  When we answer yes, we have made up our minds that the “benefit” or the potential benefit outweighs whatever “costs” might be involved.

Why then is the phrase so offensive?

We don’t like being reduced to a clinical, unfeeling equation.  We don’t like to admit that we do the same to others, and as a good friend rightly pointed out, relationships are complex.  My view is that cost-benefit analyses are neither clinical, unfeeling nor lacking in complexity and they certainly do not have to be finite.  It only appears to be finite when the result is a negative answer i.e. the costs outweighs the benefits.  This is when most pain is felt in analyses involving relationships.  Interestingly, in business, the analysis is done to prevent pain – the pain of failure.

I wrote this post over a year ago when I was having this discussion with several people and it has been sitting in my “drafts” folder for me to ponder the cost-benefit of whether to publicly broadcast these thoughts!

Does this give you any food for thought?

 

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The one question you must ask when conducting a performance appraisal

15. April 2013 · Write a comment · Categories: Your Business, Your Workplace · Tags: ,

Is there anything that I can do to help you do your job better?

Such an important question and so scary for the person conducting the appraisal!  What if it opens up a can of worms?  What if their request is unreasonable?

Can of Worms

Photo credit: ‘No Matter’ Project via Flickr

If it does open a can of worms, then good!  It was a time bomb waiting to explode anyway and at least you now have a chance to defuse the bomb.

In the unlikely event that the request is unreasonable, it gives you the opportunity to deal with it.  An unreasonable request is an indication of unrealistic expectations.  Would you prefer to have that simmering in the background or upfront so that you can do something about it?

Performance appraisals can sometimes be one-sided with the employee being “told” what he or she has or has not done.  While simplistic, the question is intended to open up lines of communication, be a gesture of goodwill and to demonstrate that you are both on the same side trying to achieve a common outcome.

Any thoughts?

 

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Hiring staff – Are you judging a book by its cover?

01. March 2013 · Write a comment · Categories: Your Business · Tags: , ,

How important are qualifications (degrees, diplomas, certifications etc.) when it comes to hiring people?

The perfect package is of course the person with the right qualifications, experience and values, but rarely is it so straight forward.  Resumes tell part of a story, a polished, sugar-coated version and it’s up to you, the interviewer, to wade through the sparkles and glitter to find the real stuff.

customer-loyalty_retention.jpg

Photo credit: Enrique Burgos via Flickr

A tale of two candidates – the MBA vs the Diploma

A number of years ago, I was faced with a hiring decision involving two very different candidates.  Both were mature men with experience.  One was “sparkling” on paper.  He had an MBA, had worked at reputable organisations in positions equivalent to the one I was hiring.  The other was not as qualified paper-wise but had something else – initiative, a “can-do” approach and street smarts.  He gave me the confidence that if he hit a stumbling block, he would find a solution.

The other candidate was disappointing in spite of his various degrees including an MBA.  The organisation was a start-up with no staffing or resources.  It was going to be a two-man show at the start with no immediate plans for expansion.  I asked the candidate what he would do if he ran into a technical issue that he couldn’t solve.  He gave me an “are you kidding me?” look and asked “don’t you have a technical department?”  Sure signs of having been spoon-fed!  Needless to say, he didn’t get the job.

We use qualifications to help us make decisions when hiring people but as my example above has pointed out, be careful how much emphasis you place on qualifications.  Yes, qualifications are objective because it feels like an independent certification of a certain level of knowledge.  With work experience backing that up, it may seem like a no-brainer, but it is not.  Use your instincts to look further.

 

Think outside the box when you are hiring.  You may discover a gem

With rare exceptions, recruitment agents mostly fail in this area.  They take the path of least resistance which involves the lowest risk, because they are not paid to bear that risk.  The “box” is a recruiters’ dream.  If you fit perfectly into the box, you are the best candidate for them.  So if you are using a recruitment agent, don’t expect them to think outside the box unless you brief them very thoroughly on what you are looking for.  Keep in mind though that the brief can also become another box!

Experience

Is there such a thing as too much experience?

Experience in a particular industry is an area where most people play it safe.  There is value in relevant experience in a particular industry but experience can be a double-edged sword.  Extensive experience may indicate a lot of insight and knowledge in a particular industry, but it may also lead to closeted thinking and an inability to look beyond the obvious.  Lack of exposure to other industries, other roles could mean never being exposed to new and different ideas.  It could mean only operating with one’s comfort zone.  New ideas and innovation come from pushing boundaries and comfort zones.

What does your business need?  Someone safe because there are enough mavericks already?  Or someone who will bring in new ideas and new ways of thinking because there too many people operating in their comfort zone?

Skills

Generalists vs specialists – Depth vs Breadth

Another area of consideration is hiring for depth or breath.  For example, when hiring for a marketing role, do you hire someone with the most marketing experience?  Someone who has immense experience with marketing and may come backed by a Masters or PhD in Marketing?  Or do you hire someone who may have acquired marketing skills in non-traditional ways?

Which does your business need?  Someone who is flexible and adaptable or someone who is skilled in a narrow area.  Don’t discount generalists just because they don’t appear to have the necessary depth.  Are they able to acquire the depth that you feel they need?  Are they able to bring something else to table as a result of not having years and years of experience in a particular area?  These are some issues to consider.

Values-Skills-Experience

Values

Hire for values first and skills second

They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.  I beg to differ and would also add that it is far easier to teach someone new skills rather than new values.  So hire first for the right values.  Be clear on your organisational core values and how these values are expected to be embodied by your staff.  This is far more difficult to get right than the other areas discussed, but way more valuable in the long run.

 

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7 tips on how to run a successful Pop up shop

19. February 2013 · Write a comment · Categories: Your Business · Tags: , ,

How to run a successful Pop up shop

Gather Pop Up Shop | 1 West Cordova, Gastown

Photo credit: Rick Chung via Flickr

Pop up shops are a new phenomenon, but take the concept of a market stall a stage further and are quite literally shops that ‘pop up’, operate for a few weeks or even just a day – and then close again. The term may be new but the idea has been around for years, and many pop up shops pander to seasonal demand such as during the run up to Christmas. So how can you run a successful pop up shop? Here are a few tips.

#1 – Know what you want to achieve

If you make homemade crafts or produce then your target market may only be around for a portion of the year, so in that instance your pop up shop will be designed purely to take advantage of that particular window of opportunity. However, you may want to use it to ‘dip a toe in the water’ before opening a more permanent establishment. Before you invest time and effort in your pop up, make sure you know what you want to achieve from the experience first to maximise your chances of success.

#2 – Create a memorable customer experience

Even though it’s a fleeting affair, make every experience a memorable one. So push the boat out when it comes to creating an eye-catching layout, make sure you meet and greet every customer with a smile and engage with them as much as you can without becoming overbearing! Pop ups are generally much more relaxed affairs than conventional long-term shops, so make your customers feel welcome and valued.

#3 – Be adaptable

By its very nature a pop up shop requires you to be adaptable, but it also gives you the opportunity to ‘test run’ different products. If you find that one doesn’t work then the next time you can try something different. Again, this allows you much more flexibility in your business plan and, once you find something that works, the chance to take your operation to a more permanent level.

#4 – Don’t overlook the legalities

Just because a pop up shop is a temporary affair does not mean you can overlook the legalities. You will still need to pay tax on your earnings, so make sure you have some good bookkeeping software such as QuickBooks Simple Start to help you keep track of your costs, expenses and profits. Also ensure that you have all the required trading licences and that you don’t breach any legislation.

#5 – Let people know you’re out there!

A pop up shop is quite literally ‘here today, gone tomorrow’ so make sure your customers know you’re there. Market your shop beforehand, using online social media, local press adverts and even good, old-fashioned flyers. Market your presence as a one-off opportunity for your customers to grab something unique.

#6 – Choose your location carefully

Pop up shops rely on footfall and passing trade, so choose your location very carefully. Too out of the way and you’ll be lucky to make a bean. Too exposed and you could find yourself overwhelmed. Check out the location beforehand to see whether it’s right for you.

#7 – Learn from your experience

Once the experience is over, step back and assess how it went. What were the strong points? What mistakes did you make? Did you have the right kind of products on offer, or was your selection too limited or too generalised? By assessing the overall experience you can then ensure that your next pop up shop venture is more successful and that you don’t repeat mistakes.

About the Author:
Carlo Pandian is a freelance writer and blogs about small business, finance and technology. He has previously published for small business blogs such as UNASHAMEDLY CREATIVE, HR Wisdom and Dynamic Business.

 

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Family and friends not keen on your new business idea?

08. February 2013 · 2 comments · Categories: Your Business · Tags: , ,

There’s nothing worse than feeling like you’ve been shot down when you feel so excited about a new business idea.

Yet, it is a common story….. someone has an idea to start a business, and all the naysayers emerge.  Usually family and friends.  Well-meaning of course but full of warnings, head shaking, stories of doom and gloom.  All this negativity about an idea that you are passionate about can kill your enthusiasm and could be enough to stop you in your tracks.  When should you listen, and when should you ignore what is said?

Understanding why the people may be negative about your business idea

Your track record

Do a reality check.  Are you the sort of person that has a lot of ideas which don’t go anywhere?  Or perhaps have ideas that have not been successful during implementation?  If so, the people around you may be a bit jaded about hearing another new idea.  They may also want to protect you from yourself!

 

It’s usually about them, not you 

Maintaining the status quo

Most people are uncomfortable with change, and whether they realise it or not, they may have some vested interested in the status quo i.e. keeping things the same.  Their negativity may stem from their discomfort in seeing you pursuing a goal that they don’t have the courage to do so themselves.  This is especially true of friends who may have led similar lives to you.  Growth and change can be scary.  If you grow and change, what does it mean for them?

Could they be inconvenienced in any way by you taking this step?  Even if not financial, providing emotional and moral support may be more than what they are prepared for.  This may change of course but how they feel at this point in time will influence how they respond to your idea.

 

What to do about the negativity?

I can tell you not to react to others’ negativity, but if you are reading this post, I suspect you already are!  Rather than denying any emotional reaction you might have, allow it to take its course and it will pass.

Once you have dealt with your own emotional reaction, you will be better able to listen to what is useful and to leave the rest.  Negative views can also have nuggets of information that are useful.  However, if the views are not constructive, then it will be time to set some boundaries.  The easiest solution is to stop talking to these people about your idea.  If you need to bounce your ideas, find others who are more supportive and understanding.

If they persist in imposing their negative views, do not engage.  Firmly but kindly tell them that you know they mean well, but tell them that this topic is off-limits until you have done sufficient research to have a proper conversation.

 

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Breastfeeding in public – double standards and hypocrisy

24. January 2013 · 1 comment · Categories: My Reflections · Tags: , , , , ,

The “breastfeeding in public” debate is back in the news again.  Unbelievable.  Why do breastfeeding mothers have to feel like second-class citizens and be discriminated for doing what is one of the most natural things in the world?

Kochie’s Breastfeed anytime, anywhere….. discreetly opinion has provided fodder for several of my conversations in recent days, and of all things an article titled “10 grossest things witnessed inflight” came through my social media feeds this morning.  I’m deliberately not linking the article because I’m annoyed and I don’t want to give it any more “juice”.  Two things made the top 10 – one about a woman pumping breast milk on the plane and one about a woman’s frozen breast milk that accidentally defrosted and leaked on another passenger.  These two items made the list with some other seriously disgusting things.  I was appalled at their inclusion.

I read Kochie’s article this morning and it seems to me that what he is trying to say is “be discreet and sensitive”.  I don’t have a problem with being discreet.  What I have problem with, is how that opinion is perceived and how it’s being used to justify what are really double standards.

No one seems to give women who dress in skimpy bikinis, wear g-strings, go topless on a beach a hard time.  Apparently, women’s bare skin is ok in that context, but a bit of breast while feeding your child requires discretion.  I question who  should really be using the muslin wraps that Kochie says breastfeeding mothers should use to cover up!

Bikini vs breastfeeding

The reality is that the bikini picture I’ve chosen is far less revealing than what society actually finds acceptable

 

The thing that saddens me the most is when I hear women join in the debate in favour of relegating a nursing mother into a unseen corner, and criticising those who won’t for being insensitive.  There is something seriously wrong with a society that requires discretion and sensitivity from a breastfeeding mother and not from…. well, you name it, ….. all the other things people do that are indiscreet and insensitive.

Photo credits: http://www.morfae.com and http://www.theage.com.au

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Do-it-yourself Trademarks – What can go wrong?

18. January 2013 · 2 comments · Categories: Your Business · Tags: ,

Have you thought about getting a trademark for your logo and wondered whether you can do it yourself?

English: A green registered trademark (®) logo.

Photo credit: Wikipedia

When I was deciding whether to apply for my own trademark, I wondered about the need for using a trademark attorney.  I had a look at the process, didn’t think it was particularly difficult and therefore decided that I couldn’t justify the cost.  Since then I’ve had the opportunity to run into someone that actually specialises in the area, Yvette Kwei of Magnum IP, and took the opportunity to pick her brain about what could have gone wrong.

When I posed the question, her answer was a resounding LOTS!  It seems that there was a lot I didn’t know and if I had my time again, I may have chosen to do things differently.

 

Things you may not know about the trademark application process:

Selecting the “class” of goods and services
One of the things that you will face when you are applying for a trademark is a decision on what class your trademark fits into.  You will be given a choice of classes using a “pick list”.  It sounds straightforward enough until you realise that there is no obvious fit, or it is unclear whether your product or services falls into multiple categories.Trademarks involving e-commerce and software seem particularly difficult as IT is such a fast moving industry that the legislation is still playing catch up. Yvette gave a couple of examples of grey areas that she’s come across:

Trademark_examples

 

Registering words, logo or tagline 

Did you know that registering your logo in black and white gives you more flexibility?

Choosing whether to register words or logo (whether in colour or in black & white) is another area that the inexperienced might stumble.  Yvette rightly pointed out that many businesses choose to re-brand, re-design their logos or change their taglines and an incorrect registration at the start could mean additional expense or a potentially worthless trademark.

Paying for your registration early
When your trademark is first approved, you are allowed 6 months for payment.  Many businesses would be tempted to delay making payment for as long as possible without realising that any delay in payment allows the opportunity for an objection to your trademark.

International registration
If you plan to register your trademark internationally, it pays to know that if you register within 6 months of your Australian registration, you can use the Australian registration date as your registration date.

 

Consequences of getting your trademark application wrong

If you are going to trademark, it seems obvious to say you should do it right, otherwise what would be the point?   The value of a trademark is like a having a certificate of title over a property.  It’s proof of ownership.  It gives you monopoly over the trademark and allows you to stop others from using it.  So getting it wrong means you potentially lose all those benefits, or it ends up being costly to rectify any inadequacies.

“In some cases, our services actually end up costing a client less than what they would have incurred applying on their own.  This happens when:

a) we need to apply for it again, more accurately or more broadly; or

b) a product or service falls into multiple classes and with a bit of clever drafting, we can sometimes reduce the number of classes involved.” ~ Yvette Kwei

 

Hopefully, this post has provided some insights into the world of trademarks, and good luck should you decide to give a go on your own!

 

Useful resources

 

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6 Ways Women Business Owners Short-change Themselves When They Communicate

09. January 2013 · 4 comments · Categories: Skills · Tags: ,

Ever wondered how public speaking skills have for your communication?  Many of the tips used in public speaking training happen to be highly relevant in general communication.

 

6 Ways Women Business Owners Short-change Themselves When They Communicate

In my work, I regularly consult with women business owners on improving their public speaking skills, and I watch women presenting to groups both large and small. The natural tendency of women towards being inclusive and collaborative gives them an advantage in business – but I’ve also seen common themes emerge where they unintentionally diminish and short-change themselves as they communicate; I’ve also done this myself.

Because our listeners take their cue from us as we speak, it’s vital not to let unhelpful habits – which we may not even be aware of – cloud our message.

So, what can go wrong, and how can you fix it? Here are some pitfalls and solutions:

Public speaking

(Photo credit: brainpop_uk)

1. Not trusting your ideas.

Not trusting in the power of your ideas to make a difference in the world is often the biggest internal block to overcome. Believe that you have something to offer – get in touch with your inner conviction, list for yourself the reasons why you add value if it helps, and resolve to be bold!

As an example, a client told me recently that she’d decided to resign from her corporate job, which freed her up to start speaking out and making suggestions more often. “My whole experience at work changed as a result” she told me. “My colleages started listening to, and respecting my opinions in a whole new way, and life in the office became so much more rewarding”.

2. Using “feeble” words.

It can be easy to retreat to the perceived safety of wishy-washy language such as “this possibly means…”, “perhaps this might…” or “you may not agree with me, but…” when you communicate. These types of comments don’t help your cause.

When you hedge your bets, it keeps you safe from the possibility that your listener(s) may push back and disagree with you. But being willing to stand by what you say shows exactly what your clients or audience are looking for: your authenticity and power. So don’t be afraid to make a statement – literally! “I guarantee that you…” “I promise that…” “You’ll think differently about…” are all examples of this.

Certainty is attractive to your listeners, who are drained by the ever-growing pile of options available to them. I know that you don’t want to come across as arrogant, but consider moving slightly further in this direction as an experiment. You’ll be more charismatic as a result.

3. Using too many words.

There are usually two reasons for this: either not trusting the merit of your ideas (see No.1 above), or because you don’t want to come across as inflexible or dogmatic. Over-explaining, justifying and apologizing fall into this category, and there’s rarely a need for them when you communicate. Being succinct is a relief in today’s marketplace: so say what you mean and then stop.

4. Not using your voice effectively.

Make sure that your statements don’t sound like questions (particularly prevalent in Australia) or your audience will think you’re uncertain even if you’re not. Ending your sentences with a downwards inflection will help with this (while still having vocal variety).

5. Not fully inhabiting the physical space available.

Part of diminishing your communication is shrinking from using the full space available to you. These are common

  • Not breathing fully into the space, or remembering to breathe consciously to your listener(s). Breathing sends your power out into the world.
  • Holding your energy back rather than letting it fill the room. If you’re more spiritually inclined, imagine that you and your listener(s) are in a shared energy bubble.
  • Not using your peripheral vision but ‘tunnelling’ your visual focus instead. (If this sounds a little mysterious, here’s a link to the neuro-science of this topic in my article “Using peripheral vision to impact your public speaking“

6. Not pausing.

As well as not inhabiting physical space, it’s also common to hear women not fully inhabiting the “time” space available. Take up the space that’s righfully yours: don’t rush to fill silences. Pausing before you speak (more natural for introverts than extroverts!) and between key thoughts is much more impactful than running your ideas together in a word-stream.

Luckily, none of these tips require a personality shift – just a change in perspective and some practice. Why not begin with one tip you’d like to work on and try it out over the next week or so? You can practise the ideas in your personal life too.

 

About the author:

Sarah Denholm is a public speaking and presentation skills coach, working with clients to become confident, engaging and feel greater presence and ease. She coaches individuals, does in-house training and runs public courses. The next 5 week public course “Complete Presentation Skills” is on Wednesday evenings beginning the 30th of January at the Mont Albert Quest. For more information on how Sarah can help you, go to: http://www.improveyourpublicspeaking.com.au

 

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