Remember that old commercial for Tootsie Pop® when the boy asks, “Mr. Owl, how many licks does it take to get to the tootsie roll center of a TootsiePop®?” Mr. Owl replies, “One, a two, a three…a three.” Funny that we still remember it now, thirty years later. Coincidence? I think not!
Ever thought about how many random things have to happen in order for you or your sales people to meet a new customer? It CAN be very few, but most often it takes “more than three” and timing can be everything.
I was at the Word of Mouth conference in Austin last week and had the privilege of being part of a conversation between a sales rep and his customer. The epiphany between the two was how serendipitous it was (they didn’t actually use that word) that they met over ten years ago. How several random conversations and common connections led to what is now a profitable and long-standing relationship for both parties. Don’t get me wrong! Several things had to occur along the way to nurture this long-term relationship. Excellent customer service, product availability, on-time deliveries, etc.
What’s ironic though are the random acts and coincidences that happen daily that we sometimes take for granted. Somebody moves from one state to another and had they not they might not have ever joined that LBM group and connected with Tom at Bastanchury Building Products and, therefore, wouldn’t have the amazing and profitable relationship they have today. If you hadn’t taken the time to send that handwritten note to John at Custom Manufacturing he wouldn’t have been able to introduce you to Steve, whose now your largest customer and was the best man at your wedding.
You and your team work really hard to sell potential customers on your products and services, but maybe what you need to do is serve. A handwritten note, lunch for no reason, flowers to take home to their wife on their anniversary or just a shoulder to lean on during a tough time. A few random ways to serve that lead to those long-lasting relationships that build your business.
So, just how many “licks” does it take to get to the tootsie roll center of a TootsiePop®? The world may never know….now, go out and create some serendipity by doing random things.
Ever been in a situation where you’re dying of thirst and you’d pay just about any amount of money for an ice cold bottle of water? Seriously, you’re so thirsty and so far away from any kind of precipitation, you’d pay $50 for a 29 cent bottle of water.
A compelling offer is just like an ice cold bottle of water in the middle of the Mohave. Irresistible!
How do you make your offer this irresistible? In the building products industry, it doesn’t always feel that easy, does it?! You’ve got these amazing widgets to sell and you send your sales team out there to beat the streets, pound the pavement, drop in on customers and convince them why they need train loads of your stuff. Why are they still beating you up on price? Why don’t they understand how irresistible your quality products are?
Remember, first you need to sell what people WANT to buy. Then make sure you’re talking to the right people at the right time. You know that old saying, “right place, wrong time”…sometimes you have the right audience, but you’re talking to them at the wrong time. And, be still my heart, sometimes you’re not talking to them at all. This boils down to knowing what your audience is struggling with; knowing how to solve these challenges and knowing what they want to buy.
Then you take your product or service and craft it into a compelling pitch … an offer they can’t refuse. If the value is clear, the decision is easy.
Here’s an exercise from author, Chris Guillebeau, that will help you put together the offer your audience won’t be able to refuse.
Remember the Magic Formula:
The Right Audience + the Right Promise + the Right Time = Offer You Can’t Refuse
BASICS
What are you selling? _______
How much does it cost? _______
Who will take immediate action on this offer? ________
What can I add to make this offer even more compelling?
There’s Good News The good news is that when you understand what your customers want and how they want to buy your job and that of your sales people gets so much easier. When an offer they can’t refuse comes along at just the right time the perceived value is much higher. Remember to think about value the way your customers do, not necessarily the way you would like them to.
As you follow your marketing blueprint, think carefully about how you can create a more compelling offer. Then take it out into the world!
Here’s to making your presence felt and quenching that thirst.
Step by step you walk, straining to find the right set of footprints, for the trails lead everywhere, everywhere.
Up mountains, through thickets, into caves and crevasses— clearly the work of those crazy, spelunking limericists—
marveling at the wonders the giants have left in their wake, carved into trees chipped into stones blooming in rows or artfully planted to look random.
The maps, they never seem to work quite right.
Is this the lake? Was I supposed to turn there?
This road seems so much narrower than the one in the picture, than the one in the song, than the one in my head.
I must be lost you think. I will wander this land for all eternity, traveling in circles, looping back on myself, around and around.
I will never get There.
And then one day, the light slants down at a particular angle which you both notice and do not and the air feels familiar but completely different and there are no other footsteps
but yours and you are walking— no, you are walking, blazing a trail for the next intrepid soul, scattering your own seeds and songs and fairy messages along the way.
With gratitude, Colleen! This is for the trailblazers I know and for those I haven’t had the pleasure of knowing yet. The extreme beauty and magic of the aha moment!
Many of you are fearful. Unsure of what the economy is going to do. Hesitant to hire new people because sales are up, but margins are down. And concerns about cash flow and the lack thereof are prevalent.
I get it! It’s an emotion that has hit home for all of us over the past couple of years. It’s what we do about it that will make us or break us.
Something my coach and mentor said to me a couple of years back really stuck. “What would you do if you weren’t afraid?” I said, “It’s not always that easy.” His reply, “Just consider it and see what happens.” It’s a great way to get unstuck and move forward.
So, sit back for a sec and give yourself just 5 minutes…what would you do if you weren’t afraid? What would be different in your day? Your month? Your year? Would you lead differently? Would you make different decisions about bringing on a new line. Put more energy and dollars into marketing? Try it! Write it down twelve times and see how the way you finish the sentence changes. If I weren’t afraid I would (fill in the blank). Go ahead, take 5 and see what revelations unfold for you.
Ok, now that you’ve done the exercise and are ready to tackle your fears, here’s some DAMN GOOD ADVICE from my hero, George Lois. His brilliance and brevity will inspire you and show you what any brand can do with a little creativity.
What does all this “inspiration” have to do with manufacturers and distributors in the building products industry? This advice comes from a once unknown fashion designer, music television channel, car company, optics manufacturer and a world leader. It has everything to do with you.
Tell me, what would you do if you weren’t afraid? I’m all ears.
There is a great deal of hesitation in the building products industry around whether or not to add social media to the marketing agenda. You all know by now that I am a firm believer that social media is here to stay and is a fantastic way to converse with and listen to your audience like never before.
There is also some confusion as to what social media is about. The simple answer, it’s not about you. It’s about your customers. I came across some enlightening dialogue this week from a blogger that I admire, @margieclayman. I think she sums it up nicely. (Thank you, Margie)
Enjoy!
Social Media should not be about you.
It should not be about you getting a high Klout score.
It should not be about you getting perks.
Social Media should not be about you gaining ground as you tear others down.
It should not be about you calling out everyone (and their mothers and their fathers.).
It should not be about you scraping money off of people who believe you can help them.
Social Media should not be about you building your case as to why you are the greatest human ever.
It should not be about you making a list.
It should not be about you bad-mouthing a list you didn’t make.
Social Media should not be about you and your ego.
It should not be about you finding a platform where you can feed unadulterated BS to other people who may buy it.
It should not be about lying to see if you can get away with it.
Social Media should not be about you recreating definitions to better suit your purposes.
It should not be about you offering silver bullets.
It should not be about you maliciously spreading rumors that ruin peoples’ lives.
Social Media should not be about you. It should be about the people you help, the companies you grow, and what you are able to accomplish with this new and powerful tool.
So I’m interested to know, do you agree with this? What do you think Social Media is about?
According to the Chinese zodiac, 2012 is the Year of the Dragon–an auspicious symbol of good fortune and power. Sounds good, right?! I say, “bring it!” After weathering several extremely challenging years I think we’re all up for a positive and powerful new year. Let’s shake it up!
Funny thing is, some of us think good fortune and power simply befall us, like rain or winning the lottery. I’d rather not leave it to chance. So, can we make good fortune and power happen? How much control do we really have? I have a sign that sits above my desk that reads:
This inspires me every day to be proactive instead of reactive. As Wayne Gretsky said, “don’t skate where the puck is, skate to where it will be.” Often times we “think” ahead, but don’t ever make a plan. As the great Steve Chandler says, “When the WHY is clear, the HOW will appear.” I love this! And it’s true. Instead of just “thinking” about our goals this year, let’s take the “year of the dragon” by the tail and shake things up. CREATE THE LIFE YOU WANT.
I hear the same phrases echoed all the time within the building products industry…”I take two steps forward and three steps back.” “I could spend all day just answering email and voicemails.” “I’m trying to do more with less.” “I don’t remember the last time I spent time thinking about the business.” Any of this sound familiar? This year can be different. All you have to do is create it.
I’ve been on a personal journey for the last couple of years. A journey to find clarity and balance. After working with an amazing mentor and coach (Peleg Top), engaging in workshops and Mastermind groups and pouring through countless books and blog posts, several things have become crystal clear.
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To create the life you want:
[ 1 ] STOP Really! Just stop. Commit to spend time just thinking every day. Even if it’s just 15 minutes. Allow yourself the time to be quiet and just think. You’ll be amazed at what percolates in that space that you opened up. (I didn’t think I had the time to stop either; give it a try.) Create that space for yourself.
[ 2 ] START WITH THE WHY When the WHY is clear the HOW will appear. Ask yourself why you want to accomplish something… why you want to lose weight OR exercise more OR gain market share OR reposition your brand. If I say, “I WANT to exercise more,” do you think I’m actually going to stick to that? Accomplish anything? Now, if I say, “I am going to exercise more because I want to lower my cholesterol by 50 points and lose 20 pounds by June.” The likelihood of me actually exercising more is inevitable because I have two distinct WHYs. The HOWs start showing up all around me…the gym across the street, the workout DVD’s I bought and didn’t use yet, the dog that needs walked. Start with why.
[ 3 ] PRACTICE SELF LOVE I know this is a subject that women are very familiar with. We discuss it often. But I don’t know that men are really talking about self love. (Now, get your mind out of the gutter) Most of us partake in varying degrees of self-criticism on a daily basis. You may be the guy whose dad never told him he was good enough or the gal with major body dysmorphia OR maybe, you’re already practicing self love every day and you can move on to number 4. The need to practice self love has never been greater. There are many ways to do this. Talk to yourself positively every day. Write yourself love letters. Smile in the mirror. The HOW, in this case, isn’t the hard part. It’s the WHY. Practice self love because it will have a profound impact on how you show up in every situation and on those around you. PROFOUND! Start loving yourself more every day.
[ 4 ] DON’T BE AFRAID TO FAIL I was asked by my mentor what I would do if I wasn’t afraid. Have you ever asked yourself this question? So many times it’s fear that stops us from reaching our goals. Fear is only an emotion, not a brick wall. Why do we give it so much power? What are we afraid of? Most of the time it’s failure and/or rejection. You avoid asking a girl out for fear she’ll reject you, right?! My mentor also has a wonderful saying that addresses this very thing…“Yes Lives in the Land of No.” (thank you, Peleg) Each no is one step closer to a yes. Whether it’s dating or business. Trying answering the question, “What would I do if I wasn’t afraid?” 5,127 prototypes later, just ask James Dyson.
[ 5 ] BE ENCHANTING Guy Kawasaki put out a great book in 2011 called, “Enchantment: the Art of Changing Hearts, Minds and Actions.” Kawasaki argues that in business and personal interactions, your goal is not merely to get what you want, but to bring about a voluntary, enduring, and delightful change in other people. How do you become enchanting? He recommends the following attitudes and actions: • Be a baker, not an eater; a baker sees the world as an opportunity. I can bake bigger pies. Different flavors. Different shapes. It’s unlimited. • Default to “Yes”; think about what you can do for people then say yes and do it. • Create products that are DICEE (Deep, Intelligent, Complete, Empowering and Elegant) Create products and programs that will engage people.
Become enchanting. You’ll connect on a deeper level and reap the rewards.
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No, this isn’t a complete list! This is obviously a very partial list of of essential attributes and actions you can adopt this year…right now. You can create the life you want. Slow down, enjoy regular think-time, take actionable steps to meet your goals, be good to yourself and enchant those around you. Now, go take 2012 by the tail and don’t just make it a great year…make it a great life.
Remember that old commercial for Tootsie Pop® when the boy asks, “Mr. Owl, how many licks does it take to get to the tootsie roll center of a TootsiePop®?” Mr. Owl replies, “One, a two, a three…a three.” Funny that we still remember it now, thirty years later. Coincidence? I think not! Ever thought about how many random things have to happen in order for you or your sales people to meet a new customer? It CAN be very few, but most often it takes “more than three” and timing can be everything…(finish reading)
Ever been in a situation where you’re dying of thirst and you’d pay just about any amount of money for an ice cold bottle of water? Seriously, you’re so thirsty and so far away from any kind of precipitation, you’d pay $50 for a 29 cent bottle of water. A compelling offer is just like an ice cold bottle of water in the middle of the Mohave. Irresistible! How do you make your offer this irresistible? (read more)
You begin by following the ones who went before. Step by step you walk, straining to find the right set of footprints, for the trails lead everywhere, everywhere. Up mountains, through thickets, into caves and crevasses— clearly the work of those crazy, spelunking limericists— marveling at the wonders the giants have left in their wake, carved [...]
Many of you are fearful. Unsure of what the economy is going to do. Hesitant to hire new people because sales is up, but margins are down. And concerns about cash flow and the lack thereof are prevalent. I get it! It’s an emotion that has hit home for all of us over the past couple of years. It’s what we do about it that will make us or break us…(read more)
