Will the REAL Leaders Please Stand Up?
Tuesday, July 14th, 2009Business Coach Elaine Rogers of Seefin Life and Business Coaching posted this inspiring video on twitter this morning.
Politicians please PAY attention. No Intro needed.
Business Coach Elaine Rogers of Seefin Life and Business Coaching posted this inspiring video on twitter this morning.
Politicians please PAY attention. No Intro needed.
There are HUGE amount of people that are prepared to help you to be SUCCESSFUL, that will make you feel IMPORTANT and that will help you to GROW your business.
They will even help you and your business in ways that you are yet to COMPREHEND and guess what - they will do it for free, that’s right for FREE.
Take a moment, DIGEST!
Sounds too good to be TRUE, it’s not, In fact, it’s the only TRUTH you need to CONSIDER right now.
You can choose to Ignore it, you can choose to try and fight it, but DON’T because its MOMENTUM is so great, its FORCE is so strong, that it will wash over you.
But not like a wave, more like a tidal wave. It’s an AVALANCHE sent to level the playing field. It will make superstars out of individuals, but only those that choose to work for the benefit of the COLLECTIVE.
Some would have you believe that it is an out with the old; rubbish, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
It’s a return to the most BASIC of our instincts, to a time when we brought down great mammoths with nothing but sticks and stones.
It’s a return to the SOCIAL INSTINCT, a time for your neighbour, a time when working together meant for the good of the tribe.
Only this time, it is on a GRAND scale and our tools are infinitely more SOPHISTICATED. The neighbourhood is in the hundreds of thousands and the tribe is the WORLD. The potential is EXPONENTIAL, but BE warned; it can destroy as well as create.
Big businesses, politicians, don’t be a woolly mammoth because you won’t stand a chance - now is the time to GET IT, the race is over - nobody won.
Some say 2012 is the end of the world; Nostradamus predicted it so, if you are inclined to believe. Perhaps there might be some truth to what to old grey beard had to say - It’s just a matter of interpretation.
Perhaps 2012, it when we eventually COP ON that we are all in this together, and it is only working together and for each other that we can SOLVE our big problems and RESOLVE our puny differences.
If you really want to compete, reach out and COLLABORATE.
The Btb Interview
Daniel McVicker is director of client services for StrathMadigan , which is a professional services and business consulting firm. Their focus is on developing long lasting and mutually beneficial partnerships with clients by providing straightforward and Consultative advice. The firm is tasked with delivering genuine added value with a measurable return on investment through the provision of highly experienced and industry specific professional business consultants. StrathMadigan provide 2 distinct services across all disciplines. They can provide an entire Outsourced function for a division of your business or provide Project Staff and Interim Managers to address specific critical issues.
Me: Cost is the big issue now, is price cutting a good way to hold on to existing customers?
Daniel: Don’t lower your prices. Tempting though it is under the premise that it may increase sales, I believe that although in the short term it may generate revenue - it could have a potentially serious damaging effect on the longevity of your business.
If you cut prices now, when the upturn comes as surely it will, how will you then justify increasing your prices.
Me: So how then can you deal effectively with customers who want cheaper prices?
Daniel: Address pricing issues with guarantees. By giving a guarantee to your customers it says that you are confident in your product or service and it is also ethical. Be prepared to give generous guarantees, customers will see through guarantees which are weighted in your favour.
Me: Salespeople and business owners tell me that motivation is very difficult, as someone who is continuing to successfully grow business - what would you say to these people?
Daniel: Knowledge and ability mean nothing without action. With the credit crunch and the recession biting hard, sales people and business owners alike are becoming increasingly despondent and shying away from picking up the phone to customers for fear of hearing another no.
Now is the time to pick up the phone and stay close to your customers. The companies which are weathering the storm best at present have one thing in common, they are taking Action!
They are increasing their marketing, increasing their customer contact, whilst all the time stealing and increasing market share!
Me: So how do you know what actions you should take and when you should take them?
Daniel: There are 4 important factors in taking action:
(i) “All Encompassing Action”: taking action in all the areas of your business which require it. It is easy to fall into the trap of taking successive steps action, ie: I’ll do a leaflet drop this month; I’ll update the Website next month etc.
(ii) “Habit” Once you begin to take action makes it a continual habit, not sporadic. Successful people generally have similar habits but beyond that they have a structured plan and one that they follow religiously.
(iii)“Focus and Measurement” On taking action, make sure it is the right action, it is easy to become a busy fool taking the easy options or doing the tasks we enjoy. For every Action we take it should be measured to ensure that it is an effective use of our time.
(iv)Be positive about taking action. Taking action and making change can be difficult; it takes us out of our comfort zones. A positive attitude and a realisation that your business will benefit as a result will increase the likelihood of your actions having the desired outcome.
Me: Are we perhaps paying too much attention to the problems and not enough attention to the solutions?
Daniel: Stop talking about the credit crunch. Talking about the economy won’t change it, taking action, speaking to customers and selling will.
Over at TSE
Tuesday, June 23rd 2009 at 6PM GMT (1:00PM EASTERN)
Join Danita Bye, Jonathan London, Steve Martinez, Craig Klein and Jonathan Farrington for our latest TSE Roundtable:“The Power Of Sales Process”
Take the tour above.
iQ Content is an Irish company, based in Dublin. Working for clients from across Europe, their team of usability, accessibility and content experts are dedicated to creating better websites.
Yesterday, they launched the The iQ Prize: 10,000 euro for the best business plan for an internet start-up.
“iQ Content was born in the last great tech recession of 2000, so we know how hard it is for startups. But we also think recessions are a great time for creativity, good ideas and starting sustainable businesses,” said Morgan McKeagney, managing director at iQ Content. 10K! Morgan, were you drunk?
“The iQ Prize is our contribution to creating a better Ireland: a catalyst to tap into Ireland’s talent, to spark innovation, and to help create the great businesses of the future”
But the company has made it clear that they will have no equity stake in any business founded by the eventual winner of the prize, nor are they looking to invest.
“We’re doing this because we can, and because we think it’s timely and worthwhile.” McKeagney also thinks Ireland as a nation is particularly well-positioned to create world-class internet companies.
“What are the Irish good at?” he asks. “Storytelling, creativity, technology” and that’s just the start of it. I think we have a natural advantage in building web-based businesses. We’re good at it, so why not focus on it and try to build something out of it?”
Interested entrants must send in a brief 5-page business plan that shows how they will turn their idea into a great online business.
The prize will go through an initial round of applications, after which a shortlist of applicants will be asked to present their business plans before a panel of independent judges.
Visit www.iqprize.ie
Well done to Morgan and the team at iQ.
Last week, I was asked to give a talk about selling as a career to a group of students who are presently contemplating their futures. The career guidance teacher who invited me is out of the box thinker and educator. He thought it would be interesting for his students to hear about a profession not normally considered at this stage.
I must say, I found the experience to be hugely enjoyable, while at the same time a little frustrating. I don’t usually get to interact with younger people about sales. To hear their opinions was somewhat of an eye opener for me.
The nominations for the Irish Blog Awards were announced this week, and guess what? we have been nominated in the best new blog category.
A BIG THANK YOU to whoever put us forward, and GOOD LUCK to everyone involved.
If I am honest, reality TV has never really been my thing; it’s not so much the concept that bothers me but rather the way that TV producers choose to play it out. While I am by no means an expert, shows such as Big Brother seem to me to intentionally pick (or pick on) people who come across as having either psychological or emotional problems.
A recent survey by prominent corporate architecture firm, Gensler claims that half of all employees would work an extra hour per day if they had a better workplace. In fact many workplace studies have shown that a well-designed office is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to both retain employees and increase productivity.
While many large organisations know about and reap the benefits of designing great office spaces, smaller companies too often expect their people to work in badly lit, poorly ventilated, cramped and simply downright ugly working environments.