"Confidence comes from knowing you can deliver on the promise you just made."
- Zachary Barker
I wanted to share with you an EXCELLENT example of CONFIDENCE in a company solution.
My good friend and critical business provider, Joe White, President of NovaCopy, sent me this email a few days ago that stated what he was CHALLENGING my team to do with his company. See the below:
"Challenge us to:
1. Send a free demo unit of any size anywhere in Middle Tennessee at the drop of a hat for free up to 2 weeks to help a distressed client or prospect.
2. Send our expert technicians within the hour fix a competitive unit when competition does not respond.
3. ALWAYS answer our phone with a human being and no matter why you called the Novaperson that answered the phone will help you and not transfer you to anyone ever; especially to a voice mail system or worse, a computer!"
2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
It takes SUPREME confidence in ones capability to give a GREAT service guarantee on your OWN equipment. It is a whole other ball game when it comes to making GUARANTEES on others.
I am so THOROUGHLY impressed with the quality of this message and its useful delivery to my technical team, that I thought it would be an excellent "SHARE" with you as well.
Take a look at your SOLUTION. Are you able to offer these types of service COMMITMENTS? Are you willing to take on the PAIN of someone else for the OPPORTUNITY to prove yourself? Do you have such a STRONG belief in yourself, team and product that you are willing to lose money to showcase your capability?
And if you aren't… don't you think YOU should know WHY Joe is? (call me and I will introduce you)
Cheers,
Zach
*To enjoy past editions of the Morning Motivator go to – http://grow-learn-lead.blogspot.com
The Morning Motivator is a copyrighted publication. The use of this article is open for print or publication with proper citations.
Morning Motivator – The New “Old Way” of Creating Opportunity
"Business works in cycles. Change is the only constant. Accept that and opportunities will begin to arise."
- Unknown
- Unknown
*NEWS FLASH: The world economy is in a recession.
**BLINDING FLASH OF THE OBVIOUS: Things may never be as they were again.
For those of you that are THINKING about the "economic downturn" and all its TERRIBLE side effects, please stop. I want you to CHANGE your mentality. I want you to ACCEPT that the current economy is the best available right now and that it has the potential to be worse.
If you were born 15 years ago, you don't KNOW of a "better time" – you were a kid and oblivious to the real value of money. Additionally, if you live in the United States, your WORST living arrangements are much BETTER than most people on Earth. So what?
The beauty of this NEW generation of business professionals is that they are not SULKING about the "good 'ole days," rather they are SCRAPING and CLAWING their way to the top to be successful.
2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
There are many ways to CREATE opportunity for yourself and your business. You can try:
- Cold calling prospective clients
- Try new marketing campaigns with flashy offers
- Discount your way into thin margins for the sake of "volume"
Or…
You can PARTNER with companies that offer SIMILAR services, to SIMILAR clients, in a SIMILAR market, for SIMILAR investment fees with SIMILAR cultures… (Keyword: SIMILAR)
You may not REALIZE it yet, however, many of your prospective CLIENTS are a PERFECT fit for someone of SIMILAR service delivery. Why not partner up? Why not use your LEVERAGE from existing relationships to enhance the value of client knowing YOU? Why not eliminate a TON of useless sales gimmicks and FOCUS on better your partners SIMILAR offers and introducing them to your own clients.
Remember that people NEED you and your related services. They WANT to know people they can trust and will support their goals. They will PAY for the opportunity to simply their business, life and finances.
Don't try to REINVENT the wheel… just LEVERAGE what already works, with the people that get it done. Remember what mom used to say, "You are only as good as the FRIENDS you keep."
Cheers,
Zach
*To enjoy past editions of the Morning Motivator go to – http://grow-learn-lead.blogspot.com
The Morning Motivator is a copyrighted publication. The use of this article is open for print or publication with proper citations.
Morning Motivator - Mr. Know-it-all
"The client said, 'I know you don't know everything. So, how much of a jackass are you going to be?'"
- Anonymous
This quote almost made me fall out of my chair with laughter!!
The above was voiced in a discussion about EXPERIENCES in conducting business. The discussion centered around the use of CANDOR in negotiations between new and seasoned professionals.
Often, we feel as though we must IMPRESS or VALIDATE ourselves in discussions with others. Especially, if or when you FEEL as though you may be in "over your head."
What do you REALLY achieve by faking your experience, skills or positioning as though you have ALL the answers?? (Hint: very little).
2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
Most "seasoned" professionals UNDERSTAND one thing about business... Nobody KNOWS it all! (And they can see right through those that act like they do).
With that in mind, why not just be UPFRONT all the time?
My EXPERIENCES have proven time and again that CANDID, OPEN discussion always wins! Not having the answers is ACCEPTABLE, as long as you have the DETERMINATION and WILLINGNESS to find them.
Your role is as a PROBLEM SOLVER, not an "on-demand" solutions manual.
Don't fake your way out of INTEGRITY... just be HONEST and get the answers for your clients!
Cheers,
Zach
*To enjoy past editions of the Morning Motivator go to – http://grow-learn-lead.blogspot.com
The Morning Motivator is a copyrighted publication. The use of this article is open for print or publication with proper citations.
- Anonymous
This quote almost made me fall out of my chair with laughter!!
The above was voiced in a discussion about EXPERIENCES in conducting business. The discussion centered around the use of CANDOR in negotiations between new and seasoned professionals.
Often, we feel as though we must IMPRESS or VALIDATE ourselves in discussions with others. Especially, if or when you FEEL as though you may be in "over your head."
What do you REALLY achieve by faking your experience, skills or positioning as though you have ALL the answers?? (Hint: very little).
2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
Most "seasoned" professionals UNDERSTAND one thing about business... Nobody KNOWS it all! (And they can see right through those that act like they do).
With that in mind, why not just be UPFRONT all the time?
My EXPERIENCES have proven time and again that CANDID, OPEN discussion always wins! Not having the answers is ACCEPTABLE, as long as you have the DETERMINATION and WILLINGNESS to find them.
Your role is as a PROBLEM SOLVER, not an "on-demand" solutions manual.
Don't fake your way out of INTEGRITY... just be HONEST and get the answers for your clients!
Cheers,
Zach
*To enjoy past editions of the Morning Motivator go to – http://grow-learn-lead.blogspot.com
The Morning Motivator is a copyrighted publication. The use of this article is open for print or publication with proper citations.
Morning Motivator - The Linebacker Playing Quarterback
"Give me a break! I'm doing the best I can..."
- Zach Barker on Monday night
This fall season, I have filled in as my football teams quarterback. This has been a WONDERFUL and CHALLENING experience physically, as well as intellectually.
I also LEARNED something things very applicable to business.
First, having MODERATE skills in a specialized area can be more important than EXCELLENT skills in all the others not being used. Secondly, leadership is not POSITIONAL, it is personal. Lastly, teamwork can OVERCOME a deficiency of TALENT.
2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
As a high school linebacker, I received very LITTLE passing training. However, my team has been without a quarterback ALL season.
In times of NEED, it is IMPERATIVE that someone step up and take the lead. More IMPORTANTLY is that TEAMS find the right "players" to fill the needed roles.
Remember, as a LEADER and MANAGER, you MUST find the right players to fill the critical roles of your team. Putting the "best person available" in that spot will NEVER be as EFFECTIVE as the "right person."
As you CONSIDER your success strategy, ask yourself: "Are your linebackers playing quarterback on YOUR team??"
Cheers,
Zach
*To enjoy past editions of the Morning Motivator go to – http://grow-learn-lead.blogspot.com
The Morning Motivator is a copyrighted publication. The use of this article is open for print or publication with proper citations.
- Zach Barker on Monday night
This fall season, I have filled in as my football teams quarterback. This has been a WONDERFUL and CHALLENING experience physically, as well as intellectually.
I also LEARNED something things very applicable to business.
First, having MODERATE skills in a specialized area can be more important than EXCELLENT skills in all the others not being used. Secondly, leadership is not POSITIONAL, it is personal. Lastly, teamwork can OVERCOME a deficiency of TALENT.
2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
As a high school linebacker, I received very LITTLE passing training. However, my team has been without a quarterback ALL season.
In times of NEED, it is IMPERATIVE that someone step up and take the lead. More IMPORTANTLY is that TEAMS find the right "players" to fill the needed roles.
Remember, as a LEADER and MANAGER, you MUST find the right players to fill the critical roles of your team. Putting the "best person available" in that spot will NEVER be as EFFECTIVE as the "right person."
As you CONSIDER your success strategy, ask yourself: "Are your linebackers playing quarterback on YOUR team??"
Cheers,
Zach
*To enjoy past editions of the Morning Motivator go to – http://grow-learn-lead.blogspot.com
The Morning Motivator is a copyrighted publication. The use of this article is open for print or publication with proper citations.
Morning Motivator – It is Better to Fail…
"All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
In the past weeks, a lot of what I have been reading is about business GROWTH and RECOVERY trends. It appears that the recessions "worst" is OVER (albeit you won't hear that on the news). Most of the articles have alluded to the WILLINGNESS of small businesses (and some larger ones) to try more innovative ways of doing business.
Frequently, when we are CHALLENGED with difficult times, our initial reaction is to eliminate our "risk." We stop spending money; eliminate "unnecessary" activities, companies eliminate employees and more. Essentially, what we do is STOP experimenting with success… Out of FEAR, people begin seeking the "SAFE PLAY" for success.
How many people and/or companies are you aware of that ACHIEVED success by playing it safe? How many SUCCESSFUL people would tell you to take FEWER chances and MINIMIZE risk? Do you REALLY believe the key to success, in an economy, is LIMITING your willingness to experiment and find new success paths?? (Just in case you didn't get it, this is a rhetorical question)
2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
The BEAUTY of experimentation is the if it does NOT work… it is NOT failure. Its just ELIMINATION of options. With that being noted, you have NO reason to feel as though you FAIL if you don't achieve your goals.
Ideally, you should be EXPERIMENTING with new ways every day. New sales techniques, new delivery options, new pricing structures. When you are seeking NEW ways.. you are LEARNING. When you are learning… you are GROWING. And when you GROW… you SUCCEED! Why? Simple.
Everyone else is HIDING in their hole. They have STOPPED experimenting, stopped growing… stopped trying. NOW is the time to LEAP ahead!! (or at least experiment with it).
Cheers,
Zach
*To enjoy past editions of the Morning Motivator go to – http://grow-learn-lead.blogspot.com
The Morning Motivator is a copyrighted publication. The use of this article is open for print or publication with proper citations.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
