The Power of Touch

Many organizations have decided to only allow the sales people to use the CRM.  This is often a decision based on cost.

"We can't afford to pay for licenses for everyone in the organization!" is usually the argument.

What if you took a different approach?  What if you looked at the cost of lost data and sales opportunities because you weren't documenting every time someone touched a customer?

We now live in a world in which customer behavior translates into data that can be used to uncover trends and indicators that could lead to more sales or more efficient sales activities.

• Joe calls in to Customer Service to order that next day item, leading to a sales conversation about examining his supply chain and why he was out of stock for that project.
• A conversation with Mary about her late invoices leads Mark to de-prioritizing that sales meeting, now that he knows there are cash flow issues and they won't be able to decide on his proposal.
• That third service call related to that large piece of equipment indicates that Steve may be more open and willing to upgrade to another model

When you allow the CRM to give you critical mass intelligence on your customers from every angle, that's when the magic happens.

You increase sales with your customers because you are constantly putting together a narrative about them.

Every time someone in your organization touches a customer, this is an opportunity.  Don't let the relatively small price of a license cost you business down the road.

The Wind Back In My Sails

I experienced something new for the first time in my career:  I got laid off.

After the shock of this development, my mind immediately went to all the things I should have done or could have done to make myself more indispensable.

The more I think about it, the more I realize that's probably not a healthy excercise.

After receiving messages and calls of support and encouragement from my collegues, manufacturer partners, and team, I realize which questions were more important: did I leave my mark and did I create an environment for the people around me to be the best they can be?

From the outpouring I received, I think I accompished those things.

However, when I look back, could I have even done better?

Did I thank that collegue enough for that unsolicited favor?
Did I provide enough encouragement for that team member when he felt insecure about his capabilities?
Was I generous enough to our vendors when they need my mindshare?
Did I reach out enough to others who we're hurting?

The people you touch should be your measuring stick.   Every interaction you have with another person, no matter the circumstances, is an opportunity to grow, learn, and connect.

I'm appreciating that this a chance to take stock in what truly matters: the relationships you build and nurture in this relatively short time we have.

The wind was taken out of my sails that day and I'm not out of the doldrums yet, but the people around me have given me new focus and helped me stay on course.
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Why Did I Show Up Today?

Why did you show up for work today? Have you recently asked yourself that question?

Paying the bills is often the answer.  We have overhead and responsibilities. 

We have people counting on us. 

Following the path you laid out for yourself is another answer.  You went to college, picked a major, did your internships, and landed that entry-level position. Now you're just following that same path. 

Maybe you're working for a family business.  You may feel obligated to carry on the legacy.

Perhaps you're doing exactly what you want to do, and you wake up jumping out of bed, excited to start your day.

More likely, you ended up here through some circuitous journey based on a combination of the previous reasons.

Whatever the reason, you should always be asking yourself why you're in that office chair.

You should also be making the choice every day whether you're going push through the distractions and deliver, or whether you're going to take your foot of the gas and settle for just "ok".

Your company and your co-workers deserve to know what choice you made today - because they need to know how much heavy-lifting they have to do.

You don't exist in a vacuum, and your choices don't exist there either.

Make the choice, no matter what the reason for showing up, to do to the best work, to create the best art, to be the most giving, and to affect the most change you possibly can.

If you can't make that choice, then it's time to stop showing up at all.

I Question

I question because things don't make sense.
I question to prevent the way we did things from becoming the way we keep doing things.
I question to clarify your answer.
I question to help you find your own answer.
I question to be disruptive.
I question to find a better way.
I question to keep moving forward.
I question because the rules aren't set in stone.
I question because what we're doing isn't a matter of life and death.
I question because I dream of a different reality.
I question because you don't.

Your Authentic Self

Do you have a "work" self and an "off-work" self?

Do you feel like you need to behave and act one way at work and a different way with family and friends?

Why can't you be your authentic self in the office?

Too many people act the way a boss should act or speak the way a leader should talk ,while losing their team in the process.

Perhaps the culture of your company prevents your authentic self.
The CEO needs you to toe the line, using typical rhetoric in the process.
You, in turn, relay that to your team, knowing too well they'll never buy what you're selling - and you see the team pulling away before your eyes.

When you behave this way, you must think those around you are either dumb, unsophisticated, naive, or worse, not really worth your personal investment.
Most of people that you've invested in to work at your company aren't any of those - so why treat them that way?

Is it because you're scared to show them you don't know all the answers or you may actually need their help?
Vulnerability isn't a weakness, it's a strength, because now your team can empathize with you.

Your authentic self has a place at work.  Your life experience, your successes and failures, and your weird hobbies make you a complete person in the office.  The term "empty suit" is a result of too many bosses blowing hot air without any context or character behind it.

You have many choices in how you behave as a leader.  Let your authentic self be your foundation - that's at least the one thing that can't quit on you.

The Wrong Side of History

It is human nature to protect the status quo when there is no obvious reason to change.  When your work life is comfortable, and you have been rewarded for your past behavior and approach, why take a risk?

You take that risk because you don't want to be on the wrong side of history:  living in past, ripe for disruption by those seeking your job and competitors seeking your customers.

When you continue to use outdated technology and refuse to learn new tricks because "it's always worked before" you are on the wrong side of history.

When you stick with that under-performing or toxic employee, you are on the wrong side of history.

When you continue to throw money at that failing business unit, because it was your "baby" and you don't want to admit failure, you are on the wrong side of history.

When you think that the newer employees are engaged in the story of the company when it had 10 employees, you are on the wrong side of history.

When you allow large, but unprofitable customers to take most of your energy, you are on the wrong side of history.

When you don't speak out against ridiculous, outdated policies, you are on the wrong side of history.

When you think you leadership style still works because it always has, you are on the wrong side of history.

When your approach is to steamroll, manipulate, and take to get what you want, you are on the wrong side of history.

The wrong side of history conjures images of dictators and tyrants that we learned about in history class.
Is that the fate you want associated with your career or company?

A $20 Taco

After hearing that Taco Bell plans add breakfast to their offer, my first thought was why?

Other than the basic business goal of have more opportunities to sell more stuff to more people, is this really in service of their brand? After breakfast, what's next?  Staying open 24 hours?  How about they offer table service with more expensive food to go after Chili's?  When does it end?

The point is that it never ends. 

CEOs aren't often rewarded for making beautiful, scarce products that have a fanatical following.  Instead, they succumb to investors' demand that the company outgrow, conquer, and eclipse their competition.

The customer is now more distracted and has more choices than ever before.  It may work.  The numbers may show a successful business,  but will it be the product that you gush about to your friends?

Suppose that instead of taking all that time, energy, and money required to execute a breakfast offer, Taco Bell invested the resources to create the absolute best taco in the world - a taco that people would gladly pay $20 to eat? 

It's okay to just make the best taco in the world. 
Your customers will reward you for it - and the ones that don't, can go eat at McDonald's.
  

Looking For Love In All The Right Places

I pulled the last page out of my "365 Days of Beer" Calendar the other day and guess what I found?

Nothing: No website, no re-order form, no branding (I had forgotten who even published this), no prompting to re-establish me as a customer.

Thanks to Amazon and their amazing tools to have you find products and drive you to their site, I am able to re-order this.
(You're welcome Adams Media)
This was a failed opportunity for the publisher to tee me up for 2014.
There is even a blank page after December 31st.

As a business, you should always be marketing yourself, especially to captive audience customers.  The pump is primed with a buying customer. Unless you have completely annoyed them or turned them off, they need a specific reason to stop buying from you.

As publisher of that calendar, I would have put an extra page in the last three months of the year that prompted the reader to buy the next year's calendar, in addition to hitting me over the head at the end of the calendar.

Reinforce the love that your customers have for your products by giving them the tools and knowledge to buy more from you AND to tell their friends how much they love your product.

How about in November's and December's section, you are prompted to re-order and give one as a gift?

Give the customers that love your product the tools to continue the relationship and to help you build your tribe.

Which Battle Did You Pick Today?

"Pick your battles." the saying goes. 

I propose a new question: "Which battle did you pick today?"

Not in the sense of being antagonistic for the sake of it, but choosing every day to disrupt, question, and challenge those around you in some way.

You owe it to yourself to seek ways to improve your organization.  If not you, than who? 
We no longer can wait for bosses to lead - that person is often waiting someone else to lead.
Head down is great for preservation, but what story does it create?

By questioning (battling), you show you are invested, engaged, and seeking improvement.  What's the alternative?  Floating through life, just showing up, hoping things will change?

Every day is an opportunity to grow yourself and those around you.  
This is especially true for those in customer-facing positions where the gaps are exposed real-time.
Problems hit you in the face, and you need to own the solution. 
If you don't care enough to own it, why should your superior?

Take it upon yourself to set the expectation that good enough is not good enough and that what got us here won't get us there.

Again, if not you, who?  

Driving in Kansas

We often find our define our careers based on the peaks and valleys, from promotions and new responsibilities to layoffs and missteps.

What about when we're just cruising along?  How long should you be coasting before it becomes a problem?  Do we always need to be striving for something different to be successful?

The challenge is that most of us aren't being challenged every day or pushed towards some new breakthrough.  So how do you make the most of that?

If you're managing a team of people, your responsibility is to them first.  They are looking to you to help them reach those peaks and avoid those valleys.  You need to be okay with the constant of flat land to help you concentrate on them.

If you're managing yourself, maybe this is an opportunity to concentrate on being the best you can be at you do because doing great work matters.

We constantly compare our current career altitude and speed to everyone.  It's also easy with all the information out there to feel inadequate or that we need to make some change.

Consider being okay with where you are and concentrating on what you have -- for now.
You might find yourself becoming an expert at what you do while you just cruise along.

The Art of the Deal

In business, we focus on negotiation constantly.  What can I get for what I have?  If I offer this concession, will the deal close?  What's the least I have to give to get what I want?
You can't give away something without knowing what you're getting, right?

Our initial instinct is to protect what we have and see if we can get more.  More is good;
more customers, more salespeople, more real estate, more power.  Our success often comes at the expense of others.

What if we took a different approach?  What if you base your success on how much you give instead of how much you receive? 

Could you give that customer to a colleague knowing that they would probably be a better fit for each other?
Could you ship that order for free knowing it would help your customer be more profitable - without them asking for it?
Could you mentor salesperson on another team that competes with you?

The business world expects you to want something for the things you give. 

Take a different approach: differentiate yourself or your company by the story of your generosity.  Use your skills as a shining light to accelerate the growth of those around you.  Think long term relationships instead of short term gain.  Be okay with getting taking advantage of by some -- the ones you really want along for the ride will outweigh them.  Have your customers tell others of the great things you did for them because you gave more than expected.  Be indispensable at work because you always help your peers become successful.

The next time you need something, give more than you have to.  You're in it for the long haul, and by creating a culture of giving, you'll get more back than you expect the next time.

Integrity

As defined by Merriam-Webster: "The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness."

Integrity is a powerful quality.  I argue we're born with it. With some, it gets whittled away little by little to nothing. With others, it is the one thing that is consistent throughout their lives.  Driving our decision-making, our world view, and our choices, it is something one can count as asset or a liability. 

Life is full of unknowns and variables, and it is often our integrity that guides us.

Integrity is why we choose to walk away from a bad deal.
Integrity is why we think beyond ourselves and how our actions affect the rest of the organization.
Integrity is why we don't force inventory on customers to make our quota.
Integrity is why we agree that commission should go to someone else.
Integrity is why we share information that may help others.
Integrity is why we fire bad customers.

When you deal with a customer, what drives you the most? Closing the deal at any cost or thinking about a future together?

When you compete with a co-worker for business, are you hiding information that results in more resources being used?

When you make a mistake, do you admit it freely or find ways to hide it or shift blame?

You drive through the crossroads of integrity every day in all of your business relationships.  You choose at these moments your success and your legacy. 

By choosing integrity, you choose to be surrounded by others who share that same view.

It is here where your customers find you irreplaceable and where you and you co-workers create a culture where work has meaning and purpose.

What Can You Stop Doing?

What are you going stop doing in your business this year?

We often get bogged down in big plans and initiatives, but we often forget to examine and cut loose the things dragging down our bottom line.

Things to consider stopping or cutting loose:

1) That failing business unit that's been unprofitable but you keep hoping it will turn around

2) That "hard-working" salesperson who has missed quota the last six months 

3) That policy that helps you avoid risk but makes it twice as hard for your customers to buy

4) That manager that keeps chasing away good employees because of his management style

5) That monthly management meeting that is heavy in spreadsheets and light on inspiration

6) That lack of trust in your front line employees 

Make the decision, pull the trigger, and let go of those things hindering your growth. 

Brown M&Ms

You may remember a story from the 1980s about Van Halen and browm M&Ms.

The story goes that the band demanded in their catering contract that no brown M&M we're allowed backstage.

This story has been re-told many times in the context of a ego-maniacal hair band abusing their power at the peak of their popularity.  However, this take is incorrect.

It turns out that Van Halen used this as barometer for how much the concert venue and promoter paid attention to their overall requirements.

Van Halen was one of the first bands of the Eighties that took concert production to the next level.  While other bands showed up with a couple tractor-trailers, they showed up with nineteen sometimes.
They knew they were dealing with a technical house of cards, and they needed to make sure that everyone was on the same page about the importance of all their requirements to have a successful and safe show.

We all have our "brown M&Ms" as customers.  It may be the price of orange juice at the supermarket, how quickly your order ships, or how long it takes your account manager to respond to issues.

As a supplier, you need to understand that your customers are evaluating every part of the business relationship.  A minor detail to you may be a major indicator to your customer.

You know the weak links in your business.  They don't exist on an island, thus the word "link".
It may be a process, a person, or a policy.  Address it today. 

The Power of Why

In many organizations, those that ask "Why?" are seen as "negative" or "not aligned". 

They become the squeaky wheels who seem to always derail meetings. (on a side note, most meetings stink and should be derailed-that's for another day)

"Why?" is one of the most powerful things that can come out of our mouths.  It is the basis for scientific thought.  Unless you don't want to apply any science to your business, I'm confused about the disdain for this question.

I find it humorous when those in charge try to apply the chain of command as a reason for not allowing "why" to exist.  Is your business a matter of life and death?  If not, then there is always room for questioning previous decision--especially if its in the service of growing the business or improving the story about the company.

"Why?" gets us to the heart of the matter.  It uncovers the true reason for a process.  It doesn't assume anything, just asks for more clarification.   It does, however, demand an answer.

Maybe those who seem annoyed by the question, either don't know (which may show vulnerability), don't like the loss of control, or are disappointed that they've been towing the line without asking "why?" themselves.

Top Down

There is plenty of advice and reinforcement out there about taking control of your career and destiny.  We are all learning that you need to make things happen versus waiting to be tapped on the shoulder for that promotion.

This is translating into unsanctioned meetings among work peers, trying to get things done, solving problems, and changing the work culture.

The problem occurs when this is the only way change happens.
Organizations have superiors/bosses/leaders for a reason: to make decisions and move things forward.

When a leadership or decision-making vacuum exists, and things are moving not forward, employees grow restless and frustrated.  Those ad hoc meetings may come up with solutions, but the final OK often lies up the chain of the command.

Decisions (even wrong ones) and change need to happen on a regular basis.  An organization is either growing and improving or is is contracting and decaying.  Status quo means leaders are failing to own decisions and fearful of putting their stamp on something new.

Yes, we know its up to us to improve our lot in life or to fix something we see needs fixing.  But we also know that a leadership strategy that includes taking the safe road doesn't inspire us nor does it give us a light at the end of the tunnel.  Its tiring, and if its about "grass roots", then what do we need our superiors for?

Corporate culture shaping from the bottom up is a great story, but so is visionary leadership that has us excited to get to work every day.

How Much More?

In business, more is typically synonymous with better.
Is more always better?

It depends.  Let's not confuse more attention, more focus, and more control with more customers, more products lines, and more expansion. 

A salesperson can chose to have more customers in her portfolio, or to focus on paying more attention to a smaller group of high quality customers.

A product manger can chose to have more product lines in his offering, or chose to the be the best at a smaller offering of products, creating more value for both his customers and his vendors.

A company can chose to expand into every market they see an inkling of competition, diluting its brand and confusing its customers, or it can be comfortable with its core customers and its market share in the service of keeping a more consistent and enduring identity.

In a world where the story of your brand is more important than ever, you need to decide how much more and what kind of more you want.

Big Mouth Strikes Again

We now have the ability to tell almost every one in the world about every conscious thought and every event we experience.

This goes for both individuals and organizations using social media.

Like a lot of things in life, just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

Social media is like alcohol: it often amplifies the personality of the person using it. 
It can be used to feed your narcissism (applies to both individuals and organizations) or it can be used as means to share knowledge and insights and continue being relevant.

If you're going to have a big mouth in social media, make sure your ears are just as big. 
Social media is a two-way street.  Your pontificating and witty posts aren't relevant unless you are giving feedback to others.

And you've heard me say this before:  no one is important, influential, or enlightened enough to tweet five times in one hour.

Need To Know Basis

Is your company filled with people who hoard and refuse to disseminate information- information that would make you more competitive and proactive in your industry?

These individuals often treat information as currency, using it as the last hope of  any value they may have in the company.  They also find it almost insubordinate when info gets out without their blessing.

Maybe they remember a time in which information was linear, where the pathway (and bottleneck) started and stopped with them, perhaps based on a relationship they owned or their title.

Information is no longer linear -- it is exponential and networked.
Business today is based on the power of sharing info, not constricting it.

We are no longer on a need to know basis.
We'll determine what we need to know, and we'll get the information we need.




 

The Perfect Sales Candidate

A friend of mine was recently turned down for a position selling web hosting services for a well-known mega online retailer.  This was after four interviews and presentation in front of over 100 current employees in the west coast headquarters.

Again, a sales position.  Not a management or executive position.

In my experience in sales, I've seen the pendulum swing from "we need people with the technical knowledge to sell our products" to "we need people who can just sell anything" -- and then the pendulum swings back again the other way.

Who is a perfect sales candidate for your company? 

Do they need to be someone poached from the competitor so they come with a book of business?
Do they need to be someone who could sell a ketchup popcicle to a woman in white gloves? (Tommy Boy reference by the way)
Do they need to be a "self starter" that "takes initiative" and is "highly competitive".
Do they need to be someone who can "talk the talk" of nuances of the products.

We all have a different picture of the profile of a good salesperson.  Some of us think 20 years of direct industry experience is the deciding factor.  Some of us think its the fast-talking, objection deflector car salesman type.

Think about the last time you bought a product with the assistance of a person (in any type of position) that made you feel good about the purchase.  Was it the style or approach? Was it the technical knowledge?

I argue the best sales person is able to transform themselves from technical guru to pain funnel expert when needed.  Bottom line, this takes a high level of emotional intelligence to be able to pick up on the cues from the customer of what type of sales person you need to be at that moment.

The problem is that you can't find the out in a series of interviews or a presentation.  You also shouldn't base your decision mostly on the technical aptitude of the candidate, because you can teach "technical", you can't teach emotional intelligence. 

Interviews should be a way to mitigate the risk of your decision, but there will always be an inherent risk in hiring a new salesperson. (that's also why, you should do everything you can to keep good salespeople by the way)

The best indicator of a great salesperson is the body of work and the variety of life experience.
Use this as your judge, and take the leap. 

Your best laid plans for finding and hiring the perfect candidate are going to be wrecked by countless salespeople that disappoint you in the future. Did you think your close rate on hiring great sales people was going to be 100% because you've created the perfect hiring process?