Category Archives: Mistakes

Are You Selling To Please Yourself Or Your Client?

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111914 Your OfferThere is a lot of value in being disappointed and failing in business.  Each disappointment and failure signals something that is not working in your business.  Once you see what is not working then you can change it, fix it, or just plain toss it away and not do it anymore.  Looking at what is not working sounds rather benign on paper; however on the playing field it can be painful for you, the entrepreneur, to face the fact that something you have put a lot of time and energy into is not working.

One of my clients had a brilliant idea.  In order to stimulate sales and bring in new clients, she would reduce her fee for service by 40% for a certain length of time.  She went about crafting her offer, designing special graphics, carefully composing emails about the offer and with much fanfare introduced her deeply reduced fee for service to her large list of potential clients.  What happened?  Nothing.  The offer bombed, and all the weeks of crafting, composing, and marketing was time wasted.

Another client has been selling a product to his target market for several years.  He has always told the potential buyer about the benefits and the limits of the product.  Sales were increasing steadily, but not dramatically.  He knew something was not working as it should.  After all, he always told the potential client what the product would not do as well as what the benefits were.  Why wasn’t his sales offering working as it should?

Both coaching clients came to their coaching session upset with their potential buyers.  They blamed the buyer for not understanding their offers.  “After all,” they said “My offer is wonderful.  Why isn’t the potential buyer buying?”

The answer to both coaching clients turned out to be the same.  They had forgotten WHO they were selling to.  They had made the assumption that the potential client knew their product offering as well as they did, when in fact, clearly evidenced by the disappointing sales numbers, the potential client didn’t understand the offer.  They didn’t see what they would be getting for their money so they declined the offer.  Once my client began to look at the offer through the eyes and mind of his potential client—his specific target market who he calls The One—he could see how to change the offer so it was appealing  

In the first instance, the coaching client could adjust the offer of the discounted fee for service by clearly listing what benefits the potential client would receive by accepting the offer.  The benefits would be written in such a way that would speak the language of the potential target client.  The potential client would want what the person was selling because it spoke to his needs.

In the second instance, the seller saw that in his quest for being honest and straight about what the product would not do, he didn’t specifically highlight what the product would do for the client.  He had been emphasizing the short fall, NOT the benefits.  The clients were left confused.

Do a thorough debriefing about your business failures with the intention of finding out what didn’t work.  It is essential to your entrepreneurial process.  Only when you see clearly why something didn’t work can you change it so that it does work.  The real proving ground for the success of every offer is through the eyes and ears of your target market, the specific person, the One.  If the One won’t buy the offer, find out why.

I am looking forward to hearing from you about this topic.

 

Do Your Emails Ruin Your Relationships?

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Communication8.6.14There are “about” 59,900,000 submissions regarding Email Etiquette on the internet, according to Google.

I suspect if you were quizzed about the proper etiquette for emails you would ace the test. That is, if you knew there was going to be quiz. However, every day the wonder of email is being abused. Feelings are hurt, people are misunderstood, and people are even being fired by email.

We see it all the time in politics, people publicly humiliated because some governmental committee has subpoenaed their emails. And there it is out in the open for everyone to see—how snarky and unprofessional the subpoenaed person is—all because of their emails.

And yet, we continue to use emails as a way to express ourselves without abandon. And email abuse continues on its merry way in our lives.

One of the times that our emails do not serve us is when we are angry. Say we have been sending emails to someone about something delicate. The money they owe you. And their only response has been silence. Often times we get angrier and angrier and so do our emails. Instead try this: pick up the telephone and call them—actually talk about the situation in real time. You may find out something has happened that prevented them from paying you. You may together find a solution that works for both of you if you talk it out.

There is something about being present, even on the telephone that can soothe hurt feelings and also give both parties an opportunity to work with each other instead of against each other.

If you think about it, world peace negotiations are done in person not via email. There is a reason for that. Face to face, person to person works. Granted you are not in disastrous situations but it may seem that way to you in your personal corner of the world. Imagine what you could work out with your staff, clients and colleagues, if you did the same thing—talk about the situation in person.

There is something about the personal touch that makes a huge difference with people. Please use it as much as you can. Think about this the next time you decide to write an angry email about some challenge or slight. It could make a huge difference in the quality of your business and personal relationships.

As always, I look forward to hearing from you about this topic. Your comments always enrich the conversation. Please write your comments below.

photo courtesy of Freedigitalphoto.net

Are You Resisting Change?

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Resisting Change“Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.”
Legendary Basketball Coach, John Wooden

There you are looking at your results, knowing once again, clearly you failed.  The results are there staring at you, pointing their fingers at the failure sign above your head.  What do you do?  Once you have determined that something in your approach has to change, do you make the change?  Probably not.  If you are like me, you most likely try the same thing again, hoping you will have a different result.

What is it about change that we resist so much?  I did some research.  Lisa Quast, in Forbes, summarized it succinctly:

  1. Fear of the unknown/surprise
  2. Mistrust
  3. Loss of security/control
  4. Bad timing
  5. An individual’s predisposition

Bingo!  If you have 3 out of 5 reasons residing in you, you resist change.  So what are you going to do about it when you know that change is calling you?

I suggest that you do some work using the above 5 factors to be your guide.  Set aside some time and grab some paper and begin to write down your answers.

Ask yourself:

  • What am I afraid of?
  • Am I surprised about the change required?  And why?
  • Who do I not trust about making the change?  And why?
  • What about this change makes me feel insecure and out of control?
  • How does the timing of the change affect me and my business?
  • How am I about change in general?  Do I always resist change?  Why is that?

Allow yourself time to reflect on the answers and you may be surprised by them.  When you are honest with yourself, you can develop a strategy for the change that won’t be so jarring.  You will feel in control, and you can plan the timing of the change.  Who knows, you may even begin to like change.

I look forward to hearing your comments about this topic and what happened when you took a look at the change by answering the questions above.

What Does Drucker Have To Do With My Life?

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Chair on ocean-smallWe have been discussing the brilliant work of Peter Drucker.  He was the leader in the development of management education and invented “management by objectives”.  He wrote dozens of books about business and management.  Drucker was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2002.  Our discussion is based on Drucker’s 12 Keys to Success (http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericwagner/2013/05/07/entrepreneurship-according-to-drucker-your-12-keys-to-success/).

I received a thoughtful comment from a reader.  The nugget of the comment was now that he is retired he doesn’t have anything to manage except his life.  Of course, that too is a big job.

Perhaps, you too are thinking the same.  What does this have to do with me?  I am retired now and business is behind me. 

I think that the principles of Drucker’s 12 Keys to Success also apply to living a successful life.  Perhaps if you apply these keys to living a life you love, you may find that your life is more satisfying and meaningful.  Please try it on and tell me where I am wrong.

Today let’s look at Keys 6, 7, and 8 with the viewpoint of how do they apply to my life.

Key 6: “Measure innovations by what they contribute to market and customer.”

Let’s look at this key in reverse.  How do the changes that you make in your life contribute to you?  I am substituting the word “changes” for the word “innovations”.

Each change we make to our life is our innovation.  We do this to live a more satisfying and perhaps more comfortable life.  You can ask the question: Does this change contribute to me or am I doing it just for the sake of change?  If you drill down in the question you may find that most of changes that you make don’t make one iota of difference to you.  You are changing something for the sake of change.  If that is so, I respectfully say: Stop It!

Secondly, do the changes that you make contribute to your circle of influence?  The phrase circle of influence is your market.  Customarily, we make changes without a thought about how that change affects others.  I think that is a mistake.  When you make a change, consider if it is a contribution to others.  If not, you may want to re-consider the action.

Key 7: “Often a prescription drug designed for a specific ailment ends up being used for some other quite different ailment.”

You planned for something that you created in your life to be useful in a certain way.  It wasn’t, but instead is an inspiration to someone that you hadn’t even thought of!  Instead of being disappointed, it would be more valuable to celebrate that you made a difference.

Just because it didn’t turn out how you thought it would, it still turned out.

Key 8: “Innovative ideas are like frogs’ eggs: of a thousand hatched, only one or two survive to maturity.”

And that is the key to living a life well.  We try things, they didn’t work.  However, you don’t stop trying new things, failing and trying again.  This way of living—finding in failure the need to try again differently—can bring more joy and satisfaction to your life.

I am looking forward to hearing from you in the comments below.  Please share about the changes that you have made and how they have contributed to you and others.  Bonus points if you also share where you have failed and what you did to turn it into a win.

The First 2 Keys to Being A Successful Entrepreneur

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flashlightThere’s a difference between an entrepreneur and a small business owner.  Small business owners own small businesses.  Entrepreneurs solve problems.

-Simon Sinek

 If you are struggling getting your new business venture off the ground, it is time to visit with one of the masters of business success, Peter Drucker.  He was the leader in the development of management education and invented “management by objectives”.  He wrote dozens of books about business and management.  Drucker was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2002.

The article by Eric Wagner, contributor to Forbes Magazine, lists Drucker’s 12 Keys to success (http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericwagner/2013/05/07/entrepreneurship-according-to-drucker-your-12-keys-to-success/).

Today, we are going to look at the first 2 keys and see if you fit Drucker’s keys to being an entrepreneur. 

Key 1: “Those who perform love what they’re doing.”

This is an important first step to your knowing if you can fill the shoes of an entrepreneur.  If you are working because you have to and are only working to make a living, you are better fitted to be in a business or to work in a business.  Entrepreneurship may not be in your DNA. 

However, if you love doing what you are doing and also of course, want to make money doing it, then you fit the first key of being an entrepreneur.  To many people this seems strange, or even revolutionary, the very idea that you can love your work.  Many people have lived their entire lives so run by what they are supposed to do, or with what will make them look good to other people, that they have never discovered what it is they truly love to do.  It’s never too late to find out; without it you will quickly lose interest as you begin to develop your business.

You may find out that you are not suited for entrepreneurship when you hit the first or the tenth pot hole in the road to success.  Suddenly, you hate your work and can’t wait for each day to end.  If you are reading this and say, “that’s me”, it’s time to re-examine your commitment to the venture.

Key 2.“Successful entrepreneurs do not wait until “the Muse kisses them” and gives them a bright idea; they go to work.”

The key here is the last phrase: they go to work.  Are you waiting to start starting?  Then go to work.  Are you waiting for X to occur?  Take the first step; go to work.  X will either happen or not, but the going to work will lead you to the next step and the next step—you get the picture.

Might you make mistakes?  I certainly hope so, since that will show you what is working and what is not.  Remember failure is good.  All failures show that, number one, you are working, and that, number two, the failed action wasn’t the right one.  Only by going to work will you find out what is next.

I am looking forward to your comments and reactions about the first 2 keys to entrepreneurial success.  As always, I appreciate you and your comments!

 

Photo Courtesy of Oomf.

My goals are there for me to take action…

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circuit of love“My goals are there for me to take action, and if I can stay somewhat unattached to the outcome I can deal with setbacks with more grace and ease, while inventing a new course of action.”  Chris Henry, Fine Art

Last week, our focus was on making mistakes instead of New Year’s Resolutions ( http://susanjamescoach.com/new-years-resolution-hack-a-guide-to-making-them-work-out/ )

I hit a nerve.  Readers know that there is more to making a resolution than just making it and hoping that it will work out.  In fact, in a study by University of Scranton, Journal of Clinical Psychology, 2 out of 3 people make resolutions, but only 8% of the people who make resolutions keep them.

Look at what Chris Henry says: “I like what you said about mistakes, and for me it’s always a question of how long will I let this issue or mistake stop me? As an artist it’s a prerequisite to doing good art. I need to make mistakes and create bad art before I can create good or great art.

“I know from experience that having a support structure: a coach, or a team of people to go to when things get difficult, allows for new ideas or courses of action that I may not see on my own.  Thanks again Susan for your words of wisdom!  Here’s to an awesome 2014!”

Here are the cogent points.the development of the soul

1. How long will I let this mistake stop me?  The best practice is, first of all, to know that you will make mistakes and then set a limit on how long you will beat yourself up for making one.  5 minutes?  One day?  Your lifetime?

2. Know that making mistakes and correcting them leads to making something great.  You might have to “pivot and switch” what you are doing.  Really, if it works great by changing aren’t you happier?

3. Have a support structure: a coach, a team of experts, a person who is committed to your success.  Trust them; ask them what they would do.  Allow them to point out what you haven’t thought of on your own.

4. Try new things, know they might work out, or not.  Your intention to succeed is more important than the mistakes you make.  Most of our greatest inventions were the result of a mistake.  Penicillin was a lab accident.  Thomas Edison, the inventor of the light bulb, said: “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

I am looking forward to hearing from you regarding making mistakes and what you have learned!

art courtesy of Chris Henry, Fine Art http://chrishenryfineart.com