Strategies for Winning All the Business You Want.
Category
Relationships
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05.10.112 Myths and 1 Absolute for Making Your Employees BetterMotivating and getting your staff to be as good as, or better than you, is an ongoing challenge. And, although I am not the perfect boss, I have certainly learned some truths over the past 15 years with both my own employees and through consulting on the inner workings of high producing financial services firms. In financial services, the employees often deal directly with clients and prospective clients. Their interactions are critical to the success of the organization. Here are 2 myths and one absolute for creating a better more aligned staff: Pay them at or above industry standard and they ...
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04.26.11Does Your Staff Take Immediate Action?It used to be that if you asked someone to do something, it got done immediately. In the “old days” your employees listened and acted exactly as you said. That’s how they kept their job. But today, because of the swarm of communication that happens in a day - directives, projects, initiatives, emails, face-to-face conversations and instant messages – it isn’t easy for an employee to intake all the details, especially verbally, and then prioritize them correctly and get them done right with one request. Even if you think you are crystal clear. Some of it is their fault and some ...
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04.20.11Adding A Simple Referral System Into Your BusinessPositive word of mouth is one of the most coveted outcomes of great products and service. It is also possibly the best thing that can happen to any business. A good reputation (that people are talking about) generates referrals -- which are often the most profitable leads that a business can receive. Clients acquired through referrals are more loyal, easier to close, more cost efficient; and in turn are often the ones to give you even more referrals. Consumers today trust a personal recommendation over traditional advertising, brochure, website, or other company communications. According ...
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03.16.11Promises to Clients You Can’t KeepDid you ever make a big promise you can’t keep? Oftentimes there is a disconnect separating what we commit to do and what we actually can deliver. And not delivering on a promise is far worse than never committing to do something in the first place. At a hotel this week I was offered 3 things at check in. It was midnight and I was tired, but I did answer the questions of the employee at registration. First he asked me if I wanted a USA Today newspaper in the morning. I said that I would. ...
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03.15.11Guest Blog: Better Service Equals Better ReferralsGuest Blog from Bill Cates, President of Referral Coach International Know Your Competition When you know your competition well, it not only gives you a selling advantage early on, but also continues to help you serve and sell to your client throughout the relationship. You should always serve your clients with the knowledge that they are your competitors’ prospects. Do you know what pressures your clients are under to move their business? Do you know what they say to all those other financial professionals who call them? If you don't, I ...
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02.02.11Are you a good boss?Are you a good boss? Really? I know when I ask myself that question, I come to the conclusion that I could be better. So what makes a good boss, and how can we get better? In the January/February issue of Harvard Business Review an article on becoming a great boss offers research and some key tips for improving as a boss. A good boss is typically influential. But where does the influence come from? Fear? Likability? Actually, true sustainable influence seems to be rooted in trust. Your employees may be listening to every word you say and how ...
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01.26.11Unconditional FansWin or lose, true fans don’t stop cheering for their team. Unconditional fans cheer for their favorite team to win again and again, to move closer and closer to their goals (beating a rival, clinching a series, winning a championship, etc). When our team is losing, we figure out ways to cheer for them some more (rally caps on!). And when they pull through, we share in their success, feeling like winners ourselves because we had our allegiance in the right spot. It is the same for true fans of your business. A fan ...
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01.19.11Cultivating Relationships NOT Worth the Time?Proactively cultivating relationships is often an afterthought. We are just too busy trying to get through the workload directly in front of us. And, relationships are not what we DO in our businesses, right? Most firms are not in the “relationship business.” You are in the [INSERT your core offering] business. Simply spoken: We need sales, not more friends! STOP RIGHT THERE!! Above is an excuse that we often create (myself included), subconsciously or consciously, for not finding the time to do one of the most important things directly affecting growth and profitability. Intuitively ...
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01.12.11People Do Business With You…But Why?Why do people do business with you? Is it because of WHAT you do or is it because of WHY you do it? According to author and thought leader Simon Sinek, people buy the “why.” Over the past few weeks I’ve been asking clients and other professionals their “why.” Many times it doesn’t seem clearly defined. I do believe the “why” is critically important in business, and if you watch Sinek’s short lecture on TED video, you may see a different perspective on its importance too. In this TED video, Sinek explains what he believes to ...
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12.22.10Better to Give than to be GratefulI received 3 email newsletters this week where the authors share with their readers all that they are grateful for. And although it is certainly good to be grateful, it seems to me that something is missing – a focus on others. I do understand that we find ourselves reflecting and thinking about what we are grateful for during this time of year. However, when truly connecting with others (in conversation, in a sales situation, in an email newsletter, etc) it is much more about how they feel than how you feel. And ...
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