Keep on T.R.A.C.K ing...

Asking for questions from the audience can be a risky business...

On stage at a conference I was speaking at, before I started, I asked what questions people had, and what content would give them value from the next two hours...

"Can you take us through the basic steps of building a business, without any of the fluff and  bullshit that most Speakers waffle on about...?"

I looked around the room and found that everyone was nodding and agreeing with the sentiment - this had to be down to earth, practical and straight forwards...

So we had a discussion about my T.R.A.C.K model of building any business, they loved it and I didn't get lynched - so I thought I'd share the principles with you...

T - Target

What is your target market...?

Be absolutely clear what customers you want to attract to your business, find out who they are, what they do, where they live, what car they drive; then you can send messages to them through your Marketing that will make sense to them and encourage them to work with you or buy from you. Find out how they communicate, and what needs they have that they will actually pay for - then build your products and services accordingly.

R - Relationship

Build a Relationship before they buy from you...

People buy emotionally, they buy from people the Know, Like and Trust. We are not in the business of building a Brand, we are in the business of building a reputation, and through our Above the Line Marketing we can build this reputation so that when people contact your business the relationship is already in place and they are ready to buy.

A - Attract

You are in the Marketing Business too...

Marketing is a process not an event. The only purpose of Marketing whether it be Above or  Below the Line, is that it gets the 'phone to ring or generates the email or click through on the website. Attracting people to buy what may be an invisible intangible service means making it appear more tangible and visible, the quality of your attraction strategy will not only define your conversion rates, but the rate of growth of your business.

C - Close

And you are in the Selling Business too...

When you get the first three right, selling is easy because you will only be speaking with people who actually want to buy. But you have to have a process of selling from the way the initial contact is handled through to collecting the cheque. Remember, marketing is really expensive if you don't close the prospects and enable them to become customers; be unique, be the most expensive, but Always Be Closing...

K - Keep

Long term customers are profitable customers...

When you have a great customer, make sure you keep them. Have customer service that is amazing, continually offer great value that exceeds their expectations, encourage referrals and most of all keep the relationship strong. Your customers came to you because they felt the Knew, Liked and Trusted you - prove them right every time and they will keep coming back and bring like minded people with them.

So, there you have it - "the basic steps of building a business, without any of the fluff and  bullshit that most Speakers waffle on about..."

Have a great week - look forward to your comments...

Check out our website at www.resultsrulesok.com 

The Eaten Trifles...

Is your business fit enough to take on the competition…?

When the Jam released the single The Eton Rifles in 1979, they were singing about the Right to Work Protesters who in 1978 while in marching through Slough, thought it would be a good idea to attack the students of Eton College – as they represented the social elite against which the protest was aimed…

Thinking that a large group of protesters would easily beat up a smaller group of “posh” students seemed to make sense, however, the fitter, stronger and better disciplined group of Eton College Officer Training Corps won the fight and sent the marchers “beaten and bloody and sick down their shirts…” on their way…

How was this possible…?

How did a small group of “posh” students beat a mob of angry protesters, who on paper at least, were more suited to street fighting and brawling…?

What can we learn from them so that in business we win against the odds and effectively fight above our weight…

Fitness – “sup up your beer and collect your fags…” Beer and Fags are never a good idea. Getting your business into peak condition will mean that you will be able to consistently outperform your competitors.

In business as in life, fitness means training; it is not good enough anymore to simply be good technicians in the business. We are in the Customer Service business, and our activities should reflect this; Profitable Sales, Service, Relationships and Added Value must be the focus of everyone in your company.

Don’t let your company develop a Beer and Fags mentality; you simply won’t keep up…

Differentiation – “you didn’t take a peep at their artillery room…” Make sure you are better equipped than your competitors. What is your USP; how good are you at what you do, what is the experience of working with you like…?

If I was to line you and 6 of your competitors up against a wall, how would I choose between you all…? If prospects can’t sense a difference that is valuable to them then they will simply differentiate on price, and go for the cheapest.

Your Unique Sales Proposition is the most powerful weapon you have in your “artillery room” and one that will enable you to blow the competition away…  

Belief – “what chance have you got against a tie and a crest…?” Rallying around the flag will do wonders for morale, spirits and performance. Does your team believe in what you stand for; are they proud to be associated with you..?

Your team will be either your greatest liability or greatest asset; it really depends on you and your levels of leadership. Is your Vision and Purpose clear to everyone…?

Does everyone actually believe in the Mission and Values of your company..? If they have as much passion for the business as you do, having the camaraderie and team spirit that shines through – they will be unbeatable – and make your life easier too…

Team – “all that rugby puts hairs on your chest…" As times get hard, you need the best people to jump into the fray with you. Playing as a team is the best way to build spirit, resilience and results that will keep your clients coming back again and again.

Business can be tough, you have to have a team that will fight with you and support each other regardless of the challenges you face. Encourage your people to play at a higher level, allow them to make mistakes and develop their levels of experience. Battle proven troops are the hardest to manage, but they are also the most effective.

If you train them well at some point they may leave you – but imagine if you don’t train them and they stay…

So keep your business fit, lay off the Trifles and forget the Beer and Fags – it’s time to get your business in shape and make a new START!

Take a look at the Jam HERE

And you can check our website out at www.resultsrulesok.com  

Shelley’s Heroes…

When…

…choirs of crimson angels shatter your sleep felt dreams and draw down darkness that obscures your solitary guiding light… 

…Machiavellian blades cut your silken threads of hope that once pulled you towards a future of promise, prosperity and purpose …

…the pain of giving up seems less than carrying on, when sirens of the bottle the powder the bridge or the rope are calling with false promise of passionate release…

Then…

…this is where the heroes of Shelley are made; rise like lions after slumber and shake your chains to earth like dew which in sleep had fallen upon you…

…you are many and they are few – for you are the Entrepreneurs; the future and the rewards already belong to you…

…know it is darkest just before the dawn; a bitter finale from the demons we create in our image attempting to break us before vanishing in the glow of the new day…

For…

…we are the Entrepreneurs, the special the tough, the damaged and proud. Not for us the quiet path of stability and pay checks, of holidays and sick days...

…we choose another way, knowing our salvation lies within the fear that enslaves us; we never give in, we never give up and in the end we know that we will win…

…we are the Entrepreneurs – we are many and they are few... 

With Inspiration from Shelley - The Masque of Anarchy 1819 

Email - davidholland@resultsrulesok.com

Check out our next event - LINK

Cults - business lessons from the Dark Side...

The concept of a “Cult” was introduced by Howard P. Becker in 1932 when he attempted to distinguish between different types of religious behaviours; Churchly, Sectarian and Mystical.

 

A Cult is described as; “A system of religious veneration and devotion directed toward a particular figure or object...” Source Dictionary.com

In 2006 while walking through the centre of Birmingham in the UK, I was asked by a young woman if I had a few minutes to spare to take part in some “research”. Intrigued, I agreed and was escorted to an office building with a room containing several cubicles, each containing a desk, two chairs and a piece of electrical equipment. 

I chose one of the desks – they were all empty – and the “research” began…

Holding a cylindrical metal electrode in each hand, the woman proceeded to ask me a series of questions about my life; professional and personal. After a few minutes she explained that I had completed the “research” and she was pleased to tell me that I had no issues to be concerned about.

She then asked me if I would like to buy a book for £10.00; seemed reasonable so I agreed. She handed me a form to complete and then she went to get the book from the store room…

When she returned she looked at me and said “This is unbelievable, you will never believe this…”

Apparently, of the dozen or so testing machines in the office, one had broken and she had contacted one of the founder members of her organisation to borrow his while the other was being repaired. Turns out that the guy she borrowed the machine from was called David Holland, and for identification purposes his name had been written on the base of the machine – the machine that I chose to use at random as I entered the office…

We shared the “un-believability” of the moment and with my book in hand I left the building and walked to a near coffee shop to take a look at the book I had purchased…

The book was Dianetics by L Ron Hubbard and I had just experienced the first stage of a structured recruitment program into the Church of Scientology; I didn’t take my application any further…

So what do Cults have that we can learn in business, how can some people attract large followings of evangelical believers into their organisation, while others struggle…?

There are thought to be over 1500 organisations classified as Cults in the world, ranging from the Moonies and The Heavens Gate to Avatar and The Solar Temple. Some can be extremely dangerous and manipulative to all that engage with them; but they remain an attractive proposition to many people, indeed enough people to make the founders wealthy and powerful.

Cults have a number of traits that make them attractive, and the same traits can be used in business; ethically of course… 

1. Dictatorial Leadership – an individual that sets the scene and defines the rules, vision and purpose of the organisation. Instructions may include clothing that should be worn and how people are to behave with each other, and only speak in positive terms about the organisation.

2. Rituals – every Cult has its rituals, sayings, slogans and mantra. These are the binding forces that give people common ground and a sense of inclusivity. If anyone does not comply with the accepted norms of the group they are disciplined or excluded. 

3. Artefacts – the best Cults have books and icons at their centre. These artefacts make a seemingly intangible ideology come to life and become somehow real and visible. I recall attending an “Avatar” weekend, and being subjected to extensive readings of “the book of Harry...” by Harry Palmer who was too extreme for Scientology so started Avatar instead…
 

4. Growth – the group is pre occupied with growth and the attracting of new members. Growth is seen as being the only way to spread the word and ensure sustainability.

5. Elitist – the group feels that it is elite and somehow better than the rest of society; they have divine right to practice their teachings and are evangelical in their support. Hence the double electrodes in Birmingham…

  

If we simply change the headings of the above to;

1.       Strong Leadership – set the Vision. Mission and Purpose of the organisation…

2.       Rules of the Game – define how people should behave and treat each other…

3.       Marketing and Sales – have tangible products & services that  stand out…

4.       Business Development – Client growth is the focus for everyone…

5.       Excellence and Uniqueness – define your niche and dominate it…

Then we have the makings of a very successful business with loyalty from the team and customers alike – the same principles that make Cults a success can be applied to make your business a success too…

Thanks for reading – your feedback is welcome…

Check out our website www.resultsrulesok.com

Next Events;

UK – 12^th July 2013, Birmingham – no electrodes this time - click HERE for more details…

Luxembourg – 21^st June, Luxembourg – click HERE for details…

Business Lessons from the Hooker-Booker

After delivering the Workshop, we adjourned to the bar for a well-earned glass of Champagne.  As I ordered the drinks, I noticed that the girl sat at the bar next to me had two mobile ‘phones in front of her – so in order to make conversation I said – “those two make you look like a drug dealer…”

She looked at me, smiled and said – “different commodity, same process…”

I must have looked confused; “I’m a hooker-booker. This ‘phone is for inbound requests and this one is outgoing bookings…”

This somewhat bizarre conversation got me thinking – not about that – but about the 1964 book “The Act of Creation” by Arthur Koestler, in which the principle of Bisociation which “means to join unrelated, often conflicting, information in a new way” was first established. 

In other words – can we improve a product or process by embellishing it with the attributes of another seemingly random, unrelated one..?

So what can the Hooker-Booker teach us about Business…?

1. Sell what Clients want – Hooker –Booking records go back to the 18^th Century BC. Mesopotamians recognised through the Code of Hammurabi that women, including prostitutes, should have rights of inheritance. 

The reason that the industry has been around for so long is simply that clients want what is on offer – there is a demand for the services and therefore regardless of legislation, religion or attitudes, it continues to thrive. 

• Are your products and services really in demand...?
• Do clients want what you are offerinh...?
• How good would your product have to be that you didn’t need to sell it, you had to ration it…?

I see so many businesses that focus all their attention on Marketing and Selling, when what they should be doing is actually looking at their products and services, to see if there is a demand, and if there isn’t adapting to what the needs of the Market.

2. Be Attractive – It pays to be attractive. Remember that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, not the mirror; you need to be attractive to your clients. They may see what you don’t, so you need to know what they are looking for and what makes your proposition attractive to them. 

Sisters Louise and Martine Fokkens had been working as prostitutes in Amsterdam up until they retired at the age of 70 – with Louise stating that her arthritis meant that certain positions were simply not possible any more.
  
Someone found these two ladies to be an attractive proposition; between them they had sex with around 350,000 men. It is one thing providing a service that is in demand, but you still have to be able to attract clients to you in order to be in business. 

• How attractive is your business…?
• Do you get noticed amongst all the others that are to you…
• Are you good to do business with, what is your vision and passion…?

Some of the best businesses don’t achieve their potential because they are the best kept secret in their sector; make your business visible, give it a makeover and help it to attract the clients you want. Plus if you are really attractive, you can probably charge more too…
 

3. Have a Niche – in the sex industry there are too many “niches” otherwise known as fetishes to list here. It is clear that clients have a range of interests, and the successful Hooker-Bookers are able to satisfy them by being specific about what they offer. 

A couple of “niches” that they may have to deal with include;

• Dendrophilia - someone having a sexual interest in trees.
• Plushophilia - sexual interest in teddy bears.
• Agalmatophilia - sexual desire for mannequins and statues.
• Mechanophilia – sexual attraction to cars.

Now, as you can imagine the more specific your advertising, the more clients that actually need the type of service you offer will understand exactly what they can expect. Nothing like catering to the wrong fetish to get the clients confused.

• What is your Unique Sales Proposition – what makes you special...?
• Are you catering for a defined niche, or range of niches...?
• Does your marketing promote the niche you excel in...?

Marketing is about filtering, we need to make sure that only prospects who have a need for what you provide actually make contact – if you are the Teddy Bear specialist then say so, it will prevent the Tree Lovers getting confused and disappointed; it will also improve your sales conversion rate.

 4. Positioning – the rules of engagement. Before any services, of the Teddy Bear or otherwise nature are provided, it is really important to establish the boundaries; what is allowed, what is not allowed and how the pricing for services is worked out.

Worldwide, it is thought that prostitution is a $100 Billion business, and although it is by definition unregulated in most of the world, there are common rules and procedures that have been adopted almost universally.
  
In his 1965 publication “Apprenticeships in Prostitution” James H Bryan describes the experiences of 33 call girls entering the business in Los Angeles. The induction training instructed regarding interpersonal behaviour with customers, pitches and sales techniques and how to obtain the maximum fee; the development of an “adequate clientele”
  
In business we rarely have such Apprenticeships, we tend to simply copy what others do and hope for the best, whereas in reality a structured and systemised approach to working with clients would be hugely beneficial. 

• Do you know exactly what your clients expectations are…?
• Is your business systemised such that you and the client know exactly what service to be delivered, and as important what is not…?
• Do your team know what each client wants, are they trained in customer service as well as the technical work they do on behalf of the client…?

Most clients who complain or become disgruntled do so simply because their expectations were not met, and that is likely because their expectations were not established in the first place – it is our responsibility to  

5.Regular Check Ups – health equals wealth.  In 1810 Napoleon insisted that prostitution in the occupied Netherlands be regulated, mainly to protect his soldiers for contracting sexually transmitted diseases rendering them unfit for combat duty. 

Prostitutes were forced to register and undergo mandatory health checks, if they were in the clear they were given a red card as proof, if they were infected they were issued a white card instead and only allowed to work when declared fit.

 How healthy is your business…? 

As the health of people can be checked with a few easy measurements; blood pressure, cholesterol levels, heart rate etc. so can a business. Keeping your business healthy through regular checks on the Key Performance Indicators will ensure that you can keep servicing your clients and not be issued with a white card.  

• What are the key numbers in your business…?
• Have you set targets and objectives for each of them with your team…?
•  Do you measure and review them, and the causes of them on a regular basis…?

Having a budget, forecast and 90 day plan are the very basics when it comes to keeping your business healthy. Each quarter you should know what the objectives are in terms of the results you want to achieve and also the levels of activity you need to undertake in order to ensure they happen – and progress should be reviewed every day if possible.

6. Payment – Sales is Vanity, Profit is Sanity but cash is Reality.  In July 2012 Donna Asutaits was convicted of tax fraud. She had made over £300,000 in less than two years working as a call-girl in London; unfortunately for her she had forgotten that she had to pay tax; she was only caught when police found £73,000 stashed in her flat during a raid.

Lessons we can all learn from Donna are to always get paid (and of course pay our taxes), and that payment up front for services is the ideal – I cannot imagine that anyone using her services would like to receive a statement or request for payment to their home address…
  
When I look at any business I always look in the stock room – these can be physical materials and products stored work in progress, or sales ledger debts. None of us are in the banking business; we are not in the business of loaning money to our clients, if they want money they should talk to their friendly local bank manager - good luck with that...

• Do your measure your debtor days and keep them under control…?
• Is your collection method systemised and understood by your team…?
• Do your terms and conditions give you the strength to collect your money…?

I remember chasing a debt and being told that “every month we put all the bills in a bucket a draw them out for payment until we have no more money left – if you keep chasing yours won’t even make it to the bucket in the first place…”
  
Avoid this situation with great terms and conditions, be clear about late payments and consequences and most of all – be prepared to enforce them. A client is not a client unless they pay you...

 7. The Customer Comes First – no pun intended.  In 2009 Sasha Grey starred as a high class call girl in the movie The Girlfriend Experience, set in the days leading up to the 2008 Presidential Election. 

A Girlfriend Experience, abbreviated to GFE, defines the type of service a client can expect from a call girl. This generally involves more personal interaction with the individual, with a focus on the whole experience rather than just the sex. 
  
So many businesses forget that it is not simply the product or service that is important – it is the context in which it is delivered that makes the difference. We are all in the customer service business, and we need to recognise that relationship and client experience are key factors in building our reputations and client base – being technically competent is not good enough anymore.

• Do you have a customer service charter…?
• How many unsolicited testimonials do you receive...?
• What is the experience of working with you like…?

When describing a purchasing experience, we normally talk about the service we received, not the product itself; context is the emotional justification for a logical purchase, it will also provide the excuse for a client not returning if we don’t manage it.

 8. Repeat Business is Good – safety in numbers. In the USA the murder rate for a prostitute is 204 for every 100,000, making it the most dangerous job in the world. In the 1990’s Melissa Farley and Howard Barkan conducted a study of 130 San Francisco based prostitutes. 

They found that 82% had been physically assaulted, 88% had been physically threatened, and 83% had been threatened with a weapon; when a good safe client is found, it is advisable to hang on to them… 

Safety lies within the predictable, and as much as “regular Johns” are preferred by working girls and guys – so too should we look to keep our regular clients and build long term profitable relationships with them.

• Do you have a customer care program…?
• Do you reward loyalty in your customers and employees…?
• How do you build long term relationships with clients…?

It is said that 80% of marketing expenses are wasted; we just don’t know which 80%; whatever the statistics, marketing and lead generation is the most expensive activity a business can undertake. Much better to keep existing clients and instead of spending on marketing, invest the same amount in building relationships..
 
9. Exit Strategy – paid to leave.  When Charlie Sheen was interviewed about why a man like him would pay for sex, we replied “I don’t pay them for sex I pay them to leave...”

The relationship between the client and the sex worker is by its very nature short term. There is a clear expectation regarding the services to be provided and the payment that will be made in reciprocation, there is also the belief that once the deal has been completed, the relationship is over, the lack of commitment required is a key aspect of the transaction.
  
The walk of shame is almost a rite of passage for college students the world over, a stark reminder of the short attraction spans that lust confuses for us.
  
In Felix Dennis’s excellent book How to get Rich, he suggests that if it Floats, Flies, Feeds or Fornicates – it should be rented not purchased. In business we should take the same approach; getting into business is easy, but getting out is complex.
  
As Steven Covey stated in the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People – Start with the End in Mind. Have an Exit Strategy so you can capitalise on your investment and walk away with your dignity intact.

• Do you have a detailed exit strategy…?
• Is your business “sale ready”…?
• Who will take over from you when you decide to live in Monaco…?

In my experience business owners get too involved in the “ownership” of the business and forget that the reason they got in to business in the first place is to get out of it, or at least it should have been. 
  

For more information on how David can help you in your business drop him a personal email to davidholland@resultsrulesok.com or check out our website at

www.resultsrulesok.com