10 Rules of Business you should Break...

..especially #1 & #5...

I spent 12 years going to college / night-school and university to learn how to run a business. I have an HNC, DMS and an MBA - with distinction if you don't mind...

While the content of the courses was academically interesting and challenging; around 90% of the content was delivered by lecturers who had never actually been in business. Most of them had never had a job outside of academia and simply taught us theory after theory that had been selected from books...

Since then, I have been the CEO of other peoples companies, built and run my own and now, as a Business Coach, have the privilege of supporting other like minded Entrepreneurs and Executives in their quest for achievement.

Along the way I have learned that the Rules of business are not what you think, in fact some of the rules are probably killing your sales and success...

Here are the 10 Rules of Business that you should be breaking... 

1. People buy on Price...

No they don't; unless you let them. People buy on Value, Liking, Knowing and Trusting you and your team. I can hear some saying "ahhh, but my business is special and price is critical..." Unless you are running WalMart, Tesco or Asda it's not necessarily true...

2. Under Promise and Over Deliver... 

Another myth - why would you do this. Simple rule in business, make a promise and keep it consistently. Remember that consistent, reliable excellence will beat occasional brilliance any day...

3. People are motivated by Money...

No they are not - it's just that people are so bad as a boss and leader they need to be paid a lot to put up with them. People respond to recognition, brightness of future, contribution; money satisfies not motivates...

4. Shareholders are the most important people in a Co...

To the Directors they may be as they are employed by them. The most important people in a Co are the CUSTOMERS; shareholders only derive value and returns when the customers do...

5. You need Porsche, Breitling & Gucci to be successful...

I was once told that to be good at sales, I needed a 911; rubbish. People buy people, the more "attractive" you are as a professional and the more value you can deliver, the more successful you will become...

6. Management know what they are doing...

People in suits are not always the experts that they pretend to be - look at Politicians, CEO's and Bankers. Use your instinct, reach out to the next generation and keep learning all the time if you want to stay ahead...

7. You need a Business Plan...

Only when you want money from the Bank; if you have a 50 page plan you won't read it anyway do so don't bother. Get a One Page Plan, build a Vision and Mission then get busy. A plan is only a best guess anyway, and 87% are wrong...

8. Can't start a business without money...

Yes you can - or at least you don't need your own money. Think of crowd funding, friends, family and investors. Remember that OPIUM may be the key - Other Peoples Investment Using Money...

9. 10% net Profit is good...

It is adequate - but don't be limited by these generalised goals. It depends what business you are in, but there is no reason why you can't lead the field in terms of net profitability in your sector...

10. Marketing is expensive...

It is when you don't know what you are doing. Marketing done right delivers a ROI; for every £ or $ you spend on Marketing you should get more back in Profit, if you aren't, then stop doing it, and do something else...

Break the Rules in order to achieve more... 

David is one of the most experienced Coaches in the world. Following a successful career in Engineering, Logistics and Aviation Services as Manager, Director, CEO and Business Owner in the UK, David began his International Business Coaching Career in 2003.

Having now worked with clients in 23 Countries, published over 40 Books on Business and Personal Development and shared the stage with some of the top names in the business, he is highly qualified to deliver unique programs and content to the benefit of his international clients. 

David created Results Rules OK as a leading provider of Business & Executive Coaching Programs and brings together all his experience as a Manager, Business Owner and Entrepreneur to deliver a range of Programs that are all designed with a single objective Client Results…

How to contact David Holland MBA

Telephone – France 0033 387 504 551                        Mobile – 0044 7585 295 574

 Email – davidholland@resultsrulesok.com                Web – www.resultsrulesok.com

“David started working with our group of companies at the end of 2012 in order to help us construct and implement a coherent business plan. He works with us rather than for us and together we have been able to increase our business footprint by over 50%.”

“I have worked with David for the last five years; he does what it says on the tin and gets results. Which to me means creating more profit through increasing my business effectiveness and directing my effort and energy to gain optimum returns."

10 Rules of Life you should Break...

...especially #4 & #9...

Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman wrote a great book on business success - "First, Break all the Rules.."

Click on the LINK to have look on Amazon and get a copy for yourself...

The question is - which rules are you going to break...?

Before we get started - of course I don't mean that you should break the Rule of Law; we know whose rules they are and breaking them can lead to rocks being broken in the hot sun...

Who gave you the Rules...?

In life we have a checklist of activities and rules that we are "expected" to accomplish and comply with, they include;

1. Go to school and get good grades...
2. Get a trade or professional qualification...
3. Find a job and work 2,000 hrs. per year for 45 years...
4. ...then die early so you are not a burden...
5. Live with someone and have 2.1 children...
6. Buy a house with a humongous Mortgage ...
7. Have a Smart phone, German car and Swiss watch...
8. Buy toys and appliances on credit...
9. Trust Politicians, the Banks and big Corporations...
10. Comply with rules 1 to 9...

I guarantee that these "rules" are not written down anywhere (depending what flavour of Religion you choose to believe of course..) they are self-imposed, and become a self-managing regulatory system. We all fall for it, and whilst we may moan and complain about all of them, only 1% of people actually choose to rebel against them...

Look what happens every day when people break these unwritten rules...

• Children who don't "fit the mould" are given named conditions such as ADHD, GAD and OCD then given drugs to control the "disorder" - Ritalin saw a 300% increase in prescriptions between 1999 and 2010.

• Those who aren't academically "qualified" find themselves marginalised and excluded from the workplace - academic inflation has made a Degree compulsory for the majority of even simple administrative functions.

• Payday Pig, one of many payday loan companies charge 1737% APR on credit loans, made to people who can't afford to comply with Rule #7 & #8.

• Rebels and activists are hunted and prosecuted - think here of Julian Assange, and Edward Snowden; they fought Rule #9.

What heinous crimes did these people commit - simple; they didn't comply with the expectations placed onto them by society. Being different from the norm is a threat to the majority - and the majority, whilst individually applauding the free radicals in society, collectively exclude, intimidate and prosecute them by abdicating control to the Politicians, Banks and Corporates. See Rule #9.

In other words - you can buy a Green Day Album and sing along to American Idiot in the shower; but you will still drive your BMW to the Corporate offices that pay your wages like a good worker bee; because the loss of the BMW and status is more painful than actually standing up for what you believe in to achieve what you deserve...

We are all compelled through social, political and economic pressure to comply with these industrial age paradigms so that the capitalist machine keeps whirring away behind its shroud of mountebank democracy.

And yet...

The best results and achievements lie just outside the scope of some of these self-imposed rules - I happen to think that being married for 28 years and having two fabulous sons is a rule that I will keep...

Others I choose not to go along with - #3, #8 & #9 particularly...

When asked what he wanted to be when he grew up, John Lennon replied "Happy..."

That falls outside of the rules - hence he became a legendary singer songwriter. The choice we all have is to be happy  - the challenge is that we may need to break some of the rules to get there..

Question is - are you prepared to break the rules to achieve your happiness...?

Are you prepared to take the risk of ambition, promotion and entrepreneurship and live the dream - are you prepared to dream at all...

If you really want to find out what a Dream looks like - ask a 6 year old what they want to be when they are big. Probably the same things that you wanted to be when you were 6 but were told you wouldn't make any money at, wouldn't be any good at or that you should get a safe secure job with a good salary...

PS - plenty of people fail, get fired or made redundant doing things they don't enjoy; why not take the same risks but doing something that you do...?

Frustrated Ballerinas, Footballers, Dancers and Rock Stars take note...

So instead we sacrifice our dreams and trade them for a life according to the rules that collectively get imposed upon us..

But what if we didn't - what if we broke these rules and simply started to do what would make us happy. Trust me a BMW and a Credit Card are not the keys to happiness...

Choose your dream, change the Rules and go for it... 

David is one of the most experienced Coaches in the world. Following a successful career in Engineering, Logistics and Aviation Services as Manager, Director, CEO and Business Owner in the UK, David began his International Business Coaching Career in 2003.

Having now worked with clients in 23 Countries, published over 40 Books on Business and Personal Development and shared the stage with some of the top names in the business, he is highly qualified to deliver unique programs and content to the benefit of his international clients. 

David created Results Rules OK as a leading provider of Business & Executive Coaching Programs and brings together all his experience as a Manager, Business Owner and Entrepreneur to deliver a range of Programs that are all designed with a single objective Client Results…

How to contact David Holland MBA

Telephone – France 0033 387 504 551                        Mobile – 0044 7585 295 574

 Email – davidholland@resultsrulesok.com                Web – www.resultsrulesok.com

“David started working with our group of companies at the end of 2012 in order to help us construct and implement a coherent business plan. He works with us rather than for us and together we have been able to increase our business footprint by over 50%.”

“I have worked with David for the last five years; he does what it says on the tin and gets results. Which to me means creating more profit through increasing my business effectiveness and directing my effort and energy to gain optimum returns."

Are You too Ugly to Sell Anything...?

...for anyone who wants to attract new Clients...

Let's just be clear - I don't mean ugly to look at...

There is a clear rule in Sales that you have to be "Attractive" - not physically; but represent an attractive proposition to your prospects such that they see value in what you are offering and will exchange money for the delivery of your promises..

Of course it always helps if you are clean, reasonably symmetrical and well presented when you are selling; but relax you really don't need to be a perfect 10 to be successful...

Probably, most of us are selling a Service - an invisible, intangible. The only way prospects and customers can judge before they buy is what others say, and the experience they have at every level of engagement with us - making the intangible tangible through context..

In business you are doing one of two things with regards to new customers and clients;

1. Attracting - you are offering and proposing products and services that are attractive to your target audience, and they are continually moving towards your position. They are developing relationships with you and your company that are based on liking, knowing and trusting all that you stand for.

2. Repelling - if you are not attracting, then you are repellent; you business looks ugly. Sounds harsh, but the truth is that you are actually persuading people to not buy from you, or go somewhere else and buy instead. Your prospects have no relationship with you other than uncertainty and ambivalence.

Making yourself less Repellant and more Attractive...

What does an Ugly, Repellant company look like and how do they behave...?

Here's the Top 10 Ugly List.. 

1. Website is out of date and there is no attractive content that defines what problem is being solved, and what benefits can be derived as a consequence of purchasing.

2. Social Media presence is non existent or it is just adverts - or pictures of the owner drinking beer. There is no personality to the information that is published, and the activity is sporadic at best.

3. People are not on time for meetings and appointments, deadlines are not met and promises not kept..

4. The telephone gets answered badly, and when you visit there is no warm welcome; you are ignored unless they think you may spend money with them. 

5. Emails are not responded to, and messages are ignored.

6.The Vision, Mission and Values of the business may be defined if you're lucky but they are simply kept behind the reception desk signed by the Chairman 30 years ago. 

7.The business has to rely on aggresive Marketing and Sales for growth because the levels of referrals and introductions are so low they have to sell hard to maintain profitability.

8.The team are not passionate and enthusiastic about the business; they talk about the business in negative terms socially and morale is generally low.

9. The focus of the business is Money first; rather than the value and experience that is delivered to clients.

10. Management leads by fear rather than vision, and ego drives decisions and strategy rather than informed ideas and knowledge based tactics.

So if you DON'T do any of the above you will be instantly more attractive, make more money and live a happier life..

What could be better...?

David is one of the most experienced Coaches in the world. Following a successful career in Engineering, Logistics and Aviation Services as Manager, Director, CEO and Business Owner in the UK, David began his International Business Coaching Career in 2003.

Having now worked with clients in 23 Countries, published over 40 Books on Business and Personal Development and shared the stage with some of the top names in the business, he is highly qualified to deliver unique programs and content to the benefit of his international clients. 

David created Results Rules OK as a leading provider of Business & Executive Coaching Programs and brings together all his experience as a Manager, Business Owner and Entrepreneur to deliver a range of Programs that are all designed with a single objective Client Results…

How to contact David Holland MBA

Telephone – France 0033 387 504 551                        Mobile – 0044 7585 295 574

 Email – davidholland@resultsrulesok.com                Web – www.resultsrulesok.com

“David started working with our group of companies at the end of 2012 in order to help us construct and implement a coherent business plan. He works with us rather than for us and together we have been able to increase our business footprint by over 50%.”

“I have worked with David for the last five years; he does what it says on the tin and gets results. Which to me means creating more profit through increasing my business effectiveness and directing my effort and energy to gain optimum returns."