Through the Eyes of a Child

As part of my Father’s Day festivities this year, I received a very sweet memento from my 6-year-old daughter that she made for me in Sunday School. It was a laminated certificate in which she gave responses to questions intended to reveal something about me and our relationship. It is a time-honored tradition shared by many faiths (I assume), and I looked forward to reading what she had said.

It started with the basics such as our names and my favorite food, which she said was pizza, and then moved on to more telling questions. Her favorite thing about me is that I read to her every night, which is not completely accurate, but we have made our way through a few selections from her new detective “chapter books.” I’ll take it.

Then she had two “complete the sentence” questions that really revealed an interesting reality for both home and the office. She said, “My dad likes to…take breaks from work.” And she followed that with, “I love my dad because he …sometimes stays home from work.”

Once I got past the thought that her teachers were probably not terribly impressed with my ambition or work ethic, it made me realize how snippets of time – captured moments – can make such a lasting impact on our memories and view of reality. As I have discussed here before, I really struggle with working too much, not too little, and I am constantly searching for the proper balance between being with my family and providing for our financial needs.

But I think there is an important lesson here. While I am not a “quality time instead of quantity time guy” – quantity is crucial and cannot be made up for through intensity – there is something to be said for making moments count. And the same is true as we deal with clients.

While we are busy with everything we do to keep the business moving forward, a well-timed personal communication with a client can go a long way in keeping them connected. A phone call, a lunch or even an e-mail just to check in, say hi or ask how things are going will do wonders in that department.

I think it is awesome that my daughter believes that there is no place I would rather be than home with her and the rest of the clan. And she is absolutely right. I think our customers can have that same feeling – without having to read to them at night.

Keeping Our Ears to the Ground

I have a pretty basic question for you this week. Should we ever stop being open to new possibilities concerning our career? I mean, should we ever stop thinking about the potential of something different, something challenging, something better?

If any of my past employers would have asked me that question while I was still on their payroll, the answer would most certainly have been, “Yes. I cannot possibly imagine anything more satisfying or rewarding than working for you.” Which at various times in my career would have been the truth. I have been blessed to work with and for some wonderful people who have taught me much.

And this is a tricky issue for me, because I am a big believer in contentment. I watch people waste so many good years waiting for things to be better or sacrificing way too much to “make it,” but they never do. Because you never can. If our motivation is getting more stuff or having a fatter savings account or a larger investment portfolio, then the wheel never stops spinning. We can’t “make it” when the bar is constantly being moved higher.

That is not what I’m talking about. I am referring to the spark inside that keeps us on our toes and open to new ideas. It is the balance between being grateful for what we have and being curious about needs that are not being met. In my career, there has always seemed to come a time when I started wondering if there was a new way to apply what I was doing, or if a slight shift in focus might open up new opportunities.

That was certainly the case when I started SalesTouches.com last year. A few of my regular writing clients were cutting back, and I needed to explore new applications of my skills. When requests for a couple e-mail newsletters were made and research uncovered a gaping hole in the market for businesses and organizations looking for more than an online, do-it-yourself option, I was off and running.

This is where I would love to say, “and the rest is history,” but I’m not quite there yet. I’ll keep you posted.

So even after I owned my own business for seven years, I was still changing, adapting and getting excited about new opportunities. I guess I have answered my own question. You don’t have to leave your job to take on new challenges, just find a way to do it better, and always keep your ear to the ground.

Just Say No

Four days. Normally, that length of time is a mere blip on the radar of our busy lives, but when your spouse is out of town, the whole time-space continuum thing seems to change a bit, and the days get substantially longer. Last week, my wife dared leave our six children and me alone to fend for ourselves while she attended a conference in Orlando. While I should probably point out that “fend for ourselves” included having a detailed list of activities, prepared food and schedules to follow – not to mention a couple meals from my mother who lives a mile away – it was still a significant change in our daily routines. The stuff she is responsible for is hard, and I had plenty of my own stuff to do, too.

In fact, in the days just before she left, I did the unthinkable – I turned down two assignments from important clients who needed some writing done on very short notice. Normally, I wouldn’t hesitate to accommodate their requests, but this time I knew in order to do so I would have to neglect my family responsibilities. In reality, I should always take on just what I can fit into a regular workweek, but that is difficult when you are piecing together your payroll every month.

But there is more to it than that. I hate saying no. I hate letting clients down. Even if they don’t see it that way, that is how it makes me feel. In addition to not making the money, saying no presents the danger of the client finding someone else to meet their need. What if the new person does a great job? What if the client likes them better? What if I am no longer considered the “go-to” guy?

All that went through my head just before I more thoughtfully considered what really mattered. Yes, my clients needed help, but one of the reasons I wanted to work for myself in the first place was so I could do it on my terms. I knew there would be rare times when I would have to choose family over work. And this was one of those times.

While my children could have survived a couple more hours without me, I didn’t want them to. And although I could have used the extra money, I will be OK without it (I think). I realize that I am not breaking new ground with the “priorities” discussion, but sometimes it takes a real-life, real-time decision to put it to the test.

My wife came home (always a good sign) and things are back to normal. I just want to make sure that from now on, “normal” means I am home when I need to be -- even if that means giving up a job here and there.

Car Buying Part II

Last week, I shared that I was looking for a car for my 17-year-old daughter. And although we were scared off the bargain lots by a discontented former customer, our search remained on track. In fact, last Friday we found a great car through the Democrat (yes, the old-fashioned way) and bought it on Saturday.

The car is an older Honda Accord with a significant number of miles on it – but the seller was the original owner, she took great care of it, and it runs like a champ. Truthfully, I am a little jealous, because while my wife and family have a pretty sweet ride, I am stuck making the two-mile trek to work each day in the ’97 minivan. I guess it says something good that my daughter has a cooler car than me – at least that is what I keep telling myself.

What made the process particularly stressful for me is that I know very little about cars, and I would never buy a used car north of 100,000 miles without someone telling me it was OK. I needed someone with experience and knowledge to check it out, look for things I don’t know exist and give me a fair and truthful assessment of the situation.

I was willing to pay for such advice, and I did. It was worth every penny. I got a glowing report and bought the car with a confidence that I would not have had on my own.

What do we do to give our customers that same sense of confidence in what we offer? Do we consistently provide wise counsel? Do we go beyond even what they are asking to help ensure their success? Do we know their situation well enough to anticipate questions and be ready with good answers?

Building trust to the point that our customers don’t want to make a move without checking with us first is a beautiful thing. That kind of relationship builds loyalty that creates an excitement that is hard to contain.

Want to get your customers talking about you? Make yourself invaluable to them. Do the little things to remind them that making a decision on their own is just not worth the risk.

The Value of Reputation

Last week, I took my 17-year-old daughter shopping for a car. And because the life of a writer/e-mail newsletter creator/blogger is reasonably modest (at least all the ones I know), we were forced to bypass the dealerships with the lighted signs and fancy showrooms and head for the trailer offices, dirt lots and windshields with phrases scrawled on them like "Low Mileage" and "AC Works" in yellow wax.

I was led to one particular lot on West Tennessee Street through an Internet search and quickly found myself inside a car that was not at all what the 18 online photos had led me to believe it was. After a disturbing test drive, we returned the car and began to look around for a hidden gem amongst the clunkers. As we were searching, out of nowhere we hear someone yell to us from a car whizzing by. It was a middle-aged woman yelling something like, "Don't buy a car from there." I looked at my daughter and father-in-law (who was in town visiting) and asked, "What did she just say?"

Within seconds, the passionate consumer advocate had done a U-turn and came back around for a more personal interaction. She proceeded to share her unfortunate experience with this dealer and warned us not to trust anything we were being told. Although I was sure we were not going to find the right car there before she dropped by, she motivated me to get to my car just a little more quickly.

Reputation is an important thing, and it certainly doesn't take much to ruin it. We can do everything right for a really long time and then make one mistake that deals a significant blow to our public perception. The kind of error that hurts is not the honest mistake but rather the intentionally poor or neglectful treatment of a customer. I am going to assume that none of us would knowingly lie to a client, but allowing something bad to happen to someone who has entrusted us is a tough situation to explain away.

Again, I doubt it would ever be intentional, but being lazy or inattentive for even a short amount of time can result in damage to that business relationship and cause your reputation to take a hit.

As my good friend Jay Colle likes to say, Tallahassee is the world's biggest high school, because someone you know will know someone who knows you. Your reputation is especially important here, so protect it with everything you’ve got.

By the way, we are still looking for a car.

Revealing Circumstances

Someone told me many years ago that the best way to determine a person’s character is not to watch how they act, but rather how they react. How do they respond when things don’t go their way, when they are jolted by the unforeseen or are simply treated poorly by someone else?

How many times has someone surprised you with a snippy comment that seemed out of line? How many times have you surprised yourself?

What does this have to do with business? Everything. Because our character as a business owner or manager is the single-most important factor in the long-term success of our company (in addition to details such as having a viable product, a receptive market, and a solid business plan). Who we are sets the tone for everything that happens under our watch – whether we acknowledge it or not.

Even if we say all the right things and outwardly do all the right things most of the time, how we react in a time of crisis or when a client is unfair or a vendor lets us down will ultimately reveal itself for all to see. And it is not about losing your temper, it is about responding in a way that is consistent with how you conduct yourself no matter the circumstances.

So what’s the best insurance against a public character meltdown? While I certainly have had my share of regrettable reactions, I find that doing my best to make the same decisions whether anyone is watching or not certainly helps. If I work to consistently make ethical, stand-up decisions that steer clear of gray areas and long explanations, then I am less likely to be caught off guard. It is like the familiar sports mantra that you only play as well as you practice. It applies to business as well.

Speaking of sports and character, I really want to encourage you to watch the following clip from ESPN. It tells the moving story of two college softball players who demonstrated exceptional character in coming to the aid of an opposing player – just because it was the right thing to do.

It makes me hope that I would have done the same.

Check it out here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=jocw-oD2pgo&feature=related

Think Golden on Rules for Customer Service

OK, so this recession thing is indeed causing people some problems – especially if they ever find themselves with the need to travel by motorized vehicle. But I am sticking to my guns that tough times require us to stress the fundamentals of good business, and there is nothing more fundamental in business than treating our customers well.

Really well.

What exactly does that mean? While the definition will certainly vary depending on your business, I was reminded during a Chamber Leads Group presentation yesterday morning that there are a few non-negotiables to keeping customers in the fold.

Frank Kapplow, the owner of Delmas Diamonds and Jewelers, shared that his business is not only surviving, it is thriving. His sales are up significantly over the same period last year, and there are no signs of slowing down.

But how can that be? People don’t buy custom jewelry and diamonds the price of used cars during a recession. Ah, but there’s the twist. Some people do. And what Frank does is make sure that if those people make their way into his store, they understand that they are not going to be treated more fairly, receive better service or get a higher-quality piece anywhere in town. And certainly not from the Internet.

He admittedly spends more time than he probably should with each customer. He may sell his pieces for a tiny bit less than he could – if he really pushed it. And he goes against convention by showing invoices to customers, sharing markup rates and giving the lowest price the first time – even on his original, custom work. “If I give a price and then I negotiate down to a lower price, then I was not being honest the first time,” he said with an earnest conviction.

In other words, he treats his customers exactly like he would want to be treated in the same position.

So how do those of us who are not in a retail setting apply those same principles? Well, for starters, we can make sure we treat every client or customer like we really need them to survive (probably not a huge stretch these days).

I received an e-mail last week that a prized prospect was hiring my company to create their new e-mail newsletters, and when I got the news, I sent a quick thank you, did an internal “yea” and moved on to put out fires. After hearing Frank yesterday, though, I went straight to my office and shot the new client an e-mail stating simply how happy I was to be working with him and how much I looked forward to helping him be successful.

It was a small gesture, but within minutes, I received a response echoing my sentiments. Since he doesn’t know me (he is in Gainesville), it was essential that he hear from me that I appreciated his business and that I would do everything possible to exceed his expectations. He now knows what to expect from me – now, I just have to make sure I do it.

Thanks, Frank, for the reminder that the Golden Rule still rules.

Facing the 'R' Word

Word on the street is that there is a recession in town. It is bearing down on consumers, causing businesses to tighten their belts and slashing budgets, profit margins and overall confidence in our way of life.

So what do we do as innovative, proactive business people?

I would humbly assert that we do only what we should be doing in the best of times. Run lean? Yep. Be frugal? Sure. Be thoughtful with every decision and make the most of every opportunity to market, sell and properly position our business? Without a doubt.

I have seen some very useful lists for how to combat a downward economy, but they all are really just important reminders about how to do business the right way – no matter which way the market is headed or how much a half gallon of ice cream costs. The advice is solid any time, it just so happens that it is now more important than ever.

I acknowledge that there are fundamental economic factors in play that make commerce more challenging at certain times, but I still ask the same question, “What are we supposed to do about it?”

It is not like we can take a time out until things settle down.

We charge forward with confidence, because we know what we’re doing and we hope for the best. We are smart about money, creative in our marketing and wise with our hires. We make every decision count and we stay focused on our goals. If we get knocked down, we get back up – because it’s the only choice we have.

And when we get through this time and ask what’s next, we already have the answer.

More of the same.

Photo: © Lindwood Farm, Incorporated

The More Things Change...

Two weeks ago, I wrote about the challenge of prioritizing your work time. I asked: “So what do you do to guard against spending time on good stuff, but not the best stuff? And how do you figure out what the best stuff even is?”

I got some interesting responses through e-mail and conversation, but perhaps the best input I received was from my 85-year-old grandfather who lives in Ohio and is apparently still cool enough to blog.

His no-nonsense approach, learned through decades of successful sales, management and business experience, got right to the point.

“Dave, business practices have not changed much over time,” he said. “The best advice I can give you is that you have to learn to separate the chaff from the wheat. Without new business coming in, everything else is inconsequential! So that must be uppermost in your mind at all times. I know you have a million and one things to do, but somehow they will get done.”

So there you have it. Nothing else matters if you don’t have clients (or customers). What a novel idea. Of course, you should make sure you are taking good care of the clients you already have, but I think from his perspective that is a given. Creating a revolving door doesn’t get you anywhere.

Being a smart businessperson means staying in business – something that is a whole lot easier when someone is buying what you’re selling. And while there are at least a million other things we can be doing, take it from a wiser Fiore than myself – keep new business coming in and let the rest take care of itself.

That is my goal this week (and beyond). What about you?

In Search of the Retainer

Staying busy is great, but knowing you will be busy is even better. Whether your business is creating custom monthly e-newsletters (just off the top of my head), cutting lawns or dry cleaning expensive suits, earning the business of your customers on a regular basis is the ultimate goal.

In my corner of the business world (writing/PR/marketing), that means acquiring retainer clients. Retainers, as most of you are probably aware, are monthly payments from a client based on an anticipated average number of hours spent on their account. Some months you may lose a little, while other months you end up a little ahead in the ever-present battle of time spent versus money earned. The goal is that it all works out in the end. And for that, you may choose to reduce your rate a bit and promise priority service – all for the security of knowing that you can count on that income every month for some decent period of time.

Some retainers are monthly, even when the services are not. I have a friend who divides his lawn-service fees over 12 months, even though the majority of the work is done in maybe eight or nine months. That makes sense, because it spreads the financial responsibility of the client evenly throughout the year and allows my friend to have a dependable income all year.

For other kinds of businesses, the corresponding goal is to keep clients or customers coming back month after month – to keep them choosing you every time they are faced with the same purchase decision. Of course, customer service and the consistency of your product or service are big factors in customer retention, but depending on how often that decision is made, customer loyalty can be tough to maintain. Chances are, there is always a cheaper option or a new kid on the block ready to do anything to grab a few of your customers.

So what do you do to convert project clients into retainer clients or keep your clients coming back month after month? (We are not looking for trade secrets, just general principles that others could apply.) And how important are regular clients to your business plan?

Let’s talk about it.

Last Week's POLL QUESTION RESULTS

Apparently, most of you (57%) are not phased by wearing the same outfit two days in a row if a) no one sees you the first day and b) you don't spill anything on yourself. Good to know.

When Hard Work is Not Enough

After a week of enthusiastic, but time-consuming posts, I have decided on a schedule of weekly musings that should be far more maintainable. I expect to post a new entry – and new poll question – each Wednesday by noon. I appreciate the encouragement to invest this time in offering topics of discussion common to those of us who are living on the edge (in a Killearn sort of way, at least).

This has been one of those weeks in which effort has not resulted in corresponding income. That was perhaps the biggest lesson I learned when going into business for myself seven years ago. How much or how hard you work has nothing to do with how much money you will make. Sure, it does in the long run (if all goes well), but you can’t pay yourself with a timecard (if those even still exist).

There are just too many other things to do that have nothing to do with generating income. There are too many projects that take too long to bill. There are too many prospects that remain prospects. And there are too many distractions to knock us off track.

I know, I know. Time management. But it’s more than that. It’s about balancing our daily activities so that we are providing flawless customer service, pursuing new business and attending to the tiny details that keep our doors open.

There are plenty of work-related activities to keep us busy. But it is too easy for an entire day to go by without moving the essentials forward. So what do you do to guard against spending time on good stuff, but not the best stuff? And how do you figure out what the best stuff even is?

Let’s talk about it.

Achieving True Success Takes Time

I’m not sure how smart it is to go all “preachy” in the fourth day of a new business blog, but this being Good Friday, I figured I might get a pass.

As small-business people, it is very easy for us to work all the time. There always is something else to do – one last e-mail to send, one last report to complete or a quick call to return. The truth is that running a business is 24/7 – and for most of us, the wheels never stop churning, even when we are home with our families.

And there’s the problem. I’m sure many upcoming blogs will deal with this issue in some way, but let’s look at it today in the biggest picture possible. No matter how much there is to do, all our work is in vain if we let it define who we are.

We are not our business. We are not successful because we make enough money to support our family. We are successful because we have a family that loves us and would rather spend time with us than go to Disney this summer (although, admittedly, it might be close).

I say this as I didn’t get home until after 7 last night and will probably have to come in for a couple hours tomorrow (Saturday) morning. I am not naïve, and I realize that it takes time to make a business work – it just can’t take all our time. And even more importantly, it can’t take all our heart.

Don’t give your family your leftovers. Striking a balance is not easy, but it is essential. Think about what your kids will remember about you in 10 years. Think about what your spouse thinks of you now.

Again, I am not saying this as one who has completely overcome this common pitfall, just as one who loves his family more than his job.

And on this weekend, as we celebrate the resurrection of the One who loved us enough to die on the cross for us, let’s not miss an opportunity to love our families by giving them what they want most – us.

Have a blessed Easter.

Backing Up to Move Forward

I spent part of this morning writing a client e-mail newsletter that focused on the importance of backing up your data on a regular basis. The necessity of backing up our work, files and financial info (not to mention recent music downloads) is certainly not news, but how seriously do we really take it? What would happen to you if everything on your hard drive(s) was suddenly and unexpectedly gone?

I mean seriously gone.

While I am religious about backing up my QuickBooks files, I am less committed to regular data backups. And since what I sell is my time and what I create using my computer (as opposed to using the computer to keep track of what I am selling), I am in especially vulnerable.

I would probably most miss the thousands of e-mails that serve as a contact resource and history of client communications for much longer than they should. Maxing out Outlook is not a good strategy either, but that is another conversation.

The point is that even if you are a one-person shop, your data is the foundation of your business -- something you don't want to be without. So back up, back up, back up.

If you are interested in talking about good local resources to help you do that, please post them here. We could all benefit from your experience.

The Rollercoaster of Confidence

How’s business? While nice and well-intentioned, that question is most often intended to have the return volley power of a “Howya doin’?” The polite and expected answer is “fine,” accompanied by a confident head shake and slight lifting and scrunching of the bottom lip. (Do that now. See?)

But in reality, that question is a real one for many of us every single day. That is because the status of our businesses can change quickly. And so can our confidence. Some days we are king of the world, while other days we are a bit more unsure about the status of our empire.

In fact, how many of us -- no matter how long we've been in business -- still ask ourselves if we are doing everything possible to give ourselves a fighting chance? Or if we are really “on to something.” And how long before the darkest parts of our minds are free from thoughts like getting a regular job would be a whole lot easier?

So what is the answer? Admitting that things are slow and you are exploring a variety of options to make things happen is certainly OK if that is indeed the case. These are tough times, and many established businesses are struggling to meet payroll and pay for lots of overhead.

But we are lean and agile. Let’s take advantage of our size to adapt quickly, explore all our options and make the most of our resources. There is nothing better than working for yourself – even when the immediate future is unclear.

And that’s how business is. Thanks for asking.

Starting the Conversation

If you are like me, you are suspicious of any business person who has time to blog. While I generally believe that time is better spent actually doing our business than talking about doing it, there certainly are some subjects worth discussing.

It is my hope that this blog serves as a sounding board for area small businesses to share ideas, frustrations, challenges and opportunities. There is much we have in common -- probably more than we even realize -- and I hope this forum will bring those into the open.

This is not intended to be a portal for small business resources. It is not intended to be a networking site. It is not intended to be a harvesting site for new business. But if a little of that happens along the way, that's OK with me.

This blog is an open conversation between business people waking up every day facing the same issues. Where we go from there is up to us.

Let's talk.