Networking is crucial in business these days. But what happens when we break rapport before we even start?
Networking in business has spawned books, articles, podcasts and videos. You name it, there’s content out there for a business owner looking to rock their networking. The best advice I’ve been given is to simply be curious. Go in, look to have one or two conversations and just ask questions. Then listen. But what happens…
Most entrepreneurs build a business without a clear concept of what they’re building, the systems they need and where the profit comes from
I had a video meeting last week with woman whom we will call Sally. Sally was meeting to talk about her business, which she had started a couple of years ago. At one point in the conversation, Sally said she was making $2,000 a month but needed to make $5,000 from the business. Luckily for…
We have to put serious energy into looking at what’s working for us and what’s not and make a decision to adjust our strategies
In the winter of 1987, my startup company Winewear Fashions had cash flow problems. Not only could I not take wages, but I hadn’t been able to pay bills for several months without putting cash into the business. I took a job on the side selling books door to door in Vancouver to pay for…
We went from in-person meetings to chaos-driven online meetings. And we didn’t stop to learn how to run these meetings
For the past six months, business meetings have definitely looked a little different. People are utilizing Zoom calls, Google Meet or Microsoft Teams to replace the in-person meeting. Some don’t like mask protocol, some have their kids at home with them and some just see the advantage of having an online meeting (with one person…
Five actions that will build trust in your organization. But only sustained behaviour will ensure that trust survives and thrives
Trust is the belief or confidence that one party has in the reliability, integrity and honesty of another party. It’s the expectation that the faith one places in someone else will be honoured. When I asked 537 managers how leaders build and destroy trust, here’s what I learned: It’s always a case of ‘follow the leader.’…
Running a business requires a lot of brain power. If a business is struggling, it takes even more mental energy. That means you need to be well-rested
Last week, I couldn’t sleep. Whether it was the new project I’m working on or the basketball team I’m coaching, my mind was spinning. I’d fall asleep immediately, but wake up at 2 or 3 a.m. and couldn’t get back to sleep. Wide awake, my mind was turning. I was thinking about new ideas; how…
Is it disrespect, miscommunication or misaligned values that are harming your business relationships?
“My client doesn’t respect me!” my colleague vented through the phone. It’s a feeling every entrepreneur has felt at one point or another in their career. It’s one I certainly empathize with. As I listened, it became clear that the client wasn’t being disrespectful. The two parties simply had disconnection in their communication styles, coupled…
Mentors come in all shapes and sizes, and in all aspects of our lives. It’s only when they leave us that we truly realize their lasting influence
“Show me a successful individual and I’ll show you someone who had real positive influences in his or her life. I don’t care what you do for a living – if you do it well, I’m sure there was someone cheering you on or showing the way. A mentor.” – Denzel Washington In the last couple…
Offer them amazing discounts and perks to make sure they know how important they are to your business, then let them spread the word
Our online customer buying journey is about to come full circle. We’ve gone from someone first hearing about you all the way to a regular customer becoming a raving fan and helping you grow your business. Let’s recap what we’ve talked about in the past few weeks: We started with interest and awareness. Someone already…
Companies organized around values such as love, generosity and endearment have significantly greater stock market returns
Michael was my mentor when it comes to compassion. His heart always went out to anyone who was in a tough spot. As a roommate of Michael’s, I saw him reach out to people in the community who were down on their luck and in pain. He would help to mend hearts even after his…
Six steps to achieving a positive customer sales experience from beginning to end
A customer-centric culture is not just about offering good service. It’s a way of doing business that provides a positive customer experience before, during and after the sale in order to drive repeat business, customer loyalty and profits. Elements of customer centricity include: Employees understand what customers want. They capture customer insights and share this…
When we listen to our clients, it allows us to improve on aspects of our organizations that perhaps we haven’t noticed
What would you do if you woke up one morning and right there on your Facebook page, for the whole world to see, was a complaint about how terribly one of your staff members was treating customers? Customer complaints are nothing new. In the past when customers received poor service from you or your staff,…
Always keep in mind these goals: easy to deliver, easy to implement. That gets purchased over and over
We’ve been working on making sure we understand the entire customer buying experience online. Today, we’re moving onto conversion. We started with interest and awareness and how your customer might hear about you – and what to do once they do. Then we moved to findability and reputation – both online and really important in…
A promotion to boss changes relationships with everyone – especially co-workers
A promotion to boss changes relationships with everyone – especially co-workers. No longer one of the gang, you've joined the other side. There is a boundary line separating bosses from the rank-and-file. Newly minted managers are saddled with responsibilities no one prepared them for. Unlike musical or athletic abilities, which often have a genetic root,…
Discover why value is more than cost in sales conversations
“Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.” My colleague, a strategic adviser who helps reduce business costs, shared this nugget of wisdom as we talked about difficult money conversations. As the world continues to transition out of the cost-cutting corporate strategy of the 1980s and 1990s, 2020 has forced businesses to look…