What Business Are You In…Really?

My mentor always says, “If you’re in business, you’re in sales.”  Every time she says it, I swear I hear someone groan.

If you don’t like sales or fear sales then you may want to ask yourself how badly you want to be in business.  I’m going to tell you that it has to be badly enough to kick that dislike and fear straight to the curb without looking back.

If you want to build and grow your business, you are going to have to sell.  I know, I know, you’d rather poke your eye out, but guess what, you don’t have to.  Selling can be pretty simple, once you get the hang.

I will forewarn you though, you will need to be prepared to be strong because even though selling can be easy, there are things you may not like so let’s get them out of the way for you.

You will need to be strong enough to hear the word ‘no’ to your offer.  Eh, rejection happens.

You will need to be strong enough to pick up the phone and call people to extend your services.  Although calls may come in, you doing the calling makes things move much faster.

You will need to be strong enough to tell absolute strangers your most intimate desire…that YOU can help them.  (Probably the part the holds most people back because they are not quite sure what they offer.)

You will  need to be strong enough to ask someone to do business with you.  Believe it or not, you are the one who will determine that the most.

You just need to be strong…and sell.

So get comfortable with selling. 

Get comfortable with what you offer, saying it out loud, saying how much you charge for it, and asking for the business.  Why?  Because somebody wants it and they’re just waiting for you to offer it to them.

Sales is the business you’re really in.  And you rock in that business so get out there and sell something.

How ready are you to sell?

You Had Me At Hello, Until You Lost Me

David Neagle showing how easy it is to make a million dollars. I was computing.

I’ve been doing quite a bit of networking over the last few weeks.  All unbelievably outstanding, especially at two conferences I attended, where I met literally hundreds of entrepreneurs from all over the world who were ready to get serious about their minds, money, marketing, and sales.

I made so many fabulous connections and walked away with  learning that will help me tremendously in my business.

Now despite all of the fabulousness of these events, there is  one thing that always seems to happen that tends to irritate me ever so slightly.  (And to be fair, it’s at any networking event not just these)  There are the people who you  have a nice chat with, exchange cards with, who then proceed to add you to their mailing list even though all you ever said was, “We should keep in touch.” The topic of being added having never come up.

Now we’ve moved from, “Nice to meet you” to “Oh no you didn’t!”

There’s a name for this …it’s called SPAM.

What is missing in this scenario is permission.  We are in a world of permission-based marketing.  I opt in if given the choice or better yet, you ask me first, I say ‘yes’, and then you add me.

When you add someone without permission it is a sign of disrespect.  You are taking away a person’s power of choice and potentially damaging a relationship.

No relationship.  No sale.  No bueno.

It’s equivalent to the end of a first date when you’re standing there awkwardly not knowing what to do next and the guy grabs you and shoves his tongue down your throat. What the…?!?!?

Graphic?  Yes, but you get the point.

Wouldn’t you much prefer, “May I kiss you?”  or at the very least the silent question with his eyes where you still have to give the green light?

Most likely I’m thinking the latter is more appealing.

One good thing is, there is the option of ‘unsubscribe’ which for the receiver is freeing.  Although it tends to leave a dirty taste in the mouth of the subscribee who is now the one left feeling uncomfortable.  They know you know they unsubscribed.

And lately I’m also noticing there are some folks who are not using an email program.  They are just sending emails without the option to even get off the list.  This is the epitome of ” No-No Marketing”.

I will not be held hostage by your email.  You leave me no choice but to block you.  You asked for it.  You got it.

So, how do you always ensure you are always giving the choice to be added?  There are three easy ways to do this with permission and happy feelings all around:

1)  Just ask. I know sometimes this can feel awkward, but the more you do it, the easier it gets.  A simple, “I’d love to keep in touch with you and one way is through my newsletter which provides a lot of information on what we discussed.  Is it okay if I add you?”

2)  Let technology ask for you.  I’ve received some rather creative invites to newsletters and such that have me laugh and get me intrigued via email.  Interesting subject lines and a reminder of where and how we met with the invite to opt in, usually get me to agree very easily.

3) Do it social media style.  With the advent of social media, people are connecting more than ever before via tools like Facebook, Twitter, and Linked In.  If you know where to find your peeps  (which you should, by the way), these are great ways to stay connected and maybe even more frequently.

Few quick things to remember in whichever approach you use, remember to stay authentic, keep it warm, and be the person they met in person.  Nothing better than being who you are online and off.

So long and the short of it, always choose the path of highest respect and get permission before you lose the connection forever.

Would love to hear your thoughts and comments on how you handle lack of permission or if this even bothers you.  Please add to the comments below. 😉

How to Handle Rejection and Keep Your Dignity

Apparently newspaper sales are way down.
You’re probably not shocked by that.  I am sure based on the sharp increase of internet use and rise of online publications; you can draw the same conclusion.  However, I’m going by the last phone conversation from my weekly local publication’s sales rep that confirmed it for me.

 

They are practically giving papers away.

When I was called and asked to renew recently, I said ‘no’.  When the representative asked why, I gave her my honest response of, “I don’t have time” to which she in turn offered me a $50 discount off the annual subscription price—or an 84% discount.  Now that’s a bargain.

And I still said no.

To be honest I was taken aback by the whole steep discount thing.  It actually turned me way off.  To offer that much discount felt like a desperate act rather than a strategy.  Maybe it would have helped if she called it a discount for people who renewed?  I don’t know.  It just makes me think I spent way too much money the first year.

That coupled with her lack of fight and a simple resigned, “Thank you,” made the rejection that much easier.  Really that shouldn’t be the case.

The question is then, what could she have done to get me to say yes?

Honestly, I really didn’t want the paper anymore so I’m not sure there was much more she could have done, but perhaps had she tried a little harder, I may not be writing this.

So, for kicks and giggles and a little learning, let’s examine a couple of her missteps and the tips that may have helped her keep the sale.

Misstep #1:  Weak phone skills.

Yes, she has a tough job calling lists and being prepared to hear rejection over and over again.  I get it.  Heck, I did it.  However, she may have been a bit more engaging had she sounded more like Winnie the Pooh than Eeyore.  It’s harder to say no to someone who is engaging.

Tip: Be warm even if you are sure you’ll get a ‘no’.  It’s not just for them.

Misstep #2:  Jumping the gun.

Although she gets kudos for inquiring as to why I was cancelling, she loses them for going straight for the discount.  Surely I gave her one of the most common objections of “I just don’t have time.”  What I didn’t indicate is time for what.  I could have meant time to read the paper or time to renew on the phone.  She made an assumption which cost her.  (I meant read the paper, but she didn’t know that).

Tip: Clarify the response and keep asking questions until you uncover the REAL reason for the response.  Most likely the first reason is not the real reason.

Misstep #3:  Offered too low of a discount.

As I stated, the discount made me suspicious.  It made me think something was wrong, like there’s a going out of business sale happening.  What, two months from now no more papers? I would have preferred an alternative solution like weekend only papers which would have justified the price adjustment.

Tip: Don’t discount.  Ever.  It appears desperate and a last ditch effort.  Offer an already created lower priced offer or negotiate terms instead.  If it is rejected it’s best to walk away.

Misstep #4:  Didn’t show appreciation.

Hey, don’t get mad at me for not renewing!  She could have at least thanked me for my time or my past subscription.  Nada.  Zippo.  Zilch. What’s the likelihood I’ll be a return customer now?

Tip: Appreciate your customers whether they are coming or going.

And although there are more steps and more ways to handle objections, this was just a few wrong with this call.  Hopefully these few tips help you avoid rejection or take it with dignity.

The Rule of Engagement

I bet if you ask 100 people what first attracted them to their significant other, there would be very few who would say, “The way he scowled at me.  It was so warm.”

I would guess most would say something along the lines of, “The way her eyes lit up when she looked at me,” “He had a great smile,” or “The sound of her laugh,” because these are the things that make people magnetic.  And as a people, in my humblest opinion, we don’t let ourselves be magnetic nearly enough.

In business, that can kill your relationship with a prospect before it ever has a chance to begin.  You want to hear ‘yes’ more often, than be magnetic.

The quickest and easiest way to do that is to smile.  Okay, before you get to thinking, “Oh, puh-leeze!”,  just hear me out.

Let me share with you one of my Graves Golden Rules of Sales (Like it?  I’ve got more):   Engage Your Prospects.

Smiling is engaging.  When you are smiling you are generally viewed as warm and approachable.  One of the easiest ways to engage is to smile.

And to be clear, the smile needs to be real…so smile authentically.

How do I know?  Well, smiling helped me through one of the toughest times I ever had.  At one point I had to take a job because my business wasn’t going so well.  It was a really low point for me (you know what failure feeling thing) and I had a lot of resentment around it.  What was even worse was, I hated the job.  And I mean, really hated it, but I needed the money so I went.

When I got up to go to work in the mornings, I was one grumpy chick.  Every morning I left my house grumpy.  Bless my poor family, these were not easy times to deal with me.

One of the main things that got me through that period (did I mention I really hated this job?) was my daily stop at the Dunkin Donuts near the company.  Everyone there greeted the customers with big, wide smiles.

Every, single one of them.   Every, single day.

Seriously, these were the happiest employees I had ever seen in any fast food setting.   Heck, anywhere! Their smiles were contagious.  So contagious that before I left the store I couldn’t help but smile right along with them.

Now, just the fact that they were handing me my favorite coffee was enough to warm my soul, but that coupled with their smiles and hearty hellos always helped ease the “I’m going to quit today” speech I gave myself every morning.  They lessened the pain of a really painful situation just by being cheerful.

It became my daily routine to get those smiles before work.  The coffee became secondary.  Customer loyalty through engagement.

I often think I only stayed as long as I did because I would have missed them.  And I know I will never forget them because of what they did for me.

I share that story because you have the same power to touch people and often times it begins with a simple smile.  When your face lights up with enthusiasm, you spread enthusiasm.  You make the person who receives it feel special.  We all want to feel special.

So the next time you are out anywhere remember to smile from deep in your soul.  Smile at every person you meet.  You may just be smiling at your next customer or lifelong friend.  Often times that’s the same person.

Isn’t Time You Got A Raise?

There are really cool benefits to being self employed.  You make your own hours, you determine the dress code (like in sweats, my personal favorite) and you even decide when you deserve a raise.  Yep, there a a lot of perks to being the boss.

The interesting part of that is that many self proclaimed CEOs are not necessarily taking full advantage of their power because they are doing a whole lot of working long hours and not getting paid enough.  There are quite a few I know who should be reexamining their pay structure and work hours.

So why is that?  Well, based on what I have been observing some of the reasons this is happening is they are either unsure of what their pay should be, they don’t think people will pay them what they really want to receive, or they don’t believe they are worth more than they are asking.  Oh and there are some feelings of being uncomfortable talking about money in there too.

Sound familiar?

Enough already!  It’s time to take the reins, be the CEO, and give yourself a raise.

Before you say, “But Karen, they won’t pay that much…”  Stop and listen.

People pay for things they believe in.  If they believe it is worth their money, they will pay.  If you are the answer to their prayers, they will pay.  If you are improving the quality of their lives in a way that makes them happier and more fulfilled, they will pay.  You have paid for things in the past that could be considered expensive, haven’t you?  Why?  Because of the reasons I just cited.

So what makes your services any less valuable?  You.  You are not allowing them to pay because you don’t see the value.  It’s not the economy’s fault.  It’s either the message that your sharing or the vibes your giving off.

What makes what you offer important in another person’s life?  Don’t know?  Here’s your assignment:  go find out.  Go ask people you know and don’t know what they want and are looking for?  Research.  And use that in your messaging so that those who want what you offer can find you.

If it’s head trash about money.  Get rid of it.  Hire someone to help you.  It’s worth paying for.

Then declare what your worth.  Give yourself a salary goal you are proud of. If you believe what you offer is worth a million dollars and you want to make that in a year, then you need to break it down into how much you need to make per month ($83,333.33 by the way), per week, and per day.  When you determine the amounts you then look at everything you offer and can possibly offer plus how much time you are willing to work and create prices that work for you.

From that point examine what your offering, when, to whom, how often, and how many you will consistently need to make your end of year goal.  (Please make sure you take taxes into consideration.  Most people forget to deduct 25% (starting out) as what will go for taxes.)

Then go out there and sell!

Another way to determine pricing is to use the competition.  Look at the prices with businesses in the same type of industry as yours.  Find out how much those businesses charge and the offers that they make.  See how you feel about those numbers and offerings.  If you like, then see how you can fit something similar or even better into your business.

And then there is this, if you are working really hard and have a good number of clients or customers, but not really getting ahead.  Raise your prices.  You will reduce the number of clients you need to have which will reduce the amount of work you need to do.  Not many clients yet?  Raise your prices so you won’t have to work so hard to get where you need to go.

The first thing all of my clients do is give themselves a raise so they can work less.  You wouldn’t believe how happy they are about that.

Bottom line, you’re the boss.  You set the salary.  Make sure you make yours a good one.

Want help in raising your prices?  Send me an email at info@yourvisionlaunch.com.  I can show you how.

Are You Feeding Your Baby?

Have a business?  Well, then say hello to your baby.  Click on this link Business Baby to see a picture of it.  It’s really cute.

Now do all you can to take care of your baby so your baby will grow up big and strong.  If you do that,  eventually it will take really good care of you.

Here come along with me so I can tell you a little bit more about your baby:

Your Baby’s Face -Company’s image or brand.

Whether it is beautiful or not, it can get noticed.  Of course, the cuter it is, the more it get’s noticed.  And everyone wants to know who the baby looks like, right?  The more it looks like you, the easier it is to accept.

Your Baby’s Cry – Ability to stand out and get noticed.

Some baby’s have loud piercing screams that surely capture people’s attention.  Depending on the shrill it can either get noticed or turn people off.  The louder the scream, the more the attention either way.  Quiet babies, although cute, can often be ignored.

Your Baby’s Arms- Marketing, attracting and keeping customers.

Babies have a way of making people want to pick them up.  Sometimes they just reach their little arms right out making them irresistible.  And once they are picked up they hold on real tightly making the person who is holding them feel loved.  Is your baby reaching out?

Your Baby’s Belly – Sales and a way to measure how well you are feeding your business.

Your baby is constantly hungry.  It relies on food to grow and keep the whole body strong.  When your baby is fed to contentment, it will fall asleep, freeing you up to take some time for yourself.  If it’s not, it will fuss draining you until you are exhausted.   Or worst yet, you’ll have a sick baby on your hands.  Feed your baby well and often so you can enjoy some rest and relaxation.

Your Baby’s Legs – You, your operations and foundation.

Before your baby can walk it’s legs need to get nice and strong.  The muscles have to develop in a way that will sustain its weight.  Until it can walk on it’s own, it needs you to carry it, which means you also need to be strong.  Part of being strong means expecting the unexpected, getting advice/support on things you don’t know about or are having a tough time managing, or having the ability to let someone else do the heavy lifting when you’re not able.  And when all else fails, hiring an expert to take care of it when you need to be able to tend to other things.

Your Baby’s Feet – More sales.

When your baby is upright, it needs it’s feet to keep moving forward.  Take care of its feet so it stays in motion.

On top of everything else remember this, a happy baby means a happy parent.   So, this is your baby.  Are you happy?

5 Ways to Guarantee a Kick Butt, Knock Your Socks Off Success-Filled 2011

Happy New Year!  Did you claim 2011 as THE year that your business will really have it’s best year?  Do you feel like 2011 is THE year that you are going to make dramatic changes that will catapult you to success in all areas of your life like your finances, health, or family life as well?  Are you ready to move head at  lightening speed?

If you said ‘yes’, then good for you.  Saying it is half the battle.

Now that you’ve put it out there, let me share 5 more ways that you can go from possible success to probable success.  Implement these 5 easy, no muss no fuss tips to take that declaration from words to reality.

1.  Plan for Success –  Sometimes people make the declaration they will achieve success, yet miss this vital part.  How can you go towards something without knowing how you’re going to get there?   If you are saying that this will be the year you make a million dollars, do you know how you will make it  happen?  Be proactive and use a calendar to capture your plan for the whole year.  If you say it, develop a plan, and plot the steps, you’ll have a much higher probability of your desired outcome occurring.  (By the way, shooting for a million is always a good plan.)

2.  Decide on Metrics – Make sure that you have a clear way to confirm that you are achieving success with a way to measure whatever it is you are calling success.  Will you measure the sales you make, number of customer or clients you get, or amount in your bank account?  How about on the personal side?  Have a concrete metric that you check regularly to ensure you’re on the right path to  avoid getting off track.

3. Take Action – Here’s where the work begins.  You’ve declared success, you’ve planned for it,  and you can measure it, well now you’re going to have to go out and get it.  Waiting for it to happen will surely not get you there.  Take some big, bold leaps and face the fear that is sure to arise.  The more action you take, the easier it gets.  Good thing you have it on the calendar so it’s a no brainer on what those actions are.   See how easy it can be?

4. Sell Something – If you are going to have a successful 2011 in your business, you’re going to have to sell.  PERIOD.  There’s no two ways about it.  You sell, your business thrives.  You don’t…well, need I explain?  Selling is not optional.

5. Get Support – Why suffer and go it alone when there is ALWAYS someone ready, willing, and highly capable available to help you.  The challenge is, you probably don’t look or ask until it’s too late.  This is another time being proactive helps.  If you get support early, you won’t need it when it’s too late.  That and you will move forward a lot quicker with someone helping you. How many multimillion dollar companies do you know were built on one person?  (If you know of one, you have got to tell me the name because I sure can’t think of any.)

So there you have it.   Five of the easiest things you can do right now, today to make sure you kick butt and take names this year on your way to success.  Enjoy the ride and let me know how you make out.

You have any other tips to add?  Share them in the comments below.  Would love to hear what other ways you can move forward quickly.

How to Take the Dirty Out of The S-Word

That’s right SALES!  Sales is not a dirty word and quite frankly I’m tired of people giving it a bad rap.

Oh, wait a minute.  I’m so sorry.  You thought I meant another word, didn’t you?  Get your mind out of the gutter!

Back to the business at hand.  People are not fans of selling.   They just get all sorts of bad images with it, like cold-calling door-to-door salesmen, slick used car salesmen, and pushy telemarketers.  And it’s not only unfortunate but unfair.  Why? 

Because we all sell every. single. day.

Do you have kids?  Then you sell.  Ever try to convince a 4 year old to eat his veggies?  Did you ever tell him that he’ll be big and strong like Superman.  You just gave him benefits that were important to him.  If he ate his broccoli, you successfully closed him.

How about the last time you recommended a movie to a friend?  You know the one that she HAD to see because that really HOT actor was in it and your FAVORITE actress and you won’t ruin the plot, but she just HAS to go because you both have similar tastes.  And she went and loved it just like you said she would.  SOLD!

Or how about when you convinced your significant other to go to the restaurant you really wanted to go to because everyone you know says it’s the best new restaurant, even if it is a little pricey.  Plus, when’s the last time you had a date night and just time to yourselves?  SO – OLD!

It’s so natural you don’t even know you’re doing it.

When it comes down to it, if we remind ourselves that sales is just sharing something we really believe in with passion to someone whom we know wants it, then sales is less dirty and more like just having a conversation.  No slickness needed.  And if we further do it because we really care that the person gets what they want and it’s a win-win for both, then slick is not even a consideration.

One key to making sales more natural is to figure out your unique style.  Everyone sells a certain way.  For instance, if you have a penchant for analysis and data, you may like to present facts and figures.  If you like to make short, impact statements you might like to present “3 quick things about your product or service”.  If you like to relate to experiences you might present case studies.  You have a way of speaking that is appealing, you just need to find it.

So speak with passion in your natural style to give others what they want so you too can realize (say it with me):

SALES IS NOT A DIRTY WORD!

Need help with this concept or finding your unique selling style?  Contact me directly at info@yourvisionlaunch.com.

How Customer Service Can Make You #1

I like to talk about customer service.  To me it is a significant differentiator between strong companies and weak ones because when it comes down to it, one of the best ways to get and keep customers is through the relationship you build with them.   That relationship is often deepened based upon how satisfied the customer is with the quality of service he/she receives. 

Think about it for yourself.   If you go to two places that offer almost identical products or services with similar prices, how likely is it that the customer service experience you have will decide which one you are more likely to go to on a regular basis? 

It appears that companies that value quality customer service take into account that the experience itself lends to loyal customers and repeat business.  As for the companies that don’t, well, let’s delve into that, shall we?

Come along with me as I share the story of two banks.  For simplicity’s sake  I will refer to the banks as Bank #1 and Bank #2.  I opened business checking accounts with each.  (I cannot disclose the names of the banks, yet if you would like a referral for a bank I will happily recommend one.)

So, let’s begin with Bank #1.  When I was opening an account at this bank, I was a new customer to the brand.  The reason I chose it was due to a recommendation from a colleague.  I preferred to bank where I already banked, but remained open to giving it a chance.  

My first impression was not great.  The place was pretty dismal.  I had never been in the branch before and didn’t even notice it among the stores where I often shop.  It’s facade blended in with the rest.  Nothing made it say, “Bank here.”

Upon entering I stood awkwardly in the vestibule looking for the person who should have been seated at what appeared to be the customer service station.  Perhaps it was the huge sign hanging above with ‘How May I Help?’ and the downward pointing arrow that tipped me off?  (You have to get up pretty early to fool me.)

After several more awkward moments a woman walked up to me and barked, I mean asked, “You need help?” 

When I affirmed that I did need help, she whipped me into her office.  I explained that I wanted to open a business checking account for a newly emerging industry further giving more details. 

Immediately she looked perplexed.  She asked if I had a business certificate.  When I handed it her she jumped up and disappeared.  After several minutes she came back and said it was time to fill out the paperwork adding that she had run it by her branch manager.  The account should be okay. 

Even though I was a bit confused by the response, we continued with the application.  As we finished, she informed me that since the industry was still new she was going to need some additional approvals from “the downtown branch”.  If all went well my account would be up and running within a day or two.  She then gave me a card with her phone number.

A day or two?  I’ve opened accounts before.  Shouldn’t I be leaving with my blank checks by now?  I left the bank  feeling like I had gotten no further than when I went in which was an hour before.

Two days later thinking the account would be open I decided to call the bank, however, I misplaced the business account representative’s phone number.  No problem.  I’ll just go online and look the number up.

What’s this?  The branch phone number is the Toll-free U.S. Customer Service contact number?  Hmmm…strange.

I dialed it.  After 10 minutes and what seemed like 90 teleprompts I got a human.  I proceeded to ask for the number to the branch.

“I’m sorry, we cannot give out that number,” the voice said flatly.

“Um, sorry.  I think I misunderstood you.  I just need the branch number.”

“Yes.  And I can’t give you that number.”

“Er, okay.  You do know I mean the number to the local branch?

“Yes.  And we cannot give out the number to branches.”

“Well, then would you connect me ? ” (Oops, I may have sounded a tad snippy there.)

“Yes.  Hold the line.”

She clicks off.  The line gets disconnected.  I scream expletives. 

After this exchange, it took an additional two weeks to open the account.  When I start making transactions there, the tellers act as if I am an annoyance.  I ask friends if this is normal they state they feel the same way.  They say the tellers are just ‘cranky’. 

Really, cranky tellers?

When I later attempt to add my husband to the account there is further drama.  In utter frustration I close the account and go to Bank #2 which happens to be the bank with whom I do most of my banking. 

When I go in to open a business checking account for the same business I am greeted warmly by the woman sitting at the customer service desk.  Within 5  minutes I meet with an account representative.  I leave 45 minutes later (the majority of the time spent chatting with the very friendly business account representative) with blank checks and functioning debit card in hand. 

Three days later I get a call from corporate headquarters checking to make sure I was satisfied.  I was. 

I wish I could say that switching banks was an easy decision.  It wasn’t.  I didn’t want to spend the time it would take to open a new account.  However, since the relationship I had with Bank #1 was so unbearable I did what I felt I had to do.  Or shall I say, Bank #1 made the decision for me?  

And with all that banks are going through now you would think Bank #1 would try harder.  When I compare the two banks on all that is important to me (see the chart below), Bank #1 should have never been in the running.  The only reason I chose this bank was because of the relationship I had with the colleague who gave me the referral, not the bank itself.   All the more reason to for the personnel to preserve the relationship.

MORAL OF THE STORY:

Our customers are looking at us the same way I looked at these banks.  In their minds, there is always somebody else to choose from.  They can always try us out and go to a #2, if they aren’t satisfied. 

The good news:   If we cultivate and preserve the relationship we can easily remain their #1. 

The bad news:  If we let the relationship suffer, we can guarantee they will run to #2.

Interestingly enough, I checked the stock market prices of Banks #1 and #2 today.  Can you guess which one is trading at $3.92 and which one is trading at $39.93?

So the question is, are you the best #1 you can be?

Whatever It Takes

Image via Wikipedia

“Here she comes.” 

The first thought I had as I watched the woman who comes every Friday (recycling day)  barrel down my street.  She  paused briefly to glance in my recycle bin.  After a split second assessment that my bin didn’t have the refundables she collects she continued her drive through the neighborhood. 

After glancing her way through 5 more houses she stopped at a house that had a deeper bin because she must have determined there could be something beyond her field of vision.  She jumped out of the van, prepared with a plastic bag and began rummaging. 

My initial thought was that this seemed like a colossal waste of time.  My subsequent thought that she didn’t seem to mind and it wasn’t a waste of her time.  She was simply doing whatever it takes to make money.  

I think as entrepreneurs we can learn a few things from this woman.  When it comes to turning a profit we have to be willing to do whatever it takes. 

Here’s what I learned my refund bottle friend this morning: 

1)  Recognize an opportunity – There has to be a pretty good chance that somebody will drop the ball when it comes to putting refundables in the recycling bin.  Once the bin is placed on the curb, it’s considered discarded.  Obviously not to my friend, she sees it as holding earning potential.  Why not hers? 

There are opportunities being overlooked in your industry.  What can you do that somebody else isn’t?

2) Increase the odds – On a mile long street that has at least 75 houses and an apartment complex, there’s going to be a greater likelihood that her mission will be worth her while. 

When you’re marketing, are you spending your time, money, or effort on things that have the greatest likelihood of increasing your business? 

3) Competitive advantage – There have been other people come through my neighborhood looking for the refundables.  They were usually on foot.  This lady zips house to house in her minivan and jumps out with a large plastic bag ready to take action.  She obviously planned this out in advance. 

How can you outpace your competition?  What do you need to know about them to go beyond them?

4) Research is important – Around here the Public Works guys are pretty unpredictable, they can come early or late.  You can’t set your clock by them.  However, you can bet they won’t hit my street before 8:00 AM.  She seems to know this because she is long gone well before they get here. 

Gathering as much information as possible about your target market, offerings, and industry will only ensure your likelihood of the best results.  Also being prepared for the unpredictable can help you avoid missteps.

5)  Consistency – Every Friday is recycling day, every Friday the refund lady comes.  And even though I usually return my bottles, this morning I went in my garage to get some for her.  Why?  Because I’ve gotten used to seeing her. 

Growing a business takes time and perserverance.  When you are consistent and committed to what you do, you become known for it.  Eventually, people will come looking for you. 

I can pretty much guarantee this woman doesn’t think that she’s doing anything special, but I do.  It’s a dirty job that she’s chosen and she does it every week.  I admire her for that.   She reminds me that I can always afford to do more to get ahead.

Please share any interesting insights you ‘ve had about business from ordinary things.  Would love to hear them!