Mike Michalowicz's Blog, page 85

The 4 Unexpected Ways Leaders Spark Innovation

What do Abraham Lincoln, King Arthur and Mahatma Gandhi have in common? No, this is not the start to a bad joke. These famed leaders are known for their ability to assemble disparate teams who, collectively, accomplished the “unaccomplishable.” They utilized techniques and strategies that brought the best out of their people. Not just hard work, but innovative thinking that changed the world.

Lincoln abolished slavery, by establishing a team of his “enemies.” Arthur defended England from the Saxons by empowering his comrades via the legendary Round Table. Gandhi established a peaceful force so powerful and so innovative that it defeated the British Empire without a single drop of blood being spilled.

Innovation can win wars without a single fight or change the course of a nation divided. You can have radical impact too, but only if you empower you team in some very unexpected ways. It requires one extraordinary step, though. You must be willing to challenge your own beliefs.

 

Productivity Stops Innovation Cold In Its Tracks

I suspect as you read that subtitle you either rolled your eyes or threw up in your mouth a little. I mean, how could something so critical to corporate success – productivity – be the one thing that prevents innovation? If anything, you would assume the opposite is true. The reality is leaps in productivity occur when a new way of getting things done is discovered. That happens through innovation.

The constant pressure for higher productivity, is the exact reason innovation gets frozen. Productivity is a short term measurement, tracking how much got done during the last hour, day or week. And with constant pressure to be productive, every day there is more and more work piled on. The drive for productivity becomes a never ending cycle to produce more. With the constant focus on getting things done, the time and freedom to find a better way to get those things done, goes out the window.

Innovation requires time, deep thought and mistakes, the exact things that a highly productive team doesn’t have time for. So the next time you want to improve productivity, give your team the time to innovate. As my grandmother said, “It’s impossible to have a workable pan if all you do is keep frying eggs.”

 

Uber-Collaborative Workspaces Kill Innovation

Walk into any modern office and the setup is full of open spaces. The idea is simple if people can talk they can share ideas. But few people excel in environments of constant distraction, and in many cases these workspaces cause the introverted intellectuals to fizzle out.

Thomas Edison, arguably the leader of one of the greatest innovate teams in history, establish a work environment that was a key to radical innovation. He realized that conversation is enlightening, yet silence is golden. So he gave his team both. Edison configured his Menlo Park Laboratory to offer his talented workers opportunities to mingle and argue ideas, or to work in seclusion for as long as they needed (hours, days or even weeks). Edison’s goal was to bring about world changing innovations. His strategy was to give the workers the exact environment that they thrived in, at the exact time they needed it.

 

Words Don’t Inspire, Actions Do

A fundamental human behavior is the law of reciprocity. Simply put, human beings are wired to respond in kind to the behavior of another. For example, if you walk down the street and someone waves to you (even if you don’t immediately recognize them) you feel compelled to wave back. The feeling to respond in kind to a person who waved to you is the behavior of reciprocity. It happens in all circumstance, not just friendly greetings. If someone talks behind your back, you are likely to talk behind theirs. If someone says you are doing a great job at your review and then decides to demote you, the action wins (not the words) and you will surely reciprocate with ill will toward your (jerk) boss.

To inspire your team to be loyal to you, you must first be loyal to them. To inspire your team to work smarter, you must challenge yourself to work smarter for them. To inspire a team to be innovative, you must challenge yourself to be embrace innovation and been an innovator yourself.

There is no way around it. Your team will measure your actions and reciprocate in kind. It’s law. Behavioral law.

 

Encourage Failure

Sara Blakely the founder of Spanx (which generates an impressive $250M in annual revenue and more impressive net profit margin estimated at 20%) attributes her success to her father’s daily inquiry “What did you fail at today?” Blakely had been steeped in a core element of innovation: failure.

For your team to successfully innovate they need to experiment and explore the unknown. And whenever you enter the realm of the unknown you are bound to fail. In fact, the only way to succeed is by failing, learning and improving.

For you team to successfully innovate, you must set up an environment where failure is expected. Setup an environment where failure is encouraged in a unique way: Fail often and fail early. The earlier you fail, the less costly it is. The more often you fail, the sooner you find the solution.

As famed as Thomas Edison is for all his innovations, he and his team had a constant string of failures. But Edison understood the importance of failure and encouraged it. In his own words, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

Episode 34: Married to Mayhem Featuring Susan Fuller and Krista Michalowicz

Also Available On

 

 Show Summary

Susan Fuller and Krista Michalowicz join us for Episode 34 of the Profit First Podcast. They share their stories of what it’s like to be married to busy entrepreneurs!

 

Our Guests

Susan Fuller (left)

As the wife of a guy with too much tolerance for risk, Susan Fuller has endured, conquered and made peace with the high-flying, high-risk, entrepreneurial spirit that has been her steady course for 21 years of marriage. She bucked the conventions and stuck with him as he helped launch and/or found more than a dozen companies, two industry associations and one non-profit, raising over $50 million and commitments for an additional $120 million. She stood by him when his risk tolerance motivated him to quit a job and start a company with just $10,000 in the bank, the US economy in recession, two children and an apartment in Silicon Valley’s epicenter city, Mountain View, California. His constant travel, interaction with many women, rapid company success and equally rapid failure provided many exits to the marriage she chose to bypass. Now, after being married 21 years to the same spirit that has built the world we call home, she is stepping out on her own. As an author and speaker, Susan’s mission is to encourage the life partners of entrepreneurs and provide them the emotional and pragmatic context of the entrepreneurial spirit. Without this spirit, jobs, freedom and the world as we know it would not exist. Without supportive life partners, entrepreneurs could be crushed by the energy that fuels them. They need balance. They need you.

Krista Michalowicz (right)

Being an entrepreneur is not easy, being married to one is even tougher. Krista Michalowicz is the Domestic Engineer of the Michalowicz family. Her keynote “Married To Mayhem” explains what it takes to not just manage an entrepreneurial marriage but to thrive in one. Krista and her husband Mike have three children.

 

Show Quotes 

-Know when to take a break from work and live in the moment with your family.

-Maintain consistency! Stay on the same page and communicate with your spouse.

-Learn from each other’s experiences; persevere and just keep reaching for your goals. Don’t give up!

-Trust is essential. Know who you’re married to and what your marriage is about.

Questions dictate what we see. Here’s question 4 of 4 you can ask your clients to become more profitable:

Ask your best clients “what vendors do you work with?” Once you find out who the other vendors are for your best clients, that is the gateway to other clients like them.

 

Have a question you’d like us to answer on the air? Email Kristina or Mike!

Kristina@MikeMichalowicz.com 

Mike@MikeMichalowicz.com 

 

Show Links

Website: www.susanfuller.me

 

Corporate Partners

Nextiva – VOIP phone providers for small businesses.

Fundera – Single source online funding for entrepreneurs. Also offers an adviser program for CPAs, bookkeepers and business coaches.

TSheets – The #1 customer rated time tracking solution!

4 Phrases of Amazing Customer Service

I’ve grown my companies by focusing on great customer service. We didn’t always have the biggest names in business working at the firm, and we sure couldn’t always afford the flashiest equipment. What we did better than all our competitors was ensure that our customers were thrilled.

In fact, superlative customer service can be your very best (and cheapest!) form of marketing. Customers talk about their experiences, especially if they’re unexpectedly good. Sometimes even the most difficult situations can yield satisfied customers, depending on how you and your team handle the problems that arise. Even a failure to meet expectations can offer an opportunity for a great recovery and a happy customer.

Here are four phrases that will help you bring up the level of service your customers receive:

1. “I don’t know, but this is what I’m going to do.”

You’re not always going to have the answer to every question at your fingertips, and your customers will understand that. What they expect in exchange, though, is honesty and follow-up. The key here is to make a clear commitment like,” I’ll call you by 5pm with the answer,” and then keep that commitment! Even if it’s taking longer to get a problem resolved or to get the answer to your question, follow up with customers to let them know you’re still working for them. Customers want you to be honest and to keep your word. If you promise to call by 5pm, then you must call by 5pm, or you’ve betrayed your customer’s trust, and you’ve let that customer down.

2. “I am very sorry.”

When you or your company has made a mistake, the customer wants to hear you accept responsibility and apologize. Too many customer service reps have been trained not to accept responsibility, in some cases because they fear the legal record of having admitted failure. Realistically, though, the probability of a lawsuit is minimal, while the chance of losing a customer is virtually guaranteed. It’s important to manage the unhappy customer’s expectations while you apologize, though. Be genuine, and save your apologies for the instances when your company has truly made a mistake, rather than apologizing to every customer displeased by circumstances that are beyond your control. The apology is only a step, albeit an important one, and the goal is to turn the failure into a success by determining what your company can do to make it right.

3. “Yes.”

“Yes” is what your customer wants to hear, and your goal should be to say that word whenever possible, even if – especially if – you’re working through a problem. Customers want progress. Imagine two scenarios: Customer 1 calls with a complaint and asks for a 10% discount. The customer service rep says no, finally hands the customer off to a manager, and twenty minutes later you have an angry, frustrated customer with a 10% discount from the manager. Customer 2 calls with a complaint, and the customer service rep apologizes and offers a 10% discount. The cost to the company – 10% — is the same, but call #1 took longer, involved two staff members, and left a customer feeling frustrated rather than satisfied. Call #2 yields a customer who truly believes that your company cares about their business. Say yes to reasonable requests as soon and as often as possible, and leave your customers pleasantly surprised at how easily the problem was resolved.

4. “Is there anything else I can do for you?”

Here’s your perfect wrap-up. Not only does this question give your customer the opportunity to bring up additional concerns, but it also lets the customer feel like they’re in control. They can ask for additional information or they can thank you for your spectacular service. Giving your customers the opportunity to raise additional concerns lets them know that you value them enough to spend time ensuring that they’re satisfied. Even if the customer called with a problem, if your customer service team can work through a resolution and end on a positive note, you can earn and keep those customers for life.

Great customer service relies first and foremost on authenticity. You and your team must be committed to satisfying your customers, and being trustworthy is the foundation. If your customers trust you to keep your word, then you’re more than halfway there. If your customers know they can rely on you, even if there’s a problem, that’s the rest of the journey.

Work on training your customer service reps to listen, determine what the customer expects, and do what they can to make sure that customer is satisfied.

The Extraordinary Power of Lack

When you lack the money to do what others do you are forced to find a new way.

When you lack the resources you need to get the work done you are forced to innovate.

When you lack the contacts to gain the exposure you need you are forced to blaze a new trail.

Lack changes paradigms. Lack changes industry. Lack changes everything.

Lack is a gift. It may come in damn ugly gift wrapping. But if you tear into, lack will reveal the greatest gift an entrepreneur could ever ask for.

Episode 33: Personal and Business Growth with Hal Elrod

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 Show Summary

Bestselling Author Hal Elrod joins us for Episode 33 of the Profit First Podcast. Hal shares his life transformation tips from his latest book, The Miracle Morning.

 

Our Guest

 

Hal Elrod died at age 20, hit head on by a drunk driver, he broke 11 bones and his heart stopped for 6 minutes. After 6 days in a coma and being told he would never walk again, he defied the odds and went on to become a hall of fame business achiever, international keynote speaker, ultra-marathon runner (which means he’s run 52 consecutive miles), and most notably – he is now the #1 bestselling author of what’s being widely regarded as ‘one of the most life-changing books ever written’ (with over 700 five-star reviews on Amazon). His book is called, The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed To Transform Your Life… (Before 8AM).

 

Show Quotes 

Put yourself in a peak physical, emotional and intellectual space every morning to win the day. How you start your day is arguably the single most important thing you can do to upgrade any area of your life.

Use your Life SAVERS:

Silence  – Meditation or Prayer

Affirmations – What do you want? Why do you want it? What’s holding you back?

Visualizations – See the end result, and more importantly, see yourself doing the action to get there.

Exercise – Get your heart rate up in the morning! Hal uses the 7 minute workout app

Reading – Even if it’s 10 minutes a day, give your brain an intellectual workout.

Scribing – Start a journal! Write down your ideas and aspirations.

Do not wait… become determined to start personal development on a daily basis. Once you do this, you’ll become more determined at work.

Questions dictate what we see. Here’s question 3 of 4 you can ask your clients to become more profitable:

Ask your best clients “what vendors do you work with?” Once you find out who the other vendors are for your best clients, that is the gateway to other clients like them.

Hal’s personal quote about Profit: “You are just as worthy, deserving, and capable of becoming wealthy as any other person on earth, but it’s up to you to prove that through your daily actions.”

Have a question you’d like us to answer on the air? Email Kristina or Mike!

Kristina@MikeMichalowicz.com 

Mike@MikeMichalowicz.com 

 

Show Links

Hal’s Book: www.MiracleMorningBook.com

Get 2 FREE chapters of The Miracle Morning (PLUS Audio & Video Training) at www.MiracleMorning.com

Website: http://halelrod.com/

Join The Miracle Morning Community (on Facebook) at www.MyTMMCommunity.com

 

Corporate Partners

Nextiva – VOIP phone providers for small businesses.

Fundera – Single source online funding for entrepreneurs. Also offers an adviser program for CPAs, bookkeepers and business coaches.

TSheets – The #1 customer rated time tracking solution!

Are You a Workaholic? You’re In Trouble…Productivity Sucks!

Are you the type of person who works while on vacation, checks e-mails on your Smartphone while at dinner, and has to make one last phone call before walking away? Maybe you are a typical workaholic. You are not alone; millions of people are addicted to their work. And while you may think that is a good thing, there are several reasons why it actually is not.

Workaholic Tendencies

Typical workaholics have a difficult time walking away from their work or out of the office. They even tend to start neglecting other areas of their life, because they are so consumed by their work. In addition, they are the type of people who have a difficult time delegating work to others, and when they do delegate, they tend to micromanage the entire time.

Did you know that, in addition to the health problems due to stress that all that workaholic behavior can lead to, there is more to be concerned about? Studies have shown that 9-to-5ers are actually more productive, per hour, than those who are workaholics. (You, know, the 9-to-9ers.)

I used to be proud of how hard I worked. My typical chest pounding went: “Look! I work 12 hours a day, every day. I put in 80 hours a week, baby! I have a great work ethic!”

Turning Over a New Leaf

But then I realized that, by working those long hours, I had simply afforded myself an excuse. I didn’t need to be efficient anymore. I could just say to myself that, if I didn’t do it now, I could do it tonight, and stay up until 2 a.m. to get it done. Being a workaholic turned me into a procrastinator. I seriously had the ultimate micro-mañana syndrome!

Ironically, when I forced myself to leave work each day by 5 p.m., my whole scheduled changed. I started skipping the nonsense distractions, such as the constant checking of e-mail, or surfing (ahem – researching) the Internet. I actually got down to work during that time. My per-hour productivity skyrocketed! And I was getting more done in a 9-to-5 day than I used to in an entire “workaholic day.”

Road to Recovery

So if you label yourself a workaholic, recognize that you are really labeling yourself as woefully unproductive. It is time to start turning yourself into a productivity machine. And the trick to doing that is simple. Force yourself to leave at 5 p.m. every day. That is how I do it, and you can, too!

Each day, I schedule a 5 o’clock appointment with someone. Sometimes it is a workout at the gym with a friend. Other times, it is a doctor’s appointment. Still other times, it is a get-together with my wife. The key here is to force yourself to be physically out of your office by 5.

Increased Productivity

The forced break and change of location that you give yourself will work wonders for shutting off the workload for that day. And with that forced break at 5 p.m., you will learn that you must be productive from 9 to 5.

When you first make the switch, it will take some time to adjust. Just be patient with yourself. Before you know it, you will stop feeling guilty for not working during every free moment you have, and you can actually enjoy your vacation. Your personal relationships will improve, as others sense that you are giving them a higher priority. (Remember, you will no longer be texting or calling a client during your romantic dinners.) And if you have serious difficulty making the transition, find a Workaholics Anonymous meeting near you. (Seriously, they do exist!)

No longer be a workaholic. Instead, become a productivity-aholic.

The 8 Parts Of The Entrepreneurs Happiness Quotient

Many people go into business to make money, so they can use it to do things that make them happy. The problem is others go into the same line of business because it makes them happy, and yet they kick the crap out of the people who are just doing it just for the money. I’m not talking about kicking the crap out of them in a violent way. I mean they’re actually making more money than the money focused guys.

Happy guys just have it all over miserable, pissy guys because they’re happier. The key is this…. if it makes you happy, if it plays into your passion…. if it makes you want to get out of bed in the morning that’s what will keep you going in a good way, for a long time. Big money, huge, ball busting, cover of BusinessWeek and Forbes Magazine money is created by entrepreneurs who have a passion and drive for what they do, and who go about it smartly and with a smile on their face. Here’s how they get there:

1. Happiness first, money next. Stop focusing on the money. Focus on your business, your clients or customers, your employees and your systems. Make sure everything is running smooth and everybody is being treated well and feeling good. Then look at your money. Chances are very good when your happy ducks are in a row, so are your financial ducks. Quack, quack my friends. Quack, quack.

2. Turn off the news. That means news feeds, TV, radio, and whatever channels you are attached to daily that stream in fear, terror and the apocalypse. Leave the “if it leads it bleeds” media mentality. The more you feed that junk food crap to your mind, the more you’ll believe the world sucks and the more unhappy you’ll be. Remember, what you feed, grows. Stop feeding fear.

3. Sleep. Sleep isn’t just something you do so you can function. It’s a part of your business strategy, or it should be. Sleep is a need you have to refresh and energize you. Did you know you can actually DIE from lack of sleep? It is the only way to survive the marathon of growing a business… to be rested and ready. So see your business as a long marathon and allow yourself to move forward more slowly and more deliberately… and give yourself the sleep you need. Being well rested, by the way, makes you happier.

4. Relationships. As a general rule, people feed off of other people, in good ways as well as bad. Focus on the good feeders—the people who give you energy just by being around them. Pick the business relationships you surround yourself with – happy people will make you happy.

5. Share. Share whatever you have with at least one person (more is okay) every day. That might mean offering them a stick of gum, a piece of the several pieces of fruit you brought to work, or a ride somewhere. You’ll figure it out. Your parents and kindergarten teacher didn’t pound this skill set into you for naught.

6. Express your gratitude. You probably didn’t notice that people do stuff for you all day long right? There’s the old guy, or the young girl who held the door for you at some store or restaurant right? Or what about the guy at the grocery who let you cut in front of him because you only had one item and he had 27? Don’t just nod and say, “Thanks.” Stop and actually look the person in the eye and say, “Thank you, I appreciate that. I needed a kindness today.” You’ll not only wow them, but you’ll inspire them to repeat their kindness the rest of the day.

7. Random Act of Kindness. This is not me getting in touch with my feminine side. It’s me getting in touch with my practical side. Random acts of kindness not only make other people feel good, they actually make you feel good, empowered, in control, confident and happy. Studies show that giving and receiving causes our bodies to release endorphins—which are the body’s natural happy hormones.

8. Connect with friends. People, relationships and family are what make most of us truly happy. Take time to significantly connect with at least one friend a week. Go to lunch. Talk about something besides work. Send them a handwritten card expressing appreciation for something they did for you lately. Share a favorite book or audio book with them—gift them something through Kindle. Share something you know will make them smile—a photo, cartoon or video you’ve found.

Be happy. The success of your business depends on it.

You Don’t Sell What You Sell

Jeez, do people get this one wrong! The sooner entrepreneurs understand that their customers do not consume their product or service, the faster they can focus on taking more money to the bank. This is one that every successful entrepreneur must get right: people consume what your product or service delivers. They consume the benefits that it provides.

Lesson 1: Sell the benefit, not the product.

Just Do It

Case in point: Nike. When you think of Nike, you may think that they sell shoes and athletic wear. While that may be how it appears on the outside, dig a little deeper and you will find that there is a much larger and more profitable story. In all reality, they are selling something else – they are selling the idea of winning and athleticism. They sell the idea, hope and dream of being the next superstar basketball player, tennis player or golfer. They have sold the world on the fact that champion athletes are synonymous with their name.

One look inside the way Nike works makes it easy to see that they are selling a lifestyle. The lifestyle they are offering is one inhabited by world-class athletes, winners, and the champions of their respective fields. From Michael Jordan to Lebron James and Tiger Woods, the face of Nike is literally that of a champion. And Nike has tapped into every corner of the athletic world, including swimming, skateboarding, soccer, and snowboarding.

Did you see that? They are in snowboarding. Snowboarders don’t even use sneakers! Yet, Nike is there in a big way. Nike gets it, and hopefully you will too, by the end of my blog post.

Lesson 2: Nike doesn’t sell shoes, it sells winning.

Speak To What People Buy

When people view the Nike website they see success, and the shoes are simply the way the success is delivered. Whether you are viewing the leaders in the field of football, or of running or of snowboarding, just viewing those pages makes you think you can succeed. It speaks to consumers who feel they are winners or are aspiring to be winners. It is a no brainer; if you want to win you must own Nike stuff!

When people purchase a pair of Nike shoes, they are not just buying a pair of shoes; they could do that from any company out there. They chose Nike because of the winning advantage that Nike seemingly provides. Yes, they are also comfortable and stylish, but everything is secondary to stellar performance.

Lesson 3: The benefit is WHAT people buy. The “shoe” is simply HOW it’s delivered.

Winning Everywhere

Could you imagine Nike selling orthopedic comfort shoes? They would go out of business faster than Hussein Bolt can sprint the 40. Nike knows it’s not selling shoes, it sells winning. If Nike simply sold shoes, they would obviously carry a good set of orthopedics. But, are comfort shoes for winners? No! So Nike doesn’t carry them.

Nike has the winning attitude everywhere. It is absolutely consistent. Only winning athletes represent the brand. Only winning lifestyles are represented in their materials. The slogans too are all about winning – “be unstoppable,” “built for speed,” and “run unleashed.” All of these tap into the core benefit that the consumer is seeking – winning.

Successful companies sell the benefit, simply using their product or service as the delivery vehicle. For example, think about Viagra. People are buying endless sex. They are not buying a blue pill. It’s all about the benefit. Flower shops around the country are not selling flowers. They are selling romance, wishes, hope, apologies, smiles, etc. Home cleaning services aren’t selling sparkling showers. They are selling the gift of free time.

Lesson 4: Know the benefit you sell and make every face of your business highlight that benefit.

Defining What You Sell

The most successful companies are those that have identified what they are truly selling, which is the benefit that the customer gets from using the product or service. So what exactly is the benefit that you are selling? If you can’t readily answer that question, you need to figure it out because, after all, that is all your customer wants anyway.

How Do I Know That My Employees Trust Me?

The fundamental underpinning for life itself is trust. If people didn’t have trust, they wouldn’t even get-up in the morning. Think about it. Your employee trusts the floor is going to hold them up when they get out of bed. They trust their car won’t explode as they drive to your building. And ultimately, your employee trusts you and your leadership of your company. Or do they? And how would you know either way?

The thing is, sometimes floors collapse (eating one too many boxes of Girl Scout cookies does not help), cars explode (The Pinto, people. The Pinto) and employees sometimes don’t trust a single, stinking word you say. That is a nasty problem that can end-up destroying your company.

If you want your company to achieve the greatest (or even a modicum) of success, you need people you can trust and who trust you. You can easily pick out the people you trust (simply listen to your gut), but how do you pick out the people who trust you? Here are 5 ways:

1. Do you trust them? – Trust is based upon reciprocity. Trust begets trust. If you can trust them, chances are they can and will trust you. Do you believe them when they talk? Are they honorable in the workplace and out? Can you see yourself telling them a secret and knowing they wouldn’t tell a soul? If so, they probably feel the same way about you.

2. Small demonstrations – Do they confide small things in you? If they confide in you the little things, they would ultimately move toward bigger things, too. This is a good hint that they trust you. We are often willing to tell people we trust details of our lives, especially if we know that person won’t tell others.

3. Personal stories – The most vulnerable part of a person is their personal life. Messing up in the workplace is not nearly as vulnerable of a story as messing up in a marriage. If they share their personal stories (even if just small ones), you can guarantee they trust you. People share their personal lives with those they trust.

4. Non-Replaceables – Do they give you control over things that can’t be replaced. Maybe they let you borrow their autographed CD, or some other one of a kind effect. Lending something that can’t be replaced is a major demonstration of trust. You wouldn’t let just anyone borrow your prized possessions, and neither would they.

5. Do they trust others? – People have natural, varying degrees of trust. Some people are naturally more trusting than others. If your employees clearly trust each other, they likely trust you, too.

Having employees who trust you and the leadership of your company are like treasure. They are important, priceless, and should be held onto. People often drop hints as to whether or not they trust you, so look for them. Find the people who trust you, and whom you can trust, and your company’s foundation will be strong!

And, perhaps the most important key of determining if employees trust you, is to simply know this: People trust those who are trustworthy. So, the question comes back to you- Are you trustworthy?

Episode 32: Marketing and Customer Service Noah Fleming and Gary Turner

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 Show Summary

Bestselling author Noah Fleming,  and UK Xero’s Managing Director, Gary Turner, join us for Episode 32 of the Profit First Podcast.

 

Our Guests

 

Noah Fleming (left)

Noah is a marketing expert. As a thought leader in strategic marketing and customer loyalty, Noah helps clients dramatically and rapidly increase sales, multiply profits, and maximize customer value.

He is the trusted source for coaching and consulting to thousands of owners, executives, and individuals. Noah is the author of the Amazon #1 bestselling book in Sales, Marketing, and Customer Service – EVERGREEN: Cultivate The Enduring Customer Loyalty That Keeps Your Business Thriving.

Gary Turner (right)

Gary subscribed to Personal Computer World magazine at the age of 12 in 1981 and taught himself BASIC in his parents’ attic when he should have been chasing girls. He has been messing around with technology for more than 30 years and writing about it online for ten.

Now a 20-year veteran of the UK accounting software industry, Gary was Product Group Director for Microsoft Dynamics before joining Xero, beautiful accounting software, to lead its UK operations in 2008. He has sat on the IT Faculty Technical Committee of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales since 2005.

 

Show Quotes 

Too many people see the “closing of the deal” as the end – but in reality it’s just the beginning.

Some loyal customers may not be worth keeping. For example:

Hungry Hippos – they take advantage and ask for lower prices, more discounts, better deals.

Problem children – you can’t please them no matter what you do.

Ask yourself: Are these really the customers I want to deal with?

Our questions dictate what we see. Here’s question 2 of 4 you can ask your clients to become more profitable:

Meet with your best customer and ask “What’s wrong with my Industry?” This is the best way to get people to tell you what you can improve on (instead of asking “what am I doing wrong?”).

Talk to your customers to find out what they want!

App of the week: IFTTT – If This, Then That.

 

Show Links

Noah Fleming

Noah’s Book: Evergreen on Amazon.com

Website: http://noahfleming.com/

Twitter: @noahfleming

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flemingconsulting

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noahfleming

Gary Turner

Website: https://xero.com/ 

Twitter: @garyturner

 

Corporate Partners

Nextiva – VOIP phone providers for small businesses.

Fundera – Single source online funding for entrepreneurs. Also offers an adviser program for CPAs, bookkeepers and business coaches.

TSheets – The #1 customer rated time tracking solution!