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Monday Morning Motivators – October 16, 2006
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Espresso business tips are designed to "caffeinate" your mind while your java
gets you going. Subscribing and Unsubscribing at www.mondaymorningmotivators.com
"Sooner or later, those who win are those who think they can.”
-- Paul Tournier
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Table of Contents
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1. Map This – Linda Fayerweather
2. Marketing Monstrosity #2: Doing What Your Competitors Do - Rebecca Booth
3. Manage Yourself as a Resource - John Meyer
4. Fine Print
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1. Map This - Administrative “Value Streams”
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Administrative implies “office work” or to some, lots of Muda*. Achieving a lean office begins with mapping and analyzing each “value stream”. Value streams are the steps that comprise a given process from boss to co-worker to customer (internal or external). This can be challenging as often many people touch and add value to many different services and processes. Even so, it’s a vital first step to identifying the following:
* Who benefits from the work being done, and are their requirements being met?
* Are there steps in the process that don’t add value to the receiving “customer”?
* Are work tasks evenly distributed?
* Are work areas disorganized?
* Is there a continuous flow of work, or are there large ebbs and flows in work volume?
* Is there a lot of variation in how workers perform value-added tasks?
* Does material/information sit for a long time?
To get started, pick one process and identify all the steps to complete using postit® notes stuck to a flat surface. Study it; ask for input and feedback; move the tasks around; add or subtract; refine and you will end up with your first value stream map. Start small, document it and you will have a procedure that adds value and is repeatable by others.
Copyright 2006 Linda Fayerweather
Changing Lanes LLC
www.ChangingLanes.biz
*Muda = Waste
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2. Marketing Monstrosity #2 – Doing What Your Competitors Do
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While it’s important to know what your competitors are doing, you shouldn’t let it dictate the marketing strategy for your business. Let your competitor be the “low price leader” while you focus on value. Oft times, low prices leaders attract low-end, high maintenance customers. By placing your focus on value, you’ll drop those problematic clients for a client who has higher standards. People are happy to pay more for a product that has more value to them in the long run.
Avoid this marketing monstrosity by:
• Meeting an unmet need or want of your target market – one that your competitors don’t meet.
• Identifying a niche market which will give clients a reason to choose you over your competition!
Copyright 2006 Rebecca Booth
Marketing Goddess
Imagine That!
www.marketingsolutioneers.com
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3. Manage Yourself as a Resource
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Others won't know you are a fountain of information unless you manage yourself as one. Always be prepared to give a referral. Carry others’ business cards with you. If you can't carry business cards, have your hand-held data base with you at all times so you can at least give out a name and phone number. If someone asks you if you know a plumber and your palm-pilot is sitting on your desk, it's hard to give a name and phone number on the spot.
Copyright 2006 John R. Meyer
District Director, BNI Ohio
http://www.bni-ohio.com
