Sunday, March 12, 2006

Lean: Reduce Lead - Customers - Show Off

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Monday Morning Motivators – March 13, 2006
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Espresso business tips are designed to "caffeinate" your mind while your java
gets you going. Subscribing and Unsubscribing at
Monday Morning Motivators

"And then I brood about different things and usually I have quite a lead time about anything I write.”
-- Jim Harrison

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Table of Contents
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1. Lean: Reduce Lead Time – Linda Fayerweather
2. Question #2 – Who are Your Customers? – Rebecca Booth
3. Show People What You Can Do – John Meyer
4. To Do This Week
5. Fine Print

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1. Lean: Reduce Lead Time
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Reducing lead time – the time needed to complete an activity from start to finish – is an effective way to tackle waste. This is the “sitting around” time for a product or process - waiting for approval, waiting for transportation, waiting for the inventory, waiting, waiting. Sometimes using a team approach can identify not only the lead time problems but also solutions. Reducing lead time will reduce waste which will help lower costs.

Copyright 2006 Linda Fayerweather
Changing Lanes LLC


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2. Question #2 – Who are Your Customers and What Do They Want?
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When’s the last time you bought something you didn’t need? “Wants” and “needs” are two completely different things. People don’t necessarily buy what they need, but they’ll most always buy what they want (even if they can’t afford it). Knowing who your customers are, what they want and what motivates them to buy is critical for any marketing plan. Ask these questions in order to get to know your customers better:
• Where does my potential customer typically buy these goods? (internet, retail, home party?)
• Who is the primary buyer? Who else influences the decision?
• What are my clients’ habits? (i.e., How do they get their information – TV, newspaper, magazine?)
• What are the primary motivations for buying? (To look better, avoid pain, get healthy, be popular?)

Copyright 2006 Rebecca Booth
Marketing Diva
BNI OHIO

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4.
To Do This Week
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Make sure you have a current power of attorney.

Monday, March 06, 2006

Lean: Waste - What Market - Discounts

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Monday Morning Motivators – March 6, 2006
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Espresso business tips are designed to "caffeinate" your mind while your java
gets you going. Subscribing and Unsubscribing at http://www.mondaymorningmotivators.com/

"Waste is worse than loss. The time is coming when every person who lays claim to ability will keep the question of waste before him constantly. The scope of thrift is limitless.”
-- Thomas A. Edison

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Table of Contents
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1. Lean: Eliminating Waste – Linda Fayerweather
2. Question #1 – What Market are You in? – Rebecca Booth
3. For Great Referrals, Work your Way to the Top – John Meyer
4. To Do This Week
5. Fine Print

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1. Lean: Eliminating Waste
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Waste silently steals profit; often while everyone is watching. Three pervasive forms of waste are: Overproduction – Waiting – Defects.
Overproduction is simply making or supplying too much stuff. There is a fine line between anticipating customer need and producing before the need is identified.
Waiting or queuing is inactivity in production leading to excess inventory or disappointed customers. Waiting in service businesses often leads to lose of customers.
Defects need no explanation. I don’t want them and neither do you. Defects are not just limited to what you sell but also are hiding like gremlins in internal processes.
Eliminate waste and you will increase profit. It’s really very simple.

Copyright 2006 Linda Fayerweather
Changing Lanes LLC
http://www.changinglanes.biz/


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2. Question #1 – What Market are You in and Who’s your Competition?
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Here’s a novel idea: If you try to sell something that people don’t want, they won’t buy it. A profitable market consists of people who have wants that are unmet. To get a better understanding of your market (and your place in it) ask yourself:
• Are there segments in my market that are underserved?
• Are such segments big enough to sustain an income?
• How much market share do I need to capture to break even?
• What’s the competition like? It is too competitive?
• Where are my competitors weak? How can I capitalize on that weakness?
• Will my market want or value my unique product or service?
Remember greater profits lie in markets that are underserved. Turn your business upside down by thinking creatively about your product/service offerings!

Copyright 2006 Rebecca Booth
Marketing Diva
Imagine That!
http://www.marketingsolutioneers.com/

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3. Discounts Can Get You Referrals
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Offer a special price or service to the members of your networks. If you can get the members to use you, they are much more likely to refer you. You can also empower your network members to refer you by allowing them to give a discount to their referrals – they’ll be a hero and your have a customer.

Copyright 2006 John R. Meyer
District Director, BNI Ohio
http://www.bni-ohio.com/

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4. To Do This Week
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Did you get wireless internet? Is it secure? According to the New York Times, only 30% are secure.

Monday, February 27, 2006

Lean: Quality - Marketing Plan - 5 Senses

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Monday Morning Motivators – February 27, 2006
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Espresso business tips are designed to "caffeinate" your mind while your java
gets you going. Subscribing and Unsubscribing at
Monday Morning Motivators

"Don't wait for a light to appear at the end of the tunnel, stride down there and light the bloody thing yourself." -- Sara Henderson

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Table of Contents
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1. Lean: Improving Quality – Linda Fayerweather
2. 7-Question Marketing Plan – Overview – Rebecca Booth
3. The 5 Senses Can Sell Your Products/Services – John Meyer
4. To Do This Week
5. Fine Print

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1. Lean: Improving Quality
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Improving quality begins with knowing what your customers want and expect. You start by asking your customers what improvements are needed and designing processes to provide better products and services that will meet their needs and requirements. Staying on top of quality means always looking for errors and talking to your customers while remembering that quality is the primary way to stay competitive in the marketplace.

Copyright 2006 Linda Fayerweather
Changing Lanes LLC
Marketing Solutioneers

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3. The 5 Senses Can Sell Your Products/Services
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If you have an opportunity to distribute your materials, do it! Bring products, samples, brochures, or a presentation book to the business meetings you attend. If people can see, feel, touch, hear, or smell samples of the product or service you provide, they are more likely to use you.

Copyright 2006 John R. Meyer
District Director, BNI Ohio
BNI-OHIO

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4.
To Do This Week
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Check your power strips to your computers – make sure they are working correctly.

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Lean - Price-Dirven Ads - To the Top

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Monday Morning Motivators – February 20, 2006
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Espresso business tips are designed to "caffeinate" your mind while your java
gets you going. Subscribing and Unsubscribing at
Monday Morning Motivators

“Maintaining a complicated life is a great way to avoid changing it.”
-- Elaine St. James

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Table of Contents
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1. Lean: Where to Start – Linda Fayerweather
2. Price-Driven Ads Lead to Negative Image – Rebecca Booth
3. For Great Referrals, Work your Way to the Top – John Meyer
4. To Do This Week
5. Fine Print

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1. Lean: Where to Start
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You know what it takes for you to get lean, the next 4 weeks we will talk about getting your business lean. A Lean initiative has four primary goals:
1. Improving Quality
2. Eliminating Waste
3. Reducing time from start to customer
4. Reducing total cost.
These goals are important as they will help your company meet its customers’ demand for great products or services at a price they are willing to pay. Being lean will also help the small business be efficient and agile to changes in the business environment. Best of all, lean business practices may help your company develop a great return on investment. Next week, we will explore goal number one!

Copyright 2006 Linda Fayerweather
Changing Lanes LLC
Changing Lanes


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2. Price-Driven Ads Lead to Negative Image
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Advertising on price is the wrong way to start any marketing effort. First, it assumes that the potential customer is already familiar with your product or service. So you’re missing a terrific opportunity to educate and capture a new client! In addition, price-driven ads also do two other things: a) they’ll eventually limit your potential market because the customer will always be looking for a bargain and b) they lump you into the same category as your competitors. Instead of differentiating you from the rest, you are comparing your product/service to theirs, but you’re better because you’re cheaper. Think twice before you submit that price-driven ad to your ad rep.

Copyright 2006 Rebecca Booth
Marketing Diva
Imagine That!
Marketing Solutioneers

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3. For Great Referrals, Work your Way to the Top
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Top business executives insulate themselves from those who may try to sell them products or services. Through word of mouth you can still increase your volume of business, because you know a hundred people, who know a hundred people, and so on. The great referrals are probably not going to come from a CEO, but someone who knows a CEO.

Copyright 2006 John R. Meyer
District Director, BNI Ohio
BNI OHIO

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4.
To Do This Week
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Check your power strips to your computers – make sure they are working correctly.