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Monday Morning Motivators – June 12, 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
“We now accept the fact that learning is a lifelong process of keeping abreast of change.”
--Peter F. Drucker
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Table of Contents
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1. Lean Metrics: What are They and What Do They Do? – Linda Fayerweather
2. Reasons Why People Buy – Rebecca Booth
3. Ask Someone to Attend with You – John Meyer
4. To Do This Week
5. Fine Print
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1. Lean Metrics: What are They?
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Metrics? Isn’t that the measuring system the United States still doesn’t use? Yes, metrics is the most common system of measurement but in quality businesses, it is a standard measure to evaluate business performance. Useful metrics will be ones that assess your ability to meet your customers’ needs AND the business’s objectives. Metrics fall into three categories:
· Financial (i.e. cash flow, sales, gross margins, return on assets)
· Behavioral (i.e. employee commitment, communication & cooperation)
· Core-process (i.e. product launches & failures, order fulfillment lead time)
Properly designed lean metrics will enable you to consider the important people factors necessary for your organizations success. Over the next few weeks we will explore each of these. As you are thinking about metrics this week – don’t start measuring everything – start by asking your customers a few follow-up questions, you may uncover some of the things that need to be measured.
Copyright 2006 Linda Fayerweather
Changing Lanes LLC
www.changinglanes.biz
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2. Reasons Why People Buy
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Need some help tweaking your advertising copy? The best way to tweak is to place yourself into your customer’s shoes and answer “what’s in this for me?”. Master Guerilla Guru, Jay Conrad Levinson (author of the infamous Guerilla Marketing/Guerilla Advertising books) lists 50 different reasons why people buy on his website. Here’s a sampling of 10 of his gems:
• To become more efficient
• To escape of avoid pain
• To protect their possessions
• To feel opulent
• To avoid criticism
• To possess things of beauty
• To express love
• To access opportunities
• To satisfy an impulse
• To save Money
To read the entire list, visit Levinson’s website: Why People Buy
Copyright 2006 Rebecca Booth
Marketing Goddess
Imagine That!
www.marketingsolutioneers.com
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3. Ask Someone to Attend with You
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Workshops and seminars are opportunities to increase your skills, knowledge, visibility, and contacts. Ask a prospect or vendor to attend an educational program with you. This gives you an opportunity to spend time with them in a non-traditional venue plus an chance for follow-up about the program subject matter.
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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Thank your employees for something they do better than anyone else.
Monday, June 12, 2006
Monday, June 05, 2006
Lean: Customers - Through their Eyes
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Monday Morning Motivators – June 5, 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
“Sam Walton's values are: treat the customer right, take care of your people, be honest in your dealings, pass savings along to the customer, keep things simple, think small, control costs and continuously improve operations.”
--Michael Bergdahl
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Table of Contents
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1. Lean: Customers – Through their Eyes – Linda Fayerweather
2. And the Survey Says. . .– Rebecca Booth
3. Have Others Make an Announcement – John Meyer
4. To Do This Week
5. Fine Print
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1. Lean: Customers – Through their Eyes
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Getting your staff to focus on the customer takes persistence. Communicating and training employees to understand what the customer sees, feels and hears are key to identifying what the customer values most. When a customer goes into a store, the majority are on a mission. For example, the mom at the grocery store may be purchasing milk, cereal, toothpaste and “something for dinner”. What she will remember on her drive home will be:
--How long she waited in line,
--Attitude of the sales staff,
--Ease of getting what she needed. When management keeps talking about the customer experience, the employees will begin to think: “This must be important”.
Copyright 2006 Linda Fayerweather
Changing Lanes LLC
www.changinglanes.biz
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2. And the Survey Says. . .
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According to a recent USA Today poll, 89% of those surveyed hit snags with online transactions. The things that held them up:
• 40% received error messages
• 37% thought the site was difficult to navigate
• 31% were unable to complete a transaction due to an endless loop
• 31% had difficulty logging onto the website.
• 31% found the information on the site to be confusing or insufficient.
If you have a website, reserve a half an hour this week to look at it from the eyes of your consumer. If you spot a few problems fix them. Better yet, ask some of your customers to give you the lowdown on what they think is good/bad on your site before you do that overhaul. Reference last week’s Monday Morning Motivators for some tips on making your site stronger. (Or email me if you don’t have a copy. rbooth@marketingsolutioneers.com, be sure you place reference “Building a Better Website“ in your subject.)
Copyright 2006 Rebecca Booth
Marketing Goddess
Imagine That!
www.marketingsolutioneers.com
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3. Have Others Make an Announcement
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When attending meetings or speaking to groups, your sources can increase your visibility by announcing an event you are involved in or a sale your business is conducting, or by setting up exhibits of your products or services at the event. Having others help you will bring you credibility and at the same time, allow your sources to get in front of prospects they may not have been able to before. If you are in attendance, they can also invite you to make an announcement yourself.
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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Mystery shop your own business.
Monday Morning Motivators – June 5, 2006
============================================================
Espresso business tips are designed to "caffeinate" your mind while your java
gets you going. Subscribing and Unsubscribing at www.mondaymorningmotivators.com
“Sam Walton's values are: treat the customer right, take care of your people, be honest in your dealings, pass savings along to the customer, keep things simple, think small, control costs and continuously improve operations.”
--Michael Bergdahl
============================================================
Table of Contents
============================================================
1. Lean: Customers – Through their Eyes – Linda Fayerweather
2. And the Survey Says. . .– Rebecca Booth
3. Have Others Make an Announcement – John Meyer
4. To Do This Week
5. Fine Print
============================================================
1. Lean: Customers – Through their Eyes
============================================================
Getting your staff to focus on the customer takes persistence. Communicating and training employees to understand what the customer sees, feels and hears are key to identifying what the customer values most. When a customer goes into a store, the majority are on a mission. For example, the mom at the grocery store may be purchasing milk, cereal, toothpaste and “something for dinner”. What she will remember on her drive home will be:
--How long she waited in line,
--Attitude of the sales staff,
--Ease of getting what she needed. When management keeps talking about the customer experience, the employees will begin to think: “This must be important”.
Copyright 2006 Linda Fayerweather
Changing Lanes LLC
www.changinglanes.biz
============================================================
2. And the Survey Says. . .
============================================================
According to a recent USA Today poll, 89% of those surveyed hit snags with online transactions. The things that held them up:
• 40% received error messages
• 37% thought the site was difficult to navigate
• 31% were unable to complete a transaction due to an endless loop
• 31% had difficulty logging onto the website.
• 31% found the information on the site to be confusing or insufficient.
If you have a website, reserve a half an hour this week to look at it from the eyes of your consumer. If you spot a few problems fix them. Better yet, ask some of your customers to give you the lowdown on what they think is good/bad on your site before you do that overhaul. Reference last week’s Monday Morning Motivators for some tips on making your site stronger. (Or email me if you don’t have a copy. rbooth@marketingsolutioneers.com, be sure you place reference “Building a Better Website“ in your subject.)
Copyright 2006 Rebecca Booth
Marketing Goddess
Imagine That!
www.marketingsolutioneers.com
===========================================================
3. Have Others Make an Announcement
===========================================================
When attending meetings or speaking to groups, your sources can increase your visibility by announcing an event you are involved in or a sale your business is conducting, or by setting up exhibits of your products or services at the event. Having others help you will bring you credibility and at the same time, allow your sources to get in front of prospects they may not have been able to before. If you are in attendance, they can also invite you to make an announcement yourself.
Copyright 2006 John R. Meyer
District Director, BNI Ohio
http://www.bni-ohio.com
============================================================
4. To Do This Week
============================================================
Mystery shop your own business.
Monday, May 29, 2006
Lean - Listening to Customers
Monday Morning Motivators are espresso business tips designed to "caffeinate" your mind while your java gets you going. The archives are stored at: MondayMorningMotivators.blogspot.com
“Commitment unlocks the doors of imagination, allows vision, and gives us the "right stuff" to turn our dreams into reality.”
-- James Wormack
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Table of Contents
============================================================
Lean: Listening to Customers - Linda Fayerweather
Building a Better Website - Rebecca Booth
Distribute Your Information Through Various Resources - John Meyer
To Do This Week
Fine Print
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Lean: Listening to Customers
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Do your customers call you and say "When is your next workshop?"; "I'd like to buy a new car"; or "Can you give me advice on . . .?" These are all examples of customer value demand. We want this and when we hear it we should realize that our outreach and marketing is working.
When customers say "Your office said you would call back"; "The widget arrived and it was the wrong color and size"; or "No one has solved my problem". These are all examples of failure demand. Your customers are identifying your business's failures and helping you find solutions.
Listen to complaints - they can help you get lean because each failure represents waste in your business process and improvement will mean savings. Before you roll your eyes next time a customer complains, listen! Only 20% of unhappy customers ever complain. Fixing the problem means many more customers are going to join the value demand side of your business.
Copyright 2006 Linda Fayerweather
Business Coach
Changing Lanes LLC
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Building a Better Website
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The web has turned your 9-5 business into a 24/7 operation. But are you losing customers because the site is not user friendly? Here are some tips on how to build a better site.
• Don’t be all things to all people. Establish your niche and stick with it. The general rule of thumb is: 95% of your website should be used to serve your customers. If you need to have links to partners, investors and the media, reserve the footer area for these links.
• Use precise language. Don’t be vague. If people can’t figure out what you’re doing within a few seconds, they’re gone. Clearly state what you do and what promise you make to your customers.
• Keep it simple. Most people are irritated by Flash animations and other slow-to-load multimedia introductions to a site. Opt out of the glitz.
• Speak clearly and succinctly. Don’t use jargon, acronyms or overblown terminology on your site.
• Test your site before you upload it. Have your customers complete simple tasks on the site, like filling out a form or checking different pages and then get their feedback. You’ll probably get some great suggestions for improving your site’s performance.
Simplicity and easy navigation should be your priorities. If it’s too complicated, you miss an opportunity to talk to a customer – which can translate into a lost sale.
Copyright 2006 Rebecca Booth
Marketing Diva
Imagine That!
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Distribute Your Information Through Various Resources.
============================================================
Your networking sources can help you distribute your marketing information and materials. For example, they can include a flyer in their mailings or hand out flyers at meetings they attend. A dry cleaner attaches a coupon from the auto mechanic next door to each plastic bag he uses to cover his customers dry cleaning; a grocery store includes other businesses marketing literature in its grocery bags or on the back of the printed receipt.
Copyright 2006 John R. Meyer
District Director, BNI Ohio
BNI Ohio
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To Do This Week
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Call 3 customers and ask them what they like about your business and what they don't like about your business.
“Commitment unlocks the doors of imagination, allows vision, and gives us the "right stuff" to turn our dreams into reality.”
-- James Wormack
============================================================
Table of Contents
============================================================
Lean: Listening to Customers - Linda Fayerweather
Building a Better Website - Rebecca Booth
Distribute Your Information Through Various Resources - John Meyer
To Do This Week
Fine Print
============================================================
Lean: Listening to Customers
============================================================
Do your customers call you and say "When is your next workshop?"; "I'd like to buy a new car"; or "Can you give me advice on . . .?" These are all examples of customer value demand. We want this and when we hear it we should realize that our outreach and marketing is working.
When customers say "Your office said you would call back"; "The widget arrived and it was the wrong color and size"; or "No one has solved my problem". These are all examples of failure demand. Your customers are identifying your business's failures and helping you find solutions.
Listen to complaints - they can help you get lean because each failure represents waste in your business process and improvement will mean savings. Before you roll your eyes next time a customer complains, listen! Only 20% of unhappy customers ever complain. Fixing the problem means many more customers are going to join the value demand side of your business.
Copyright 2006 Linda Fayerweather
Business Coach
Changing Lanes LLC
============================================================
Building a Better Website
============================================================
The web has turned your 9-5 business into a 24/7 operation. But are you losing customers because the site is not user friendly? Here are some tips on how to build a better site.
• Don’t be all things to all people. Establish your niche and stick with it. The general rule of thumb is: 95% of your website should be used to serve your customers. If you need to have links to partners, investors and the media, reserve the footer area for these links.
• Use precise language. Don’t be vague. If people can’t figure out what you’re doing within a few seconds, they’re gone. Clearly state what you do and what promise you make to your customers.
• Keep it simple. Most people are irritated by Flash animations and other slow-to-load multimedia introductions to a site. Opt out of the glitz.
• Speak clearly and succinctly. Don’t use jargon, acronyms or overblown terminology on your site.
• Test your site before you upload it. Have your customers complete simple tasks on the site, like filling out a form or checking different pages and then get their feedback. You’ll probably get some great suggestions for improving your site’s performance.
Simplicity and easy navigation should be your priorities. If it’s too complicated, you miss an opportunity to talk to a customer – which can translate into a lost sale.
Copyright 2006 Rebecca Booth
Marketing Diva
Imagine That!
============================================================
Distribute Your Information Through Various Resources.
============================================================
Your networking sources can help you distribute your marketing information and materials. For example, they can include a flyer in their mailings or hand out flyers at meetings they attend. A dry cleaner attaches a coupon from the auto mechanic next door to each plastic bag he uses to cover his customers dry cleaning; a grocery store includes other businesses marketing literature in its grocery bags or on the back of the printed receipt.
Copyright 2006 John R. Meyer
District Director, BNI Ohio
BNI Ohio
============================================================
To Do This Week
============================================================
Call 3 customers and ask them what they like about your business and what they don't like about your business.
Monday, May 22, 2006
Error Proofing - Review
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Monday Morning Motivators – May 22, 2006
============================================================
Espresso business tips are designed to "caffeinate" your mind while your java
gets you going. Subscribing and Unsubscribing at www.mondaymorningmotivators.com
“Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning and focused effort.”
-- Paul Meyer
============================================================
Table of Contents
============================================================
1. Lean: Error Proofing – Review – Linda Fayerweather
2. No Kidding – No Kids Allowed! – Rebecca Booth
3. Track Your Referrals and Reciprocate – John Meyer
4. To Do This Week
5. Fine Print
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1. Lean: Error Proofing – Review
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In reviewing the error proofing of your business, remember you want your business lean so you will provide more value to the customers with less waste. Think about the 5M’s that each business has.
· Men & Women – the people of your organization;
· Machines – Systems or devices that perform work – from computers to large machines;
· Materials – Items used to create value for the customer or finished products;
· Methods – How work gets done and customer gets serviced;
· Measure – The monitoring and managing of production, service, employees and outcomes.
These are the resources and drivers that make things happen – with our without errors. When an error happens, identifying where or what caused it will be key to solving and getting your outcome back to lean.
Copyright 2006 Linda Fayerweather
Changing Lanes LLC
www.changinglanes.biz
============================================================
2. No Kidding – No Kids Allowed!
============================================================
If you run an upscale store or restaurant you might want to follow the lead of like stores across the county - they’re not allowing kids in their establishments. Why? Because it disrupts the experience of the other upscale shoppers/diners. Upscale shoppers are seeking an escape. If a screaming toddler interrupts their solitude, they have to make a decision: to stay or go. That doesn’t bode well for your bottom line. But an outright “no kids” policy could also negatively impact your sales to the mom market. So what to do? Simple, survey your customers to see what they have to say. You might also want to consider starting up a kids-only zone in your store. Best Buy has done that in some of their “Jill Stores” across the country. The kid-friendly areas are complete with Leapfrog toys and Playstations, which means the kids are entertained and mom can spend more time shopping!
Copyright 2006 Rebecca Booth
Marketing Diva
Imagine That!
www.marketingsolutioneers.com
===========================================================
3. Track Your Referrals and Reciprocate
===========================================================
Monitor the referrals your receive. This tells you how often you get referrals, their source, quality, status, and dollar payoff. Having this information helps you focus on individuals and groups that are giving you the best referrals. This allows you to reciprocate with people who are giving you the most referrals.
Copyright 2006 John R. Meyer
District Director, BNI Ohio
http://www.bni-ohio.com
============================================================
4. To Do This Week
============================================================
Review your customer follow-up process.
Monday Morning Motivators – May 22, 2006
============================================================
Espresso business tips are designed to "caffeinate" your mind while your java
gets you going. Subscribing and Unsubscribing at www.mondaymorningmotivators.com
“Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning and focused effort.”
-- Paul Meyer
============================================================
Table of Contents
============================================================
1. Lean: Error Proofing – Review – Linda Fayerweather
2. No Kidding – No Kids Allowed! – Rebecca Booth
3. Track Your Referrals and Reciprocate – John Meyer
4. To Do This Week
5. Fine Print
============================================================
1. Lean: Error Proofing – Review
============================================================
In reviewing the error proofing of your business, remember you want your business lean so you will provide more value to the customers with less waste. Think about the 5M’s that each business has.
· Men & Women – the people of your organization;
· Machines – Systems or devices that perform work – from computers to large machines;
· Materials – Items used to create value for the customer or finished products;
· Methods – How work gets done and customer gets serviced;
· Measure – The monitoring and managing of production, service, employees and outcomes.
These are the resources and drivers that make things happen – with our without errors. When an error happens, identifying where or what caused it will be key to solving and getting your outcome back to lean.
Copyright 2006 Linda Fayerweather
Changing Lanes LLC
www.changinglanes.biz
============================================================
2. No Kidding – No Kids Allowed!
============================================================
If you run an upscale store or restaurant you might want to follow the lead of like stores across the county - they’re not allowing kids in their establishments. Why? Because it disrupts the experience of the other upscale shoppers/diners. Upscale shoppers are seeking an escape. If a screaming toddler interrupts their solitude, they have to make a decision: to stay or go. That doesn’t bode well for your bottom line. But an outright “no kids” policy could also negatively impact your sales to the mom market. So what to do? Simple, survey your customers to see what they have to say. You might also want to consider starting up a kids-only zone in your store. Best Buy has done that in some of their “Jill Stores” across the country. The kid-friendly areas are complete with Leapfrog toys and Playstations, which means the kids are entertained and mom can spend more time shopping!
Copyright 2006 Rebecca Booth
Marketing Diva
Imagine That!
www.marketingsolutioneers.com
===========================================================
3. Track Your Referrals and Reciprocate
===========================================================
Monitor the referrals your receive. This tells you how often you get referrals, their source, quality, status, and dollar payoff. Having this information helps you focus on individuals and groups that are giving you the best referrals. This allows you to reciprocate with people who are giving you the most referrals.
Copyright 2006 John R. Meyer
District Director, BNI Ohio
http://www.bni-ohio.com
============================================================
4. To Do This Week
============================================================
Review your customer follow-up process.
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