Half-Full, Half-Empty and Being Thankful
"You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone."
You might be too young to remember Joni Mitchell's 70's tune on it's first time around, but the message is as good today as it was over 30 years ago. It's also as good in a business context as it is personal.
They say it's human nature to want what you can't have. It's good to want to improve and grow. Wanting "what you don't have" from that perspective is good. Improving knowledge, skills, clients, revenue; looking forward with a vision to excel is good. Looking backwards and regretting, pining, wanting "what you don't have" from hindsight is not good.
There are "the glass is half-full" people (forward looking) and there are "the glass is half-empty" people (backwards looking). The great thing about being human is we have the choice - while not easy and for some of us it may be down right difficult; however we have the choice and the ability to change out outlook.
What does this have to do with business? Everything.
The more successful people I work with the more I see how critical perspective and attitude is to success. Successful people, almost without exception, acknowledge the part of the glass that is empty however they focus on the half that's full. In other words, they recognize the problem exists; take the time to learn why the situation exists, decide the steps needed to make improvements, take action, let go and move on. The past is a teacher, they learn from it. They spend the bulk of their day focusing on the future, their vision.
If you have normally been a "glass half empty" kind of person, take this week to look at all that is right with your business, your life.
- So what if you had 50 clients last year and only have 25 this year. Thank those 25 clients for their business. Pick up the phone and call each one of them to thank them in person.
- Invite a business associate to lunch to thank them for the referrals they have given you in the past, even if they didn't turn into business.
- Go to your office supply cabinet and look at all that 'stuff'. Pack up any excess 'stuff' and deliver it to a non-profit organization that can use it.
- And for those of you with a staff, what about your employees? When is the last time you shared top-level business goals for your business? Sit down with them and tell them about your plans for the future, your vision for the business 5, 10, 15 years down the road. Let them know their role in reaching that vision and then thank them for being on the team.
Make a list of the half-full part of your glass. Focus on that this week. You'll be so busy you won't have time to notice the half-empty part. ...and that's the point. Even if you think this sounds silly, try it for the week and let me hear from you.
Speaking of being thankful, I thank you for following my entries on MaineToday.com. I appreciate the loyalty and the feedback. I'm a better at what I do because of it. Happy Thanksgiving.
Be BOLD and Be Thankful. Your success starts with a vision.
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ARE YOU SERIOUS?
…or just interested in making 2007 your best year yet?
Spend a day to look backward, forward, inward and outward as you create your roadmap for success and your best year yet in 2007. Contemplating 10 simple questions will set you on the path taking you closer to your vision of success.
BOLD Business 2007 Bootcamp - Be Bold and take a holistic approach in your annual planning. (See www.BoldVisionConsulting.com/events for more information)
Cumberland Club in Portland
December 6; 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Download Registration Form
The Power of VISION
Someone once said we'd better pay attention to the future because that's where we're going to spend the rest of our lives.
We are all working to position ourselves for a rewarding and profitable future in the world marketplace.
Having a positive vision profoundly impacts our present and future. It works for nations; it works for organizations; it works for children and it works for you.
Join me for a discussion about the Power of Vision and it’s powerful influence in your business and your life.
Cumberland Club in Portland
December 13 8:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Download Registration Form
Reduce Your Prospect's Risk -Increase Your Sales
RISK – It’s the #1 reason that keeps people from making the decision to hire you.
Your prospects are risking that they’ll be making the wrong decision and they'll look stupid and waste a lot of money and then they'll get fired and their kids will go hungry - BESIDES!! You probably can't help them anyway!
It sounds pretty extreme, but things like this (most of it) DO go through your prospect's mind - especially if you're selling a fairly complex, fairly expensive service. The more you can do to reduce the perceived risk of doing business with you, the better your chances are of gaining more clients.
There are a number of things you can do ranging from providing a "sample" or free trial, all the way to a 100% money-back satisfaction guarantee.
As copywriter Michael Fortin mentions in his recent BLOG article, a guarantee has 3 purposes:
1. to communicate that the product or service has value
2. to make the buyer feel more at ease with their buying decision, and
3. to generate greater sales and profits.
Adding a guarantee increases sales because it also removes the risk from the buyer’s mind. It also increases perceived value and therefore overall confidence in your service or product and in YOU as well. You lose more sales than you realize by not offering a guarantee.
You know this story of 2 brothers. Read on and see how long it takes you until you get the "Ah-ha!" The two started a small business when they were in college to pay their tuition and other expenses. One worked the day shift and attended night classes while the other worked at night and went to school during the day.
After consistently losing money, after a year one brother sold his share of the business for an old car. The other persevered. In interviews Tom Monaghan said that, at the time, he wasn’t convinced his decision to put a guarantee on pizza delivery would change much. But history has proven his decision was indeed, on target.
“Pizza delivered fresh in 30 minutes or it’s free” - Domino’s Pizza became the multimillion-dollar franchise operation we know today.
The bottom line is that guarantees will increase sales. If you target your prospects effectively, if you are good at what you do and if you manage your clients' expectations, you’re leaving money on the table if you DON’T have a risk reversal policy. I guarantee it.
And remember - Be BOLD. It all starts with a vision - ...and ends with a guarantee.
Are you SERIOUS?
...about making 2007 your Best Year Yet? Spend one day (December 6) looking back, looking forward, looking inward. A holistic approach to business planning, Best Year Yet is a proven process that is the foundation of the BOLD Business program.
The Best Year Yet process will help you design your next year around what matters most. Join me for a day that will change your business and your life. December 6, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Cumberland Club. Space is limited and lunch will be served. Please RSVP in advance. $99
The Power of Vision
Someone once said we'd better pay attention to the future because that's where we're going to spend the rest of our lives. The Power of Vision - December 13.
Having a positive vision profoundly impacts our present and future. It works for nations; it works for organizations; it works for children and it works for you. Join me on December 13, 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Cumberland Club in Portland, Maine. Space is limited so please RSVP in advance. $49
Visit our website for for information on other upcoming Bold Vision Consulting programs and to sign up for the BOLD Bulletin, a monthly e-journal for solo-preneurs and small business owners.
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