THE POWER OF REFERRALS

Imagine this, you get a card through the door as an advertisement for a new cleaning company in town. You have been contemplating getting a cleaner because of all those other commitments that are taking up all of your time. Getting some help with your home has been one of your priorities to sort out.

Would you pick up the card, dial the number and make the connection? Maybe.

Now imagine this scenario. You are sitting together with friends, telling them how you are so busy and that there is just not enough time in the day to take care of everything. You mention that you have been contemplating getting a cleaner. One of your friends mentions a company they have been using in the past and were very happy with.

Would you get in touch with that company rather than the other one who sent you some promotional materials?

The answer is pretty simple. Of course you are going to go with your friends suggestion! She has already had some experience and you fully trust her judgment.

The Power of a Referral is more than just the simple fact of first choice however. It typically becomes a win/ win situation for both, the customer and the business. Let me explain!

The customer will be referred to a company that has already proven it’s reliability and standard of products and services. The company does not need to compete on price anymore and because of the referral, the customer will probably be a pretty good fit, making it a pleasure to do business with.

If you are savvy, you will introduce a strong and compelling referral system for your business to get your GOOD customers not only refer MORE business but also the RIGHT business.

A Referral is The Biggest Complement and should be awarded!
Happy Weekend,

Conny

THE POWER OF PLANNING

With less than 5 months left in the year I have been meeting with a lot of people recently who have been reviewing their progress on their ambitions for the year, only to find that they haven’t even really got started yet. In fact most could not even remember exactly what they had set out to do.

This means of course some are shrugging their shoulders with an ‘Oh, well...’ attitude while others are fueled to make the remaining months count. They have been asking for my input on where to start to get things moving in a coherent and focused direction.

I thought this would be the perfect place to share my advice to them as well as the broader audience. Here is what will get you on track for the rest of the year:

        1.) Don’t get hang up on what you SHOULD have done
        2.) Get clear on what you are going to do
        3.) Write it down
        4.) Set realistic deadlines
        5.) Get going
        6.) If you have a tendency to procrastinate, suffer with self doubt or have difficulty with being consistent - GET HELP!

It is very simple. If you are feeling that the year has been passing you by and you have not achieved anything tangible in your business or even personally, it is not too late to turn things around.

Professionally, get writing your short and simplified business/ career plan to figure out where you would like to be at the end of 2010. It only really needs to have 5 key goals with an action plan attached. Then start scheduling each action point into your calendar and stick to those ‘appointments’. Print your plan and stick it up on your wall or carry it with you. Every time you are stuck for the next steps, take a look at the plan and move forward.

Personally, not dissimilar to the above but perhaps not quite as formal. Take a nice blank sheet of paper, a cup of tea and pin point 5 key things you would like to accomplish or have in place on a personal level. For me things such as:

    1.) Book in pottery lessons - start end of September
    2.) Get back into my weekly swim routine - start now
    3.) Spend one weekend with each boy to do what they like - third weekend Sept/ Oct.
    4.) Have a 4 day romantic break away with my lovely husband - begin Sept.
    5.) Manage to ski a green run ;-) - by 31st Dec
(But psht.... these are personal)
We all know planning is essential but it is so much more than that - it is downright powerful and liberating. Especially when you look back and feel the pride in your accomplishment.

If you want, you can email me your business plan & personal list and I will check in with you at the end of the year to ensure you got onto it!

Happy Businessing!
Conny

DO YOU NEED A SHORT STRATEGY PLAN? EMAIL ME CMILLARD@MCGBUSINESS.COM FOR A COPY TO GET YOU STARTED!