Blogs

What comes first when it’s time to ramp-up productivity... The Chicken or The Egg?  

The Chicken of course. The Egg is simply one new sale.... one win... one solution... while The Chicken produces many wins, on-going solutions and consistent positive outcomes. That, my Cloud Building friends, is exactly what you can expect from a well planned, designed and implemented cloud app software strategy. With that in mind, just about every firm should really be asking themselves just one simple question...

“Where do I get me one of them there Chickens!?!”

Dear Cloud Builder,

Time again for an update on the comings and goings with The North Pole Business System. It seems like I just sent last year's update, Santa's Cloud System, as well as the two prior annual updates; Santa's Update and Santa's Dilemma. This year has been a real eye-opener as we have taken full flight with our new Cloud business system.

It's extremly important that we keep this on the low down... this must be kept confidential.  

So much has changed.

There's less noise. In years past we were constantly confronted with fix and break issues that caused all sorts of moaning and groaning with the elves. I shudder to think about all the sleep I lost, worried about maintaining and updating our hardware and software. With our new cloud system, those days are over. Now, we simply login with a username and password to our Google Apps for The North Pole Business System and leave all the brain damage to the good people at Google. We freed up the square footage we were using to house all those bulky, expensive servers.  The elves are using the space for a video game development idea that blossomed over the last few months via our new inter-office chat initiative... another cool feature in our Google Apps system. I’m going to make sure all the good people at Google get something special this year!

It’s always a pleasure to introduce a business owner to Google Apps for the first time...

“Ok... so what your telling me is that Google apps will provide us with email- not free looking gmail... real business email with our domain name, shared calendars, documents, spreadsheets, presentations, web sites, instant messaging, and video chat all accessible anytime/anywhere by simply logging in with username and password over the internet”

“Yep”

“OK... got that.  Your are also telling me that we don’t need to upgrade or purchase a new server, we don’t need to purchase or upgrade any software licenses, and as we go forward, we no longer need to keep paying for server maintenance or all those pesty, unpredictable fix and break issues with our IT”?

“Yep”

Steve Jobs
      1955-2011


Why do I feel like the Cloud
just got a huge new burst of
energy, inspiration & focus?

Stay Hungry & Foolish

www.apple.com/stevejobs/

Take a look at the Success Horizon and you can’t help but notice the many benefits of building a cloud based Business System. “Cloud” is a metaphor for the Internet. Over the last 5 years more and more companies have been delivering software that’s accessible from the Internet. No longer do you need to purchase expensive hardware and software to implement a new CRM solution for your work group. If you have consistent, reliable Internet, you can simply do some smart up-front planning and quickly deploy an effective solution that drives sales and provides your clients with an exceptional level of service.

Keeping your eye on the ball…? Have a clue as to what THE BALL actually is? The first step in creating a Terrific Business System is to have a crystal clear vision of exactly what you’re about. It’s your on-going, living and breathing Business Purpose.  
What’s your Primary Aim?

Every business makes a promise. What’s yours?

Imagine a scenario where your business was able to provide the ultimate…
What would it look like?
How would it make people feel?
It’s simple. You know the answer.
It’s what you would want. Wear your customer’s shoes.

What would you JUMP UP & DOWN ABOUT!?!

Now The Hard Part... Keep Your Promise!

The only way to keep your promise is to have a consistent, effective Business System. If you are just winging it your Promise is a hit or miss proposition. Is that the sort of business you would want to do business with?

We get out of bed and hear more and more about BIG economic problems. Are you doing everything possible to protect yourself and your organization from the perils of too much rotten, stinking, good for nothing news?!? Constant down-tone banter does nothing for attitudes, profit margins or hopes and dreams. What can you do to make sure your business gets out of bed with a positive, powerful mindset?

First, include consistent POSITIVE in your planning process. Everything begins and ends with planning. Take note of what’s going right as opposed to focusing exclusively on problems. Share the right things with everybody… prospects, customers, co-workers and your family! If you have a consistent planning system… which every good Business System Must Have … insert a constant flow of meaningful, uplifting, inspirational affirmations and quotes into your process. Check out Woopidoo.com, a Business Motivation Portal loaded with business and finance inspiration. Subscribe to receive a motivational business and finance quote three times each week and a motivational business article every Monday. Plan with Great Expectations. When sending communications, or scheduling meetings, include POSITIVE in your memos, emails and agendas.

Wondering what CRM stands for? Here, for those of you who might be wondering, is the definition of CRM software from Wikipedia. 

We couldn't have said it any better ourselves... 

Customer Relationship Management Software

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Customer relationship management (CRM) is a widely-implemented strategy for managing a company’s interactions with customers, clients and sales prospects. It involves using technology to organize, automate, and synchronize business processes—principally sales activities, but also those for marketing, customer service, and technical support. The overall goals are to find, attract, and win new clients, nurture and retain those the company already has, entice former clients back into the fold, and reduce the costs of marketing and client service.

I see... so in year's past you somehow found a way to do what you do without a CRM? So what's the big hurry?  What is it you are trying to accomplish?  Is a CRM going to get out of bed and think of some terrific new ways for your business to generate leads?  Nope. Is a CRM going to reach out and meet 20 or 30 new key contacts each and every week? Nope. Is a CRM going to help your sales people show genuine interest in others?  Nope. Is a CRM going to dial the phone and thank clients for referring new business?  Nope. 

Are you kidding me... there's a reason why most CRM implementations fail!  CRM's don't really do anything. It's what people do with CRM that makes a difference and adds value to your business.

CRM does not stand for Customer Relationship Management ... driven, caring, thoughtful business owners and managers stand for Customer Relationship Management!

Plan It & Do It with People & Cloud CRM!
 

Dear Cloud Builder,

Time again for an update on the evolution of the North Pole Business System. Per last year’s post, Santa’s Update, the decision to focus on our core strengths of Caring & Magic, seems to have gotten us back on track.  As you know, last year was a record year for gift delivery and a very special year for all the good girls and boys. Per your consistent gift request in your annual Letter to Santa, I was not surprised to hear that, again, you found nothing but a cold, lifeless, chunk of dusty old coal in your stocking. Never-the-less, I wanted you to know how thrilled we are with our new Cloud Business System!

Unfortunately many small business owners spend more time contemplating Thanksgiving dinner than planning and developing more effective operations.
“Why put your tail on the line day after day, without having an end-to-end process in place to generate leads, sell BIG, deliver the goods, provide killer follow-up and track performance?”
The answer is obvious. ... it’s more fun to plan Thanksgiving. I don’t know about you, but just thinking about this year’s Thanksgiving Feast is almost better than sex or just about anything else I might be watching on television. With that in mind, let’s go to work and prepare a Thanksgiving System Build with a keen eye on creating a Performance Master-piece!

Each and every day we have an opportunity to create something special with energy and resources. So, why do some people and businesses succeed, while others stumble from week to week? Is it talent… luck … persistence… what’s the difference maker?

Nothing, by itself, is the driver for success.

Instead, it’s a consistent combination of many things coming together, at the right time. That’s what we are doing when we make a commitment to build a successful business system. It’s a relentless pursuit of excellence, each and every day. We know and understand how critical it is to make each day the absolute best that it can be. It's a sense of urgency applied consistently to how we run our business. 

Success Building is a never-ending attitude that leads a great business towards freshness. Old, gnarly ways of doing things must be an easy thing to take note of and change. It’s easy to spot smelly, rotting, disgusting fruit… but by then, how many prospects have gone elsewhere, or worse yet, how many prospects AND CUSTOMERS have developed a much better nose than you have for your product or service? 
Yikes… now we can’t let that happen, so what can we do to stay in the Fresh Fruit section of the market?

In today’s competitive marketplace, a powerful network is critical to a rain maker. Meet new people.  Make more friends.  How often do you put yourself in a position to meet new people? Are you plugged in and active with a  local Chamber? Do you actively participate in a productive Lead Group? Do you make it a regular practice to invite key contacts to meet for a cup of coffee. Best investment I've ever made has been in all those $2-$3 high voltage espresso-laden Americanos! Get Involved with other business people...it’s the cure for slumps and being bummed out! JUST DO IT… it will lead you to a better place in your mind and your spirit, not to mention the best business opportunities you will ever find!

Are you doing consistent follow-up? How often do you receive professional follow-up? Not very often. In fact, when you do, it probably blows your mind! Your startled and maybe a little put off… “why are they being so nice to me… They must be trying to sell me something!” It’s crazy… we work our tails off to create a new customer while our current customers and prospects are on hold waiting to place new orders, or waiting to refer us to others, or waiting to ask a question that should have been anticipated.

Eastern philosophy talks about the unproductive chatter that runs through our heads. We’ve all got a steady flow of thoughts, conversations, and dialogs speeding through our mind’s. This mental activity creates busyness which keeps us away from the essence of the moment. The Buddhist Term for this mental, destructive busyness is Monkey Mind.

Ever wonder why Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computer, has the golden touch? From my standpoint, I’ve always admired him because he gets away without shaving and he always wears my favorite threads… jeans and a long sleeve black shirt. So, when a friend emailed a link to his June 12, 2005 Commencement address at Stanford, I was more than happy to check it out. I’m glad I did. He shares his life experience and why he is so driven to accept nothing less than greatness. Per my casual hero,...

I’m often reminded of a story I heard many years ago. It goes something like this…Bernard, on occasion, enjoyed stopping by Larry’s house for a cup of coffee and some great conversation.  During each visit, Larry would greet Bernard at the front door, and lead him into the kitchen.  During the first, and all all subsequent visits , Larry’s dog would meander into the kitchen, sit in the corner, and begin to howl. Larry always just ignored the situation, so Bernard felt compelled to mind his own business. 

Dear Cloud Builder Blogger,
Just a quick update on the evolution of The North Pole Business System.  Per last year’s post, Santa’s Dilemma, we’d become burdened and ineffective with a complex, expensive CRM headache.  In theory our system looked fantastic, but in reality it was a huge energy and resource drain.  We’d made a massive investment in beefy new hardware, countless software licenses and hefty professional services. After all that, the entire staff refused to use the new system despite an endless series of North Pole training sessions. As you know we made a decision, prior to last year’s Christmas deliveries, to scrap our bloated system,  and focus on our core strengths… Caring & Magic.  We are pleased to announce that despite all of the last minute changes and uncertainty, we were able to pull it all together and make sure all the good girls and boys were not disappointed!

The green entrepreneur was given an opportunity to meet with the Business System Master.
The young man asked,

“What is the secret of your success?”

She said, “Two words, young man.”

“And, what are they?”

“Right Decisions.”

“But how do you make the Right Decisions?”

“One word,” she responded.”

“And, what is that?”

“Experience.”

“And how do you get Experience?”

“Two words.”

“And, what are they?”

The Business System Master replied with a wry smile, “Wrong Decisions.”

Tweak your lens adjustment and zoom in. The scene comes into focus and becomes vivid and real. The setting, the people, the achievement, the exhilaration, the satisfaction, the freedom. Your life and others, have been transformed. You can see it... you can feel it.  It’s what you intended. You have mastered the ability to experience the ultimate vision for your growing business.
Now look back over your shoulder. MapQuest your journey. Document how you traveled from benchmark to benchmark to reach your destination. Calculate the estimated time between points. Remember how you continued onward, despite an occasional pothole or a bogus left turn… hey, we’ve all used MapQuest before right? Your vision is the inspiration that drives your business towards success!

It’s the sweet sound of your promise that attracts the prospect during the lead generation and conversion process. Now it’s about client fulfillment. We absolutely must deliver the goods – and keep them coming back for more – because retaining clients and getting referrals, is much less expensive and more profitable, than trying to find new ones.

Optimal Client Fulfillment has two mandatory requirements:
#1:  Deliver On Your Promises
#2:  Provide Something MORE

Good Enough Isn’t Good Enough Any More!

Test and re-test your delivery with more and more emphasis on delivering more value! What else might make a significant difference…?

Your Business System is the implementation tool for the delivery of More! Get started with a simple, customizable platform that will take you and your business to the moon and beyond!