What Would You Have Done?
Guest writer Tom Barry is back this week to ask us to consider how we will approach our market and our leads in “What Would You Have Done?”
“Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
However, it is a long and lonely day sitting at your home or office as an order taker waiting for prospective customers to come knocking or calling! Especially, when you realize that customers either purchase logically and support their decision emotionally or purchase emotionally and support their decision logically. Either way, you must be prepared to cover both sides of these motivating drivers! The more you practice, drill, and rehearse… the better the odds of a favorable outcome!
In what follows is a true-life portable mobile cellphone sales presentation story which shares insight of contrasting styles of differentiating value propositions, and the importance of strategy preparation. In our country which now boasts nearly three hundred million handheld cellphones, it is a time warp journey through a level of abstract reasoning for Generation Z to appreciate a past world where there was a need for investment justification for the availability, rental, or ownership of a mobile cellphone. Nevertheless, new technology is always a blink away and so are the strategies and skillsets required to be ready to gently lead prospects to the latest and greatest products in a manner that serves to illuminate clear recognition of existing afflictions/challenges so to desire a new improved reality!
Preamble: By 1985 in the San Francisco, CA Bay Area, the first six (6) cell phone towers were constructed. The TV announcements began with local news coverage that related their completion and soon to come launch of cellphone services. Specifically, the event to showcase the technological event was for five (5) Site Seeing Air Touring Balloons to be launched from remote Bay Area locations. Each group of Balloon travelers were outfitted with a portable cellphone so that the ground-based chase vehicles, also equipped with same, could communicate via their portable mobile phones in order to coordinate the precise wind influenced landing spots for each Air Balloon trek. Timely retrieval, safety, and efficiency were to be showcased! Truth be told, a couple of Air Balloons full of passengers and an experienced pilot crashed and started fires, others landed far off the cellular grid and resultantly, the cellphones did not all perform as anticipated.
Note: Portable Cell Phones at the time ranged in MSRP from…$2,000 to $6,500. There were two models to choose from. The lower priced unit was akin to a car battery with a carry handle and a phone handset with a keypad (approx. weight of 20 lbs.). The higher price unit was a transportable unit that was designed to be installed in a car with the transceiver in the trunk and a portable handheld handset mounted near the dash which could also be detached and carried in a purpose designed suitcase (approx. weight of 8 lbs.). Both units had handsfree speaker capabilities. The limited battery portable life technology of the day required overnight charging for generating just hours of standby or call usage.
The fixed service fee cost to have the mobile phone access the tower grid after purchase was $45/mo. and this came with 60 minutes of ‘FREE’ talk time. Beyond this price and free included minutes… the cost was .45 cents per minute irrespective of the call being an outgoing or incoming call. It added up quickly!
I worked for a startup affiliate cellular phone business distributor. Their sales protocols were that their telemarketing department generates two leads per day for each Communications Consulting Sales Rep. It was a 1-Call-Close scenario with no follow up opportunities permissible for that sales associate on that generated lead. The prospect was called by a telemarketer and told someone was going to be in their area and could stop by to answer any questions they may have on the new cellular services available in the Bay Area. That was it!
One Call Close: On a Friday @5:00PM a Telemarketing Lead came through… ‘The last one for today’ – stated the Telemarketing Manager (TM) of a 20+ person Telemarketing Pool to a group of six of us in sales who were already heading towards the exit door. We were off to meet up at the local bar to catch up with the other 12 or so that were already heading that way from the field… ‘California Style’ as I came to learn… as the General Manager (GM) bought the first and last round to end the week so to celebrate a favorable group sales tally.
‘Who wants it’ – the TM shouted? ‘Who and where is it’ was heard back from our group. Quickly, it was established that two very capable sales reps had already called on that specific lead in the prior months and were rather convincing in relating with brevity that it would be a colossal waste of time. Even the GM listening in was agreeable that it was likely a waste of time.
New to this business, I was on the job just 60 days at this point. As the GM was expressing his skeptical view, I noticed the TM’s facial expression reveal a bit of dejection and so I instinctively grabbed the lead out of the TM’s hand and stated in a self-confident tenor… ’There are no weak leads only weak salesmen’ – my borrowing a line from the Glengarry Glen Ross book (1984). Adding as I looked at my watch… ‘it takes me 15 minutes to get there… and only 10 minutes to get to the bar we all are to meet at from that spot. Have my Molson Gold poured and ready and I’ll be there with a check in 2 hours’. My GM thought it was the coolest thing he had ever heard, as my peers were only confirming in their minds that I was just another all-knowing pompous ass from U.C. Berkeley.
While enroute, I knew that I had to find a way to do something that two very competent sales associates – each with at least a decade or more experience than I in sales did not get done. What did I know? I knew that the other two more experienced sales associates would have covered every nuance associated with the templated presentation on the cellphones, pricing, options, value proposition, etc. They knew how to manage objections and close 1-Call-Close deals. They had at least six months more experience in the industry than I did. What am I to do?
As I neared the appointment location, I assessed if I’m going to sell a mobile phone on a 1-Call-Close… The customer must have the ability to afford it. If he can’t afford it… which only takes a minute to determine… there’s not much that I can do… right?
This prospect had no idea that I was aware that two other sales associates from my company had already pitched and failed with him. As I parked my car, I convinced myself that this prospect wanted a cellphone and wanted to be both informed and convinced prior to making a final decision. Although, still in the back of my mind I wondered if perhaps he was just lonely and couldn’t bring himself to hang up on a telemarketer. I was about to find out either way.
As I assessed the nuances of what might be relevant to address, I suspected there was a possible lack of warm up or enthusiasm with the other two sales associates. Beyond their both being the top monthly sales associates, I only knew one was a former professional football player and the other was still very British.
Therein, I decided to establish a connection with this prospect so to foster an amicable rapport. Forge enough of such, so that I could speak directly with personable likeability. I endeavored for the prospect to ride my upbeat enthusiasm to inspire his confidence to invest in this technology in a manner whereby he could sense the favorable aspects of a new reality of what this functionality could deliver. After all, I needed to get to the bar on a forecasted timeline – tick tock.
Upon arrival at the place of business, I spent 20+ minutes just with the banter exchange and warm up with my prospective customer. All was good and so I began… skipping 90% of my presentation as I knew he had heard plenty of it prior…
‘Mr. Customer, it is clear to me from our conversation and my observations here today that you are a very successful business owner. I’m sure that when it comes to matters such as making new investments in (his service business diagnostic tools that I had observed) that you do your homework so to make the very best decisions. I don’t have any doubt that you would allow me to be here to waste your time to discuss the prospects of buying a mobile cellphone if you did not already do your due diligence and make the decision that you want to own one for the very same reasons you wouldn’t come to work and try and make money without the use of the phone on your desk. Am I correct? I got my first ‘Yes’ reply!
Mr. customer, I know my products and I’ve gleaned from your sharing about your operations here to make the appropriate best model selection for your needs. Aside from the investment price of the equipment, take that completely out of the conversation for the moment, if you are 100% convinced that this is the right decision to proceed and invest, is there anything that stands in your way of approving this decision now?
‘No…if the price is right, we are good.’
‘Great! The price is the easy part of this conversation. Mr. Customer… please help me help you on this point…I see you have a 10 key calculator there… let’s look at this from the perspective of big animal pictures… you have four service vehicles plus your own as you stated… and that they easily average 18,000 miles per year each. I’m not that good at math… if you would be so kind… please help me. That’s what… 5 x 18,000 = 90,000 miles per year across your fleet. With all the stop and go in the Bay Area… the avg. speed is 30mph at the highest. So, as a worst-case scenario, divide 90,000 miles by 30mph. That equals what? A few keystrokes later and 3,000 hours a year – was his response.’
I asked him to divide that 3,000 hours by 40 hours a week. I answered, ‘Yes,’ to his reply that ‘75 weeks’ of possible time savings where the most important user of the portable phone within his business has access to it to be more productive. Mr. Customer, can you imagine coming to work for the next 1.5 years and running your business and trying to optimize productivity and profitability without access to the phone on your desk? His eyes lit up a bit.
Lastly, if you would be so kind… multiply the value of either your serviceman’s time or your own (the amount you pay or earn in a week) by seventy-five. I don’t need to know the answer…just plug it in for your eyes. As he entered his keystrokes, I shared – ‘The investment in this portable phone that can go with the person with the greatest need for timely and safe operations, not to mention the time outside of work for you as well, makes a lot of sense, wouldn’t you agree?’
The entire time I am writing up the order and by the time he punches his calculator and gets his answers – I’m turning the paperwork around for him and say …I’ll just need your authorization right there at the ‘X’ (as I laid down a pen upon the agreement) and a check for $2,000 made out to GTE MobileComm.
(keep in mind that generally, nobody wants to purchase or sign anything… however, they are more than amenable to authorize plenty).
Without hesitating, and before he picked up the pen, I added…I’ll deliver your phone tomorrow morning by 10:00AM personally and show you all the features. Is 10:00AM best for you or do you prefer the afternoon? If he answers the question about 10:00AM or afternoon…in a favorable manner…he just purchased a portable mobile phone.
Fifteen minutes later, I walk into the bar with a somewhat hurried/tired look only to find 12 of my co-workers (11 salesman and the TM) and my GM at the edge of their dining seats wondering who was going to win the bet on my sales call outcome that they collectively had been debating and negotiating over the prior hour. They all looked up as I entered the room, and they greeted me with a collective “WELL – Did you get it”?
Dejectedly, I uttered… let’s look at this with positivity in that at least the good news is that I’m two minutes early as I looked at my watch… my boss drops his head thinking that he is buying everyone’s dinner and drinks and says ‘and the bad news’? I replied… The bad news is that parking was hell! As I slammed the signed agreement and the customer’s $2,000 check onto the table in front of my GM! My GM jumps up and screamed ‘bullya’ – extending a high-five!
The prior two sales associates that called on the same customer prior simultaneously launched from their chairs as they walked around the table to see the signed paperwork and inspect the check as they were both in disbelief.
The Company, Telemarketing Manager, Telemarketer, and I made money as a result and my GM, Telemarketing Manger and I ate for free! From that point forward, I received what I assessed to be the best qualified lead opportunities that came out of the Telemarketing Dept. The Telemarketing Manager used my success story on this call to motivate his department to always give their best efforts. I’m not saying that this preferential treatment was the way it should be – it was just the way it appeared to work out!
In the months that followed, I went on to shatter the company record with twenty-eight consecutive 1-Call-Closes. The GM assigned the nickname of “The Machine” to me during my remaining time there. You would have had to have read the aforementioned book or have seen the movie circa 2001 to fully appreciate!
“There are many people who think they want to be matadors, only to find themselves in the ring with two thousand pounds of bull bearing down on them, and then discover that what they really wanted was to wear tight pants and hear the crowd roar.” – Terry Pearce
Did you enjoy this blog? Read more great blog posts here.
For our course lists, please click here.
Identifying Problems is the Key to Engaging Website Copy
Identifying Problems is the Key to Engaging Website Copy
Guest writer Joanne Costin brings practical tips for writers this week in her blog post on “Identifying Problems is the Key to Engaging Website Copy.”
When writing copy for your website, it’s important to identify the problems your products and services solve. You may not realize it, but they are a magnet for website traffic. Uncovering how your products and services solve problems is good for both business and drawing potential customers to your website.
Listen in on conversations about your products and services on social media. Participate in discussions Forums and within LinkedIn groups to learn the language of customers. For example, I recently used a Reddit forum on layout robots to help me write a client blog post on the topic.
Problem-focused web content can even lead to new applications for the product. Knowing what equipment works best in a specific construction application adds value, as does versatility. Take a lesson from WD 40 — a brand built around more than 2,000 uses of the product. In this post, they share applications for a new product, the WD 40 precision pen.
Here are some effective ways construction marketers can find “problem” talk for their website:
1) Create your very own contractor forum.
2) Ask customers to submit new applications for your product.
2) Conduct customer interviews among diverse types of customer groups such as landscapers vs. building contractors.
3) Monitor forums for questions related to your products. Start a Q&A column or blog on your website.
4) Develop an advisory board for your product comprised of people who use the product or service regularly.
5) Solicit product usage tips from the professionals and build community around information sharing.
6) Give fans reasons to interact with you. Find a worthy cause to unite you.
7) Celebrate your customers. Submit photos of customers using the product to feature on the site. Reward great photos as well as interesting product applications.
You can’t solve a problem until you fully understand it. Make uncovering problems part of your process and see where the inspiration leads you.
Joanne Costin is an award-winning business journalist, content writer and content marketing strategist with more than 30 years of experience in the construction industry.
You can reach Joanne at Contentforbiz.com.
Did you enjoy this blog? Read more great blog posts here.
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Data Data Data
Data Data Data
Guest writer Andy Fanter writes this week’s blog post on the topic every business owner needs, “Data Data Data!”
I have worked for construction machinery dealers for 30 years now. They send me their sales data and make forecasts. They thrive on year to date, are we doing better than last year?
Sometimes there are anomalies: maybe they sold a big package to a quarry, mine, or highway project that is not repeated often, or the service department had a number of large rebuilds. They happen, but not often, and this year over last year continues to rule.
Then there is construction data important to the dealers, and retail sales data, consumer spending, it is important to the lift truck dealers. For some reason both of these categories end up in this month versus last month’s comparisons. The latest example, US construction put in place—analysis of seasonally adjusted numbers—that makes me cringe and month over month comparisons. It had one of my great clients nervous. I dove into the data; US construction put in place is not my usual study. Find not seasonally adjusted data…first quarter adds up to $461 billion, first quarter 2023 adds up to $416 billion…10.8% over 2023. Client is up around +5% over 2023, too.
Retail sales: all kinds of consumer confidence reports, month to month comparisons, stock market selling off retailers, has dealers worried, too. Unadjusted retail sales in Q1 2024 vs Q1 2023 are up 3%. This is a respectable number in a good economy. Consumers spent more in January sales, Valentine’s Day month, and Easter month than last year.
Fanter summary: you operate your business on year-to-date comparisons, with no seasonal adjustments, and a rare “one time” occurrence anomaly. Why do you look at adjusted data with no year-to-date comparison?
Did you enjoy this blog? Read more great blog posts here.
For our course lists, please click here.
What Would You Have Done?
What Would You Have Done?
Guest writer Tom Barry is back this week to ask us to consider how we will approach our market and our leads in “What Would You Have Done?”
“Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
However, it is a long and lonely day sitting at your home or office as an order taker waiting for prospective customers to come knocking or calling! Especially, when you realize that customers either purchase logically and support their decision emotionally or purchase emotionally and support their decision logically. Either way, you must be prepared to cover both sides of these motivating drivers! The more you practice, drill, and rehearse… the better the odds of a favorable outcome!
In what follows is a true-life portable mobile cellphone sales presentation story which shares insight of contrasting styles of differentiating value propositions, and the importance of strategy preparation. In our country which now boasts nearly three hundred million handheld cellphones, it is a time warp journey through a level of abstract reasoning for Generation Z to appreciate a past world where there was a need for investment justification for the availability, rental, or ownership of a mobile cellphone. Nevertheless, new technology is always a blink away and so are the strategies and skillsets required to be ready to gently lead prospects to the latest and greatest products in a manner that serves to illuminate clear recognition of existing afflictions/challenges so to desire a new improved reality!
Preamble: By 1985 in the San Francisco, CA Bay Area, the first six (6) cell phone towers were constructed. The TV announcements began with local news coverage that related their completion and soon to come launch of cellphone services. Specifically, the event to showcase the technological event was for five (5) Site Seeing Air Touring Balloons to be launched from remote Bay Area locations. Each group of Balloon travelers were outfitted with a portable cellphone so that the ground-based chase vehicles, also equipped with same, could communicate via their portable mobile phones in order to coordinate the precise wind influenced landing spots for each Air Balloon trek. Timely retrieval, safety, and efficiency were to be showcased! Truth be told, a couple of Air Balloons full of passengers and an experienced pilot crashed and started fires, others landed far off the cellular grid and resultantly, the cellphones did not all perform as anticipated.
Note: Portable Cell Phones at the time ranged in MSRP from…$2,000 to $6,500. There were two models to choose from. The lower priced unit was akin to a car battery with a carry handle and a phone handset with a keypad (approx. weight of 20 lbs.). The higher price unit was a transportable unit that was designed to be installed in a car with the transceiver in the trunk and a portable handheld handset mounted near the dash which could also be detached and carried in a purpose designed suitcase (approx. weight of 8 lbs.). Both units had handsfree speaker capabilities. The limited battery portable life technology of the day required overnight charging for generating just hours of standby or call usage.
The fixed service fee cost to have the mobile phone access the tower grid after purchase was $45/mo. and this came with 60 minutes of ‘FREE’ talk time. Beyond this price and free included minutes… the cost was .45 cents per minute irrespective of the call being an outgoing or incoming call. It added up quickly!
I worked for a startup affiliate cellular phone business distributor. Their sales protocols were that their telemarketing department generates two leads per day for each Communications Consulting Sales Rep. It was a 1-Call-Close scenario with no follow up opportunities permissible for that sales associate on that generated lead. The prospect was called by a telemarketer and told someone was going to be in their area and could stop by to answer any questions they may have on the new cellular services available in the Bay Area. That was it!
One Call Close: On a Friday @5:00PM a Telemarketing Lead came through… ‘The last one for today’ – stated the Telemarketing Manager (TM) of a 20+ person Telemarketing Pool to a group of six of us in sales who were already heading towards the exit door. We were off to meet up at the local bar to catch up with the other 12 or so that were already heading that way from the field… ‘California Style’ as I came to learn… as the General Manager (GM) bought the first and last round to end the week so to celebrate a favorable group sales tally.
‘Who wants it’ – the TM shouted? ‘Who and where is it’ was heard back from our group. Quickly, it was established that two very capable sales reps had already called on that specific lead in the prior months and were rather convincing in relating with brevity that it would be a colossal waste of time. Even the GM listening in was agreeable that it was likely a waste of time.
New to this business, I was on the job just 60 days at this point. As the GM was expressing his skeptical view, I noticed the TM’s facial expression reveal a bit of dejection and so I instinctively grabbed the lead out of the TM’s hand and stated in a self-confident tenor… ’There are no weak leads only weak salesmen’ – my borrowing a line from the Glengarry Glen Ross book (1984). Adding as I looked at my watch… ‘it takes me 15 minutes to get there… and only 10 minutes to get to the bar we all are to meet at from that spot. Have my Molson Gold poured and ready and I’ll be there with a check in 2 hours’. My GM thought it was the coolest thing he had ever heard, as my peers were only confirming in their minds that I was just another all-knowing pompous ass from U.C. Berkeley.
While enroute, I knew that I had to find a way to do something that two very competent sales associates – each with at least a decade or more experience than I in sales did not get done. What did I know? I knew that the other two more experienced sales associates would have covered every nuance associated with the templated presentation on the cellphones, pricing, options, value proposition, etc. They knew how to manage objections and close 1-Call-Close deals. They had at least six months more experience in the industry than I did. What am I to do?
As I neared the appointment location, I assessed if I’m going to sell a mobile phone on a 1-Call-Close… The customer must have the ability to afford it. If he can’t afford it… which only takes a minute to determine… there’s not much that I can do… right?
This prospect had no idea that I was aware that two other sales associates from my company had already pitched and failed with him. As I parked my car, I convinced myself that this prospect wanted a cellphone and wanted to be both informed and convinced prior to making a final decision. Although, still in the back of my mind I wondered if perhaps he was just lonely and couldn’t bring himself to hang up on a telemarketer. I was about to find out either way.
As I assessed the nuances of what might be relevant to address, I suspected there was a possible lack of warm up or enthusiasm with the other two sales associates. Beyond their both being the top monthly sales associates, I only knew one was a former professional football player and the other was still very British.
Therein, I decided to establish a connection with this prospect so to foster an amicable rapport. Forge enough of such, so that I could speak directly with personable likeability. I endeavored for the prospect to ride my upbeat enthusiasm to inspire his confidence to invest in this technology in a manner whereby he could sense the favorable aspects of a new reality of what this functionality could deliver. After all, I needed to get to the bar on a forecasted timeline – tick tock.
Upon arrival at the place of business, I spent 20+ minutes just with the banter exchange and warm up with my prospective customer. All was good and so I began… skipping 90% of my presentation as I knew he had heard plenty of it prior…
‘Mr. Customer, it is clear to me from our conversation and my observations here today that you are a very successful business owner. I’m sure that when it comes to matters such as making new investments in (his service business diagnostic tools that I had observed) that you do your homework so to make the very best decisions. I don’t have any doubt that you would allow me to be here to waste your time to discuss the prospects of buying a mobile cellphone if you did not already do your due diligence and make the decision that you want to own one for the very same reasons you wouldn’t come to work and try and make money without the use of the phone on your desk. Am I correct? I got my first ‘Yes’ reply!
Mr. customer, I know my products and I’ve gleaned from your sharing about your operations here to make the appropriate best model selection for your needs. Aside from the investment price of the equipment, take that completely out of the conversation for the moment, if you are 100% convinced that this is the right decision to proceed and invest, is there anything that stands in your way of approving this decision now?
‘No…if the price is right, we are good.’
‘Great! The price is the easy part of this conversation. Mr. Customer… please help me help you on this point…I see you have a 10 key calculator there… let’s look at this from the perspective of big animal pictures… you have four service vehicles plus your own as you stated… and that they easily average 18,000 miles per year each. I’m not that good at math… if you would be so kind… please help me. That’s what… 5 x 18,000 = 90,000 miles per year across your fleet. With all the stop and go in the Bay Area… the avg. speed is 30mph at the highest. So, as a worst-case scenario, divide 90,000 miles by 30mph. That equals what? A few keystrokes later and 3,000 hours a year – was his response.’
I asked him to divide that 3,000 hours by 40 hours a week. I answered, ‘Yes,’ to his reply that ‘75 weeks’ of possible time savings where the most important user of the portable phone within his business has access to it to be more productive. Mr. Customer, can you imagine coming to work for the next 1.5 years and running your business and trying to optimize productivity and profitability without access to the phone on your desk? His eyes lit up a bit.
Lastly, if you would be so kind… multiply the value of either your serviceman’s time or your own (the amount you pay or earn in a week) by seventy-five. I don’t need to know the answer…just plug it in for your eyes. As he entered his keystrokes, I shared – ‘The investment in this portable phone that can go with the person with the greatest need for timely and safe operations, not to mention the time outside of work for you as well, makes a lot of sense, wouldn’t you agree?’
The entire time I am writing up the order and by the time he punches his calculator and gets his answers – I’m turning the paperwork around for him and say …I’ll just need your authorization right there at the ‘X’ (as I laid down a pen upon the agreement) and a check for $2,000 made out to GTE MobileComm.
(keep in mind that generally, nobody wants to purchase or sign anything… however, they are more than amenable to authorize plenty).
Without hesitating, and before he picked up the pen, I added…I’ll deliver your phone tomorrow morning by 10:00AM personally and show you all the features. Is 10:00AM best for you or do you prefer the afternoon? If he answers the question about 10:00AM or afternoon…in a favorable manner…he just purchased a portable mobile phone.
Fifteen minutes later, I walk into the bar with a somewhat hurried/tired look only to find 12 of my co-workers (11 salesman and the TM) and my GM at the edge of their dining seats wondering who was going to win the bet on my sales call outcome that they collectively had been debating and negotiating over the prior hour. They all looked up as I entered the room, and they greeted me with a collective “WELL – Did you get it”?
Dejectedly, I uttered… let’s look at this with positivity in that at least the good news is that I’m two minutes early as I looked at my watch… my boss drops his head thinking that he is buying everyone’s dinner and drinks and says ‘and the bad news’? I replied… The bad news is that parking was hell! As I slammed the signed agreement and the customer’s $2,000 check onto the table in front of my GM! My GM jumps up and screamed ‘bullya’ – extending a high-five!
The prior two sales associates that called on the same customer prior simultaneously launched from their chairs as they walked around the table to see the signed paperwork and inspect the check as they were both in disbelief.
The Company, Telemarketing Manager, Telemarketer, and I made money as a result and my GM, Telemarketing Manger and I ate for free! From that point forward, I received what I assessed to be the best qualified lead opportunities that came out of the Telemarketing Dept. The Telemarketing Manager used my success story on this call to motivate his department to always give their best efforts. I’m not saying that this preferential treatment was the way it should be – it was just the way it appeared to work out!
In the months that followed, I went on to shatter the company record with twenty-eight consecutive 1-Call-Closes. The GM assigned the nickname of “The Machine” to me during my remaining time there. You would have had to have read the aforementioned book or have seen the movie circa 2001 to fully appreciate!
“There are many people who think they want to be matadors, only to find themselves in the ring with two thousand pounds of bull bearing down on them, and then discover that what they really wanted was to wear tight pants and hear the crowd roar.” – Terry Pearce
Did you enjoy this blog? Read more great blog posts here.
For our course lists, please click here.
It’s Time to Love the Cloud!
It’s Time to Love the Cloud!
Technology isn’t something to be feared. Used responsibly, technology is a tool that can assist us in our work. It’s Time for all of us to Love the Cloud!
Don’t you hate it when you can’t access the correct customer data or someone on your team has completed something, but you don’t have access to it?
These things seem minor in single instances, but the reason people love the Cloud is that these challenges, when constant, stop dealerships from moving forward. The Cloud unlocks data, unlocks your teams and does it all in usually a more safe and accessible way than traditional technology approaches.
The first thing to note is that people often don’t understand the Cloud. They either overcomplicate it or oversimplify it. Let’s see if we can get everyone on the same page about the Cloud.
I asked ChatGPT to tell me how to explain the Cloud to a six-year-old, and it came back with a pretty decent basic explanation:
“Imagine the Cloud like a giant invisible backpack in the sky. Instead of carrying toys or books, it carries lots and lots of information and programs for computers. So, when you want to watch a video or play a game on your tablet, the Cloud helps send that video or game to your tablet so you can enjoy it. It’s like a magical helper that stores and sends things to your device whenever you need them, making it easier for you to have fun and learn new things!”
But we’re still oversimplifying it. The Cloud isn’t something magical in the sky—instead, it comprises a vast network of connected super-powered computers and servers. They exist in physical format in giant data centers located around the world.
Instead of storing data or running programs on your personal computer or dealership servers, you can store them and access them through this network of computers on the Internet. While these servers sit in actual buildings and real places, for you, the user, it’s like having a virtual storage space and computer power that you can tap into whenever you need it without worrying about the physical limitations of your devices or servers.
So why has the Cloud become so essential and influential in helping us run our businesses?
The reality is that the amount of data and computing power we may need to operate effectively, combined with the need to share this across your dealership, has made the Cloud invaluable. It provides flexibility and accessibility.
This flexibility allows you to access your data and run programs from anywhere with an Internet connection, making it convenient and efficient for your business and personal needs.
Most small businesses can successfully leverage the Cloud. Here are the top four uses that can make a significant difference:
1.) Data Storage and Backup
Because the Cloud offers flexibility and relatively simple access, it is a wonderful place to store and back up data securely. It means your critical business data and information will be protected from loss due to hardware failure, theft, or disasters. Because cloud storage solutions offer scalability, expanding storage capacity as needed is easy.
2.) Software as a Service (SaaS)
Leveraging cloud-based software applications, or SaaS, for various business functions such as customer relationship management (CRM), accounting, project management, and collaboration is a cost-effective way to access robust solutions without upfront investments in hardware or software licenses.
3.) Email and Communication
Cloud-based email services, like Microsoft 365, offer small businesses and dealerships dependable and feature-rich email communication tools. These services also often include additional collaboration features like document sharing, video conferencing, and instant messaging – enhancing team productivity and communication.
4.) Remote Work and Collaboration
The Cloud enables dealerships to support remote work and collaboration among employees. Cloud-based productivity tools, file-sharing platforms, and project management software allow team members to work together seamlessly from anywhere with an Internet connection. This flexibility boosts productivity and enables businesses to adapt to changing work environments.
Making the most of the Cloud securely
While the Cloud offers flexible, scalable solutions that tend to be more secure than other solutions, it isn’t infallible.
Overall, the combination of expert security measures, continuous monitoring, redundancy, encryption, compliance, and access controls makes the Cloud a secure option for storing and managing data. But mistakes can still be made.
While Cloud service providers invest heavily in security measures and employ teams of experts to protect data, breaches can still happen due to factors such as human error, misconfigurations, or sophisticated cyberattacks.
Forty-five percent of breaches are cloud-based. According to a recent survey, 80% of companies have experienced at least one cloud security incident in the last year, and 27% of organizations have experienced a public cloud security incident—up 10% from last year.
According to recent research, the top security-related cloud threats are misconfiguration, data exposed by users, account compromise, and vulnerability exploits. This data tells you that it’s critically important for organizations to implement their own security best practices and carefully manage access to cloud resources to ensure maximum security.
This includes practices such as implementing strong access controls, encrypting sensitive data, monitoring for suspicious activities, and keeping systems and software up to date with security patches. Additionally, organizations should train employees regularly on cybersecurity best practices to minimize the risk of data breaches.
This can sound like a lot of work for a dealership, which is why getting the right support is so critical. Many companies are still relying on someone relatively IT-friendly getting involved or being asked to manage the IT on behalf of management. As IT gets more complex, this approach really isn’t viable anymore, but most dealerships can’t afford a fully internal IT department. The gap in between is the space where organizations get let down. Looking externally for a managed outsourced IT provider is a cost-effective and efficient way to solve this problem. Proper support can help you love the Cloud and IT.
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Marketing Isn’t Here to Just Make Things Pretty
Marketing Isn’t Here to Just Make Things Pretty
Learning Without Scars is pleased to introduce our new guest writer, Stephanie Smith. This week marks her debut blog post for LWS, with “Marketing Isn’t Here to Just Make Things Pretty.”
Stephanie Smith, a seasoned marketing strategist with over 15 years of experience across blue-collar industries like manufacturing, agriculture, and heavy equipment. After serving these industries, she identified a crucial need for strategic marketing solutions across all blue-collar industries.
With a proven track record of developing collaborative sales and marketing strategies that drive new revenue growth by leveraging new technologies Steph’s passion for supporting blue-collar workers and their businesses led her to a pivotal point in her career to launch a startup marketing community. Dedicated to delivering go-to-market strategies specifically crafted for small to mid-sized business structures in these industries, The Grind Marketing Collective helps companies navigate digital transformation and thrive in today’s business landscapes.
As the Founder of The Grind Marketing Collective, Steph leads a team of talented professionals responsible for developing and executing innovative and impactful marketing campaigns that drive brand awareness, customer engagement, and revenue growth for the companies they serve.
Stephanie is always open to connecting! To contact Stephanie visit thegrindmarketingcollective.com or email her at st*******@*************************ve.com
Throughout my career, I’ve had the pleasure of serving many blue-collar industries from manufacturing to agriculture to heavy equipment – While all seem different on the surface, there have been many overlapping themes that linked each of these experiences together.
The top reoccurring theme has been the misconception of what marketing is and how it can benefit their overall business.
If an organization did embrace it initially, marketing was frequently considered a task to be tackled only if time and resources allowed. In many organizations, it was even delegated to whoever had a spare moment, often falling into the lap of administrative assistants as an additional duty alongside their primary responsibilities.
While it’s true that basic marketing tasks can be learned by almost anyone, effective marketing requires a combination of creativity, strategic thinking, analytical skills, and domain knowledge. It’s a specialized field that benefits from dedicated professionals with the expertise to navigate its complexities.
That’s typically where I would come into the organization.
At some point, the organizations I’ve served recognized the need for integrated marketing strategies. I’ve been fortunate enough to work for more progressive organizations that have understood the power of embracing new marketing strategies and that customer buying behaviors change over time.
Marketers are no longer just responsible for generating brand awareness, creating flyers, planning events, and running the company website. They need to think carefully about each stage of the buyer’s journey and work collaboratively with the Sales Team to create go-to-market strategies that help to break through the noise to capture the minds of potential customers.
As business landscapes continue to evolve and competition intensifies, the importance of marketing cannot be overstated. It’s no longer sufficient to simply offer a great product or service; it’s equally important to effectively communicate your value to potential customers. In today’s digital age, where consumers are bombarded with a constant stream of information and choices, effective marketing is the key to breaking through the noise.
Mobile devices, apps, machine learning, automation, and much more allow customers to get what they want almost exactly at the moment they need it. The point of difference for your company will be you providing answers to your customers’ questions in a way that they can access and empower them to take action.
We are living in a day and age where access to information and solutions are endless.
Changing the status quo for our industry.
Recognizing this need for adaptation, and that many blue-collar companies need assistance navigating the challenges of digital transformation is why I decided to leave my traditional marketing role. Leading me to embark upon the journey of establishing a marketing consultancy dedicated to aiding companies in this transformative process.
Moreover, the allure of helping businesses unlock their full potential in the digital realm is a powerful motivator. This is more than a career—it’s a calling! There’s a unique joy in witnessing a client’s transformation—from finding their digital footing to confidently navigating the online landscape with finesse.
The heavy equipment industry has always been based on relationships and handshakes. That hasn’t changed, however, the landscape in which the relationship is built has.
At The Grind, our mission is simple: to help businesses identify gaps in their go-to-market strategies and implement creative marketing tactics that benefit their bottom line.
In this new venture, I look forward to continuing to push boundaries while introducing game-changing strategies to blue-collar industries and running alongside a team driving digital transformation, helping businesses adapt, and ensuring they not only survive but thrive in today’s business landscape.
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What Is an Industry Analysis and What Can It Do for Your Business?
What Is an Industry Analysis and What Can It Do for Your Business?
Guest writers Debbie Frakes and Steve Clegg are back with another resource available to businesses in “What Is an Industry Analysis and What Can It Do for Your Business?”
Equipment dealers only have a limited number of resources at their disposal. The key to being successful is allocating those resources in the most productive, efficient way possible. When it comes to your marketing and sales efforts, it’s impossible to target everyone. You must make important decisions about who to go after based on who will produce the most value for your business.
The key is to target potential customers who are most likely to work with you. An industry analysis tells you who those people are.
What is an industry analysis?
Zintoro conducts your industry analysis by determining which industries are most prevalent in your customer list. By looking at Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes, you can identify which industries your different customers are in and which industries you do business with most often.
Part of the industry analysis is looking at the customer count, sales volume, revenue, number of potential customers, and a variety of other key metrics for every SIC code found in your list. That way, you can understand the market potential for each segment of your current customer base and how much value they can produce for your business.
Armed with the knowledge of your customer base and the revenue potential of different industries, you’ll be better informed on which new prospects to target with your limited resources. An industry analysis helps you focus your time, money, and effort on increasing your market share in the industries that you know have the most potential for your equipment dealership.
Use what the industry analysis tells you.
Conducting a Zintoro industry analysis gives you a better understanding of your customers and how valuable different segments of your base are. Once you know who will deliver the greatest return, you will know where to invest your marketing and sales resources. More than just giving you directions, an industry analysis also helps you tailor your messaging, exclusive offers, and even inventory to appeal to the most valuable segments in your customer list.
For example, if you sell excavators, but you find out that most of your customers exclusively oversee demolition projects instead of digging jobs, then you can change your marketing and sales messaging to match that. In your emails you can use pictures of excavators demolishing a building and highlight features of the machine that are most useful on demo jobs. The more targeted you are at the customers that produce the most value, the fewer resources you’ll waste going after customers who are less likely to work with you.
Start better understanding your customers and your business by contacting Zintoro for an industry analysis today!
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Perpetual Growth of Leaders Through Lifelong Learning #MondayBlogs
Perpetual Growth of Leaders Through Lifelong Learning #MondayBlogs
Guest writer Virginia Cooper returns this week with another look at ongoing education in “Perpetual Growth of Leaders Through Lifelong Learning,” our contribution to #MondayBlogs.
In an ever-evolving world, the concept of lifelong learning stands as a cornerstone for community leaders. It’s not merely about the accumulation of knowledge but rather a continuous journey of personal and professional development. This article from Learning Without Scars aims to underscore the significance of lifelong learning for community leaders, focusing on how it can shape their skills, perspectives, and effectiveness. By embracing a culture of perpetual growth, leaders can better serve their communities and foster environments of innovation and resilience.
Enhancing Leadership Abilities
Strong leadership is not an innate trait but a skill honed over time. Lifelong learning plays a pivotal role in this process.
Furthering Your Education
The pursuit of formal education, at any stage of life, can significantly enhance a leader’s expertise and credibility.
Networking and Collaborative Learning
Lifelong learning often involves stepping out of one’s comfort zone to connect with others, fostering a network of collaboration and support.
Staying Abreast of Technological Advancements
In a rapidly changing technological landscape, staying updated is key for effective leadership.
Personal Development and Wellness
A leader’s personal well-being is integral to their effectiveness and resilience.
Lifelong learning is an indispensable tool for community leaders. It equips them with the necessary skills, knowledge, and perspective to navigate the complexities of leadership effectively. By committing to continuous personal and professional development and furthering their education, leaders can inspire change, foster community growth, and create a lasting impact. In this journey, the pursuit of knowledge becomes not just a professional obligation but a personal mantra for growth and resilience.
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The Hidden Value of Employee Recognition
The Hidden Value of Employee Recognition
Guest writer Kurt Pease tackles employee turnover in this week’s blog post, “The Hidden Value of Employee Recognition: Why a Paycheck Isn’t Enough.”
High employee turnover is a major pain point for businesses. We often assume money is the main reason people leave, but a recent Gallup poll shows job dissatisfaction hitting record highs. The truth is employees crave more than just a paycheck. They want to feel valued and see how their work contributes to the bigger picture.
This was certainly true at 4Rivers Equipment, where I recently retired. We considered ourselves a great place to work, but higher employee turnover told a changing story. Exit interviews revealed a disconnect between our perception and employee needs. The younger generation wanted to feel their work mattered. The CEO at 4Rivers knew we must act quickly and asked his leadership team for ideas.
Recognition: The Missing Piece of the Puzzle
Thinking back to my experience at John Deere, I remembered their successful employee recognition program, “John Deere Rewards.” It fostered a sense of connection and appreciation. We reached out to Greg Mazucco and Cori Karger from Augeo Marketing to help build a similar program that they developed at John Deere. Greg and Cori outlined how to build a successful workplace engagement program:
Building a Recognition Program that Works
Here’s what we learned about creating an effective program from Greg and Cori:
Dealership Implementation
I was fortunate in my career to not only work at John Deere and 4Rivers Equipment but developed relationships across the dealer network. Five Star Equipment was an important dealer to me and partnered with Greg and Cori to implement an employee recognition program, and the results speak for themselves. I spoke with key leadership personnel from both dealerships to gain insights into their programs’ success.
They are:
Why Recognition?
Both dealerships identified a need to address employee engagement, particularly among younger generations, 4Rivers & Five Star highlighted the desire for employees to understand how their work contributes to the “bigger picture.” Rising employee turnover prompted them to seek solutions.
Program Highlights
Areas for Improvement
The Takeaway
4Rivers Equipment and Five Star Equipment demonstrate the power of well-designed employee recognition programs. By fostering a culture of appreciation, breaking down barriers, and aligning recognition with core values, these dealerships have seen a significant decrease in employee turnover. In the competitive world of equipment dealerships, investing in employee recognition can be a game-changer.
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Our Virtual Garage
Our Virtual Garage
The second installment of information this week comes from our Founder, Ron Slee. Please read on to learn about “Our Virtual Garage.”
The image of the virtual garage brings to mind the humble beginnings that have started an individual journey. It is through relationships that this journey is carried through to success. The virtual garage resonates with the marketplace.
At Learning Without Scars, we have Colleagues, Associate, and Partners who collaborate to help our collective clients to realize their full potential. This collaborative team is Our Virtual Garage.
The garage environment supports this collaborative culture, where the members of Our Virtual Garage often oversee, or manage, everything from product development to marketing and sales. This direct approach can be instrumental in shaping an association’s culture and values. Working in close quarters with others in the virtual garage fosters formidable team dynamics and encourages a shift towards collaboration and solutions.
At Learning Without Scars we are dedicated to assessing skills, providing comprehensive training, and testing your employee’s knowledge and abilities to consistently meet and exceed your customers’ needs and expectations at every point of interaction.
Our holistic approach ensures that your team is well equipped to deliver exceptional customer service with confidence and proficiency. We work closely with your organization to develop customized training programs that align with your brand values and customer service goals, fostering a customer- centric culture that builds long-lasting relationships.
By identifying skill gaps in providing targeted training, we equip your employee teams with the necessary knowledge and tools to excel in their roles. Our training programs are designed to enhance communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and emotional intelligence, enabling your employees to manage diverse customer interactions with empathy and professionalism.
At LWS, we measure our success based on your ability to retain customers and increase customer transactions profitability. We understand that satisfied customers are the key to sustainable growth, and our ultimate goal is to help you achieve higher customer retention rates and improved profitability.
Through our proven methodologies and ongoing support, we partner with you to unlock your organization’s full potential and create a loyal customer base that drives your business forward.
We use cutting edge Zintoro Analytics to measure the impact of our training programs, providing you with data-driven insights and actionable recommendations.
Our analytics program tracks key performance indicators, such as customer satisfaction scores, retention rates, and revenue growth, allowing you to quantify the ROI of our training programs. By continuously monitoring and analyzing these metrics, we can refine our strategies and ensure that your employees are consistently delivering outstanding service that sets you apart from the competition.
Partner with LWS to equip your employees, enhance customer experiences, and achieve sustainable growth in today’s dynamic business landscape. With our expertise, customized training solutions, and data-driven approach, you can build a high-performing team that exceeds customer expectations and drives your organization’s success.
The Time Is Now.
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Our Suggested Reading List Has Been Updated
Our Suggested Reading List Has Been Updated
This week, we are sharing some updates and general knowledge blogs from Ron Slee. First, we kick the week of information off with this post: “Our Suggested Reading List Has Been Updated.”
From the time I started my consulting business I have always been interested in helping people learn and become better at what they do. I suspect it was from my upbringing as a competitive swimmer. I learned at an early age that I was not competing with others, I was competing with myself.
Believe me when I suggest that it is much more difficult to do that than to compete with others.
When I was teaching at McGill University in Montreal, I was always recommending books and having discussions with my students. I am certain I learned as much from those discussions as my students. That was the beginning of my “book club” approach to communications and learning.
Everywhere I have worked around the world I have always recommended a book for my clients or employees or students to read. I give everyone a month to get it done. In some cases, I buy them the book. Then we sit down as a group and talk about the book. My granddaughter who is taking her master’s here at the University of Hawaii has her own book club with fellow graduate students. They are part of the Graduate Women of Science, Hawaii (GWISH) organization. She is a Teaching Assistant and a Research Assistant as she is taking her degree.
When we created our first website in the 1970’s and then more formally in 1983 when we moved to the US, I have always included a suggested reading list. Those of you who have subscribed to our quarterly newsletter will have noticed the last section is a recommended list of three or so books. I guess it has become a habit.
Recently we have come of age. We have completely updated our Suggested Reading List. With our ever-present IT Director, Ross Atkinson, keeping me in line he has created an extremely useful segment on our webpage for books. I used to call it A Reading List for Interested People.
We have well over 250 books on the site. We used to categorize the books by our selections. Topical Authors, Teachers, General, etc. We still have the categorization, but Ross has created searchable access to our suggested reading list by book title, by author, by category or even ISDN number.
As most of you know I am always reading. It is part of my job. Now with our updated approach to our reading list I am asking for your help and input. If you have read a book that you found particularly helpful either personally or professionally, please let me know. You can send me your suggestions at my email ro*@******************rs.com or ro*@******************rs.org.
I am also considering creating an online book club with interested people. Say a Zoom or Teams meeting once a month with perhaps as many as a dozen people who have all read the same book, getting together for an hour or so and talking about it. This is something else I would ask for your input. Please let me know. Is this a good idea, a bad idea, or an ugly idea?
One last thing. You can order the books you find directly from our website with either Amazon or AbeBooks. I use both extensively. I hope you enjoy our fresh look and approach. We are always interested in your feedback. It can be an email, a written paper, or a thumbs up (or down) as you see below.
The Time Is Now.
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