Back To Vision

Back To Vision:

With each business I work with and each tele-seminar I lead I am finding that vision is key. Having a strong, clear vision of your business and where you are going is an essential component of building that business. It goes beyond the daydream of success and deep into what that business will look like. How you visualize it. Am I talking about using visualization, well certainly that can't hurt and can even help you in manifesting what you want. but more importantly I am talking about having a clear vision, written down of where you want to go. Your vision statement becomes your roadmap. It guides you on your journey. A clear vision helps you to make good decisions for you business. Often there are tempting distractions that get us off course. We decide to add a new product line or create a new service, and down the road we find that it doesn't feel like the right fit. When we look back at our vision, there it is clear as day. The new service or product wasn't a part of the vision. That's why it didn't fit or wasn't successful.

Sure, we want to be creating new services, new products, new opportunities for business growth, but we want to stay on our path. If the new service takes us too far off the path then it might not be the right choice and as the owner it's your role to evaluate that.

Do you have a compelling vision? folks that have been working with me will tell you that I keep coming back to this with them and in my own business. What is the vision? What does the company look like? What are the services, the clients, the products? What growth has the company experienced? What does it feel like, sound like? Writing a detailed vision that includes all of the emotion helps you to develop a clearer plan.

Once you've created a written vision, then make a picture, hang it on your wall where you can see it.

And, as always, tell people about your vision. They can become your partners in making it happen.

If you have questions about creating your vision, give me a call!

Donna

Networking, Networking and Follow-up

I am a member of several networking groups and organizations. I have found that networking is a talent. I am amazed at the great people that I meet through networking groups both in person and on-line. I am also amazed at the number of people that don't do any follow-up following the networking.

I've actually created a networking plan. Now, I can't say that I always follow it to the letter but it has helped me to focus my networking efforts. The plan came about because I found myself in several networking groups and didn't feel that I was really getting the business I expected from them. I decided to make my networking efforts more intentional and focused on producing some results. I evaluate each networking group based on the results that I am producing in the group. I find that networking can be an expensive venture, especially as a business owner, with no one else paying the dues or meeting fees. So, it had to be working for me to continue to do it.

My plan includes: goals, a step by step plan and a follow-up component.

My goals are to:

1. add 8 new contacts a month to my database/leads list and categorize each contact based on the group where the contact came from, and the type of service/product that might be appropriate. (for me, this means that they get grouped by the size of their business).
2. meet one on one with at least 3 new contacts per month
3. get 5 new leads/clients quarterly

I use an "audio" logo when I meet people and it is ever changing. Creating an audio logo for your business gives people information about you quickly and engages them in conversation. I learned the concept of an audio logo from Robert Middleton, of Action Plan Marketing. The audio logo eliminates the label of "I'm a business coach" and moves me directly into who I work with and the problem or pain that I address. "I work with business owners and leaders that are frustrated with the results they are producing in their company."

The audio logo intentionally doesn't tell the person how I do what I do. The goal is to engage in conversation about my business. To leave them hanging so that they want to know, they need to know, because they feel like they don't have enough info.

Back to my networking plan. Also in the plan is to attend the meetings regularly. You can't be an effective networker if you are not present. There are too many other people there and you are quickly forgotten. I work to send each person a follow-up email in the next couple of days. I find that very few people do this. I also, find that not everyone acknowledges that I have.

For people that I had longer conversations with that I feel might have a good lead for me or might be in need of my services themselves, I set up a one on one meeting for breakfast or lunch. It's not a hard sales lunch ( I'm not very good at the hard sales approach). It's a relationship building lunch. A chance to get to know them better and for them to get to know me better.

I also add them to my database so that they receive regular communications from me. I call that my "keep in touch" marketing. I find that people that I have met years ago, know who I am because of my "keep in touch" marketing approach. It helps me to continue to build the relationship, the trust and move into a client relationship down the road.

What is your networking plan? Do you follow-up with people after you meet them? Do you think of ways that you can help them in their business? Do you network with intention or are you just hoping it pays off?

Call me to create an effective plan for your business.