The Most Difficult Aspect of Owning Any Business
When a problem does arise, you may not bear sole responsibility, but you (or a leader in your organization or both) absolutely bear some responsibility for issues that arise at work. Just like with mistakes in life, you always could have made a better or different choice. No one is immune to leadership fails. No employee, manager, or even CEO is immune from screwing up.We all make mistakes. It’s how you handle those mistakes and how you learn from them that makes all the difference in the long run. Your people, your systems, and your processes have a greater impact on the success of your business then any marketing campaign.You have to invest in and grow yourself if you truly want your business to grow.
skills. Unfortunately, few business owners and leaders actually work on this skill, which is really the cause of many problems they experience.
There is a saying that goes,“Business would be easy if I didn’t have any customers or employees.”While that might make things easier for a time, I bet you’d also be either bored from lack of work or way too busy trying to figure out how to get new customers and employees on your own. We’re not 100% sure which one it would be. Either way, you would be broke, too. Obviously, whoever came up with this saying was really talking about how difficult it is to work with people, regardless of what side of the table they sit on. Since people are the most difficult aspect of any business, it is important that you find great people — the right customers for your business, as well as the right team to support your company.You must also focus on continual improvement of your customer service and people management In conversations about sales, one doesn’t usually think of George Harrison. But the truth is that the Beatles’ lead guitarist actually has some solid words of wisdom when it comes to converting warm leads. His last No. 1 hit single,“Got My Mind Set onYou,” may sound like dated courtship advice, but it’s actually the perfect road map for turning interested parties into loyal customers. straightforward:A lovestruck singer has his mind set on dating someone.While your mileage may vary on single-minded romantic pursuits, this level of unwavering dedication is a must for warm leads. Unlike the mystery woman of Harrison’s song, these are people who have shown interest in your business.To build toward a sale, you have to return the favor. Send personalized emails or newsletters, or pick up the phone and call them. ‘I GOT MY MIND SET ONYOU’ The theme of the song is painfully
One of the things we’ve learned over the years is that every problem is a leadership problem.
Now, we can hear the cries of “foul!” from entrepreneurs:“I’m not responsible for their poor job performance or customer service, etc.” So, please understand; we’re not suggesting you’re solely responsible, but it is your job to put the proper systems in place to help people succeed. It is your job to have performance talks, to make sure you hire the right people, and to manage the situation before it becomes a critical situation. If you’ve ever said,“No one can do this as good as I can,” that is a leadership problem and also a false belief.
‘Got My Mind Set on You’ GEORGE HARRISON’S SALES ADVICE
‘IT’S GONNATAKE MONEY’ As the first verse of the song suggests, building this promising relationship isn’t going to be cheap. If someone hasn’t already taken the leap to become a customer, they need some incentive to get serious.This is where free trials and giveaways are your best friend. Targeting these special offers specifically at your warm list is a great way to cultivate lifetime customers.
your first few attempts, you’re shutting the door on future profits. Depending on your business, leads that take months or even years to convert can more than make up for the time and effort you’ve spent on them. Customers won over this way are far more likely to stick with you. ‘TO DO IT RIGHT’ The final conceit of George’s song is that there may be other ways to win a person over temporarily, but this is the right way. By remaining dedicated and spending the time and money to build your relationship, you can win over lifetime
‘IT’S GONNATAKE PRECIOUSTIME’
The No. 1 mistake sales teams make
is giving up on leads too early. If you dump a prospective customer because they hesitate on
customers — no singing required.
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