John Leach

Tomorrow, On Paper

Today I am writing nothing new, however I am writing.

I just wanted to make a quick point about how helpful it has been lately for me to plan out my day in advance.  Sure it's simple, not ground-breaking by an means, yet very effective.

Having your day planned out is nice and you get to control it.

One of my favorite posts by Seth Godin is his "Is Effort A Myth" post.  It was inspiring at first, but over time became lost in my thoughts.  That was until I started mapping out my day on paper.

Of course there are apps and great software for productivity and planning (a multi-billion dollar industry in fact) but I find writing out my day on paper is another effort that causes me to focus. 

Now each day I make sure to include my "efforts" which are the steps towards reaching my goals.  Goals are great, but effort is necessary.  I create my tomorrow on paper.

 

Culture Club (What Business Plans Forget- Part I)

I have currently been working hard on my mortgage company, and I realized that even though I have owned the company for over 8 years, there is something missing from my business plan.

Culture.

Even though our company is recognized by most in our area as a successful, professional company, we are still missing that critical element of "who we are".

Culture includes how we answer the phone, to how we interact with clients, to how we market to our clients, to how we market to potential new employees.  It's how we dress.  It's the design of of our office.  It's us.

Sure, there are mission statements and action plans, but without a detailed path as to the cutlure we want to create, they are meaningless.

Culture should be the first paragraph in a business plan, not the last.

This Blood's For You

That's the headline I wrote for my advertising copywriting professor at The University of Oregon back in 1989 while working on some campaign ideas for our local blood drive.  I absolutely LOVED writing advertising, which of course led me to career choices that were the total opposite end of the creativity spectrum.

Lately I am thankful I did not enter the advertising agency world, since advertising as we know it (or knew it) once again finds itself in position to change or be replaced.

With new terms such as "permission marketing", technologies such as Tivo, and markets being divided, and divided again, the mass advertising techniques (now known as interruptions) are no longer effective.

I listened to a web seminar today by Seth Godin promoting his new book Meatball Sundae and during the question and answer session he said something that is key to planning todays marketing strategy.  You can no longer use a "mega-phone" you must now use a "magnet".

I picked up a local real estate listing magazine at lunch and as I turned through the pages all I could see was one company after another using "mega-phones" to tell me how great they were.  Imagine if I was currently looking for real estate and actually came across an ad that discussed a free e-book about buying or selling homes that I could get by going to a website.  Magnetic.

Advertising is not going away as there is always the need for business to sell products, but it is changing quickly from what it was just a few years back.

Action Speaks Louder Than Knowledge

I think we are all getting smarter.  I also think we are getting less done.  We are becoming semi-experts on nearly everything that interests us with the point-and-click database of knowledge that is the internet.

So, when I discuss with others what is holding them back from success, I rarely find that it is due to lack of knowledge...it is more likely from the lack of action.

My favorite all-time book is The Power of Focus by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, and Les Hewitt.  I read, and re-read this book over and over, and each time I'm amazed how much more I learn...but more importantly how much it reminds me to take action.

Creating a written action plans is key to getting what you want done, especially when it comes to changing existing bad habits.  Here's an example (taken from The Power of Focus):

A.  Habit holding you back:

Example:  Allowing distractions and interruptions throughout the day at work.

Consequences:  Priority tasks never completed, less time for money-making activities, increased stress, longer work hours, reduced family time.

B.  Successful New Habit:

Example:  Hire a personal assistant to screen phone calls, minimize interruptions and help with paperwork.

Benefits:  Able to complete projects, more time for money-making activities, reduced stress, more energy, better balance at home.

Three-Step Action Plan to Jump Start My New Habit

1. Write up an ideal job description
2. Advertise, interview and select best candidate
3. Train thoroughly

Start Date:  Tuesday June 6th

I love this approach to getting things done, and more importantly to getting things "changed".  My continual challenge is that I love to get involved in a lot of different ventures, and not always completing them.  By making the switch to written action plans I have been able to look at my priorities, and keep my focus (hey that would be a great title for a book)!

Three Super Simple Things You Need To Do (But Probably Won't)

Being in business is complicated.  There is a lot to do.  Bills need to be paid.  Projects need completion.  Clients want answers.  You want clients.

With all of the technology, the business books, the web pages, the blogs, the communities, all hurling ideas the easiest (yet most effective) actions to bring in more business  are pushed aside in the search of something better.   There is too much searching, and not enough finding.

Yes, Seth Godin tells us we need to create a Purple Cow, which I'm not arguing, however the search for these damn cows is grueling, exhausting, and you begin to wonder if there ever will be such a thing.  While in the pursuit of something that could change your industry, you must not forget that you are in your industry to make a living.

Every industry has successful people in it.

Most everyone will tell you that knowledge is the key to success.  Wrong.  Knowledge is a vital ingredient, but ACTION is the difference between success and failure.

So, here it is...another list.  Three random, simple things that have been written a thousand times, done by those who are successful...thought about by those who want success.  The list could be 50, 100,  or 500 items but I figure there is a better chance of you just doing three, and picked a few I like.  You'll probably laugh, roll your eyes and move on to another web page looking for something that will really improve your business, but here it goes.

1.  Send handwritten notes whenever you can to clients, friends, referral partners.  I have the absolute worst handwriting, yet committed to sending a handwritten note everyday for the past 15 months and it is without a doubt the number one thing on this list.  People are getting 200-300 emails or voice mails per day.  How many handwritten notes do they get?

2.  Change your voice mail every day (if not more).  This one is a difficult habit to get into.  I've talked with some business owners who say the finally got their message exactly how they like it and resist, but what better opportunity to stand out from your competition than having a compelling voice mail message that also updates them on your schedule for the day.  Mine usually goes something like this..."Thank you for calling The Lending Company, today is Tuesday October 23rd and we are looking forward to another fantastic day.  I am here in the office today though I have a couple of appointments this morning, but will be returning phone calls today between 10:30 and 11:30, and again this afternoon between 2:00pm and 3:00pm.  If you are a new client, could you please do me a favor and leave the name of the person who referred you to me, so that I can call them later today and thank them?  And if you are an existing client, well you already know how much I value your referrals so I'd really like to thank you in advance.  I look forward to getting back to, and hope you are having a great day". 

3.  Say Thank You! (often)  The fact that I even put this one on the list is laughable, but how often do you really do it?  For awhile I would get my domain names through Network Solutions, and then one day I just happened to be on GoDaddy.com and registered one with them, hey, it was cheaper.  But the next day a strange thing happened.  I got a phone call from a LIVE person who worked at GoDaddy.com thanking me for my purchase.  And then two days later a Thank You card in the mail.  I now send all of my business (like maybe 1-2 domains per year, not trying to say I send them a ton of business) to GoDaddy.com and even if they raised their prices I probably wouldn't even notice.

I can hear some of you saying "If these things are so easy, yet effective, then it won't be long until everyone in my industry is doing them and they'll be no big deal."  You know, 10 years ago when I entered into the mortgage industry I would have thought the same thing.

The truth is people will not do the simplest things to generate more business, they just won't.

I realize this probably isn't the life-changing post you were looking for today, or is it?