BRANDING - DON’T COWBOYS DO THAT!

When should a business take Branding seriously?

Well, first of all, are we talking about the branding of products or services?

Is there a difference?

Some would argue no, because services can be ‘Productizes’!

Your product or service needs to have an ‘Identity’ of its own. When trying to discuss ‘Brand Identity’ things can get very technical and confusing, so lets just stick to using the KISS principle ( Keep it Simple Stupid) here.

In simple terms you have to:

• Determine your Value - i.e ask clients what your brand is or represents.
• Discover your USP (unique sales proposition) - compare your offer to that of your competitors.
• Choose your Audience - who is your perfect target audience.
• Position your Offer - in terms of price, service and quality
• Package your Brand - visually, verbally and experientially.
• Deliver your Product - the proof of your brand is in the benefits it delivers.

It all sounds very simple and thankfully it is, if you give it the care and attention the market brand leaders do e.g. Apple, Coca Cola and Toyota.

A compelling Brand can be the foundation of your future success in business.

If you need any help you know a man who can help.

Terry O’Mahony

HOW TO GENERATE CONFIDENCE IN US

If you don’t get commissioned, receive a letter of intent or not even move the opportunity forward; then leave a trail of trust behind you.

They say prospects don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care i.e. about them, their challenges and their future prosperity.

But how do we go about convincing our prospects that we do care.

Well some or all of the following would be good:

• Be honest at all times
• Don’t over promise or exaggerate
• Hold everything as confidential
• Don’t avoid difficult issues and questions
• Be straight talking
• Listen actively
• Respond positively without delay
• Go the extra mile
• Deliver fully on all your promises

So find ways to deserve and win the confidence of others and keep in touch with them.

INVEST LITTLE, RECEIVE LITTLE

Have you ever been in a meeting wrestling with an important issue and everyone in the room is really trying hard to make a useful contribution, but progress is difficult to achieve and the discussion seems to be going round in circles.

Then, just as the everyone seems to dry up, the quite unassuming guy in the corner, who in this instance was the clients accountant said “in my experience if one chooses to INVEST LITTLE one usually RECEIVES LITTLE”.

You could have heard a pin drop.

In a few short words he removed all the objections that had been put forward that the firm needed to keep expenditure to an absolute minimum, and supported all those that were advocating that an investment in marketing was essential in order to survive the recession.

So with more focused minds we produced a plan to sell new services to existing customers.

At the present time the early signs are that our plan is showing positive signs and the whole team is working hard to deliver results.

So remember if you think small i.e. ‘invest little’ and you will ‘receive little’.

If you need any help you know a man who can.

IF IT AIN’T BROKE, FIX IT-BETTER

Yesterday, I was in a meeting with my client and some of his team, when his contracts manager said “If it ain’t broke why fix it”! We all burst out laughing because this was far too profound a statement to come from him. He also saw funny side too and he also began to laugh. In fact he laughed so hard that a tear ran down his leg!
But as you can imagine he was trying to make a serious point about a technical matter. A colleague said “but it is broke”! And a heated debate ensued.

This instance reminded me of another client who is a business improvement consultant. He uses a series of techniques to help companies organise themselves to be more efficient and to raise quality standards. He once said “If ain’t broke, fix it, but fix it better “.

I have told myself on many an occasion, when I’m being told that this marketing concept or sales technique works a treat, that they usually are not producing maximum results. Normally after a bit of investigation into the ‘real’facts they are underperforming and with the odd tweak can deliver even better results.

Check for your self.

If you don’t know how you know a man who does!

Let me know how I can help you win.

HUNTERS AND FARMERS

I was talking recently to a couple of people at a regional construction networking event.

As our conversation unfolded, I increasingly became aware that whilst both enjoyed similar titles i.e. Business Development Manager, worked for companies a similar size and worked broadly in the same local markets; one had a ‘Hunter’ instincts and capabilities whilst the other had ‘Farmer’ qualities.

What’s the difference?

Well, Hunters tend to be really good at breaking into new markets, sectors and firms. They easily and quickly engage with folk and develop their relationships to a point were they can just as quickly hand them over to a colleague so that they can get on with hunting out new prey!

Whilst Farmers tend to be less dynamic on the breaking in/getting involved  side of things but are brilliant at retaining them, developing the relationship to the maximum extent and always on a mutual advantage basis.

So, if you were to appoint a BDM which type would you go for?

Well that’s a difficult one, especially given the limited information we have in front of us. In an ideal world you would probably want a combination of the two types.

I think that’s training, mentoring and coaching comes in.

After all, having won the interest of a new prospective client what you want to do is maximise the potential life time benefit of the relationship.

THE BIG ISSUE

Over many years in business I found that there are all kinds of ‘Big Issues’

Towards the end of a recent meeting with a prospective client, I was asked for my opinion as to what I had just learned from him regarding his company’s current position in the marketplace and its plans for the future.

Was he asking me what I thought his principal competitive advantage was what his main threat was or something else?

In other words what was his Big Issue?

I found later that he was actually asking me what I thought was the one thing he ought to concentrate on in his business in order to make it successful i.e. what should he focus on above everything else?

It was not easy to give a concise reply.

He, like many other business leaders I have interviewed, had revealed a wide range of issues that were concerning him. So how do you flag up one Big issue?

However, I did tell him that I thought he should concentrate on moving into another business sector.

His existing sectors were under threat, he had too few clients and margins had almost evaporated.

So I convinced him to identify a sector that would most easily accept his firm’s capabilities and range of services

I told him that everything else ranked a secondary issue.

I believe that doing all you possibly can  to help a client succeed should be a priority above every other business goal as an independent professional advisor.

Fortunately, he accepted my advice and we are currently well on our way to moving him into the Retrofit sector of the construction industry.

If you have similar problems, then you know a man who can help you

When is a Speech not a Speech?

I am currently involved with the planning and organisation of an event that will announce the opening of a new regional office for a contractor new to that marketplace. My client, who is a very effective construction professional, asked me to help him craft a speech for him to make at the event.

I sent him an outline that I thought would help; it basically took the following form:

     1. Introduce yourself

• Identify yourself i.e.

-your name

-your position in the company

-the number of years with the company

-your objectives and hopes for the future

                               NB: (keep it brief)

      2. Find a way to establish Rapport:

·         Make a strong/positive opening statement; that creates interest in the company and its plans.

           Example:

-give thanks for people’s time for attending the event

-acknowledge that they are very important and busy people: tell them they are in the top 5% of construction business leaders, that’s why they have made a commitment to coming to the event.

-make a friendly remark

-mention something you or your firm have in common with delegates

-say something to stimulate their sense of pride

-use statistics, numbers or a relevant quotation

3. Tell them what your going to tell them
• You have successfully completed a number of projects locally
• You have developed a very strong, effective and competitive local supply chain
• You have resolved to invest in the area
• You have opened a new office in the area
• You will be the new face of the company in the area
• You will personally see that all enquiries and projects will be effectively be handled

4. Tell them

5. Tell them what you just told them ( i.e. Summarise)

6. Thank them again and ask them to make the most of the event

During the actual event my client delivered his speech without hesitation and made a lasting impact on the audience.

Why?

Because he had taken sufficient time to prepare what he really wanted his guests to know, rehersed his speech adequately and asked for constructive feedback from a small number of close associates.

Consequently his speech was a success.

However, its successful delivery was magnified later because we used its content in a number of different ways:

·         we sent the entire speech to a small number of publications

·         we used some parts of it as the basis of several press releases

·         we quoted sections of the speech in the firms newsletter

 All the above actual exposed the speech and the speakers company to approximately 900,000 construction professionals!

If you’re planning something similar, you know a man who can help you.

A RISING TIDE LIFTS ALL SHIPS

But does it?

Some ships/boats might have been on the bottom for a long time and got too stuck in the mood to be released by a rising sea level; some boats might have been holed in some way whilst some might be naturally be inclined to float!

But what’s this got to do with the current parlous state of the construction market?

Well some construction leaders are doing the same as some boats i.e. they have got stuck or marooned; they have either fully battened down the hatches for the long haul and are thus merely waiting for the tide to turn, or to a lesser extent have chosen to keep their costs as low as possible and not put crazy bids in.

Others are perhaps more enlightened or proactive; they are planning and investing in their futures.

How I hear you ask?

Well it depends, but action of one sort or another is required, and it usually has to come from the top!

Well to run a successful/intelligent company we have to address at least some of the following:

• Keep your existing customers happy(keep abreast of their changing circumstances,challenges and needs and find ways to help them  resolve or optimise them)
• Attract new clients from you chosen target market or sectors
• Convert prospective clients into paying clients
• Perform, deliver in full, add real value, retain them, up-sell and cross sell them
• Ask for introductions and referrals
• Keep in touch by sending them useful information
• Keep the account moving forward

So does the same rising tide work equally for all boats?

Well if you don’t think so, you know a man who can help you.