Archive for the ‘Business Improvement’ Category

Delegate with Clarity

  • delegatingHow many times have you asked someone to do something and been disappointed with the result?

Do you ever find yourself thinking “it’s easier if I just do it myself?”

The bottom line is you may not be able to DO everything yourself. As leaders, business owners, decision makers and managers, there are a variety of reasons for delegating tasks to “someone else.”  Assuming the “someone else” knows what you want, how and when you want it, can lead to disappointment and frustration.

Delegate with Clarity by following these EIGHT STEPS and save yourself the time, money, disappointment and frustration!

1.        Delegate to the Right Person–be sure the individual has sufficient skills and experience to effectively perform the delegated task. Otherwise, you may be setting them up for failure and yourself for disappointment and frustration.

2.        Clearly Define the Task–explain the task itself, the intended outcome and why it is important. Understanding theimagesCADBRIH8 significance can inspire success. To insure understanding, have the assignment repeated back to you. If the description is not accurate, explain again. Repeat this process as needed.

3.        Set a Deadline–clearly define the completion date. An ambiguous target such as “sometime next week” or “whenever you can get it done” may lead to frustration, lack of a sense of urgency, and the job may never get completed.

4.        Measure Progress–determine how you both will gauge the progress being made. In the case of a very small task, meeting the completion deadline may be sufficient.  However, larger tasks may require more detailed progress planning.

5.       Agree on Resources–agree on what resources will be required and take steps to insure they will be available when needed. Resources could include research materials, logistical support, technology, etc.

6.        Highlight the Consequences–openly discuss the consequences of successful completion as well as not completing the task. Be sure to deliver on the consequences when the task has been completed-or the completion date has passed and it has not been completed.  Keeping your word lays a foundation of trust in future communications.

7.       Put It in Writing–this turns your mutual understanding into a commitment and may uncover misunderstandings.

8.       Monitor Progress–don’t delegate and then forget about it! Stick to the agreed-upon follow-up process.

How you apply these eight steps may vary depending how simple or complex the task.  Delegate with Clarity and enjoy the benefits!

Posted in Basics, Business Improvement, Communication, Delegating, Habits, Productivity | 5 Comments »

Differentiate Your Business from the Competition

10_-competition-getty-image All businesses have competition. It may be a business down the street, across town, in another state or even another country. The competition might appear on the internet or in a catalogue. Sometimes the toughest competition is lack of knowledge the business even exists! But NOT all businesses are the same—even if the product or services appear to be the same. Each business provides something unique. The challenge is to know and communicate clearly just what it is that sets your business apart from the competition.

Clarity in these three areas will set your business apart from the competition:

1.      Specialization: You cannot be all things to all customers. Too many businesses make the mistake of trying to offer too many products or services to too many types of customers at too many prices in too many ways. What does YOUR business specialize in?

a. Products/services? Both you AND your customers must be clear about your specialization. What products or services do youbehavior provide to your market . . . really well?

b. Serving a specific market or customer? All-State Legal Supply specializes in providing law firms with all the paper products they need to operate efficiently. McDonalds specializes in providing fast food to people who want to eat quickly and conveniently. What customers are you serving?

c. Geographical Area? Your neighborhood, city, state, country or the entire world. In what geographical area do you specialize?

 

2.      Segmentation: Clearly define and identify the customers who are ideal for what you sell. Who are they, where are they, when and how do they buy, what value do they want from you, and what benefit is most important to them?

 

standout3.      Differentiation: Often referred to as Competitive Advantage, Area of Excellence, and Unique Selling Proposition (USP). You have one but can you articulate it time and time again? Being able to differentiate your business and communicate it clearly and concisely is perhaps the most important of all.  What is the one thing you do better than anyone else? What do you offer that is truly unique to you and your business?  What really sets you and your business apart?

 

Once you have clarity in these areas, focus your resources (time, energy, money and team) on those prospective customers who are most likely to buy from you. Let them know what “Differentiates Your Business from the Competition”!

Get a “Differentiating Your Business Checklist” at http://maclayassociates.com under LINKS.

Posted in Business Improvement, Communication, Sales | No Comments »

Improve Your Business

compassWant a great business? Then do great things. As a leader, business owner, decision maker, you set the tone for the rest of your team, no matter what the size or location. Often, there are so many things to do in a day, we bypass some of the most important concepts that can make our businesses GREAT. The following Business Improvement Concepts, as basic as they may seem, are often overlooked. Apply or revisit these GREAT concepts for your business and see what happens!
1. Have a GREAT Vision:
Great leaders have great visions. Bill Gates envisioned  “a computer on every desk”.  How do you ultimately see your business? What are you doing? Who is around you? What are your sales?
2. Develop a GREAT Business Plan:multi-arrow-target1-300x240
You can’t hit a target you can’t see. Know where your are going and how you are going to get there. What are your goals for the year, the quarter, the month, the week, the day…even the next hour? Review it often and adjust strategies and goals as opportunities and hurdles present themselves. 1 minute of planning can save 10 minutes in execution!!
3. Implement a GREAT Marketing Approach:
To have a great business, you need great sales; to insure great sales, you need a great marketing plan. Who are you marketing to? How are you marketing to them? Remember to focus on what you product does-the benefits-instead of what it is-the features.
4. Attract and Keep GREAT Customers:
Once you get the word out and attract great customers, be sure to ask what they want to keep them coming back. HappyCustomersResisit the temptation to assume you know what they want or even who they are. Know who your best customers are and keep them happy-HAPPY CUSTOMERS ARE YOUR BEST REFERRAL!!
5. Deliver GREAT Products or Services:
If you had to start over, which product or service would you focus on? Which would you eliminate? Know what is successful and what isn’t by getting feedback and tracking your sales. Continuously ask “What can be done to improve?”

6. Track GREAT Numbers:numbers
Identify key numbers and track them. A key number or numbers will tell you instantly how your business is performing. What matters most…Number of customers? Number of sales? Profit per sale? Customer aquisition cost? Renewal period? There are always one or two numbers that predict the success of a business more than any others. Know what they are and focus on improving them.
7. Get GREAT Results:
Planning is important but if it doesn’t yield results it is not a great plan. FOCUS on results; and if they aren’t great, revisit your vision, adjust your plan, review your marketing approach, evaluate  and talk with your customers, assess your products or services, check your numbers AND get back to getting GREAT results!

img_vision&mission

Posted in Basics, Business Improvement, Business performance, Sales | No Comments »