How to lose business

Last year I decided to get back into the saddle. After much research I found a very interesting riding school to visit.

The horses were great, my teacher very understanding, as I hadn’t ridden for years, and I really enjoyed my weekly lesson. Even in the rain!

Then for a number of unrelated happenings, not planned at all, I had to miss three lessons on the trot.

During those weeks I never received a call, text or email from the stable, and never have since. I’ve not ridden since and sadly, at the moment, don’t think I will.

Bizarrely at the same time, as I missed the riding lessons, I discovered a Shetland pony farm.

As the farm, in Stoke D’Abernon, was close to my home I decided to pay them a visit. My reason being that as Bonzo is a Shetland pony, it might give me some wonderful ideas for my next Bonzo and Her Grace children’s book.

The layout of the farm is dazzling, the owner very welcoming, she introduced me to her lovely staff and, of course, about 20 beautiful Shetland ponies. They were so cute and fun.

When I finally left, I said that it would be great to keep in touch, and gave the owner a copy of Bonzo and Her Grace and my business card. In return she gave me a copy of her children’s horse book.

I left thinking that the farm was very special and that, sometime in the future, I’d love to visit again.

Since my visit I have received lots of emails and one, just last week, started with a lovely video of Shetlands playing and notes about what they had been doing over the winter. I wanted to go and see them.

As it turned out, my wife and I took our 3 year old grandson to see them, and he loved the Shetland ponies. This time as we left, I said that we would see them again soon, and gave the owner two copies of my latest Bonzo and Her Grace book.

So, how can all of this help you?

Well that’s easy. What sort of relationship do you have with your clients and prospective customers?

As, if it’s like the first stable you will be losing business, but if it’s like the Shetland pony farm, you like be gaining business. Exactly where does your customer relationship sit?

A new light!

I love going around Dorking, Surrey, as it has so many things that I enjoy.

Walking to and from on the Surrey Hills is great, Dorking Hall is a great place to go for a concert, the Sports Centre is super and, of course, it’s always fun to see the Dorking Cockerel on the way in (if coming by road in the right direction).

But, what I like the best are the shops. There’s a brilliant model shop, a shop with fishing tackle, lots of antique shops (including Arms & Armour), plus I’ve eaten at a couple of restaurants that I think are excellent.

On my last visit I discovered another exquisite shop; it was full of lamps, plates and bowls. They looked beautiful, so I popped in to see more.

I heard the person running the shop say to the person that they were helping that everything came from Turkey.

When the customer had left I was asked if I could be helped, and I asked where from Turkey the items came. The answer was Istanbul, and in return I said that, ‘I loved Istanbul.’ And, from there, we had a long chat; covering why I had been to Istanbul, what I liked, and of course, about the shop and all of the products.

The business sounded amazing, opening in August 2019, with the online shop opening in June 2020; all of this, of course, during Covid.

There are two things that truly impressed me with Ali’s Emporium; one is that the lamps, textiles, ceramics, and paintings are directly from Turkey (Istanbul) and two, and most important, that the owner is a lovely person to talk to and they will help you choose the perfect thing for you. It’s not just sales.

In business, the right attitude can make a major difference to your success; I have left shops and businesses (without purchasing), when I’ve not been treated well. Business lost – then and for good.

So, something to think about, are you and all of your staff (and I do mean all), thinking about how best to help your customers? Your sales should increase attractively if they all are.

Certainly I will be back to Ali’s Emporium very soon.

Digital Networking Tool

This week I had a very good 1-2-1 with a friend of mine, Mark Rouvray, in Esher (at a coffee shop); our first face-to-face meeting since Covid began. I have to say it was both enjoyable and much more useful than a chat online.

We talked about his business, web design, and how it had changed and improved over the last couple of years. Not based on being locked-down, but more about major software development and type of customer supplied.

Just about everything was covered and some things just mentioned, like digital business cards. A good, productive, website can’t just be thrown together, as design, layout, content and simple little things, like three dots, have to be carefully thought about and planned, if good results are going to be possible and actually happen.

But, having run a printing company for over 30 years, business cards were in the back of my mind; after all, a very good business card is so much more than just a way to give your contact details to people.

If done correctly, not only contact details are given but they give a personal touch, a great first impression, build trust, show that you are a professional and can be a wonderful networking and marketing tool. And, of course, they can lead to your business being referred.

So, I had to find out more about the digital business cards.

A big thing is that they are not just for in-person meetings, but also for online networking and virtual events. If you hand one to someone you meet, you’re more likely to continue your conversation later.

Plus, in the digital era, it’s essential to use digital business cards to share all of your contact details in one convenient view. Digital business cards are easy to share and perfect to consolidate all of your accounts and contact details in a single view.

The point of a digital business card is to create a single, simple, shareable file with all of your contact details. That way, the receiver has no difficulty to follow your account on social media or contact you using the details.

Mark showed me one of his digital business card designs for a customer, and I have to say that going forward they truly are a great thing for your business.

So, unless you already have one, I recommend that you have a look.

What’s your challenge?

I bet you have a challenge. In fact it wouldn’t surprise me if you had a few challenges in your head.

Something like ten sit-ups this week, a 5k run in 29 minutes, swimming 50 lengths, cooking a delicious paella, getting up on time, eating more vegetables, to drink a pint of water, sort out the pile of papers on your floor, call a friend, stop watching four hours of TV every day, to climb a famous peak, the list is endless and personal. But, of course, the challenge is achieving them.

And, this brings me to your business. What are your challenges? Your goals? Your targets? How will you achieve them? And when?

In fact have you got any challenges set?

More business, more effective marketing, keeping customers longer, happier and more productive staff, a first holiday, a better return, a five year plan.

What have you planned? And, do you know how to accomplish it?

Let’s say that you need five new customers (and, of course, what type). What’s your conversion rate? Shall we say one out of three? So, you need to offer your product/service to 15 prospects. Then we have to know how many people we have to market to in order to get those 15 prospects and of course how to achieve this. What method to use?

First you need a target and then the way to achieve it. It’s a great challenge and one that can give you amazing results.

So, have you a real target planned and set? If not, there’s your first challenge.

Let me know if you would like a little help. I might even tell you mine!

A lady on a train!

At the weekend I was travelling by train from Birmingham (I had no petrol) back to home (Surrey). The carriages were packed, with many people standing, and someone was already in my booked seat.

We had a quick chat and it turned out that her seat was the empty seat beside her, so I said no problem, I was happy to sit there instead. 

I had been to a two-day business convention, so for the first 20 minutes of the journey, I just thought over some of the very useful ideas that had been given to us (there had been over a 1,200 delegates at the ICC) and which I would implement first.

It was at this moment that I glanced across to the lady next to me working on her laptop and saw that she had an Entrepreneurs Circle email on screen. I couldn’t believe it, as that had been the convention I had just left. So, I asked her if she had been there as well; and, of course, she had.

For the next hour we talked about what we had liked, a little bit regarding what we weren’t so sure about, the people we had meet, but most importantly what we were going to be doing in the future and essentially what we would be doing in the coming week.

Because, as I’m sure you know, it’s not what you learn that counts but if you actually do it. That’s what will make the difference.

Neve’s (the lady I was sitting with) main business, Speaker Studio, sounded perfect for just about everyone in business, as how you say something really makes a difference, and certainly would help everyone who networks. Including me!

We had a very good ‘meeting’ and will be meeting again.

So, if you are a little nervous, or not too sure about how best to speak, then I can suggest you have a chat with Neve, as she is very helpful.

Speak your way to Success.

Guitar Village

I was at Guitar Village, in Farnham, today looking at the Ukuleles; they are beautiful and my birthday is soon!

However, I’m finding it almost impossible to choose one, as I like so many; not just because of their sound but also their looks and the way they are made. Such lovely woods are used, such as mahogany, koa, maple, rosewood, cedar and spruce. Then there are the different makes and types: soprano, concert, tenor, etc. (plus they are all different sizes).

I asked Richard in the shop for help and he advised that, as a beginner, it would be best to decide on how much I would be willing to spend and then buy the one I liked the look and feel of best. He then added that after six months, if I’d become a keen player, that I can look again, as I’ll have a much better idea of what would work best for me.

His advice was perfect and is just the same in business. In business there are numerous things to do and often because of that nothing much gets done. So, think about it, what one thing could you do this week that would be good for your business? Then just ‘park’ everything else and do it. I’m pretty sure that you will see the difference it makes.

Richard also added something else, which I agree with, and in fact am doing. Having a ukulele and spending some time strumming is a great way to relax and get away from the pressure of your work. I’ve got to agree that it’s fun. So, if things are tough at the moment why not get a ukulele and try it?!

Guitar Village – let Richard know that I suggested you came to see him.

Farnham, Surrey, Business Networking – 19th August

9 Days to go!!

You may have read my blog, back in June 2020, about getting Kick Started. If not here it is – Kick Started.

It was about one of my sons writing his first Comic Book; it was all about The Hoards of Surrey. It’s a great story, has some brilliant art, and is about a very British treasure hunt! Well it was a success and now Part Two is being produced.

The Hoards of Surrey

Again it is with Kickstarter and well worth a look; Kickstarter could be just what you want for something you are working on.

But, back to my sons Comic Book, you can even pledge for Book One as well. And, get your own commissioned deal by the artist.

So, please do have a look and pass on the link, I would love to see Part Two in print, but there is only nine days left for his success. You can have a look here.

Thank you.

No hair cut!

A friend of mine owns a hairdressing salon which is closed and has been for a great deal in the last year due to the lockdowns.

And because of this, people are trying all sorts of things: cutting, hair colours, new styles, with some being done by themselves and others by close contacts (in their bubble), who are prepared to take the chance for them. Some are successful and others are…well, not so good. Other people are just waiting for a haircut; I’m one of those!

Anyway, back to my friend and others like him; those who have no business at the moment. Week by week it’s getting harder for them and it’s not just about the lack of business now, as for some of them it is the damage that less business will do in the future when lockdown is lifted. I don’t know about you, but I know that things won’t suddenly go back to how they were. A great deal of business just won’t return; some things are changed permanently or, at the very least, long-term.

However, for some, like my friend, things are far better than they might have been. Why? Because he has spent a number of years building himself a residual income just like me. I build my residual income business for two reasons: one, to have extra holidays each year, and two, to add to my pension when I retire. But, the thing I like best about my residual income, is that it pops into my bank account every month, whether I’ve done any work or not, and will do long into the future.

What it’s doing for my friend at the moment is taking lots of earning pressure and worry off him.

Residual income is not a get-rich-scheme, although you can earn nicely pretty quickly, it’s more about thinking five, even ten, years into the future. The great thing is that there’s nothing to lose by trying it, but maybe something wonderful to gain. My friend has really discovered this.

So, if this interests you, have a look, as I say, there’s nothing to lose and now might just be an appropriate time to find out how good it could be. There are many options available. Two, connected services, which I find are very workable together are Full Power (commercial) and Utility Warehouse (domestic) energy. Just click on their names if you would like to know more, or give me a call.

10 Minutes of Fun!

Sounds good doesn’t it, but it does involve a little hard, physical work.

I was chatting recently with a Personal Trainer, who’s pretty much closed for business at the moment. But, she is doing lots to make sure that her business is not only better, but ready for training sessions when the lights go green and lockdown ends!

One thing she is doing is making a 10-minute training video. It’s aimed to not only keep people fit but also for them to have some fun. A real bounce! She suggests that you do it every day because it will relax you and help make the whole day better. One of my other friends actually works out, at 8.30 every morning, and it energises their day.

But, as far as her business goes, it’s even better than that, because it will be sent to every one of her customers and friends. Many of whom I’m sure will thank her for it. But, also she is going to ask them, if they enjoy the workout, if they would send it to three of their friends.

I asked her how many people she was sending it to and her answer was 43. Now not only is that fun for them but business-wise it could be a real winner. Imagine if people that are not already one of her customers, really find it stimulating; maybe they will become a new customer? But imagine if those 43 people each sent it to three of their friends; that would be another 129 people.

Now that really makes you think about the possible number of prospective customers she could have when the lights go green!

So, what could you make a 10 minute video about? Why not do it today!