Duct Tape Marketing

Do you spend so much time working in your business that you never work on your business?

It's interesting how many of us are shy or uncomfortable about acknowledging where we are in our business (or life) because we think we *should* be further along than we are or that we don't measure up.  

You open your email to find a notice about an upcoming seminar or workshop on a topic you desperately want to learn more about.

Later that day, you get the mail and there's a postcard inviting you to the same workshop.

"Should I go?" you think.

"It's expensive, I'll have to pay for airfare and hotel, but I'll learn *so much* and will really be able to propel my business forward," you say to yourself.

After much wrangling between those two guys that sit on each of your shoulders, you decide to go for it. You tell your clients you'll be gone, you buy the plane tickets, book the hotel, pay the workshop fee and you're excited!

The day finally arrives. You can hardly wait. You get a seat and wait for things to start.

By the second hour, your head is brimming with ideas while your stomach is full of coffee. You desperately want a break and can't focus on anything else.

The break comes and goes and now you are starved. "WHEN is lunch anyway?" you hear yourself asking your neighbor.

After wolfing down something which the hotel is convinced passes for food, it's back to the workshop. Now the carb crash comes and you need a nap -- the speaker is very interesting, but hey, you're getting the seminar CDs and will catch up on anything you miss then.

Does this sound familiar? I've been to three workshops/seminars in the past two months and have watched this scenario unfold for HUNDREDS of people -- again and again.

It's critical you have a system in place to insure you get the most out of each and every seminar and workshop you attend -- after all, you're spending your money AND time attending.

1. Bring a notepad.

Insure you have either a notepad or notebook dedicated ONLY to "Action List" items.

This is not a "To Do" list -- "to do" lists sound like work and generally lower your energy. This is an "Action" list -- completing these items will propel your business forward.

Personally, I put a small box next to each item that I can check off as it's completed. I don't number them as these are not in priority order. The order is based on when the item pops into my head.

2. Bring a notebook.

You should have ONE notebook for ALL your seminars and workshops. This is for your "Notes" -- if the presenter provides you with a handout of his presentation, GREAT, you can take notes directly on it.

If not, however, you'll want to keep all your notes in this notebook -- start the section with the seminar name, location and date and note each speaker's name and presentation title and any notes from it.

Notes, NOT action list items. . .action items go on your Action List. It's important to keep them separate so you don't need to search through pages of notes for your action items.

Always remember: It's not what you know that matters; it's what you IMPLEMENT!

3. Bring plenty of business cards.

You'll be amazed at how many people forget to bring business cards with them when attending workshops.

Always insure you have plenty of cards with your current information and, preferably, a picture of you on it. We meet so many people at seminars; you want to insure people remember you when going through their new stack of cards at home.

4. Take a day.

If possible, take a day or 1/2 day when you get home to unpack, get back in the swing of things and take a good look at your Action List.

Are there items which can be done in 10 minutes or less? If so, identify those items and schedule an hour for each group of 5 activities over the next week (this allows a little extra time). This will insure you make steady progress soon after the seminar.

Do you have bigger projects? No sweat, break them down into smaller chunks -- 30 minutes at most -- and schedule them on your calendar.

By scheduling these activities *on your calendar*, you'll have a start and end time for getting them done and insuring you got the most out of your time at the workshop.

5. Follow-up.

Chances are you've met new friends and potential clients.

Now's the time to drop them a brief note and let them know you're happy to have met them and follow-up with any information you may have promised.

And, remember, if appropriate for you, thank the speaker for the seminar and all you learned.

Your Coaching Challenge

Your coaching challenge for this week is to prepare a "Seminar Toolbag" which includes a notepad, notebook, business cards, two pens and anything else you may need.

Here's what's in my Toolbag (a bag I take to all seminars) in addition to the above: granola bars, lip balm, post-its, tissues, peppermint patties, a digital camera and since I'm not a coffee drinker, my favorite tea bags.

For the past 5 years, Sandra Martini has been showing self-employed business owners how to get more clients consistently by implementing processes and systems to put their marketing on autopilot. Visit Sandra at http://www.SandraMartini.com for details, compelling client testimonials and her free audio series “5 Simple and Easy Steps to Put Your Marketing on Autopilot”.

You often see people (including me) writing about customer service, successful vendor practices and the like, very rarely, however, do you see someone ask you to review your own actions and determine if you are a good client for someone else. And that's what today's article is about -- if you dare.

It's easy to review someone else's actions and praise or note where they could improve, it's much more difficult to shine that light on our ourselves.

When you sign up for a program, hire a private coach or mentor or hire a team to support you, do you:

1. Are you prepared for your calls?

Do you come prepared to calls with any questions you have, items you want to request special guidance on, successes you wish to share with the group, etc.?

It's more rewarding for you AND your coach/mentor when you get what you want from the program and because we can't cover all situations all the time, it's even better when you ask. When working with team members, they WANT to shine for you, do you give them the tools to do that (answers they need, training on your processes)?

2. Do you show up. . .and on time?

Do you show up for your calls and, if so, do you show up on time?

Your vendor (coach, mentor, team member, etc.) has prepared and reserved this time just for you to the exclusion of other things she can be doing.

You'll get the best results if you're as respectful of their time as they are of yours (and if they're not, it's time to let them go -- no "ifs, ands or buts").

3. Are you reasonable?

Do you constantly and with little-to-no-notice reschedule calls for non-emergency reasons?  The key word here is "constantly" -- we all have reasons we need to reschedule occasionally.

Do you respect boundaries and the terms of your agreement or do you "push the envelope" every chance you get?

4. Do you implement?

Do you use the resources you signed up, and paid, for or do you tell yourself (and others) that you're "too busy"?

If a coaching/mentoring program, do you take advantage of everything that's offered: Q&A calls, 1-on-1 calls, bonus resources OR do you sign up, get the CDs and put them on the shelf with the others, all the while wondering why you're not moving forward in your business?

In short, are you implementing? If you've hired a team (or a single virtual assistant) so that you can work on other items, are you doing that? If you've hired a coach/mentor, are you getting things done?

5. Do you pay on time?

Do you pay according to the terms of your agreement? 

If not, why not?  Do you need to bring in more revenue?  Do you need to implement faster?  Is the team not a fit and you just don't know how to let her go?  Whatever the reason, you need to determine the "why" and then resolve it in whatever way is best for your business. 

In short, all of the above stem from you making the decision -- yes, actually making a firm decision or commitment -- to FULLY embrace all aspects of the programs you're in, the people you hire and to implement.

My Request to You

Grab a pen and paper (no computer here!):

1.   Turn the paper sideways (landscape) and make 4 columns lengthwise,

2.   List every program or service you've purchased in the last few months in the first column,

3.   List the results you anticipated when you signed up for or hired it/her in the second column,

4.   List the features/benefits of the program/service in the third column and

5.   List what results you've gotten since signing up/hiring

Now, for each item on the list ask yourself the 5 questions from today's article -- be completely honest here!  No one's watching (promise!).

And now, it's time for you to make some decisions.  What stays?  What goes?  What changes do YOU need to make regarding your own action.

For the past 5 years, Sandra Martini has been showing self-employed business owners how to get more clients consistently by implementing processes and systems to put their marketing on autopilot. Visit Sandra at http://www.SandraMartini.com for details, compelling client testimonials and her free audio series “5 Simple and Easy Steps to Put Your Marketing on Autopilot”.

When was the last time a client called your cell phone after hours or sent you an email at 8pm and expected an answer by 9pm or didn't pay you per your agreement? Or a vendor or coach took a week to answer an email?

If this is happening, it's time to either set, or reaffirm, your boundaries.

What are boundaries?

Personally, I like to think of "boundaries" as "the standards around which I manage my business". For example:

* What are the hours you're *at* work and take phone calls?

* What are the terms under which you accept payment, and won't work otherwise?

* What happens when clients make an appointment and then don't show? Do you let them reschedule?

* What is an acceptable way for others to speak/write to you? If they're frustrated, are you willing to be their punching bag? (Your answer better be NO! here.)

You get the idea.

Boundaries aren't negative. They are an extension of you and communicate to your clients how you're willing to do business with them.

That said, on the flip side, as a client, you should have boundaries or standards as well. For example:

* What is an acceptable timeframe for your questions to be answered?

* Do you prefer email, telephone or both as the situation dictates?

*What is an acceptable way for others to speak/write to you? If they're frustrated, are you willing to be their punching bag? (Your answer better be NO! here - and "yes", this is a repeat of the above.)

If you're a client hiring someone, you'll want to know both your and their boundaries before you start doing business together.

After all, if, as the client, your standard is such that all questions must be answered within 48 hours and your coach/vendor doesn't answer emails on Fridays or Mondays, the relationship may not be a good fit for you.

As the coach/vendor, it's your responsibility to tell your clients what they can expect, before they become clients, so they can make a decision which will save you both time and frustration down the line.

It's important that you have a set of boundaries or standards which you adhere to in working with others - doing so makes it easy to decide if you want to work with someone (either as client or coach/vendor). After all, they either meet your standards and *get* your boundaries, or they don't.

Setting boundaries and standards which are true to you make you authentic. And holding true to those boundaries and standards makes you a person, a business, of integrity.

My Request to You

As a coach/vendor: Ensure your client agreements accurately describe your turnaround times, any days you don't work, payment terms, etc. so your clients can make informed decisions on working with you.

As a client: Ensure that the boundaries of your coaches and vendors are in sync with your wants and needs in order to get the most of each relationship.

In the end, it's about respect for one another and the way we do business.

For the past 5 years, Sandra Martini has been showing self-employed business owners how to get more clients consistently by implementing processes and systems to put their marketing on autopilot. Visit Sandra at http://www.SandraMartini.com for details, compelling client testimonials and her free audio series “5 Simple and Easy Steps to Put Your Marketing on Autopilot”.