The One Thing That Holds Businesses Together Through Economic Challenges, Creates More Sales, Impacts More People and Ultimately Produces A Long Last Company!
By: Sandi Krakowski
Business is changing. The way we do business, the way we purchase things, how we make our decisions- it's all changing. And it's critical that you, as a business owner, understand these changes and utilize this knowledge in your daily practices.
This past weekend I spent an intense 14 hour day with my Ruby and Diamond Members. We talked about Marketing, Mindset, Social Media and the activities that every business owner should be doing everyday to create long term results.
But is it marketing, mindset or even social media that would make a person so excited to gather with this group that they'd journey 26 hours each way to be with us? Not likely.
There's an ingredient in businesses that will help companies succeed even through economic challenges, yet very few companies are giving much attention to it. There's a strategy, a necessary activity that must be performed and upheld in your business that some companies are 'considering' as an after thought, rather than a primary focus.
During the last several months I've been blessed to meet with many new and beginning business owners. I've also spoken to and with very experienced business owners. This one thing that holds all other things together was the focus of many of our conversations over early morning coffee and wine late at night.
Relationship is the 'super glue' that you must understand if you want to build a long lasting business. But be forewarned, before you think I've gone off on some esoteric bunny trail, relationship tied to marketing is what I'm referring to. There seems to be an uprising in the marketplace of business coaches and trainers who are teaching relationship but they're not giving tangible skills and strategies to making money in business.
Relationship will make you choose a company without thinking, even if you pay more.
Relationship will create 'brand loyalty' that is not related to color schemes, graphics or font choices.
Relationship is what drives large and small companies alike.
For example, the company that I always hire and work with to drive me to the airport or into Chicago for business events is Club Car Limo. Whether they're driving me in a business sedan or a limo, doesn't matter, they do it all. They even do trolley transportation for large gatherings. But listen to this, they have had continued company growth over the last 5 years, through what some have called the 'worst recession in American history'.
Fact of the matter is, they do very little advertising, they dominate their entire niche in Fort Wayne IN and surrounding cities and on the busiest day of the year last night, Prom Night, they transported over 65 groups of students, totaling more than 800 kids!
What would you say is their key driving factor in business? Is it price? Their car choice? Their ability to drive fast and safe? Not at all. It's relationship. Plain and simple and long lasting. Relationship. The man who drives me into Chicago and our family to the airport on trips, etc is Sean. My kids told me the other day we need to remember Sean at Christmas time because he takes such good care of their Mom to and from Chicago, etc.
Relationship is key.
Here's Angela Brooks, full-time Nurse, soon to be best selling Author, publisher of "Breaking The Silences- The Nurses Voice", an online publication that is featured through Angela's blog and many of the larges Nursing websites. Angela has been a Psychiatric Nurse for more than 20 years and is passionate about patient and professional advocacy. Through the last year we've been working together, she is a member of our Ruby program.
Can you tell me stories about your customers?
A company that knows it's client base and the lives they live will go farther and make more money, no question. When is the last time you took a survey or asked your customers what they desire in business?
Stories draw people so they can relate. Stories connect clients to your company. Even Zappos uses testimonials, reviews, employees on their videos and more to create this connection with stories. Are you using stories in your business?
Intensely talking about the ONE thing you must do everyday in your business
During our second session at the Mastermind we did in Chicago, we began to talk about the #1 thing all business owners should be doing on a daily basis. Whether we're talking to current customer, inactive customers, sleeping customers, old customers or new customers, this one activity should govern most of our activities during the day.
Marketing to acquire customers, marketing to satisfy customers and marketing to keep customers is the number one activity that business owners should be doing in their business on a daily basis. Team meetings, assessments and audits should all revolve around whether or not you are doing marketing that builds relationship with your clients.
Coach Sandi and Coach Jimmy, my personal Beach Body Coach & Ruby Member
As many of you know I started a 90 day Fitness goal to improve my health and get the lean trim body back that I had years ago in my 20s when I competed in bodybuilding. This body of mine, through many years of disease, and other circumstances that led to wrong choices of not being fit, has been through so much with me. But 48 days ago the decision was made to change the game plan.
One of my Ruby Clients, Jimmy Hays-Nelson is a top Beach Body Fitness expert and is ON the DVD training course entitled "Insanity". Yes, there is actually a fitness program called Insanity…. and a follow up program called Asylum! This is not for casual fitness seekers at all. I started doing the ChaLeanExtreme program with my friend and mentor, Chalene Johnson. When Jimmy got wind of this he became a strong support tool for me!
On a side note, you might recognize Jimmy because he is also a professional actor, working in theatre, television, and print media. He has appeared on television in Ally McBeal, The Practice, Ugly Betty and Gilmore Girls. Yes, he's one of my clients and friends as well! (See how fun business can get?!)
Jimmy and I were doing our gun show at the recent Mastermind and had a lot of fun comparing our growth in many areas of life. At one time Jimmy was 100 lbs heavier and had a lot of pain and challenge in his life to overcome! Today, he's a celebrity fitness coach, actor, husband and a new Daddy with a 3 month old baby, Asher.
Relationship is key in business! It makes it all worth it!
We had our own Mastermind CrushIt! contest on Saturday and let me say the competition was THICK!!! But the top winners were actually a tie on votes! Here they are below! Diamond members and Ruby members competing with each other was not only fun to watch but very refreshing! The level of implementation that these clients have taken is staggering! And we are ONLY in the month of May! 🙂
Crush It! Contest Winner, Diamond Member Beau Henderson
Financial Planning Expert
Crush It! Contest Winner Kim Garst, Ruby Member
Social Media Marketing & Branding Expert
Relationships are critical for business. Your marketing depends on it, unless of course you want to always do something new every single day. This is why so many old-school direct response marketing companies are struggling, because for years it was about creating the right words and marketing plan to get the sale. But with each new campaign and success, there had to be something new. Sadly, relationship and long-term business hasn't always been the goal of some companies.
DRM Giants and Experts like Dan Kennedy and Bill Glazer have long been saying that marketing to repeat customers is just as critical as marketing to new clients. When they've been involved in offline marketing, online marketing and now social media marketing, the goal is always tied to relationship that is long lasting.
Have you ever given thought to the value of a client list? Here's a wild card I'll throw out there for you to think about- if you buy a business with 1 million customers attached to it, be VERY careful. Because a customer base is worth nothing without relationship. If you purchase a company or business that the owners have build, bred and nurtured the client base for years, don't change things. If you work with someone else's customer base, be mindful of how the relationship was built.
Relationship. It's critical.
We are so grateful for our relationship with you. You inspire us, motivate us, encourage us and more importantly, you give us a purpose in business. My friends, find your purpose, have a relationship with your clients and build the life and the business of your dreams.
Let's create A Real Change in business together!
Sandi Krakowski is a "Back To Basics Step By Step Business" expert who currently serves more than 100,000 clients in over 136 countries. Her systems help the average business owner as well as big corporations get extra-ordinary results quickly. She has a track record for her 'bringing it into action' processes that company owners find easy to implement with quick results. She has been working online successfully for the last 14 years.
