12 ways to pick your low hanging fruit

MANY BUSINESS OWNERS are quick to direct their sales people spend time on getting new business.

Often ignoring what they already have.

Its partly the thrill of the chase, the idea of something new.

Russell H. Conwell, tells a wonderful story, Acres of Diamonds, about a young man who left home to roam the world seeking his fortune. Unsuccessful and returned home only to find an acre of diamonds outside the back door of the property he once owned.

New business is expensive to find and win away from current suppliers. Up to 10 times more expensive to do business compared to the those outside your back door. Yes you should always have a stream of new business to offset change in your present clients, but it should not represent more than 20-25 % of your business income.

The good news is every business has low hanging fruit.

Say that within earshot of any sales rep or sales manger and you instantly have their attention.

Yes, they're called existing CLIENTS.

12 ways how you can pick your low hanging fruit

1/ SHAKE UP YOUR SALES TEAMS

Change your sales representatives territory, particularly if they have been calling on the same clients for yonks.

Expect a reaction to this move. But maybe some have been in a comfort zone, and taking their current relationships for granted and not seeing opportunities that a fresh set of eyes might. Have you the strength of leadership to take this action?

An alternative is to allow the sales representatives keep their top 20% but allocate the remainder to new representatives. That way you might get out of the announcement meeting alive!

2/ ARE YOU ENGAGING YOUR CLIENTS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE ON ALL PLATFORMS AS POSSIBLE?

This was the remark by the head of Disney Studios at a Licensing conference in Melbourne I attended recently. Apart from complaining that he’d never been up at such an hour (7am in Los Angeles) he opened the breakfast saying that the question (" Are you engaging your clients as much as possible on all platforms as possible ?") was asked by his team at Disney at every meeting he attended. It drives their every action. How would you answer that question?

Are you engaging your clients as much as possible on all platforms as possible?

3/ USE EMAIL CONTENT MARKETING

The most cost effective way of engaging and stimulating your clients. No not as a means to convey this month’s specials and use just as as another advertising channel, but with quality content that provides clients with knowledge and value.

If you establish trust and value you maybe be allowed to market directly to them on a 1:4 basis. What is stopping you to use this highly cost effective medium?

What is stopping you to use this highly cost effective medium?

4/ GET OFF YOUR BUTT AND OUT OF YOUR OFFICE

Get out of the comfort and warmth of your nicely appointed work space and visit your clients in their work place. When was the last time the owner or CEO of one of your suppliers visited you at your office? Maybe never! Too busy? What would you prefer to be an overhead or a direct cost (a cost which you can recover from sweat equity!)

5/ SPECIAL SNEAK PREVIEW OF NEXT SEASON'S RANGE

If you don’t have an exciting product or service then make the occasion or location the excitement factor. Invite current and lapsed clients to a special function (drinks and nibbles). Having worked for key brands in the electronics area (Pioneer) they would range their new components twice a year – and invite key clients and media. Why not do the same. At least a good excuse for a party.

6/ ONE WAY TO GET REFERRED BUSINESS

Referrals. Don't get many? Then freely give them! Simple as that. Think about your clients and ways you might refer business. Then leave it to the Law of Reciprocity. Don't be surprised nor disappointed when the referred business to you comes from another direction. That's the Law of Reciprocity working.

7/ DO SOME PHONE RESEARCH

Either personally or commission someone to research customers, both current and lapsed, on what they like about your product or service. If there is any suggestions to improve, or anything they might add, and if appropriate why they haven’t been using your services lately. Former clients may not give the real reason but if the interview is done respectively and sensitively they may be impressed by your want to listen and improve.

8/ SEND THEM FREE STUFF.

We all love free stuff. In your travels you will come across some new and low cost items. Why not buy up a bunch and send them out selectively with a personal note.‘Thinking of you. Thought you might like this.” Or do you have promotional caps and jackets. One of my clients' sales representative gave away a cap and jacket just being polite to someone who doesn’t even use his equipment (in the Ag and Earth moving area). The happy recipient rang three months, later switched brands, and the rep booked an $80 k order.

9/ RUN A PROMOTION

A promotional competition for clients. Invite them to enter. Or you enter them.

If it is a mature product or range a well thought out promotion supported by new point of sale and collateral can give a new and exciting boost to the relationship, Well if Madonna can reinvent herself why shouldn't a makeover to the stars of your range?

10/ WRITE A BLOG AND QUOTE THEM OR ASK THEM TO COMMENT

Appeal to their ego. Take an aspect of your relationship, or borrow from their narrative to feature them in your company's blog. Interview the CEO on the organisation, their service or unique aspects of their value offerings. Particularly valuable to your client if your blog is also followed by their prospective customers

11/ RECOGNISE A SPECIAL Date

Copernicus was wrong. Earth doesn't revolve the Sun. It revolves around us. We are the most important people in the universe or at least most important people in OUR universe. (That is why we send (m) emails.)

So the fastest way to get others' attention is recognise things that they are interested or involved in. It all started at birth. So their birthday is most important (even when they say it isn't). Its an important date to them. So recognise it. Give them a call, text, leave a facebook post, leave a message all Wishing them a great day. Why? Because many will not.

There are other dates that are excuses to just connect. Anniversary of their job, their new role appointment, admittance to a club, a win by their favourite sports interest. Just think if you had to judge when they were good to make contact then every chance these days are the ones. (Whilst saying important to make contact don't break into a sales speil. It will spoil the moment.)

12/ CHECK- IN.

Regularly call (one each day, if possible) a client you haven’t heard from or seen for some time. The contact importantly is NOT a sales call, but just of general interest to see how they are going. Importantly, again, don’t sell on this call even if they initiate the subject. Hard yes. Otherwise it will also spoil the warm 'fuzzy feeling' they will have when they hang up the phone.

Sometimes the best sell is when you don’t sell at all.

SUMMARY

We often leave, in particular, the low maintenance clients to themselves happy to and let the orders flow in at will. Allowing us to spend time with the problematic, low yielding or the vast green fields of prospects.

The most expensive part of a sale is the first transaction. That is where the time is spent, finding, nurturing and selling to them. Then building up initial contacts to builds a relationship. Then we get bored. we get busy, and just as dangerous sales flow in. Dangerous yes. Because complacency follows.

But remember if they have not had contact with us for 90 day or more human nature being what it is, and the frantic nature of our dynamic and competitive workplace, they forget about us. Not just forget, but forget we even walked the planet.

Yes, we must attract new business.

But not at the expense of our true and tried loyal customers.

We must continue, daily, ask our selves the question raised by our Disney executive:

Are you engaging your clients as much as possible, on as many platforms as as possible?"

If not somebody else will!

if you found this blog interesting and of value we invite you to LIKE and SHARE for others to gain from the benefits of looking after your low hanging fruit, their existing clients.

Other posts by this author include:

• Darwin Awards for Sales people
• What is your Coaching philosophy
• Remarkable People leave their mark
• 14 Keys to Effective Checklists
• 7 Things I would tell my Younger self

14 KEYS TO CREATE A CHECKLIST

LET'S IMAGINE YOU ARE A senior manager and you have the opportunity to increase productivity, workers' safety, team morale and become a more effective team.

Just like with the TV infomercial there is more!

This opportunity will close more sales, increase the top line, reduce re-work and increase the profitability of the organisation. And it is not going to cost you big bucks- for new tooling, equipment, training and more personnel.

You would be crazy, if not negligent, not to at least find out more about this wonderkid of a development ? Yes? Yes!

Atul Gawande (@Atul_Gawande) in his book Checklist Manifesto writes of the origin of Checklists. A successful surgeon and author Gawande draws on his own experience to operate, literally, in a world of growing complexity.

At first, he writes of his own experience in the world medicine but broadens it to take in all areas of our community and life. Gawande was concerned by the exponential increase of surgical operations worldwide combined with complexity and specialisation of medicine, resulting in millions of deaths and disabilities that were not decreasing with the economies of scale.

With investigation, Atul realised, that level of death and disabilities from surgery came not so much from the fault of ignorance of knowledge, this was progressively being addressed by training and research break through, but the simple known aspects overlooked. What Gawande called ineptitude, where the knowledge exists but failed to be applied correctly.

Atul was asked by World Health Organisation (WHO) to improve Patient Care but without the support of a budget to invest in equipment or major training. He proposed Checklists be trialled in 8 hospitals in both developing and developed countries.

The result was a significant reduction in death and disabilities. It is now being rolled out in hospitals globally.

Checklists are not a To Do List.

Related but TO DO LIST is an endless list of things- both important and non important. A transactional, an analogue process which is often largely filled with just stuff (technical term is Crap).

A Checklist is concise and brief, comprising important items which MUST be done that moves us towards our Purpose or Goals. It is strategic 'must do’, having significant effect if it is not exercised.

Importantly Checklists will have a major effect on an organisation's results if the concept is understood and implemented in a correct manner. Its application doesn't require new million dollar machinery. Does not affect CapEx. In fact the cost to implement is minuscule . It's ROI incredible and impressive.

But it does require a much greater effort. It requires THINKING and Discipline to commitment.

But any CEO or Senior Manager has the courage to implement will be rewarded by great results and accolades.

Embracing Checklists will:

• Gain more prospects and clients-if included on a sales representatives Sales call Checklist, i.e. Last action before end of call: 'Ask for Referral’.
• Prevent error in prescribing drugs in Emergency (which happened to the writer’s relative and was fatal).
• Reduce rework (e.g., as simple as 'measure twice, cut once’).
• Get one last sale: 'Fries with that?'
• Facilitate cross selling ( ‘now is there anything we can further help you with…financial planning?"
• Focus employees in meetings (" Lets be clear on the purpose of todays meeting").

What's in it for me?

• Brings Focus to yourself, managers' and team as to what is important and what should be in focus
• Gives senior managers influence right to the frontline on correct process and procedures
• Ensures safety guidelines and shows diligence by senior managers to ensure they are complied- considering serious penalties for not following can be jail time.

14 Keys to Checklists 

1/ Know the difference between a Checklist and To Do List (often used wrongly and interchangeably).

2/ Ask what is the purpose of introducing a Checklist.

3/ Know that Checklists are limited to finite number of points - this could vary depending on the process but kept ideally kept to a minimum (a manageable and critical 5-7 items in many areas).

4/ Expressed in simple easy to understand language.

5/ Items included are 'must do', strategically aligned with the purpose and goals.

6/ Does not include items not regarded as important that would be done as a matter of course.

7/ The Checklist should be tested and trialled in operation until the correct items and number included are agreed.

8/ Implemented with a training program so there relevance and importance is understood and contrast to a To Do List.

9/ Can be Do and then Checkoff, or Check then Do.

10/ Could take a couple of minutes ( 90 seconds to 2 minutes- ideal to administer or complete).

11/ Checklist may be undertaken at pause points ( aircraft crew before pushback and then cockpit crew immediately before takeoff ).

12/ Could be adopted by a single person as a reminder and personal disciple to stay on track and help with their personal focus, or as an effective medium to coordinate a high performing team.

13/ Slowly introduce into your business where you can supervise the introduction.

14/ Must become a habit through repetition and used 100% at all times by senior management. ( Who are not exempt, or above the process because of rank.)

Be warned. As simple and as effective as Checklists are they will not be embraced by all in your business. There will be some who question their value, of having some of the items included and why it has to be strictly followed EVERY time.

These people, who are likely to pushback, should be consulted early and asked for their input, and understand why their support is crucial to the adoption of the new process of Checklists. They are often the most senior and most experienced. But also the most influential in adoption of change.

Atul Gawande acknowledges the pace and complexity of change has driven the necessity.

The volume and complexity of what we know has exceeded our individual ability to deliver its benefits correctly, safely, or reliably. Knowledge has both saved us and burdened us." 

It is a long way and time from the origin of Checklists, back to a 1936 crash of the prototype US military plane. An event which shaped the pre flight lists we are all familiar with flying, that have saved possibly millions of lives.

The origin of Checklists can be seen in the link to a preceding post:

http://www.linkedin.com/pulse/article/how-old-ww2-bomber-can-effect-your-bottomline-d-keith-millar/edit

In summary, senior managers willing to implement the merits of Checklists will not be disappointed with outstanding results and accolades on offer for their leadership.

if you found this blog interesting and of value we invite you to LIKE and SHARE for others also to gain from the benefits of CHECKLISTS. 

OTHER POSTS INCLUDE:

• Darwin Awards for Sales people
• What is your Coaching philosophy
• Remarkable People leave their mark

Checklists saves Lives and Dollars

 

Okay, okay I am a convinced.

"To what?” You ask.

To the importance and the necessity in today’s complex world of #Checklists.

There very existence has directly affected our freedom, the way we travel and our and our families’ health, big time.

Please let me explain. Beginning with a plane crash.

On October 30, 1935 at Wright Air Field in Dayton, Ohio a prototype military aircraft took off captained by Boeing’s most experienced test pilot, Major Ployer Hill.

This was no ordinary bomber. Nor was it just a run of the mill test flight (if there is such a thing).

The new super bomber was powered by 4 powerful engines, which would allow it to fly faster and twice as long than previous bombers and carry 5 times more bombs than the military requested. But this major advancement would come at a supreme price in that it was far more complex than any comparable military aircraft flown.

The flight was a trial to win the lucrative contract to be awarded by the US government at the lead up to the second world war.

The bomber crashed shortly after take off killing the experienced test pilot and another of the five member crew. Seemingly putting an end to the bombers possible inclusion in the US air force. In a subsequent inquiry it was deemed the aircraft with its four engines to complex for ordinary human beings to fly irrespective of their experience and capability.

End of story. Not quite.

A group comprising Boeing engineers, and a group of experienced test pilots, addressed the idea of complexity advocating and later to be adopted the measure of a checklist to overcome the frailty of the human memory and ability for the brain to operate in a high pressure environment. The result was the advent of the pre-flight checklist. The forerunner of what we all know and what gives us comfort in knowing that before each flight, there is a group of people at the pointy end running through a check list.

“Okay we have two engines, check, two wings-a starboard and a port, check…” Maybe not to that extent but those items critical to the well being and safety of the souls aboard.

Just like the many commercial applications that have spurned from the aviation and space industry you would have expected the Checklist to be another common day application in the making (remember plastic, teflon, navsat came from such developments).

Not so.

Fast forward 75 years.

The explosion of surgical operations worldwide (in 2004 230 million operations annually) resulting in 3-17% complication rate leaving 7million disabled and one million dead.

And has not seen an improvement from such scaling up the explosion in surgical operations. It was of such concern that the World Health Organisation wanted to address this major problem, but with no budget.

Hmm! Big problem. The question was how could surgery become safer but without the resource of money to promote the idea.

Enter a young surgeon with Bollywood  looks, not only the Brad Pit of his game but a fellow professor at Harvard Medical School.

Atul Gawande ( @Atul_Gawande), the learned professor, come surgeon had been seeking the answer why there were so many injuries and death from surgery.He saw that errors came in two forms. The first from insufficient knowledge and the second from incompetence, or ineptitude as he phrases.

Further training and better equipment could address the first. However the complexity of surgical operations resulted in the flourishing of ‘dumb’ errors by skilled surgeons and their surgery team who should have known better. It was in the ‘dumb stuff by experienced theatre staff that this proportion of theses errors were outgrowing the first of insufficient knowledge.

Atul began to develop on the idea of a Checklist adopted into surgery in early 2000 by surgeon Dr Peter Pronovost. The concept borrowed from Boeing, the sophisticated TO Do List and Project Management tool builders used to create the complex Skyscrapers , and dated back to the 1935 Boeing bomber prototype crash.

With WHO support and encouragement Gawanda arranged a trial run in 8 hospitals
 globally- spread over developed nations and poor countries. 

With no budget it relied on the goodwill and visionary of both Gawanda and the respective hospital management. The results were outstanding.From these initial results the Checklist program has rolled out globally and still the results outstanding, and an obvious success.

His greatest challenge was the ego, and gravitas of the surgeons and their teams who saw the Checklist as below them and challenged that they weren’t experienced to know what they were doing. On the contrary it was that they were highly skilled and experienced that they used short cuts and overlooked boring incidentals and the most basic but critical decisions and process. Even Gawande admits to mistakes he made while surgery that nearly killed a patient only saved because his surgery team followed the checklist.

The Checklist is more than a To Do List, it is concise list of key (i.e. Gawende calls killer steps) that must be followed.

It is surprising that it has taken three quarters of a century to be broadly adopted by the business community.You will ask: Has its application to business and management realised the sort of benefits experienced by the aviation and medical sector? You betcha.

It is has as much potential to affect productivity and decision making just as when Bethlehem Steel owner Charles Schwab parted company with serious money to reward a consultant to review how the steel work process can be improved. And the humble spiral note book become the 'it ‘ business accessory of the day.

Where else could the Checklist have relevance and major impact? Just about every aspect of life when applied. It has the potential to increase results, save money and has been shown save lives.

Such a tool when adopted could help close more sales, reduce rework, increase health and safety effectiveness , improve the performance of athletes, even help improve the results of investment decisions (as outlined by Gawande). And more, only limited by our imagination.

So what is the secret to developing a Checklist:

• It is simple and concise ( with no more than 7 items)
• Unlike a To Do list it only lists the critical points that must be undertaken ( Gawanda calls these killer items)
• Ideally used in groups of 2 or more people relies on people knowing each other and their roles
• Must be user friendly
• Can be Check and Do or Check then Do, in its form
• Takes 90 seconds to 2 minutes max. to complete
• Tested and refined in real life situations
• Can be done at specific pause points ( planes do it before they push back from the terminal then just before they rumble down the tarmac)

In summary the complexity that we now find ourselves apart has gone beyond the capability of one human being ( irrespective of how smart he or she could be).

Without an aid such as Checklist to human frailty and fallibility of the human memory. As Atul in his book #Checklist Manifesto makes mention the Checklist can best be used when there is humility by the decision makers in critical and complex stages and no longer the domain of one superhuman being.

If you are a leader in any area of the economy and looking to quantum improvement, and want to reap the reward of not relying on major investment or cost. With an effective communication and implementation program the Checklist is a no brainer. Even 75 years later after the initial Checklist came into use, it is still the potential force majeure.

Even in writing this blog using a Checklist:

• Identify topic
• Research and draft key points
• First draft
• Final Draft , sub edit, proof, spell & grammar check
• Headline- test
• Image- test

Seems okay . Now press Publish.

DARWIN AWARD for Sales people

I LOVE THE DARWIN Awards.

I can't imagine people being that, well... stupid!

Surely they must be urban myths and cannot be true.

Self selection giving evolution a helping hand by taking themselves out of the gene pool.

Maybe there should be a chapter for Sales people who put a lot of thought and effort into being sensationally unsuccessful in their pursuit of sales.

I have compiled a list of fatal sales process flaws and likely lack of success with a prospect even before they sit down. A self selection process that will certainly take them out of the gene pool of sales success, very quickly.

1/ What a stroke of luck, a car space next to the entrance.

Sales people are notoriously running 'just' on time, which often is judged as 5-7 minutes late. Rushing across town from one prospect to the next. Storming into the prospect's car park they will take the first available car park as close to the reception as possible to save those precious seconds.

Not seeing the sign which reserves the space for the Managing Director. In fairness sometimes there is no sign but it is 'common knowledge' that this is sacred land. The trespasser is unlikely to learn fast enough for future visits.

2/ Man I need a rest while I wait.

I will go on record that if you sit down in the reception area waiting for your client to come out of their office to meet for the first time you will not get the sale. Yes that is right. Tired or not, sitting whilst waiting for your prospect puts you in a major disadvantage when rising up as the prospect appears,the salesperson juggling iPhone briefcase, work papers as she simultaneously extends her hand like a circus soleil juggler. An awkward look the hapless salesperson immediately on the back foot. If you got a sale the last time you took to sit waiting, it is because they were desperate for what ever you were selling and not an overly bright monkey could have got the sale.

Even if you are tired and dying to take a few minutes off your feet. Don't.

3/ Yes Missy I am here for Mr Smith, Can you let him know!

Whilst I am sure most people are polite to the receptionist, sometimes salespeople do treat them patronisingly. Maybe its because of their age or their work is perceived as menial. Or maybe they have rushed across town and are a little off handed as a result. Never less a big mistake.

I was taught early in my career whilst not every one in an organisation can say YES everyone can say NO. You will never know what is said after you leave. Even a subtle enquiry by the receptionist to the manager. " Bob, who was that man?" says the receptionist. "Why?" says Bob. " Oh nothing, just he wasn't very friendly when he came in", she says. " Oh!" Says Bob. Strike one and now counting.

4/ Whoa, what a great set of...!

Even if the young receptionist is attractive, best keep those thoughts private. Moreover they shouldn't be shared with likes of the newly met prospect on the long walk to the meeting room.

Nepotism is not only found with the Bushs' and Clintons' in Washington, but is alive and well in small businesses where the owner's or manager's daughter might be earning some extra cash between university studies.

Its likely that when the salesperson calls back they may be patched through to the janitor or never to locate the manager they once met. Whilst also never comprehending why that once perky receptionist now sounds so offhanded.

5/ Chew gum at your leisure, Punk.

UK Skiffle king Lonnie Donegan sang about the taste qualities of chewing gum loosing its potency overnight, and medical research has found chewing gum can improve your memory, your health and even your sex life.

But chewing gum gives the impression of a badass, and mixed with pursuit of new business will prove fatal. In a professional environment  it shows a person with attitude. And who wants to buy from a person with attitude?

6/ Carrying baggage

Some people can’t let go the baggage they carry in and through the day.

A bad start with your partner or kids leaves the house and travels with you to your calls. Sometimes not easy but you have to leave your troubles at the front door, and if you must, pick them up when you return home. That black cloud follows you around and prospects see it like an aura surrounding you.

Similarly a bad end to the prior meeting can affect the next. You see it in sports athletes who make a major error on the field, and keep replaying it in their mind, as they try to focus on the next play.

7/ The Salvos your preferred designer Brand

My mum, no doubt like yours, preached the benefit of wearing clean underwear, and being in an accident. I think that the last thing I would be worrying about after involved in an accident. But that’s mothers for you.

Whilst very few salespeople I imagine turn up in their jocks their attention to their outer dress may leave a lot to be desired.

Unpressed shirts, "do you send your shirts out to be crumpled or do you it yourself?" you might ask. Slept-in suits (remember your dry cleaner is your friend not your enemy), un-cordinated ties and unclean well worn shoes. Whilst the state of someone's dress is apparent, the killer is the unpolished shoes. Maybe its part of my conditioning from, yes my mum the same one hang up on clean undies, but I automatically look at a person's feet, and can result with a damning perception of the standard and detail of the work even before a word has been said.

As they say you only have one chance to make a first impression.

8/ Wet fish handshake, a sweaty bod

Kinesthetic sense is a major, even subliminal, powerful way we perceive the world.

A light touch when we meet somebody can positively affect the outcome and success of a new relationship.

But the opposite can also occur with our first contact, the handshake.

We, often unconsciously, place a lot of immediate and long lasting importance on this. It should not be bone jarring, particularly with a male and a women meeting.

Nor should it be an insipid grip which reminds of handling a trout at the local fish market. Yuk!

Also important is the shape of the handshake. The attempt at a 'power handshake' by having your hand on top is a non-no. Whilst satisfying someones need for command and control is it is likely to kill the prospect of the sale

Also ignoring the olefatcor factor will have you on the nose. Arriving sweaty from the drive, or with a bad case of BO will certainly have the sales person memorable but for the wrong reasons. Deodorant is a must, and if you do wear perfume/ after shave a light dab rather than a heavy handed wallop.

9/ Dress for the Role not for Yourself

Many join in on the causal Friday dress code. And many don’t.

Irrespective of their code you should always aim to be slightly better dressed than the standard at the work site. Otherwise you might just get your days mixed ( "What I thought Friday was your dress down day?")

Some sales people dress to please their selves, not for the role. Let the sales results prove which is the preferred.

Don’t get me wrong I certainly am not a conservative in my style of address, nor am I big on conformity or uniform.

That is not the point.

Being dressed for the role is important and to be treated with common sense.

Also a creative person or tradesperson can give detrimental perception, even if they  turn up in a suit may be over dressed

Dress for the role.

Summary

These 'don'ts" might sound  pedantic and insignificant. Agreed. But they rightly or wrongly form the opinion of ourselves and our service or product.

I must admit that some, not all, I have been guilty of and found how important they were the hard way

People may buy our product or service, but in the end they buy from people. They buy from us.

And they're acceptance of us rests with how we mirror their perception and acceptances of their world.

Give yourself your best chance for success and not a reason to be rejected,  even before you sit with client to understand the problem.

Otherwise you may join the growing list of Darwin award winners.