Attention to Detail

Some events have transpired related to my business in the past few days that have me thinking a lot about attention to detail.

I have known people who became so caught up in detail that they lost sight of the big picture. I have known others who had a great view of the big picture, but they couldn't see the details.

When people hire consultants they expect a certain level of attention to detail. Mistakes happen, but they shouldn't be the norm. If mistakes have become the norm, maybe you need to slow down and refocus.

That's what I am doing with my business right now - refocusing.

I called my staff together today and we talked about attention to detail. We discussed how important it is and how much some recent mistakes have cost us - in real dollars.

Sometimes that's all it takes to get back on track.

Motivation

It is Friday night and the kids are in bed. I'm at the computer, trying to get a few more hours of work in before I collapse. I have my "to do" list at hand, but here's the catch - I don't want to do anything on that list. I want to read some of my favorite blogs and news sites. I want to catch up reading some Twitter updates from the hundreds of people I'm following.

The Olympics is on TV in the background and I stop from time to time to watch a race or a match. I am overwhelmed and impressed at the capabilities of the athletes I'm watching.

Then a thought occurs to me.....

For them to achieve the success they have achieved, how many times did they force themselves to tackle the task at hand, even when they didn't want to.

Winners don't just do the hard work when they feel it. They do the hard work whether they feel like it or not.

Time for me to get back to work and start crossing items off that "to do" list.

The Not-So-Secret Keys to Business Success

Are you as tired as I am of pitches from people who want to sell me their "secrets" for success?

I have had enough, so I wrote a hub page about it. In the article, I give away some real keys to business success - for free.

Enjoy!

The Connection between Marketing and Customer Service

You may not feel like you are engaged in marketing activities when you are in the middle of a sales call or a customer service activity, but you are. The connection between the two (marketing and customer service) is really strong.

You probably already know that word-of-mouth marketing is just about the best there is. If people love you and your product and/or service, and they are telling others how much they love you, they are like marketing ambassadors for you - spreading the good word about your products and services.

Of course, the opposite is also true. If people are unhappy with your service and/or product, do you really think they will keep it to themselves? Nope. They will tell their friends. Why they are unhappy really won't matter later when one of their friends (or the friend's friend, or one of the readers of their blog or website) chooses not to work with you. The damage will already be done.

So, before you put off providing good customer service, think about the effect that will have on marketing. Good customer service can lead to more business. Lousy customer service can cost you more than you think.

A Few Thoughts on Customer Service

I just came back from a wonderful weekend in San Francisco. My family stayed at a five star hotel, so I expected that we would get only the best in customer service.

Interestingly, everyone who worked for the hotel was friendly, and they said all the right things, but follow-through was sorely lacking. Promises were made that were not kept. When I tried to politely follow-up myself to get what we had been promised (everything from access to our room to a surge protector for more electrical outlets) the staff acted like it was the first time they were hearing the requests. They were friendly, said they'd get right on it....but nothing happened.

It was a great reminder for me that follow-through is of critical importance in customer service. The customer really doesn't care what we say, but what we do (or don't do) will not soon be forgotten.

Important Business Reminders

I just finished reading my favorite e-zine. It arrives in my inbox every Tuesday morning and I read it religiously. Without fail, I am reminded of several important sales and marketing principles.

This week, the things that struck me most were:

1) It's all about them. Who are they? Your clients. Your customers. Your prospects. Knowing their business, what matters to them, what motivates them and what they need is ultimately more important to sales even than knowing your own product. If you are focusing on yourself, you have your focus in the wrong place. Be customer focused.

2) Attitude is really, really important. The author of this e-zine goes so far as to say that you should train your staff in the proper attitude toward customer service before doing anything else. In some of this author's other writings, he has written about the importance of getting your own attitude right first thing in the morning before you attempt to do anything else.

3) The real value of networking events is that they allow you get to know existing and potential customers in a relaxed atmosphere. It's not about selling yourself, or working the room to make sure that everyone knows you. The cornerstone of the growth of your business is the relationships you have developed. Networking events help you develop important relationships. Relax. Don't try so hard to sell yourself.

If you have been following this blog or my website, you know that my favorite e-zine is Jeffrey Gitomer's Sales Caffeine. You can subscribe by going to Jeffrey Gitomer's website. You'll also find many excellent sales resources there. Check it out.