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Make It Real March 2008
News and Views from Clarity to Business, LLC
Catapulting Visionary Entrepreneurs and Companies to Success | |
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Greetings!
Welcome to the debut issue of The Puppet Speaks. (Just kidding--that's the name I came up with that my marketing consultant, Lee Doyle of Credible Communications vetoed.)
I use puppets in my business plan workshops to help people laugh as they master new business concepts.  It's not as weird as it sounds. Laughing while learning about break-even points and marketing concepts makes these new ideas stick.
The puppets are so popular I decided to use them in the newsletter too. (Caution: The Puppet is prone to truth-telling. The truth is sometimes painful but it can make us feel real and alive.)
In every issue of Make it Real, we'll discuss, "walking your talk." Having coached and consulted with hundreds of small business owners, I've discovered we all have trouble with (me included) acting the way we say we will and keeping the promises we make to customers.
I'm not talking about the overt promises, like holding up your end of a signed contract. I'm speaking about the subtler promises you make in the way you market yourself, do your work, deal with your employees if you have them, and treat your vendors. Read the article below to learn more about how not to walk your talk.
If you come across businesses that aren't (or are) being congruent and consistent in what they say and do, I'd love to hear about them. I'll consider featuring your suggestions in subsequent issues.
Thanks for reading. I appreciate your attention.
Sincerely,
Christy Strauch
602-561-8499
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| WALK YOUR TALK
(or how not to)
You see examples of businesses not walking their talk all the time. You may not be conscious of them but they're there. The Puppet is touring the world pointing out incongruities in what people say about their businesses compared to how they actually act. Not to make fun of them--we all know how hard it is to deliver our work consistently--but rather to provide examples of how not to walk your talk. And to inspire you to deliver what you promise in your business, every time.
Why is walking the talk so important? Well, when what you say and how you act are in sync, customers and prospects trust you more, refer more business to you, and are likely to be more loyal. The reverse is also true; when you don't walk your talk, people notice. They stop trusting you and this has a direct effect on the bottom line.
Some of The Puppet's recent findings:
We went to a fancy, high-priced restaurant for lunch the other day. When they lead us to our table to seat us, we noticed three dead French fries under my chair. We immediately wondered if the kitchen was as sloppy as the dining room and whether or not we might get food poisoning (we didn't, but we also haven't been back). The incongruity between who they said they were (high-priced, high-quality dining experience) and what we saw (sloppy housekeeping) made us wonder about their whole operation.
On our way to a meeting a few months ago, an old wreck of a car pulled up next to us at a stop light. The paint was peeling, fender dented, and the windows were rolled down, indicating a broken air conditioner (this is Phoenix where we run our air conditioning 11.5 months of the year). When the light turned green, we noticed the owner had (unevenly) pasted some vinyl letters on his back window that said "Looking to earn more money? Ask me how!"
"Or not," quipped The Puppet.
Are you walking your talk? If not, what's one thing you could do RIGHT NOW to fix that? |
| TIP OF THE MONTH
The first quarter is coming to a close. I have two accounting tips for you.
1. If you haven't done so already, forecast your sales (sometimes called gross revenue, sometimes total revenue; i.e. the total amount of money you think will come into your business), for April, May, and June.
2. Enter this forecast into your accounting software as a budget (type the word Budget into the help screen if you don't know how to do this--it's pretty straightforward in most bookkeeping packages).
Doing these two things will produce many benefits. First, you'll see-on paper-if it looks like you'll bring in enough money to cover your expenses over the next three months (don't forget your salary). This is very helpful to know, especially if it looks like there might be a shortfall. Then you can take action now to boost your sales. Second, you'll get in the habit of looking at your numbers, which is always a good thing. And third, knowing what you need to bring in will help you create those sales (no kidding).
It won't take long to do this little exercise. Close your email program and take fifteen minutes. Do it RIGHT NOW. |
| CLIENT SPOLTLIGHT
Meet Kimberly Rattley, Principal of Creative Synergy Solutions, LLC. Kimberly's company creates workshops, retreats, and performances in which people experience deep introspection, compassionate self-discovery, and spontaneous connection with others. These experiences lead to developing personal mastery and social competence at work, home, and in the community. Kimberly's business proves it's possible to make an abundant living doing work you love that expresses your purpose on the planet.
Check out Kimberly's website: www.csynergysolutions.com | |
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HAPPENINGS
My friend Carolyn Parrs has launched a twice-weekly blog, an "exploration, explanation and exposition" of what you need to know to successfully market your green products and services.
Even if your business isn't green, Carolyn's ideas can still help you. Check out her blog for inspiration about how to make your business more visible to your clients and prospects. Find it at www.greenmarketingblog.com. | |
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