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The Newsletter Archive
Each of the newsletters is a snapshot of the things we were thinking about as we approached that month.
 
Note: When the older newsletters were converted to html files some of the punctuation didn't covert correctly. We are in the process of creating new files and appreciate your understanding.

Our Most Recent Newsletters

July, 2016

Marketing is not necessarily about what people want to hear, it is about what they need to hear if you want to gat - and keep - keep them as a customer.

June, 2016

Customer service is about the greater good, it often involves sacrifice of present pain for future rewards.

May, 2016

Doing - or saying - the right thing take courage. It's the exchange of temporary pain for future gain and better relationships.

April, 2016

Emotional intelligence is the key to successful sales.

February, 2016

Are you constantly afraid of missing something - FOMO? Might you be worried about the trivial instead of the consequential?

January, 2016

You could be planning for the next hour of the next 10 years. Which do you think will provide you the greater benefit?

December, 2015

We are all leaders, consciously or unconsciously. It is through our words and deeds that we influence others. What do we want the world to look like when we're gone?

November, 2015

What you see when you look at the world is different from what anyone else sees. It depends on your history - and theirs.

October, 2015

Sales is like performing. The best performers don't hold anything back when they're onstage. It isn't an act, they're baring their soul. 

September, 2015

Your present relationship with your customers is built on your past actions. What can you do if some of those actions were problematic?

August, 2015

Change is inevitable and at this point I can't resist predicting what will happen with health insurance over the next few years.

July, 2015

If you have a true vocation, you can understand how to help customers embrace solutions that help them to realize their vision.

June, 2015

Success in sales requires that you lose yourself in order to find you customer, that you give up on being rewarded to be given the order. It has to do with your character.

May, 2015

Successful salespeople are great listeners, not to just the words but also the emotions behind the words.

April, 2015

Often our greatest success comes in the instant we decide to do what's right for the right reason. But, how will you know?

  • March, 2015
  • It's easier to get referrals when you position the request in a way that gives your customer the feeling they are also helping their friends and neighbors, not just you.
  • February, 2015
  • Can you afford to take the time to make sure your customer understands what she is purchasing? When is a sale not a sale?
  • January, 2015
  • Which is more important to you, making the sale or satisfying the customer's needs? Each has implications.
  • December, 2014
  • As you look back on the year - and your life - how have your experiences changed your perspective?
  • November, 2014
  • Life - and work - is about choices. How do you choose to see your role?
  • October, 2014
  • Surviving a bad day has more to do with how you prepared for the day than having the patience and stamina to survive it.
  • September, 2014
  • Uncovering a person's reason for making a purchase can often be the deciding factor in making a sale.
  • August, 2014
  • We develop procedures to eliminate errors but sometimes the procedures we create don't have the intended result.
  • July, 2014
  • Online we all have a history. No matter what you say today, what you said yesterday is there for all to find. What is it saying about you?
  • June, 2014
  • Learning to answer test questions correctly is not the same as being able to solve problems in real life. How are you training your employees to solve those problems?
  • May, 2014
  • In exercise we know about muscle memory. The concept is similar for mental activities - like work. Take advantage of it.
  • April, 2014
  • To create great employees there's more required that teaching skills, They need to know how to apply those skills in situations you can't imagine.
  • March, 2014
  • The key to connecting with customers is to appreciate what they are feeling.
  • February, 2014
  • You and your customers have a common goal, working together you can achieve it.
  • January, 2014
  • What drives your decisions? As you set goals, are they meaningful to you? It matters.
  • December, 2013
  • Sometimes the easiest sales are the ones you didn't make - at that time. Are they ready to buy now?
  • November, 2013
  • More often than not, a balanced approach will yield better results than trying to maximize one element. There's a reason for that.
  • October 2013
  • So many things to do, so little time. How do you decide what to do next? What you do determines what you'll accomplish.
  • September 2013
  • Can you explain what you do in a dozen words? How about six? Three? Sometimes fewer words have a greater impact.
  • August 2013
  • Asking more and better questions, and then being an active listener, can actually save time in the sales process.
  • July 2013
  • Your employees have expectations - of you. Are you meeting their expectations?
  • June 2013
  • There must be a reason you are investing all that time, money and resources in your business. Are you getting a return to match?
  • May 2013
  • The Boston Marathon bombing had teach us much about how a successful business can work and respond.
  • April 2013
  • Random acts of kindness can affect people in unpredictable ways and have far-reaching consequences.
  • March 2013
  • We all have expectations. But, where did they come from? Are they accurate? We have the opportunity to create expectations in others. Will they be great?
  • February 2013
  • As humans, we've been doing business for thousands of years. Did we do it differently then than we do now?
  • January 2013
  • While we can't know what the future holds, we certainly have a pretty good idea of where things are headed just by recognizing trends.
  • December 2012
  • You've probably been an employee, but are you using that experience to get better performance from your employees?
  • November 2012
  • As business owners we appreciate clear and straightforward communication. Do we expect the same of ourselves? Just look at our political discourse.
  • October 2012
  • Starting a business has unique challenges. Planning can alleviate some of the biggest risks.
  • September 2012
  • Does it always seem to be feast or famine in your business? Have you ever asked yourself why?
  • August 2012
  • People make buying decisions based on perceived value. They can calculate it and so can you. If you do, you can control that value.
  • July 2012
  • The population is becoming more and more diverse. If your customer base tends to look just like you, you might be neglecting a lot of potential customers.
  • June 2012
  • We all strive to be honest with people, but sometimes it's hard to be honest without being hurtfull. It's an art.
  • May 2012
  • Communication is all about the words we use. Yet, the same word might have different meanings and messages. How do you choose your words?
  • April 2012
  • Do your employees have the authority to make the decisions that will keep your customers loyal to your brand? Do they have the authority to spend money to do that?
  • March 2012
  • We plan for "the future" but when exactly is that? How does that affect our planning?
  • February 2012
  • In business, just as in sports, how the entire team plays will determine how well you do in the "game".
  • January 2012
  • Random acts of kindness are nice, but a business can't be successful based on random acts.
  • December 2011
  • We make decisions everyday. But, are those decisions based on our real needs and goals?
  • November 2011
  • The season is traditionally a time for giving thanks. Are you thanking the right people in the right way?
  • October 2011
  • Over the years I've learned a few things critical to business success. Recognizing them could help your business.
  • September 2011
  • In golf, par is a way to measure performance. In business it can work in a similar way but needs to be measured with care.
  • August 2011
  • Starting a business isn't easy, but asking the right questions helps assure success.
  • July 2011
  • Sometimes symptoms indicate a deeper underlying problem. If the symptoms disappear does it mean the problem is gone?
  • June 2011
  • We all know that it's easier to maintain our momentum than to create it in the first place. Just how can we get started?
  • May 2011
  • When you're out of sync you certainly know it. The challenge is to find a way to be in sync every day.
  • April 2011
  • Humans are driven by emotion. But in business we need to operate based on reason. What influence should emotion have on our decisions?
  • March 2011
  • There's a real danger when you ignore what your customers want. It could lead to your own downfall.
  • February 2011
  • What would you say if you were asked to address The State of Your Business? Can you communicate a clear and honest picture?
  • January 2011
  • Some people make resolutions, successful people have a planning strategy. Do you?
  • December 2010
  • Sometimes it's our own expectations that stand in our way. Do yours?
  • November 2010
  • The election season can be particularly frustrating for those of us in business. We look at the facts and make business decisions based on a return on our investment, don't we?
  • October 2010
  • We may all be players on a stage, but acting is best left to the professionals. Most of us can't play someone else in our businesses, so try being the best parts of yourself.
  • September 2010
  • Is it ADD or just the technology that surrounds you? Our bodies actually begin to crave those distractions. Are you addicted?
  • August 2010
  • In business we need to maintain the balance between enough information and too much, sometimes irrevelant, information. Have you ever been is a situation where someone crossed that line?
  • July 2010
  • Time can't be controlled or managed, it passes despite our desires or intentions. What will you be doing during your available time?
  • June 2010
  • One of the challenges we all face is to figure out what we don't know. How can you know what you don't know? There are ways.
  • May 2010
  • Often our business decisions are made on the basis of the balance in the bank account. There is a better way.
  • April 2010
  • Why is it that uncertainty makes business owners avoid making decisions - even in the situations where they feel most confident?
  • March 2010
  • Fewer customers, lower sales, the credit crisis, are all problems that are adressed by reducing expenses. There is another approach, increase revenue.
  • February 2010
  • Disasters are, by their nature, unexpected. What would you do if disaster struck your business? What's your Plan B?
  • January 2010
  • Most owners agree that planning is important. Yet, they often have trouble getting it done. It shouldn't be an overwhelming task if you approach it strategically.
  • December 2009
  • What should you do when the customer is unhappy? Perhaps the better question is what will the customer do if you don't pay attention to their concerns.
  • November 2009
  • Managing customer expectations would seem to be a simple process, but many businesses don't recognize the implications of their actions. Do You?
  • October 2009
  • What would you say if someone offered to buy your business? Do you know what it's worth to you? Do you know what it's worth to someone else?
  • September 2009
  • Just as there are things we can do to avoid the flu, there are certain afflictions in a business that we need to treat.
  • August 2009
  • The summer of 2009 was historic in the world of professional sport. There are business lessons to be learned from each of those historic performances.
  • July 2009
  • In business the tools we use to communicate have changed over the years, but the object remains the same: we want people to understand our message. How can we do that effectively today?
  • June 2009
  • Prospering during the "Difficulties", our Great Recession, requires that you understand what your customers want. That requires asking the hard questions.
  • May 2009
  • Who you are is directly related to your personal history. Fortunately, it doesn't determine your future.
  • April 2009
  • Rat-like Cunning? It was years before I truly understood how that could help me to be more successful in business.
  • March 2009
  • What can baseball teach us about today's business climate? Watching how a hitter responds to different pitchers can help you to understand how to respond to challenging economic times.
  • February 2009
  • One of the joys in life is experiencing those magic moments when we really feel connected as human beings. Wouldn't it be great to experience more?
  • January 2009
  • The start of a new year is the time to review your goals and update your plans. The key to a good plan is making it easy to follow - and measure. These small steps will lead to big results.
  • December 2008
  • Your customers are the engine driving your business. How can you thank them appropriately for their contribution? Let me count the ways........
  • November 2008
  • The election campaign is a good lesson in sales and marketing - what works and what doesn't. The lessons can be applied directly to your approach.
  • October 2008
  • Leadership is not about ability or attributes, it's about results. Without the results, people with ability are quickly forgotten.
  • September 2008
  • Is your glass half full or half empty? How you view your business could be affecting your results.
  • August 2008
  • For people in business, the courage to have faith in your own abilities can be the deciding difference.
  • July 2008
  • Sometimes it's excess baggage that holds us back. What are you carrying that's slowing you down?
  • June 2008
  • How hard is it really to do the things you need to do for business success? It's probably not as hard as it seems.
  • May 2008
  • Too much on your plate? Are you finding it hard to get the important things done? Maybe it's time to take a hard look at what's on your plate.
  • April 2008
  • My dog has taught me some important lessons about business. It's important to recognize when your actions might be driven by instinct rather than reason.
  • March 2008
  • Having good ideas is the first step. Actually implementing those ideas is the key to results.
  • February 2008
  • Will you be more successful this year than last? Perhaps it's the way you look at your opportunities that needs to change.
  • January 2008
  • The new year is an opportunity to move forward with a new mindset and new approaches. Take advantage of the opportunity!
  • December 2007
  • My clients often need my help to "think outside the box" with their marketing and business processes. What I actually do is to help them to regress to the 'conscious competent' stage and examine the way they are doing things, to look for those possibilities.
  • November 2007
  • It's not just about tasks and skills. The success of a hire will be determined by how well that person performs over time.
  • October 2007
  • By categorizing the information presented to us without first understanding why we have created those categories, we have traded possibility for simplicity.
  • September 2007
  • As a coach, I am often working with people to help them develop a different perspective about what's possible in their current situation, a different mindset.
  • August 2007
  • When is "good enough" actually good enough? The key is optimizing the variables, not maximizing them.
  • July 2007
  • People still do business with people. They constantly declare their independence by the decisions they make about where they spend their money.
  • June 2007
  • In our sales role we are prepared to respond to these objections. We ask questions, we find out the history and we uncover the emotions that give rise to the objections. We don't give up in the face of objection, we respond to it.
  • May 2007
  • We've all heard the phrase "Practice makes perfect." But, what is it about the act of practicing that yields the desired result?
  • April 2007
  • As a coach, I hesitate to criticize anything that results in success. But, you don’t need an advanced physics degree to understand the "Law of Attraction".
  • March 2007
  • The biggest challenge we all face is to stop making excuses for ourselves. When we stop making excuses we start making changes.
  • February 2007
  • You've probably noticed that men and women see the world around them from different perspectives.
  • January 2007
  • If you want the coming year to be a great one, start it off with a different mindset.
  • December 2006
  • During my years in the corporate world and as a coach I've found seven practices that can adversely affect any business.
  • November 2006
  • When was the last time you really gave a gift of thanks to those who have put you where you are today, something personal, specific, and heartfelt? That's what it really means to give thanks.
  • October 2006
  • Remember, every day both the optimists and pessimists will have exactly the same thought: "This day couldn't possibly get any better."
  • September 2006
  • What you have really learned is that it's not about who you know, it's about what you know and who knows you.
  • August 2006
  • The people I have met who are passionate about their business, have clear goals, and put realistic plans in place to reach those goals, are much more content than those who dream but fail to take action.
Lake County Business Coaching, Inc.
Libertyville, Illinois 60048
847-968-2468
 
d.ferguson@LCBC-Inc.com
 
All material copyright 2006 - 2014 by Lake County Business Coaching, Inc. and cannot be used without written permission