What the Geese Teach Us

This is my last post as the Educational Coordinator for the BNI Point To Success. I was sitting in my car this week thinking about what I would like to say to wrap up my time here and a flock of geese flew overhead testing out their wings for the journey. I realized that since my mission was to inform, involve and inspire you to be the best that you could be at your respective businesses and as referral partners with BNI Point To Success, that the well-known story "Lessons fom Geese" would be appropriate.

This bit of prose has been around a long time. It has been attributed to many, but it actually was written by the Assistant Superintendent of Education for the Baltimore School District in 1972. Dr. Robert McNeisch, a one-time biology teacher, wrote this piece as a lay sermon for his church after observing a flock of geese.

{Photo credit: www.financialaidpodcast.com and www.christopherspenn.com}

Lessons From Geese



Fact 1

As each goose flaps its wings, it creates an "uplift" for the birds that follow. By flying in a "V" formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if eah bird flew alone.



Lesson:

People who share a common direction and sense of community, like BNI Point To Success, can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.



Fact 2:

When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of flying alone. It quickly moves back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front of it.



Lesson:

If we have as much sense as a goose we stay in formation with our BNI Point to Success partners since we are all headed in the same direction. We should not only be willing to accept their help, but give our help to others in the group.



Fact 3:

When the lead goose tires, it rotates back into formation and another goose flies to the point position.



Lesson:

It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks an sharing leadership. Thank you to the entire outgoing leadership team and thank you to the incoming team as well. As with geese, people are interdependent on each other's skills, capabilities, unique gifts, talents and resources. Our BNI Point to Success 'flock' needs every single person to step up and be a leader. It is easy to think that someone else will do it, that it isn't for me, that I couldn't possibly do what they are doing. You would be wrong. I encourage you to bring your gifts to the table for the next leadership team. You might be surprised what you will learn about yourself in the process.



Fact 4:

The geese flying in formation honk to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.



Lesson:

We need to make sure our honking is encouraging. In groups like BNI Point to Success where there is a lot of encouragement, the production is much greater. There are a thousand little ways that we support each other not just in BNI but in our daily lives. The power of encouragement is the quality of honking we seek.



Fact 5:

When a goose gets sick, wounded or shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow it to help and protect it. They stay with it until dies or is able to fly again. Then, they launch out with another formation or catch up with the flock.



Lesson:

If we have as much sense as geese, we will stand by each other in difficult times as well as when we are strong. And that will be our Point to Success.



Working Words of Wisdom

Three grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love and something to hope for...

~Joseph Addison



Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve the BNI Point to Success chapter, to find more ways to love working with all of you, and for giving me hope that there is clear path to my success with the support of each of you.



Enjoy the day!

Maximize Your Strengths, Minimize Your Weaknesses

Are you an introvert? Or are you an extrovert?

Ivan Misner was having a conversation with his wife of 20 years and he classified himself as an extrovert. "No, really you're an introvert!" hie wife said. Ivan couldn't believe it. After all, how could the most successful business networker on the planet be an introvert? (But how could the woman who has been with him for so long be wrong?)

Ivan went in search of more information and came across an internet site that has a test to determine if you are an introvert or extrovert (like this one here). He discovered that he was a "situational extravert"...that he is a bit of a loner and reserved around strangers, but very outgoing in the right context. That was an "aha" moment for Ivan and really made sense.

Mr. Misner started BNI over 20 years ago because he was naturally uncomfortable meeting new people. As he says, "BNI created a 'system' that enabled me to meet people in an organized, structured networking environment that did not require that I actually 'talk to strangers.'"

Mr. Misner further states that when he is in a new place, as he is all the time traveling around the world promoting BNI, he makes sure to have someone from the area or group walk around with him to introduce him to new people. This way he is able to overcome his introvert tendencies and connect with as many new people as possible. That is a coping mechanism he uses to overcome his shyness around new people.

So what are the strengths and weaknesses of being either an introvert or extrovert as it relates to networking?

Introverts
+Great a listening
+Perceived as thoughtful and trustworthy
-Don't go out of their way to talk to people
-May be reserved in new social situations

Extraverts
+Not afraid to meet new people
+Actively initiate conversations
-Can come on too strong
-Might scare the introverts away!

These are just general observations that our members made in the meeting this morning and while they might not be true for all people, they highlight a point: we each have strengths and weaknesses in our character that will help or hinder us in a social networking situation. The key is working to maximize your strengths and minimize, or convert, your weaknesses to a positive that will help you be a great network no matter what type of character you have.

Working Words of Wisdom
"Personality has the power to open many doors, but character must keep them open."

Go and take that test at PersonalityType.com and report the findings back here. (I am an ENFP, Extraverted-Intuitive-Feeling-Perceiver). What strengths do you have that help you be a great networker? What weaknesses do you need to compensate for? Do tell!

Are You On time?

This article was taken from a eNewsletter from Jeff Mowatt entitled Influence With Ease. If you are interested in more of what Jeff has to say about building great customer service, check out his website www.jeffmowatt.com.

What time should you arrive for a 10 o'clock business meeting?

9:50 - you're bright and early
9:55 - you're early; but not so early you look like you're wasting time
9:59 - you're there in the nick of time
10:00 - you're exactly on-time
10:05 - meetings don't get going for the first 5 minutes anyway

I learned the answer years ago as a first year business student at the University of Calgary. An HR manager from Trimac Trucking came in to speak to us about the real world of business, making a positive impression, and getting hired.

He explained that if you show up for a meeting late, you're disrespectful to others.

Showing up 10 minutes early indicates you haven't got enough to do.

Arriving exactly on time or 1 minute early makes you look rushed and disorganized.

Hence, the correct answer to convey courtesy and competence is b) 9:55.

Here's to professionals who are 'on-time'.

Today's chuckle
If you find a four-leaf clover, it means you have entirely too much time on your hands.

Working Words of Wisdom
"The bad news is time flies.
The good news is you're the pilot."
~Michael Altshuler

Go Guerrilla!

This article is adapted from an article on Entrepreneur.com by Jay Levinson and Al Lautenslager.
http://www.entrepreneur.com/marketing/guerrillamarketing/article203248.html

Coupons

The name "guerrilla marketing" is a relatively new invention from the 1980s, but the very first guerrilla marketing tactic is attributed to C.W. Post. In 1895, this cereal manufacturer did something unheard of...he offered the first ever money-off coupon for one-cent off the purchase price of Grape Nuts® cereal. This was a lot of money at the turn of the century, but this little penny coupon revolutionized the way we look at marketing.

Since the invention of the coupon, users have saved over $4 billion. The bottom line is that people use coupons to save money, but a coupon will bring a customer to a business to spend more than the incentive cost of the coupon. The lifetime value of a new customer coming in from a coupon is well worth the coupon cost if the customer returns to buy more product. That's guerrilla marketing.

Rick Oppermann doesn't use coupons with a cents-off. That doesn't work for a high-end chocolate product. But he has used a postcard for a free truffle. He told of a client who brought one in that was handed out by another BNI member. That new client got her free truffle, and then proceeded to spend $30. That's a fine example of guerrilla marketing.

Speaking

Who here dislikes public speaking?

Have you ever noticed that people who enjoy their jobs have no trouble at all talking about it? Think of public speaking as a one-to-one conversation with a whole group at once. That's not only guerrilla marketing, that's great multi-tasking!

BNI is a perfect place to hone your message, increase your confidence and set yourself up as an expert.

You are your best marketing vehicle.

A number of dynamics happen when you are speaking to a large group. First, you are the center of attention (like I am now). Your audience feels as if you are speaking directly to them. You are not an envelope that goes unopened. You are not a telemarketing call that gets screened. You are not a t.v. commercial that gets TiVo'd over. Usually when you are public speaking you have a captive audience and their undivided attention is focused on you. Use that to your advantage.

When you position yourself as an expert you are also establishing credibility. People like buying from experts. If you have chosen your venue correctly, there will be paying customers there. If the audience doesn't contain potential clients, then you are wasting your time speaking to them.

But the most important thing about public speaking is that it is marketing, not selling. Your speaking should offer something of value, not a sales pitch.

Sample speaking topics...
Top ten mistakes made when buying....
Seven insider secrets of...
Three points to consider when...

Where can you practice your public speaking other than at BNI meetings?

Seminars: show your expertise and teach prospects how to do something you are an expert at
Demonstrations: show rather than tell how to make what you make best
Panel Discussions: choose a public event, like the Farmshed where Sarah Raikowski was a panel member and be perceived as a resident expert
Present an Award: this is a form of public speaking that can hone your skills
Sponsorships: take advantage of a few moments in the limelight by sponsoring an event

Now that's good guerrilla marketing.

Contests

There is no free lunch...unless you dropped your business card in the fishbowl at Subway®!

Why are restuarants always giving away a free lunch? Because they are savvy guerrilla marketers and know that the value of the free lunch will be in the leads that are generated.

Like a coupon, the free lunch contest is worth a lot more than the cost of that lunch. The value is in word of mouth marketing and growing that mailing list. This is a small price to pay for a permission-based list with a potentially greater return. That's the way all guerrilla marketing should be.

Contests are great at trade shows, but also at related businesses. I did a fishbowl technique at Randy's UPS store when I was the business of the month. The prize was to win a free piece of jewelry. People love the chance at free...no matter what it is. And my mailing list sign up indicated that I would not use this for anything other than communication about me and my jewelry. (Actually, I have not done a thing with that mailing list generated...but that is a story for another time.) I also host a giveaway each month on my blog Treasures Found and that has generated a lot of buzz and new prospects for me. Check it out!

Tip: Always have more than one winner. The more people who win the prizes, the more they will share that with their friends and the more followers you will have. Sometimes it doesn't hurt to "pick" an extra winner if you see a key entry in your fishbowl. You need to grab at those hot prospects if you see them swimming in your fishbowl.

Working Words of Wisdom
"The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes."
~Marcel Proust

Believe in Your Worth

Legend has it that Pablo Picasso was sketching in the park when a bold woman approached him.

“It’s you — Picasso, the great artist! Oh, you must sketch my portrait! I insist.”

So Picasso agreed to sketch her. After studying her for a moment, he used a single pencil stroke to create her portrait. He handed the women his work of art.

“It’s perfect!” she gushed. “You managed to capture my essence with one stroke, in one moment. Thank you! How much do I owe you?”

“Five thousand dollars,” the artist replied.

“B-b-but, what?” the woman sputtered. “How could you want so much money for this picture? It only took you a second to draw it!”

To which Picasso responded, “Madame, it took me my entire life.”

What is the price of experience?

Recently, I have come up against people who are aghast at what I charge for my service. I have been told that they have seen and could buy the same piece of jewelry that I am wearing at Target or Kohl's. Once I was asked to outfit an entire army of bridesmaids with matching necklaces, bracelets and earrings for $30 each. But then I have also had several nice, unexpected sales from people who not only felt that my wearable art was worth it, but a bargain.

Do you ever find yourself having to go into great detail about the cost of a product or service that you provide? Coming up against those who don't believe in the value of your experience? Or do you ever find yourself second guessing your pricing structure in the face of all that negativity?

If so, then that person you trying to convince is not a member of your tribe. A member of your tribe is someone who will certainly understand the worth of your time, talent and treasures. You will not have to spew a lengthy explanation to try to get someone to buy into my version of reality. They will see the value of your educational background, on the job experience, and hold it in the highest regard. They will be the ones who believe in paying for expert service and a unique product and are not at all fazed by the price. It is not that money is no object, it is that they understand your worth and value it.

There is a value in the talent that you possess. Whether you went to school for years to learn your trade, like Doug Schlei or Sue Wille...or you keep on top of the most current trends in your field, like Dave Harvath or Mark Pinkalla...or perhaps you just have a GGA (*God Given Ability), like me and you are not afraid to use it. You are an expert and you should be treated like one.

I know for a fact that those of us in this room are not necessarily the cheapest in our respective fields. But we are certainly the best. Now you have to go out there and believe it.

Case in point...I was visiting with Melissa Kedrowicz at her successful store, the Pink Boutique, one day last year. While we were talking a woman walked in and looked around. She came over to ask Melissa if she carried any jeans that were under $150. Melissa said no. The woman eventually left the store without even trying something on. I was concerned that Melissa may have lost a sale because she was preoccupied with me. She said no and then told me something I have not forgotten. "That woman was never going to buy anything here today. I would have had to explain to her that the pricing on the jeans is set by the company and is out of my control. I could have told her about all the benefits people feel when wearing them. But chances are, she still wouldn't have bought them. What you don't know is that before you came in, I sold two pairs of those same jeans to one lady as a repeat customer. She understood the value of my products and services. And I was working smarter, not harder."

So how can you work smarter and not harder?

You need to differentiate yourself from the competition.
You need to position yourself as an expert.
You need to focus on providing the best customer service.

You need to believe in the power of your passion.

You need to trust in the value of your experience.

You neet to know that you earn more when you believe that what you’re giving in exchange is incredibly valuable. Feel it. Know it. Trust it. Believe it.

Working Words of Wisdom

A machine in a factory has malfunctioned, and the engineers on site can’t find the source of the problem.


So they call on a retired worker who had spent a long time working with the machine. He comes in, walks up to the machine, looks at it for a minute, pulls out a piece of chalk and draws a circle around the screw that needs to be tightened.

He then writes them a bill for $5’000.


“$5000?! that’s ridiculous, all you did was draw a circle around a screw!”

So he writes them a new bill:

• Drawing a circle around a screw: $1
• Knowing where to draw it: $4999

Building a Brand: Develop a Visual Identity

Can you read a picture? Is a picture really worth a thousand words? Could it have been 500 or 250 words instead? Who in their right mind would sit down and count how many words describes a picture? Where in the world did the phrase “A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words” come from?

The famous quote, "A picture is worth a thousand words," is one that we have all heard so often that it has truly become a cliché. Although it was originally attributed to Confucius, who lived over 2000 years ago, it was actually the work of a modern-day marketing genius.

First, the quotation was incorrectly translated as “One Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words.” Literally, the translation was “One Picture Is Worth Ten Thousand Words.” It is believed to be a Chinese proverb, which later turned out to be bogus. The phrase was coined by Fred R. Barnard, who promoted the use of images in advertisements appearing on the sides of streetcars. Apparently he called this quote a Chinese proverb, so that people would take it seriously. It’s not surprising that this proverb was immediately associated with and credited to Confucius. This was an interesting marketing ploy, but no doubt one that proved to be successful.

Business is a competitive sport. There can only be so many sales, so much profit, and only so many customers. That means that all businesses who want to have continued success have to focus their energy on creating a corporate image and identity that will attract customers. Think of those companies with the easy to recognize slogans...do you picture their logo when you hear their name? Nike's Just Do It and the swoosh...Allstate's "You're in good hands" and the drawing of the cupped hands...Your corporate identity is the first impression your customers will have on you. It can either make or break your company.

We all have mini-billboards in our pockets. Take a look at the cards in your card file. Which ones stand out from the rest? Usually it is the ones with a logo that makes sense as a match for the company along with well spaced contact information.

You have to start thinking of brochures and business cards as a personal ad you hand directly to customers. Think of a letter as an ad that comes to your potential clients in the mail. When you create marketing materials, make sure all letters, envelopes and business cards have your corporate logo on it. This consistency and professionalism will enhance your credibility. Plus, when a client sees your logo over and over, on your business card, flier and letterhead, they will be more likely to remember you in the long-run. So, a strong visual identity is an important building block for your overall corporate identity.

If you have yet to create your logo, get it done as soon as possible, and get it done by a professional, and it just so happens that we have a professional among us. An amateur logo can hurt your business as much as a good one might help. A corporate identity and logo designed especially for your business needs can attract great business to your company. As part of your overall company brand-building strategy, a good logo is a key piece of the puzzle.

Working Words of Wisdom

"A picture is worth ten thousand words." ~ Fred R. Barnard

Building a Brand: The Right Tagline

Keep reading for a challenge! I will pick a winner when I return and announce it at the August 26th meeting!

Rhonda Abrams is a columnist with USA Today and wrote an article called "The Right Tagline Can Go A Long Way" back in 2006. I thought that it had just the right message, so I have exerpted some of that here.

Here's a quiz. Can you name the companies associated with the following taglines?
• "Just do it!"
• "The world on time."
• "Breakfast of champions."
• "Melts in your mouth, not in your hands."

Congratulations! You probably guessed all four. That's because an effective tagline or advertising slogan becomes so closely identified with a business, you typically don't need to mention the company's name. Of course, these companies — Nike, FedEx, Wheaties, M&M's — spent tens of millions of dollars advertising these slogans.

But it doesn't take a multimillion-dollar advertising budget for you to create an effective tagline. In fact, a good tagline is one of the least expensive forms of marketing you can develop and use.

If you don't have a tagline for your company or products — and most of us don't — it's time to sit down and come up with one. That's because a well-conceived tagline makes it easier for customers both to remember your company's name and to think positively about why they should use your products or services.

Of course, if you've got a big budget, you could hire an advertising agency to devise a tagline, but few of us have that kind of money. Instead, get some of your creative employees, friends or family members to help you devise a one.

The keys to an effective tagline are:

• It's short and easy to remember.
Keeping a tagline short seems like an obvious step, but trust me, it's not. A tagline must say something about your company but not everything. If it's too long, people can't remember it. It will be a challenge, but boil your tagline down to its essential core message.

• It conveys what's special about you.
This is perhaps the most important element of a good tagline — it helps customers know how to distinguish you from competitors. Avis' "We Try Harder" tagline was effective because it turned one of the company's disadvantages (the fact Avis was not the market leader) into an advantage. The Avis slogan made it seem as if competitors were slacking off on the job.
If you serve a specific or niche market, you can focus your tagline on that. "Legal services for the real estate industry" may seem boring, but it can be an effective tagline if you're an attorney specializing in real estate deals. Remember, a tagline doesn't have to be memorable to everyone to be effective — just those you want as customers.

• It conveys something you want potential customers to remember or feel.
Why is "Just Do It" such an effective tagline for Nike that it's lasted for nearly 20 years? Because it conveys an attitude that Nike wants associated with its products. It both empowers and encourages customers' athletic aspirations. When a tagline succeeds in conveying a feeling, it strengthens the emotional bond between you and your customers.

• You use it repeatedly and prominently.
Once you've chosen a tagline, use it all the time. Naturally, you should use your tagline on all your marketing materials, throughout your website, and in every bit of advertising you do. Don't forget to put it on your business cards and use it as a tagline at the bottom of every e-mail in your "signature."

A tagline is an easy and inexpensive tool to enhance the image and message of your company. Every company should have one. So today, instead of merely thinking about developing a tagline, go ahead, eat your Wheaties, try harder, and just do it.

Rhonda Abrams is author of The Successful Business Plan: Secrets & Strategies and president of The Planning Shop, publishers of books and other tools for business plans. Register for Rhonda's free business planning newsletter at www.PlanningShop.com. Copyright Rhonda Abrams 2006.

The Don'ts of Tagline Creation

• Don't brag or engage in chest-beating. Talk to the customer and not yourself.
• Don't participate in tagline fads. Avoid formulas and plays on words based on popular sayings
• Don't use one-word taglines.
  

The Do's of Tagline Creation

• Start with a creative brief: a one page document that identifies:- Your goal- Your target- Your most compelling attribute
• Translate your brand promise into a tagline filtered through your brand personality.
• Decide on a voice, face, personality, and attitude of your brand.
• Find a professional to help you develop a good tagline
• Once you get a tagline, commit to it and put it on everything you do.

And an easy way to think about it? Focus on your TARGET audience, your position. What is their PROBLEM? What is your SOLUTION? You only have 7 words or less to define both the PROBLEM and the SOLUTION. Go.

Working Words of Wisdom

"It is an immutable law in business that words are words, explanations are explanations, promises are promises but only performance is reality." ~Harold Geneen

BNI POINT TO SUCCESS CHALLENGE!

Write a comment in response to one of the following:

1) What is your current tagline? What do you like or dislike about it?

or

2) If you could create a tagline for anyone in our group (you or someone else), what would it be?

Have fun with it!