One Chandler - One Business Card | Arizona's Video Business Card Community

Check out our the new blog site: blog.dashboardtosuccess.com!

2008-07-21 10:01:23

Hello Everyone! Well, the MyBusinessDashboard is now live! And with that, I have moved my blog to blog.dashboardtosuccess.com. You will also find great tools for your small business: 1. Free Webinars 2. Downloads and resources So come join us!

Setting the Tone: Collecting Your Cash

2008-05-12 08:01:57

For a small business, one of the most difficult tasks is to collect on receivables: invoices. Small business owners work very hard on building a strong relationship with each customer. Many even become personal friends with clients. Therefore, it can become very difficult to collect money when it's due, and it gets harder and and more uncomfortable with each over-due minute. But cash is cash and is the life-blood of our businesses. So what's the solution? My advice is to have a very aggressive, disciplined cash collections process, as such:

Get your invoices out on time. In fact, I say get them out early. I used to send invoices to builders even before we were finished with our work, knowing that they typically pay 45-60 days out.
Be firm on your invoice. Make the due date clear and consistent. If you need to be a bank and offer terms, then getting this invoice out on time (i.e. early) is even more important. Be sure to include a little nudge, like "please remit payment immediately."
Give them a small grace period after the due date, but once they hit that date, send them a 'nasty-gram' immediately. Politely inform them that payment is past-due and that you expect payment in full immediately. This letter can be gracious and firm. And because it's a letter, it is impersonal enough that it shouldn't get in the way of your relationship.
If the customer still hasn't paid, then it's time for a phone call: "Hey [name], can I stop by and pick up that check?" Friendly, but with a firm expectation of payment.

You can come up with your own formula. The point is to have some firmness and some discipline. That sends a message to your customers that you expect payment, and they will start to put you at the front of the line when they write checks. This will also help you maintain that great relationship because there won't be any hard or uncomfortable feelings that go along with a long-outstanding invoice.

Are you a Bank?

2008-04-23 11:39:40

A while back, in another business, I found myself asking a supplier for extended terms to buy some equipment. I had been a good customer and wanted to know if they could give me 60-days on a few invoices. Their response, at first, really put me off: "Sorry, Stuart, but we're not a bank!" Not a bank? What? I was just asking for some extra time! The point is a real understanding of cash flows. You see, my supplier also had their own suppliers, whom they had to pay on time. If they extended me some credit, then they'd have to find the cash to pay their own invoices. They probably get that from a line of credit (I'm making some other convenient assumptions, here). They pay interest for a line of credit to a BANK. So, in order to make extended terms to their customers, they'd have to charge a fee/interest to cover their own fees/interest, thereby turning themselves into a bank. They were smart enough to know that 1. they were not in the banking business, and 2. there ARE banks out there for that reason. Why do I bring this up? Because we're talking about YOUR cash, the life blood of your business. Don't allow your customers to use you as an interest-free bank. When you give ANY terms on your invoices, you are lending them money with zero interest. Your goal should be to collect that cash as soon as possible. So my advice: when asked for special terms, gently let them know you're not in the banking business, but you know a few banks who might be able to help.

End with the End in Mind: Your Exit Plan

2008-04-18 07:01:53

Much of the advice I give is in keeping focused on your end game, what I call the Big Picture Goal (BPG). It's this focus, I believe, that will keep you busy doing the right things, those things that lead you to business success. It's classic 'Begin with the end in mind" strategy a la Covey, Collins, and Kiyosaki. But what happens when you finally get there? Here's what:

Set a new Big Picture Goal. Maybe your BPG was to get to $1,000,000 in sales and you made it. Now, you might set a new BPG of $10,000,000 or a second location doing the $1M. Alternatively, your BPG might have been more short term in order to ensure survival, and now you're ready to look even bigger!
Sell the Business. An admirable end for any business is to sell it and retire financially independent. If that is what you have in mind, then start researching how a business in your industry is valued (multiple of sales, multiple of profits, value of assets, etc.) Then, you can start planning for the Big Sale!
The Succession Plan. You might want to step aside and have a new leader manage your business. Just as Bill Gates stepped aside and allowed a 'real' CEO to run his company, you might want to set up a plan of succession for a manager/CEO to take over the day-to-day operations of the business. That new manager can SMS text you the good news while you're fishing!
Close the Doors. Sometimes, the owner is the talent of a micro-business, a talent that just can't be passed on or sold. If this is the case, then a plan of creating investment savings from profits might be the end game. Yo u still want to leave this with financial security. However, I would still recommend you look for ways to replicate yourself (licensing, website, write a book, etc.).

So, what's your end game?

Do You Need More Customers?

2008-04-15 07:15:44

I saw a truck the other day that was wrapped bumper to bumper in bright yellow and red, for a painting company. It was quite a change from the typical paint-drip decorated white pickup with ladders you normally see a painter driving. What stuck out to me most was the marketing effort, again rarely seen in the painting business. It made me think that this business was a marketing business whose product is painting houses. That led me to think about some past seminars I've given and blogs I've written about "What business are you in?" That question was answered in a short list of types of businesses, identified by the 'need' they fulfill for their customers. For example, the need for physical health can be met at a gym. This painter's truck made me start to reconsider that angle. While I'm not ready to change my ideas completely, I am ready to start considering that we all need to be in one of three types of business: 1. I'm in the Customer Service Business! I've always said that Southwest Airlines is in the Customer Service Business. Their focus is on the passenger. I've even contended that if you were to take away their airplanes and give them, say, running shoes, they would continue on without a hitch, because they are in the customer service business and simply use their products to deliver that special experience. One of my favorite lines is, "We don't want to tell YOU we have great customer service, we want YOU to tell OTHERS!" Know where that came from? 2. I'm in the Sales Business. Again, this business is not about the products, but is about building relationships with its customers. The focus is on creating a finely tuned sales machine that increases that top line each month and each year. When product is considered, it is designed with the sales process in mind. I might put Amazon.com in this category. They have built a great sales machine. They keep adding new products without a hitch because their sales system works so well. 3. I'm in the Marketing Business. Proctor and Gamble is in the marketing business. They know how to create products driven by their market, get it positioned right in front of them, and get the word out so that their customers flock to purchase thier products. They are not about the 'best widget available!' They are about marketing. So, am I recommending that you become a Sales, Marketing or Customer Service Business? Yes! However, I'm not asking you to abandon your core strength, which is creating products that satisfy your customers' needs. I'm simply recommending that you make one of the three methods central to your business. That way, you'll get a steady flow of the customers you need.

Desert Dogs K-9 Trials

2008-04-09 12:08:57

April 12th & 13th, 2008: Join Cartridge World in Saving Mother Nature and Protecting Our Law Enforcement K9’s

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Cartridge World-Chandler is on board with the K9 Connection and we are asking you to help us. You can help protect our law enforcement K9’s simply by donating your used inkjet, laser cartridges, and printers to us. You will also be helping Mother Nature by keeping these cartridges out of our landfills. Just think about it…one laser cartridge will take 450 years to disintegrate into our environment.

“In April 2005, I attended the K9 trials which were held in Scottsdale. While there I met the beautiful, hard working, dedicated animals that assist our law enforcement officers in their daily efforts to keep our community safe. I also met Shari Norton of the K9 Connection and discovered the wonderful work she does by providing our law enforcement K9’s with protective vests. By the end of the day I knew I wanted to be involved with this effort! I approached Shari with my idea of a donation fundraiser and she was more than happy to have Cartridge World come on board,” said Char Calvert, owner of Cartridge World at Alma School and Elliot in Chandler, AZ.

Char went on to tell us how she worked non-stop that weekend to create flyers and letters to send to various animal related organizations. The following Monday letters and flyers were mailed. By Wednesday, a few participants had requested collection bins. Within two weeks ten collection bins were place at various locations all over the Valley; by week three cartridges were being picked up and, thanks to some added monetary donations, Cartridge World- Chandler was able to send The K-9 Connection their first $600.00 check!

As of March 2007, the participants of this program have provided funding to vest 7 law enforcement K-9’s. “We want to make sure it continues so that all law enforcement K9’s are able to obtain a protective vest when they need one,” Char states.

The K9 Connection is a non profit organization affiliated with the Fraternal Order of Police Officers. It began in 1999 by Shari Norton when she realized there was a serious need to protect law enforcement dogs. Shari states, “A protective vest is a standard part of any officers uniform. It is worn everyday for extra protection. Our four legged officer's also need this protection. Yes, we do know that it is not practical for a canine to wear a vest everyday. However, if the handler is aware that their k9 partner is going into a serious situation that canine deserves the protection of a vest. Canine vest's protect the dogs from bullets, sharp objects and the general physical abuse the dog encounters while apprehending a suspect.”

Cartridge World is an international refilling and remanufacturing retailer for ink and laser cartridges. The company was started in Adelaide, Australia in 1988. In 2003 the company expanded Franchise opportunities to the USA. Cartridge World-Chandler at Alma School and Elliot, opened in March of 2004. They were the 20^th store sold in the USA. Cartridge World now has over 1,600 franchised retail locations in 61 countries.

Cartridge World at Alma School and Elliot not only refills your ink cartridge and remanufactures your laser cartridges but they are also the only known independent inkjet printer service in the Valley. YES! They do clean and service laser printers, but we also clean and service inkjet printers as well.

You too can “Get on Board.” By requesting a recycling bin be placed at your location or you can drop your donations off at any of these locations:

Cartridge World-Chandler 3029 N. Alma School Rd #121A Chandler, AZ 85224 480.756.8615

Tatum Point Animal Hospital 4601 E. Bell Road Suite 5 Phoenix, AZ AZ Wellness Center Animal Clinic

3317 S. Higley Rd #101 Chandler

Phoenix Law Enforcement Association 1102 W. Adams Street Phoenix

And, in April every year, you can bring your empty cartridges or printer donations to the Scottsdale K-9 Trials.

Scottsdale Stadium 7408 E. Osborn Road (Northeast of Osborn and Drinkwater) Scottsdale, AZ 85251

Let’s make sure all of our law enforcement K9’s are protected while serving our neighborhoods.

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Chandler-Area Cartridge World says, “Please Don't Feed the Landfill”

2008-04-09 12:01:53

International Ink Cartridge Retailer is Educating Consumers and Businesses to Keep Cartridges out of Trash Bins and Offers Tips for a ‘Greener’ Home and Business

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Chandler, AZ (Grassroots Newswire) April 1, 2008 -- A discarded printer cartridge thrown into a landfill can take up to 450 years to decompose. With over 350 million cartridges thrown out every year, a mountain of e-waste is steadily forming throughout our nation’s landfills. Since printers are commonplace in every home office and business, it makes sense to reuse and refill empty ink and toner cartridges. With 1,600 stores worldwide, Cartridge World - Chandler is part of a mission throughout the U.S. to educate local consumers and businesses on how they can help make a difference in the planet’s limited natural resources. Aside from being the international leader in printer cartridge remanufacturing, Charyle Calvert, local Cartridge World store owner, is proud to be part of this great national effort. As Earth Day is approaching, it is the perfect time of year to remind consumers of the ways to create a "green" home and work environment. Implementing green practices at times can be costly but, by refilling printer cartridges at Cartridge World, consumers will actually save money and help the environment at the same time. Cartridge World - Chandler has developed programs to make recycling printer cartridges easier for consumers and businesses. Customers simply swap out an empty, original cartridge or purchase one already refilled and find a significant savings compared to buying new. Recycling bins are also stationed at all Cartridge World retail locations, including the 3029 North Alma School Rd. #121A location, for the general public to drop off their empty cartridges. Businesses can also help protect the environment and save money by participating in the Business Direct program, which allows businesses to set up accounts with Cartridge World. Cartridge World then picks up the empty toner cartridges; refills and delivers each back to the business (most offer free pick-up and delivery for qualified businesses). Businesses are saving hundreds to thousands of dollars each year by using Cartridge World’s remanufactured and 100 percent guaranteed products. “With our continued commitment to recycling, we look forward to the day when reusing and refilling cartridges is as common as separating waste materials in our homes,” said Calvert. “Recycling programs for cans, bottles and papers are mainstream, but few realize the additional impact they can make by reusing and refilling printer ink and toner cartridges.” Cartridge World reports some shocking ink and toner cartridge facts:

It takes about a gallon of oil to make a new toner cartridge. This will help save oil, especially with the current gas/oil situation
Almost eight cartridges are thrown away per second in the United States
In North America alone, over 350 million cartridges per year are discarded in our landfills, and that number increases by 12 percent annually
Every remanufactured cartridge saves nearly 3.5 pounds of solid waste from being deposited in landfills
Seventy percent of used printer cartridges throughout the world are currently being thrown out
In one year, if the world’s discarded cartridges were stacked end-to-end; they would circle the earth over three times.

Cartridge World recommends the following tips for an environmentally friendly home office/business: Refill and reuse empty ink jet and toner cartridges

Use rewriteable CDs and DVDs so they can be used again
Print double sided
Decrease margin areas to fit more copy on a page
Double-check your drafts before you print
Communicate with team members about who will bring printouts to meetings
Turn off all electrical equipment at night.

Cartridge World’s customers are making a difference in the environment by keeping millions of empty cartridges out of trash bins. “At Cartridge World, Earth Day is Everyday!” adds Calvert. For more information on Cartridge World - Chandler, and their recycling programs, please contact Charyle Calvert at (480) 756-8615.

Marketing/Advertising/Promotions: What are your objectives?

2008-04-08 09:21:41

First of all, don't tell any advertising sales people about this blog, or they'll know that we've got 'em figured out. We've figured out a simple way to separate the good ones from the not-so-good ones. When you talk to a publication's sales person, the first question they should ask is, "What are your objectives?" Unfortunately, the first question many of them ask is, "What's your budget?" Assuming we're talking to the right ad rep, we need to have a good answer to the 'What are your objectives' question. Have you thought this through? Most of us haven't when confronted with this insightful question. So, what are your objectives when it comes to advertising/marketing/promotions? Consider these possibilities:

X number of new customers (say, 100 or 100,000 or 5)
A sold out event (example: 100 tickets sold)
X units sold on your online store (10,000)
Entry into a new market (a new city, state, or age bracket)
Introduce a new product/service (Introducing!)
Create a brand or identity (not a typical small business objective)
Increase traffic on the website (increase traffic by 50%)
Return on Advertising (NOT to pay for itself, but to return 10:1 Sales:Ad expense)

When defining an objective, it is important that it be clear, measurable, and realistic.

Low Price, High Value? Small Business Evolution

2008-04-04 06:58:26

I read a John Ruskin quote that got me thinking: "There is scarcely anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse, and sell a little more cheaply. The person who buys on price alone is this man's lawful prey." I think the goal of any small business owner is to make their products a little BETTER and still a little CHEAPER to their customers. We talk of customer service being the central strategy for small business owners, and we think of that in terms of interaction with our customers: problem resolution, building a relationship, personal attention. However, when boiled down, customer service, serving the customers, can also be tied directly to the product: give them what they want at the best price. That! is what will get them to buy from you. As we get more efficient in producing and delivering our products; as we hammer our suppliers for better pricing; as we get more niche focused, we will have savings to pass along on products that are ever improving. It's a marketing evolution that will help a small business owner increase sales, market share, and happy customers.

Is Your Banker the Drive Through Teller?

2008-03-26 08:19:07

As part of my consulting program and the Dashboard, I ask business owners, "What will it take for you to reach your Big Picture Goal?" One of the key areas in answering this question is Finances, and invariably an answer is either 'I need a loan' or 'I need a line of credit.' I follow that one up with, do you know your banker? One client answered, 'My banker is whoever's at the drive-through teller!' That can't be your answer. Once, I was sitting in a meeting with a client when his phone rang. He saw the Caller ID number and had to answer it. "Okay...okay...yes...alright...thank you!" It was his banker, calling to tell him he was about to bounce a big check. He looked at me, apologized for having to run, and headed out to collect a receivable to cover the check. Now, proper bookkeeping might have prevented this, but the point is this person knew his banker well enough for his banker to make that call and save him an overdraft charge, if not something more embarrassing. There is a good article at sba.gov about this topic. I'd recommend reading over it and then heading straight out to your bank and start building a relationship with your banker.

A Great Marketing Lesson from Dick Dale

2008-03-24 09:08:11

Every time I talk to a working musician, I tell them about Dick Dale's video on YouTube. After a few more views, I realized that it's a good lesson for any business owner, not just musicians. What are the lessons?

Start small and build your marketing budget/campaign as you grow. This way, you don't spend away your much-needed cash.
Give away free samples. Let your market sample your work so they come back for more in the form of sales.
Create a great product. Marketing is asking people what they want and then offering it to them. Make sure they want what you're selling!
Maintain control. I bet one of the reasons you started your business is that you have some 'control freak' in you. Well, that's a good thing. Make sure you control your product, the rights to your product, and the messages around your product.

Check out the video: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AJxc3Lxn4o[/youtube]

The "R's" Have It!

2008-03-21 18:44:53

Nobody really likes to think about the "R" word currently bubbling in our economy but, if we just ignore it will it go away? I highly doubt it! During this time of cutbacks and financial considerations its time to take a good hard look at some of the other "R" words in our vocabulary and begin to put them into everyday practice. I'll start with the most familiar 3 "R's". No, I am not talking and reading, righting and rithmatic! I'm talking about the other 3 "R's":

Reduce
Reuse
Recycle

If you are currently using an inkjet printer and you mainly print in black, you could reduce the number of ink cartridges you consume by moving into a monochrome laser printer. For the most part, 1 laser cartridge = 10 inkjet cartridges.

Whether you use ink or toner cartridges they can be reused several times. The toner cartridge can be reused indefinitely and the ink cartridges can be reused 2-10 times.

When you decide the printer you have been using no longer fits your need please recycle it with your local schools or recycling centers and ask for a donation receipt. If you don't know where to recycle electronic waste please call Cartridge World - Alma School and Elliot. We have an excellent recycling resource!

Now, for some "R's" you may not think about often but, they could help you cut back on your expenses.

Remanufacture
Refill
Refurbish
Repair

Having the experts at Cartridge World-Alma School and Elliot remanufacture your toner cartridges can save you lots of money! We carry many toner cartridge models that are already remanufactured and ready for you to simply exchange your empty cartridge. Toner cartridges can be remanufactured indefinitely which means continued savings for you! So, you don't use toner cartridges because you have an inkjet printer. Never fear we refill most ink cartridges as well! Because we are environmentally conscientious, we require that you bring us your empty cartridge so that we may reuse it by refilling it many more times! Considering a new printer purchase? Before you buy one off the shelf consider one saved from the landfill. We offer a variety of refurbished printers to meet your printing needs. These refurbished printers are some of the hardiest printers made. Purchasing an older model printer often means great savings because you will have a product that uses a high volume toner cartridge. The new models out today provide cartridges with 2-2.5k page yields. The refurbished printers we offer have cartridge yields of 4-10k. Maybe, you already have a printer but, it's not working well or it's not working at all. Before you throw it in the landfill, or take it to recycling have the experts at Cartridge World-Alma School and Elliot take a look at it and give you a recommendation and estimate on repairs. You may actually already own one of the greatest workhorse printers around. It may simply need a cleaning or a few minor repairs which will often cost far less than purchasing a new printer and getting stuck with a machine that costs a fortune in cartridges!! If you are looking for ways to fight the recession, our 7 "R's" may be your answer! Besides, it's getting very close to that time of year when we take another look at our recycling efforts towards our planet. You can celebrate Earth Day and fight the recession by practicing the 7 "R's" with Cartridge World on Alma School and Elliot. If you ask me why I am in this business, I'll tell you it's because I truly believe that I am here to "Save The Planet"!! You want to save money I want to save the planet. Sounds like a match made in heaven. Let's work on this together!

Business to Business: Let us show you how to GREEN your business

2008-03-18 17:31:38

Small to medium-sized businesses can help protect the environment and save money by participating in the Business Direct program, which allows businesses to set up accounts with Cartridge World. The local franchise location then picks up the empty ink and laser cartridges; they refill the cartridges and deliver them back to the business (with no pick up/delivery charge to qualified businesses).

Many businesses have recycling programs for cans, bottles and papers, but few realize the additional impact they can make by reusing and refilling printer ink cartridges. This is because not only do they have more printers than consumer households, but they also print in greater volume.

Businesses can benefit even further by contacting the experts at Cartridge World-Alma School & Elliot when considering replacement or additional printers for their business. We provide businesses with recommendations that will meet their printing needs and provide the business with not only tremendous cost savings, but also highly efficient printers that have large cartridge volumes and machine longevity.

Cartridge World will provide your company with high quality performing cartridges, whether you have full-color, high speed printer/copiers, or multi-function printers. Our technicians will re-manufacture your laser cartridges - disassemble, clean and inspect it for damage, replace worn parts and then fill it with toner - to ensure it performs to your expectations. We guarantee 100% satisfaction, or your money back.

You don't have to throw out your expensive printer cartridges. Most printer cartridges can be re-manufactured, refilled or reloaded many times. We can also support your ink needs for inkjet printers, fax machines or other copiers. Call us today for printer recommendations or pricing on inkjet and toner cartridges. 480.756.8615 or visit our store at 3029 N. Alma School Road Suite 121A. NEC Alma School and Elliot.

How's Business? (Metric for Success)

2008-03-18 08:15:15

As small business owners, we often are asked, "How's business?" It can be a tough question to answer because there are so many elements, some of which can be good and some not so good at the same time. Sales might be up, but an employee is having problems. Profits may be climbing, but a supplier is really dropping the ball on us. So, while this question might be hard to answer when asked directly, I bet in your own mind, you are constantly answering the question based on one or two key observations of your business, or 'metrics.' I've gotten to know the owners of a certain local business over the past year or so. Every time I get off the highway and drive home, I pass their shop. And every time I do, I glance over to see how many cars are parked out front. It's an instant indicator of how business is doing. I had a client a while back who measured her daily success by how often the phone rang. To her, the ringing phone was orders calling in, business getting done. While I try to get business owners to identify key metrics for their Dashboard (well-defined, measurable numbers), it is these less formal indicators that many of us look to to see how business is doing. What are yours? Here are a few more I've heard:

Cars in the parking lot
Phones ringing
Deliveries
Butts in seats
Presses running
Invoices printed
Email inquiries
Website visits

Take a moment to sit back and observe your business. Look at the operations. What stands out as an indicator of a busy day, a profitable day, a day that you would say, "Since you asked, business is doing quite well!"

Cornerstone Christian Fellowship to Host Unprecedented Leadership Seminar for Chandler and Phoenix Area Business Leaders

2008-03-12 18:40:38

The Largest Leadership Event of 2008 to be Hosted Locally by Cornerstone Christian Fellowship in Chandler Arizona. On Friday, April 18th, the 2008 Maximum Impact Simulcast will provide you, the business professional, with a day to advance your leadership. This event is open to both men and women! Renowned authors, businessmen and leadership experts will provide you with a wealth of information designed to help you grow your influence. Join 80,000 leaders across North America as you learn to advance at work, advance in life and advance yourself. Chandler AZ, March 12, 2008 -- On Friday, April 18, 2008, the Maximum Impact Simulcast: Advance will include over 80,000 business professionals participating via satellite downlink in 600 churches across North America. Cornerstone Christian Fellowship of Chandler Arizona is participating as a local host site for this unprecedented Leadership event. This live leadership seminar, broadcast from Atlanta, GA., has trained over 250,000 business professionals in the last six years. Last year's MI Simulcast, held on Friday, May 11, 2007, was one of the largest gatherings of business leaders ever. After such great success, best-selling author and gifted authority on leadership Dr. John C. Maxwell will once again be joined on stage by legendary leaders including New York Times Bestselling Author, Patrick Lencioni; Fast Company Founding Editor Bill Taylor; Former Nike Creative Katalyst Kevin Carroll, Authors Andy Stanley and Andy Andrews, and ESPN Analyst Dick Vitale. The event will be hosted by CBS Sports Analyst Spencer Tillman and action planning will be provided by executive coach Valorie Burton. "The Maximum Impact Simulcast is about helping people advance." said Jeremie Kubicek, CEO/President of Atlanta-based GiANT Impact, owner of Maximum Impact. "When you leave MIS you will be better equipped as a leader to connect with your team in a manner that fosters growth and builds strong relationships." The business model for the MI Simulcast consists of partnering with churches to bring relevant business and leadership training to workplace leaders in their local community. The use of churches is a logical choice because of their desire to provide relevant leadership solutions for the business leaders in their community, as well as providing a venue extremely conducive to hosting a live satellite presentation. Simulcast founder Dr. John C. Maxwell is the author of such best-selling books as The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership and The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork. He also is the founder of Maximum Impact and INJOY, organizations dedicated to providing resources and training for personal and professional growth. Every year he speaks to Fortune 500 companies, international government leaders, and organizations as diverse as the United States Military Academy at West Point, Chick-fil-A, Wal-Mart, the National Football League, Mary Kay, and the Indianapolis 500 Drivers. The MI Simulcast: Advance is open to all churches in America and will focus on helping each participant in attendance whether live or via satellite, advance at work, in life and as individuals. Each speaker will illuminate certain qualities akin to their personal careers and experience and provide in-depth perspective on how to unleash the influential leadership power in yourself and those around you. For more information and RSVP, visit http://personalgrowth.meetup.com/215/or go to http://www.cornerstonechandler.com/advance/index.php

Preparing for a Recession

2008-03-10 07:33:28

Now that we're positioned to take advantage of a slowing market, let's get a few things ready to go for this wave that's going to take away our competition.

Think about creating a 'package' of your product or service that moves from the 'luxury' end of the spectrum over towards the 'needs' end. People are looking to cut back and reduce their budgets. How can your business help them with that?
Customer Service. Maybe now is time to offer that amazing "100% Money-back Guarantee!" If your customers are going to hand over their hard-earned dough, they will be more likely to do so with such a performance guarantee.
Cash. Now is time to get a line of credit. Banks only give money to people who can prove they don't need it, right? Even though we're getting prepared for this wave, there are likely going to be a few tough months or weeks ahead. In order to get through them as best as possible, it would be great to have a little rainy-day fund available.
Marketing. Keep it going. Don't cut back. This would be a great time to analyze your past marketing efforts and see what's working and what isn't. Start reallocating your money to those avenues that have the greatest payoff.
Expenses. Look over your expenses and identify places that you can cut back. I challenge you to find three categories of expenses that you can reduce by at leat 25%. I know you can do it. Heck, just start refilling your printer/toner cartridges rather than buying new ones. There, that's one.

In football terms, it's time to hunker down with a good power running game. Protect the ball and run out the clock. When all is said and done, you will be in a great position.

Good News! It's the Economy!

2008-03-03 13:41:52

We're hearing more and more bad news about the economy. Ed McCartney of the Arizona Minority Business Enterprise Center sent me an article from the Phoenix Business Gazette which summarizes survey results by the Small Business Research Board. Basically, small businesses say they are pessimistic about the economy, are slowing hiring, and project slower growth. In fact, less than half (48%) predict any growth at all (in sales)! Great news! You are one of the lucky ones. You see it coming, and you are making adjustments. You have secured your line of credit for cash flows and have designed special products or packages just for a recession. You have also identified places in your business that you could be more efficient, saving you time and money. The better news is that your competitors have NOT made these moves. In the end, this economy is going to be a wave that washes away the weaker competition, leaving companies like yours around to reap the benefits. It's not going to be easy, and it might not be fun either; but, it's going to benefit your business. When good times come back around, your business is going to see a much-deserved growth spurt from your increased market share. So, cheers to the economy!

Fail More! (oops, the F word again)

2008-03-03 07:36:06

Thomas Watson, founder of IBM, has an easy formula for success: "It’s quite simple, really. Double your rate of failure. You’re thinking of failure as the enemy of success. But it isn’t at all." Double your rate of failure. In other words, if at first you don't succeed...you know the ending!...try, try again! I know at least three times in your life that you failed miserably, but kept trying, and eventually succeeded. In fact, you went on to become pretty good if not an expert in each one. You:

Learned how to walk after countless head-knocks on walls, doors and furniture. I mean, talk about bouncing back!
Learned how to speak a language. Do you know how ridiculous the English language is? But you didn't give up!
Learned how to ride a bike. Are you kidding me? How many skinned knees did it take?

This all just supports the previous post about Resolve. We can't fail. That's why I say just remove that word from your vocabulary. In each step of the way, you are just getting that much better at your business. Your sales strategy is improving. Your marketing efforts are paying bigger dividends. Your customers service is getting to be top-notch. As long as you don't take your eye off the Big Picture, you are on your way to success.

Scratching A Niche

2008-02-28 05:49:45

Sorry...I couldn't resist that title! When it comes to marketing, one of the most powerful concepts is the Niche Market. I've found that many small business owners are reluctant to focus on a smaller segment of their market, for two key reasons:

They have a hard time actually defining that segment/niche
They are afraid they'll lose potential customers that are outside that niche

Defining the niche is a tricky task, but your niche might just be sitting there waiting for you to run with it. Take a look through all of your customers. Is there a group that are just a real pleasure to work with? You know, the ones who pay on time and truly appreciate the value of your product/service! Or...Or! You might look at one particular product or service that sells the best. In either case, your potential niche might just be right there in front off you. The second problem is a little more difficult. I completely understand the hesitance at taking your current efforts and, in a sense, REDUCING the size of your target. The key is to make a smooth transition from a general marketing campaign to a niche marketing campaign. I hate to do this to you, but look at the law industry (lawyers). It's very rare that you see a sign for a law firm that just says, 'Lawyer' or 'Attorney'. They all dig out a niche: accident law, business law, sports law, divorce law, bankruptcy law, etc. In fact, they likely carve it a little deeper by sticking to a certain geography. The other thing to consider here is the shear size of your market. If you did some research and counted the size of your current market, I'm positive you'd find enough of them to start getting more focused and still have plenty to sell to. The point is that a marketing message designed to target a specific niche will be heard faster and louder by its intended audience. Isn't that something we'd all want from our marketing campaign?

My Technology Review

2008-02-25 08:37:24

I did a seminar last week for a group of Realtors and was surprised that many questions related to technology and running a small business. So, I thought I'd throw together a list of the key pieces of technology that get me through the week. 1. YouMail : this is a great voicemail system. You can program an outgoing message for each caller (based on their Caller ID). This can really create an amazing impression when they get to your voicemail and hear, "Hi John! Sorry I missed your call..." Usually, a first-time caller begins their message with a little left-over laughter. Additionally, you can 'ditch' unwanted callers and retrieve your voicemails via email -- which is easier to control and saves precious minutes on the cell plan! 2. The Voice Recorder. This is a must for my business. Seems that I have most of my brainstorms while driving. It can be difficult to remember these great ideas w/o a way to record them. I use a $40 Olympus voice recorder to take down these notes. Now, if they'd just make it water-proof for the shower! 3. Electronic Organizer. I know there are many out there that need to stick with the good old hand-written calendars. For the rest of us, I really recommend a Palm-based organizer (ironically, I'm on a BlackBerry...). This organizer easily syncs with Outlook. The part I like most is the drag-n-drop feature on the calendar. Need to reschedule an appointment? Just drag it to the new time and drop it. Done! 4. Other online tools. a. Surveys. Create you own online survey with SurveyMonkey.com, ZapSurvey.com, or Zoomerang.com. b. eNewsletters. I switched from ConstantContact.com to Aweber.com, but both work great and are easy to use. c. Financial tools. I recommend QuickBooks online, PayPal, and Google Checkout. How about you? What cool technology helps you run your business?