bwagy, the blog of Ben Young

That’s what happens when a project is rushed.

It gets too complex too fast with no foundation.

And then you end up with inferior results.

Slow down, do the dance, get to know each other.  Plan for success.

Then you’ll get it.

Or if you can’t slow down, in the shorter timeframe, increase the relationship building efforts.  Meet everyday.  Twice a day.  Or twice a week.  Whatever – make sure you build up that relationship the best you can.

Otherwise you end up with a wobbly jenga tower, which will collapse, given a nudge.

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Photo Credit: Egarc2

Of late I’ve noticed a lot of connecting going on, between you guys – the readers.

What typically happens is someone posts a comment, then they get a few visitors to their site and then through some kind of magic (most likely email) the connections happen.

That’s quite neat, so if you’d like to meet up with some interesting people, just remember to maybe place that comment that you have in your mind as you never know who you’ll meet 😉

No I’m serious do it.

The biggest barrier I find operating at the edge is executives who don’t want to do something new because they don’t know what is is, they would never read a blog or engage with brands on twitter.

All I can say is, put yourself in your customers shoes, in fact wear them for a day.  Get some real perspective, you can’t go on assuming that YOU are your customer – that’s stupid.

Consequently I don’t work with those people…

Selling out on your customers. Delivering sub par service.

It’s easy to take a shortcut, cut corners to get the short term win…. But it’s not attractive…

Not attractive to your current; prospective or past customers.

You can may win them back.  But at what cost?

I daresay it’s less than the windfall from your original shortcut…

Think Long Term.

I like business people that think for the long term, there is more responsibility, focus on sustainability, mutual benefit, desire for meaningful business relationships.

It just makes sense.

Short term scares people, it’s also where impatient people can get swindled, not always the best option.

Just a thought, do you approach your customers with the view of a long relationship? How about your competitors? Would you say Microsoft and Apple do?…..

I saw a tweet from a fellow business owner a few months back, they had stopped having coffees and networking as they weren’t building any immediate business out of it……. hmmm

Bit stupid to stop networking if you ask me.  Why? Well…

My theory basically is, no matter what you do, every person you meet at some stage in the next 5 years will either have a need for your service or will hold a conversation with someone who needs your service.  So no meeting is wasted! (as long as you impress them enough).

Yes this is a long term view – but successful business is built over the long term.  So don’t fret that every meeting has to turn over dollars; build relationships, think for the long term and it will pay off.

Don’t stop networking because money doesn’t come in straight away, keep at it, it pays off.

You can learn a lot from infomercials.

Yes they are corny.

Yes they are known for flogging rubbish and….

Yes they do work.

Just by law of survival they wouldn’t be around if they didn’t.

Often you will see they have ‘but wait there’s more!’ and a bonus is introduced.

You see they establish value to a point where customers are on the verge of making the decision to purchase then tip them over the edge to a purchase through bonuses.  It’s the unexpected value.

Now it’s not the only way to sell but it is something you can use in your toolset, finding bonus value you can deliver that your competitors can’t deliver (or haven’t anticipated) that can help set you apart from the pack.

It’s the Bonus Prize!

Are those you have already sold to before.

Pick up the phone, ring all your current clients and previous clients.

What issues are they having? Can you help them? Maybe you can pitch an idea to them?

Looking after and obsessing about your current clients is much easier than trying to sell to a completely new client.

A potential client of mine is looking to turn a whole industry upside down, just by obsessing about their clients rather than always seeking the new client (as is the industry standard).  I think they’ll be quite successful…

The silver fern pattern on the top of your espresso, the smile of the attendant at the petrol station, the thank you note included with your proposal.  People notice.  And they care.

No one should know your market better than you.

Otherwise you’ll end up with too much disconnect…

And if you’re disconnected your customers are going elsewhere.

Something we should all practice.

The Art of Objectivity.

It promotes mutual respect, encourages understanding and actually helps people to agree to disagree.

Sure peoples opinions may differ but do we have to dislike one another because of that?

As the web is showing us by flattening previous preconceptions (through twitter, blogging, social media), sure you may disagree on political views but on Rugby or Marketing or Traffic issues you share the same views.

Maybe there is something in an alternative view? It is worth a thought, or at least mutual respect.

The world would be such a better place if this was practiced more – or even taught in schools.  Now that would be amazing.

It’s like greasing the tyres of a relationship.

If well greased it should be a smooth ride.

If not conflict arises.

It’s not hard either, talk to all parties involved, listen, then adjust accordingly so everyone knows each others expectations.

A little work here will help create amazing results 😉

If you have target market X surely you should talk directly to them?

In all likelihood – yes.

However there is ALWAYS room to target the second tier.

Who influences this market? Who else do they interact with? Whose opinion do they pay attention to?

The best example of this is the most effective campaign in getting women in for cancer screening. Conversations were held with hairdressers whom were to then relay they conversations with their clients. By targeting this second tier they were able to reach their target audience in an effective manner.

The key here is to miss the same boat that your competition are taking ON PURPOSE!

Great engagement model when you do not have the capability to do so directly.

As most of you do not visit the blog and get it via RSS or Email (which is great, thanks for your subscriptions)  I thought I would let you know where I am and where I’m not.

Where I am:

• Twitter – At @bwagy
• Facebook Fan Page – (why? I keep my main facebook for personal use, so if you want to friend me on facebook fan page the way to go).
• LinkedIn

These are the three ways to friend me up and keep in touch.  Email is always preferred but these platforms are the other avenues you can stay in the loop.

You know the 6 degrees of separation rule.

It is even smaller online.  In New Zealand apparently it’s 2 degrees of separation to everyone.  If two people are on Twitter or LinkedIn I would guess most people would be 2 maybe 3 degrees of separation (especially for larger networks).

I would like a quick app, I could load up my Twitter + LinkedIn (Facebook for others) and it analyses my networks and theirs (first level only).  

Then all i do is enter a name, it searches those, and lets me know who I know someone through.

It would be fantastic! At a conference I could put someones name in see if I know someone they do, instant conversation starter.  Someone pitching to me, same deal.

The world is all about relationships, someone please build this.  Give me this app now!

It would make social interactions such a breeze.