STRATEGIES FOR WINNING:
Big Dogs Expect to Win - A personal story from Jim Sirbasku*
Not long ago, Bud and I were inducted into the Sales Hall of Fame. During my acceptance remarks, I used the phrase "Fake it 'til you make it," which is a way of saying you should act like the person you want to be until you become that person.
Today we're going to talk about acting the part of Big Dog. You may not be a Big Dog now, but if you're ever going to be one, it's important you think and act like one.
Here's the Big Dog Code: When a Big Dog comes on the canine scene, all of the others sit up and take notice. If there's going to be a scrap, they all know that the Big Dog is likely to win. But sometimes you see a fierce mini-pooch get into a dogfight and wipe out all of the competition. This happens because the mini-pooch knows the Big Dog Code and follows it.
Whether you would characterise your company as a poodle or a Rottweiler, when you follow the Big Dog Code, you will find that you expect to win, too. Here are the bones of the Big Dog Code:
Big Dogs Howl at the Moon
A full moon is the best promotional opportunity in the Big Dog calendar, and no pooch worth its bones misses the opportunity to let loose and let everyone know it's around. Big Dogs bark first, bark loudest and keep right on barking long after all of the lesser mutts have abandoned the opportunity.
Seek out as many platforms as you can to howl out the many reasons your potential customers should sit up and take notice. There are many, and, like the moon, many can come to you for free. Seek out speaking engagements at key industry events, and host or sponsor useful seminars for the industry associations involved in your marketplace. Look for opportunities to contribute articles to industry journals. When the Big Dog starts howling at the moon, the rest of the pack joins in eventually. All anyone remembers is the one who barks first, barks loudest, and barks consistently.
Big Dogs Don't Chase Cars
Big Dogs don't waste their time chasing cars. They leave that to the mutts. They know that even if they catch the car, they wouldn't know what to do with it. Focus your efforts on chasing only opportunities providing a worthwhile return for your efforts. Before you start chasing prospects, be sure you know what you're going to do with them when you catch them, and be sure it's worth the effort.
Chase only prospects who have adequate need for your products, have the wherewithal to pay for them, and are likely to yield some kind of profit. Don't get into the habit of chasing anything that moves. Leave that to the mutts. Be cool. You can afford to be selective. You're a Big Dog.
Big Dogs Will Hound You Until Get What They Want
If a Big Dog sees a rival with a bone he fancies, he immediately goes after it, and nothing will stop him until the bone is his. Even if he is greeted with a snarl and a show of teeth, he'll withdraw a little, recompose himself and come back again and again.
Research shows that most big deals close after seven customer interactions or more. The same research shows that most salespeople give up after a single "No!" Winning the best deals takes persistence. Be a Big Dog. Persist until you get the deals you want.
Big Dogs Get to Know the Pack
Big Dogs get to know more of the members of their own pack and of the other packs running in their area. A great benefit of all this sniffing around is that the Big Dog is the first to know if someone new moves into its territory. This kind of fearless networking is key to looking like a Big Dog.
Get out and about. Make sure you meet the maximum possible number of people in your area who might eventually be interested in what you have to offer. Find out who else is operating in your area. Get your nose right into their business and get to know what they're all about. The Big Dog knows everyone on his block, friend or foe. Network constantly.
There's No Mistaking a Big Dog's Territory.
Big Dogs mark their territory. The Big Dog's brand sends out a pungent "Keep off! This is mine!" warning to any potential interlopers. Protect your own territory. Once you've won customers, work hard to keep them. Let them know how much you value them. Find out what it will take to retain them, and work hard to meet their needs. Then let the world know: here are my customers, here's why they're eager to stay with me, and here's why you should be talking with me, too.
Good relationship management will serve to keep other mutts out of your territory, and communication of testimonials and successful references will build your Big Dog reputation and help to bring in new customers. Once you win some territory, make sure everyone knows it's yours, and work hard to keep it.
Size Doesn't Matter if You've Got the Pedigree
When you're in a situation where everyone knows you're not quite as big a dog as you'd like to have them believe, remember a key rule: size doesn't matter if you've got the pedigree. Act like a thoroughbred. Be professional, adhering to a strict code of business ethics, and look after the important details. That way you'll always get the Big Dog respect you deserve. Professionalism and ethics are key. Follow the Big Dog Code and everyone will assume you're a Big Dog. Do it because you know you deserve to win.
*From the book 40 STRATEGIES FOR WINNING IN BUSINESS by Bud Haney and Jim Sirbasku. © S&H Publishing Co., 5205 Lake Shore Drive, Waco, Texas 76710-1732. All rights reserved.
PROFILES TIP OF THE MONTH
10 STEPS TO GREATNESS
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Envision a specific goal.
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SEE yourself working toward this goal, whether it is playing the flute or peering through a microscope or flying a jet.
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Research the steps it will take to achieve your goal. Study the achievements of others who have attained similar goals.
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Think about taking the first step first, then the second, and so on.
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Use positive words when you think or talk about your goal.
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Create a plan that moves you daily toward your goal.
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Work each day at the appointed time even when you don't feel like it.
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Set a date for achieving milestones: "By March 1, I will have read six books in the leadership series. By July 1, I will have my first certification credential."
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List the reasons this goal is attainable, doable, and fits you exactly.
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Practice. Practice. Practice.
PRODUCT FOCUS
A look through the lens of Checkpoint 360°TM
As poet Robert Burns noted, if only we could see ourselves as others see us, we'd be free of our burdens. He used more colorful language, but the point doesn't change in the translation. Just like smoothing our hair or straightening a tie, we'd improve our performance if we could look in a mirror and see our professional actions the way our employees, peers, or boss sees them.
The Checkpoint 360°TM Competency Feedback System offers just that chance. Imagine yourself standing in the middle of a circle and getting constructive feedback from everyone you work with, from subordinates to the CEO. If offered the right way, the feedback is like getting on-the-spot coaching tips: "Now, follow through! Up a little! Perfect!"
Checkpoint 360°TM offers managers and leaders an opportunity to receive an evaluation of their job performance from everyone around them -- their boss, their peers, and the people whose work they supervise. Using this guide, managers can compare the opinions of others with their own perceptions, positively identify their strengths, and concentrate on the areas they need to improve.
The assessment centres on a manager's job performance in eight key areas: communication, adaptability, task management, development of others, development of self, leadership, relationships and production. For example, what if we show excellence at task management but we've forgotten to develop that skill in others? With a little help, the blind spot is revealed.
Checkpoint 360°TM helps define each of the eight areas so that we see, for example, that part of communication includes active listening. Or that to be a leader, we have to show the way with confidence.
Here's how it works: Each participant completes an evaluation that takes around 30 minutes. Except for the boss, participants remain anonymous to ensure honest responses. Once the evaluations are finished, the manager gets the results compiled in a report. All of this can be accomplished online.
Following the recipe for success is easy through colorful graphs, charts and narrative descriptions. The coaching portion includes an expert, customized personal growth section to help improve performance.
Ready to stand in the circle?
SUCCESS STORY
Finding the Right Drivers for the Long Haul
EDITOR'S NOTE: James M.D. Maloney, president of United Freight Service, Inc. tells why his company has used Profiles' assessments since 1993.
Q. Do you have a story to relate about ProfileXTTM?
A. ProfileXTTM gives me information about our people that is not just on target," it hits the bull's eye every time. ProfileXTTM has helped us measurably improve productivity and the efficiency of every employee.
Q. What is the major benefit your company sees from Profiles' assessments?
A. We see a major help in the area of driver turnover. The American Trucking Association reported a national average of 109 percent turnover for medium-size carriers, with turnover for large carriers exceeding 130 percent. Our vice president recently attended a trucking symposium sponsored by our insurance carrier, and representatives shared their recent statistics on driver turnover. All were well above 60 percent and several were much higher. When we reported our 17 percent from 2005, we were met with looks of great disbelief.
Q. Were Profiles' tools the only reason for your decrease in driver turnover?
A. No doubt they were the main reason. This one benefit continues to save us thousands of dollars in recruitment and training costs.
Q. In what critical areas do the assessments give you answers you need?
A. First, we look at whether the driver is matched with the type of driving we have to offer. For example, would this person enjoy and excel in a long-haul position that involves little social interaction? Or would he perform better in a local delivery job, interacting with customers on a daily basis? So often what a candidate says he wants does not really suit him. Profiles' scientific assessments tell us.
Second, we use Profiles' tools to match two drivers on a team. We view these teams as occupational "marriages." The tools help analyse compatible people to create a successful relationship. They also can see conflicts in advance, giving us an opportunity to build teams that stay together longer.
Q. What kind of flexibility has Internet use of the tools given you?
A. I can talk to potential employees anywhere in the country and point them to our customised Profiles web site. In 90 minutes or less, I can have printed reports in my hands that tell me what I need to know in order to decide whether I want to give the person further consideration for employment.
Q. When did United Freight Service begin using Profiles' assessments? A. In 1993, and Profiles' constant development of new products and the improvements through the years have helped us improve. From the very first, Profiles helped us solve a problem that is common in our industry and saved us a ton of money as well as making my job a lot easier. As Profiles has introduced new assessments, we have been able to use them for a multitude of purposes. We have hired better, more reliable employees because we use your assessments. We also do a better job of managing and training, communicating, and motivating our people thanks to the information your assessments give us.
