Way More Than Plastics

You Give Me Promises, Promises...by Chris Buch

Love this.

Our clients time & again continue to tell us that reliability is the number one trait that they seek in a supplier.  Do what you say.  Promises are cheap and easy.  Fulfilling promises shows true character. 

Politics and Sales?...by Chris Buch

I know.  Politics is one of the two topics you never talk about in polite company... 

But, regardless of your political views, you had to appreciate the sales-like approach Speaker Gingrich took to win over the South Carolina conservative voting base.  Looking at the scoreboard a week prior to the primary; the breaks were definitely not going his way - (1) Romney was well ahead in projections (2) well-liked SC governor Nikki Haley had thrown her endorsement behind Romney along with numerous local and state political figures (3) in the New Hampshire primary on January 10th, Gingrich was relegated to "also ran" status while Romney gained more votes than his next two closest competitors combined (4) money was running very tight.  South Carolina was looking like the end-of-the-line for the Gingrich campaign.

How in the world does one rally from that kind of deficit?  Gingrich showed us by using one of the most basic sales techniques out there - know your audience.  At the opening of the debate on Friday prior to the Saturday primary, Gingrich blasted media outlets for highlighting unflattering claims by his ex-wife more than the national issues at hand.  A seemingly unscripted, raw, emotional outburst that immediately endeared him to South Carolinians.  Remember, this is the state that was the first to secede in 1860 and has always been in the thick of political battles - especially those involving state's rights.  They have never been a group that likes to be pushed around by a larger entity.  Many there view the media as one of those entities that shapes the minds of Americans with a "liberal" slant.  Think Speaker Gingrich knew that?  I would bet good money that he did.  I would bet that the seemingly unscripted remarks were very much scripted, planned, and very well presented.  Ultimately, I think they won the day.  

Salesmanship?  Yep.  Effective communication?  Absolutely.  Leadership?  I'll leave that questions for the voters.

I don't want to cause a panic, but rest assured that any elected official is, before anything else, a sales professional that tailors their message to their audience regardles of what they are up against.  Selling 101.

Thankful...by Chris Buch

If you woke up this morning with everything you were thankful for yesterday, what would you have?  

So asked a friend of mine the other day.  The honest answer wasn't too pretty.  There are plenty of things on a daily basis that can elicit a negative response.  Far more importantly, there are plenty of things on a daily basis that should elicit a positive response.  Gratitude for the vast blessings that I enjoy is important but, all too often, missing.  It's a good time of year to be reminded.    

 

Sold! (Just Not Very Well)...by Chris Buch

I got "sold" this weekend.  It happened while I was furniture shopping with my wife - more accurately, furniture buying with my wife.  We entered the store knowing the sofa, loveseat, and chair that we were going to buy.  All that remained was coffee/end tables.  Upon entering, we were immediately hooked up with a salesman - not a surprise as we'd been through this drill a few times before.  We explained to him what we were doing, what we had already decided on, and what we were trying to decide on.  We made it clear that our goal was to leave the store with furniture purchased and delivery arranged.  Pretty easy, right?  This is when the "selling" began in earnest (note the tongue firmly planted in cheek)...   

Our salesman began to negotiate price with us.  Why he did this, I'm not entirely sure.  He disappeared for a few moments and came back with a price for our furniture.  Bear in mind, we still hadn't picked out our tables yet.  He had "helpfully" chosen some tables for us and added them into the price.  "Why those tables?" we asked.  No really good answer given.  He then asked if he could go ahead and get the order going for us and schedule a delivery date.  "We haven't picked out tables yet", we said.  We assured him that once we picked out the tables we liked, we'd get the order going and schedule a delivery date. 

He again disappeared for a few moments and came back with a new price for our furniture.  The only trouble was, it was for a different sofa, loveseat, and chair.  "Why?", we asked.  We were told that they matched the tables (that he picked out) better plus they were cheaper.  "But that's not what we want", we said.  He thought that the price was too high, so that's why we were hesitant on the tables (that he picked out). 

He then disappeared again for a few moments and came back and offered me a 2% discount on the price he quoted.  At that point, we stopped shopping and fled the store.  Later that evening, we made our purchases online with no "help" from a "salesman".

For all sales professionals out there:  if we want to continue to have a livelihood, we'd better start asking the right questions, actively listening to the answers, and using that information to add a ton of value to the buying experience.  A few well-placed questions along with a very small amount of value-add service would have netted a far different result for my furniture sales guy. 

The Depths of Leadership...by Chris Buch

Often leadership, in any setting, is looked upon to recognize challenges, confront realities however harsh, and strategically move the organzation forward.  Even if all internal functions are humming in harmonious rhythm (not typically the case), there are always external realities threatening to disrupt. It's a constant monitoring process. 

Knowing this, it's easy to get myopic in our perspectives as leaders.  The constant drive to position, strategize, alter, plan, set standards, and improve can lead to an unhealthy view of our own organizations.  "Change" or "improvement" always means that there is something that isn't quite cutting it.  No matter how we spin it to the positive, there's a negative flip side.  Being immersed in this modus operandi on a daily basis is one of the great challenges of leadership and, I would venture to say, leads to burnout faster than anything else. 

As Sales Director, I get the frequent opportunity to go out and talk about the value that my organization brings.  I get to see the positive reactions from prospective clients.  I get the pats on the back from current clients.  I get to surface from the depths of the "leadership-drive-to-improvement" and bask in the goodness of right now.  Is leadership getting a little wearisome?  Come to the surface now and then.  Take a minute and remind yourself what's great about your organization  - it'll do you good.         

Isn't It Ironic?...by Chris Buch

For several days a couple of weeks ago I watched, with great interest, the story of Rev. Terry Jones and his plans to burn copies of the Koran at his church in Florida.  Opinions over whether he should or shouldn't certainly abounded.  Depending on who you listened to, he was either a great American or a nut job.

The entire scenario highlighted for me, once again, the stunning power of the communication channels at our disposal in this day and age.  Within 24 hours you were almost required to have an opinion about a man that you'd never heard of before doing something that you had likely never considered before.  People from all corners of the world knew all the details about an unknown individual in Florida almost instantaneously.  From CNN to SNL to blogs to newspapers to YouTube; the story was everywhere you looked.

Even in light of the plethora of communication options available today, 70% of business owners will tell you that "innefective communication" is the primary problem within their organization.  How's that for irony?   

 

Soccer or Circus?...by Chris Buch

I'm really trying to get into the World Cup.  Soccer (Futbol, Football, whatever) is not really my thing. I've spent the last decade or so listening to the pundits talk about how sports fans in the US can't grasp the great intricacies of soccer or that we don't appreciate the strategic nature of the game itself or that our attention spans are too short for so lengthy a game.  So, I thought I'd give it a crack.  After all, surely the World Cup will pull out all the stops to appeal to me: the 18-to-49, male, US sports fan.  We are one of the most sought after demographics on the planet.  I have made my attempt with great optimism, but I have to tell you, it's been disappointing at best - not because of the game itself, but because of the unnecessary goofiness that surrounds it.  For instance:

1.  Reports that the ball is no good.  Really?  Isn't soccer being played professionally somewhere in the world at any given time?  From a novice "outsider" perspective, it seems like the parameters for the one piece of equipment necessary to play the game should be pretty solid by now. 

2.  Worse officiating than figure skating.  This article kind of sums it all up.

3.  World class athletes taking a dive.  Tons of camera angles and slow motion replays are showing the world just how ridiculous these guys are.  Sometimes they don't even get touched and they go down flailing like they were gored by a bull.  Often, the opposition gets the dreaded yellow or red card because of it.  I don't get it.  Even hardcore soccer fans despise this aspect of the game.

It seems like FIFA has fallen into the trap of "it's how we've always done it".  Instant replay?  Not for soccer.  Standardized ball?  Not for soccer.  Penalties/suspensions for dives?  Not for soccer.  They limit their chance to gain unprecedented popularity by refusing to change. 

It's a good lesson - how often do we limit our opportunities because we're complacent?  If you start asking "why?" and the answer comes back "it's how we've always done it", you may be your own limiting factor to success.

I'm sure I'll make another attempt in four years when the next World Cup rolls around again.  Maybe something will have changed...

 

R.I.P. Kindle?...by Chris Buch

I like the thinking that's being put into play here.  Markets change, shift, flip-flop, extinguish, or appear with little or no warning at times - typically out of our control.  Even when there is warning, as was the case with Kindle and iPad, it's still often difficult to figure out how to stay relevant in the marketplace.  During the recent "Big 3" downturn here in Detroit, I was amazed at how many business owners just kind of shrugged their shoulders and disappeared.  They couldn't find a way to make themselves relevant in the "new" market dynamics they were facing. 

At Omega, we spend a full day or two each quarter in strategic planning efforts for our business.  One of the topics we always spend time on is a discussion on what's happening outside of our four walls that could significantly change our business - positively or negatively.  We aren't perfect, and our hindsight is always 20/20 (just like everybody else's), but engaging in this process has helped us strengthen our position in the market.  We aren't surprised when shifts occur.  We aren't afraid to face change as it happens because we've likely already addressed it and put some creative thought around it. 

The Kindle will be relegated to the scrap heap of technology past unless they change in creative ways to stay relevant.  We'll see.  

What Are You Saying?...by Chris Buch

This is a little lengthy (about 4.5 minutes), but it'll give you a laugh.  Try to convince yourself that you've never been involved in a project that's gone at least part of the way down this path! 

How often do we dilute the message to our clients?  Is the clarity of our message (and our value) clouded by rhetoric or clever slogans?  Make sure your message is clear, simple, and accurate.  It makes the sales "pitch" a whole lot easier.     

Good or Great? Part II...by Chris Buch

A few weeks ago Jeff posted some thoughts about the differences between good and great performances.  I thought you might enjoy a similar but slightly different take from Seth Godin - you can find it here.   A good portion of greatness comes in doing those things that others won't do.  The extra 1-hit-out-of-25 that Jeff references comes about through diligent practice, hard work, and intense focus.  It's not accidental.

Greatness is not the function of circumstance.  Greatness, it turns out, is largely a matter of conscious choice and discipline. 

-Jim Collins, Author Good to Great