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The Basis for Creativity in Business

2012-02-21T23:37:11Z

On this subject, I like to refer to the book written by Michael Ray and Rochelle Myers. The following are a few highlights, intermingled with a few of my thoughts.

Creativity isn’t a destination, it’s a journey. In business, creativity is a way of life. Creativity is also an internal process; it has to grow from within. I believe that each one of us has the ability to be very creative if we open both our minds and hearts to the process.

To continually develop your own creativity, you have to understand and work on the following:

Intuition: Each of us has experienced “intuition” in some facet of our lives. Unfortunately, business has always been taught as a “science” instead of an “art” and a rigid structure is most often recommended. We can define intuition as ”a direct knowing without conscious reasoning”. I have heard of and met many successful business owners who were guided by their intuition. Allow your intuition to work; it may be one of your best assets.
Will is your character (the ability to carry on after the mood has left you) to implement and to integrate you innovative ideas into your business plan.
Joy: Creativity usually brings a degree of “joy”. Working on a creative idea and implementing it most often is accomplished with a new level of enthusiasm. Joy also helps balance your life and work becomes an energy- building process.
Strength: Strength helps you to understand and to process the risks that often come with creativity. Creativity often takes a business owner “out of the conventional operating box” and helps in evaluating and taking on the necessary risk found in a person’s strength.
Compassion: Compassion in this sense means a “loving kindness” first for yourself and then others. Compassion helps you to nurture your own ability and to recognize it in others.

The very purpose of human existence is to get acquainted with your own essential qualities and express them in your daily activities. These five qualities are essential for business growth; accept your intuition, exercise your will, be joyous in your work, have the strength to persevere and have compassion that leads to confidence.

If you aren’t reorganizing, pretty substantially, once every six to twelve months, you’re probably out of step with the times.

Tom Peters

Nick Petra Let Strategic Duck help you implement your intuition.

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Building Trust in Business

2012-02-21T00:55:03Z

There is no short cut to building trust. It’s requires work to build the necessary skills. The following suggestions present a process that will help you achieve the necessary trust with your clients.

Getting new clients
- Ask for referrals
- Make your follow-up calls engaging
- Practice your telephone technique so that a face to face meeting results.
- Have a set client interview process; tell your compelling story and stress the benefits.
- Ask the right questions
- Learn the “art of listening”
- Focus on things that are under your control
- Don’t focus on the economy or world problems
  - Stay out of the political arena
  - Concentrate on your products and services and how they have helped others
  - Speak like a business owner
  - Develop traits that trusted advisors have in common
    - Like your customer
    - Be consistent
    - Don’t force things
    - Don’t get over emotional
    - Tell the truth, don’t pull punches
    - Long term relationships are more important than a current issue
    - Be a real person
    - Remember everything you say
    - Trust must be earned and deserved

Trust requires you to show that you care and that the interests of your clients are as important to you as your own interests.

At Strategic Duck we work hard to earn your confidence and trust.

Worrying about what’s right is always more important than worrying about who’s right

Nick J. Petra nick@strategicduck.com

Management essentials for the Small business: Time and systems Management

2012-02-19T21:41:23Z

Why do I spend so much time on the subject of marketing for small businesses? Why don’t I spend more time on the management side that is also critical for growth and survival? I can best answer that by sharing my experiences. The reason most small businesses fail is because they don’t have any clients to buy their products or services.

Until a small business has the income base established to focus on growth, staff and management, I use a two-step method in setting up an initial, simple, management process. By implementing this two-step process, a small business owner can afford to spend the majority of the time implementing marketing procedures. My initial management focus is on the following:

Systems: This means that the products or services you market are ready to be delivered to a consumer. They are “shelf ready”; in other words, if someone calls for a product or service, you can reach out and deliver it in a short period of time. An owner has to know where everything is; that includes products as well as services. In the area of services, the key services that are offered have to become “shelf ready” so that a package containing the necessary material to explain the service as well as to “contract” the service are bundled and waiting. Part of our coaching process spends time in this area.
Time Management: A lack of systems in a business usually takes up most of an owner’s time. The second is procrastination, usually in the form of “paper shuffling” or other “busy” time. The best way to overcome a lack of time is to establish a daily and weekly time management system. This system is established over a week’s period of time during which hourly time records are kept. From these records, a daily and weekly time schedule is developed and implemented. Attention is given to a definite “work day” start and end time; and unless a product or service is being bought, the schedule has to be maintained as planned. Because running a small business has many aspects and is always subject to chance, we review this time management system every two months and make necessary adjustment.

These two factors are a must for the successful growth of a business and we spend much time both in the initial planning process and in the ongoing coaching to make sure that these two principles are adhered to.

Businesses seldom fail because they try to accomplish too much – they fail because they don’t try to accomplish enough.

Nick Petra Give us a call for a free evaluation. We can work on both the local level in person and through technology to offer remote business planning and coaching. nick@strategicduck.com

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Starting a Business the Safe Way

2012-02-17T06:51:18Z

Consider the following scenario: A husband and wife, both working, would like to try their hand at starting a business. Neither have any previous business experience and don’t have a particular type of business to start. After several visits, we came up with the following action plan:

First rule was to select a low-cost business. We set a budget of $1500 for start up capital.
The next step was to select a low risk business as well as a “learning” business.
Knowing that this first business may not be the one that they would eventually be their full time work, we carefully created a realistic “business type” list that met their criteria.
- Buying items from garage sales and re-selling them at swap meets
- Car detailing
- Vacation home care (short term home care while owners are on vacation; water plants, take care of pets, etc.)
- The list they created ended up with a total of 7 possibilities.
- A time analysis was then completed on each possibility. It was important that the time required to operate the new business would not take away from their full time jobs. The list was then cut down to a total of 3.
- Our next meeting will be used to develop a simplified Value Based Strategic Focus Plan for each of the 3 businesses under consideration.
- We have set a goal of April 16, 2012 to have all our “Ducks in a Row” and open the business.

I am so very proud of these clients. Only in their early twenties, they will be spending their free time “learning”, through experience, the basics for growing a business. I will be meeting with them every two weeks until the business has been operating for 6 months. Coaching is an important part of their future success, and we will have monthly meetings for the foreseeable future.

There is hope for the future of our country!

The journey of ten thousand miles begins with a single phone call.

Confucius Bell

Nick Petra I’ll be waiting for your call to start you on your way to success! nick@strategicduck.com

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Customer Care and Innovation

2012-02-16T05:36:51Z

The only sure way I know to stay ahead of the competition and to grow a successful business is through customer care and innovation. In the past I have spoken often about innovation and how important it is to business growth. I will spend more time on the term “innovation” in the near future, but today I want to talk about the subject of customer care.

In today’s marketplace, satisfying a customer is no longer enough. If all your customers are merely satisfied, they will shop anywhere for similar products or service. We all expect to be satisfied when we purchase something. When shopping at a department store, I expect satisfying service. That does not mean that I will only shop at that one department store, nor does it mean that I will tell everyone I know about how great the service was. In most cases, the service provided meets the buyer’s expectations (which are not usually very high).

There is another type of customer care, one that results in a loyal customer instead of a satisfied customer. Loyal customers will “fight before they switch” and they will work hard, on your behalf, to send you new buyers. Tom Peters wrote ( in The Pursuit of WOW) that 70% of lost customers hit the road not because of price or quality issues but because they didn’t like the human side of doing business with the prior provider of the product or service.”

Jeffry Gitomer said that the three factors needed to create loyal customers are:

Get Real includes: putting yourself in your customers’ shoes; dropping the fake mask of “professionalism” and speaking from the “heart”.
Get Friendly, starting with the smile on the face that answers the phone or greets a customer. Having a desire to serve and really care about others by doing more listening instead of talking.
Create a WOW: A few of the words that best describe a WOW: manners, knowledgeable, enthusiastic, real, compelling, truthful, helpful, funny, understanding, confident, patient, and friendly.
I add a fourth; communication and follow up: is your follow up carefully planned and does it show that you care? Does it encompass the first three points above?

This blog only scratches the surface of what it takes to create loyal customers. Turning all your clients into loyal clients assures you of repeat business and constant referrals. Step back and see if you are creating loyal clients.

Take the attitude of a student, never be too big to ask questions, never know too much to learn something new.

Og Mandino

Nick Petra Let’s get together and work on creating Loyal Customers

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Happy St. valentine's Day

2012-02-15T06:39:39Z

Today is a special day; love is in the air. Flowers, candy and “special” gifts are bought for our loved ones. There is a sense of excitement as gifts are purchased, given and received. For most of us expressing love for our family and friends is a daily occurrence. Valentine’s Day just emphasizes love a little more. Today you let the whole world know that you have a love in your life.

I want to remind you about someone else; someone that deserves some praise, love and gratitude. Someone that you should tell the entire world how you feel and how proud and excited you are, not just on Valentine ’s Day, but every day.

When the opportunity is presented to you to achieve security for your family; retirement for your later years; family vacations and education for your kids and a place you can go to test your ability to succeed; that sounds to me like it is something we should be thankful for and to show our love and appreciation. Our clients, customers and friends should be aware of our great love affair.

Of course I am speaking about your business! What have you done today to show your love? Are you excited to go to work every day? Do you make improvements in your business every day?

Treat your business as a “love affair”. Always speak in loving words expressing positive thoughts. This will help ensure that your relationship will be rewarding and you can grow together in age, wisdom and profit.

Very little is needed to make a happy life. It is all within yourself, in your way of thinking.

Marcus Aurelius

Nick J. Petra nick@strategicduck.com

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New Networking Group... Why 95% of small businesses fail in the first 5 years

2012-02-14T04:57:37Z

I was asked to attend an initial meeting of a networking/employment group this evening; it was broadly advertised in the bulletins of many different faith denominations. Those in attendance were either starting or had just started a new business and the other half, were looking for work.

As the meeting progressed and each person shared their hopes and needs, I felt that there were two things missing; the lack of the word “we” (Each of the businesses was owned by one person); and when I asked the business owners to raise their hand if they had a working business plan, no one raised their hand.

Let me share my experience with the word “we”; I don’t have statistics, but in my findings, business owners that had a partner increased their chance for survival and profit. Most entrepreneurs are fiercely independent; it’s their million dollar idea and they are not going to share it. Statistics do tell us that 95% of the businesses that are started today will fail within the first 5 years and a million dollar idea that doesn’t come to fruition does not have any value.

As the old saying goes “two heads are better than one”. I add that two heads have a better opportunity to more than double the chances of success and the amount of profit. The moral is to encourage business owners to find a compatible partner with the same values, vision and excitement. So is there an alternative? The answer is yes; I suggest the following possible solutions:

Find a good mentor/coach who will work with you on a percentage of the future income. In this way you are still 100% owner and still have a partner.
A strong business support group made up of successful business owners who are willing to meet with you at least once a month (twice would be better) to review your progress and guide you.

The same strategy of team work will help those looking for a job. Starting each day, by yourself, with making phone calls, sending out resumes and then going to a coffee shop is not as productive as meeting with another person looking for work and planning your day together.

Open yourself up and reach out. Man was never meant to be alone.

Be in Business for yourself, but never be in Business by yourself.

Nick J. Petra nick@strategicduck.com go to www.strategicduck.com and sign up for our monthly newsletter; you will also learn more about us and how we can help reach your dreams.

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4 Points A Day.... A Marketing Record Keeping System

2012-02-13T03:42:07Z

Marketing is a very complex part of business ownership. There are hundreds of ways to market your products and services. The following point system is a simple record keeping system to help you keep track of your efforts. I was introduced to this record keeping system by a friend about 10 years ago. I adopted it and share it with clients because it gives them a measuring stick with which to gage the effectiveness of their marketing.

This system is ideally suited for the small business owner who has to wear the management and marketing hat as well as everything in between.

Each of the following has a number of points assigned to it. The goal is to earn a minimum of 4 points a day.

One Point: One point can be earned by getting a legitimate lead, a referral, or an introduction to a possible buyer.

Two Points: Each appointment that is made with a person that can make a decision to purchase your product or service is worth two points.

Three Points: Three points are awarded every time you meet, face to face, with a potential purchaser and make a presentation regarding your products or services.

Four Points: Each successful closed transaction is worth four points.

This is one of the best ways to stay on top of your marketing results. I challenge my clients to reach for 8 points on a daily basis.

If at the end of each week, you have not reached a total of at least 20 points, then it’s time to re-evaluate your marketing program. I believe that 30 days is required to test the validity of any system, so I ask you to try this for 30 days and look at your results. Put a note on your bathroom mirror with a reminder that “4” is your goal for today; each evening write the number of points you have earned.

The way to maintain momentum is to always know what you are going to do next.

Nick J. Petra nick@strategicduck.com If you don’t have a working business plan that you refer to everyday, you don’t have a plan. Call me today to discuss how I can help.

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Business Owner, can you create an income stream for your retirement?

2012-02-10T05:42:24Z

It seems that many of the small business owners I know have created a job for themselves in their business. In other words, they make enough money to pay their home and office bills (most of the time) and if they are really lucky, they set aside a reserve account for emergencies.

Retirement is another issue. A funny but perhaps true statement that I hear from small business owners is: “I’m going to work until I die” or, I’m going from here directly to my grave”. Unfortunalty, it may be very difficult if not impossible to work until you die. There are unforeseen circumstances that may force you to quit work: sickness, accident, family issues, etc…

In today’s economy it is difficult to save enough for a comfortable retirement. Currently banks are paying virtually nothing on savings accounts, and other forms of investment are not always secure. Many American’s were counting on their home equity to help with retirement; in most cases, that has disappeared.

On the positive side, there are two solutions that can help facilitate a comfortable retirement:

Prepare your business for a future sale. That requires ( as I outlined in a previous blog) careful record keeping, a good reputation, and a positive growth chart, just to name a few of the requirements for a sale. The sale can create a lump sum of cash or cash flow, depending upon the sale structure.
This method could become a “fun” challenge. What can you make, or do or????? that will generate ongoing residual income for you after your retirement. This is going to require a lot of thought. I suggest that you keep a note pad with you at all times and jot down ideas as they come. Let’s see if we can name a few such “things”: invent something that will pay royalties; write a book, song, etc, that can pay royalties; create and own an association, or “club” that people want to belong to and will pay membership dues. What needs to be improved or “invented” so that your industry can provide better services or products?

The first suggestion is something everyone should work on, the second is the fun challenge to dream about and see if you can make it a reality. Yes, send me your ideas for the second method.

The thing always happens that you really believe in; and the belief in a thing makes it happen.

Frank Lloyd Wright

Nick J. Petra nick@strategicduck.com stop your procrastination and subscribe to my newsletter at www.strategicduck.com . Each month you will receive informative articles that can help change your life and guide your business.

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Step out of Your "Knowledge" Box

2012-02-09T06:03:08Z

Most small businesses use services for which they have to rely 100% upon the service or product provider. In my case, technology (including social media) is playing an increasingly important role in my marketing efforts, client communications and in the delivery of my services. My expertise does not carry over into a mastery of all my technology needs; consequently, I have to rely on outside support to reach my goals.

It is, however, important that I have some basic knowledge of how technology works, what new developments are available and how the consumer likes to receives notice of products and services. After my appointment at ASBA (Arizona Small Business Association) I went to a six hour “Tech Savvy” presentation. Even though I attend such a session at least once a year, I was amazed at the marketing opportunities available for all businesses in social media, both incoming and outgoing. Both Facebook and Twitter offer opportunities to search for people in need of your products and services, with very little effort and at no cost.

Our mobile society has embraced smart phones and tablets along with a wide variety of apps that are used to make buying decisions. The use of QR codes and videos in blogs, newsletters and e-mails are just part of what the buying public now expects. New tools that attach to smart phones and tablets transform them into powerful marketing tools.

My six hours resulted in more than 24 pages of notes and a lot of new ideas to share with my tech support providers. I feel that these six hours will help me reach my 2012 goals a lot faster.

The moral of my story is to get you out of your “knowledge box” and to encourage you learn more about the services and products you rely upon others to provide.

It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.

Charles Darwin

Nick Petra Your thoughts and comments are always welcome at Nick@strategicduck.com

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Business Buyers Want your Products and Services

2012-02-08T05:57:34Z

Business buyers are different than “consumers”. They want to and need to buy products and services that help them increase their bottom line, solve problems, become more competitive, make management easier, and, in general, improve their overall business position.

When selling to a business owner you will find a more informed buyer. Their “hot buttons” include: gaining their trust, establishing credibility, and proving that you have an understanding of their business needs. A business buyer is sold with facts, details and benefits of the proposed service or product. This requires a different type of marketing effort and presentation. This selling process is, in most cases, a slower process and may require two or more “presentation visits” before the sale is finalized.

A closer look at their “hot buttons”

TRUST: Trust must be earned. You must do something to give the other people the evidence on which they can base their decision on whether to trust you. Trust does not happen without work. Trust is about a relationship, one in which your client believes that what you say you will do and that your actions will match your words. Trust is showing someone that you care. Be able to provide evidence that your clients interests are as important to you as your own business interests are.

Credibility: Credibility, like reputation, is something that is earned over time. Many people tend to assume initially that someone who has risen to a certain status in life, acquired degrees, or achieved significant goals is deserving of their confidence. But complete credibility is not granted until your target business has had a chance to get to know more about you. The credibility foundation is built brick by brick. As an example, a direct endorsement by a mutual business acquaintance is a great foundation building brick.

Understanding: For me, understanding is made up of two disciplines; the first is research and the second is listening. Research allows one to know about another’s business. It helps to generate a caring attitude about your prospect. It gives you an overview of the product or service your prospect is offering and how it is received in the market place. Listening is the art of using your ears instead of your mouth when meeting with prospects. Listening will help you understand the needs that your prospect has and what solutions your product or service can provide.

Selling to a business is a long term process and instant gratification will seldom occur; however, the long term results are worth much more.

Be patient. Patience is also preparation. It is the action before the act.

Nick J. Petra Patience is also preparing your success by having a Value Based Strategic Focus Plan in place. E-mail Nick at nick@strategicduck.com for more information

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Finding a Sales Team to manage at little or no cost

2012-02-07T06:01:12Z

Coordinating the efforts of others can help your business grow; in fact, that is what management is supposed to do. There is, however, a problem; you don’t have a sales team to manage. The following are a few thoughts on the subject.

Consider hiring retired people that may have worked in the same field as yours. Don’t overlook retired folks from related fields or who have good marketing and sales experience in another field. Many of these people still have good connections, are reliable and in some cases, will work on a commission. An opportunity to help grow a new business may be the very thing retired business people need to re-energize themselves.
Find resellers for your products or services. Give another business an opportunity to establish another income source by representing your firm. Look for related businesses, a business whose customers may also be interested in purchasing your product or services. There may be a little training involved but the rewards can be awesome, even if you have to use part of your profit to pay a commission.
Envelope stuffers/e-mail senders: This is one of my favorite ones. If you are spending 20 to 25% of your time in the marketing arena, you will make in person contacts with anywhere from 100 to 200 people per month. Normally, you wait and hope that one of those contacts will call and result in a sale. In most cases, there is absolutely no follow up. This has to do with your establishing a first follow up contact system. Write either a letter to be sent by snail mail or an e-mail with the same information. The letter should be generic so as to apply to all. A sentence about how great it was to meet them and perhaps an invitation to explore the possibility of establishing a business to business relationship. The business cards you obtained during your personal contact have the addresses you need. This job is something that can be “farmed” out at very little expense. This assures you that everyone you contact will receive a personal note from you. Think about using your kids or????? to accomplish this task.

Become creative, who else can you use to help with your marketing?

No great task is accomplished without people to do the work and a leader to guide them.

Nick J. Petra nick@nickpetra.com

Take some positive action, go to www.strategicduck.com and buy my book “Seven Weeks to Increased Profits”

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Business Crisis....Are you Ready?

2012-02-06T04:05:32Z

Running a business is not always “roses”. Bad things can happen when you least expect them. Optimism is good, but anticipating a possible crisis is better.

What can happen? A fire or flood; losing your biggest account; losing a key employee or getting sick; a lawsuit, or having a family emergency. No, I don’t recommend that you live in fear, but I do recommend that you do some forward thinking and plan for the unexpected.

Just as I recommend that all business owners complete The Be prepared Book,( available at www.strategicduck.com) I also recommend that all small businesses incorporate the following suggestions:

Systems: Have systems in place so that a complete stranger can come in and run your business in case of your absence. The idea is to have good enough systems in place, in writing, so that your business can continue. My experience is that when a business sets such systems in place, the entire operation is reviewed and positive adjustments are made in all areas of management and marketing.
Back up everything: make sure that all your computer records are backed up and stored in a safe place, somewhere other than your office location. Another back up suggestion is to have all your staff backed up by another staff member; in other words, two people know how to do each task.
Emergency contact list: This includes your accountant, attorney, computer consultants and even medical emergency personnel.
Insurance is important to all businesses. This includes not only a life policy on the owner but also business insurance, replacement insurance and E & O insurance if needed. Work with your insurance broker and attorney to make sure you have the right type of coverage.

A small business requires more back up systems than a large one; the owner is usually the key employee and often, the only one who knows how to operate the business. Take the time to implement a “crisis management system”. It will not only prepare you in case of an unforeseen situation, but in the process you will also streamline your operation.

By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail.

Benjamin Franklin

Nick J Petra nick@strategicduck.com

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Value-added service...necessary for growth and survival

2012-02-03T05:34:15Z

In today’s economy the consumer is more value-conscious. In addition to the specific benefits of the product or service, the consumer is looking for value-added services from the relationship.

A definition for value-added service is:” the enhancement added to a product or service by the company before the product is offered to the consumer”.

When I mentioned the term “value-added” to several businesses their definition was “things they can add to a service or product to increase their profits”. My definition is “things that enhance the value of a product or service without adding additional cost to the consumer.”

The key word in determining added value is the word relationship. In determining what you can add to your base product or service, make a list of what enhances a relationship between to people. Please don’t include price as the added value; create your list without discounting your price. As an example, consider the following words:

Quality
Timing
Knowledge
Communications
After purchase follow-up
Product/service delivery process
Personalized service
Innovation
Additional products/services included

These words should help you start the thought process to determine what value-added services are the best for your product or service. These added- value items should be part of the package you offer the consumer; it should not appear to be a “gimmick” to make a sale. In most cases, your competition does not have these added-value items as part of their product or service package.

You never “close” a sale, you open a long-term relationship.

Dennis Waitley

Nick J. Petra Reach me with your comments at nick@strategicduck.com

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The Imortance of the "Introduction"

2012-02-02T06:00:15Z

As business owners we are in the people business and meeting new people is a major part of a successful marketing program. The most important and powerful part of meeting someone is your self introduction.

Unfortunately, many of us waste that precious marketing moment. I once heard it said that our self-introduction is a verbal business card; it should be given the same “design” attention as any printed marketing piece. The following is a method I read about and suggest that you consider its implementation.

The first step is to put together a 5 minute talk which best represents you and your business. Carefully design sentences and use words that describe you and your business in the way you would like to be perceived.
This five minute presentation, when fully developed and practiced, will allow you to be comfortable and convincing when speaking. It should express the value that you and your business can bring. Don’t focus on personal achievements, focus on the benefits you provide.
Remember that you are trying to convey a “WOW” message; something that will have the person you are meeting with a desire to hear more.
Keep the language simple; don’t try to impress others by using technical jargon or terms that only apply to your business. Try to put yourself in the position of a potential customer who may be under pressure to solve some problem.
Once you have completed this task, practice it until you can deliver it without having to think about the content. Make a copy of your talk and keep in in your purse or wallet.
- Use this long version whenever the opportunity presents itself. Often, an initial conversation only lasts 20 to 40 seconds. In order to meet this time schedule, take your 5 minute talk and select its most important and dynamic features and write an answer to the questions, “what do you do”. Remember to stress the benefits and to create a “WOW” factor so that you can share the rest of your story.

Most people want to improve their situation in life. When they find someone who can communicate something of value to them, they will usually listen.

John C. Maxwell

Write you five minute talk and e-mail it to me: nick@strategicduck.com

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What to Name (Brand) your Business

2012-02-01T04:54:06Z

In the long run a brand is nothing more than a name, but it may very well be the most important decision you will ever make regarding the naming of your product or service.

In today’s cluttered marketplace, a brand (name) needs a unique idea or concept to survive. The goal is to become a word in the mind of the consumer. Once a brand is selected, then the marketing process has the responsibility of building a powerful name in the mind of the consumer. In other words, marketing is the process of branding. Once that name is selected, everything your business does contributes to the brand-building process.

Two brands that I like to reference are Xerox and Kleenex. Both those name are easily recognized in the mind of most consumers as well as the products they represent.

The next addition to complete the branding process is to give your brand credentials. Coca-Cola used “It’s the real thing”; most of us associate that saying with Coca-Cola.

Take a look at your business name, is it unique? Does it stand apart from other firms that are offering similar services or products? Do you have a tag line that states the credential of your business?

Is it too late to change your company name? You may not need to change if you have established a good following and are recognized in your market place. If your name is generic and does not really represent your unique product or service, then a name change will help you implement a new “brand marketing” plan. If you are satisfied with your company name, look at your “tag line”; does it adequately describe the credentials of your business?

Branding and adding a tag line to your company name requires both time and thought; give it several weeks and consult a lot of people before making a final decision.

Accept this challenge and make the necessary changes to your brand.

It is only when people begin to shake loose from their preconceptions, from the ideas that have dominated them that we begin to receive a sense of opening, a sense of vision.

Barbara Ward

Nick J Petra nick@strategicduck.com visit our web site: www.strategicduck.com

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Public speaking - small Business 101

2012-01-31T04:11:54Z

I attended a luncheon several days ago. As with most civic organizations a speaker is invited to give a 20 minute presentation. The speaker was a small business owner who spoke on the economy and small businesses from his own perspective.

The topic sounded interesting and I, along with the rest of the approximately 25 members in attendance, was eager to listen. After lunch the guest speaker was introduced and I listened attentively for at least 4 or 5 minutes before my attention was focused on staying awake for the rest of the talk.

A great tool in a small business marketing basket is public speaking. It is an opportunity to lead people to take action, to make a professional impression and to initiate future contact with those present. When I suggest this type of marketing to small business owners they usually tell me that they would rather have a tooth pulled without novocain than to stand up and speak.

Take comfort. Public speaking can be learned. There are several ways to accomplish this training. First, keep giving talks to groups until you get it right. Join a local toastmasters group and follow their excellent system. Take a college course on public speaking or look into one of the other numerous educational resources.

Learning the proper way to make presentations is necessary, not just for speaking to groups, but it is needed when making presentations to future clients. The following are several things to remember:

Know the subject you are speaking on
Be passionate about your topic, your audience will know
Know your audience, who they are, what they expect, etc.
Include some of your own story in the talk
If possible, add a little humor
I love props and “clever” handouts
Involve the audience
Practice your talk
Dress to meet the expectations of your audience

There are hundreds of groups, many who need a speaker for their meeting every week. This is one of the most overlooked, but perhaps one of the best ways to tell your story and generate business.

Heard a cute one today: “ God made lots of heads – those he was ashamed of he covered with hair”

Nick J. Petra nick@strategicduck.com visit our site and buy the Seven Weeks to Increased Profits, it will change your business life.

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Specific Strategic Alliances help grow a Business.

2012-01-30T06:32:48Z

In recent weeks we discussed the importance of networking. Anyone that can refer a client or is in a position to use your product or service is an important contact. We have discussed ways of meeting these contacts and also the best way to communicate with them. I strive to add as many such contacts to my e-mail contact list and encourage them to subscribe to my blog.

There is, however, another group that deserves special attention. I call this group “Specific Strategic Alliances”. They are people that service my ideal client. My relationship building process is much slower; I can’t just call and ask them to send me their client list.

Let me use my own business as an example; Strategic Duck specializes in helping start-up or existing businesses by developing Value Based Strategic Focus Plans and then working with our clients as a coach or mentor. I find that CPA’s and Business Attorneys have clients that can use my services.

Once I have identified several firms that I would like to work with I implement the following process:

If possible I try to find someone that knows the owner of my target business. Even without a name I find out as much as I can about my target business and then I make a call and invite the owner for a quick breakfast meeting, usually coffee and a muffin. Yes, I have been rejected without an introduction, I then send a follow up letter stating the purpose of my requested meeting was to introduce myself and how I can help them, at no charge, grow their business. Another statement that works is a meeting to get acquainted so I can refer my clients to them.
After this initial meeting I make an effort to see how I can best help their business. My expertise is in planning, marketing and implementation thus an offer to help them with marketing including giving a presentation to their clients on business marketing is appreciated. My speaking to these clients is an added value that my target business is offering.
The next step is to see what joint ventures we can do to provide additional clients for both of us, and what other services we can offer together.
Last, but perhaps most important, is to become a friend. In my experience, friendships that are developed through business are often longer lasting and also cement the business partnership.

This process is not one for those seeking “instant gratification”. There are ways to develop immediate business, and we all use those methods when growing our business; but this is a method for building a more direct and stable source of referrals.

Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.

Theodore Roosevelt

Nick J. Petra nick@strategicduck.com visit us at www.strategicduck.com

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Exceeding Expectations .. The WOW Factor

2012-01-27T05:33:09Z

Exceeding expectations is difficult to define for many businesses and even harder to implement. Exceeding expectations has to be more than just delivering an “expected” service or product. I use the analogy of walking into a department store. You expect a sales person to come and offer assistance, help you find what you are looking for and then help you purchase the item. The salesperson performed a good service, but the buyer probably won’t go tell friends about the service they received and about the store where the purchase was made. The level of service provided was as expected.

Often business owners strive to meet the expectations of their clients and if met, are satisfied. The customer may or may not come back if a similar service or product is available elsewhere.

The challenge all small business owners face is to define and deliver services that exceed the consumers’ expectations. In his book “The Pursuit of Wow”, Tom Peters said: “70 percent of lost customers hit the road not because of price or quality issues but because they didn’t like the human side of doing business with the prior provider of the product or service”. With that statement, Peters helps narrow the “exceeding Expectation” dilemma by saying that it is a “human issue”.

In my opening example, what could the salesperson have done to exceed the buyers’ Expectations? Can you make a list of possible scenarios? The answers, by our definition, have to revolve around the actions of the salesperson.

This is a great exercise for all small business owners to complete as it relates to their product or service. I use it as an exercise with business owners; I like to include the staff (if there is one) in the thinking process.

My challenge to you is to develop your own list of actions that will cause your customers to say WOW! Use your mentor or coach as a sounding board during this exercise.

It’s not enough anymore to merely satisfy the customer; customers must be “delighted” –surprised by having their needs not just met, but exceeded.

Blanton Godfrey

Nick J. Petra nick@strategicduck.com

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Passion for Success

2012-01-26T05:30:04Z

Webster’s defines success several ways including “the attainment of wealth, favor or eminence” and “a favorable termination of a venture”.

My definition of business success:

Being self-fulfilled in your business
Excited about your business
You are eager to go to work every day.
You are constantly looking for ways to improve your business
It provides for a comfortable living today for you and your family
Allows funds for you and your family’s further education
Allows funds to be put aside for retirement
You show pride in and because of your business.

This is what our business life is all about. These are the points that we strive for when working in our own business. Do an examination of your conscience; where are you in each of the above mentioned points. What do you need to change to reach my definition of success?

Notice that the achievement of true success requires not only a business plan but also a personal and business financial plan. As a small business it is impossible to separate your business success from your personal (family) success. Personal goals often form the basis for a business venture.

I ask each of my clients to complete my “Be Prepared Book” software, and we integrate it into the business plan. You can read about The Be Prepared Book” in the book section of my site: www.strategicduck.com.

The common denominator of success lies in forming the habit of doing things that failures don’t like to do.

Albert Gray

Nick J. Petra Nick@strategicduck.com www.strataegicduck.com

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