Clint Powell
1) You Pick Up A Stick You Get Both Ends –
My kids get tired of me saying this to them in regards to their decisions. Of course you do NOT have to clean your room! That is a ‘you’ decision, but there are consequences. You can also choose TO clean your room and guess what? That too comes with consequences. The same is true in your business development as a business owner, manager, or sales rep.
You can choose NOT to invest time or money in your people, but don’t be surprised if you have high turnover and unhappy customers. You do NOT have to make sales calls, network, or ask for referrals. You are just too busy, but don’t be surprised if your business develops slower for you - than others who ‘find’ the time. The bottom line in life is this – when you pick up a stick you do get both ends; the same holds true for our decisions. Make sure you consider both ends of that stick (decision) before your pick it up!
2) How To Get A ROI On Expo’s and Events –
I have attended several expos and seminars the past few months and I am amazed at how many people make the 3 biggest mistakes possible:
1- They sit behind the table or deep inside their booth. They simply nod or smile (which can be creepy to be honest). People will nod and smile back-then move on!
2- Don’t have help. If you know you are not the most ‘people’ person or do not enjoy working these events…find someone, pay someone, partner up with someone…do something. Being overwhelmed with traffic OR detached from the crowd is a waste of money and time.
3- No plan to follow up with the people you met or got contact info from. Your plan shouldn’t be to ‘wing it’. Have a timeline, a message, and a vehicle in place to deliver the message in place well in place before the show.
3) The Customer Is Not Always Right –
You will not hear this at one of those expensive customer service training seminars, but guess what….it’s true. It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t always act professional or that there are not appropriate responses to situations, but it does mean that the customer can be wrong…they can make mistakes too!
Most relationships are NOT eternal! Companies and clients can outgrow each other. That’s ok! In the end it really isn’t about being wrong or right…it is about being a good fit!
4) Face Time Is More Than An App –
I love texts, voicemails, emails, Facebook, smoke signals, pigeons, USP…I love communicating. Heck I even love interruptive dancing (don’t tell me buddies), but nothing-NOTHING-beats face to face time with clients or employees. It is good to read body language, look people in the eye, to see them smile or frown, to laugh with each other, to ask questions so they know you really care. In the hyper-communicative world we live in do not let convenience trump face to face.
5) It Doesn’t Take Much –
One of the issues I see with clients is that they think they are SOOOO far away from where they want to be. In most cases that is not true. It is like those carnival mirrors…the images we see when looking at our own business can be skewed by emotions, todays fires, and tomorrows worries. Our biggest goals can be accomplished with very small changes. Do not get discouraged! Find one thing you can do today and watch it change your world!
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Clint Powell is owner of Connect Marketing, an advertising agency in Chattanooga. He is a graduate of Carson-Newman College. He has spent years in radio advertising sales and management, built and sold a billboard company and works on a contract basis with other ad agencies writing ad copy and helping formulate strategies. Clint has worked with hundreds of local and regional companies over the years and helped them develop advertising campaigns. He believes that life is all about connections and spends his time connecting businesses and business owners to solutions. He sits on the board of Y-Cap (YMCA Community Action Program) and helps with several other non-profits. Clint currently resides in East Ridge with his wife and three children. He also host a weekly radio show focused on business and marketing – Marketing Mix Radio on US 101 The Legend @ 96.1.