With the final printing/publication date of Trucker Management still two months away, we are thrilled to announce that we have our first paid order in hand!
Muchas gracias to Sergio from Puerto Rico for making our first sale an international one! He will receive his signed copy as soon as it rolls off the presses.
If it's broke....maybe DON'T fix it!
In one of the training sessions we delivered yesterday at the JCI MetNet Conference in Atlanta, GA, we had participants out and about doing their own Circle Check of the hotel we were in. As we discussed the various aspects of the hotel that they checked on, and the faults they found, the natural tendency of course is to talk about the need to fix them immediately.
One of our participants brought up a great point, and asked if it wasn't possible to make a place too sterile or too "perfect". As we discuss in Trucker Management about being "exceptional" in your business space, a key component of that is being "consistent". And so, if your business or brand or image is not one of perfection, or your customers are not expecting (or even moreso, don't want) a pristine environment, then your Circle Checks take on a different flavour. You need to look much less at things that need to be "fixed" in a traditional maintenance sense, and more at things that are consistent with the expectations of your customers.
This was reinforced last night when we headed out to one of the midtown bars. The target market of this place was obviously 20-somethings, perhaps largely students, and the decor, staff dress, drink prices and selection and even admission policy ($5 for guys, no charge for women) reflected that. Once inside, we noticed that the ceiling wasn't finished - simply exposed beams and insulation. In many businesses, spotting this in a Circle Check might scream "fix it!". But, for this business, this absolutely fit. Here was a business that understood what was and wasn't important to their clientele in creating and maintaing their space. Scuffed wooden floors and exposed ceilings enhanced the business instead of detracting from it.
A professional office needs its exposed ceiling finished or fixed immediately..... a bar for 20-somethings doesn't.
One of our participants brought up a great point, and asked if it wasn't possible to make a place too sterile or too "perfect". As we discuss in Trucker Management about being "exceptional" in your business space, a key component of that is being "consistent". And so, if your business or brand or image is not one of perfection, or your customers are not expecting (or even moreso, don't want) a pristine environment, then your Circle Checks take on a different flavour. You need to look much less at things that need to be "fixed" in a traditional maintenance sense, and more at things that are consistent with the expectations of your customers.
This was reinforced last night when we headed out to one of the midtown bars. The target market of this place was obviously 20-somethings, perhaps largely students, and the decor, staff dress, drink prices and selection and even admission policy ($5 for guys, no charge for women) reflected that. Once inside, we noticed that the ceiling wasn't finished - simply exposed beams and insulation. In many businesses, spotting this in a Circle Check might scream "fix it!". But, for this business, this absolutely fit. Here was a business that understood what was and wasn't important to their clientele in creating and maintaing their space. Scuffed wooden floors and exposed ceilings enhanced the business instead of detracting from it.
A professional office needs its exposed ceiling finished or fixed immediately..... a bar for 20-somethings doesn't.
The Unconscious Circle Check
I was having dinner with a couple of friends the other night in a new restaurant, and over the course of our time there we surveyed the space and commented to each other about things we saw within the operations and premises that maybe could use some improvements. Although this was just a matter of our dinner conversation given the entrepreneurial nature of the three of us, we were essentially doing a Circle Check of the business and its space without setting out to do so.
The need for doing regular Circle Checks of your small business space was proven very clearly - even without formally undertaking or consciously intending to do so, we as customers were giving the space our own critical evaluation as an indication of the business' likely success. It is simply inherent human nature that people will examine their surroundings and make judgements or decisions based on what they see. As a business owner, you need to ensure that when visitors to your space do this, they get only a positive message about your business.
Your customers are doing their own, informal Circle Checks of your business space, so you better make sure you are doing them too to catch what they might find!
The need for doing regular Circle Checks of your small business space was proven very clearly - even without formally undertaking or consciously intending to do so, we as customers were giving the space our own critical evaluation as an indication of the business' likely success. It is simply inherent human nature that people will examine their surroundings and make judgements or decisions based on what they see. As a business owner, you need to ensure that when visitors to your space do this, they get only a positive message about your business.
Your customers are doing their own, informal Circle Checks of your business space, so you better make sure you are doing them too to catch what they might find!
The Quiet Try-It Method
Twice in the last month I've come across 2 businesses using the 'quiet try-it' method of launching their business. Now, coming from a marketing background, I'm used to the 'go big or go home' approach with big grand openings and big media announcements. So at first I wasn't totally into the idea of the quiet approach, but I'm always up for something new, and was happily surprised.
The first business was a very unique service offering in Kingston, a hair salon catering only to children. The quiet approach for them actually worked to drum up interest in this 'secret' new business with an invite only event. It got people murmuring about it all over town. And when the moment was right she then did a big grand opening.
The second business was a restuarant - a world where everything that can go wrong during a grand opening - DOES! By using the quiet method it gave them menu feedback, an opportunity to work out the kinks in the kitchen and create some revenue before the official launch.
This is like a pre-opening circle check, not just of the premise but of the actually service as well. Well Done!
The first business was a very unique service offering in Kingston, a hair salon catering only to children. The quiet approach for them actually worked to drum up interest in this 'secret' new business with an invite only event. It got people murmuring about it all over town. And when the moment was right she then did a big grand opening.
The second business was a restuarant - a world where everything that can go wrong during a grand opening - DOES! By using the quiet method it gave them menu feedback, an opportunity to work out the kinks in the kitchen and create some revenue before the official launch.
This is like a pre-opening circle check, not just of the premise but of the actually service as well. Well Done!
Timing is everything
On June 26th, there was a big grand opening gala event for a new business opening here in Kingston in an increasingly competitive market. The event was going to include appearances by local politicians and other celebrities.
News of this special event was spread through direct mail pieces delivered by hand through Canada Post. Problem was....I received my "invitation" on June 27th.....and my sister had hers delivered to her home on June 28th.
All the money that went into the planning, design and printing of these glossy, full colour pieces was all wasted for at least two areas of the city by the delivery not happening until after the event took place. How much confidence would you have then in this business being able to properly meet your needs if they can't even coordinate such an important piece of information properly? Is your small business avoiding the same negative impression to potential customers in the way it communicates to them?
News of this special event was spread through direct mail pieces delivered by hand through Canada Post. Problem was....I received my "invitation" on June 27th.....and my sister had hers delivered to her home on June 28th.
All the money that went into the planning, design and printing of these glossy, full colour pieces was all wasted for at least two areas of the city by the delivery not happening until after the event took place. How much confidence would you have then in this business being able to properly meet your needs if they can't even coordinate such an important piece of information properly? Is your small business avoiding the same negative impression to potential customers in the way it communicates to them?
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