newCFO » MANAGEMENT

What you really want vs. what you want to hear

lorenzo — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 22:37:18 +0000

Consumers have always been an audience, while marketers and sellers have been the undisputed performers.

Has this ever happened to you?

Customer: “What colors do you have?”
Seller: “What color are you looking for?”
Customer: “Metallic Silver”
Seller: “We have it”.

Later in the buying process, the seller does not have a Metallic Silver product, but in one way or another tries to rescue the sale. If a sale is based on lies and deceit, was there ever a sale?

Some of the techniques used by some sellers:

You didn’t say Metallic Silver
This is metallic Silver (pointing at something Red)
and the best of all: seller waste buyer’s time with excuses and procrastinations till the buyer has no more time to start a new process somewhere else.

So, next time you interact with someone, sellers, clients, prospects, employees, bosses and you walk away happy: did they tell you the facts, or what you wanted to hear?

By the way: the check is in the mail

Something to think about

admin — Sat, 19 Aug 2006 17:13:37 +0000

Q.: What’s the difference between Art School and Business School?
A.: In Business school you don’t get to practice what you learn (are case studies and business plans without execution business practice?)

Pasta with vongole

Q.: What’s the difference between Music School and Business School?
A.: In Business School you don’t get to practice what you learn (are case studies and business plans without execution business practice?)

Q.: What’s the difference between Cooking School and Business School?
A.: In Business school you don’t get to practice what you learn (are case studies and business plans without execution business practice?)

On a related note: you have resolved to finally learn a new skill, let’s say swimming or to speak Italiano. Would you take lessons from someone who doesn’t know how to swim, and doesn’t speak Italian?

Something to think about.

Life, Business, and the art of playing guitar

admin — Sat, 19 Aug 2006 16:59:18 +0000

Do you play guitar? You should! Here’s why:

Musicians have more fun: ask around
It’s portable fun: once you start playing guitar, you’ll start collecting gear, somehow it comes with the territory. Buy a cheap guitar and take it with you at the beach, camp, wherever you go.
It’s social: start playing and people will stop talking, turn off cell phones, detach from their iPod, and start humming, some will sing, and the most courageous may eve dance. You’ll make new friends, and get to know amazing people. (Add dog if you are single).

But wait! There’s more: learning to play guitar will embed in you the most valuable business tool there is: Project Management:

Plan: make one (online resources etc..), buy one (Books, methods etc..) or hire someone to make one fore you (teacher)
Perfect Practice make perfect: only by playing constantly and on a regular basis you will progress on the plan. 30 minutes every day will yield greater results that 3.5 hours every Sunday.
Use it or lose it: put practice off long enough and you will find that you have fallen behind where you were the last time you practice.
Learn by doing is the only way to learn: how many books on swimming can you read and never jump into the water?
Push the envelope: practicing every day what you know will get you nowhere. Set the task too high and you will fail without learning. Set the bar every time a bit higher, practice slow, then increase speed, practice until the conscious efforts grows enough neurons to become habit or second nature, a part of your new you; then move on to the next task.
Enjoy the process, the process is the destination.

Can you say the same about your business tools and habits?