Creative doesn't cost more

Look around at the advertising, marketing and training work that's going on around us. Some of it is great, fresh, and makes an impact. Then there's the other 95% of what we see every day--competent, status quo, mediocre, unoriginal, derivative, etc.

It doesn't have to be that way. Just because a manufacturer makes a seemingly unexciting product doesn't mean we have to create mediocre marketing strategy and execution.

Great ideas don't cost more--they don't take more time, they take more heart and more engagement.

Don't fall for the "we don't have enough budget to be creative" line. Almost every brand, product or situation can have inspired solutions. It takes only a few things: a client that is willing to be bold and a supplier with heart.


Barry LaBov
LaBov & Beyond
www.labov.com
LaBov Sales Channel
PB&J Newsletter

Brace for the next wave

We all want the recession to be over. And it may be. But we will still see companies fold even if the recession is in recovery.

There are numerous companies that have been holding on for dear life and may have run out of funds, they will vaporize. Other companies are realizing that they don't have a business model that is viable today and are shutting their doors. Others are surviving but are one misstep away from disaster; and if one client, for example, doesn't pay up, it could be all over.

This means we can't be complacent and we have to be more determined than ever to grow.

Barry LaBov
LaBov & Beyond
www.labov.com
LaBov Sales Channel
PB&J Newsletter

Hunger can be a beautiful thing

I was recently working with a newer client of ours and was so fired-up and excited that I had to stop for a second and ask why: Why was it so great to work this company? Was it because they were a new client or a new product for our company to learn? Were they friendlier? What was it?

I came to one conclusion about the client: They were hungry. This client wanted progress, it had been a tough recession for them. They needed fresh ideas and were ready to cooperate and partner with us to help them.

Maybe if this client had been doing great, they wouldn't have been so tremendous to work with, so appreciative of our ideas and willing to try them.

There's a world of difference between a client that is guarded and distant versus one that has its mind and arms wide open. The results are also drastically different, for all involved.

A hungry client like the one I'm describing will get their suppliers' best thinking--and is a supplier's dream to work with.


Barry LaBov
LaBov & Beyond
www.labov.com
LaBov Sales Channel
PB&J Newsletter

From an "Intent" Economy to a "Results" Economy

When a recession slams down an economy, it's felt in numerous ways. One affect that takes place is:

Moving from an Intents to a Results Economy

In a robust economy, all is forgiven if the intent was good or at least neutral. For example, a dealer is under-performing, not meeting the expectations of a manufacturer. If that dealer had good intentions and made an effort of some sort to follow the manufacturer's processes, then the dealer will survive. That dealer may be viewed as an under-performer, but they can continue on.

In an economy such as the one we're facing, intent is not enough. Results are what will guide the decision-making. So that same under-performing dealer will now be penalized or worse, cut-off from that manufacturer. Today it doesn't matter if you meant to do a poor job or not, it matters what the end results are.

This goes for all of us from manufacturers to dealers to suppliers as well as employees of all kinds. No matter if the intent is good.

Barry LaBov
President, LaBov & Beyond
www.labov.com
LaBov Sales Channel
PB&J Newsletter

Salesmanship is still woefully below expectations

Despite the recession and economic challenges out there, we are still seeing poor sales performances every day. It makes no sense, but in the bad times, customer service falls off.

The recession has probably bottomed out. People are a little more secure in the money they have to spend. Many of them of still waiting for that salesperson to call them back on that snowmobile, boat, car or washer/dryer.

Manufacturers that sell through dealerships need to revitalize their sales training and make it relevant for these times.

My company is working with a manufacturer on re-racking their sales approach to the dealers. Previously, the manufacturer has been relatively passive with the dealers as far as sales training goes. Those days are over.

It's time to train salespeople to sell based on these times, not on 2006 standards, which were the days of order-taking.


Barry LaBov
LaBov & Beyond
www.labov.com
LaBov Sales Channel
PB&J Newsletter

Whose Responsibility is Your Job?

When business is going strong, the issue is to figure out how to get it done. Today, often the question is, how do I stay busy?

I don't think it's entirely the employee's job to stay productive. After all, if there is little going on, how can the average employee generate his or her workload? They can't, usually. But they can do something about it.

I think the employer owes the employee opportunities--to make a good living, to do great work, and to be valuable.

The employee, especially today, needs to step up and play whatever role necessary to see that he or she gets opportunities, makes a living, does great work, and brings value.

That means the best employees think of themselves as generators.

Generators increase the odds of good things happening at a company. They come up with ideas, they create great relationships with clients, they volunteer for work, they make sure the company is living up to their promises.

All of the above is a lot harder than sitting around and waiting for your next order. But it's a lot more fun and meaningful and it dramatically increases your odds of having a great job, let alone staying employed.


Barry LaBov
LaBov & Beyond
www.labov.com
LaBov Sales Channel
PB&J Newsletter

Evil Profit

"I know what you're trying do! You're trying to make more profit, " said the employee to her boss. How dare he ask for accountability on a multi-million dollar project they were discussing!

I grew up listening to "All You Need is Love" and really thought if we could teach the world to sing about Coca Cola that somehow we'd be better off. But, if we don't watch out, profit will become a dirty word.

Profit is keeping companies in business, especially today when banks aren't going to extend a lot of cash to losing ventures.

Profit is being used to hire more people or give them a little more money.

Profit is affording us that cool new laptop or software program.

Profit is what we might call job security.

Profit gives us a chance to experiment, to try new ideas, to open that new office in Singapore, and to give to charities we believe in.

The more we turn profit into a dirty word, the less employment, the less charitable contributions, and the less our businesses buy the stuff that other businesses sell.

Love and singing about Coca Cola are great, but they won't pay our bills or keep our doors open.


Barry LaBov
LaBov & Beyond
www.labov.com
LaBov Sales Channel
PB&J Newsletter

A Company Within a Company

A manufacturer is troubled and confused, it can't seem to figure out what's going on. Sales are down, yet some dealers are doing great. Other dealers are doing terribly. How can it all be solved with a new process or initiative? The answer is: it can't.

A company of any size sometimes has a company or companies within it. The above manufacturer has a group of failing dealers that were down in sales and in customer service. That group needs to be isolated and focused on. They need to be dramatically improved or risk being eliminated.

There also is a group of "Steady Eddie" dealers that are status quo for the year. They need different focus. Maybe they need guidance on where to focus, maybe they need to set higher goals.

The manufacturer also has a small but aggressively growing group of dealers that with a little attention could move mountains. Again, you guessed it, they need a completely different approach. They need support and they need to feel the love from the manufacturer.

One size doesn't fit all, one program won't solve every issue, and all dealers aren't the same. We have to fight the temptation for a generic answer when we need specific approaches to the different situations or "companies" we deal with.

Barry LaBov
LaBov and Beyond
www.labov.com
LaBov Sales Channel
PB&J Newsletter

Forget about Perfect

I want to brag about some great customer treatment my company recently received. I'd love to tell you the name of the company, but I know they don't want their brand mentioned when it concerns a product quality problem. I disagree with that, but respect their position. So here goes--I'm still impressed with what they did and how they did it, and think there's a lot to learn.

We purchased a large-ticket product and have been happy with it. But over the years, we've attempted to repair a mysterious issue (malfunction) numerous times. The cause of the problem was elusive. The manufacturer stepped in and was tremendous.

They replaced the product temporarily for us and then went about to fix it. I was told our product was on the "Watch List"--the list of products or client issues that are reviewed by the top execs daily until they're are fixed. That made us feel special.

Well, it now seems the product is fixed and we're in great shape. Here's what I learned:

It's not if, but when, a product will break down. If a manufacturer is more than fair and jumps in to fix it and take care of the client, odds are, the relationship will not just survive, but flourish.

My employees who were involved with working with the manufacturer are now more loyal and excited about their brand than ever. Smart manufacturer, I wish I could tell you their name. But we can still learn from them.


Barry LaBov
LaBov & Beyond
www.labov.com
LaBov Sales Channel
PB&J Newsletter

What's Your Communication Mix?

The best salespeople, the best execs and the best social workers all have something in common: their communication mix.

They communicate in-person or on the phone when the message counts. If it's a tough discussion or one that is complex, it's done with another person whether they are five feet away or on a telephone.

The stuff that doesn't matter or is at least not delicate, complex or emotional-- that's done in the smartest, most-efficient way possible, including email, snailmail, voicemail, Facebook, etc.

The under-performers? They send the bad news through the mail, they leave a voicemail or they send a poorly worded email that copies in numerous people and is vague. That then leads to confusion or hard feelings or at best, miscommunication.

Leaders and other successful people realize we are in a relationship-based world and our decisions on how best to communicate is often as important as the message itself.

Barry LaBov
LaBov and Beyond
www.labov.com
LaBov Sales Channel
PB&J Newsletter

Facing Reality and Growing

My company, LaBov & Beyond Marketing Communications and Training, is experiencing a boom in new-client growth. We've seen more blue-chip new-client activity in the last year than in our last five years combined. Why?

I asked a new client and he told me, "A couple of years ago, we weren't happy with our supplier-partners but we didn't want to rock the boat, so we left things as they were. When the recession hit, we waited for things to go back to normal and as we all know, that's not happening. So now, we're facing the fact that we need to do more than rock the boat, we need to build a new boat."

There may not be more business going on due to the recession, but now there is more opportunity.

Barry LaBov
LaBov & Beyond
www.labov.com
LaBov Sales Channel
PB&J Newsletter

The Sign of a Good Communicator

Communication is not a game of quantity. The more emails you send, the more times you talk, and the more slides you have in your PowerPoint presentation have no bearing on your level of communication.

Here's a simple way to judge your skill:

If you send a message and it requires another message to clarify what you meant--that is not good.

If your message is sensitive, try the old-fashioned approach--do it in person. If it is not critical, the ideal is one message to the right person (not the world being copied in),that clearly states the situation, is good.

Barry LaBov
LaBov & Beyond
www.labov.com
LaBov Sales Channel
PB&J Newsletter

It Starts with One Person

The business world is filled with many of us playing hardball. People are digging in their heels. Companies are refusing to listen to customers. Manufacturers are demanding their dealers conform or else. Employees are pointing fingers at other departments.

When that happens, nothing good will come of it. It's not about who is 100% right or whose responsibility something should be or whether or not the customer had any role in an issue. It's about taking responsibility, ownership, and initiative.

It starts with one person doing it. Then great things can happen, breakthroughs can become reality. It doesn't start as we wait for the other side to completely change their position.

It starts with one person. Be that person.


Barry LaBov
LaBov & Beyond
www.labov.com
LaBov Sales Channel
PB&J Newsletter

Do it for the Right Reason

A dealership owner felt compassion for an employee of his and gave him a lavish gift. The employee was grateful, the owner felt good.

Shortly after, the employee quit and hired on at a competitive dealership two miles down the road.

Unfair? Maybe. Wrong? No.

We should do good things for the right reason, not to control or guilt someone to stay with us. This applies to customer relationships, too.

Do it for the right reason and if it's appreciated, great. If not, life isn't fair, but so what. You did it for the right reason.


Barry LaBov
LaBov & Beyond
www.labov.com
LaBov Sales Channel
PB&J Newsletter

How Much Can I Do?

How many units should a manufacturer expect they can sell? How many clients can a person or company or dealer be able to serve?

How much can we do/sell/make is an age-old question. As I become age-old, the answer has become clearer. I answer it with a question.

How much can you do/sell/make great? If you can only do two things, but do them great, that's your answer. Ditto for selling or making things. If you can make 15,000 units of the highest quality, but could make twice that amount with inferior workers or sub-standard parts. Your answer is still 15,000.

There is no long-term benefit to high quantity if you're constantly paying the price for the low-quality.

Barry LaBov
LaBov & Beyond
www.labov.com
LaBov Sales Channel
PB&J Newsletter

Time to Stop Thinking Like a CEO

I see it. I think anyone reading this blog sees it every day. Many of us don't want to get our hands dirty and "be in the trenches." We want to talk and act and give our views from 40,000 feet. We openly say that we "don't do the work" others do.

Supposedly the above description is that of a CEO, President or some kind of mogul. Truth is, I think few of us, even if we have the title of CEO or whatever, should have that mindset. Sure a little visionary thinking here or there is great. But it almost always comes down to the little things, the day-to-day things that make a good or bad difference.

It's intoxicating to think we're big thinkers, but our clients, our employees, our suppliers and our partners want personal attention, they want us to be "real" and connected to, not detached from, them.

If any of us are too important to think on behalf of a client or employee or too big to stoop down and pick up trash, then shame on us.

You've heard the saying, "the devil is in the details." The original saying was, "God is in the details."

The real meaning of what we do is indeed, in the details.

Barry LaBov
LaBov & Beyond
www.labov.com
LaBov Sales Channel
PB&J Newsletter

Trade Up in this Economy

Lose a customer or a supplier or a client or a dealer? In this economy, the answer is simple: trade up.

If you are a manufacturer and you lose a long-term dealer, look for a better one. One that is more aggressive, provides better service, etc.

If you're a company and you lose an employee, look for a better one, one with more initiative, more expertise, more passion.

If you're a supplier and lose a client, look for a better one, a more loyal, trusting one.

In this economy, there are plenty of opportunities to improve. No need to mourn or to compromise, something better is out there.

Barry LaBov
LaBov and Beyond
www.labov.com
LaBov Sales Channel
PB&J Newsletter

Ask as little (or as much) as you can demand

Manufacturers, in their quest for a high-performing dealer network, create numerous processes and policies they expect dealers to adhere to. In addition, they will also create and offer a number of programs to help the dealers sell more product or improve their operations.

The usual result is the dealers will not comply and the manufacturer will not hold the dealers accountable. The reason: too much is being asked for and in return, too little is being demanded.

Instead of having numerous policies and procedures that you do not enforce, do the opposite. Have only a few, but hold everyone to them.

This goes with employer-employee relations and in our family life. One of the reasons we end up with dozens of unenforced rules and regulations is because we don't hold everyone accountable to all of them, so we keep piling more of them on.

Ask little, but demand it.

Barry LaBov
LaBov and Beyond
www.labov.com
LaBov Sales Channel
PB&J Newsletter

Most Valuable--Being able to work alone and with a team

There is a lot of talk about being a team player in business and of course, who can argue with that? It's fantastic to be able to inspire others, to do what it takes to help the team, etc.

But keep in mind, the team also needs people to perform their jobs without the assistance of others. If it takes two or three people to do the job of one, that's not helping the team.

Ideally, a top performer can think on his/her own and be responsible for his/her job AND also be available to support and give feedback to the team members. That's a top performer.

If a person cannot perform without their team pushing them or holding them up, then that's not a team player, that's a team slayer.

Barry LaBov
President, LaBov & Beyond
www.labov.com
LaBov Sales Channel
PB&J Newsletter