Peter De Lange, Action Coach

Spring Clean and De-clutter Your Business This Spring!

peter@tipvest.co.za (Peter de Lange) — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 11:47:18 GMT

Its time to Spring Clean Your Business

We have all heard the term “Spring Cleaning”. This is the time of year when flowers are budding, birds are chirping, and warmer weather is rolling in. It’s a time when people purge their houses of dirt, dust, and debris…

Spring cleaning does not just apply to houses anymore. Businesses can also take advantage of this wonderful time of year to get organized and make improvements by spring cleaning their business.

So, Spring is the time to get your business on track for success!

Here are five key areas to focus on to thoroughly spring clean your business.

1. Declutter spaces & deep clean – This will help you establish a clean slate for your business. Looks at every area of your business from the customer’s perspective to see what they see. Spring cleaning your workspaces can make everyone feel refreshed and organized.

2. Freshen up & consolidate your marketing strategies– Ensure your customers are getting the most updated materials that best position your brand and business. Spend some time sprucing up your marketing strategies. You can freshen things up by: Researching new marketing trends, Investing in social media, Automating tasks (e.g., email marketing), Revisiting your brand, Analysing last year’s data

3. Review neglected areas – Where you have had limited resources in the past, is it time to reallocated resources or perhaps consider eliminating the area in your business that are not going to benefit you in the near future

4. Examine, reorganize, or consolidate your inventory – Ensure older or outdated inventory is handled correctly and that you have sufficiently forecasted inventory you will need in the future

5. Invest in yourself – Spring is a great time to invest in yourself. Attend a business workshop, Enrol in a business deployment program, explore getting a business coach. Remember your business can only grow to your level of knowledge and education.

Giving your business a good spring cleaning is a great way to ramp up the energy and realize more success.

The depth of your spring cleaning should be focused on improving customer experience, improving profits and continues learning.

If you are ready to spring clean your business this September register for my free online Business Accelerator workshop on Wednesday the 22 ^nd September from 10h30 to 12h00.

TO BOOK YOUR SEAT: Click HERE

Leading The Way - A Checklist for Building Strong Leadership

peter@tipvest.co.za (Peter de Lange) — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 12:48:03 GMT

ActionCoach, a global business coaching organisation, offers a valuable framework for developing strong leadership.

This article inspired by their insights, provides a checklist to help you hone your leadership skills and guide your team towards success.

Effective leadership is essential for any successful organization. It empowers individuals, fosters collaboration, and drives results. But what makes a great leader? While leadership styles can vary, there are core principles shared by strong leaders across the board.

Setting the Course:

Chart the Vision: A clear vision is the compass for your organization. Define your core values, mission, and goals, ensuring everyone understands the direction you're heading.

Communicate with Clarity: Effectively communicate your vision to ensure everyone is aligned and motivated.

Investing in Growth:

Sharpen Your Saw: Great leaders continually learn and improve. Invest in your personal development, exploring leadership resources and honing your skills. Empower Your Team by delegating effectively, trusting your team members to take ownership and make decisions.

Building a Strong Team:

Foster a Supportive Culture: Create a positive and collaborative work environment where everyone feels valued and respected.

Recognize and Celebrate: Acknowledge and celebrate individual and team achievements to boost morale and motivation.

Open Communication is Key: Maintain open and honest communication, fostering trust and creating a safe space for dialogue.

Embrace Change and Innovation:

Be open to new ideas and willing to adapt to overcome challenges.

Set Measurable Goals: Establish clear, measurable goals and track progress towards them, holding yourself and your team accountable.

Learn from Setbacks: View challenges as opportunities for growth and learning, allowing setbacks to propel you forward.

Taking the Next Step:

This checklist serves as a starting point for your leadership journey. Remember, every leader and organization is unique, so adapt these principles to your specific context and needs.

ActionCOACH Peter De Lange, offers a wealth of resources, including this website and blog, to further your leadership development.

By actively working on these areas, you can build your leadership skills and guide your team towards achieving its full potential.

The Importance of Productivity in an organisation.

peter@tipvest.co.za (Peter de Lange) — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 12:18:20 GMT

Productivity is an Essential Component for your business to succeed

High productivity is essential for any organization to achieve its goals and objectives.

It brings several benefits, including:

· Increased output: More work gets done in less time.

· Improved efficiency: Resources are used effectively, minimizing waste.

· Better quality work: Accuracy and attention to detail are emphasized.

· Greater collaboration and innovation: Teams work together to develop creative solutions.

· Increased job satisfaction: Employees feel accomplished and valued.

· Defining Roles and Expectations

Clearly defined roles and expectations are crucial for a well-functioning organization. When everyone understands their responsibilities and how their work contributes to the bigger picture, they can focus better and achieve greater success.

Here are three practical tips to boost business productivity:

Tip 1: Set SMART Goals

Understand individual and team goals: Begin by having a clear understanding of what each team member and the overall team want to achieve. Use the concept of SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) to create a set of six measurable goals for everyone.

Identify tasks and responsibilities: Once goals are established, it's easier to pinpoint the specific tasks and responsibilities each member needs to handle. For instance, a goal to increase sales might involve assigning tasks for lead generation, closing deals, and customer relationship management.

Tip 2: Implement Daily Action Lists

Prioritize tasks: Encourage team members to use a daily action list to identify what needs to be done, delegate tasks if possible, and prioritize the most important tasks (often referred to as "eating the frog" first).

Plan for the next day: It's recommended to complete the daily action list for the following day by the end of the current workday and share it on a platform like your WhatsApp group for transparency and accountability.

Tip 3: Conduct Weekly LION Reviews

Review performance: Implement a weekly LION list (Last Week, Issues, Opportunities, Next Week) in conjunction with your team meetings. This allows members to review their performance from the previous week, identify any challenges, discuss opportunities for improvement, and set goals for the upcoming week.

By consistently following this structure, you can foster a sense of value and motivation within your business, leading to increased productivity and ownership of work.

Need more productivity in your business: Book a FREE Call with me and I will help you get your team back on the productivity track.

We would be privileged to discuss your business productivity with you.

Effective Communication Skills to Apply in Your Business

Sun, 19 May 2024 19:26:21 GMT

ActionCoach provides practical, effective communication tips for professionals and business owners

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Enhancing your Business' Customer Relationship Management Strategies

peter@tipvest.co.za (Peter de Lange) — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 09:54:01 GMT

Brought to you by ActionCOACH

In today's competitive marketplace, the way businesses manage their relationships with customers can be the difference between success and failure. Johannesburg's top business coaches, led by the experienced team at ActionCOACH, have developed cutting-edge customer relationship management (CRM) strategies that not only retain customers but also turn them into passionate advocates for your brand.

Key Takeaways:

Learn effective Customer Relationship Management strategies that work.
Understand how to apply these strategies in your business.
See real results from improved customer relationships.

The Importance of Effective Customer Relationship Management

1. Building Stronger Connections

CRM isn't just about managing customers; it's about building a relationship with them. This means understanding their needs, addressing their concerns promptly, and making them feel valued every step of the way.

Strategies for Success

Personalization is Key

Use customer data to personalize interactions.
Tailor your products and services to meet their needs.

Effective Communication

Keep in touch with customers through their preferred channels.
Provide timely and relevant updates about products and services.

Feedback Loops

Encourage and act on customer feedback.
Use it to improve your products and services continuously.

Leveraging Technology

Implement CRM software that fits your business needs.
Use technology to streamline customer interactions and data management.

Training Your Team

Educate your team on the importance of customer relationships.
Provide training on how to use CRM tools effectively.

2. ActionCOACH's Approach to CRM

Customized Solutions

Every business is unique, and so are its customers. ActionCOACH emphasizes the importance of creating customized CRM strategies that reflect your business's values and meet your customers' expectations.

Continuous Improvement

CRM is not a one-time effort but a continuous process of improvement. ActionCOACH coaches businesses on setting up systems that evolve with their customers' changing needs.

Real Results

Increased customer satisfaction
Higher retention rates
Improved sales from repeat customers

3. How To Get Started with CRM in Your Business

Assessment

Evaluate your current CRM processes.
Identify areas for improvement.

Strategy Development

Work with ActionCOACH to develop a comprehensive CRM strategy.
Focus on actionable steps that can be implemented immediately.

Implementation

Put your CRM strategy into action.
Monitor progress and make adjustments as needed.

Feedback and Adjustment

Gather feedback from customers and your team.
Use insights to refine your CRM approach.

Why Choose ActionCOACH

Choosing ActionCOACH for your CRM strategy needs means partnering with a team that has a proven track record of transforming customer relationships and driving business growth. With personalized coaching and actionable strategies, ActionCOACH helps businesses in Johannesburg and beyond create meaningful connections with their customers.

To take the first step towards enhancing your customer relationships with effective CRM strategies, reach out to ActionCOACH. Let us show you how to turn your customers into your biggest fans.

Send an email to peterdelange@actioncoach.com to get started with effective CRM strategies, systems and tools in your business

The Foundation of Effective Team Building

peter@tipvest.co.za (Peter de Lange) — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 09:53:56 GMT

Building and managing a successful team is a crucial aspect of business leadership. ActionCOACH, a leading business coaching firm in Johannesburg , offers valuable insights into creating teams that are not only effective but also motivated and cohesive.

The Foundation of Effective Team Building

Before diving into team building strategies, it's important to understand the foundation:

Clear Objectives: Establishing clear goals for the team.
Diverse Skills: Combining different skills and personalities.
Open Communication: Encouraging honest and open dialogue.

Strategies for Team Building

ActionCOACH emphasizes several key strategies for building a strong team:

Encouraging Collaboration

Foster an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing ideas.
Use collaborative tools and techniques to enhance teamwork.

Developing Trust

Build trust through transparency and reliability.
Engage in team-building activities that strengthen relationships.

Recognizing Individual Strengths

Identify and utilize the unique strengths of each team member.
Tailor roles and responsibilities to match individual skills.

Effective Team Management Techniques

Once a team is built, managing it effectively is the next step:

Setting Clear Expectations

Clearly communicate goals and expectations.
Provide regular feedback and guidance.

Empowering Team Members

Empower team members to take ownership of their tasks.
Encourage decision-making and problem-solving within the team.

Maintaining Team Morale

Recognize and reward team achievements.
Address conflicts promptly and fairly.

Overcoming Common Team Challenges

Even the best teams face challenges. Here’s how ActionCOACH advises to tackle them:

Conflict Resolution: Develop strategies to manage and resolve conflicts.
Adapting to Change: Equip the team to handle changes in the business environment.
Balancing Workloads: Ensure fair distribution of tasks and responsibilities.

The Role of Leadership in Team Success

Effective leadership is key to successful team management:

Lead by Example: Demonstrate the behaviors and attitudes you expect from your team.
Continuous Learning: Stay informed about the latest leadership and management trends.

Building High-Performing Teams

To build a high-performing team, focus on:

Continuous Improvement: Encourage ongoing learning and development.
Performance Metrics: Use KPIs to measure and improve team performance.

Creating a Positive Team Culture

A positive team culture is vital for long-term success:

Inclusive Environment: Create a workspace where all team members feel valued.
Team Bonding: Regular team-building activities to strengthen bonds.

Monitoring and Evaluating Team Performance

Regular monitoring and evaluation help in:

Identifying Areas for Improvement: Pinpointing weaknesses and areas for development.
Adjusting Strategies: Making changes to team strategies as needed.

Tools and Resources for Team Management

Leverage tools and resources for better management:

Project Management Software: Tools like Asana or Trello for task management.
Training Workshops: Workshops and seminars for skill development.

Tips for New Managers

For new managers, here are some tips:

Seek Mentorship: Learn from experienced leaders or coaches.
Be Open to Feedback: Welcome constructive feedback from your team and peers.

ActionCOACH’s Impact on Team Development

ActionCOACH has helped numerous businesses in Johannesburg in:

Developing Effective Teams: Through tailored coaching and workshops.
Enhancing Leadership Skills: Equipping leaders with the tools to manage teams effectively.

In summary, building and managing a successful team requires a combination of clear objectives, effective communication, trust, and strong leadership. ActionCOACH provides the guidance and tools necessary for businesses to create and manage teams that are not only productive but also motivated and cohesive. By implementing these strategies, businesses can foster a positive work environment and drive success.

Innovative Business Strategies to Grow Your Business

peter@tipvest.co.za (Peter de Lange) — Sun, 07 Apr 2024 17:58:56 GMT

Discover new business strategies from Johannesburg's top coaches and understand how to apply these strategies to your business for maximum impact.

Introduction to Cutting-Edge Business Tactics

Johannesburg, a vibrant hub of commerce and innovation, is home to some of the most forward-thinking business coaches. In this post, we'll delve into the latest strategies that these experts from ActionCOACH are advocating. These insights are not just theoretical; they are practical, proven methods that have propelled local businesses to new heights.

Strategies for Sustainable Growth

1.Harnessing Digital Transformation

Embrace technology to streamline operations.
Utilize digital marketing to reach a wider audience.

2. Building Strong Customer Relationships

Focus on customer experience to foster loyalty.
Personalize interactions and services.

3. Innovative Leadership Approaches

Develop a growth mindset within your team.
Encourage creative problem-solving and innovation.

The Pillars of Success in Johannesburg's Market

Understanding Local Dynamics

Johannesburg's market is unique. It's essential to understand the local consumer behaviour and tailor strategies accordingly.

Adapting to Change

The ability to adapt quickly to market changes is crucial. Stay informed about global trends and how they impact the local business environment.

Essential Skills for Modern Entrepreneurs

Effective Communication

Clear, concise communication is key.
Foster an environment where ideas are freely shared.

Financial Acumen

Understand basic financial principles.
Make informed decisions based on financial data.

Strategic Planning

Set clear, achievable goals.
Develop a flexible, adaptable business plan.

Leveraging Resources for Maximum Impact

- Utilizing Local Networks

- Engage with local business communities and leverage their knowledge and resources.

- Investing in Continuous Learning

- Always be open to learning. Attend workshops, seminars, and courses offered by ActionCOACH to stay ahead.

Action Steps to Propel Your Business Forward

Conduct a digital audit of your business.
Implement one new customer service initiative.
Attend a leadership workshop.

Staying Ahead of the Curve

Keep exploring and experimenting with new ideas. Remember, the business landscape is ever-evolving, and so should your strategies. By applying these innovative approaches from Johannesburg's top coaches, you're not just surviving; you're thriving in the competitive world of business.

Conclusion

ActionCOACH is a global leader in business coaching and education, offering programs in marketing, sales, Management, leadership, systems, finance, and more. It's time to seize control, eliminate chaos, and work toward realizing your vision for yourself and your business.

Are you ready for this transformation? If so, reach out to me today.

I'll be there with you every step of the way because I understand what it takes to succeed in this ever-changing business world.

A Winning Guide to Crafting Your Elevator Pitch

peter@tipvest.co.za (Peter de Lange) — Sun, 07 Apr 2024 17:46:58 GMT

Attend the next networking event with confidence with our winning Elevator Pitch.

A key part of being a successful businessperson is networking and engaging with people about your business' unique product or service offering. It is therefore very important to craft a compelling elevator pitch that grabs attention and properly explains with your value proposition.

Here is a quick guide.

1. Attention Grabber:

Start with a hook that piques interest, like a relevant statistic, question, or intriguing statement related to your field or the other person's industry.

Example: "Did you know that 70% of new business comes from referrals?"

2. Briefly Introduce Yourself:

State your name and title in a clear and concise manner.

Example: "I'm [Your Name], a [Your Title] at [Your Company]."

3. Explain Your Value Proposition:

Highlight what you do and the value you offer in a way that resonates with the listener.

Example: "I help businesses like yours [achieve specific benefit] by [mention your key service or expertise]."

4. Call to Action:

End with a clear call to action, such as inviting them to connect on LinkedIn, schedule a call, or learn more about your services.

Example: "I'd love to connect on LinkedIn and learn more about your work."

Tips:

Keep it concise: Aim for 30-60 seconds.
Practice and refine: Speak naturally and confidently.
Tailor your pitch: Adapt it to each conversation and the other person's interests.
Focus on benefits, not features: Explain how your work helps others.
Be enthusiastic and passionate: Show your genuine interest in what you do.

By filling in this template and practicing your delivery, you can craft a compelling elevator pitch that leaves a lasting impression.

The Power of Building Ultra High Performing Managers

peter@tipvest.co.za (Peter de Lange) — Thu, 21 Mar 2024 21:40:23 GMT

Do you dream of a team humming with productivity, fuelled by motivated and empowered employees?If so, cultivating Ultra High Performing Managers (UHPMs) within your organization is the key.

But how do you identify a UHPM?

Here are four critical questions to consider:

Frustrated Directionless Team: Are you frustrated with a team that lacks direction and struggles to meet goals? UHPMs excel at setting clear vision, empowering teams, and driving results.
Delegation and Ownership: Do your current managers struggle to effectively delegate tasks and empower their teams to take ownership? UHPMs foster accountability and responsibility, allowing their teams to shine.
Overwhelmed Managers: Do your managers feel constantly overwhelmed and bogged down by administrative tasks, leaving them with little time to coach and inspire? UHPMs are masters of time management, freeing themselves for impactful leadership.
Time Management Woes: Do your managers use phrases like "I don't have time" or "It's easier for me to do it"? UHPMs prioritize effectively, delegate efficiently, and free up space for the most impactful activities.

What does an Ultra High Performing Manager look like?

UHPMs go beyond just giving orders. They are:

Time Management Masters: They employ strategies for delegation, prioritization, and freeing up space for impactful activities.
Accountability Champions: They foster a sense of accountability and responsibility, allowing their teams to thrive.
Visionary Communicators: They bridge the gap between company vision and daily work, ensuring everyone understands how they contribute to the bigger picture.

The Secret Sauce of UHPMs: The Four Qs

These exceptional leaders leverage a combination of four intelligences:

Innate Intelligence (IQ): Natural cognitive abilities.
Acquired Intelligence (AQ): Learned knowledge and skills.
Technological Intelligence (TQ): Understanding and applying technology effectively.
Emotional Intelligence (EQ): Understanding and managing emotions, fostering trust and empathy.

Unlocking the Potential of Your Teams

The ActionCOACH 12-Week Management Education and Coaching Master Class provides a powerful framework for transforming your managers into UHPMs.

Ready to build a thriving work environment with a high-performing team?

The ActionCOACH 12-Week Management Education and Coaching Master Class can help you achieve just that. This program equips your managers with the skills and strategies they need to become UHPMs, leading to a range of benefits:

Increased Productivity and Performance: With clear goals, strong motivation, and a supportive manager, teams achieve more.
Improved Employee Engagement and Retention: When employees feel valued and empowered, they're more likely to stay engaged and contribute their best.
Enhanced Innovation and Problem-Solving: UHPMs foster an environment where creativity flourishes, leading to innovative solutions.

The ActionCOACH 12-Week Management Master Class equips your managers with the tools and strategies they need to become UHPMs.

Want to know more?

Email me at peterdelange@actioncoach.com

Investing in your managers is an investment in the future of your organization. Take the first step towards building a high-performing team today!

Embracing Change

peter@tipvest.co.za (Peter de Lange) — Wed, 27 Sep 2023 07:17:26 GMT

The Lifelong Learning Journey for Business Success

In today's ever-evolving business landscape, the saying "businesses that stand still are left behind" rings truer than ever before. We witness it daily. Business owners and leaders must recognize that to thrive, they must continuously adapt, innovate, and learn. In this blog, we'll delve into why continuous learning is not merely an option but an absolute necessity for business owners and leaders.

Taking Back Control

In a rapidly changing environment, one of the fundamental keys to building a great business is regaining control of your business and life. It all begins with a thorough reassessment of your goals and vision. If you lack a clear direction, how can you expect to reach your destination?

Start by crafting a solid vision and setting ambitious goals that challenge your comfort zone and question your beliefs. Continuous learning propels business owners and leaders up the ladder of knowledge, equipping them with the tools and beliefs necessary to develop a successful plan.

Leverage

With business demands growing, business owners and leaders must find ways to achieve more with less. Leverage can take various forms, but one of the most powerful methods is through effective systems. These systems not only save you and your team time, money, and frustration but also allow your business to operate effectively even in your absence. Continuous learning about leverage enables you to structure your business for autonomy.

Customers

Competition in today's market is intense. Repeating the same actions while expecting different results is a recipe for failure. To remain competitive, business owners and leaders must continually enhance their skills to understand the ever-changing needs of their target market.

Growth is achieved by building strong relationships with your target audience. Always remember that people buy from people.

Building an Effective Team

Learning how to build a high-performance team is vital in the current business environment. Business owners and leaders often feel the weight of the world on their shoulders as everyone looks to them for guidance and solutions. A high-performance team's role is to support business owners and leaders, allowing them to focus on the strategic aspects of their business rather than day-to-day operations.

Understanding Finances

Financial literacy is crucial for any business owner or leader. Your finances serve as the dashboard of your business, much like the dashboard in your car. They provide critical insights into your business's performance, offering timely information and warning signs that empower you to ask the right questions at the right time.

Building a Culture of Learning

Leaders set the tone for their organizations. When business owners and leaders prioritize learning, they inspire their teams to follow suit. A culture of learning fosters employee growth and motivation, resulting in heightened productivity and overall improved organizational performance.

Embracing Change

In a world where change is constant, a commitment to continuous learning becomes your guiding light through the turbulent seas of business. It's not just a means of survival; it's the secret to thriving. Whether you choose to embark on one of our programs or explore other avenues of learning, remember that the pursuit of knowledge is an investment in your business's success and your personal growth as a leader. Embrace lifelong learning, and you'll find yourself better equipped to face any challenge that comes your way.

Conclusion

ActionCOACH is a global leader in business coaching and education, offering programs in marketing, sales, leadership, time management, systems, finance, and more. It's time to seize control, eliminate chaos, and work toward realizing your vision for yourself and your business.

Are you ready for this transformation? If so, reach out to me today.

I'll be there with you every step of the way because I understand what it takes to succeed in this ever-changing business world.

SALES IS THE LIFE BLOOD OF AN ORGANIZATION: Empowering Sales Teams for Success

peter@tipvest.co.za (Peter de Lange) — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 10:38:34 GMT

SALES IS THE LIFE BLOOD OF AN ORGANIZATION: Empowering Sales Teams for Success

Introduction:

In our previous blogs, we explored the significance of humanizing the sales process and building a business with a heart. Today, we delve into a critical aspect of any thriving organization - the sales teams. Sales truly are the lifeblood of a company, driving revenue, growth, and customer satisfaction. Empowering your sales teams with the right tools, training, and support is crucial for achieving success. In this blog, we will highlight the value of training your team and invite you to join our Sales Mastery Workshop for a transformative experience. Click here for more information.

The Vital Role of Sales Teams in an Organization:

Sales teams play a pivotal role in an organization's success. They are the frontline ambassadors who interact directly with customers, representing your brand and its values. A well-trained and motivated sales team can make a significant impact on your business. They have the power to nurture leads, build strong relationships, address customer concerns, and ultimately drive conversions.

The Power of Empowering Sales Teams :

Empowering your sales teams involves more than just providing them with product knowledge. It's about equipping them with the skills, confidence, and resources to excel in their roles. Effective training enhances their ability to understand customer needs, overcome objections, and close deals. Continuous training also helps sales teams stay up-to-date with market trends, customer preferences, and the latest sales techniques.

Fostering a Culture of Excellence:

A culture of excellence begins with investing in your sales team's development. When team members feel valued and supported, they are more likely to be motivated and enthusiastic about their work. Offer coaching, mentorship, and opportunities for personal growth. Recognize and reward achievements, and create an environment that encourages open communication and collaboration.

Embracing Continuous Improvement:

Sales teams operate in a dynamic and ever-changing market. Embracing a culture of continuous improvement is vital for staying ahead of the competition. Regularly assess the performance of your sales team, gather feedback, and use data to identify areas for improvement. Encourage a growth mindset that embraces challenges as opportunities to learn and evolve.

The Value of Training Your Team:

Investing in training for your sales team yields several tangible benefits:

Improved Performance: Proper training enhances the sales team's skills and knowledge, leading to increased sales and revenue.
Enhanced Customer Satisfaction: A well-trained team can deliver personalized and exceptional customer experiences, fostering loyalty and positive word-of-mouth referrals.
Reduced staff Turnover: Offering training and growth opportunities shows your team that you value their professional development, leading to higher retention rates.
Adaptability to Market Changes: Continuous training helps your team stay informed about industry trends and adapt to market changes quickly.

Attend Our Sales Mastery Workshop:

To experience firsthand the power of empowering your sales team, join us for our Sales Mastery Workshop on Wednesday, the 23rd of August 2023, at the OR Tambo Radisson Hotel and Conventions Centre. This exclusive workshop is designed to elevate your sales team's performance and transform their approach to selling.

Our expert speakers will share proven strategies, best practices, and practical tools that will empower your sales team to excel. From customer-centric selling and effective communication to closing techniques and leveraging technology, our workshop covers it all.

Click here for more information and to secure your spot at our Sales Mastery Workshop. Don't miss this opportunity to unlock your team's potential and elevate your organization's sales performance.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, sales truly are the lifeblood of an organization. Empowering your sales teams through training, support, and a culture of excellence is crucial for achieving success and driving growth. Embrace continuous improvement and invest in your team's development to stay ahead in a competitive market.

Join us at our Sales Mastery Workshop on the 23rd of August 2023, and together, we will unlock the true potential of your sales team. Click here for more information and to secure your spot. Let's elevate your organization's sales success to new heights!

Building a Business with Heart

peter@tipvest.co.za (Peter de Lange) — Tue, 04 Jul 2023 09:18:02 GMT

Building a Business with Heart

In a post-pandemic world driven by digital communication, automation, and AI, the personal touch often feels lost. Customer sales experiences have become a series of standardized emails, automated responses, scripted virtual assistants, and programmed chatbots. Genuine interactions with a 'real person' have become a rarity, causing the personal touch to fade away. However, businesses must understand that customers crave human connection and personalized experiences.

Consider some surprising statistics summarized by SmartHQ in a previous post:

An astounding 80% of customers are more likely to purchase from a brand that provides personalized experiences.

On average, 71% of consumers feel frustrated when their shopping experience lacks a personal touch.

A concerning 63% of consumers stop purchasing from companies that poorly execute personalization.

Personalization can reduce acquisition costs by up to 50%, lift revenues by 5-15%, and increase marketing spend efficiency by 10-30%.

To ensure business growth, it is crucial to prioritize improving the customer experience through relevant and effective personalization. In a world with endless options, staying at the forefront of customers' minds is essential. While initial concerns about the cost of changes to marketing and sales operations may arise, it's essential to consider the long-term value of customers who feel cared for and catered to. Investing in providing a personal touch is an investment in customer loyalty and free word-of-mouth advertising.

Adding a human touch to the sales and marketing process, both in person and online, requires a reevaluation of current strategies. Put yourself in the customer's shoes and avoid making excuses for the lack of humanity. Instead, personalize sales interactions, build trust and strengthen relationships with customers and prospects, take the time to understand their unique circumstances, demonstrate empathy, and offer tailored solutions.

On social media, focus on engaging rather than pushing products. Respond to posts, ask thought-provoking questions, and initiate conversations. The unfiltered feedback from customers can be a powerful tool. Listening to customer comments on platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn can lead to numerous improvements in the customer experience.

Now, let's consider the importance of in-person sales. While digital communication has its advantages, face-to-face interactions offer a unique opportunity to humanize the sales process. Meeting customers in person allows for a deeper connection and a better understanding of their needs and preferences. It provides an opportunity to showcase the human side of your business, building trust and loyalty.

Here are some strategies to humanize your business and improve the customer experience, both in person and online:

Incorporate photos of real people in your marketing materials to showcase the human element of your business.
Balance your online presence by showcasing both your playful and professional sides, creating an authentic and relatable brand image.
Take the time to genuinely engage in conversation, listening more than you speak.
Ask open-ended questions to understand the specific needs and pain points of your customers.
Be well-versed in your products and/or services, clearly communicating the value and benefits they offer, and highlighting how they align with the customer's needs.
Be prepared with persuasive responses and solutions to objections, alleviating doubts, empathizing with concerns, and providing clear and concise explanations to overcome objections.
Ask for the sale, clearly outlining the next steps and reinforcing the value proposition.
After the sale, continue to nurture the relationship with your customers.
Write personal correspondence to demonstrate genuine care and appreciation whenever possible.
Reward loyalty with welcome packs, loyalty programs, and access to your inner circle, creating a sense of belonging and making customers feel valued and appreciated.

It is evident that in today's rapidly evolving business landscape, re-educating your sales team is more important than ever.

In conclusion , by re-educating your sales team and prioritizing relevant and effective personalization, you can ensure business growth in a world with endless options. Investing in providing a personal touch is an investment in customer loyalty and free word-of-mouth advertising. So, take the necessary steps to humanize your business, both in person and online, and let the power of personalization guide you towards long-term success.

If you have found value in this article here are some next steps you should consider:

Subscribe to this Newsletter by clicking HERE. https://www.peterdelange.co.za
If you desire to take your business and team to the next level of performance, email me at peterdelange@actioncoach.com and lets will book your Introductory Call.
Request more information: https://www.peterdelange.co.za/contact
Connect with me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-de-lange-actioncoach/

If you know someone who might bet value from this Blog. Please share it with them.

Peter de Lange

Unlocking Success: The Importance of Attending a Business Mastery Program like ActionCLUB from ActionCOACH

peter@tipvest.co.za (Peter de Lange) — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 12:33:06 GMT

Unlocking Success: The Importance of Attending a Business Mastery Program like ActionCLUB from ActionCOACH

In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, staying ahead of the competition and achieving sustainable success can be challenging. As an entrepreneur or business owner, it is crucial to constantly expand your knowledge, hone your skills, and embrace new strategies to drive growth. This is where business mastery programs like ActionCLUB from ActionCOACH come into play. In this blog, we will explore the significance of attending a program like ActionCLUB and how it can propel your business to new heights.

Gaining Expert Insights: One of the primary advantages of attending a business mastery program like ActionCLUB is the access to expert insights and guidance. ActionCOACH, with its extensive experience in coaching and mentoring entrepreneurs, provides a wealth of knowledge that can transform the way you approach your business. The program offers a structured curriculum designed to tackle common challenges faced by business owners, covering various aspects such as marketing, sales, systems, team building, and leadership. The expert coaches share their wisdom and real-world experiences, giving you the tools to overcome obstacles and seize opportunities.

Learning Proven Strategies: Business mastery programs like ActionCLUB are built on proven strategies that have helped numerous businesses thrive. These programs focus on practical, actionable techniques that can be implemented immediately, ensuring tangible results. Through workshops, seminars, and interactive sessions, you'll learn about the best practices that can be applied to your specific industry or niche. By adopting these strategies, you can streamline your operations, enhance customer satisfaction, and increase your bottom line. The collective knowledge gained from successful business leaders and industry experts is invaluable for refining your approach and achieving sustainable growth.

Networking and Collaboration: Attending a business mastery program like ActionCLUB provides an excellent opportunity to network and collaborate with like-minded individuals. Interacting with fellow business owners and entrepreneurs allows you to exchange ideas, share experiences, and learn from each other's successes and failures. The connections made during these programs can lead to potential partnerships, joint ventures, or mentorship opportunities, fostering a supportive ecosystem where you can grow together. Building a strong network is essential in today's business world, and these programs provide a conducive environment to foster meaningful relationships.

Accountability and Continuous Improvement: Running a business can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially when you're solely responsible for decision-making. A business mastery program like ActionCLUB instills a sense of accountability and discipline. The program guides you to set goals, measure progress, and holds you accountable for achieving your objectives. Moreover, it provides a structure for ongoing learning and improvement. By attending regular sessions, you are motivated to stay focused on your goals and take consistent action to achieve them. The program's ongoing support and mentorship ensure that you are continually refining your skills and staying ahead of the curve.

Unleashing Your Full Potential: Ultimately, attending a business mastery program empowers you to unleash your full potential as a business owner. It equips you with the knowledge, skills, and mindset necessary to overcome challenges, maximize opportunities, and create a thriving enterprise. The program helps you identify and leverage your strengths while addressing your weaknesses. It fosters a growth mindset that encourages innovation and adaptability, enabling you to navigate the dynamic business landscape with confidence.

Attending a business mastery program like ActionCLUB from ActionCOACH is a transformative experience that can propel your business to unprecedented heights. By gaining expert insights, learning proven strategies, networking with peers, embracing accountability, and unleashing your full potential, you are equipped with the tools to overcome challenges and achieve long-term success. Investing in your personal and professional growth through a business mastery program is a worthwhile endeavour that can yield remarkable returns for you and your business.

Click on the link below to find out more about ActionCLUB

Creating wealth from your business

peter@tipvest.co.za (Peter de Lange) — Thu, 04 May 2023 09:33:26 GMT

Creating wealth from your business

Creating wealth from your business is a multi-faceted task that requires a combination of strategies and investments. In this blog post, we'll explore some key approaches you can take to create long-term wealth and success in your business, including both business-focused strategies and personal investments in yourself.

Business Strategies for Creating Wealth:

1. Start with a solid business plan: To create wealth from your business, you need a solid plan. This should include a realistic budget, clear goals, and strategies for achieving those goals.

2. Focus on profitability: To increase profitability, you may need to adjust your pricing, reduce expenses, or find new ways to market your products or services.

3. Build a strong brand: A strong brand can help you differentiate your products or services, build a loyal customer base, and stand out from your competitors.

4. Develop multiple streams of income: Diversifying your revenue streams can help you generate more income and reduce your reliance on any one source of revenue.

5. Invest in your business: Investing in your business can help you grow more quickly and generate more profits over the long-term. This may involve hiring staff, purchasing equipment, or expanding your marketing efforts.

6. Plan for the future: Planning for the future can help you anticipate challenges, identify opportunities for growth, and ensure the long-term success of your business.

Personal Investments for Creating Wealth:

1. Continuous learning: Continuous learning is an important way to invest in yourself and improve your skills and knowledge as an entrepreneur. This could include taking courses, attending seminars or workshops, reading books, or hiring a mentor or coach.

2. Networking: Building a strong network of contacts is another important way to invest in yourself. By connecting with other successful entrepreneurs and professionals, you can gain valuable insights and support that can help you grow your business more successfully.

3. Health and wellness: Taking care of your physical and mental health is critical for maintaining the energy and focus you need to be successful as an entrepreneur. This could involve exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, and practicing mindfulness or meditation.

4. Time management: Learning effective time management strategies can help you be more productive and efficient in your work. By prioritizing your tasks, delegating responsibilities, and setting clear goals and deadlines, you can achieve more in less time.

5. Personal development: Finally, investing in your personal development can help you become a more well-rounded and self-aware entrepreneur. This could involve working on your mindset, developing your emotional intelligence, or improving your communication skills.

Creating wealth from your business requires a combination of strategies and investments, both in your business and in yourself. By focusing on profitability, building a strong brand, developing multiple streams of income, investing in your business, planning for the future, and investing in your personal growth, you can build a successful and sustainable business that generates long-term wealth and success.

In addition to the tips mentioned above, attending a business accelerator workshop can be a great way to learn more about Creating wealth from your business. That’s why I’d like to invite you to attend one of my free business workshops.

At the workshop, you’ll have the opportunity to network with other business owners, learn from experts in the field, and gain practical insights that you can apply to your own business. Don’t miss this chance to take your business to the next level.

To reserve your spot, click on the button below:

Having the right team is one of the most crucial elements of running a successful business

peter@tipvest.co.za (Peter de Lange) — Tue, 28 Mar 2023 14:53:32 GMT

Having the right team is one of the most crucial elements of running a successful business.

Without a winning team that is skilled, motivated, and passionate, it can be challenging to achieve your company's goals and objectives. Today we'll explore why having the right team is essential for a business's success and how you can build and maintain a strong team.

Why is having the right team essential?

Having the right team is essential for a business's success for several reasons. Here are some of the key benefits:

1. Increased productivity and efficiency

When you have a team that is well-organized, skilled, and motivated, they can work together to achieve common goals. This collaboration can lead to increased productivity and efficiency, as everyone is working towards the same objectives.

2. Improved creativity and innovation

Having a team with diverse skills, backgrounds, and experiences can lead to improved creativity and innovation. Different perspectives can lead to new ideas and approaches, which can help a business stay ahead of its competition.

3. Better decision-making

When a team is made up of individuals with different strengths and expertise, they can work together to make better decisions. This can help a business to make informed decisions based on a range of perspectives and insights.

4. Increased job satisfaction and employee retention

When employees feel like they are part of a strong team, they are more likely to be satisfied with their jobs and stay with the company longer. This can reduce turnover and help a business to retain its best employees.

How to build the right team?

Building the right team takes time and effort, but it's worth it in the end. Here are some steps you can take to build the right team for your business:

1. Define your needs

Before you start building your team, you need to define your needs. What roles do you need to fill? What skills and expertise are essential? What kind of team dynamic do you want to create? Answering these questions can help you to identify the types of individuals you need on your team.

2. Develop a recruitment strategy

Once you have defined your needs, you need to develop a recruitment strategy. This can involve advertising job openings, working with recruiters, or reaching out to your professional network. Be sure to attract candidates who have the right skills and experience, as well as a passion for your industry.

3. Conduct interviews

Interviews are a critical part of the recruitment process. They give you a chance to get to know candidates and determine whether they are a good fit for your team. When interviewing candidates, ask questions that help you to understand their skills, experience, and work style.

4. Check references

Checking references is an essential part of the recruitment process. It can give you insight into a candidate's work ethic, skills, and experience. Be sure to contact references and ask specific questions about the candidate's performance.

5. Psychometric testing

Incorporating psychometric testing into the recruitment process can provide valuable insights into a candidate's personality, cognitive abilities, and work style. These tests can help to assess a candidate's potential job performance, as well as their fit within the team and the company culture. By utilizing psychometric testing, you can make more informed hiring decisions and build a team that is not only skilled and experienced but also well-suited for the roles and the company's goals.

6. Provide training and development opportunities

Once you have hired your team, it's essential to provide training and development opportunities. This can help your team members to improve their skills, stay up-to-date with industry trends, and take on new responsibilities. Providing training and development can also increase job satisfaction and employee retention.

How to maintain the right team?

Maintaining a strong team is just as important as building one. Here are some steps you can take to maintain the right team for your business:

1. Communicate regularly

Communication is key to maintaining a strong team. Regular communication can help to build trust, clarify expectations, and address any issues that may arise. Be sure to hold regular team meetings and one-on-one meetings with team members to discuss their goals and performance.

2. Provide feedback

Providing feedback is essential for helping team members to improve their performance. Be sure to regularly provide positive feedback and constructive criticism.

If you're struggling with building and maintaining the right team for your business, you're not alone. Many businesses face this challenge, and it can be overwhelming That's why I'm excited to share that ActionCOACH has world class strategies and systems to ensure you have the right team on the buss.

What to find out more about how we can help you with your team?

CLICK HERE.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Mastering the Art of Selling

peter@tipvest.co.za (Peter de Lange) — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 08:15:56 GMT

Mastering the Art of Selling

Selling is the lifeblood of any business, and mastering the art of selling is crucial for entrepreneurs, salespeople, and anyone who wants to succeed in business. Whether you are selling products or services effective selling skills can make all the difference. In this blog, I will be exploring six key elements of successful selling.

Understand your customer's needs

The first step in effective selling is to understand your customer's needs. This means doing your research and finding out what motivates your customers, what their pain points are, and what solutions they are looking for. Once you understand their needs, you can tailor your sales pitch to address those needs and provide solutions that meet their specific requirements.

To truly understand your customer's needs, you need to ask the right questions and listen carefully to their answers. Use open-ended questions to encourage your customers to talk about their needs and challenges. Avoid questions that might suggest a yes or no answer. Instead, let your customers tell you what they need, and then use that information to guide your sales pitch.

Build rapport

People buy from people they like and trust. Building rapport with your customers is therefore essential to successful selling. Rapport is all about establishing a connection with your customers, showing that you understand their needs and challenges, and building trust.

To build rapport, you need to be personable and friendly. Smile, make eye contact, and show a genuine interest in the prospect. Use mirroring techniques to match their body language and tone of voice, and find common ground to establish a connection. For example, if you notice that your customer is wearing Blue Bulls shirt, you might start a conversation about the Bulls. These small touches can go a long way in building rapport and establishing a connection with your prospect.

Highlight the benefits

When selling a product or service, it's important to focus on the benefits rather than the features. While features are important, it's the benefits that will motivate your prospect to buy. Benefits are the positive outcomes that your prospect will experience by using your product or service. For example, a benefit of a new software program might be increased productivity or better accuracy.

To highlight the benefits, you need to understand what your prospect cares about. What problems are they trying to solve, and what outcomes are they looking for? Use this information to explain how your product or service will benefit them. Use specific examples and case studies to show how your solution has helped others in similar situations. By highlighting the benefits, you can create a compelling case for why your prospects should choose your product or service.

Overcome objections

No matter how good your sales pitch is, you will inevitably encounter objections from some prospects. Objections are the reasons why prospects might be hesitant to buy, such as concerns about price, quality, or timing. Effective salespeople know how to overcome objections and turn them into opportunities.

The key to overcoming objections is to listen carefully to your prospects and address their concerns directly. Don't dismiss their objections or try to talk them out of their concerns. Instead, acknowledge their concerns and then provide evidence or solutions that address those concerns. For example, if a prospect is concerned about the price of your product, you might explain the long-term cost savings or the additional benefits that justify the price.

Close the sale

Closing the sale is the ultimate goal of any sales pitch. It's the moment when the prospects makes the decision to buy. Effective salespeople know how to close the sale in a way that feels natural and comfortable for the prospect.

There are many different closing techniques, but the most important thing is to find a technique that feels authentic to you and your sales style.

Continues learning

Continued learning is essential to mastering the art of selling. Even the most experienced salespeople can benefit from ongoing education and training to keep up with the latest trends and techniques in the industry.

Make sure to stay up-to-date with industry news, attend sales conferences, and participate in sales training programs. Read books, blogs, and articles about sales, and listen to podcasts or webinars from sales experts.

By investing in continued learning, you can stay ahead of the curve and continuously improve your sales skills, giving you a competitive edge in the marketplace. Remember, the best salespeople never stop learning and growing.

Join my next Master the Art of Selling Workshop and make this your sales year .

For more information CLICK HERE

GETTING MOTIVATED AFTER THE CHRISTMAS BREAK

peter@tipvest.co.za (Peter de Lange) — Tue, 27 Dec 2022 08:30:26 GMT

GETTING MOTIVATED AFTER THE CHRISTMAS BREAK.

It can sometimes be hard to find the motivation after the extended Christmas break – time spent with family and friends, chilling out, doing the things you enjoy, visiting new places, enjoying the warmer weather can all make it that much harder to step back into work mode. So, when reality hits and the alarm goes off, how do you ensure you’re ready for the day ahead and your productivity levels are at their maximum?

Make sure you get organized

Take some time to review what tasks you were engaged in before the break, read over emails and clear some of the clutter. Write a list of everything you need to do, check on and those people you need to speak to. You may find some of it was completed, but it’s best to check and then properly ‘file’ that task as done.

Motivate each other

Take time to talk to your team and co-workers. Social interaction is a great way to build a solid culture within an organisation and allows individuals to feel like they belong to a team and have an important role to play within that team. Talking is also a great way to motivate each other and talk through any issues before they come to a head.

Avoid the distractions

Notifications from our phones can be a real distraction at any time, but it’s worse when you’re struggling to focus on the task in front of you and reminiscing about the holiday you’ve just had. So, while you’re at work, avoid the temptation of checking up on what friends and family are doing and turn off your notifications. You’ll be much more productive and focused if you’re not distracted by what’s happening on social media.

Get stuck in

With a new year generally comes new projects so make yourself the obvious choice to be a part of that project. Getting stuck into something new will help you adjust after the Christmas break and give you a new focus.

Don’t be fooled

Sometimes when there’s a lack of productivity there is a sense of feeling you need to compensate by working beyond the 5PM workday (or whatever time you generally finish). Don’t be fooled into this! You’ll be far more productive by going home and starting a fresh the next day, with a clear mind and focus on what the new day will bring.

Write a task list each day and focus on those items rather than the bigger picture initially. This will allow you to ease back into the working week far more effectively rather than focusing on everything that needs to be done.

It is especially hard returning to work after Christmas but there will be times throughout the year when your motivation may waiver so remind yourself of these tips to improve your level of engagement all year round!

Now is the time to get motivated and take action and create an amazing business. Need helps? Get in touch with me and start your journey to success.

email me on peterdelange@actioncoach.com

What your Business Wants for Christmas

peter@tipvest.co.za (Peter de Lange) — Tue, 29 Nov 2022 08:50:09 GMT

What Your Business Wants for Christmas

It’s that time again for owners and customers alike! Santa Claus is coming to town!

Here are a few tips on getting your business ‘Christmas Ready.

Get into the festive spirit.

Keep your customers engaged. It never surprises me how far some Christmas decorations can go. But the same can’t be said for every Christmas Promotion! We all love that ‘little extra’ so be a little more creative with your promotion ideas. What can you do better than your competition?

Be Visible.

There is currently 30 million Facebook users and 10 million LinkedIn users in the SA. If 0.1% of these people became your customers What impact would this have on your Business? The more visible you are, the better chance that you have! Share gift ideas; do ‘Countdown to Christmas’ offers. Give value on your product or service.

Plan your expenses

What about that Party for the staff? That little gift for great performance? Giving everyone a couple of hours off to go shopping? It all adds up, have you allowed for that?

Monitor your cash flow

Work out where your business is at by keeping an up-to-date cashflow forecast, then use this information to make important decisions for the festive season as well as the rest of the year. If you would like a copy of my Cashflow Forecast Template. Send me a email at peterdlange@actioncoach.com and I’ll send you a FREE Cashflow Forecast Template.

Reward your staff

Your team are your greatest asset, in any business. Make sure that you celebrate all that they have contributed to your business. Too often we focus on marketing strategies, sales drives, KPI’s and numbers, whilst forgetting that it’s your team that will have the biggest influence on making your business great.

Plan your holidays

If you are taking time off over Christmas, but the business is still working, talk to your team so you know that the wheels will keep turning whilst you are away. Delegate tasks and leave procedures for these tasks while you are gone, this should cut down on the calls to you.

HAVE FUN!!

Running a business is tough, make sure to have fun when you can, because you deserve too!

Now is the time to accelerate your business into the new year. Join me at my next.

Every week I allocate time to chat to Business Owner, CEO's and Directors. If you would like to chat about your Business send me a email at peterdlange@actioncoach.com and lets schedule a call.

Small Things Matter

Fri, 30 Sep 2022 07:08:57 GMT

Little Wins Can Lead To Bigger Gains

The bigger picture.

As a business owner, it’s easy to get wrapped up in it and devote most of your time to those major activities that drive your business forward. However, many of us underestimate the power and importance of small wins.

Small wins are those little victories in life (and in business!) that give you a boost of confidence and motivation to keep going when everything else seems to be going wrong.

Achieving small wins consistently is a big win in the long run. Consistency is important in every facet of a business. It is what drives its growth and success and one way to maintain consistency is by doing those small things that will contribute to the bigger picture.

Here are some ways how small wins can lead to big gains:

Prioritising your daily tasks is a great way for managers and employees to work smarter rather than harder. This means that they will focus on the most important tasks first, getting their work done faster and more efficiently.
Recognising outstanding performance is another way to get people to work harder. It boosts morale and makes them feel appreciated. It encourages others to work hard as well, since they do not want to be left out or ignored.
Cleaning your office may seem like a no-brainer, but many people don’t realize the value of office cleaning. The office environment can have a huge impact on the productivity of employees. A clean and tidy office will help people to feel more comfortable and be more productive.

Little things make a big difference. If you keep taking small steps each day, they will lead to bigger successes in your business and ultimately, your life.

Achievement is not a one-time thing. It is a habit that must be practiced each day to produce the desired results.

Just like how you should exercise each day if you want to stay in good shape, so too success should be practised daily to ensure the final achievement of your goals.

The Power of Momentum

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 10:48:58 GMT

10 Tips That Drive Success in Business

It isn't easy to gain great momentum in business. The one thing all business (including mine) need is consistent and steady growth through successful activities that keep the momentum going. To increase your chances of building consistent success in any business endeavour, you need to be aware of the following ten strategies.

Momentum in business is built when you accumulate a series of successes, one following another in quick succession without stopping. Momentum can produce quick growth and enable you to meet all your goals within a very short duration.

Momentum is a powerful force that can be harnessed to give your business the boost it needs to achieve great results.

The following are 10 tips for building momentum in your business:

Focus on one thing at a time
Don't try to do everything at once. Focus on one thing at a time, and complete it before moving on to the next.
Create goals and review them regularly
In order to build momentum, it's important that you set realistic goals for yourself. Having unrealistic deadlines will only lead to frustration, disappointment, and a loss of momentum.
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Set realistic expectations for yourself & your team
You should set goals for yourself and your team and make sure they are challenging but achievable. This is called "SMART" goals, which means they should be specific, manageable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound.
Measure your progress
What gets measured gets improved. Measuring your progress can help you identify what’s working and what is not working and how to adjust your plan.
Seek feedback from others about your progress (not just from family or friends)
Feedback is a critical component in improving your performance. By seeking feedback from people that’s not in your inner circle . They can provide valuable insights that you might not see yourself.
Celebrate your accomplishments frequently
Any accomplishment, no matter how small, releases the neurotransmitter dopamine which boosts your mood and naturally motivates you. Therefore it is important to celebrate the big wins and the small ones. Celebrating makes you feel like you're making progress with builds momentum.
Share your success with others
Sharing is caring! Share your successes through social media, emails, etc., as well as verbally with friends and family members who may not know about what you have done yet (it’s good karma!)
Done is better than perfect
Be honest with yourself about what needs improvement but don’t get discouraged if things aren’t going perfectly according to plan; perfectionism is an unrealistic goal!
Believe in yourself and what you’re doing
If you don’t believe in it then why should anyone else? Remember why you started in the first place. Without a strong why, you’ll find it hard to keep your momentum.
Commit to develop and grow by at least 1% percent every day.
Here we are referring to the compounding effect where small efforts can compound into dramatic results. If you commit to growing by just 1% a day, that’s 30% improvement a month! Imaging the possibilities and the momentum that comes with it.

Building a successful company is all about momentum. Momentum is the difference between stalling out and taking off, between being on top of the world or sinking into despair. You can't choose to have momentum; it's something that you have to consistently work towards. But with the right tools, you can make sure that you're always making forward progress.

Fast track your progress by finding someone who holds you accountable and is invested in your success.

Consistency Backed By Action Creates Massive Success

Thu, 21 Jul 2022 11:58:14 GMT

Consistency backed by action is the key to success; without it, your dreams won't come true.

Action is the only way to achieve success. It doesn’t matter how many times you fail, as long as you keep trying and learning from each mistake. Consistency also matters a lot if you want to succeed at something. While it may not be possible for everyone to be consistent 100% of the time, consistency backed by action has shown that it leads to success more often than not.

Let me ask you a question: what do you believe you can do consistently?

If you're like most people, your answer is probably something along the lines of "I can't do anything consistently." But that's not true. You actually can do things consistently — it's just that maybe you don't know what those things are yet.

Maybe, for now, all you can do is phone one new prospect every day. Or post three posts on social media each week. Or write 100 words per day in your blog. That's fine! In fact, it's great! It's better than nothing at all, and it will get you started on the path to building consistency in your life.

You see, when we say "consistency" we often think of it as doing something big—like calling 20 prospects a day or posting six times per week on social media. But when it comes down to it, consistency is simply doing small things constantly over a long period of time. And once those small things become habits and start adding up over time… well… then they become huge!

If you're unmotivated and don't know where to start, here are some ways to be more consistent in life:

Start by simply Tracking your habits
“Habit tracking provides visual proof of your hard work—a subtle reminder of how far you’ve come. Plus, the empty square you see each morning can motivate you to get started because you don’t want to lose your progress by breaking your streak.” -James Clear

If you want to form a new habit or break an old one, tracking your progress is the key. The best way to do this is by using a simple piece of paper.

Make use of technology to help you
There are many technologies available today that make it easy for you to be consistent. Reminders are one way to stay on track. You can set reminders for tasks, goals or habits.

Eliminate self-doubt
The first step to eliminating self-doubt is to acknowledge it.

When you tell yourself that you can't do something, you'll have a hard time-but when you know you can do it, half of the hard work is already done.

It’s easy to get caught up in negative self-talk, especially if we’re not even aware of what we’re saying. But by paying attention and identifying these thoughts, we can replace them with more positive ones.

Don't get overwhelmed by your goals
It’s easy to get overwhelmed if you’re trying to accomplish a lot of different things at once. But if you take it step-by-step and focus on one task at a time, you can accomplish everything on your list.

You might be thinking, “I can’t do everything!” or “There’s no way I can fit all those things into my schedule!” But remember: You don’t have to do everything right now. You can take things one at a time and make progress as fast as possible.

If you want to run a marathon but haven’t been physically active lately, don’t try to start training for the race today – instead, go out for a walk or jog around your neighbourhood. Small successes like this will help build your confidence and motivate you to keep going.

If you want to succeed, follow this formula. It has been applied by successful people and it has worked wonders. If you have a passion and a dream, go ahead and start working towards that dream today. Keep trying; always work to improve yourself, and keep exploring different avenues which will help you achieve your goals.

Consistency backed by action is the key to success; without it, your dreams won't come true.

So what are some small actions you can take that could help get you started on building consistency in your life? Need assistance with identifying your next action steps? Get a coach to join you on your journey to success. Chat to me to in the box below...

How Taking Action Can Change Your Life

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 16:51:57 GMT

How taking action can change your life

“You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.” - Zig Ziglar

Don’t think, just do. This might sound like irresponsible advice, but think about it… If you’re stuck, no matter what life situation you find yourself in, whether it be personal or in business, you need to read on why taking that first step can change everything for the better.

Whenever we think about the perfect life, our dreams, our goals, and our desires, we get excited about what the future might hold with its endless possibilities. We want to share this feeling that we have with the world, so we tell our friends and family. That’s when rejection hits. Our hopes and dreams instantly get put under a microscope to get judged.

The limiting thoughts and beliefs of our closest confidants makes us doubt ourselves and our ability to reach our dreams. This makes it even more difficult to take the first step.

This leads to the second major reason that prevent people from taking action: fear and negative feelings. The fear of failure, fear of rejection or even worse, the fear of succeeding. So instead of taking action, we procrastinate. We find excuses that it’s not the right time, or that we can’t do it now because we don’t have the time, the money, the energy, or the resources.

As a coach and mentor, I can tell you that if you’re waiting for the right time, you’ll NEVER take action.

In his book, Atomic Habits, James Clear writes about the difference of being in motion versus taking action. Being in motion is when you are planning and strategizing. You are doing something, which is great, but you’re not progressing to the desired outcome or result. When you take action, you are progressing towards obtaining that desired result.

Clear mentions a few great examples of the difference between being in motion and taking action. One of these is when you outline a few ideas for an article that you intend to write. That is being in motion, whereas when you write and publish the article, it’s taking action.

People are comfortable just being in motion, because to them it feels like they are at least doing something. Let me tell you however, from previous experience I know that obtaining results rarely happens when you are in your comfort zone. You HAVE to move out of the comfort zone to truly get the results you want.

So how then do we progress from being in motion to taking action?

1. Start by taking small steps

As the expression goes: Rome wasn’t built in a day. Once you are clear what your goal is, making minor changes to your daily routine can truly change your life. Break your goal into smaller steps, as small steps are easier to achieve.

2. Schedule your actions

Once you have a list of actions you want to take, draw up a schedule. If you need to make 10 sales calls a day, schedule it by adding 1 hour every morning to making sales calls. This will help your mind prepare because it knows what’s ahead.

3. Pick a date and time
Some actions don’t work well with daily or weekly schedules, mostly because you need some preparation time. Identify these actions and set a specific date and time of when you’ll take action. When you’ve written a few paragraphs of that article, pick a date that you’ll finish and publish it. This will add a sense of urgency to the action.

4. Stop Procrastinating and just do it!

Remember the first line of this blog? When you find yourself putting something off for too long, do a quick mind shift. Use this easy 5 second technique from Mell Robbins: “When you feel hesitant before doing something that needs to be done, count in your head ‘5-4-3-2-1-GO’ and take action immediately. Hesitation is the kiss of death. You might hesitate for a nanosecond, but that’s all it takes. This little hesitation triggers a mental system designed to stop you. And it happens in less than – you guessed it – five seconds.”

So my question to you today is: Are you doing something? Or are you just preparing to do it? If you are stuck in preparation mode, get in touch. I can help you move from just being in motion to taking action!

It's time to stop dreaming and start doing!

“Never mistake activity for achievement.” — John Wooden

The Delegation Boomerang!

Tue, 31 May 2022 07:45:54 GMT

The saying goes, "If you want something done right, do it yourself "...Is this true, however?

Have you ever assigned a task to an adjutant only to find it back on your "to-do" list a short while later?

You were under the impression that the assignment was under control, and it seemed like all was in order - however, you see that the subordinate you delegated the task to is having difficulty getting their work done. The deadline is looming, and new work is coming in. To ensure timely delivery and results, you complete the task yourself!

Congratulations, you just got hit with the Delegation Boomerang!

Ensuring follow-through by team members is a perpetual challenge in a leadership role, and with the "new normal," it can pose an even bigger problem when team members work from home.

The boomerang effect occurs when managers get blocked by the emotional barrier to giving away responsibility and authority. While they tell the subordinates that they want to assign decision-making power or extraordinary technical work, they want it for themselves and look for ways to take it back. At times the subordinates give it back because they don't want the responsibility, the work, or the risk of accepting blame. Sometimes, it happens because managers and subordinates have conflicting presumptions about what has been delegated, the degree of authority provided, and the level of independent ingenuity expected.

Top three reasons for Boomerang Delegation and how to avoid them.

· Lack of clarity

· Lack of buying

· Lack of resources

Lack of Clarity –

Often team members who don't understand what they're being tasked with procrastinate in completing a project and don't ask for clarification fearing the label of "incompetence ."Ensuring clear, condensed, and specific instructions is essential, and an understanding of personality styles will aid in providing additional clarity.

Lack of Buy-In –

People are motivated to work when you appeal to their logic or emotion. Understanding what drives people will help you know whether they are motivated by - reward or penalty. Your team members need to understand the task you assign and why they're doing it, especially when performing a task that is not part of their regular job description or routine.

Lack of Resources –

Sometimes all the proper resources they need to complete the job have not been provided. In every situation, there are four essential resources that, as a good leader, you must provide your team members with People, Time, Knowledge, and Money. When assigning tasks, ensure that you are not giving one person a job meant for two. If you are short on the workforce, make sure you make up for the lack of staff by providing sufficient time for job completion. It is also crucial to delegate the appropriate tasks to the right people and provide them with either training or tools to assist them. Last but not least, you need to budget correctly for the project expecting any variances that might need to be addressed.

How do you make delegated tasks stay where you put them?

1. Self Awareness: Try to be aware of your feelings about delegation. If you are unsure about it, consider why and whether you can reliably delegate this task.

2. Don't catch the boomerang. When someone offers you a status report, rather than telling them what to do, ask them what they plan to do. When they offer recommendations, thank them for the update and ask them what they intend to do, and resist the temptation to micromanage.

3. Explain the level of ingenuity you expect when delegating a task. Explain whether you are delegating authority or just a task. Enquire as to whether the person is comfortable accepting this degree of delegation. Ensure that you both agree on expectations.

4. Repeat Repeat Repeat. When someone tries to give you back a task, reiterate the level of initiative you described at the outset. Remind the person of your initial agreement.

With a bit of self-awareness and discipline, you can make delegation work.

Harnessing the talent of an Internationally Certified Coach such as myself can help you avoid the Delegation Boomerang trap! Reach out to me

Build a Team You can Trust!

Wed, 06 Apr 2022 12:58:16 GMT

A team is not a group of people that work together. A team is a group of people that trust each other.

Simon Sinek

Many of us dread team-building events to improve employee morale, morale, and productivity! The big question is why? What is so challenging about team dynamics, AND why does the idea of focusing on team-building bring about so much negativity? Is this because of the common belief that team-building is a waste of precious time and money? Is it because they have rarely seen a possible return on investment in these activities? Is it because it is a forced exercise instead of voluntary and willing? Whatever the reason, the fact remains that staff needs to work together to ensure organizational goals and objectives are achieved!

Trust is a crucial element in any relationship, particularly within a team. This element needs to be built throughout the organization to ensure productivity is boosted and practical. Hidden agendas and games have no place in today's business climate, and transparency is the new Gucci! Trust is created when solid foundations are not only built but maintained and is very difficult to keep unless leadership is consistent.

"Managers often don't realize that they create their leadership problems" (Ryan, 2018) .

Inconsistency and erratic behavior led to the erosion of trust in any company. It is well known that trust is earned and is often withheld until the actions of leaders reflect a culture that propagates trust. Particular things are required to ensure that trust is secured at every level.

In her Forbes article Ten Ways, To Build Trust On Your Team, Ryan says, "You and your fellow managers may have to step out of your comfort zone to make these changes. You may have to step out of your comfort zone merely to suggest making these changes!"

Communication– Open conversation and frequent communication need to be part of your everyday rituals. Daily "huddles" allow your team to be updated on what's happening in the organization and will enable them to contribute.
Stop Shaming – To err is human, and mistakes happen; embrace failure as a positive. Use mistakes to help you shape a new course of action. Innovation is often sparked by failure, working outside the box and outside comfort zones to find solutions.
Clarity – Your Handbook and Policies need to be updated and regularly shared. These policies need to be used consistently and equitably at every level of the organization.
Visibility – Leaders need to be available and visible to their teams. Leaders who are accessible can help team members overcome obstacles more quickly.
Appreciation – You must demonstrate that your team members are real people with real issues that affect them in and out of work. Show empathy and demonstrate humanity when dealing with your team.
Lead by Example– Leaders need to walk the walk and talk the talk. It is not a 'Do what I say, not what I do' mentality. If you want trust, you must demonstrate the behaviors of a trustworthy person.
Accountability – No one is perfect, and owning your mistakes shows trust, no matter how insignificant. Being open and honest with your team about your errors or a company error is much better than covering it up.
Adopt a Human Voice – Deal with your team personally and directly but avoid jargon, lectures, and quoting policies instead of actively listening and communicating in a natural yet professional way. Every conversation doesn't have to be formal and impassionate.
Check-in – Conduct check-ins and regularly take a 'temperature' check with your team. Ask them how they are doing and how you can make the environment more positive. Give your team a chance to be heard without judgment or retribution.
Honesty – Be transparent and be open to feedback. Demonstrating integrity is paramount if you want your employees to trust you.

Cultivating trust is challenging, even more, so keeping it. A high staff turnover cements this challenge. Sourcing and training new staff bring their obstacles and delays. It is crucial to solidify the company culture within your organization.

Reinforce your 'trust' culture at every level of the hiring process. Practice what you preach and communicate your crucial cultural points to new candidates. This transparency will be transferred to your clients and customers.

Working with a professional like me a certified business coach with ActionCOACH can help you develop a solid company culture and environment to help build and keep powerful teams that will help you run your business.

At ActionCOACH, we focus on six keys to building a winning team, and the foundation of the process focuses on individual contributors and how they are fundamental to team productivity. The six keys to building a winning team include;

Strong Leadership
Common Goals
Rules of the Game
Action Plans
Support Risk Taking
100% Involvement and Inclusion

TEAM doesn't have to be a four-letter word; it needs to be transformed into a rallying cry, 'Together WE Achieve More.'

To connect with me, visit www.peterdelange.co.za. Our ActionCoach programme guarantees results!

Delegation Vs Abdication

Thu, 10 Mar 2022 01:30:29 GMT

“You can delegate authority, but you cannot delegate responsibility.”

As a Business Owner or Leader, I am sure you have found yourself in the throws of overwhelm while trying to grow your business and complete an abundance of tasks due to additional workload and responsibilities while balancing your personal life. Being the dedicated and committed individual, you are, in an effort to generate new business, you realise the importance of retaining your existing business. You decide to go the obvious route – get help! You breathe a sigh of relief as you can now sit back and relax, knowing and trusting that the plans you have put in place will follow through and that you have peace of mind knowing that your clients are well looked after…until the dreaded happens! A month goes by, and you start to get a variety of complaints from different customers; what needs to be done hasn’t been, and you risk losing your number 1 client due to this!

One of the most distinctive qualities of an outstanding leader is the ability to delegate.

Delegation happens when a Business Owner/Leader/Manager transfers the responsibility of undertaking and completing a task downwards to a subordinate (or assistant). It is essential to pass tasks over as it is unrealistic to expect the Business Owner to oversee and look after ALL business processes, mainly when growth within the company occurs!

It is not only for this reason, however, that delegating a task downwards is essential; it assists the Business Owner in managing their tasks yes and opens up more time for other essential activities within the organization; however, it also provides the subordinate employee opportunity for growth and learning! This often leads to more fulfilled and productive employees as well.

It is, however, essential to remember that although responsibility and authority may have been transferred, this in no way means that accountability has been assigned as well. Accountability remains with the Business Owner or Leader!

The dictionary defines delegate as: "To give a task to somebody else with the responsibility to act on your behalf. To give somebody else the power to act, make decisions or allocate resources on your behalf."

Accountability, however, is shown as "the quality or state of being accountable especially: an obligation or willingness to ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY or to account for...".

On the other hand, to abdicate is simply this: "To fail to fulfill a duty or responsibility."

Every business has a pinnacle moment when the owner hires his first employee to do the work they do not have time to complete or attend to, doesn't know how to do himself, or doesn't want to do... And just like that, it feels as if a massive load has been lifted off their shoulders! 'I don't have to do that anymore!' At last, you're free! Or at least that's what you thought...

Abdication can be devastating to your business! Tasks aren't completed correctly, or at all, you have unhappy customers and risk losing their business, missed deadlines, financial problems — all of which you discover well after the fact because you abdicated those tasks...and ran!

Regardless of who is responsible for a job or function in your business, you are ultimately accountable for the outcome.

Signs that you are abdicating:

you give little (often unclear) information to the person
you don't clarify that they understand; you don't set deadlines or timeframes
your expectations are unclear
you don't plan to review the process.

This is the 'it's not my job anymore' attitude.

The issue with abdication is that it causes distrust and a lack of respect. There is minor communication, things are not productive, jobs can often get delayed and go over budget, clients get upset, and usually, you won't get future work.

Does this mean you must micro-manage employees to ensure things are done correctly? Or should you do everything yourself to avoid the danger of abdicating the things you are accountable for?

Certainly not!

When you delegate tasks and responsibilities appropriately, with structure and forethought, it will free you and your managers from the crushing load of tactical work that keeps you from working on your business.

When done right, delegation is a powerful skill. But like any skill, it does take time to learn and master. Here are some guidelines you can use to help you be more effective at delegating.

Clearly define and agree on the task/result.
Delegate the task to someone with demonstrated competence.
Set up the guidelines/rules and explain the resources available.
Have a clear deadline or planned schedule to follow.
Ask for questions and feedback, then repeat the instructions back to ensure they understood.
Define what you will measure to determine if the task is on track and complete 100%.
Decide and define the consequences if the job isn't completed as outlined by the scheduled date.

Using this simple process, you will effectively delegate and get the most out of your team.

Delegation is a critical component in the development of a business that is balanced and inclusive. It will help you discover the natural place for yourself, your managers, and your staff!

Working with a certified business coach like Peter de Lange will help you build a strong team and excellent leadership skills to help you achieve your business goals. ActionCOACH works with more than 18,000 business owners weekly to strengthen team dynamics and improve results.

If you would like to learn more about how Peter can help you and your business. Get in touch with us. At www.peterdelange.co.za The first coaching session is free, and we guarantee results.

Re-igniting your passion for your Business

Thu, 03 Feb 2022 02:11:57 GMT

I woke up this morning with dread in my heart...

The thought of another day with zero energy and desire to work on my Business was just so overwhelming. I wanted to curl up in a ball and hide from the world!

I climbed in the shower and just let the hot water run over me, hoping it would energize me; I slowly got ready for another grinding day, feeling deflated and lost.

This feeling of stress, anxiety, and overwhelm was a far cry from the early days of my Business.

When I started my Business, I had five employees. In the beginning, my ambition and my dreams were huge, and I had so much energy. I was ready to take on the world. In those days, you couldn’t keep me from working if you tried.

Now I was just tired. I was constantly stressed and envied those who had a job and a paycheck.

I had 32 employees and had tripled the revenue, but it felt like I was working so that my staff could earn a salary. Frankly, where was the quality of life I envisioned for myself and my family?

If it wasn’t for fear of failure and my responsibility to my family, I think I could have laid in bed for a month. This Business that I once loved I now disliked immensely!

Eventually, I could take back control and rekindle my passion for my Business, but it required change, and it wasn’t easy! The things that are worth it never are!

If you feel burnt out from your Business, here are four tips to take back control and rekindle your PASSION for your Business:

Get a mentor / Business coach! It’s the first thing I did. It is great having someone to turn to when things get rough. Someone to strategize with, someone to hold you accountable, and someone to push you. Someone who was once where you are now. Someone who learned the secret to success – and is willing to share it with you! Don’t wait to find that person now!
Never stop learning. You thought you knew how to run a business now; you are unsure! Learning must never stop. Whether it is books, podcasts, conferences, or coaching, we must always learn and grow. Business is constantly changing and evolving; only through continuous learning can you stay ahead of the game.
Rediscover your why. Your why is the driving force behind passion and action. The why behind your Business needs to be one hundred percent you. Simon Sinek said people don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it. We often forget why we are in Business and get focused on the struggle of the day and the remedial tasks we are working on. Remember why to re-ignite your passion.
Involve your team! It’s your dream and your team. But that doesn’t mean you have to carry the ball alone. Share your dream and your vision with your team. Delegating some of your tasks to the team will make them feel empowered and more critical – and you’ll be able to focus on the big-picture that matters rather than the daily grind.

It is time to take back control, eliminate the cause and start working towards achieving the full potential you envisioned for yourself and your Business.

You are ready for this, and I will be there with you every step of the way because I understand what it takes.

To find out more about how I can help you email me at peterdelange@actioncoach.com and book a 30min Zoom call.

WAYS TO MAKE CUSTOMERS FALL IN LOVE WITH YOUR BUSINESS

Wed, 02 Feb 2022 22:13:58 GMT

Just as falling in love with another person brings about a need to share this fact with others, when a customer falls in love with a business, they want to talk about it. Word of mouth is one of the most powerful marketing tools. Testimonials and success stories from customers spread quickly and sway more customers to buy-in. Reviews can have a much more significant impact compared to other forms of advertising and marketing strategies. Client opinions are considered objective and trustworthy.

Past disappointments and false advertising have led to customers being more skeptical about advertising and marketing. They trust the opinions of friends and family and/or online testimonials more than marketers and advertisers. How can you make your customers fall in love with your business so that they can speak positively about it?

UNDERSTAND THEIR NEEDS

Before you can make your customers love your business, you need to understand what they want and need. When you offer them what they want and continue to be consistent in providing for their needs, you are on your way to earning their love and trust. It is important to remember that this is not a once-off exercise; customer needs may evolve with time, what worked yesterday might not work today. Keep your ear on the ground and be willing to make adjustments to retain their love.

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

There is no better way to work on the customer experience than to put yourself in your customers' shoes and apply the Golden Rule – treat them how you want to be treated. Be intentional about how you want them to feel. If you have businesses premises, you can make them as comfortable as possible. If you have staff members, you can train them to be courteous and friendly at all times and offer incentives for good service. Do whatever's required to enhance the overall customer experience.

QUALITY

You wouldn't have a business if you were not offering a service or a product. The quality of the products or services you provide can put you way ahead of your competitors or behind them. Businesses that care about their customers are always willing to lose money to ensure that the quality of the products they provide is not compromised. Depending on the type of business you are in, good quality can mean freshness or longevity. Whatever "quality" translates to; it will make your customers fall in love with your business.

DELIVER ON EXPECTATIONS

Expectations are usually built on service delivery promises. Anything that's outside the agreed business transaction will need you to speak to the clients directly, so they can bring to your attention any expectations you may be missing. Customers can be lenient on expectations outside the agreed business transaction; if the service delivery promises are not met, they get frustrated. If you want your customers to fall in love with your business, you have to deliver on the services you promised as per the business agreement and go the extra mile by enquiring about other expectations they may have. Customers want to deal with businesses that are reliable and consistently deliver.

TRANSPARENCY

Some customers have been victims of manipulation and trickery; as a result, they don't do well with the lack of transparency. Taking on the assumption that customers are passive can lead to you dealing with them in a way that lacks transparency and is rooted in dishonesty. The cracks of dishonesty or lack of clarity will eventually show no matter how well disguised they seem to be. The trust might never be regained again; valued customers can be lost forever.

Customers understand that businesses need to make a profit, and they are open to purchasing whatever convenience they need, knowing very well that the business will profit from it. Withholding some information to protect ideas or to try to decrease the chances of your customers going out to find cheaper alternatives will only deepen the distrust. Customers fall in love with transparent businesses. Being transparent doesn't mean that you need to divulge unnecessary details about the business. Purposely hiding or withholding some information for selfish gain and exploiting vulnerable customers is unethical and unkind. A business built on greed and selfish desires also indicates that the poor treatment of its employees repulses the customers.

Ref: Ways to make customers fall in love with your business - BizBolts

Predictable Cashflow

Mon, 17 Jan 2022 23:53:48 GMT

There are three keys to creating consistent and predictable cashflow:

1. Strong and Sustainable Unique Selling Proposition: A substantial USP cuts through the clutter of our everyday lives. A USP is like a beacon that calls you to you like an irresistible force. It is the lighthouse that brightens the night sky after you were lost at sea and thought that all hope was lost.

Seth Godin explains that the USP must be as remarkable as seeing a Purple Cow in the book Purple Cow. So, if you do not have a USP or believe your USP is weak, try this exercise by Jay Conrad Levinson, author of Guerrilla Marketing. First, write down everything you could think of that you do that would perhaps be unique and put it into seven paragraphs.

Next, take the unique ideas and reduce them to seven sentences. Finally, take the seven sentences and use only seven words that describe your uniqueness. Going through this exercise will give you a good starting point for a powerful USP.

2. Overwhelming a particular niche: Many entrepreneurs who start with their first company mistake focusing too narrowly on a specific target market.

Haven’t we all heard that we should be specific about our target market? The answer is yes and no. When starting a new marketing campaign, the target market should be small and focused. However, having this narrow focus for a marketing campaign does not mean that the company should concentrate very little.

A new company may not have yet realized precisely what target market has the most robust demand for a new product or service. Once a target market or a niche is identified, we can further develop the place until we master it.

Seth Godin refers to this process as “overwhelming the hive.” When bees protect and swarm their hive, the same is true about how similar people tend to congregate as a target market. People within the pack naturally spread the word about you until everyone talks about you and your product and services.

What are the top three target markets or hives that your company is determined to overwhelm in planning your marketing?

3. Multiple strategies producing balanced lead generation: Once you have a strong USP and know who and where your target markets exist, determine what specific lead generation strategies you can put to work.

How often have you heard someone say that they get all their leads based on referrals? Well, if you think of the example of a diving board and its one leg, how much spring would the diving board have compared to having multiple legs prop it up? This example is true in business too.

If you have one strategy or leg supporting your marketing diving board, how much bounce in your cash flow are you going to experience?

For businesses that rely solely on one referral strategy, cash flow will be up and down. Predictable cash flow is driven by well-thought-out plans that equally produce a balanced set of leads.

If one strategy does not work in a particular month, several other methods could. We at Action like to plan for a 10 x 10 lead generation plan which means that a business should have ten lead generation strategies that produce 10 percent of the company’s leads.

If you are ready to create predictable cash flow in your business, register for my free online Business Accelerator workshop.

TO BOOK YOUR SEAT: Click HERE

MAKING THE SALE

peter@tipvest.co.za (Peter de Lange) — Thu, 28 Oct 2021 11:23:15 GMT

Finding the Pain to Make a Sale

Imagine you have a 10:00am appointment with your doctor. You arrived a few minutes early, and start looking at the stack of magazines that were on the coffee table.

Shortly thereafter you are escorted into the Dr’s. room. The Dr proceeded to tell you all about himself. Where he grew up, where he studied. He described his years at medical school and experience.

Then he started telling you about how great his staff are and about the new X-Ray machine he has just purchased.

After this brief introduction, the Dr. fires up his laptop, and takes you through a 25 slide PowerPoint presentation that told you all about the wonderful services that he and his staff provided.

It had eye-catching graphics and charts. Great patient testimonials.

After about 35 minutes, The Dr then asks you how you are feeling. You then tell him you have a headache. So Dr. prescribes you some pills, and sends you on his way.

What’s wrong with this story?

Doctors Ask Questions

Doctors don’t work this way. They ask questions. The first thing they do is ask you to fill out a medical history form so they can get to know more about you.

Then the doctor asks you lots of questions, and begins to examine you. He listens to your heart and lungs. He looks into your eyes and ears, and up your nose with a little flashlight.

He makes you open your mouth, pushes down your tongue with a depressor, and makes you say AHHH, while he looks down your throat.

Depending upon the answers to the questions and the results of any tests, he may ask you more questions and/or run more tests to be sure what’s ailing you. Or give you a prescription and send you on your way.

Finding The Customer’s Pain:

Sales people need to be trained to “Find The Customer’s Pain.” This may not be the best phrase, because what do you do when you’re in pain? You usually see a doctor, right?

So, if the customer was in “pain” she would call you, or one of your competitors, and ask you to come over because she knew she had a problem that needs fixing.

But, if the customer doesn’t know she’s got a problem, how do you discover that she has a need for your product or service?

You do it by asking questions. Not by talking about yourself, like the Dr. did.

Just finding out that a problem exists isn’t enough. You’ve got to discover the financial impact or economic value of the problem. You’ve got to get the customer to tell you how much it’s costing them because something isn’t working properly.

The Problem’s Financial Impact:

Cherryl, whose company makes shipping label software told her coach about one of her clients who ships at least 1,000 packages a day. When asked how many of them get shipped to the wrong address, she said that only two were mislabelled each day, or just 2 percent.

You’d think that 2 percent is good, but what is the actual cost to the company of those two mislabelled packages each day?

Consider the additional costs of:

Pulling a new order from the warehouse and putting it in a box.
Retyping the labels.
Dealing with an unhappy customer who didn’t receive the merchandise.
Restocking, if the merchandise is returned.
The merchandise cost if the package is lost.
Re-shipping.
The duties, insurance, and delivery fees.
The list could go on and on…

In this case, it was costing her client at least R1000 for each mislabelled package. That’s R2000/day. R10,000/week. R500,000/year.

By finding out the financial impact of the customer’s shipping problem, Shelly had discovered a R500,000/year problem. (What’s the cost of this over the next five years?) Now Cherryl’s R50,000 solution didn’t seem so expensive, in fact it paid for itself in just five weeks.

So, spend more time asking great questions, and less time talking about yourself and your company, and you’ll create more opportunities, close more sales, and make more money.

Working with a professional like myself a certified business coach with ActionCOACH can help you develop solid sales strategies.

To find out more about how I can help you email me at peterdelange@actioncoach.com and book a 30min Zoom call.

Spring Cleaning Your Business:

peter@tipvest.co.za (Peter de Lange) — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 16:28:52 GMT

Spring Cleaning Your Business:

We have all heard the term “Spring Cleaning” . This is the time of year when flowers are budding, birds are chirping, and warmer weather is rolling in. It’s a time when people purge their houses of dirt, dust, and debris…

Spring cleaning does not just apply to houses anymore. Businesses can also take advantage of this wonderful time of year to get organized and make improvements by spring cleaning their business.

So, Spring is the time to get your business on track for success!

Here are five key areas to focus on to thoroughly spring clean your business.

1. Declutter spaces & deep clean – This will help you establish a clean slate for your business. Looks at every area of your business from the customer’s perspective to see what they see. Spring cleaning your workspaces can make everyone feel refreshed and organized.

2. Freshen up & consolidate your marketing strategies – Ensure your customers are getting the most updated materials that best position your brand and business. Spend some time sprucing up your marketing strategies. You can freshen things up by: Researching new marketing trends, Investing in social media, Automating tasks (e.g., email marketing), Revisiting your brand, Analysing last year’s data.

3. Review neglected areas – Where you have had limited resources in the past, is it time to reallocated resources or perhaps consider eliminating the area in your business that are not going to benefit you in the near future

4. Examine, reorganize, or consolidate your inventory – Ensure older or outdated inventory is handled correctly and that you have sufficiently forecasted inventory you will need in the future

5. Invest in yourself – Spring is a great time to invest in yourself. Attend a business workshop, Enrol in a business deployment program, explore getting a business coach. Remember your business can only grow to your level of knowledge and education.

Giving your business a good spring cleaning is a great way to ramp up the energy and realize more success.

The depth of your spring cleaning should be focused on improving customer experience, improving profits and continues learning.

If you are ready to spring clean your business register for my free online Business Accelerator workshop.

TO BOOK YOUR SEAT: Click HERE

Are you frustrated with your team’s effectiveness?

peter@tipvest.co.za (Peter de Lange) — Mon, 24 May 2021 12:31:51 GMT

Are you frustrated with your team’s effectiveness?

In my discussions with companies both large and small, I have often come across leaders who are frustrated with their teams' effectiveness.

In my experience, this is not due to a lack of ability or desire, but rather stems from the lack of alignment amongst the team.

Alignment reflects an active ownership on the part of the team, many leaders fall into the trap of assuming their team is aligned with the companies’ goals and vision.

Aligning your organization requires strong communication, leadership, and buy-in at every level.

Here are 4 steps to gain alignment on organizational, team, and employee goals.

1. Set clear organizational goals.

Goal alignment starts at the top. Get together as a leadership team to discuss the company vision and strategy, and identify the specific goals you want to achieve as an organization. Get crystal clear on your objectives. Company goals should be targeted, strategic, and built around a vision the entire organization can share.

2. Get buy-in.

Once you have your organizational goals outlined, it’s time to share them with your team. Meet with senior and middle managers to communicate your vision and outline the specific goals and benchmarks you’ve identified for the company.

3. Communicate goals on every level.

When goals and accountabilities are clear, employees are 2.8x more likely to be engaged. Yet only 40% of employees across organizations know what their company’s goals are.

Make goals a regular part of leadership meetings, team meetings, employee one-on-ones, regular communications, will reinforce, remind, and align employees across the organization.

4. Help employees achieve their goals.

Employees can’t succeed in a vacuum. They need team and organizational support to set and achieve their goals.

What would it mean to you if every team member knew the business' goals and vision?

What would it mean to you if you could get all the people in your organization rowing in the same direction?

Peter de Lange is the Leading Business Coach at ActionCOACH,

His mission is to connect and impact the lives of 10,000 business leaders who were awake at 2am this morning desperate for a solution to their business.

It is time to take back control, eliminate the cause and start working towards achieving the full potential that you envisioned for yourself and your Business.

Book a call today and let's chat about your business!! click here:

OVER COMING FEAR

peter@tipvest.co.za (Peter de Lange) — Tue, 04 May 2021 07:46:17 GMT

OVERCOMING FEAR

Fear is the greatest…and perhaps a big obstacle in reaching your goals. You may think you have stalled because of people, objections, insufficient resources or circumstances outside our control. But it is often fear that keeps us from seeing a way around barriers -- causing us to sabotage our dreams.

FEAR OF FAILURE

You believe that if you fail, there will be disasters consequences that will result in catastrophe. You expect the worst.

Examples: I'll let down my team... I'll lose the business... I'll be humiliated.

People who fear failure must learn the difference between devastation and disappointment. Few outcomes are devastating…that's an appropriate response only when life or health is at stake.

Strategy I: Envision the terrible consequences you fear. Then analyze the situation rationally. How likely is it that your worst fear will materialize? Now forcefully challenge your fears. Talk to yourself -- out loud, if necessary.

Example: I've handled setbacks before. I can rise to the occasion.

This won't feel natural…but do it anyway. Like any skill, controlling catastrophic thinking takes practice.

Strategy II: Make a list of everything in your life that didn't turn out as you planned…but ultimately worked out in the end.

Example: I got retrenched from my job…This made made me start my own business.

FEAR OF SUCCESS

Sometimes we are stopped by the fear of what will happen if we do get what we want. That's why some people tend to make mistakes when they are close to accomplishing a goal.

This fear is often based on preconceptions formed in childhood…from our parents' beliefs…or what we observed in the adults around us… or even what that grade school teacher said to you.

Example: Successful people are self-centered and ruthless. If I do something well, people will expect more of me -- and I will be forced to work even harder.

Strategy: When you are stuck, ask yourself what you stand to gain by not succeeding. More free time? Less responsibility? Identify the assumptions that underlie your thinking. Are they valid?

Example: A employee routinely avoided taking on challenges. As a result, he was regularly passed over for promotions. When he was a child, the manager's father, a salesman, was on the road for long periods. The son was afraid that being too successful would make him an absent father to his own children. Once he acknowledged that assumption, he sought new responsibilities that would bring him success yet not require him to spend long periods of time away from his family.

FEAR OF CHANGE

Even when we want things to be different, change can make us feel uncomfortable and vulnerable.

Strategy: Build as much familiarity as possible into any new situation. Identify daily routines that make you feel anchored and content -- from walking the dog to reading the paper over your morning coffee. Pick at least three of these anchors, and resolve to continue doing them every day, no matter what else happens.

Example: It is difficult to make sales calls, so I start each morning by reading a motivational or quote book and having my favorite coffee. Then I'm prepared to make calls.

FEAR-BUSTING STRATEGIES

• Take a leap of faith. People often talk themselves out of what they want because they are unsure the outcome.

Example: I'd like to move to the coast, but I'm not sure how to make my business work there.

Doing research is smart, but it can take you only so far. You may have to take more concrete action to find out what the next steps are. Don't be afraid to learn as you go.

• Make what-ifs positive rather than negative. We tend to focus on unknowns that frighten us. But there are always positive possibilities, too.

Example: When we became pregnant with our third child, you may have felt overwhelmed -- what if the baby wasn't healthy... what if we couldn't handle three children... what if we couldn't manage financially? Then a friend asked, "What if this child becomes president? Discovers a cure for cancer? Brings you and your husband joy you can't even imagine?"

• Keep your pipeline full. Continually build your network of contacts. Be generous with time and expertise. Building and nourishing contacts creates a safety net for when you are in need.

INNOVATION WHAT DOES IT MEAN

peter@tipvest.co.za (Peter de Lange) — Tue, 13 Apr 2021 10:22:28 GMT

INNOVATION WHAT DOES IT MEAN

STAYING RELEVANT IN THESE UNPRECEDENTED TIMES IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER

While researching the meaning of innovation it was surprising to see how many definitions came up and how different each one is. Yet this seems to be the buzz word in business today. Business people throw it around at meetings and in conversation yet I wonder if they understand it.

There is several types of innovation which is something I just learnt recently. But even this is defined by each writer and can be different for each of us. I like the RAID approach.

RADICAL - This is when innovation gives birth to new industries or swallows up old ones.

ARCHTECTURAL – Applying existing technology to another market

INCREMENTAL - Adding value to customers using existing technology and the most common form.

DISRUPTIVE – When applying new technology disrupts the existing market

With all innovation if you cannot snare the customer and add value to your services for the customer it is a waste of time. Often many companies come up with excellent ideas but implementing them is another beast. In time our competitors beat us to our own ideas leaving us behind in the market. Looking at this problem I think the solution lies in our staff. They need to buy in and even come up with the ideas themselves and the excitement will drive the concept into reality. We all like to feel important and part of the solution. Also these employees work the systems every day and know where it needs to be better.

That said careful planning and execution is needed. Innovation does not need to happen in office hours and it is often at midnight that we suddenly come upon a good idea. Write it down and explore it in the morning and if you think it will catch on go for it. See further blogs for more on Innovation

WHAT IS A BUSINESS COACH

peter@tipvest.co.za (Peter de Lange) — Tue, 01 Dec 2020 09:18:00 GMT

WHAT IS A BUSINESS COACH AND ARE THEY VIABLE IN 2020 AND BEYOND?

Hiring a business coach is not hiring a low-touch advisor to come in and fix your business.

A business coach is to help you build a better business and business life with clarity, a firm vision and strong long term and short term goals.

As a business owner you need to know why you want to grow your business. It is easy to say that you want to increase your turnover by 20%, but without knowing why you would like to do this, you will create a business that controls you and your life, leaving you disillusioned and burnt out.

A business coach will align your goals with your values and help you achieve what you want, not only in business, but in life. He will ensure that you set the right goals. He will identify your strengths and help you build your self-confidence and help you too see what it is you need to do to achieve that.

However a business coach will not do the work for you, rather teach you the skills and give you the knowledge to grow your business with the new knowledge he brings. Accountability is the business coach’s most important skill, so that you don’t slip into bad habits and stay motivated.

He will celebrate your successes and help you bounce back when you experience a set- back. He cares about the success of your business as if it where his own and it is a win- win situation.

So is a business coach viable in 2020 and beyond? Now, more than ever, a business coach is needed in the changing environment. It is an investment that is guaranteed to ensure not only your businesses survival but it growth.

If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people together to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.”

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

AFRICA’S BIG FIVE SERIES #2 – WHAT THEY TEACH US ABOUT BUSINESS

peter@tipvest.co.za (Peter de Lange) — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 13:25:02 GMT

Elephant OBSERVATION:

It would be beneficial if we as business owners can learn from the animals in the bushveld. Domination, survival of the fittest, submission and adaptation to change are things that make it similar to the day to day running of our businesses. Sadly we still miss out on these lessons.

Every week we will look at these lessons and understand how to integrate it into our own businesses. We also need to understand that sometimes we have to step out of our comfort zones to reassess and observe the changes we need to make.

OBSERVATION

Often as leaders we think we have to scurry around doing stuff all the time. When we stop for a moment we feel guilty and out of sorts. The greatest lesson in business is arguably from the elephants. Very little can cause stress in these creatures lives, yet they are very successful bush dwellers. Often seemingly standing doing nothing we wonder what is going on, if anything. But this is when the matriarch uses her senses to the fullest. She silently senses each of her herd, their position and where they are moving to. She notices each animal in the herd and communicates with them.

In the business world it is important to refrain from activity ever now and then and observe and focus on your team and their energy levels and commitment as well as your own. Guaranteed it will make a huge difference.

You will become aware of what is needed and where to encourage. As a business owner you will also feel rejuvenated and aware of what is happening in your business as far as morale is concerned.

If you want to learn more about how to get your team to work together and how they can ensure your business thrives contact Peter de Lange from Action coach and have a chat with him about the proven strategies that can be put into place to make your team successful.

AFRICA’S BIG FIVE SERIES – WHAT THEY TEACH US ABOUT TEAM WORK

peter@tipvest.co.za (Peter de Lange) — Mon, 09 Nov 2020 12:21:36 GMT

AFRICA’S BIG FIVE SERIES – WHAT THEY TEACH US ABOUT TEAM WORK

I t would be beneficial if we as businesses can learn from the animals in the bushveld. Domination, survival of the fittest, submission and adaptation to change are things that make it similar to the day to day running of our businesses. Sadly we still miss out on these lessons.

TEAMWORK

Anyone who has witnessed a lion kill will be blown away by the diverse teamwork and intelligence displayed by the pride. They are masters in every area that a manager depends on. Quality of the team and teamwork is so important. Working as a team the lions can not only take down the kill but also defend their territories, dispossess older lions and secure new females. This is the basis for their survival.

The need to work successfully as a team is highlighted in the kill. The females each have a specific role to play and they do it with vigor and complete focus. Not one will overstep their boundaries or try to overshadow another as they understand that for success they need to work as a team.

In your business are you aware of how teamwork can be optimized to secure long term success and survival. Do they work together to fight the enemy on the outside instead of amongst themselves.

MAKING SURE YOU GET THE BEST BUSINESS COACH

peter@tipvest.co.za (Peter de Lange) — Thu, 22 Oct 2020 10:39:03 GMT

MAKING SURE YOU GET THE BEST BUSINESS COACH

T here is no doubt that there are those business coaching programs that focus on mindsets and emotions alone are a waste of time. Implementing best-practice systems, strategies and action steps will not only encourage staff and managers but will actually grow a business.

A business coach is in effect not a psychologist that can be hired to discuss how you feel or motivate you with promises of a better lifestyle but should rather be focusing on developing, marketing and selling your products or services. Sure there is an aspect of psychology when it comes to team development and the mindset of the owner or manager is important. However, this is not what business coaching is all about. It is about serious business owners and leaders discovering breakthroughs and implementing proven systems and processes which are often to complex or difficult to implement without a proper business coach and mentor.

The power of effective business coaching is limitless. Take for example Eric Schmidt, former executive of Google, who admitted to thinking that he knew how to run his business and that he was the best person for his business. Once he realized that his business coach was trust worthy and that he could help him with perspective and call him to be the best he could, he realized that having a business coach was a great idea.

Do your research. Check out the testimonials and verify claims. If it promises overnight success or huge profits and seems unrealistic then it probably is.

A business coach can change your life and your business. Actioncoach has many success stories and one only has to google Brad Sugars, who is the founder, to know that it works and has changed thousands of businesses into success stories.

Contact Peter de Lange who is based in Gauteng for a quick analysis of your business and what a business coach can do for you.

KEEPING YOUR MIND STRONG IN LOCKDOWN

peter@tipvest.co.za (Peter de Lange) — Mon, 04 May 2020 10:40:50 GMT

Lockdown has become a crazy beast

The lockdown has become a crazy beast. We all saw it coming but the reality is far starker then we imagined. In the beginning three weeks without trading was scary but in our minds we mentally prepared ourselves for that. We hunkered down with our families, bought enough food (cigarettes and wine) and spent time reflecting on our businesses and the end was in sight. Now five weeks on we find we are in mental exhaustion and every moment is spent trying to save our businesses and we are told it could be Months before things start looking up.

Business owners don’t know where to turn and cash flow is tight or even non-existent. We face a future where possibly we won’t be able to provide for our families and the more we think the bigger the mountain in front of us becomes till eventually we want to give up.

There is no shame on feeling like this. It does not make you weak or un-resourceful. So where to from here?

Mindset is always very important I find. By admitting to yourself that this is how you feel, is the first step in correction. Do not think further than tomorrow or next month. Put in plans to get there first. None of us can predict further than that and to do so will just be crazy, because it could be far from what you imagine.

Trust in your instincts and business knowledge that has sustained you till now. It is still there and will stand in good stead in the months to come.

Wright down goals and lists of what you think you should do no matter how ridiculous they sound as it is often here where great ideas are born.

Remember the most famous business men came upon their ideas when they were at their lowest point.

Read books and watch u-tube on successful entrepreneurs and don’t pay much attention to the negative news and articles that are rife at the moment.

Take a moment, even two to get up and walk in the sun by yourself to compose yourself and get away from the computer for a few minutes.

Seek advice and talk to other business owners who you trust.

I have allocated 5 hours a week to talk to businesses about the challenges they are having in there business at the moment.

If you would like to talk then lets chat. complete the chat form below.

SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES ARE BUILT ON SOUND BOOKKEEPING PRACTISES

Thu, 16 Apr 2020 07:41:24 GMT

SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES ARE BUILT ON SOUND BOOKKEEPING PRACTICES

Making good judgments when one has complete data, facts, and knowledge is not leadership - it's bookkeeping

All too often businesses who are struggling have no or little idea on the numbers that make their businesses profitable or not. Financials are only completed several months later and even then the accuracy is somewhat questionable. They are then very surprised when their cash flow dries up and have no idea where it went wrong.

It is of utmost importance that you always have the important figures at hand if not in your head at all times. By this we mean the sales for the month or last month, the debtor’s days and the cash flow coming in whether that is from sales or from outstanding debtors. These figures should be on hand at all times as they will reveal the warning signs well in advance so the right decisions can be made.

Why bookkeeping is so important

• BUDGETING – It helps you budget for future expenses and revenues.

• TAX PREPERATION – This says it all. If your bookkeeping is up to date and correct it will make submitting financials to the receiver of revenue quick and painless.

• Organization – Being organized is a skill every business owner should have. Being able to provide information to banks and other relevant parties is crucial as it could lead to the stopping of funds. Bookkeeping is the organization of financial information

• ANALYSIS – Bookkeeping is a tool for analyzing your business performance and to see what is working and what is not and to make the necessary changes

• BETTER PLANNING AND DECISION MAKING – It allows us to plan for the future and possible new ventures and make informed decisions

• FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT – It allows you to take control of your business finances giving you a clear picture of how you spend the money and when money is coming in.

• PEACE OF MIND – This is very important and allows you a good night’s sleep as you are always in control and there are no surprises

• PROFIT OR LOSS – It allows you to see your income statement and thereby always understanding whether you are making a profit or a loss.

• AUDITING – If you required by law to be audited or even if an accountant just signs off it will cost you a lot less if your books are neat and in order and unnecessary hours are not spent trying to sort out chaos.

So in short a business cannot afford not to have an up to date bookkeeping system and if you yourself find that challenging there are many bookkeepers out there that will make your life a lot better.

Alternatively feel free to contact me for a free 1 hour financial assessment at peterdelange@actioncoach.com

FINANCIAL SURVIVAL

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 08:30:32 GMT

FINANCIAL SURVIVAL IN THE PRESENT CRISIS

The time to ACT in NOW.

No longer can we convince ourselves that we will somehow get through this. The truth is that you will have a decrease in cash flow and if you don’t act now the chances are you are going to fail. Thankfully there are many ways businesses can survive financially and even take advantage of the opportunities that government and financial institutions implement. A disaster/pandemic or other type of “emergency” as defined by local or national governments frequently frees up large amounts of cash to keep economies stable. (Please see insert form governments website below) Whether a hurricane, tornado, floods, fires, or a pandemic, look for finance to be an opportunity that occurs rarely yet is a clear opportunity if you are prepared.

Therefore it is important that you stay up to date on the changing conditions. You need to watch and read the news frequently so you don’t lose out on any relief measures that are implemented. Proactive planning and a sound financial strategy is important. Make sure you understand what needs to be done to access these measures and this might mean getting on the internet to download forms and forward information to the relevant institutions. Don’t wait because the sooner you do this the quicker you will access the relief. It can’t be stressed enough, the need to get additional credit and even extend credit during these uncertain times. Securing more credit or additional lines of credit can help stabilize cash flow and ensure that your business has funds to meet the changing times.

Before seeking additional forms of funding, business and individuals need to answer the following questions and evaluate your current situation.

► Exactly how much do you owe right now?

► Who do you owe it to?

► When do you have to pay?

► Does the lender or creditor offer a payment plan?

► Have you talked to the creditor or lender about options?

► What are the consequences of not paying?

► How soon will this crisis be over?

Once you have a clearer picture of the circumstances there are many avenues to consider. There are several options available to help you manage a financial crisis:

► Credit cards – Credit cards are one of the easiest and cheapest ways to borrow money in a financial crisis. Credit cards work best for a short-term problem that you know you can repay in a few months. You can keep your credit score healthy by keeping your balances below 35% of each of your credit limits.

► Savings – Deciding to access savings during a financial emergency may seem like a bad idea, but it is actually a smart move in some situations. You will not have to pay interest or fees on the money you borrow from a savings account. .

► Debt help – Read articles about taking control of your debts and compare debt reduction solutions.

► Personal loans – You can borrow cash with a personal loan. These loans have a 1-4 year term and work best if you have a stable income and need a large amount of cash for a financial emergency. The annual percentage rate for a personal loan range from 5-20%.

► Home equity loans – If you are a homeowner and you have equity in your property, you may be able to cash out some of your equity by refinancing. These loans can also work for consolidating your debts. Be very careful about using a home equity loan, however. The loan is tied to your home. If you cannot make the payments, you could risk losing your home.

Regardless of whether you need short term gap funds or longer-term financing options, the time to start planning is now. Don’t panic. Be thorough and thoughtful and work with a professional to give you the best and more accurate advice. Getting a business coach might be the first step to your business success in these ever-changing times. Because to stay competitive every winning team needs a great coach. A coach can be objective, candid and provide you with a perspective you might not have considered. If you want to get through this unprecedented time, get a Business Coach. It might be the most financially sound thing you do to keep your business afloat.

** SMMEs are advised that the Department of Small Business Development has published, on its websites, the Guidelines for Application for the Debt Relief Finance Scheme and Business Growth/ Resilience Facility. The online application form will be available from Thursday, 02 April 2020. It is important to note that only SMMEs that are registered on the database will be considered. Please go to https://smmesa.gov.za/ to register your business.

In addition, the Department has also published Requests for Proposals to existing South African owned, registered and tax compliant SMMEs, which are in the medical supply and non-food field. The RFPs are aimed at getting information on SMMEs that have the capability to participate in the manufacture and supply of goods that are needed towards the management of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The RFPs are:

1. DSBD/COVID-19: 25/2019/2020: Critical Non-Food Essentials

2. DSBD/COVID-19: 26/2019/2020: Hygiene, medical products manufactured or related services

The documents can be found in the following websites:

SMMEs are encouraged to make use of our alternative email at info@dsbd.gov.za or call our Hotline number 0860 663 7867.

SOUTH AFRICA IN LOCKDOWN

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 06:52:36 GMT

SOUTH AFRICANS WAKING UP TO SHOCK LOCK DOWN BY PRESIDENT

The measures put in by the president last night were by far the most serious we have seen in in our country in a long time. Cyril Ramaphose was decisive and clear on these measures and we as South Africans can be proud of our president and his decisions.

As we see a lockdown come into force from midnight 26 April 2020 we as businesses have to take drastic immediate and urgent actions today. These actions will determine if we survive this period in our economy. We have to understand that these measures were put into place to protect our society and livelihood in the long run. Positivity is now so important for business leaders as society looks to us for answers.

It is important to print out and read and understand all these measures as well as the interventions put in place to cushion the impact on the economy. If we as business owners and leaders can benefit from these we have to make sure we are on the forefront of applying for them so we can get some relief. This cannot be expressed more seriously. The impact is going to be bigger than we have ever seen or experienced. Our resolve, our resourcefulness and our unity will be tested as never before.
These three weeks of lockdown must be used to constantly communicate with our staff, so they understand the seriousness of the situation. Everyday we must put into plan measures so that when this is over we are ready from day one to be ahead.

"IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND & KNOW THE MEASURES AND HOW THE AFFECT YOU"

Actioncoach is a worldwide business coaching franchise with many prominent businessmen at its helm who have vast experience to deal with this. They are meeting daily to hash out what the best solution will be for various businesses. This being said follow all our social media, as over the next coming days we will try keep you ahead of things, show you how to move forward in this time and give you invaluable advice to help your business survive.

Please stay safe and adhere strictly to the conditions of the lockdown as your country needs you more than ever.
Your family needs you to be the leader at this moment and to be strong, decisive & positive

Today's Preparation = Tomorrow's Success

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 13:00:09 GMT

Reaching Goals Requires Solid, Prioritized Planning

Any success-oriented entrepreneur understands that success doesn’t just happen. It requires a willingness to take risks, financial sacrifice, an incredible amount of hard work, and perhaps most importantly of all, the creation and execution of a well-devised plan to make their dreams a reality. A plan is a road map to where you want to go; working hard without a plan will get you nowhere. In order to best utilize your time, money, and energy, you will need to decide not only what to do, but how to best go about achieving what it is that you want. Whether it’s hiring additional staff, opening a new branch, reducing your number of work hours, or expanding your offerings, you need to create a roadmap that will guide each step of the process.

Of course, it’s easier to talk about making a plan than to actually create one. One of the first issues you’ll encounter is determining how to prioritize certain tasks. One way to help you make that decision is to evaluate how much control you have over what it is that you hope to achieve. for example, you may want to add a new item onto your menu, only to find out that the market price for that item has increased by 50% over the past year. You can’t control the market, but you can control the type and quantities of products you offer. Understanding what things you can and can’t control is a good starting point, and from there you can divide your plan into three categories: “needs”, “wants”, and “would like to's”.

By categorizing your various priorities this way, you’ll have a better understanding of what is important, as well as the best way to approach it. The following paragraphs will expand on these categories, helping you differentiate immediate needs from short- and long-term goals.

Needs: “Needs” represent the most important fundamentals for your business’ continued survival. Paying the bills, obtaining product, maintaining a monthly profit – these all represent things that your business cannot live without. A “need” should always be your first priority, and the goals you set for yourself should not jeopardize meeting these needs.

For example, say you want to delegate some of your daily routines to other employees so you can free up your time to perform other tasks. Before you actually hire somebody for the job, you need to make absolutely sure that they are capable of performing up to par and meeting the obligations of the business! An incompetent and/or lazy hire can do a significant amount of damage to your bottom line, especially if they are in a management role. If hiring an extra person to fulfill a “want” puts meeting a “need” in danger, you might just have to shoulder long workweeks for a little bit longer.

Wants: This represents what you are aiming at attain – think of these as short-term motivators. This can refer to either a personal goal or a business-oriented goal. For example, you might want to boost your yearly sales by 25%, or take a vacation at the end of the quarter. “Wants” are a great way to chart your course in the short term, and they can be of great use in motivating both yourself and your team to greater heights. However, it’s important to remember that a want isn’t necessarily a priority for you, nor will it provide the kind of long-term vision that is required for you to attain true success.

Would Like Tos: This is the category that contains your long-term plan for the direction you want your business to go into. Unlike a “want”, a “would like to” involves an accomplishment that will have a much more significant impact on your business’ bottom line – think of expanding into a new market, or franchising your business for the first time. “Would like tos” will ultimately be your guiding force in the long run, and ideally your “wants” and “needs” will align with what it is that you hope to achieve. If your “needs” are merely being met, then you won’t be able to satisfy your “wants” or achieve your “would like tos.” Aim for more – instead of breaking even, reach for a 20% profit by the end of the year. Then, use those profits to expand your business, attracting more clients and perpetuating a virtuous cycle of self-propelled growth!

Each one of these three types of priorities have their own important role within your growth plan, and keeping them in harmony with each other is a crucial underpinning in successful businesses everywhere. If you understand how to balance these priorities when creating and executing your plans, you’ll be amazed at how much more smoothly everything runs.

Eat That Frog

Tue, 04 Feb 2020 09:20:39 GMT

It is 5 p.m. and everyone is leaving the office except you.

Okay. So, you’ve started your day, and there’s so much to do. Ever ask yourself, “Where do I start?” Many business owners I talk to do. They’ve got so much on their plate: sales, marketing, finances, hiring, cleaning the bathroom (just checking to see if you are still awake), and let’s not forget actually providing your product or service. Many people, faced with so many balls to juggle shut down. Or, how about “let me start with email.”

Have you ever found yourself doing that? And then the phone rings. And then an employee comes in asking for guidance. And then a customer calls. And before you know it, it is 5 p.m. and everyone is leaving the office except you, and you’re thinking “Jeez, I haven’t gotten anything done that I needed to get done today.”

There’s a way to stop the madness, and it’s called “Eat That Frog!” If you haven’t read this book by Brian Tracy, I suggest you get it and give it a good read.

The key to stop procrastinating, (and yes, I realize you thought all of that other stuff you did was important), is to start each day identifying the number one goal you have for the day. And then “Eat That Frog!” It means continually asking yourself “Which one project or activity, if I did it in an excellent and timely fashion, would have the greatest positive impact on my life?”

And then, as Nike would tell us, “just do it”. Give yourself time at the beginning of each day to focus (and I mean really focus) and get the biggest, ugliest thing on your plate done. You’ll be surprised how the rest of the day turns out.

If this subject resonates with you and you would like to explore it further.
Join me at one of my monthly Webinars.

Keys To Sales Success

Mon, 28 Oct 2019 18:23:50 GMT

Business owners depend upon sales to provide cashflow and profit. Whether you do the selling, have others sell for you or any such combination, your revenue, profit, and income will always reflect how well you turn prospects into paying customers.

So why do some owners and salespeople struggle while others find easy success? No, the answer is not that they were born salespeople or they have a natural ability to sell. The truth lies in the fact that sales success comes from four things – Attitude, Activity, Learning and Ability.

Attitude is more than just self-confidence. Yes, you must believe you can sell before you will successfully do it! But attitude is not just about you and your personal beliefs, especially if you have others selling for you.

What is your attitude about the products or services you offer? Do you and your team firmly believe you fill a need in the market? Can you deliver what you promise every time without fail? Do your customers get real value by working with your company or purchasing your products? If you or your team cannot confidently say YES to these questions, selling will typically be a challenge. So how do you fix it? Focus on improving the delivery of your service and get clear on the benefits so you (and your team) always have the WE CAN DO attitude.

Activity is all about DOING and involves marketing to generate leads and sales to convert those leads to paying customers. If you do not generate enough activity, you will not generate enough sales and revenue. So how much activity is the right amount? It depends on the sales and revenue goals you have set (and yes, you must have specific, measurable sales goals).

To start, ask yourself two questions. What strategies, such as cold calling, advertising, direct mail, networking, referral programs, are you using to generate leads and how consistently and frequently are you using them? All too often, small businesses rely on one or two strategies and do them when revenues drop or they get around to it. Next, look at the sales management system – or process you use to convert leads to sales and ask yourself what activities, such as follow-up calls, setting up meetings, doing estimates or proposals, making presentations, must be done to turn a lead into a sale?

Finally, set activity goals to support your revenue goals. The best way to do this is to start with the end in mind – revenue goals or number of new customers. Then, using your conversion rate, develop the number of appointments, proposals and/or leads you need to achieve this. Note, if you do not know and track your conversion rates, start doing so immediately. All successful salespeople know their conversion rate(s) from lead to sale and you should too.

When we talk about someone’s ability to sell, it is all about how well he or she can uncover customer needs so they can provide the best possible solution (i.e. make the sale). To do so effectively, we must recognize two important things: First, buying decisions are primarily emotional, a desire for gain or fear of loss (or pain avoidance) and second, people buy benefits, not features. Therefore, success in sales requires that you know more than just the features of your products or services. You must know the benefits your products or services provide and understand the true emotional motivators for YOUR target customers.

Once you understand these two important facts, selling is much easier because you do not sell; you simply provide solutions that meet their needs.

So how do you uncover emotional needs and build desire for your products or services? Brian Tracy says it best – you question skillfully and listen carefully. So ask yourself this: How much of your time is spent building rapport and asking awesome questions? When you do ask a question, do you stay in the moment (and really listen) or is your mind focused on how you will close the deal?

A wise man once said, “God gave us two ears and one mouth so we should listen twice as much as we speak.” This is great advice, especially when you are in sales!

The only constant between successful people and unsuccessful people is that successful people earn more because they have chosen to l earn more. It’s a fact that every professional needs to continuously update his or her skills. it is because you need to keep ahead of the competition in this fast-paced world if you are to continue to prosper. the bottom line for any business is that it’s either growing or it’s dying. Growing means keeping ahead of the competition.

So now you have the four keys to sales success and higher income – attitude, activity, learning and ability! And here is the good news. All of these skills can be learned and developed if you have the desire to be successful – a passion for learning and a willingness to invest the time to make it happen. So get started and register for my next sales workshop – and watch your revenue and income soar!

FOR MORE INFORMATION CLICK: HERE

Stress Busters for Entrepreneurs

Tue, 17 Sep 2019 10:02:54 GMT

Entrepreneurship is stressful. If you’re going to survive with your sanity and or family intact, you are going to need to learn a few coping strategies, the most paramount of which may be mindfulness.

The following are seven ways you can keep stress at a minimum and prime yourself for success.

1. Don’t skimp on sleep

Getting no sleep does not make you the greatest of all time. It doesn’t make you the greatest anything. In fact, it makes you a tired, miserable business owner with poor time management skills. The heralded anecdotes of successful people who sleep just 5 hours are mythology. There are those who are an exception and can function on such little sleep, but for most of us, eight hours is the required amount of sleep to function at a high level.

Don’t become a coffee addict. Don’t push beyond your physical limits. Eventually, your body will push back, and you can’t get much done from a hospital bed, now can you?

2. Unplug

Email and smartphones are the worst things that have ever happened to humanity. Okay, okay. That’s a bit of hyperbole, but the pair have definitely taken a toll on the overall mental health of entrepreneurs. It can be really hard to unplug and not obsessively check your inbox. So, set a cut off time. Each night, decide that you will not answer emails nor look at your inbox after 9 p.m.

3. Set-Aside Time to Think or “ Meditate ”

Sit back. Relax breathe. A lot of really great ideas are birthed in moments of relaxation and contemplation.

4. Bolster Self-Growth

Belief in what you’re doing is key to success in any business. That’s the first element. But the next is expertise. How do you continue to learn and grow when you’re already overwhelmed with work and family obligations? It’s simple: read or listen to one book per week. You have to learn before you earn.

5. Get Centered and Practice Gratitude

Focus. It’s all about your mindset. Take time each morning to focus on your goals for the day and to create a list of things you’re grateful for.

6. Do Not Make Emotional Decisions

Everyone has a grumpy day, moments when they feel angry, overly stressed, anxious or generally emotional imbalanced.

As a practice, these are the moments when you most need to take a break, breath, get some fresh air, do a five-minute stretching or mediation session—anything but making decisions that may impact your business.

7. Keep Your Office Tidy

It may seem like a small thing. But your outer world actually mirrors your mindset. When your space is neat and tidy, it’s easier to be more productive. When things are messy and cluttered, you’re going to feel bombarded with chaotic energy which is anything but productive. A minimal, organized workspace is conducive to strategic, critical, creative thinking.

ActionCOACH, is the world’s largest business coaching firm, ActionCOACH has grown to more than 1000 business coaches operating in more than 80 countries. ActionCOACH specializes in coaching small to medium sized businesses as well as executive teams and group coaching. ActionCOACH maintains its growth and strategic alliances by continual development of cutting-edge innovative technology, proven business processes and systems to add value, satisfaction and additional income streams for its franchisees.

At ActionCOACH Xtreme, we are dedicated to helping passionate entrepreneurs achieve their dreams of owning a successful business. Regardless of there challenges, our skilled business coach Peter De Lange has both the tools and proven systems to help you and your business achieve its goals.

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How to become a Sales Master…How to become a Sales Master…

Tue, 09 Jul 2019 09:53:56 GMT

Become a Sales Master

Being a business owner requires many different skills but one of the most important is the ability to sell. However, the majority of people that are in business do not consider themselves to be ‘natural’ salespeople. Even those that come from a sales background would not consider themselves great sales people and even those that do, will eventually have to build a sales team of people who may not be as good as they are.

For those of us who want to become better at sales, or teach our team to do so, there is one tool that can not only help us become more confident with selling but allow us to replicate what we do. So as we grow we have more and more people getting the same great results as we have. That trick is creating a successful sales process.

Let's take a Pro Golf Tournament as an Example. Although these golfers obviously have a lot of talent, they also have a process that they follow to ensure they are successful and they practice over and over to ensure they can perform consistently well. You wouldn’t expect Phil Mickelson to be able to come out and perform at his peak if he hadn’t swung a club for months. As Arnold Palmer once said, “the more I practice the luckier I get”. So do professional golfers practice a different thing every time they go out? Of course not; they find what works for them and refine it until it is in their subconscious and seems effortless. Sometimes we forget about the time, effort and dedication professional sports people put in to become as good as they are.

Well, the same is true for a master salesman. Yes, there is an element of skill to becoming a great salesman, but like all skills they can be learned, it just means that some people learn faster than others, but if you have the determination and discipline, these will more than compensate for any lack of skill. Becoming a master salesman can be broken down into four simple stages:

The first stage is to understand what selling is all about. Many people have the belief that sales is a bad thing because they hate being sold to and have probably had a bad experience of a bad salesperson in the past. Jeffery Gittomer says “People like to buy but they do not like to be sold too”, so if you change your sales belief to one of “professionally helping people to buy” then suddenly sales can take on a whole new meaning.

The second stage is to improve your skill at sales, and like all skills there are two ways to do this and the best way is to use both. Education, via reading; courses; Videos and real life practice. “Just Do It” as NIKE says.

The third stage is to build your sales process and the best framework I have found for my clients was devised by one of the best sales trainers in the world, Tom Hopkins, and comes from his book “How to Master the Art of Selling”.

The sales process involves 4 steps, Build Trust, Find the Need, Show How You can Help and Hurry to a Close ,and has to be carried out in that order.

If you have not built Trust with your prospect then you will never sell to them, and this is the feeling you get when you are being sold to. How to build trust is a topic I will be covering in a future article.

Need has to come before Help , because if we do not truly understand what the prospects needs and wants are then how can we be sure what we are offering to help with is actually the right thing. The only way to really know the need is to ask questions and listen. Have you ever met a sales person who goes on and on how wonderful their product is before they have asked you a single question?

The penultimate step is to successfully educate and communicate how your product/service can help them meet their need. It might be fantastic but if they do not understand then they will not buy.

Only when you have completed all three of the previous steps can you attempt to close the sale, but close it you must. If you work hard on steps 1-3, helping them buy will be easy and natural, but if you forget then all that work is wasted, you rarely get a second chance.

The fourth stage to becoming a master is constant and never ending improvement or Kaizen as the Japanese call it. In your sales process, your main feedback source will be your Key Performance Indicators, such as conversion rate, number of transactions, average per sale. So you need to constantly analyze these figures and then set new goals and plans to improve them. Sometimes you will need help to see what is going right and what is wrong and this is why more and more business people are following the lead of sports stars and getting themselves a coach who can provide independent and professional feedback. As the old saying goes “you cannot see your own bald spot”.

So if you want to build a great business you have to build a great sales process, the question is when are you going to take action and become a Sales Master!

ActionCOACH Xtreme Business Coaching Services

At ActionCOACH Xtreme, we are dedicated to helping passionate entrepreneurs achieve their dreams of owning a successful business. Regardless of your challenges, our skilled business coach Peter De Lange has both the tools and proven systems to help you and your business achieve its goals.

How Solid is your Business? Take the Business Health Check and find out! Take the Test!

Seasonal Economic Cycle in Business

Mon, 24 Jun 2019 15:38:37 GMT

Are Winter Blues Affecting Your Business?

We are all familiar with the seasons. If you think about it, the idea of applying it to economic cycles makes a lot of sense. Each season and how it corresponds to the same cycle in nature: growth or recovery (spring), wealth (summer), dying off (Autumn) and scarcity (winter). If you want to survive in business, you need to learn to anticipate and adapt to these “seasonal” changes in the economy.

Business During Autumn and Winter

Autumn is the move into recession. Money gets tighter and customers stop spending as much. People are starting to change their priorities from want it, to need it. Autumn is the time that you should be cutting out the dead wood and make your business run leaner and smarter.

By winter, the recession has us in its cold grip. You’ll see that cash flow is tight, and profits are down, Winter is a time where you can really prepare for the coming spring, if you change and adapt now, you’ll be in a good position. It’s a good time to take action and realign your dreams and goals

Business During Spring

In spring, the economy is growing and expanding. You probably see more business and new customers. It is a good time to market and attract customers. It is one of the seasonal economic cycles that should be easiest to grow your business. Spring is a time to make yourself stand out from the crowd

Business During Summer

Summer as a seasonal economic cycle is a time of economic flush. Business is booming and you are making a lot of money. This is a good thing, but you need to keep one thing in mind. The season WILL change and you need to plan for when that time comes.

ActionCOACH X treme Business Coaching Services

A little planning for the seasonal economic cycles will help you stay a viable business throughout the cycles. At ActionCOACH Xtreme, we are dedicated to helping passionate entrepreneurs achieve their dreams of owning a successful business. Regardless of your challenges, our skilled business coach Peter De Lange has both the tools and proven systems to help you and your business achieve its goals.

How resilient is your business? Take the Business Health Check and find out! Take the Test!

Stop Competing on Price

Tue, 18 Jun 2019 15:43:08 GMT

Its Time to Stop Competing on Price

Stop Competing on Price

The most common complaint I hear when talking to owners of small to medium sized businesses is that, “we can’t compete with the big guys on price.”

The perception in the market place is that people are shopping on price alone. The only reason your customer asks the price up front is because that is what we as business owners have trained them to do.

How many times have you rung or gone into a business not really knowing what model, style, color or features you were looking for and purely asked for the price? At this point did the sales person come back with “that is $29.95” or did they ask you some questions about what you were looking to use the product/service for? In this instance let’s say it is a kettle.

Now in most people’s eyes a kettle is a kettle; but, they have many different features and offer many different benefits. So what if the sales person simply said to you when you inquired about price, “just so I can help you best is it okay if I ask you a couple of questions about the kettle you are looking for?” Would you have answered yes? My bet is that the answer would have most definitely been yes!

The sales person could then ask questions like; are you looking to replace an existing kettle or is it a gift for someone? Do you regularly use your kettle or is it rarely used? Would you like a kettle with a quick boiling time? Have you seen the cordless options that are available? Are you looking for something to match your kitchen? So what color are you looking for? Is it important that it has an automatic cut off when the kettle is boiled? Are you after a stove-top option, or an electric kettle? Kettles come in different cup capacity; do you require 10 cup capacity or is 5 a better size for you?

From these questions the customer gets the idea that the sales person is genuinely interested in their needs and the salesperson is able to offer options in the most suitable kettles for their needs. The price is therefore negated. It is just a matter of now asking the customer to buy.

Ask More Questions

A good salesperson would then ask, “well based on what we have just spoken about there are two options to choose from, model x and model y, which one suits you best? Great, I can either put that away for now or I can process it on credit card for you and have it delivered to you tomorrow – which do you prefer?”

If the option is credit card ask “which credit card is it easiest to process that on?” and make sure the prospect is aware there will be a delivery charge of x amount. If the option they choose is to have it put away, this gives the sales person the opportunity to get the customers name and contact details. If the customer chooses this option make sure the sales person gets a time frame for them to pick the item up. Be definite with the infinite. If the customer is in your business the sales person then simply takes them to the point of sale terminal and transacts the sale.

This example was based on a kettle, a relatively small dollar item. How does this apply to your business? This process works equally well on cars, houses, furniture, service based businesses and any other product I can think of, including funeral homes. You just need to work out what your customers are actually looking for when they ask for the price, and what’s most important to them in their buying decision!

Productivity &Time Management Ideas

Fri, 11 Jan 2019 08:22:52 GMT

4 Big Impact Productivity &Time Management Ideas For Creatives

This post is a transcript post by Parag Prasad

Choose to work with A grade clients
Stop over-servicing
Stop being a control freak and learn to delegate
Focus only on the tasks that are truly important

Every Monday morning, I wake up at my usual time and have my usual morning routine, but on Mondays I also wake up my 4-year-old daughter, Avina. I help her get ready. We have breakfast together. Then around 9:10, we will leave the house and take a short walk to her nursery school.

On that walk she would tell me about what she’s got planned for the day, who she’s looking forward to talking to and hanging out with. And then at the nursery, I will settle her in and we say our goodbyes and then I take the short journey into my office arriving in time for my first meeting in the day at 10 o’clock in the morning.

Now this is our Monday routine that we followed over the years and it’s our daddy-daughter time that I greatly value and cherish. And yet for many business owners like myself who are running a business, the concept of starting the working day at 10am is highly unusual and yet it is something I’ve been able to do and do consistently over the years.

The many surveys conducted of UK business owners and leaders have found that the biggest challenge they face in their business is not acquisition of new customers or team performance or even improving cash flow, it’s actually a lack of time. UK business owners and leaders work an average of around 60 hours a week.

Our own analysis backs this up. Of the more than 500 business leaders I’ve spoken to directly and in depth over the years, nearly 90% of those we spoke to have expressed the need to lower their working hours from a typical average of around 60.

So 60 hours is the norm for people, wow! What’s that actually like for people working those hours? What’s it like for yourself? Especially if you have other things you would like to be doing with your time.

So if you assume an 8 am start to the working day that’s 8 am to 8 pm every day. And for those who have a family what I’ve seen is that they are typically finishing those last few hours late at night after the kids have gone to bed.

So this volume of hours is a very real challenge for leaders. Yet there is a conflict as many tell me that working this high volume of hours is necessary to be successful in getting the job done. That if they just keep pounding away hour after hour, day after day, that shared volume of hours will surely lead them to be successful in achieving their goals and dreams. Surely?

We’ve just heard a definition of a busy fool. Running and running and running, but never moving forward.

This is the person who says to me, “Parag, there’s 168 hours in the week, I am just gonna work as many as I physically can. It’s just what you have to do.”

Well in start-up mode those extra hours and efforts are generally required to get the operation moving, but my question to you here is how many of you are still working like that startup 5 years later or even 10 years later? How sustainable is that workload for you?

Nobody on their deathbed ever wished they’d spent more time in the office working. Maybe these people just like being martyrs to the cause at the expense of all else.

Yet the issue here is more of self-mastery than time mastery. I love this quote from Jim Rohn, “Don’t wish it were easier, wish that you were better”. We all have the same number of hours, minutes, and seconds in the day, it’s how you choose to use that time that really makes the difference.

Many leaders I’ve coached have shifted from that martyr-like existence of working 60, 70, or even 80 plus hours per week all the way down to 10 hours or less. One of my clients owns a PR business in London and he is currently in his 10th month out of the office. He is travelling around South America fulfilling a number personal ambitions and dreams that have nothing to do with his business, and yet his business continues to operate without him and grows year on year.

Now I can almost see what some of you are thinking here, “Parag, I love what I do, why would I want to reduce the amount of time spent pursuing my passion?”

What I am talking about here is having the power to decide your ideal balance between time spent working versus time spent on other things. It’s about you deciding rather than being obliged to work a certain number of hours in a certain way.

So how do you change this reality? There have been umpteen number of books and resources written about time management. Everything from how you plan your day, prioritise, manage emails and so on.

I don’t propose to go into those strategies today because they have been so widely documented. Many of those strategies are also available on our London Business Coaching website and I do run separate longer seminars that go into a lot more depth on those.

Instead, what I want to focus on today are some rather more challenging, but bigger impact strategies that have been proven to work especially for creative businesses.

1. Choose to work with A grade clients

The first one being, your choice of client.

All clients are not the same. There are those that hassle you, that seems to take great pleasure in demanding every single piece of your time and that of your teams. They are the kind of people that seem to want something for nothing and never seem to be happy. They are generally a complete pain to deal with.
We call these the D grade clients. Now the clients who are the opposite in characteristic are our ideal clients or A grade clients.

We should all choose to work with A grade clients of course, yet so many choose to work with the D grades because they feel they have to, because they need the money. However, the better approach should be to be working harder on your marketing, to ensure you can find more of those A grades rather than resorting to working with the D grades out of complete and utter desperation.

2. Stop over-servicing

The second strategy I want to share is to stop over-servicing.

I call this the disease of the creative business. Many creative businesses provide considerable extra service at no extra fee.

When I’ve coached these businesses to measure what they are actually providing against what was agreed, we found that the service levels are often 50% or more than what was agreed, much to the complete shock of the business. This excessive time of course destroys the profitability of the contract or even worse turns it into a loss-making piece of work.

The belief is, that the extra time will please the clients therefore leading to more – more repeat business and more referrals. However, where a culture of over-servicing exists in the business taking place across multiple clients as it usually does.

The only result is that there cannot be sustainable profit or cash flow in that business unless they borrow heavily. Therefore, that company’s future as a going concern becomes more and more in doubt.

So over-servicing is an extremely high-risk strategy, yet remarkably common. Instead creative’s of all kinds must value themselves and the service they provide far, far more highly.

This topic of how you value yourself more highly and how you better demonstrate that to your potential clients is a major topic, so it is one I will be exploring in more depth at another one of my RIBA seminars.

Linked to this over-servicing issue is the need to measure how much work is actually being provided for the client. It is essential to ensure that time related to the contract or job has been properly budgeted for, and that the actual time being spent on that job is being tracked usually through some form of timesheet system so that any issues of over-servicing can be spotted and managed quickly.

3. Stop being a control freak and delegate

Another major cause of excessive hours arises from the need of being in control.

Yep, these are our control freaks. These are the, “nobody-can-do-it-better-than-me people”. They are terrified of giving away control for fear that somebody in their team might make a mistake because they have never made a mistake of course.

Sound like anyone you know?

Well, as the business grows, the number of client grows. When the leaders are still trying to cling on to control, feeling the need to be involved in every single little decision rather than training the team and trusting them, what’s the only result that can happen? Ultimately, their work becomes completely overwhelming.

4. Focus on the tasks that are truly important

So my final point is about the importance of daily focus.

The most efficient time managers are able to focus on the few things each day that are truly important and therefore rigorously able to apply the Pareto Principle. This states that 20% of the work that you do will generate 80% of the results you achieved.

So I’ll leave you with a quote from Steve Jobs and to me this is really about how important it is to constantly evaluate what you are doing and why. And it says…
“Deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what to do”.

And to continue that theme, people think that focus means saying yes to the things you’ve got to do and got to focus on, but that is not what it means at all. It means saying no to the 100 other good or even great ideas that are out there, you have to pick carefully.

My last thought is that I’d urge you to take action after this talk even if it is just one of the strategies I’ve shown you.
These are challenging to implement which is why we as coaches are here to help, but at least if you can give it a go, there will be a great return from your time today.
Thank you.

What is a Business Strategy?

Fri, 11 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMT

When you are asked “what is a business strategy,” you should know that it is a plan, decision, choice, or even a guide which is used to benefit a company. This benefit is commonly measured in terms of success, profits, popularity, and/or growth. However, business strategies are tricky to formulate and execute well. In order for them to be implemented so that they show positive results, they must be thorough and well-defined. The owner of the business should have a clear idea of what the results should be like, and there should be no doubt as to what they want to accomplish. Similarly, the owner must understand that a strategy that is vague or unclear can cause damage to the business.

All successful businesses employ strategies that are continuously re-evaluated as they grow and evolve with their customer base. While business strategies are as varied as the challenges that they face, they generally fall into one of a couple different categories. Depending on what your business needs at the time, you may decide that one approach works better than the other.
The Two Kinds of Strategies

You can separate most business strategies into two different categories: practical strategies, and theoretical strategies. Theoretical strategies are ones that you come up with during brainstorming sessions. These have yet to be implemented, and can encompass a wide range of different scenarios. Theoretical strategies are great for determining the best way to deal with different problems, but they are useless by themselves. Ideally, the strongest of these strategies will be selected for implementation, at which point it would become practical.

In order for a strategy to move from being just a theory to being implemented, a clear vision and an iron will is required. When your entire focus is set upon executing a single strategy, the chances of success are much greater. This is especially true if you have tasked your business with analyzing and evaluating the strategy as it is being implemented, with corrections and changes being made in accordance with the stated goal.

This kind of insight can be used as a tool that will help you identify and improve areas of the business that need work. Profits will be maximized, cash flows will be smoother and more robust, resources can be used in a more effective manner, and employee productivity will improve. A welcome side effect of these positive changes is that the customers’ perception of your business will improve. When a business is run effectively, your customers will take notice of that fact!

A business strategy can be anything you want it to be. But remember: there is no one-size-fits-all approach to formulating one. Strategies should continue to change and evolve with your business while reflecting the core mission and goals that you want to achieve. If a previously successful strategy stops working, come up with a new one so that your business will continue to grow and prosper.

Goal setting is SMART Business

Tue, 08 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Goal setting is as important in personal life as it is in business.

The most common denominator in all the self-help literature and books is the importance of goal setting. We’re told to set long-term goals, short-term goals, lifetime goals and personal goals.

The benefits of S pecific, M easurable, A chievable, R esults orientated, T ime-framed ( S.M.A.R.T ) goals have been written about in self-help books for years. So, it follows that goal setting is obviously a powerful process.

It is about ‘eating the elephant, one bite at a time’ and of turning vision into achievable, actionable things. It’s the common denominator of successful individuals and businesses.

Despite their obvious value, our experience with goals have shown that some are good at setting goals and sticking to them, achieving great results and others can’t keep a New Year’s resolution to stop smoking for two days in a row.

Failure to set goals can be seen as a fear of failure. That is, the blow to our integrity when we don’t reach our goals. When we make and keep commitments, such as setting and achieving goals, it reflects the amount of trust we have in ourselves. We increase our confidence in ourselves to make and keep commitments to others and ourselves. However, when we don’t achieve our goals we lose confidence in our ability to make and keep commitments and to trust ourselves.

There are many reasons why we don’t achieve our goals. Sometimes the goals we set are unrealistic. New Year’s resolutions are typical examples. Suddenly, we expect to change the way we eat, or the way we exercise just because the calendar changes. It’s like expecting a child that’s never ridden a bike to suddenly jump on and go, or to run a marathon without months of training. These goals are based on illusion with little regard to natural growth. You must be able to crawl before you walk.

So, how do we set and achieve goals? Stephen R. Covey says it best in his book “7 Habits of Highly Effective People”. “To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination. It means to know where you’re going so that you better understand where you are now and so that the steps you take are always in the right direction.”

An example of a S.M.A.R.T. goal might look something like the following:

WHAT

My goal is to maintain a healthy body.

WHY

So that:

I can be fit to do the things I enjoy.

I can be an example to my children in health management.

I can build my personal character strength.

HOW

Good Nutrition. I will increase my intake of fresh fruits and vegetables and decrease my intake of sugar, fats, salt and red meat.

Physical. I will exercise aerobically 3 times a week for 30-minute periods.

Focus. I will be aware of my body and look out for any health problems.

Focusing on the smaller, short-term goals and achieving success will give you the confidence to set other goals. So, remember, set your goals based on the S.M.A.R.T. principle to have the best chance of achieving your goals.

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Brad Sugars founded the brand Action International in 1993 when he realized there was a disconnect between business advice and implementation. The answer was Action! Brad Sugars created a business coaching company so that business owners throughout the world can realize their goals in business. Today the company is known as ActionCOACH . To learn more about business, visit Brad Sugars Review blog!

Holding Yourself Accountable to Your Goals

Tue, 01 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMT

It’s easy to set goals for yourself. Following through with them is a bit harder; this is why gyms that are packed with people in early January are half-empty by early March. As it turns out, it’s much easier to say you want to lose 50 pounds than to actually do it. Having a goal is incredibly important, don’t get me wrong. Without a defined goal, there’s nothing to work towards and no motivation to get there. Problems only begin to arise when you come up with the idea of a goal, but you don’t have any real intention to get there. It’s one thing to say that you want to do something, but another thing entirely to actually do it.

"Without a defined goal, there’s nothing to work towards and no motivation to get there."

Given how common it is to set a goal and not adhere to it, the best way to avoid being that person is to make yourself accountable. Saying you want to do something isn’t good enough. You need to be reminded of that goal, to be pushed and furthered to achieve it even when you want to give up. That takes a little bit of extra work on your part, but the difference in success is night and day.

The following methods are some of the most effective (and proven) methods of increasing your own accountability to your set goals.

1) Write it down

As simple as this process is, the effect on both your memory and commitment from writing something down is significant. It is believed to help with memory retention, and by writing out your goals, you are putting into physical form that which you wish to achieve. People who write down their goals will often place their written plan in an area where they will regularly see it. This makes it so that they are routinely reminded of what it is that they set out to do; if they fail to work towards that goal, they will be reminded of that fact.

2) Map out a plan to make it happen

Setting goals for yourself is only the first step. You need to know how you are going to achieve that idea, which is why writing out a step-by-step plan is so helpful. Not all goals are entirely realistic, while others might require more work and effort than you initially expected. If you are trying to achieve something that seems rather optimistic, it probably is. That’s not to say that you can’t meet that goal, but if you go in expecting the process to be easier than it is, you might find yourself getting discouraged very quickly.

This is especially true if you are setting goals in a business. If you want to increase your yearly revenue by 50% next year, you need to have a concrete plan of action. Just “working harder” is not going to make that happen. Lay down a piece of paper, identify the things you need to work on, and come up with a way of solving these problems. This will also have the effect of making you more invested in your goal; you’ll have sunk a fair amount of time and money into making it happen, which will make you want to see it through to the end that much more.

3) Do it together

Holding yourself accountable on your own is really difficult. You never have somebody checking in on you, nor do you ever hear somebody validate your efforts or offer advice as to how to do it better. This is why sharing a goal with another person can be an incredibly powerful motivator. Instead of going to the gym by yourself, go with a group of people. Instead of setting time aside to study on your own, go with a couple of like-minded students. Having a supportive group of people who are all trying to achieve the same goal will both motivate you and help keep you accountable.

Original post by Brad sugars here

Peter De Lange, Action Coach

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Having the right team is one of the most crucial elements of running a successful business

Having the right team is one of the most crucial elements of running a successful business.

Without a winning team that is skilled, motivated, and passionate, it can be challenging to achieve your company's goals and objectives. Today we'll explore why having the right team is essential for a business's success and how you can build and maintain a strong team.

Why is having the right team essential?

Having the right team is essential for a business's success for several reasons. Here are some of the key benefits:

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1. Increased productivity and efficiency

When you have a team that is well-organized, skilled, and motivated, they can work together to achieve common goals. This collaboration can lead to increased productivity and efficiency, as everyone is working towards the same objectives.

2. Improved creativity and innovation

Having a team with diverse skills, backgrounds, and experiences can lead to improved creativity and innovation. Different perspectives can lead to new ideas and approaches, which can help a business stay ahead of its competition.

3. Better decision-making

When a team is made up of individuals with different strengths and expertise, they can work together to make better decisions. This can help a business to make informed decisions based on a range of perspectives and insights.

4. Increased job satisfaction and employee retention

When employees feel like they are part of a strong team, they are more likely to be satisfied with their jobs and stay with the company longer. This can reduce turnover and help a business to retain its best employees.

How to build the right team?

Building the right team takes time and effort, but it's worth it in the end. Here are some steps you can take to build the right team for your business:

1. Define your needs

Before you start building your team, you need to define your needs. What roles do you need to fill? What skills and expertise are essential? What kind of team dynamic do you want to create? Answering these questions can help you to identify the types of individuals you need on your team.

2. Develop a recruitment strategy

3. Conduct interviews

Interviews are a critical part of the recruitment process. They give you a chance to get to know candidates and determine whether they are a good fit for your team. When interviewing candidates, ask questions that help you to understand their skills, experience, and work style.

4. Check references

Checking references is an essential part of the recruitment process. It can give you insight into a candidate's work ethic, skills, and experience. Be sure to contact references and ask specific questions about the candidate's performance.

5. Psychometric testing

6. Provide training and development opportunities

How to maintain the right team?

Maintaining a strong team is just as important as building one. Here are some steps you can take to maintain the right team for your business:

1. Communicate regularly

Communication is key to maintaining a strong team. Regular communication can help to build trust, clarify expectations, and address any issues that may arise. Be sure to hold regular team meetings and one-on-one meetings with team members to discuss their goals and performance.

2. Provide feedback

Providing feedback is essential for helping team members to improve their performance. Be sure to regularly provide positive feedback and constructive criticism.

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