Communicating with Clients

Have you noticed that when you email or call a client they answer your questions but leave it at that, but when you personally visit there is a plethora of items they want to discuss. I meet with 4 clients yesterday that had nothing really going on, but when I left I have 6 different projects to work on. Another reason to get off our butts and get in front of our clients!!!

Selling Time

So the economy may be slow - so what are you doing about it? Are you sitting around worring about it or are you busting your butt getting in front of your clients. Worring will not help anything - it only takes up a lot of time and slows you down. Now is the time to hit the road and talk to your clients and get new ones. Things don't look as bad when you have no time to sit and analyze everything to the nth degree. So how are you spending your time?

Off to ABQ

Well am flying down to see my son Noah who lives in Albuquerque. I always get excited to see him (it has been about a month and a half since I have seen him). This time i have an extra reason to go (and be nervous). My exwife, son and I are going to discuss having him moved up with us. I am excited and hoping it will happen, but know it will be difficult onn his mom. I am hopeful we can work something out though. I do miss seeing him daily since for the last 8 years they have lived down south. Wish me luck.

Thank You

When was the last time you told your good clients thank you? For 2009 one of our big goals is to get out there and tell our clients thanks. Too often we are running around so fast trying to get everything done we don't slow down and remember to do the things our mothers told us to do. Say please, say thank you and always wear clean underwear in case you are in an accident (OK this last one I just threw in there to make sure you were paying attention). Think of the last time someone told you thanks for doing business with them. How did it make you feel? I will tell you one thing, I will bet you continued doing business with them, and maybe even told some others about them. It is amazing what a simple little word can do. Try it.
By the way - thanks for reading this blog.

Monday is Here

Another Monday is here again - are you ready? Do you love your job? Do you enjoy going to work on Monday? If not why the heck are you doing it? Life is way too short. It took me 8 times but I finally found something I enjoy (usually). Like Zig says, anyone who is on 100% is on something!

Home on the Farm

Well a 3 hour drive only took 6 tonight, but finally made it to my parents house. Life always seems easier on the farm. The slower pass feels nice for a change and being able to enjoy the simple things makes one appreciate how you were raised. My kids love coming out to the farm - whether it is playing with the farm cats, seeing the wild animals (including lots of deer) or playing in the snow, they just can never get enough. After these trips it always reminds me how thankful I am for my parents, family and my childhood on the farm.

Slave of the Process

What a couple of great days I have had this week. Going out and saying thank you to our good clients. The one thing I have lost in the last couple of years is spending a lot of time in front of the client. That is where my time is the most valuable. Usually when I am there I also find many other pains that I can help them with. Too often I become a slave of the process and loss site of the big picture. Luckily I have friends that are there to help me straighten out the ship!

Yesterday - What a Great Day!

We had a company retreat this weekend and what a great event it was. One of the biggest take aways was that we need to get in front of the client more often and say thanks. How often do we take our good clients, and friends, for granted? They usually don't complain, they don't ask for much, they are just always there. These are the people that we should spend most of our time with (read 80 / 20 rule here - will blog about this at another time). But we instead spend the time with the people that are difficult (squeeky wheel gets the grease) and who are always going to be the problem child.
I had a great day going out and visiting clients yesterday to say thanks for being such a great customer (they hardly ever hear that) and we appreciate you. I also had a great meeting with a new client that will become one of those great clients. It was a great day.

Economy

When in the world did the government (either Republican or Democrat) getting involved in something fix it? I know we elect these people to represent us in DC, but I think they forget what real life is lke once they get there. Power corrupts everyone to some extent. Bottom line is let me run my own life and I will do a much better job than anyonce else can. OK venting over, time to go back to work.

Business Plan

Have you written a business plan for your business? If you have you know how powerful of a document it is. If not - why? Maybe you are not the boss - so, neither am I but as I write one for my location I realize where I need to focus my energies. Maybe I don't control the decision making for everything (yet) I still have a vision of where I want the company to go. It is an amazingly powerful document.

Traveling Fun

Well is seems that winter traveling has taken its toll again. A massive sinus infection has slowed me down quite a bit. My body tries to tell me to slow down, but I need to listen to it and that doesn't always happen. I need to slow down today and get some rest for this weekend's company retreat.

Monday and Lots to Do

Well after a very busy week with my brothers and sisters at HTG. While there was a lot of great ideas discussed, now comes the big job - execution. I am notorious for great notes but then getting busy with the day to day. My peanut butter buddies (skippy and peter pan) will make sure that doesn't happen. If things are going to be different this year I can't expect to do the same thing as last year and get new resilts.