The Bridge

You’ve gone and done it – left that W-2 life behind and started your own business. You’re the boss, in complete control of everything – including the one thing that makes you sick to your stomach: SALES.

Yup – as it has been noted by others before, the owner is often the head of sales. It’s a difficult reality that many small business owners refuse to accept. But with a shift in mindset, even the most-bullheaded of business owners can learn to love (or at the very least tolerate) the process of selling.

But don’t take our word for it; take it from three of San Diego’s best sales consultants:

Richard Marks, RDM Management Group

“I am a business owner who appreciates and loves the business of sales, this is why my business exists,” says Marks.  “My business model assists Small Biz owners and other professionals to understand the Business of Selling. We do this by laying out the practical chronological order of the selling process and coach the business professionals through this journey based on their individual style, and comfort level.” Marks emphasizes a specific target as he engages his clients. “The core focus of our programs are, "the customer needs". We then incorporate "Self-Confidence, Self-Discipline, Emotional Intelligence, and Motivation" into the process to deliver a unique, encouraging experience.”

Michael Tracy, Sales Journey

Tracy has an innate ability to break things down tactically:

“1. Why did you start your business? What is the reason? The why? Figure out your primary purpose and stay dedicated to it, business owners should be convicted about something, solving a problem or relieving a pain. The level of your conviction will dictate your sales results. If you don’t think your product or service delivers meaningful value, then selling it will make you miserable. I had a CEO once who started companies only after something made him angry. He converted his anger into a conviction to solve a problem; this enabled him to easily win new customers with his reason for starting the business, the product/ service was just an extension of that reason.

2. Business = selling. If you hate selling your product or service than find something else to sell. Your competition will eat you alive if don’t have a passion for your product or service, because they will. Ask yourself: can you even have a business without sales?

3. Take action and start selling before 9am every morning. The simplest definition of selling is asking people for money. If you’re not asking people for money, you are not selling. Once a sales is made, you will find more energy and motivation to make the next, and so on. If you have something of value, it needs to be sold by you- clearly, overtly and with conviction. There is too much noise to expect your prospect to find you. Sales pro and Biz owners need to be proactive: which means asking every day, what do I need to do to make sales, then do it!”

Jack Kelly, Corlea Group

Jack Kelly specializes in working with both individuals and sales teams by creating clarity, performance and growth across a small business. His take on the topic boils it down to the “F-word.”

Not that one – FEAR!

“Are you are scared to pick up the phone? Scared to ask for someone's budget? Scared to ask for someone to commit to a timeline?

The worst thing that can happen is they say no, or they don't pick up the phone. Big deal. Unfortunately, I see these fears drive poor decision making and performance from sales professionals every day.”

“We make decisions all the time - both consciously and unconsciously. My challenge to you as a sales professional, whether a leader or producer, is to make them consciously. When faced with a decision where fear may be playing an important role, you can ask yourself the following questions:

1. Am I making this decision based on fear?
2. What are the potential outcomes, both positive and negative, for me? For my company? For my family?
3. What are the possible alternatives?
4. How will I measure the success or failure of this decision?
5. Am I willing to own the outcomes and not make excuses?

If you ask yourself these questions before making a decision, you can identify and address your fears head on. Otherwise, you are likely to make an impulsive decision to protect yourself from your fear.”

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With NFL training camps underway, I took the opportunity to re-watch Super Bowl 52 (for the 23^rd time) this past weekend. As a long suffering Philadelphia Eagles fan, it was with great joy that I was able to watch them finally bring the big trophy home. Winning is fun, and this championship will certainly help me get through any bad seasons that might be ahead. (Well, that, and healthy dose of “Boos” should they be warranted.) But, watching this team was fun for so many reasons more.

Now as a small business consultant, I couldn’t help but admire the job General Manager Howie Roseman and Head Coach Doug Pederson did, along with a lot of the various coaches and players. Now that I have come down from the euphoria of winning (sort of; I’m still watching replays of the game), I have had a chance to really think about how special the season was.

As we gear up for a new season, here are five takeaways from the Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles organization that small businesses should note:

1.       It will be harder than you think

The 2017 Philadelphia Eagles is really a testament to the idea that we should plan on adversity. Think about it: NFL Teams have 11 starters on offense and defense, along with 2-3 key players on Special Teams for a total of 25 key players. The Eagles lost 8 of their best players due to injury, including starting QB Carson Wentz who was having a MVP-caliber year … that’s a whopping 32% of top-level production. The team never missed a beat when a teammate was injured. They just kept winning.

Could your small business survive if one-third of your best producers left for a new job? Start planning for adversity now, and it will be easier to contend with when the time comes. Cross-train employees, build a solid cash reserve and communicate to your team that adversity will happen, and together, you will overcome it.

2.       Surround yourself with smart people

One of the best moves this team made when they hired Doug Pederson two years ago was to surround him with two coordinators who are smart enough to be head coaches. They hired a former Head Coach, Jim Schwartz, to run the Defense; and they hired Frank Reich, whom many considered a Head Coach-caliber mind, to help run the offense.  Both coordinators were well-respected, smart coaches. Due to the Eagles success this year, Reich was hired by another NFL team to become their head coach this year.

Don’t be afraid to hire smart people. If they have a skill set you don’t, why wouldn’t you want to have the smartest person you can get?

3.       Always look to improve

The Eagles had a better than expected run-game in 2017, with a triumvirate of players contributing despite an injury to All-Pro RB Darren Sproles. Yet the Eagles did something rarely seen in the NFL during the regular season. Halfway through the season, they traded for a starting-caliber Running Back. It was a bold move for a team that was already sporting an NFL best 7-1 record.

For Small Business owners, this means act now. Even if times are good, and you are succeeding, find ways to improve. Train your key players. Add new, smart people. Find opportunities to improve the business – and communicate to your crew that they should always be doing the same, especially during periods of success.

4.       Don’t Underestimate the Value of Short-Term Planning

Pederson was extremely good at preparing his team to focus on the task at hand. Yes, the Eagles goal was to win the Super Bowl, but they had to beat the opponent in front of them every week in order to have a shot at reaching their goal.

As small business owners, we are always chasing the big trophy or that vision of “Success.” Many don’t even stop to write a plan on how to get there. This is a huge mistake. Take time now to build an action plan that identifies the short-term milestones leading to your version of success.

5.       Celebrate the Wins

We had a saying at a former workplace, “Celebrate the victories, both big and small.” I still believe that this is true. The Philadelphia Eagles embodied this approach throughout the season. Understanding that a series of successes could lead to the ultimate success was something that Pederson effectively communicated to his team. As small business owners, we tend to get tunnel vision, and could miss some of these milestones.

Don’t.

It is an opportunity for team-building, as well as an opportunity to show your appreciation for a job well-done.

And of course, when you reach the ultimate goal – it’s completely justifiable to reflect and celebrate.

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With July 4^th Festivities gearing up in earnest this week, we couldn’t help but pause and note a few things worth giving thanks.

Despite what might be happening on a grander stage, we are so very fortunate to be living in this country. And when we spoke to our kids about Independence Day, we were struck by the fact that the idea of business ownership really is a perfect embodiment of independence. And it made us think about the challenges small business owners face.

In an honest article regarding the realities of being a small business owner, Paul Downs – author of Boss Life, a book by Paul Downs – reminds us all of the striking reality of being the boss: it ain’t easy. Reality #2: no such thing as feeling secure.

But the most striking revelation from the excerpt published last week in Inc.com was this:

“Where can I get good advice? This has been a problem for me from the start. I opened my doors when I was fresh out of college, back in 1986. I didn’t even know anyone in the business. And there was no Internet back then, no magic universal library that answered every question. My nature is to try to figure things out on my own, which, in retrospect, has been bad for me. I stumbled on the most basic business problems: Where do I buy materials? How do I keep records? How do I pay taxes for my employees? How do I advertise? It was very hard to find answers. There were books about running a business, but none about my business. I never imagined that anyone would be interested in helping me, so I never asked for help. And I was always so strapped for time that I would implement the first idea I found, even if it was bad practice. I just muddled along for years and years.”

Where can I get help? Where can I get good advice? These are questions we hear time and again. The struggle to balance every aspect of small business is real – but finding good help should not be as difficult.

First – start with your local resources: the city or county Chamber of Commerce, SBA office and SCORE chapters are all loaded with information. Many cities also have a Small Business Development Center. These organizations are eager to help – it’s why they exist!

Second – your local colleges and universities are a resource as well. Some even have programs dedicated to small business owners!

Third – it isn’t 1776, or even 1986 anymore; the internet is here and a perfect place to find business professionals who have dedicated themselves to helping small business owners. If you are at a loss – a basic google search and LinkedIn are your best friends.

Finally – there is a sentence in the quote above that really jumps out at us:

“I never imagined that anyone would be interested in helping me, so I never asked for help.”

Like our fledgling country back in 1776, small business owners need to understand that surrounding yourself with people who want to see you succeed is key. Independence does not equate being alone. You can’t do it alone, not should you. If you need help – seek it out. (Our forefathers did.)

Happy Independence, from us here at BBS.

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Dwight Eisenhower once said, “Good planning without good working is nothing.” We tend to agree. While there are some small businesses that have succeeded without a plan, this is generally speaking not the best way to plow forward. As a matter of fact, lack of a business plan is one of the reasons many small businesses fail. But what gives? Why should a small business owner care about writing a business plan? And if they have one, then who needs a strategic plan or an action plan? Good questions, all – let’s take a closer look.

A business plan is typically utilized for several reasons, chief of which is to determine the viability of a new business idea to launch and be sustainable. Once the idea is validated, it acts to secure funding in the way of a business loan or through investors. It definitely helps to provide structure to the idea, and allows small business owners to determine the best way to shape its operations.

A strategic plan is used by existing organizations to describe where the business is, and where it would like to be in the next 3-5 years. It outlines specific goals and what the benchmarks of success will be. It also describes how an action plan will be put into operation.

An action plan is a document that helps guide small business owners and their teams in the day-to-day tasks of the company. It specifically defines what needs to be done, when, by whom and what resources will be needed to succeed. When done correctly, the document will help define specific processes for individuals, teams and departments.

If we were to return to Eisenhower’s quote, it becomes clear that the business plan and strategic plan are elements that go hand-in-hand with an action plan. Once each is in place, the only thing left to do is work the plan.

And as the iconic phrase goes, there’s only one thing small business owners need at this point – just do it.

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You’ve been caught in the corporate hamster-wheel since graduating from college and now, you are about to take the big leap: business owner, entrepreneur. When you start mentioning your intention to family, friends and colleagues – that little thing called doubt starts to creep into the back of your head. But you ignore it, and press on, all the way to launching the business.

Then that negative voice, the lizard brain as Seth Godin likes to call it, starts to yell loudly in your head: “YOU’RE NOT A BUSINESS OWNER! YOU’RE NO EXPERT! DO YOU REALLY THINK YOU BELONG??!”

And Imposter Syndrome has solidly taken root in your brain. But there is way around this awful bout of bad juju …. And here are six ways you can combat it:

1.       Reframe your fear

Every time you hear that little voice tell you that you shouldn’t be doing this, adopt the mentality to prove that voice wrong. Get angry at it, be challenged by it – and work harder in the task at hand. By reframing your fear, you will quiet that voice in your head.

2.       Talk it out with a mentor/trusted colleague

Building a small business can be lonely at times (particularly if you are a sole proprietor/solopreneur), so it is essential to make sure you have a trusted network of professionals with whom to bounce around ideas. Even better, a mentor would help you process not only any doubts, but the challenges you face as a business as well.

3.       Remember your accomplishments

That’s right – your accomplishments! You were driven to launch a business by something, and more than likely have had some success before. Take a step back and look at your career thus far, and remember that this in just one more step in your professional journey. You have every right to be here and now, working in your small business.

4.       Provide value with every interaction

We love this one, because it is another way to get out of your head and get your hands into the work of being a business owner. Every discussion, task, networking or customer service encounter is an opportunity to focus on providing value, as opposed to listening to the little voice.

5.       Stop the Comparison Game

It’s an easy trap to fall into, particularly when competing for business or networking. Understand that you are on your own unique path. Believe in your value proposition or differentiating factor. When you do that, there’s no way you’ll fall into the comparison game.

And remember:

Fake It

…until you make it. This old nugget still holds true today. When all else fails, fake it. No one will know.

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