Tag Archive for success

Increasing Your Online Marketing ROI

November 21, 2011 Eric Deschamps No comments

 

One of the main challenges small and medium sized businesses face is how to market their products/services on a limited budget. You know you need to get your message out there, but how do you do that in a way that is both cost-effective and still gets results?

When I launched BreakthroughCoach, I focused my efforts on internet marketing and social media. Nearly 70% of my clients have come from these sources! I am more convinced than ever that if you’re in business but you’re not on the internet, then you’re not in business!

This week I am pleased to introduce you to Nathan Richer, a friend and colleague of mine. As the owner of Virtual Alchemy, a company devoted to helping you maximize your online marketing, he possesses a wealth of information on the subject. I hope you enjoy his post!

Over to you Nathan!

Eric Deschamps – Business Coach Ottawa

 

Why Does My Business Need to Be Found Online?

Do you have a website?
Can your website be found via Google?
Would you like more customers?

With over 1.9 billion internet users worldwide, you shouldn’t be asking yourself if your business needs to be found online. Instead, you should be asking yourself what you can do to tap into this vast resource of potential customers!

If you have a professionally designed website, you may think that you have already done what you can to market your business on the Internet. However, that is just the tip of iceberg. The key to being found online is so much more than a well designed website; it’s what is hidden beneath the surface that determines your results and returns!

Dominate Google and Get More Leads!

When you want to find a service or a product, where do you go? Most people head straight to Google to find a business that meets their needs. Is your website showing up on the first page of the Google search results? If it isn’t, you are missing out on a TON of potential customers. Statistics show that 95% of people never make it past the first page of the search results!

Although there are some website designers that will optimize your website (for an additional cost), this isn’t always the case. For instance, think about the person you had build and design your brick and mortar store. They decorated the office and made sure the chairs, desks and computers were ergonomic; however, they probably didn’t stand outside with a sandwich board and pass out flyers to attract customers to your business.

The same applies to the virtual world. A website designer will design your virtual “office”, but unless it was specified in their contract, you should not expect them to market it in Google and other popular search engines. This is a separate – and very crucial – job!

The great news is that it is not too late to get your business on the first page of Google. There are certain things you can do that will get your business’s website found online by people looking for – and ready to – buy your product or service. This includes, amongst others, tactics such as using appropriate titles, keywords and back-links.

Grow Your Business with Social Media

In addition to getting your business found via search engines, you should also be using social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn.

Why?

• If Facebook were a country, it would be the 3rd largest on the planet.
• There are more than 101 million users on LinkedIn.
• More than 200 million tweets are sent each day.

These three statistics all say the same thing – Social Media is a great way to get in front of a large crowd. The key with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and any other social sites is to utilize them properly.

If you sign up for Twitter and do nothing but blast out sales pitches all day, you aren’t going to have many followers. Social media is all about building relationships with potential customers. It’s about carrying on conversations, sharing posts or tweets and being responsive on a regular basis.

Not only will this make your Social Media experience more enjoyable but you will build trust with those in your network. And, what is something that buyers need to have before they invest in a service or product? Trust.

While it may sound like a lot of work, it can be quite fun and rewarding, both on a personal and professional level. The more you put into social media, the more you will get from it.

There are many other forms of internet marketing, such as mobile marketing, reputation management and video marketing, that will help you attract and convert more customers. However, if you start by getting your business found online through popular search engines and by building relationships using Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, you will be well on your way to a more prosperous business.

If you have been trying to find a way to get more customers and make more money, you must invest the time and resources to develop a sound internet marketing campaign. It is simple.

Get found Online… Increase your bottom line!

Nathan Richer
Virtual Alchemy
www.virtualalchemy.ca
[email protected]

Business Effectiveness, Google, SEO, Social Media, Success, Uncategorized , , , , , , ,

In Memory of Maddy

November 12, 2011 Eric Deschamps No comments

 

Tragedy and loss are the great equalizers. None of us are immune. If you are reading this, then chances are you have experienced the pain of losing a loved one as well. This pain is magnified many times over when a child passes away at a very young age.

In this blog post, I want to introduce you to a little girl called Maddy. Through the eyes of her family and friends, I believe this little one will touch your heart. Although I never knew Maddy personally, it is evident that her life made an impact on those she knew and loved.

Please read this post carefully, and consider supporting this great cause. Thanks to my clients and friends Heather & Fabien Cauley and Mike Courneya, owners of Bronson Johnson Seamless Eavestroughs for allowing me the privilege of participating in this endeavour. To Dean & Jeanine (Maddy’s mom & dad) and Hannah (Maddy’s sister), thank you for the honour of highlighting Maddy’s story.

I turn the rest of this post over to Heather, and Maddy’s family.

Eric Deschamps, Business Coach & Advisor – Ottawa

 

In Memory of Maddy…

Madison Karolina Otto was an energetic, happy and incredibly loved little girl when she passed away suddenly at the age of 5 from a brain tumour her family didn’t even know she had. The last hours of Maddy’s short life were spent at Roger’s House, a paediatric palliative care facility on the grounds of CHEO, where she was surrounded by family and friends. The following is a letter written by Maddy’s family in her honour:

 

“This is the story of a little girl, a superhero, an angel, and her name is Madison Karolina Otto. Madison was the most spirited little girl anyone could ever meet. She was both full of life and lived life to the fullest for her short 5 years. You would often see her dressing up in costumes, Spiderman, Woody and her favourite… Batman, and let me tell you, she thought she WAS batman in that costume!!

Madison Karolina Otto 2002-2007

Maddy loved her family and friends so much and you could always count on a smile and some funny little comment to cheer you up whenever she was around! She commanded attention and was always the star of the show. Life is just not the same without her

In 2007, Maddy was diagnosed with an inoperable tumour on the brainstem.  She went from being a perfectly normal 5-year old on Sunday, July 15th to one of God’s angels two days later.  Our family was blessed to have received the support of Roger’s House and to have benefited from their services. 

During Maddy’s final days, we were welcomed into a family suite at Roger’s House, which offers the comforts of “home away from home” where we hosted a number of family members along with our closest friends. To have spent those last cherished moments with Maddy surrounded with so much love and support provided comfort to our family. We have also since learned how to cope with our tremendous loss by attending grief and bereavement classes also offered at Roger’s House.

In addition to bereavement counselling, one of the ways we continue to stay strong is by raising funds for Roger’s House. It helps us to know that we in turn are helping other families with sick children and that they too can draw on this amazing resource in our community. Located on the grounds of CHEO, Roger’s House provides a comprehensive pediatric palliative care program with elements of outreach, residential hospice, pain and symptom management, grief and bereavement counselling and research.

By purchasing this calendar you are ensuring that Roger’s House will be there for those that will need it. You are making a difference to families like ours who would not have known what to do if Roger’s House had not been there.

Life can change so quickly and it is comforting to know that facilities such as Roger’s House exist in our community. Thank you so much for making a difference and being a part of Maddy’s story!

Sincerely,

Dean, Jeanine & Hannah Otto (Maddy’s Dad, Mom & Big Sister)

 

Maddy’s story is just one of many. Since Roger’s House opened its doors on May 15th 2006, hundreds of families have had to bear the unfathomable grief of burying their little loved ones.

Fabien & I are personal friends to Jeanine, Dean and Hannah. In keeping with our company’s mission statement, we would like to give back to Roger’s House by selling calendars featuring 12 very handsome men (that I have given a personal thumbs up to, and I am known for my superior taste in men! A plug for Fabien!), 2 of which have said good-bye to their children at Roger’s House.

Calendars are $20.00 each and all proceeds will go to Roger’s House, in memory of Madison. Bronson Johsnon Seamless Eavestroughs does not benefit financially in any way from the sales of these calendars.

To order your calendars, please contact me by email at [email protected] or by phone at (613) 619-1357. Accepted methods of payment are cash or credit card. With Christmas around the corner, these calendars make excellent gifts!

Thank you for supporting such a worthy cause!

Most sincerely,

Heather Cauley

Director of Lasting Impressions
Bronson Johnson Seamless Eavestroughs
(613) 619-1357
[email protected]
www.bronsonjohnson.com

“Bronson Johnson Seamless Eavestroughs consistently strives to be trusted by our customers, revered by our competitors and honoured by our community.”

 

Generosity, Giving, Personal Effectiveness, Uncategorized , ,

The Success is in the DOING!

October 31, 2011 Eric Deschamps No comments

 

“Believe and act as if it were impossible to fail.” ~ Charles F. Kettering

In last week’s blog post, I wrote about “The Power of Perseverance.” Let me probe a little further today…

Allow me to state the obvious. Success is only achieved if you possess the courage – the intestinal fortitude – to stick it out long enough to see your dreams become a reality. Dreaming about the future is one thing, but the secret to success is in the doing!

Your business started with an idea! You gathered all the needed information and created a your business plan. You committed to all kinds of fancy goals and strategies. But then came decision time. Would you go ahead and jump in with both feet or would you bail out because the venture appeared too difficult and too risky?

It is often at this stage that the greatest challenges emerge. In an age of “instant solutions” and “quick fixes”, many people expect results even before they start doing anything. They take a few steps and quit prematurely because they don’t experience phenomenal success immediately. They throw in the towel, wondering why their plan didn’t work. The real question is did they work the plan? Did they follow through? Did they persevere?

The secret to success is in the DOING and in the “KEEP DOING.” For how long? As long as it takes! What do you have to do to succeed? Whatever it takes!

Only you can decide how much time and energy you will invest to ensure that your goals are achieved. But once you have decided, make sure you FOLLOW THROUGH! Be true to yourself. Honour your word. Take action, and persevere. As in the story in last week’s blog post, don’t stop three feet short of the gold!

You may choose to follow someone else’s plan because they achieved success in an arena similar to yours. But remember: your outcome may look very different from theirs. You are unique. Only you can write your own story and create your own outcome. Whatever the outcome is, it’s an experience that was worth having. You either learned HOW TO DO something or HOW NOT TO DO something.

This doesn’t mean that you don’t need help from others. Actually, your learning and progress can often be greatly accelerated by the people you surround yourself with. However, don’t ever forget that the final buck stops with you.

Here is the simple truth, the SINGLE SOLITARY REASON why so few people ever achieve their dreams: they are simply UNWILLING to do whatever it takes, for however long it takes! Few people fail, many people quit, most people don’t even try! The secret to success is in the DOING! In the words of NIKE, JUST DO IT!

Here’s something to consider…

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.” ~ Teddy Roosevelt

Get in the arena. Stay in the fight. Embrace the prize. Savour the victory.

Here’s to your success!

 

Eric Deschamps, Business Coach/Advisor – Ottawa, Canada

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The Power of Perseverance!

October 24, 2011 Eric Deschamps No comments


“You’ve got to say, ”I think that if I keep working at this and want it badly enough I can have it.” It’s called perseverance.” Lee Iacocca

“Great works are performed not by strength, but by perseverance.” Samuel Johnson

Successful people never give up. They have a “don’t quit” attitude that sustains them when they encounter inevitable roadblocks and setbacks. They keep trying, working, and persisting long after the average person has thrown in the towel. They persevere to the end.

One of the most common causes of failure is quitting too soon. Most of us have made this mistake at one time or another, and maybe even on several occasions. To achieve your dreams and goals, you must learn to persevere through hardships and setbacks. Every great achievement in history was often preceded by great opposition. And some of the greatest failures can be traced to giving up prematurely.

In his book “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill there is a story that illustrates this principle quite powerfully. Hill tells the story of R.U. Darby’s uncle who was caught by “gold fever” in the gold-rush days, and went west to find his fortune. He staked his claim and went to work feverishly to make his fortune. The work was hard and the progress slow, but his lust for gold fuelled his efforts.

After weeks of strenuous labour, Darby’s uncle struck gold! But he needed machinery to bring the shiny ore to the surface. Quietly, he covered up the mine, returned to his home in Williamsburg, Maryland and told his relatives and a few friends of the “strike.” They pooled their money together for the needed equipment, and had it shipped to the secret location. The uncle and Darby went back to work the mine.

The first train car of ore was mined, and shipped to a smelter. Their returns proved they had one of the most lucrative mines in the state of Colorado! Only a few more cars of that gold would clear their outstanding debts and place them within reach of huge profits. Their dreams of unimaginable wealth drove them forward and onward!

Then something terrible happened. The vein of gold ore disappeared! They had come to the end of the rainbow, and their pot of gold had apparently vanished. They kept drilling, desperately hoping to find the vein again. All their efforts were met with failure. The vein couldn’t be found. Finally, after significant effort and cost, the decision was made to throw in the towel.

Discouraged and defeated, they sold their machinery to a local junk man for a few hundred dollars, and took the train back home. The junk man was aware that the Darby’s had been mining gold ore. He called in a mining engineer to inspect the mine and make recommendations. The engineer advised him that the project had failed, because the original owners were not familiar with “fault lines.”

His calculations showed that the lost vein would be found just three feet from where the Darby’s had stopped drilling! And that is exactly where the junk man found it! He extracted millions of dollars in gold ore from the mine, because he knew enough to seek expert counsel before giving up.

Have you ever stopped drilling just three feet short of the gold? Have you ever thrown in the towel, only to discover that victory was just around the corner? On your success journey, you are sure to encounter failure and defeat along the way. When obstacles overtake you, the easiest and most logical thing to do is to quit. That is exactly what most people do.

The junk man understood the value of calling in an expert to help him turn the “impossible” situation around. Who do you turn to (in your life and business) for that expert opinion that provides the winning edge?

Successful people persevere to the end. In his book, Hill noted that more than five hundred of the most successful men in America at this time reported that their greatest success came just one step beyond the point at which defeat had overtaken them. Don’t stop digging three feet short of the gold. Endure to the end, and reap the benefits.

 

Eric Deschamps, Business Coach/Advisor – Ottawa

Business Effectiveness, Perseverance, Personal Effectiveness, Success, Uncategorized , , , , ,

Failing Forward!

October 17, 2011 Eric Deschamps 5 comments


Have you ever made serious mistakes in your life and business that cost you dearly? Have those mistakes ever left you feeling defeated and discouraged? Consider the following insurance claim filed by an injured bricklayer.

“Dear Sir,

I am writing in response to your request for additional information. In block number three of the accident reporting form, I put “poor planning” as the cause of my accident. You said in your letter that I should explain more fully, and I trust that the following details will be sufficient.

I am a bricklayer by trade. On the day of the accident, I was working alone on the roof of a six-story building. When I completed my work, I discovered that I had about 500 pounds of brick left over. Rather than carry the bricks down by hand, I decided to lower them down in a barrel by using a pulley, which, fortunately, was attached to the side of the building at the sixth floor. Securing the rope at ground level, I went up the roof, swung the barrel out and loaded the bricks into it. Then I went back to the ground and untied the rope, holding it tightly to insure a slow descent of the 500 pounds of brick.

You will note in block number eleven of the accident reporting form that I weigh 175 pounds. Due to my surprise at being jerked off the ground so suddenly, I lost my presence of mind and forgot to let go of the rope. Needless to say, I proceeded upward at a rather rapid rate up the side of the building. In the vicinity of the third floor, I met the barrel coming down. This explains the fractured skull and broken collarbone.

Slowed only slightly, I continued my rapid ascent, not stopping until the fingers of my right hand were two knuckles deep into the pulley. Fortunately, by this time I regained my presence of mind and was able to hold tightly to the rope in spite of my pain.

At approximately the same time, however, the barrel of bricks hit the ground and the bottom fell out of the barrel. Without the weight of the bricks, the barrel now weighed approximately 50 pounds. I refer you again to my weight of 175 pounds in block number eleven. As you might imagine, I began a rapid descent down the side of the building.

In the vicinity of the third floor, I met the barrel coming up. This accounts for the two fractured ankles and the lacerations on my legs and lower body. The encounter with the barrel slowed me enough to lessen my injuries when I fell onto the piles of brick, and fortunately, only three vertebrae were cracked.

I am sorry to report, however, that as I lay there on the pile of bricks, in pain, unable to stand, and watching the barrel six stories above me, I again lost the presence of mind AND I LET GO OF THE ROPE!”

The only true failure is the failure to learn from your mistakes! Like the bricklayer in our story, many people keep making mistakes over and over again because they fail to learn from their errors and adapt accordingly. This holds them back from reaching their full potential.

Successful people know that the pathway to success is often littered with failures and setbacks. But unlike the average person who gives up prematurely, successful people know how to turn adversities into advantages, problems into potential, and failures into feedback. This is called failing forward.

Too many people allow failure to DEFINE them rather than REFINE them. Failure is a moment in time, not a state of being. It is an opportunity to learn and grow and try again. It is a teacher and mentor, if we accept its help. It’s one thing to say, “I failed” and another thing altogether to say, “I am a failure.”

Many people have tried and failed. The only difference between losers and winners is that losers stop trying. They give in to defeat, and accept a passing setback to define them as a person. Successful people don’t allow their HISTORY to keep them from fulfilling their DESTINY.

The lessons that you learn from failure must not be forgotten or dismissed. The experience you gain will be invaluable to you in the future. That’s why failure should not be feared. It can play a crucial role in your success story, if embraced in the right spirit.

Remember, the worst failure is failure to try. Don’t let yesterday’s FAILURE bankrupt tomorrow’s EFFORTS. Theodore Roosevelt praised the man who…

“…if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly!”

Consider your latest setback. What important lessons can you draw from it that can help you do better next time? You won’t get it right every time, but “failing forward” can help you get maximum traction out of every failure in your personal and professional life.

 

Eric Deschamps, Business Coach/Advisor – Ottawa

Business Effectiveness, Personal Effectiveness, Success, Uncategorized , , , , ,

Successful People Embrace Change!

October 11, 2011 Eric Deschamps No comments


“There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction.” Winston Churchill

Whether good or bad, positive or negative, the one constant in life and business is change. It is inevitable. Being creatures of habit, change tends to push us out of our comfort zone, requiring us to make decisions and take action. Embracing transformation demands much more from us than going about our humdrum daily routines. Living in a rut is certainly predictable, but it is hardly exciting! In general, most people tend to view change in a negative light. Yet no matter you feel about it, you can’t stop change from happening.

How do successful people respond to change? They choose how they allow it to affect them. They view it as an opportunity for growth and upward momentum. And you must do the same. One of the most pivotal steps on your journey to success will be your decision to embrace change for the breakthroughs it presents, even when the change appears to be a negative one.

Motivational speaker Tony Robbins once said…

“All personal breakthroughs begin with a change in beliefs.”

Whether change leads to a positive or negative experience in your life often depends on your attitude towards it. Successful people understand that no matter how bleak it may seem, change brings about opportunities to make and can a positive outcome if one embraces it correctly.

For most people, the fear of change is rooted in insecurity. They prefer to go with the devil they know than the devil they don’t know. A successful individual who has taken risks and overcome the obstacles accompanying those risks has strengthened his/her self-confidence muscle. Through hard work, preparation, perseverance, success and overcoming failure you can condition yourself to face anything with confidence instead of fear. Being confident means that you believe in yourself and that no matter what changes you encounter, you will prevail and turn it into a rewarding experience both personally and professionally. This keeps you focused on the positive.

Successful people choose to succeed. The average person wishes for success. Notice the difference? The choice to become successful and follow your heart is backed by a firm conviction that you CAN do it. The underlying foundation of a wish is doubt. As a matter of fact, by wishing for something, you are already accepting the possibility that it may never come to pass!

Most people are afraid that they won’t be strong enough to handle change. Because of this fear, they have the tendency to get stuck in the paralysis of analysis. They fail to see the opportunities that change introduces. When faced with transition, ask yourself, “What can I learn from this?” and “What opportunities lie before me?” By positioning yourself in this manner, you can maximize the experience and allow it to propel you forward toward your preferred future.

How you deal with change speaks volumes about your character. If nothing else, change is a great opportunity for self-examination.

Reflect back to the last two or three major changes that occurred in your business and your personal life that initially you viewed in a negative light. Think about the benefits those changes led to. Did you grow? Do you feel more prepared to deal with a similar situation in the future? Did you strengthen your self-confidence muscle? If so, then strive to view future change in a positive manner. Don’t fight it. Embrace it! In all likelihood, it will be the best thing you ever do.

Eric Deschamps – Business Coach/Advisor, Ottawa

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The Best Investment You Will Ever Make!

September 26, 2011 Eric Deschamps 3 comments

 

“The biggest room in the world is the room for improvement.”

Imagine someone walking up to you today and handing you $10,000 tax-free! The only catch?  You must invest the entire sum in order to get the greatest ROI (return on investment) possible. Stop and ask yourself the following questions:

  • How would you invest that money?
  • Where could you get the biggest bang for your buck?
  • What is the best investment you could ever make?

Most often when I present this scenario, people cough up the usual suspects: mutual funds, real estate, playing the stock market, gold etc. Although those may be viable options (and my investment advisor friends would agree), the answer is much deeper than that.

In my experience, the best investment any individual or business will ever make is to invest in their own growth. Without a doubt, you will get the biggest bang for your buck by devoting time and financial resources to enhancing your skill sets, experience and knowledge.

Individuals and organizations that achieve great success understand the value of investing in their own growth. They are committed to constant and never-ending development. In order to achieve their dreams, they have made a commitment to be life-long learners.

The Japanese value this principle. Their word Kaizen means “continuous improvement.” It comes from the root words “Kai” meaning school and “Zen” meaning wisdom. But to the Japanese, Kaizen is much more than a word. It’s a way of life.

In Japan, Kaizen is a business system that involves every employee of a company – from upper management to the cleaning crew. Everyone is encouraged to come up with small improvement suggestions on a regular basis. This isn’t a monthly or yearly activity. It’s continuous.

In Japanese companies such as Toyota and Canon, a total of sixty to seventy suggestions per employee are written down, shared and implemented every single year! In other words, an employee submits 5-6 ideas per month on average!

In most cases these aren’t ideas for major changes. Kaizen is based on making little changes on a regular basis: always improving productivity, safety and effectiveness. Suggestions aren’t limited to a specific area such as production or marketing. Kaizen is based on making changes anywhere that improvements can be made.

Western philosophy can be summarized as…

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”

The Kaizen philosophy is…

“Do it better. Make it better. Improve it even if it isn’t broken, because if we don’t we can’t compete with those who do!”

Successful people and businesses invest in their own growth. It’s that simple. They spend significant time, money and other resources to learn and grow. They know that a person only learns their limitations by going beyond them. By focusing on their personal and professional growth, they are encouraged to make small incremental improvements daily. In so doing, they are motivated to find a way to go beyond their current set of self-imposed restrictions. It’s what Anthony Robbins refers to as CANI – Constant And Never-endingImprovement.

Most companies ask, “What’s wrong?” Successful companies ask, “What’s missing?”

Constant learning is the main key to never-ending improvement. If you are not willing to learn, you risk stagnation and mediocrity. In other words, you will be average. For most people, learning stopped after they got out of school. For the wealthy, life is a classroom where their education continues every single day.

“If you’re in the luckiest one percent of humanity, you owe it to the rest of humanity to think about the other 99 percent.” Warren Buffet

Constant learning is not an easy process. Knowledge is like a seed. It takes time to improve, nurture and grow. If you want to achieve great success, be willing to learn. What are you doing to educate yourself right now? As you use your skills to achieve your personal and professional dreams, make it a priority to attend conferences and seminars. Read books. Devote some of your free time to learning about what interests you.

Even better? Get a coach who can help you take self-directed action on a daily basis, and who will provide the support and accountability to help you play at the top of your game!

The greatest investment of all time is not in stocks, mutual funds, gold or real estate. The greatest investment you will ever make is in yourself and your business. To get the maximum ROI, invest in your growth.

 

Eric Deschamps – Business Coach/Advisor, Ottawa 

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Successful People Make Things Happen!

September 13, 2011 Eric Deschamps No comments


“There are people who make things happen, they are people who watch things happen, and there are people who wonder what happened. To be successful, you need to be a person who makes things happen.” James Lovell

Successful people are a catalyst. They make things happen. Driven by passion and fuelled by their dreams, they are determined to take action and make a difference. They are not content to sit idle or procrastinate. They infect others with their passion and courage. Hang around a catalyst such as this and before long you may want to join their cause! That’s one of the things that I love the most about spending time with other entrepreneurs!

Most people hope for a better future. They dream about things being different. Visionaries, however, see themselves making that difference. Dreamers dream about how great it would be for someone to do something. Visionaries look for opportunities to make it happen. As Abraham Lincoln once said, “Good things come to those who wait, but only the things left over by those who hustle.”

You have dreams for your personal and professional life. Don’t wait for inspiration to take action! Conditions are never just right. People who stall until all factors are favourable do nothing. They procrastinate over and over again and their dreams never materialize. They are often filled with self-doubt and fear. If you are going to achieve your goal, you need to act like you expect to get into the end zone. Don’t wait for things to happen. Set yourself apart from the crowd and make them happen.

Most people look outward for success. They look for someone else to appreciate them, someone else to promote them, and someone else to motivate them. Success is not something external shining in, but rather something internal radiating out. If you can envision a better tomorrow, take action today and be a catalyst!

If you look for other people to define your success or happiness, you will never find your full measure of either. If you want a promotion, set up the conditions to get promoted. Make yourself indispensable. You promote yourself through actions and attitudes and ultimately separate yourself from the crowd waiting for the arrival of the S.S. Entitlement.

Take on more work and look for ways to build value in your organization. Take on projects that challenge and teach you new skills, so you grow in value in your current or future organizations. Find opportunities to do things better and more efficiently than it has been done before.

To get paid more, provide more service following the law of harvest: you sow what you reap. Work harder and smarter than your colleagues. Great success comes from hard work directed toward a clearly defined goal. The harder you work, the “luckier” you will likely be. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Shallow men believe in luck; wise and strong men believe in cause and effect.” In other words, successful people cause their own luck. By doing the right things, they get the results they want.

“Shallow men believe in luck; wise and strong men believe in cause and effect.”

President of Highpoint University, Nido Quebein said, “You may have the loftiest goals, the highest ideals, the noblest dreams; but remember this: nothing works unless you do.” If you own your own business, you need to take “ownership” of your business. Be responsible and accountable for the choices you make and the results that follow, good or bad. Make things happen by refusing to shift the blame or make excuses. Make progress instead!

Successful people are proactive. They take consistent action to create what they want in their lives. Ordinary people are different. They wait for things to happen and they are not doing anything about what they want. A lot of people will tell you that they want to be rich or they want to start their own business, however, they are not doing anything about it. All they do is to talk about it without any real and solid action.

Be proactive. Stop procrastinating. Take action to achieve your dreams. Start now.

 

Eric Deschamps, Business Coach/Advisor – Ottawa

Business Effectiveness, Personal Effectiveness, Success, Uncategorized , , , ,

Successful People Go Above and Beyond!

August 31, 2011 Eric Deschamps No comments

 

One day, Adam was walking around the Garden of Eden looking rather sad. So God asked him if anything was wrong. Adam replied that he was lonely because he didn’t have anyone to talk to. God told Adam he would make him a companion and that the companion would be called woman.

God said, “This person will gather food for you, cook for you, and when you discover clothing she’ll wash for you. She will always agree with every decision you make. She will bear your children and never ask you to get up in the middle of the night to take care of them. She will not nag you and will always be the first to admit she was wrong when you’ve had a disagreement. She will never have a headache and will freely give you love and passion whenever you need it.”

Adam asked God, “What will a woman like this cost?” God replied, “An arm and a leg.” Then Adam asked, “What can I get for a rib?” And the rest is history.

You get what you pay for. You reap what you sow. Or put another way, you get out of life what you put into life. Successful people understand this principle. That is why they go above and beyond what is expected! They are anything but average.

The importance of possessing a clear and compelling vision of your future cannot be understated. But consider this: successful people don’t just DREAM about extraordinary things. They DO extraordinary things! A vision must be followed by determination, discipline and DOING in order to become a reality. Those who invest much will reap great rewards.

Think of Olympic athletes. They are at the top of their game because they do more than is expected of them. They go above and beyond the call of duty to win the gold. They are not average in any shape, way or form. We admire them for this very fact. (It’s important to note that these athletes also understand the power of working with a coach!)

Successful people get the raises and the promotions because they come to work early and stay late. When they run out of work to do, they find out what more they can do to add value to the people around them. This gets them noticed, and leads to further advancement.

Successful people go above and beyond!

Understand this clearly: you can’t enjoy the many benefits of success without paying the price to get there! You must be on the lookout for opportunities, and seize them when they appear. It has been said that the opportunity of a lifetime must be seized during the lifetime of the opportunity. I couldn’t agree more. Thomas Edison once said,

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”

Successful people understand that not only should you strike while the iron is hot, but you also MAKE IT HOT BY STRIKING. Don’t just wait around for opportunities to come your way! Create new opportunities by taking action now and going above and beyond! Approach life in this way and you will discover that opportunities find you!

Don’t settle for anything but the best in life. And remember that “good” and “better” are often the greatest enemies of “best.” Successful people pursue excellence and refuse mediocrity. They stand out from the crowd because they refuse to be average and to simply go along with the flow. They do more than expected! It’s as simple as that.

Someone has written that there are four kinds of bones in the world:

  • Wish bones who spend their time wishing someone else would do the work;
  • Jaw bones who do all the talking, but very little else;
  • Knuckle bones who knock everything that anyone else is trying to do, and
  • Back bones who shoulder the load and get the job done!

In any organization or team, aim to be the back bone. Strive to be that individual who stands out from the crowd and goes above and beyond the call of duty. Don’t give in to mediocrity!

A recent article revealed a football coach’s tactics for getting the best out of his players. He reminds his team regularly that if they aren’t careful, it is an easy slide into complacency. Winning the last game is no guarantee that they will win the next one. His players know that if they want more play time – more minutes on the field – they have to go above and beyond. They have to study more film, practice more plays, and endure more drills. In other words, they have to do MORE! And they have to expect more out of themselves, as individuals and as a team.

Great companies go above and beyond for their customers. They do more than expected, and that is why they succeed over the long-term. Take a moment to identify the last time you were impressed about a company’s service. What made them stand out? If you own your own business, how can you do more than expected for your clients? Look around you and take advantage of opportunities to go above and beyond, and you will reap the rewards of success.

By being passionate about the work you do, you will deliver more in quality service than you expect to receive in payment as compensation. This, in effect, is a way to keep money or value chasing you, rather than you chasing money. By always going above and beyond and doing more than expected, you’ll always be underpaid!

Consider this: if you’re paid more than you’re worth, eventually you will be restructured, re-engineered, replaced, fired, declared obsolete and disposed of. Overpaid individuals are over-drawn on their knowledge and skills bank account. Individuals who are underpaid for the level and quality of service they provide are always in demand and always ahead of the pay scale in terms of knowledge and contribution. So money and opportunity are always chasing them.

Take your cues from the successful. Refuse to be average. Stand out from the crowd. Go above and beyond!

Next on the agenda? Successful people take risks!

 

Eric Deschamps – Business Coach/Advisor, Ottawa

Business Effectiveness, Customer Service, Personal Effectiveness, Success, Uncategorized , ,

Creating a WOW Experience for Your Customers!

July 12, 2011 Eric Deschamps One comment

 

 

Any business can provide good customer service. But if you want to build a highly profitable and successful enterprise, make sure your customer service is “beyond industry standards.”

While numerous factors are responsible for success, by far the easiest way to expand your business is to provide customers with customer service that creates a “wow” experience. This is akin to planting money seeds that will grow and yield harvests of profit.

Sadly, many business owners don’t provide the level of service they are capable of. Remember that all success in business is by design. It isn’t random. Give careful attention to how your business services your clients, and you will see more repeat business and increased referrals for your products and services.

One of the simplest strategies for improving your customer service is to listen to your clients. Your customers are the best source of ideas and inspiration available to you. Welcome compliments and criticisms. Make use of customer satisfaction surveys, which can be performed in person, on the phone, or online. Small businesses can learn a lot from their customers, so listen carefully to what they are saying, and more importantly, listen to what they are not saying!

Failure to follow up and to stay in touch with clients will kill repeat and long-term business faster than anything. People want to know they are valued. They want to hear from you and to feel that they have a relationship with you. Don’t forget! If you don’t connect with them regularly, your competition will. With customer loyalty being at an all-time low in most industries, people are most likely to buy where they feel the most valued and appreciated.

Develop a system of touch points to stay in contact with your client base. Post purchase follow up calls, company newsletters and promotions, greeting cards for birthdays and holidays are just a few of the many ways you can improve your follow up with your customers.

Provide a WOW experience that makes you stand out from your competitors!

The best philosophy to adopt when it comes to customer service is to under promise and over deliver. Although this catch phrase is often overused, the concept is often missed by many businesses. In an effort to make more sales, many companies promise the stars, only to deliver the moon. This may give them a short term win, but it is truly a long term loss, as a disappointed consumer will think twice before buying from that company again. However, if you build a system where promises are made, and then exceeded, your clients will appreciate the “added value” that you provided them.

For example, if upon purchasing your product, the client is promised a 48 hour delivery cycle and receives it a day late, you have an unhappy customer. However, if the client is promised a 72 hour delivery cycle and receives his order in two days, you have earned serious points with that customer. Always under promise and over deliver, in every area of client interaction and you will increase repeat sales and client loyalty.

Consider preparing scripts for every client interaction. Scripts for phone conversations, face-to-face interactions, and email communications. Prepare scripts for every client important interaction. Consider these examples:

  • They ask for help when you are busy
  • They ask for help when you’re not busy
  • They ask a question that you need to get more information on
  • They want something you don’t have
  • They want something that someone else in the company provides
  • They are looking for something they can’t find

Prepare scripts and train your employees to use them. Every business owner has struggled with the varying degree of customer service offered by different employees. Level the playing field! Write down what you want them to say, and then train them to say it. Don’t leave it to chance. Put your most outgoing staff members in customer contact roles. When hiring for such positions, look for attitude first. You can always train for aptitude. And make sure that your staff understand the power of a smile and a friendly attitude.

Finally, how you handle client complaints can set you apart from your competitors. Mistakes happen in business. One can mitigate against them with the proper systems, but you can never eliminate them altogether. What is your fall back plan? How is your staff trained to handle customer dissatisfaction? An unhappy client is an opportunity to build trust and loyalty, if the situation is handled with care. To better handle customer complaints, teach your staff the following concepts:

  • Listen attentively to the complaint without arguing or becoming defensive.
  • Affirm that the complaint presented is a problem that needs resolution.
  • Restate the complaint to the customer in your own words to ensure you understood them correctly. Ask clarifying questions if necessary.
  • Apologize. This is so simple, yet often overlooked. There are few people who are unwilling to accept a sincere apology for a mistake or oversight. This demonstrates that you truly care and are committed to making it right.
  • Provide a solution, i.e. a refund, a replacement, etc. Solve the problem at hand.
  • Thank them for bringing the matter to your attention so that you can improve as a business. By making you aware of the problem, they have helped you better your company and its products and services.

There are many other strategies that can be deployed to create a “wow” customer experience. The key is to take an honest look at your business and evaluate how you rate in terms of your ETDBW (easy to do business with). Consider enlisting the help of someone who is a stranger to your staff to do a mock run-through of your customer experience. What you find might surprise you!

Exceed your customers’ expectations, and you will keep them coming back.

“My business creates a “wow” experience for my clients and regularly exceeds their expectations.”

(Rate yourself 1-10)  

 

Eric Deschamps – Business Coach & Advisor, Ottawa

Business Effectiveness, Customer Service, Uncategorized , , , , , ,
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