Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/518853
JUNE 2015 28 THE JOURNAL Make it Happen – Now! BY SCOTT STROUD MARKETING CONSULTANT Every year, there are an estimated: • 1,700 books on business published in the U.S. • $60 billion spent on business training and sale seminars • $43 billion forked over on management con- sulting… And yet, very little real change is accomplished in that quest for knowledge – books go unread or are rarely acted on; 85% of most seminar learning is for- gotten within days; consultants rarely share anything new, but rather rehash what business owners al- ready know. It's been dubbed the "Knowing/ Doing Gap", and it infects every company and busi- ness, maybe ever one reading this. What causes this gap? Human nature, for one. It's easier to do nothing than to do something – anything. We're naturally resistant to change, particularly when that change incurs risk, which is inherent in business. Another reason might be that we humans are adverse to blame. Whenever we make a big decision, we feel that there will be some- one watching, just waiting for us to fail. That cre- ates fear and paralysis. Mostly, though, procrastination is the culpr it that keeps us from achieving what we want. San Francisco 49ers head coach Steve Mariucci once said, "I never wear a watch, because I always know it's now – and now is when you should do it." And, of course, Nike built a global reputation largely on the power of their three-word mantra, "Just do it." What about you? Here you are with an out- standing high-value product that answers a critical need in your market. Yet, you're having trouble getting traction – getting your company to work as a team, or delivering a compelling message that reaches buyers, or breaking that 'sales ceiling' that keeps you from feeling like you're making real progress. Whatever your Knowing/Doing Gap, here are six steps to bridging the gap and building forward momentum: Know where you want to go That's right, set realistic and specific goals for each area of your business. Then, commit them to writing and share them with your team. It does lit- tle good to say, "We need to increase sales." That's too nebulous a statement. But, "We need to in- crease monthly sales by 24%" is specific and clearly understood. With specific goals in mind, strategies can be created and tested, measurements put into place, actions and responsibilities assigned and timelines set. Very basic stuff, right? Nothing you haven't heard before. You know this. Then, why haven't you done it? Yep; the knowing/doing gap. But, what would happen if you actually took a few min- utes to begin setting some specific objectives for your company's growth right now? It might be interest- ing to find out, don't you think? Know what you need to learn I sense a lack of focus, and at the same time a level of desperation, among seminar attendees lately. Too many come to my presentations with the idea that "if I get one or two ideas I can use it will be worth it." Before I begin speaking I usually make my way through the room and introduce myself to attendees. I'll ask, "What prompted you to attend today? What are you hoping to learn?" I seldom get a spe- cific answer, but I wi sh I did. I wish people would say, "Okay, you're supposed to be the expert on this topic, and here's what I need to know…" When I hear that, it makes my day. I will liter- ally change my entire presentation just for that one person, because that might be the one person in the room that knows what they need to learn. That means that they recognize a gap in their knowledge, and understand that filling that gap can empower them to act to improve their life. What piece of knowledge that, once attained, will empower you to act to improve your business or skill set? Identify what you need to learn, and learning it will be the easy part. Monitor and measure what's important I see the reports you look at every week. Hon- estly, most of them are a waste of your valuable time. Either they give you information that you don't need or that doesn't give you any ability to control the traje ctory of your business, or you're not going to act on them anyway. Sorry to be blunt, but that's just the way it is. What you should be looking for are two things: What's working to grow sales and revenue, and what's not. It's likely that most of the activities your company is engaged in are working. For those, set benchmarks and look for ways to improve individual processes, systems or communications. For those that aren't working, stop immediately and find fixes that work. "But we've always done it that way" is unacceptable. If a process is not working, it's costing you money – much more than the cost of fixing it. Set timelines and deadlines You can't change processes or engrained habits overnight. But you can't let broken processes keep going either. How long will it take to design a new process, test it, teach it, and allow it to become a habit with your team? Decide that, and hold the team – and yourself – to it. Be flexible if unex- pected challenges arise, but don't accept excuses. Your team doesn't like change any more than you do, and they'll drag their feet in implementing any- thing new if you let them. That's just another manifestation of the Knowing/Doing Gap, so watch for it and don't let it sabotage your growth. Delegate responsibility; avoid blame One of the biggest causes for inaction is lack of buy-in from your team. Another is fear of blame – it's hard to be motivated to take an action if you run the risk of getting blamed if it doesn't work. Get buy-in by giving your team ownership of the success in implementing new procedures, but make sure they aren't stifled by a fear of failure or blame. Re- serve that for yourself, and your team will perform beyond expectations. Create processed that can be automated and managed Processes strea mline your business and allow everyone on your team to have confidence in their respective roles. Automation makes those processes fluid and foolproof, and makes managing the results much simpler. And really, couldn't you stand for your life to be simpler and easier? Automation is the key. All of the above require a commitment to im- proving the results your getting now by improving the processes and procedures within your company that produce those results. It takes discipline, a search for better ways to do things, and the courage to act to test those when you find them. But most of all, it just takes the determination to engage. If you want just a bit more motivation, watch this brief YouTube clip. It will make you smile: http://youtu.be/3jd1Ih8EUmw. Scott Stroud is Business Development Manager for Power Marketing & Ad- vertising, a full-service marketing firm working exclusively with housing com- panies and communities. Scott is an Infusionsoft Certified Partner with over 30 years of exceptional results in marketing factory built homes, and can be reached at scott@Power-marketing.com or at 240-420-6343. T J