With what level of proftability?

Myself-Currently low proftability

AAFES-Rising proftability
Compare your urrent sales with your assumptions! your e"petations an#
your pro$etions%
AAFES Sales are as e"pete#
Myself-&'(!((( month minimum re)uire#
Are you on tra*?
+es with ,niv of MArylan# -A. proving &'/0( month 1 will be towar#s 2A33
142 with Empower 4etwor*
Compare your level of sales with last year%
Muh better%
What are the tren#s?
1nrease
Are they up or #own?
,p
1s this tren# temporary or permanent?
5ermanent
What #o the tren#s suggest for the future of your business?
,nlimite# 6pportunity
What oul# you #o to respon# more e7etively to them?
3earn 8orean faster! 4etwor*ing with C691C members! 5ro#ue:sell 3earn
8orean 4ow pro#ut;
Cash Flow Is Everything
3oo* at your ash <ow an# levels of proftability from eah pro#ut! servie
an#
area of ativity%
Are your profts going up or #own?
,p
Are they on bu#get or going si#eways?
3oo* at the perentages% Analy=e your return-on-e)uity! return-on-
investment!
an# return-on-sales%
Are they inreasing or #ereasing?
1f your goal is to buil# a great ompany! why isn>t your ompany already
great?
More apital re)uire# for Empower networ*
Whih of your pro#uts or servies is selling well to#ay?
My sales s*ills an# Empower 4etwor*
Whih of your pro#uts an# servies are the most proftable?
My sales s*ills an# Empower 4etwor*
Whih ones are #oing poorly?
Whih ones #o you lose money on?
?rin*ing too muh alhohol
1s your urrent business situation! positive or negative! in any area?
More apital re)uire#
@emporary or part of a long-term tren#?
3ongterm
.ow an you *now for sure?
Ation
.ow an you fn# out?
Re$oin Empower 4etwor* with -1M:Ai* Stri=heusB3i*e .obbsB5ro$et AW63
What shoul# you then #o?
Ma*e &'(!((( frst C( #ays
Clarity Is the Key
Why has your business been suessful in the past?
My stu#y of business
What have you #one well in the past that has been responsible for your
suess to #ate?
My stu#y of business! mar*eting an# sales%
What are the most important s*ills an# ompetenies that your ompany
possesses to#ay?
My stu#y of business! mar*eting an# sales%
What are the very best pro#uts an# servies that you o7er right now?
My stu#y of business! mar*eting an# sales%
3oo* at the people aroun# you% Who are your most valuable people?
AF. Shoppette an# ,niversity of Marylan# -A. money
Who are no longer as valuable as before?
Who represents a net loss or #etriment to your business?
-e prepare# to as* an# answer the brutal )uestions%
The Customer Is the King
Who are your best ustomers to#ay?
8oreans! single males! an# business opportunity see*ers
What an# where are your best mar*ets?
Asia an# the internet
What #o your ustomers li*e the most about what you #o for them?
Ma*e them happy
What #o they ompliment the most of what you o7er or #o for them?
Ma*e them happy! tal* alot an# very smart in business an# life
What is your number one area of ustomer satisfation?
Sales an# presentation
What #o your ustomers li*e the least about what you #o?
When 12m angry or tire#
What #o they omplain about the most?
4ot having what they want available for purhase
What is it that you sell that your ustomers an# potential ustomers prefer to
buy somewhere else! rather than from you?
Identify Your Personal Strengths
3oo* at yourself honestly% What are your own personal best s*ills! )ualities
an# abilities?
English! Stu#ying! strategi planning! mar*eting an# sales
What are the most important things that you #o at wor*! an# for your
ompany?
?aily faility improvement! strategi planning! mar*eting an# sales
What are the most valuable ontributions you ma*e personally to your
business?
1nrease sales! ustomer servie! an# ustomer retention
Start Where You Are:
'% What is wor*ing the very best in your business to#ay?
Sales an# mar*eting
What parts of your business ma*e you the happiest?
Mar*eting
D% What>s not wor*ing in your business?
Waiting on apital
What auses you the most aggravation an# frustration?
Waiting on apital
C% What are your most important pro#uts an# mar*ets?
Me Esales:mar*eting:english s*illsF! Empower 4etwor* in th ,S:South
8orean mar*ets
What aounts for the largest portion of your revenues?
AF. an# Empower 4etwor*
G% Who are your most important people?
AF. an# Empower 4etwor*
Who are the people who aount for most of your results?
AF. an# Empower 4etwor*
H% What are your speial talents an# s*ills?
What is it you #o that aounts for most of your suess?
I% What are the ma$or hanges ta*ing plae in your mar*et?
What hanges shoul# you ma*e to ompensate for them?
/% What are your most treasure# assumptions about your people! ustomers!
mar*ets!
pro#uts! servies an# yourself?
What if one of them wasn>t true?
What woul# you #o then?
Imagine Starting ver
Jero-base# thin*ing re)uires that you apply this KsraperL mentality to every
part
of your business% +ou #o this by as*ing this *ey )uestionM
Is there anything that you are doing in your business that,
knowing what you now know, you wouldnt start up again today, if you
had it to do over?
1nstea# of struggling to #etermine how you might mo#ify! hange! f"! revise!
improve or alter some business funtion! you instea# as*!
K1f 1 was not #oing this to#ay! woul# 1 start it up again to#ay! knowing what I
now know?
@o start with! is there any pro#ut or servie that you woul# not bring to the
mar*et! o7er or sell! if you ha# to #o it over again! starting to#ay?
Sine N(O of your pro#uts an# servies are probably going to be obsolete
within the ne"t H years! there
may be pro#uts an# servies you are o7ering to#ay that! beause of
hange# mar*et
on#itions! you woul# not intro#ue again to#ay! if you ha# to #o it over
again! knowing
what you now know% @hese pro#uts or servies are prime an#i#ates for
#isontinuation
or #ivestiture%
1s there any person in your business that you woul# not hire! assign! appoint!
go
to wor* for! or beome assoiate# with if you ha# to #o it over again to#ay?
Most of your problems in business will ome from attempting to wor* with or
aroun# a #iPult person!
who *nowing what you now *now! you woul#n>t get involve# with again
to#ay%
Who #oes this bring to min#?
1s there any supplier! ban*er or ven#or that you are #ealing with to#ay that!
*nowing what you now *now! you woul#n>t get involve# with again to#ay! if
you ha# to
#o it over?
Sin!e many of your "usiness relationshi#s will not wor$ out over
time% you
must "e #re#ared to !ontinually reevaluate them% es#e!ially if they
are !ausing you any
#ro"lems or frustrations&
Analy'e Your Customers
1s there any customer that you are selling to or serviing to#ay that! *nowing
what you now *now! you woul#n>t ta*e on again as a ustomer?
Many ompanies are as*ing this )uestion about their #iPult ustomers an#
#ei#ing to let them go%
Sometimes! one of the smartest things you an #o is to Kfre your ustomers%L
Enourage
them to go an# #eal with someone else who woul# be more appropriate for
them%
Assess Your (usiness #erations
1s there any expenditure in your business that you woul# not authori=e again
if
you ha# it to #o over?
1s there any proess! proe#ure or ativity that! *nowing what you
now *now! you woul#n>t start up again! or get into! if you were ma*ing the
#eision
to#ay! *nowing what you now *now?
1s there any a#vertising! mar*eting or selling metho#ology or e"pense that
*nowing what you now *now! you woul#n>t start up again to#ay! if you ha# to
#o it
over?
8eep as*ing! KWhat>s wor*ing?L
an# KWhat>s not wor*ing?L
Pay Attention To The Indi!ators
+ou an always tell when you are in a =ero-base#
thin*ing situation beause it
auses you ontinuous stress! aggravation!
frustration! negativity an# unhappiness% +ou
thin* about it ontinually% 6ften you bring it home at
night an# #isuss it at the family
#inner table% Sometimes it will even *eep you awa*e
at night%
Whenever something is not wor*ing! or not wor*ing
out the way you e"pete#!
or ausing you stress! fnanial losses! aggravation!
or irritation! as*!
Knowing what I now know, would I get into this
again today if I had to do it over?
1f the answer is K4o;L then your ne"t )uestion is
How do I get out and how fast?
The )e!ision Is Inevita"le
.ere>s an important point% 1f something is not wor*ing! eventually you will
have to
get out of it% +ou will have to let the person go! #isontinue the pro#ut or
servie!
eliminate the ativity or e"pense! or hange the metho# of operation% 1t is
only a matter of
time% 1t is not going to get better all by itself% An# every single e"eutive who
fnally
#ei#es to get out of an unhappy situation says afterwar#s! K1 shoul# have
#one this a
long time ago;L
A##ly This A##roa!h Continually
Pra!ti!e 'ero*"ased thin$ing as a +go forward, method for the rest
of your
"usiness !areer& A##ly it to everything you do% to every #art of your
"usiness% every single
day& A##ly it to every #rodu!t% servi!e% #ro!ess% #ro!edure and
#erson and "e sure that%
$nowing what you now $now% you would get into it again
today if you had to do it over &
If not% get out% and as fast as you !an&
)raw A -ine .nder the Past:
'% 1magine starting over again in every part of your businessQ is there
anything you
are #oing that! *nowing what you now *now! you woul#n>t start up again
to#ay?
D% 1s there any person in your business life who! *nowing what you now *now!
you
woul#n>t hire! assign! promote or otherwise get involve# with again to#ay!
*nowing what
you now *now?
C% 1s there any pro#ut or servie that! *nowing what you now *now! you
woul#n>t
bring to the mar*et again to#ay?
G% 1s there any investment that you have ma#e that! *nowing what you now
*now!
you woul#n>t ma*e again to#ay?
H% 1s there any business ativity or proess that you are using that! *nowing
what you
now *now! you woul#n>t start up again to#ay?
I% 1s there any ustomer or mar*et that! *nowing what you now *now! you
woul#n>t
ta*e on or get into again to#ay! if you ha# it to #o over?
/% 1s there any areer #eision that you have ma#e that! *nowing what you
now
*now! you woul#n>t ma*e the same way if you ha# it to #o over again to#ay?
Start With The (asi!s
@he starting point of business analysis is for you to as*M
KWhat business am 1 in?L
What business are you really in?
What business are you really! really in?L
1 soon reali=e# 1 was in the Kgoal
a!hievement "usinessL EMe @66;
RER9F%
My business was helping people to
ahieve their personal an# business
goals faster by provi#ing them with
pratial i#eas
that they oul# use imme#iately to get
better results%
@his insight le# me from tal*s an#
seminars into au#io an# vi#eo
reor#ing!
boo*s! training programs an# 1nternet
base# e- learning on a variety of
sub$ets! inlu#ing the #evelopment
an# presentation of the @urbostrategy
5roess%
The Customer As Center#ie!e
KWho is my ustomer?L
Who is the person who buys from you today? ?esribe your ustomer in
#etail%
What is the age! inome! e#uation! position! attitu#e! loation an# interest of
your i#eal ustomer?
Many ompanies are not e"atly sure of the answer to this )uestion% @hey
have at best an
unlear piture of the psyhologial an# #emographi harateristis of their
ustomers%
Who will your ustomer be tomorrow! if urrent tren#s ontinue?
Who should your ustomer be! if you want to be suessful in the mar*ets of
tomorrow?
Who could your ustomer be if you were to hange! improve or upgra#e your
pro#ut or servie
o7erings?
)etermine What You Sell
+our ne"t )uestion isM KWhy #oes my ustomer buy?L
What value! beneft! result or #i7erene #oes your ustomer see* or e"pet
to en$oy as a result of #oing business
with you?
6f all the various benefts that your pro#uts or servies o7er your
ustomers!
what #o your ustomers onsi#er to be more important than anything else?
?o you *now?
+our ability to #efne an# promote this uni)ue beneft is the real *ey to
ompetitive
a#vantage an# mar*et suess% +ou ne"t )uestion isM
KWhat #o we #o espeially well?L
What #o you #o better than any of your ompetitors?
Where are you superior?
Customers only buy from a partiular ompany beause they feel that! in
some way! that ompany o7ers something
that is superior to that of any other o7ering%
What is your area of e"ellene?
Sa* Welh of 9eneral Eletri was famous for saying! K1f you #on>t have
ompetitive a#vantage! #on>t ompete%L .is philosophy was that 9eneral
Eletri woul#
be number one or number two in every mar*et segment in whih they
ompete#! or they
woul# get out of that mar*et%
Are you number one or number two in your mar*et?
Can you be?
What is your plan to ahieve this mar*et position?
)e/ne Your Com#etitor
@he ne"t )uestion! whih we will #eal with e"tensively in Chapter '(! isM
KWho is your ompetition?L
6ne you have i#entife# your ompetition! you must as*!
KWhy #oes your potential ustomer buy from your ompetition! rather than
from you?L
What value or beneft #oes he pereive that he reeives from someone else
that he #oes not feel he
reeives from you?
.ow oul# you o7set this pereption?
Set Clear 0oals
1n performing an e"amination of your business! you must as* ontinually!
KWhat are my goals?L
What are you trying to aomplish?
1f you are lear about your goals! what is hol#ing you ba* from ahieving
them?
+ou nee# lear! written! measurable! time-boun#e# goals for every part of
your
business an# personal life% +ou nee# short-term! me#ium-term an# long-term
goals% Eah
goal must be in writing! with plans for its aomplishment% +ou an>t hit a
target that you
an>t see% Analy=e everything you #o in the ourse of a #ay or a wee*%
What are the D(O of your ativities that oul# aount for N(O or more of
your results?
Sometimes! $ust '(O of your ativities! if you were to pursue them
aggressively! oul# aount for 0(O of your
results%
What might they be?
(e!ome A!tion*riented
What actions shoul# you ta*e imme#iately in response to the answers to
these
)uestions?
What is the very frst thing you shoul# #o right now to inrease your sales
an#
improve your mar*et position?
Another goo# )uestion you shoul# as* yourself isM
KWhy am 1 in business at all?L
Why #o you e"ist?
What soial purpose #oes your ompany serve?
What loss woul# our to soiety if you ease# to #o business altogether?
1magine that you ha# to go in front of a government tribunal eah year to
$ustify
your ontinue# e"istene%
What woul# you say to the tribunal in terms of how you serve! help! or ma*e
a
#i7erene in the lives or wor* of your ustomers to $ustify staying in
business?
@hese are *ey )uestions that you nee# to as* an# answer for your business
on a
regular basis% +ou shoul# as* an# answer these )uestions for yourself! as
well% 1f you are
unlear or inaurate in your answers to any of them! the health of your
enterprise oul#
be in $eopar#y%
Condu!t A (asi! (usiness Analysis:
'% What are your goals for your business?
What are you trying to aomplish?
D% Who is your i#eal ustomer?
?esribe him or her aurately%
C% Why #oes your ustomer buy from you?
What speial benefts or a#vantages #o you o7er that your ompetitors
#on>t have?
G% What business are you really in?
?esribe your business in terms of what you #o for your ustomer! what
results you get%
H% What are the D(O of your ativities that oul# aount for N(O of your
results?
I% What is your ompetitive a#vantage! your Karea of e"ellene?L
1n what ways are you superior to 0(O or more of your ompetitors?
/% What speif! measurable ations shoul# you ta*e imme#iately in answer
to the above )uestions?
Cha#ter Four 1 )e!ide E2a!tly What You Want
he world has the habit of making way for the man whose words and actions
show that
he knows where he is going! E4apoleon .illF
@urbostrategy begins with your #ei#ing e"atly what you want to aomplish
in
the *ey areas of your business life% 6ne you *now your goals in eah area!
you an then
#ei#e upon the best steps you an ta*e to get there%
The 0SPA 3odel
+ou an use the 96S5A Mo#el as a gui#e for strategi planning% @hese fve
*ey
thin*ing tools form the basis for suessful business operations%
(egin With The End In 3ind
@he frst letter! K9L stan#s for 0oals% @hese are the ultimate results that you
want
to ahieve% +our goals are the en# targets that you aim at throughout your
business year
or planning perio#% +our goals are your sales! profts! growth rate! mar*et
share! or
perentage of return on assets! e)uity! investment or sales% 9oals are always
measurable%
What are yours?
Ste#s on the Stair!ase
@he seon# letter! K6L stan#s for "4e!tives% @hese are the steps you will
have to
ta*e to ahieve your goals% @hey are li*e the rungs on the la##er to get to the
top%
+our business ob$etives an be speif rates of return from a#vertising!
levels of sales of
ertain pro#uts an# servies! number of items shippe# an# bille#! monies
ollete# an#
ost levels for ertain ativities% A lower #efet rate or a higher sale amount
per ustomer
an be ob$etives on the path to ahieving the main orporate goals% What
are your
interim ob$etives?
5ow to 0et There
@he letter KSL stan#s for Strategies% @hese are the #i7erent approahes that
you
an ta*e to ahieve your ob$etives an# reah your goals% For e"ample!
ahieving a
speif level of proftability will re)uire pro#uing an# selling speif
)uantities of
pro#uts or servies to a speif mar*et in a speif way% @here are many
#i7erent ways
to go about aomplishing these ob$etives% @he way you hoose is your
strategy! an#
may #etermine the suess or failure of your enterprise%
?o you pro#ue! mar*et! sell! #eliver yourself! or #o you outsoure some part
of
the proess? ?o you sell #iret! via retail! #iret mail! atalog or 1nternet? ?o
you harge
more! harge less! up-sell! ross-sell or #isount? ?o you enter ertain
mar*ets an#
aban#on others? What is your strategy? 1s it wor*ing?
Planning For Su!!ess
@he letter K5L stan#s for Plans% @hese are your blueprints for ahieving your
goals% +our plans are ompose# of step-by-step lists of e"atly what you will
#o! #ay by
#ay! to get from wherever you are to wherever you want to go% 5lans are
always bro*en
#own by se)uene an# priority%
Some things have to be #one before others an be #one% Some things are
more important
than others in ahieving the goal or ob$etive% When your plan is organi=e# by
se)uene
an# priority! you an aomplish muh more in less time%
-usiness life onsists almost entirely of pro$ets! one after the other% A pro$et
an
be #efne# as a multi"task #ob! a $ob ma#e up of many small $obs! eah of
whih has to be
#one properly to omplete the larger tas*% +our ability to plan! organi=e an#
omplete
multi-tas* $obs! ever larger an# more omple"! is the most important single
element of
your suess! in any fel#%
)evelo# a (ias for A!tion
@he last letter in the 96S5A proess! KAL! stan#s for A!tions% @hese are the
speif tas*s
that you are going to omplete to arry out the plans to implement the
strategies to
aomplish the ob#ectives to ahieve your goals%
Every important tas* must be lear! measurable an# time boun#e#% 1t must
be assigne# to
a speif person who is )ualife# to perform the tas* orretly! on time an#
on bu#get%
$hat gets measured gets done!
Fo!us on Pro/ta"ility
@he entral purpose of @urbostrategy is to boost your ash <ow an# profts!
an#
to inrease your return on the money investe# in your business% @he aim of
strategy is to
generate a higher level of ash <ow an# proftability than you woul# reali=e
without the
strategy! or with your previous strategy% 1n short! it is to make more money
than you are
ma*ing right now from the way that you are #oing business to#ay%
@he essential resoures of people! money an# talent that you nee# to
suee# in
your business are always limite#% @hey must be fouse# an# onentrate# for
ma"imum
results% @his is what a goo# strategy enables you to #o%
Four Ways to Im#rove Your (usiness
Setting strategy re)uires ma*ing har# #eisions in four areasM First! you must
#ei#e what you are going to #o more of%
What>s wor*ing?
What is selling well?
What pro#uts! servies an# ativities are the most proftable?
Seon#! you must #ei#e what you are going to #o less of%
What>s not wor*ing?
What ontributes very little to growth an# proftability?
What shoul# you #isontinue or eliminate base# on the realities of to#ay>s
mar*et an# to#ay>s ustomers?
What an you #o to re#ue osts in areas where they ontribute very little to
results?
@hir#! what are you going to start doing that you>re not #oing to#ay?
What new pro#uts! servies or ativities shoul# you intro#ue if you want to
inrease your sales an#
proftability! or improve an# streamline your ativities?
Finally! what are you going to stop doing altogether?
Remember! the ritial resoures of time an# money are always sare% @he
only way you an improve results is
by #isontinuing ertain ativities altogether% +ou an then hannel those
resoures into
areas where they yiel# higher levels of business results%
Clarity is the *ey to strategi suess% @he more time you ta*e to be
absolutely
lear about who you are! an# what you want to aomplish! the more
suessful an#
proftable you will be%
)e!ide E2a!tly What You Want:
'% What are your speif! measurable long-term goals for sales an#
proftability in
your business?
D% What are the speif ob#ectives of sales! staPng! pro#ution! #elivery an#
ustomer #evelopment that you will have to ahieve to aomplish your
goals?
C% What are the various ways that you an meet your ob$etives an# ahieve
your
goals?
What is the best strategy for you in to#ay>s mar*et?
G% What shoul# you #o more of an# really fous on to inrease your sales an#
proftability?
H% What shoul# you #o less of! base# on your urrent e"periene?
What>s not wor*ing?
I% What shoul# you start doing that you are not #oing to#ay?
What opportunities are available to you?
/% What shoul# you #isontinue! an# stop doing altogether! so that you an
free up
resoures for more proftable ativities?
Cha#ter Five 1 )esign Your Ideal Future
$e have been endowed with the capacity and the power to create desirable
pictures within
and to %nd them automatically printed in the outer world of our
environment! ESohn
M?onal#F
Some time ago! 1 on#ute# a strategi planning session for the senior
e"eutives
of a &'/D billion #ollar ompany% @he organi=ation was going through a perio#
of
onsi#erable turbulene! hange! ompetition an# new government
regulation% @here ha#
been lay-o7s! frings! #ownsi=ing an# #ivestments% My lients were the top
e"eutives
who ha# survive# the reent turmoil! an# the bloo# letting was not yet over%
1n these
irumstanes! they were both worrie# about the future an# #istrate# in the
present%
Create A Five Year Fantasy
@o get them entere# an# fouse#! 1 began the strategy session with a
proess that
1 all +Ideali'ation&, 1n this proess! whih you an use yourself! 1 ha# the
members of
the top team reate a Kfve year fantasy%L
K3et us put asi#e the urrent situation for the moment!L 1 suggeste#%
K1nstea#! tell
me what this ompany woul# loo* li*e fve years from now if it was perfet in
every
respet?L
@his e"erise fore# them to ta*e their attention away from the problems of
the
present an# fous their thin*ing on the possibilities of the future%
As we went aroun# the room! eah person ontribute# an i#ea about what
the
ompany woul# loo* li*e if it were perfet% 1 wrote eah i#ea on a <ip hart
an# tape#
the pages onto the walls where everyone oul# see them% 1n less than half an
hour! we
generate# D/ i#eal #esriptions%
We then vote# on these i#eali=e# goals an# organi=e# them by priority% We
en#e# up
with a series of lear ob$etives, inlu#ing Khighly proftable! tremen#ous
mar*et
reputation! high sto* prie! top lea#ership! fabulous ustomer servie! great
plae to
wor*! best management! rapi# growth rate an# top reputation in the
in#ustry!L among
others%
Thin$ In Terms f Possi"ilities
1 then as*e# them! KAre these goals possible?L 6ne by one! they agree# that
all of
these goals were possible in fve years% @hey might not be ahievable in one
or two years!
but in fve years! every one of them oul# be aomplishe# with will an#
#etermination%
We ame out of that session with everyone revitali=e# an# ommitte# to
wor*ing
on ahieving one or more of those fve-year fantasies% 6ver the ne"t two
years! the
ompany ompletely reorgani=e#% @hey #i# more of some things an# less of
others% @hey
starte# #oing things that they ha# not #one in the past! an# they stoppe#
ertain ativities
altogether% @hey too* omplete ontrol of their orporate #estiny an#
hange# it%
5eter ?ru*er one wrote! KWe greatly overestimate what we an aomplish
in one
yearQ but we greatly un#erestimate what is possible for us in fve years%L
Thin$ A"out The Future
Future*orientation is a *ey element of strategi planning an# strategi
thin*ing%
1t is a ma$or responsibility of lea#ership an# top people in every area% 6nly
the lea#er an
thin* about the future% 6nly the lea#er an plan for the future% @here is no
one else in the
organi=ation who an #o it! an# if the lea#er #oes not thin* about an# plan for
the future
as an ongoing part of his $ob! it will not be #one% As they say in Alas*a! K6nly
the lea#
sle# #og ever gets a #i7erent view%L
.ow often an# how well the top people in the ompany thin* about the future
largely
#etermines the suess or failure of the business% K1f you #on>t *now where
you>re going!
any roa# will ta*e you there%L
@he #evelopment of the )uality of future-orientation re)uires that you
ontinually
reate an i#eal image of your ompany some time in the future% You #ro4e!t
forward in
your mind 6*7 years and imagine that your !om#any is #erfe!t in
every res#e!t& You
de!ide e2a!tly how mu!h you would "e selling and earning at that
time& You imagine
your ideal sto!$ #ri!e% your ideal re#utation in the mar$et% your ideal
wor$ situation and
your ideal human environment&
(a!$ From The Future Thin$ing
6ne you have a lear piture of your
i#eal future! you then return mentally
to
your urrent situation an# thin* about
what you woul# have to #o! starting
to#ay! to turn your future vision into a
urrent reality% @his is alle#! Kba*
from the future thin*ing%L
Ma*e a list of all the things that woul#
have to happen for you to reali=e your
fantasy sometime in the future% 1t is
ama=ing how your perspetive
hanges when you
loo* ba* from the future! e"atly as if
you were loo*ing ba* from the top of
the
mountain to yourself #own in the
valley! an# seeing the e"at route you
will have to
follow to get to the top%
-eaders 5ave 8ision
1n CC(( stu#ies of lea#ers reviewe# by Sames Ma5herson! searhing for the
ommon #enominators of lea#ership throughout the ages! the one )uality
that all the
stu#ies ha# in ommon was the )uality of vision% 3ea#ers have visionQ non-
lea#ers #o
not%
@o beome a visionary re)uires that you #evelop the ability to imagine!
#efne!
artiulate! share an# inspire other people with an e"iting piture of the
future% +ou get
everyone in your business ommitte# to fulflling this vision! an# to wor*ing
towar# it
every #ay% @his is the *ey to lea#ership! an# to buil#ing a great ompany%
Aristotle wrote! +We "e!ome what we re#eatedly
do&, +ou beome a lea#er by thin*ing
the way lea#ers thin*! both in your business an# in your personal life% +ou
beome a
lea#er by thin*ing about the future! an# how you an ma*e it a present
reality%
9ow% 3ore Than Ever
-ut it is in times of rapi# hange! an# turbulene in the mar*et! that an
e"iting
vision of the future beomes more important that ever before% A vision an
beome the
fore that bin#s people together into a soli# team% 1t an give meaning an#
purpose to
wor*! even when times are tough an# pay inreases are not possible%
@here are many ways you an approah the #evelopment of a vision for your
organi=ation% Perha#s the very "est vision for your !om#any in!ludes
two $ey
!om#onents& First% it is fo!used on your !ustomers and on doing
something for them that
!hanges and im#roves their lives or wor$ in some way& Se!ond% it
!ontains a !ommitment
to excellence % to "e the very "est at doing what you do for your
!ustomers& These are the
$eys to vision&
+our vision is to Kbe the best;L at the most important thing that you #o for
your
ustomers% +our vision is to serve your ustomers in suh a way that you are
seen as
superior in a partiular pro#ut! servie or ativity% 1magine that you oul# be
*nown as
outstanding in any one thing that you #o for your ustomers% What woul# it
be? +our
answer an be the starting point of a vision for your business that hanges
your future
ompletely%
Your Personal 8ision
+ou nee# a vision for yourself as well% 5ro$et forwar# H years in your
imagination% 1f your future were perfet in every way! what woul# it loo* li*e?
1f your
inome! your position in your ompany or fel#! your family life! your health!
your $ob
an# every part of your life were i#eal in every way! how woul# it be #i7erent
from to#ay?
6ne you are lear about your vision! for yourself an# for your business! the
only )uestion you as* is!
&ow do I make it a reality?
@op people thin* ontinually in terms of how? @hey thin* in terms of ta*ing
ation! of what an be #one%
6ne you have larife# your vision! an# #etermine# what you will have to #o
to ma*e it a reality! you then #o something every #ay to move you towar#
the reation of
your i#eal future% +ou ta*e omplete ontrol of your #estiny% As ?ru*er wrote!
K@he very
best way to pre#it the future is to reate it%L An# the starting point is vision%
)esign Your Ideal Future:
'% What is your vision for your ompany? 5ro$et forwar# an# imagine that
your
business was i#eal in every way% What woul# it loo* li*e?
D% What is your vision for yourself? 1f your life an# areer were i#eal in every
way!
what woul# it loo* li*e?
C% 1#eali=e in eah area of your business% 1f your pro#uts! servies! sale an#
proftability were perfet! what woul# they loo* li*e?
G% 1#eali=e with regar# to your people% 1f your sta7 were i#eal in terms of
s*ills!
abilities! personalities an# results! how woul# they be #i7erent from to#ay?
H% 1magine that a ma$or maga=ine was going to write a story about your
ompany%
What woul# you want them to say?
I% 5ro$et forwar# fve years an# then loo* ba* to to#ay from that vantage
point%
What woul# you have to hange to#ay to reate your i#eal future?
/% 1n what one area woul# it be most helpful to sales an# proftability if your
ompany were wi#ely *nown as Kthe best?L What steps oul# you ta*e
imme#iately to
begin earning that reputation?
Create A 3ission Statement:
'% ?etermine your personal reasons for #oing what you #o% What gives you a
sense
of meaning and purpose in life?
D% ?ei#e upon the C-H *ey values upon whih your ompany is base#%
1nvolve other
people in the #isussion%
C% ?efne the ations an# behaviors that people will engage in! both insi#e
an#
outsi#e the ompany! that are onsistent with your values%
G% ?esign a mission statement! an i#eal #esription of what your ompany
wants to
aomplish for its ustomers sometime in the future%
7& Write out a list of your values! an# what they mean! plus your mission
statement!
an# share them with your sta7 an# ustomers%
:& Create a personal mission statement for your areer% What #o you want to
aomplish! an# how #o you want to be *nown?
;& Create a mission statement for yourself an# your family% What is it that you
want
to aomplish or ahieve with your family in the years ahea#?
Cha#ter Seven 1 <einvent Your rgani'ation
'very man of genius sees the world at a di(erent angle than his fellows!
E.avelo* EllisF
Sa* Welh of 9eneral Eletri one sai#! K1f the rate of hange outside your
organi=ation is greater than the rate of hange inside your organi=ation! then
the en# is in
sight%L
1n times of turbulene! you shoul# be prepare# to reinvent your business as
often
as neessary as your e"ternal worl# hanges%
As an e"erise! imagine that you were starting your business over again
to#ay%
What woul# you get into! or not get into?
(undle of <esour!es
For greater perspetive! stan# ba* an# view your business as a bundle of
resources an#
apabilities! li*e a fre hose of talent an# ability that an be aime# in many
#iretions to
ahieve #i7erent results% 1nstea# of limiting yourself to seeing your business
as an
organi=ation that is #esigne# to perform speif funtions! pro#uing an#
selling ertain
pro#uts an# servies! thin* of it as being apable of #oing a variety of things
ompletely
#i7erent from what you are #oing to#ay%
The 0reat Fire
As you thin* about reinventing your business! imagine that your ompany
burne#
to the groun# while you were away% When you arrive# at the sene! you foun#
that all
your sta7 were safe an# stan#ing aroun# in the par*ing lot%
As it happens! there is unoupie# oPe spae available aross the street%
+ou
an imme#iately move into the new spae an# start your business anew%
.ere is the
)uestionM Whih of your pro#uts an# servies woul# you begin pro#uing
an#
#istributing right away! an# whih ones woul# you not start up again!
*nowing what you
now *now?
E2amine Every <elationshi#
1f you were starting your business over again to#ay! ompletely free from any
enumbranes of the past! whih ustomers woul# you all frst! an# whih
ones not at
all? Whih ven#ors! suppliers! ban*ers or other people woul# you imme#iately
get in
touh with! an# who woul# you all later! if at all? What woul# you #o frst?
What woul#
you #o seon#? What woul# you not start up again! *nowing what you now
*now?
<einvent Your Sta= <elationshi#s
4ow! let>s go ba* to the par*ing lot% 3et us assume that all of your people
are
safe an# stan#ing aroun# waiting for instrutions% Whih of them woul# you
ta*e aross
the street with you to the new business! an# whih ones woul# you leave in
the par*ing
lot? Who woul# be the frst an# most important person whose servies you
woul# want to
seure? Who woul# be the seon# most important? Who woul# be thir#? An#
so on%
E2amine Your rgani'ation
1f you oul# reinvent your business! what woul# you #o more of? What woul#
you
#o less of? What woul# you start #oing that you are not #oing to#ay? What
woul# you
stop #oing altogether?
1n reinventing your organi=ation! as* yourself! KWhat are my most important
talents! s*ills! abilities an# ore ompetenies! an# what else oul# 1 #o with
them? Who
are my best people an# what else oul# they #o? 8eep thin*ing about how
you woul#
reinvent your business if you were starting over% @his will *eep you on the
utting e#ge of
reativity an# innovation%
Thin$ In Terms of E2!ellen!e
@he *ey )uestions in reinvention are! KWhat oul# you be absolutely e"ellent
at
#oing in to#ay>s mar*et?L Where oul# you be the best? Where oul# you
ahieve worl#lass
)uality? Where oul# you be better than 0(O of your ompetitors? K
@he mar*et only pays e"traor#inary rewar#s for e"traor#inary pro#uts an#
servies% Where an# how oul# you #o what you #o in an e"traor#inary
fashion?
<einvent Your Career
Finally! thin* about reinventing yourself an# your areer on a regular basis! as
well% 1f you were starting over again to#ay! what woul# you #o more of, less
of, start or
stop? What woul# you get into or get out of?
1f you were starting your areer over again! what a##itional *nowle#ge an#
s*ills
woul# you want to have? What an you #o! starting to#ay! to a)uire those
*ey s*ills?
1magine that you oul# #o a variety of $obs% What woul# you really li*e to #o
with your
life?
Sine you were going to have to reinvent yourself regularly throughout your
areer! it is
very important that you thin* about how you woul# #o it well in a#vane of
when it
beomes neessary%
<einvent Your rgani'ation:
'% 1f you were starting your business over again to#ay! what woul# you #o
#i7erently?
D% 1f you were starting your areer over again to#ay! what woul# you get
into! or out of?
C% 1f your business burne# to the groun# an# you oul# only o7er one of
your pro#uts or servies! whih one woul# it be?
G% Who are your most important ustomers! the ones who you woul#
imme#iately move to ta*e are of! if you were starting over?
H% Who are your most important people! both insi#e an# outsi#e of your
business?
I% What are your most important ontats an# business relationships! the
ones you woul# want most to preserve if you were starting over?
/% 1f money were no ob$et! what steps woul# you ta*e to#ay to reinvent
your business?
Cha#ter Eight 1 Sele!t the <ight Peo#le
&ere lies a man who know how to enlist into his service people better than
himself!
EAn#rew Carnegie -epitaphF
@he people in your ompany are the most important parts of your business%
All wor*! all
performane! all results ome from them! both as in#ivi#uals an# when they
wor*
together in teams of some *in#% @he manager>s output is the output of his or
her team!
an# of the in#ivi#ual team members%
1n business! people ome frst% Sobs! ativities an# results are only ahieve#
after
the right people are in plae% Sim Collins says in his boo*! )ood to )reat, that
the *ey to
buil#ing a great business is! Kfrst! get the right people on the bus! an#
seon#! get the
wrong people o7 the bus%L Any other approah is boun# to fail%
Two Key >ualities to -oo$ For
@he best people have two )ualities% First! they an be ounte# on to get the
$ob
#one! to get it #one well an# to get it #one in a timely fashion% Seon#! they
get along
well with others% @hey are goo# team players%
+ou shoul# apply *ero"based thinking to eah person who reports to you on a
regular basis% Continually as*! K8nowing what 1 now *now! woul# 1 hire! assign
or
promote this person again! if 1 ha# to #o it over?L
1f the answer is K4o!L then your ne"t )uestion is! K.ow #o 1 remove or replae
this
person! an# how fast an 1 #o it?L
What #o you want an# nee# those results to be?
6ne you are lear about the results you #esire! set speif measures of
performane on eah $ob! an# eah tas*% .ow will you an# the an#i#ate
*now whether
or not the $ob has been #one properly? Remember! KWhat gets measure#!
gets #one%L
An#! K1f you an>t measure it! you an>t manage it%L
Sele!t the <ight Peo#le:
'% Ran* every one in your ompany on a sale from '-'(! with '( being the
highest! on their ompetene at their $ob%
D% Resolve to buil# a team of highly motivate#! ompetent an# positive
employees to
help you get the results you nee#%
C% @hin* through eah new $ob or hire arefully in a#vane% Write out the
#esription
learly%
G% 1nterview at least C an#i#ates for a new position% 1nterview the an#i#ate
you
li*e at least C times! in three plaes! an# have him or her interviewe# by at
least C
other people%
H% Che* referenes arefullyQ see* the fatal <aw or wea*ness that woul#
ma*e the
an#i#ate unsuitable%
I% .ire only positive! li*able peopleQ they ma*e the best team players%
/% Results are everythingQ ontinually emphasi=e an# e"plain e"atly what
results are
e"pete# from eah person%
Cha#ter 9ine 1 3ar$et 3ore E=e!tively
+ecause its purpose is to create a customer, the business enterprise has two
, and only
these two" basic functions- marketing and innovation! .arketing and
innovation produce
results/ all the rest are costs! E5eter ?ru*erF
All business strategy is ultimately mar*eting strategy% Whenever you are
worrie# about the
health or future of your business! get ba* to thin*ing about mar*eting an#
selling% Fous
single-min#e#ly on inreasing sales an# revenues% Cutting e"penses an#
ontrolling osts
is an ongoing neessity! but you an>t ost-ut your way to business suess%
+ou have to
inrease ash <ow! an# this only omes from selling more of your pro#uts or
servies%
9o matter how !hallenging or !om#etitive the e!onomy a##ears% as
mu!h as
?@A of your mar$et is still unta##ed& @here are almost always hi##en
opportunities
aroun# you% +our ability to unover an# ta*e a#vantage of those opportunities
is the true
test of ompetene as an e"eutive or as a business%
)e!ide Who You Are and What You )o
0peciali*ation re)uires that you fous on speif pro#uts or servies!
speif
mar*ets or speif ustomer nee#s% +ou must fght the temptation to try to
o7er too many
pro#uts an# servies to too many ustomers in too many areas% +ou must
speiali=e!
both in your own min#! an# in the min# of your ustomer%
What is it exactly that your pro#ut or servie is #esigne# to ahieve! avoi# or
preserve for your ustomer? What are the ore ompetenies or proprietary
metho#s or
tehnologies that enable you to speiali=e in this area? What speif problem
or nee# an
you solve or satisfy for your ustomer? An# of all the #i7erent results you an
get with
your business! where #o you! shoul# you! oul# you speiali=e?
See Yourself As A (usiness
1n your personal life! you shoul# as* the same )uestions of yourself as well%
What
is your personal area of speciali*ation? 1n what way is your wor* superior to
your
ompetitors? What is the ideal position or area of responsibility for you to
apply your
talents? Where shoul# you be concentrating your energies to get the very
best results an#
greatest rewar#s possible?
Espeially! you shoul# ontinually as* yourself! $hat is it that I do very, very
well?
What is your personal area of e"ellene? What oul# it be? What shoul# it
be?
-oo$ing Ahead
3oo*ing into the future of your business or in#ustry! what new ompetenies
#o you nee#
to #evelop to lea# your fel# in the months an# years ahea#? What a##itional
*nowle#ge
an# s*ills #o you nee# to a)uire? What are those few tas*s! whih! if you #i#
them in an
e"ellent fashion! woul# have the greatest positive impat on your areer? 1n
what areas
oul# be pai# the very most for the appliation of your speial talents an#
abilities? @his
)uestion is $ust as relevant for you as it is for your ompany%
3ar$et 3ore E=e!tively:
'% ?ei#e to#ay to dominate your fel#! to be the best at mar*eting an#
innovation in your pro#ut or servie area% What is the frst step you shoul#
ta*e?
D% ?etermine your area of speiali=ation! by pro#ut or servie! mar*et or
type of ustomer% What shoul# it be? What oul# it be?
C% .ow #o you #i7erentiate your pro#ut or servie from those of your
ompetitors? 1n what ways are you superior to anyone else? What oul# it be?
What
shoul# it be?
G% What are you best mar*et segments? Where are your highest probability
ustomers? Who an beneft the most from using what you sell?
H% .ow an you organi=e your business so that you onentrate your
mar*eting an# selling e7orts on those ustomers who an buy an# pay faster
than any
others?
I% What a##itional pro#uts! servies! *nowle#ge or apabilities will you
nee# to #ominate your mar*ets in the months an# years ahea#?
/% What shoul# you imme#iately start #oing more of! less of! start or stop
to a#$ust to the urrent mar*et?
Cha#ter Ten 1 Analy'e Your Com#etition
1oncentrate your strengths against your competitors relative weakness!
E-rue
.en#ersonF
Know Your Enemy
.ere then is a )uestion for youM Who is your ompetition? E"atly? +our
hoie of
ompetitor #etermines almost everything you #o in your mar*et! $ust as the
hoie of an
a#versary #etermines everything a general #oes in the proess of on#uting
military
operations%
)etermine Their (uying 3otives
6ne you have #etermine# why it is that people buy from you! you must then
as*
an# answer! KWhy #o people buy from my ompetitors?L What value or
benefts are your
potential ustomers onvine# that they reeive when buying from your
ompetitor rather
than from you?
What are your ompetitor>s *ey strengths? What are his areas of
speiali=ation!
#i7erentiation! segmentation an# onentration? What #oes your ompetitor
have that
you #on>t have? What #oes he o7er that you #on>t o7er? What is he #oing
more of or
better than you? What is his uni)ue selling proposition?
=set Their Advantages
As you stu#y your ompetitors! loo* for ways to o7set or neutrali=e the
a#vantages
their ustomers pereive them to have% What are your ompetitor>s
wea*nesses? .ow an
you e"ploit these wea*nesses? What #o you #o better than they #o? 1n what
ways are
your pro#uts or servies superior to their o7erings? 1n what areas #o you
have a #istint
a#vantage over your ompetitors? What an you #o to o7set your
ompetitor>s strengths
an# ma"imi=e your a#vantages? .ow an you better position yourself against
your
ompetitors in a tough mar*et?
@he more time you ta*e to stu#y an# un#erstan# why an# how your
ompetitors
are suessful in selling to your ustomers! the more li*ely it is that you will
fn# an
opportunity to ta*e away their mar*et share% As Sun @=u says in he 2rt of
$ar! K1f you
*now both yourself an# your enemy! you will prevail in a hun#re# battles%L
Analy'e Your Com#etition:
'% Who is your ompetition for what you sell! with the e"at ustomers you
are
trying to attrat?
D% What woul# happen if you hange# your o7erings in suh a way that you
targete#
a #i7erent group of ustomers! one that woul# be easier to sell to?
C% Why #o your potential ustomers buy from your ompetitors? What
a#vantages #o
they pereive?
G% What is your ompetitor>s uni)ue selling proposition? What speial feature
or
beneft #oes his pro#ut or servie have that yours #oes not?
H% 1n what ways are you superior to your ompetitors? What an you o7er
that they
annot? .ow an you emphasi=e this a#vantage in your sales an# mar*eting
e7orts?
I% Where is your ompetitor vulnerable? .ow oul# you e"ploit this to your
a#vantage?
/% .ow oul# you alter your mar*eting strategy in suh a way that you oul#
ahieve
#ominane in a partiular area! with a speif ustomer or mar*et segment?
Cha#ter Eleven 1 )o It (etter% Faster% Chea#er
he man who comes up with a means for doing or producing almost
anything better,
faster or more economically has his future and his fortune at his %ngertips!
ES% 5aul 9ettyF
@he most important single #eterminant of your suess is your area of
competitive
advantage% 1t is more important than all other fators% 1t #etermines the rise
or fall of your
business! your level of proftability! your position in the mar*etplae an#
everything else
you aomplish%
+our ompetitive a#vantage must be rystal lear to you an# to everyone in
your
ompany! as well as to your prospetive ustomers! 3a* of lear ompetitive
a#vantage
lea#s )ui*ly to #iminishe# sales! loss of mar*et share! lower proftability!
prie utting!
an# ultimately to business failure%
Your 5igh Con!e#t
+our business was starte# beause you or your ompany ha# an i#ea for a
pro#ut or servie that was #i7erent or better from other pro#uts an#
servies% 1t o7ere#
to satisfy the same nee# or solve the same problem better! faster or heaper
than anyone
or anything else then available%
+our ability to #i7erentiate your pro#ut in the min#s an# hearts of your
ustomers is the *ey to winning them in the frst plae! an# then *eeping
them after the
initial sale% @o buy from you! a ustomer must be onvine# that! all things
onsi#ere#!
your o7ering is #i7erent an# better than anything else that is urrently
available at the
same prie% Sa* Welh was famous for saying! K1f you #on>t have ompetitive
a#vantage!
#on>t ompete;L
Three Areas of )i=erentiation
@o suee# in a tough mar*et! what you sell must be superior to your
ompetitor>s o7erings in at least three ways% It must "e "etter% faster%
!hea#er% and easier
to use in some way that ma$es it more attra!tive than rival #rodu!ts
or servi!es& 1t must be
sol# more professionally or servie# with greater sensitivity! spee# or
ePieny% 1t must
be better in at least three areas%
6ne of your *ey $obs in strategi thin*ing is to i#entify the three areas where
you are
better an# then to emphasi=e those areas of superiority in all your mar*eting
an# sales
.ow oul# you ahieve operational e"ellene in your business! or some part
of your
business! in suh a way that you oul# be the low-ost provi#er in your
mar*et? .ow
oul# you #ramatially re#ue your osts of #oing business an# use this low
ost
a#vantage to inrease your sales an# proftability?
-ead the Field
@he seon# area where you oul# ahieve ompetitive a#vantage is in the
use of
innovative te!hnology lea#ing to the pro#ution of high )uality pro#uts
an# servies%
Companies li*e Mere#es an# Role" fall into this ategory! as #oes Sony an#
3e"us%
Customers are willing to pay a premium for a bran# name that represents
high )uality an#
utting-e#ge tehnology% Where are there opportunities for you to #istinguish
your
pro#uts or servies by using your imagination to beome the )uality lea#er
in your fel#?
Close to the Customer
@he thir# area where you oul# #evelop ompetitive a#vantage is in being
Klose to the
ustomer%L @his re)uires that you invest the time to #evelop high )uality
relationships
base# on Kustomer intimay%L Customers will pay more an# remain loyal
longer to
ompanies that seem to *now an# un#erstan# them better than others%
5rovi#ers of
speiali=e# servies! suh as onsulting frms! law frms an# aounting frms
fall into this
ategory%
1n what ways oul# you #evelop higher levels of trust an# re#ibility with your
ustomers? What oul# you #o to #emonstrate to your ustomers that you
really are
about them an# their interests? @his strategy an o7er a brea*through
opportunity!
espeially in the sale of e"pensive pro#uts an# servies where resales an#
referrals are
possible%
Pi!$ Your Targets
@o lea# your fel# an# ahieve higher levels of proftability! you have to be
outstan#ing in one of these three areas an# very goo# in the other two% 6ne
of the most
important #eisions you ma*e is to hoose your area of ompetitive
a#vantage! an# then
to #e#iate your ompany to ahieving it%
Strive For Su#eriority
+our area of e"ellene is the *ey to your suess in a ompetitive
mar*etplae%
@his is where your pro#ut or servie stan#s out in omparison to your
ompetitors% 1t is a
value or beneft that you o7er that no one else o7ers% With regar# to your
pro#uts or
servies! what is it? What oul# it be? What shoul# it be?
+our area of superiority is #efne# as an area of performane where your
pro#ut
or servie is superior to that of your ompetitors% @his performane #i7erene
is
signifant enough that your ustomer will buy it! an# even pay you more for
it% 1n what
way #oes your pro#ut perform better! in terms of getting results that your
ustomer ares
about! than your ompetitors? .ow oul# you improve the performane of
your pro#uts
or servies in some meaningful way?
Finally! your uni3ue selling proposition is something that you an# only you
o7er
to your ustomers! an# is something that they really are about% 4o one else
#oes as well
as you #o in this area% 4o one else ahieves the same beneft or result% What
is your
uni)ue selling proposition? What oul# it be?
-oo$ Into Yourself
6n a personal level! you must ontinually as* these )uestions of yourself%
What is your
personal area of e"ellene? Where are you superior to your ompetitors?
What is your
uni)ue selling proposition? 1n what ways #o you #o your $ob better or faster
than others?
What is it that you and only you #o in an outstan#ing fashion for your
ompany? What
oul# it be? What shoul# it be?
5erhaps the most important area of superiority you an #evelop is your ability
to
#o your $ob )ui*ly an# well! in an e"ellent fashion! onsistently an#
#epen#ably every
time% @his is the *ey to suess as an in#ivi#ual in a ompetitive mar*etplae%
)o It (etter% Faster% Chea#er:
'% 1n what ways are your most important pro#uts or servies superior to
those of
your ompetitors?
D% What is your reogni=e# Karea of e"ellene?L 1f you were to on#ut a
survey!
what woul# people say that your ompany #oes espeially well?
C% 1n what ways are your pro#uts or servies faster to a)uire! use an# en$oy
than
your ompetitor>s?
G% What is your uni)ue selling proposition? What is it that your pro#uts or
servies
o7er that no other ompany an math?
H% 1n what ways are your pro#uts or servies heaper to buy an# use! or
ahieve
superior fnanial results for your ustomers for the same ost?
I% 1f you were *nown for being outstan#ing in any one area of your pro#ut or
servie o7erings! what one #istintion woul# have the greatest positive
impat on your
sale an# proftability?
/% 3ist the three areas where your pro#uts are! or an be! superior to any of
your
ompetitors% What is your plan to ahieve this area of mar*et superiority?
What shoul#
you #o frst?
What )o You SellB
@he frst part of the mar*eting mi" is your 4roduct or servie% Always #efne
your
pro#ut or servie in terms of what it K#oesL for your ustomers! versus what
it Kis%L .ere>s
the )uestion! K1s your pro#ut or servie! as you are o7ering it to#ay! i#eally
suite# for
your urrent mar*et an# ustomers?L
5ow 3u!h )o You ChargeB
@he seon# part of the mar*eting mi" is your 4rice% 1s your prie the right
prie for what
you are selling? Shoul# you hange your prie in some way? Shoul# you
inrease it!
#erease it! ombine your prie with other items! or a## items to your prie?
Shoul# you
hange your terms or o7er something #i7erent for the same prie?
)ou"le Your Pri!eB
1s there any plae in your business that
you oul# inrease your pries an# still hol# onto your mar*et?
5ow )o You Sell ItB
.ow are you urrently promoting an# selling your pro#ut or servie? What>s
wor*ing?
What>s not wor*ing? Shoul# you hange your metho#s of a#vertising!
mar*eting! selling
or a)uiring ustomers in any way?
Sell 3ore Stu=
Espeially! shoul# you upgra#e an# improve your #iret selling metho#s!
people!
presentation! an# apabilities?
Is Your Phone <ingingB
Ever after! when 1 thin* about the e7etiveness of a#vertising! 1 always as*!
K1s
your phone ringing?L
Where )o You SellB
@he fourth element of the mar*eting mi" is the 4lace% @his is the speif
loation where
the sale of your pro#ut ta*es plae% Where e"atly #o you sell your pro#ut
to#ay? ?o
you sell in homes! oPes or in your own retail establishment? ?o you sell in a
partiular
ity! state or nationwi#e? ?o you sell in stores or by #iret selling or by #iret
mail? Most
importantly! shoul# you hange the plae at whih you o7er your pro#uts?
A hange in the loation where you o7er your pro#ut or
servie oul# hange the #iretion of your business% What oul# it be?
E2amine Your Assum#tions
Whenever you have #iPulties selling a suPient )uantity of your pro#ut or
servie! you shoul# e"amine all of your assumptions in the areas of pro#ut!
prie!
promotion an# plae% +ou shoul# be willing to onsi#er the possibility that
your metho#
is ompletely wrong in one or more of these areas%
1t often happens that a single hange in one of the K5>sL in the mar*eting mi"
an
hange the entire nature of your business! boost your results! inrease your
proftability
an# move you towar# mar*et lea#ership% 8eep an open min#%
The Answers Are Changing
What is the orret mar*eting mi" for you to sell the very most at the highest
ost! an#
earn the greatest proft? What assumptions are you going on that
may no longer be true?
Change Your 3ar$eting 3i2:
C& -e prepare# to hallenge every aspet of your mar*eting! espeially if it is
not
wor*ing as well as before% What areas ause you the greatest frustration an#
#issatisfation?
D& What e"atly #o you sell! #efne# as what it K#oesL for your ustomers!
versus
what it Kis?L
6& What pries #o you harge? .ow oul# you hange the way you harge to
ma*e
buying from you more attrative?
E& .ow #o you promote your pro#ut? Coul# there be better ways of
a#vertising
your pro#uts or servies that woul# give you better results?
7& .ow #o you sell your pro#ut or servie? 1s every person who #eals with
your
ustomers fully traine# in every *ey result area of selling?
:& Where #o you sell your pro#ut or servie? Shoul# you be e"ploring other
loations or metho#s of sale?
;& Shoul# you hange more than one of the elements of the mar*eting mi" at
the
same time? Challenging mar*et on#itions often all for bol# #epartures from
the metho#s
of the past! espeially if they are no longer wor*ing%
What Words )o You wnB
?eliberately or ai#entally! eah pro#ut or servie #evelops a reputation
that
positions it against its ompetitors% What is yours?
Create Your wn Cheat Sheet
.ere is the )uestion% What wor#s #o you own? What wor#s should you own in
the
hearts an# min#s of your prospetive ustomers? What wor#s could you own
if you were
to reorgani=e an# re#iret your mar*eting e7orts?
As an e"erise! imagine one of your prospets meeting with one of your
ustomers% 1magine that your ustomer alle# you an# as*e# you what you
woul# li*e
him to say to your prospet to onvine your prospet to buy from you?
1f you oul# put together a Kheat sheetL with the e"at wor#s or phrases
that you
woul# li*e your ustomer to leave in the min# of your prospet! what wor#s
woul# you
hoose? Woul# you hoose wor#s li*e excellent 3uality, high integrity, friendly
service,
nice people, 3uick responses to problems, easy to work with, great prices?
.ow #o you want
to be #esribe# by your ustomers an# potential ustomers? 6f all the wor#s
an# phrases
that ustomers oul# use to #esribe your pro#uts an# servies! an# your
ompany!
whih woul# be the most helpful for you an# your business?
What Is Your (randB
.ow are you #esribe# an# thought about by others when you are not there?
What is
your personal brand? What is your reputation? .ow #o other people thin* an#
tal* about
you! both as a person an# as a ontributor to the organi=ation?
Position Your Com#any For Su!!ess
'% What is your ompany>s reputation in your mar*et? .ow #o ustomers an#
ompetitors thin* an# tal* about you?
D% What wor#s #o people use when #esribing your pro#uts or servies to
others?
C% 1f you oul# KownL ertain wor#s that apply to your ompany! your
pro#uts or
servies! whih wor#s woul# you hoose?
G% What wor#s! if they were automatially assoiate# with your ompany!
woul#
have the greatest positive e7et on your sales an# proftability?
H% What hanges woul# you have to ma*e to assure that every ustomer
ontat
reinfore# the message that you wante# to sen# to your ustomers about
#oing business
with you?
I% What are the most important promises that you ma*e to your prospets to
get
them to buy from you for the frst time? ?o you *eep these promises after the
sale?
/% What are the most positive things that your ustomers say about #ealing
with your
ompany? .ow oul# reate a system to assure that more ustomers say
these things?
E"amine your omplete range of pro#uts an# servies! espeially the newer
ones!
an# as*! KWhih of these has the potential to be a big seller?L What woul#
you have to #o
or invest in o help ma*e it a ma$or soure of sales an# revenues?
8eep as*ing yourself! K1f 1 ha# not alrea#y ommitte# time an# money to this
pro#ut! *nowing what 1 now *now! woul# 1 start investing in it again to#ay?L
Apply the S-, onept to yourself an# your areer% +ou have several areas of
talent an# ability! ore ompetenies! e"periene! *nowle#ge an# e#uation%
What are
your ash ows! the s*ills that are entral to your value to the organi=ation?
What are your Kstars!L the emerging areas of ativity! or new s*ills an#
*nowle#ge
that an ma*e you e"tremely valuable in the future?
What are your potential areas of great suess? What are the pro$ets!
responsibilities an# areas of opportunity! whih! if you e"ploit them fully! an
enable you
to move ahea# more rapi#ly in your areer?
Finally! what are the K#ogL areas of your wor* life? @hese are the tas*s or
s*ills
that you may have mastere# in the past! but whih #istrat you from your
future% @hese
are the $obs an# ativities that ta*e up a lot of time! but whih are nowhere
near as
valuable as other things you oul# be #oing% What are they?
)evelo# Strategi! (usiness .nits
'% -egin to#ay to view eah pro#ut or servie as a separate business!
responsible
for generating a ertain amount of proft every month%
D% 9roup your #i7erent pro#uts or servies by similar harateristis! similar
ustomers! or similar mar*ets%
C% What are the ash ows of your business? What are the ore pro#uts or
servies
that are essential to your overall proftability?
G% What an you #o to#ay to safeguar# an# nurture your ash ows to assure
that
they ontinue ontributing sales an# ash <ow far into the future?
H% What are the KstarsL of your business? What are the pro#uts that are
selling well!
inreasing in mar*et share! an# generating high profts?
I% What oul# you #o to inrease the sales an# proftability of your stars?
/% What are the K)uestion mar*sL of your business? Whih of your urrent
pro#uts
or servies shoul# you #isontinue! *nowing what you now *now?
What Is To (e SoldB
@he frst )uestion is! +What is to "e soldB, @o answer this orretly! you
have to #efne
your pro#ut or servie in terms of what it does! an# how it benefts your
ustomer% .ow
#oes it improve his or her life or wor*? 6f all the benefts that a ustomer
en$oys from
purhasing your pro#ut or servie! what is the primary beneft! the one thing
that you
o7er that ma*es you superior to any other ompetitor in the mar*etplae? ?o
you *now
the answer to this?
Who Is 0oing To Sell ItB
@he seon# )uestion is +(y whomB, Who is atually going to sell the
pro#ut or servie
an# get the he* from the ustomer? .ow are you going to reruit! train!
manage! fel#
an# support the sales person? .ow is this salesperson going to unover the
neessary
lea#s an# get fae to fae with the prospetive ustomer?
Who Is Your CustomerB
@he ne"t part of the )uestion is KTo whomB,
5ow 3u!h Are You 0oing To ChargeB
1s there any prie you woul# raise! lower or mo#ify in some
way?
Colle!ting Payment
@he ne"t )uestion is How is it going to be paid for? ?o you re)uire
payment
in full! in a#vane? ?o you re)uire a #eposit when the sale is ma#e an# with
the balane
to be pai# at a later time on ertain terms? ?o you o7er re#it or fnaning?
Espeially!
what #o your ompetitors #o?
6ften a hange in the way you harge! or in your priing struture! an
#ramatially inrease your sales% What oul# you #o #i7erently in to#ay>s
mar*et that
woul# ma*e it easier or more attrative to buy your pro#ut or servie?
)elivering The 0oods
@he fnal part of the )uestion is How is going to be delivered
satisfactorily?
What is the e"at proess of getting the pro#ut or servie to your ustomer
in suh a
way! an# at suh a level of )uality! that the ustomer both buys from you
again an#
reommen#s you to others?
Sell 3ore E=e!tively:
'% What is the e"at sales proess neessary to sell your pro#ut or servie!
from the
frst ustomer ontat through to the lose of the sale? ?o you *now? .ow
oul# it be
improve#?
D% What must your prospetive ustomer be onvine# of before he hooses
your
pro#ut over that of your ompetitor?
C% 1f money were no ob$et! what speial results or benefts #o you o7er in
your
sales e7orts that ma*e your pro#ut more #esirable than any other available?
G% What is your proess for reruiting salespeople? What me#ia #o you use?
What
levels of e#uation an# e"periene #o you re)uire?
H% What *in# of a ompensation system #o you have for salespeople? What is
it
base# on? .ow oul# it be improve# so that it motivates better sales
performane?
I% .ow muh of your business omes from referrals from happy ustomers?
.ow
oul# you inrease the number of referrals you get as a perentage of your
business?
/% Why aren>t your sales twie as high alrea#y? What sales e7orts oul# you
ma*e to
tap into that N(O of the mar*et that has never hear# of you?
Follow the Formula
KWhy am 1 not at that goal alrea#y?L What is hol#ing you
ba*? What is the onstraint! ho*epoint or bottlene* that sets the spee# on
how fast you
ahieve your speif goals of sales! ash <ow or proftability in your
business?
3et us return to my earlier )uestion! KWoul# you li*e to #ouble your sales an#
#ouble your inome?L 1f your answer is KyesL! then why haven>t you #one it
alrea#y? Why
aren>t your sales twie as high? Why aren>t your profts twie as high? What is
hol#ing you
ba*? What is onstraining you? What is the limiting fator?
Identify Your Personal Constraints
@hin* about your personal life an# goals as will% As* yourself! KWhat are my
most
important goals? Why am 1 not there alrea#y? What is it within me that is
hol#ing me
ba*?L
1s it the la* of a partiular )uality! attribute or s*ill that sets the spee# at
whih 1
ahieve my goals? 1s it a partiular attitu#e or belief that is hol#ing me ba*?
An# most
important! what oul# you #o imme#iately to alleviate your *ey onstraints!
starting to#ay?
Eliminate the <oad"lo!$s:
'% Set lear! measurable goals for sales an# proftability% 4ow as*! KWhat
#etermines
the spee# at whih 1 ahieve these goals?L
D% ,se sentene ompletion e"erises% Say! KWe oul# #ouble our sales if it
$ust
wasn>t for%%L an# fll in the blan*%
C% 1#entify the ma$or blo* to your ahieving your most important goal? .ow
oul#
you remove it?
G% 3oo* within your ompany for the limiting fators that hol# you ba*% What
are
the ho*epoints in your business?
H% Assess eah person in eah *ey position% Are they ompetent an# apable
of
#oing what nee#s to be #one for you to be suessful?
I% 6ne you have i#entife# your *ey onstraint to business suess! as*!
K$hat else
is hol#ing us ba*?L 8eep as*ing! KWhat else?L until you get to the real
problem%
/% 1n your own areer an# personal life! what sets the spee# at whih you
ahieve
your goals? 3oo* within yourself for the answers%
3a$e Faster% (etter )e!isions
Whenever they bring you a problem
or a )uestion! always as*! KWhat #o you thin* we shoul# #o?L
<eengineer Your Com#any:
'% 5ratie simplifation as a way of life% 1n what areas of wor* has your life
beome
too ompliate#! an# what an you #o to get it ba* un#er ontrol?
D% 5ratie =ero-base# thin*ing with every step an# every ativity% 1f you were
not
now #oing it this way! woul# you start #oing it this way again to#ay?
C% @a*e a single omple" proess or $ob an# ma*e a list of every step from
beginning
to en#% .ow oul# you re#ue the number of steps by C(O the frst time
through?
G% What tas*s or ativities oul# you #elegate to someone who an #o them
/(O as
well as you?
H% What parts of your business oul# you outsoure to ompanies or
in#ivi#uals who
speiali=e in that area?
I% What parts of your wor* oul# you eliminate altogether with little or no
impat on
your bottom line?
/% What parts of your personal life #o you nee# to streamline an# simplify?
When are
you going to #o it?
Pum# .# Your Pro/ts:
'% ?o a omplete proft analysis on every pro#ut an# servie you o7er% Ran*
them
from highest to lowest%
D% 1#entify the D(O of your pro#uts that aount for N(O of your sales%
Whih are
they?
C% 1#entify the D(O of your pro#uts an# servies that aount for N(O of
your
profts% Are they the same as your answer to TD?
G% After #e#uting all #iret an# in#iret osts! whih are your most proftable
pro#uts or servies base# on ost an# return on investment?
H% .ow muh is your time worth on an hourly basis? -uil# this ost into
everything
you #o to get an aurate measure of osts an# proftability%
I% Attribute a perentage of all general an# a#ministrative osts to eah
pro#ut or
servie you sell% @his e"erise often turns profts into losses%
/% 1f your ompany was faing serious fnanial shortages! whih pro#uts or
servies
woul# you fous your energies on! an# whih woul# you #isontinue? @hin*
about #oing
it now%
It Starts From The To#
Enourage eah person to fn# ways to #o their $obs better! faster! an# easier%
Allow them the free#om to e"periment with improvements! with no fear of
ritiism if
they #on>t wor*% Sometimes the greatest improvements our as the result of
a series of
small e"periments that were not suessful%
+ou shoul# stan# ba* regularly an# e"amine every pro#ut! servie an#
proess%
.ow oul# you improve it in some way? .ow oul# you ma*e it better! faster
or heaper?
.ow oul# you get the same or better results faster! or at a lower ost? 4ever
be satisfe#
or ontent with e"isting )uality levels% Always loo* for ways to improve upon
them%
-rainstorm with your team regularly to generate i#eas to ut osts! improve
)uality!
inrease sales an# boost profts% Enourage everyone to thin*! all #ay long!
about how
they an #o their $obs better% Ma*e this ommitment to ontinuous
improvement a part of
your orporate ulture%
Commit to E2!ellen!e
1f everyone in your mar*etplae referre# to you an# your o7erings as the
best in the business! what *in# of a #i7erene woul# that ma*e in your sales
an#
proftability?
With that as your goal! what woul# you have to #o! starting to#ay! to assure
that
everyone refers to you as Kthe bestL sometime in the future? What oul# you
#o! starting
to#ay! to begin this proess? What is the frst step you shoul# ta*e?
>uality and Pro/ta"ility
KWhih of these ompanies #o you feel is the best in this partiular in#ustry?L
.ere>s the )uestionM 1f suh a survey were #one among potential ustomers
for what you
sell! where #o you feel your ompany woul# ran* in suh a omparison?
Woul# you be
ran*e# as Kthe best!L or somewhere lower? What oul# you #o to move
higher in the
ran*ings? What one step oul# you ta*e imme#iately?
5ow )o Customers )e/ne >ualityB
What )o Customers WantB
Commit to Continuous Im#rovement:
'% .ow #o your ustomers #efne )uality? What is most important to them in
hoosing your pro#ut or servie?
D% .ow #o you ran* against your ompetitors on a sale from one to ten? .ow
oul#
you improve your ran*ing imme#iately?
C% Set up a rewar# system in your ompany for suggestions an# i#eas to
improve
)uality an# ahieve greater ustomer satisfation?
G% ?o you have )uality an# performane stan#ar#s for people! pro#uts an#
ativities
in your ompany? ?oes everyone *now what they are?
H% What ompany #o you thin* is the best in your business! the most
respete# an#
proftable? .ow oul# you benhmar* yourself against them?
I% What one step oul# you ta*e imme#iately to improve ustomer
satisfation with
your ompany?
/% What oul# you #o personally to upgra#e an# improve the )uality of your
performane in the most important things you #o in your $ob?
)e/ne Your Core (usiness
What is your ore business? 1f everything else was strippe# away! what woul#
be left at
your ore?
1#entify the D(O of opportunities available to you to#ay that an be
responsible for
N(O of your sales an# revenues in the years ahea#% @hese will almost always
be
e"tensions of your urrent business! your ore ompetenies! an# your areas
of
e"ellene% +our hoie of the opportunities available to you largely
#etermines the
future of your business% What are they?
Fo!us n 8alue
What are the D(O of your wor* ativities that aount for N(O of your
personal
value an# your ontribution to your ompany? 1f you $ust #ouble# the amount
of time you
spen# on the D(O of your high value tas*s! an# #isontinue# the N(O of low
value:no
value tas*s that you #o! you oul# beome most of the most pro#utive
people in your
ompany% @hese are your ore tas*s%
What are the D(O of problems! aggravations! an# irritations that aount for
N(O of
your hea#ahes in your wor*? Who are the most #iPult people! ustomers
or situations
that you have to #eal with eah #ay? What an you #o to#ay to minimi=e or
eliminate
them?
-ase# on this N(:D( analysis! what steps an you ta*e imme#iately to
improve!
inrease! an# strengthen your ore pro#uts! servies! ustomers an#
ativities? What
shoul# you #o frst?
Where )o You E2!elB
1n what areas of your pro#uts an# servies are you! or oul# you be better
than
0HO of your ompetition?
Advan!e Planning
@his 1itadel is your ore business% What is yours? Whatever it is! pratie
KSenario
5lanningL on a regular basis% As* yourself! KWhat is the worst thing that oul#
possibly
happen in my mar*et to#ay?L
Whatever your answer is to that )uestion! begin ma*ing provisions to#ay to
assure
that you will be able to survive! shoul# it our%
Your Personal Citadel Strategy
As an in#ivi#ual! you must be lear about your personal ore ompetenies!
as
well% .ow oul# you improve in eah one of them? What ore ompetenies
will you
nee# to lea# your fel# in the years ahea#? What is your plan to a)uire the
ore
ompetenies of tomorrow?
Con!entrate n the Core:
'% What is your ore business? What pro#uts an# servies are most
responsible for
your suess to#ay?
D% What are your ore ompetenies? What is it that your ompany #oes
e"tremely
well?
C% What are the worst possible things that oul# happen to your business in
the ne"t
year? What are your plans to #eal with them! shoul# they our?
G% What are your non-ore pro#uts! servies or ativities? What woul#
happen if you
#isontinue# them entirely?
H% Who are your ore ustomers! an# what are you #oing to assure that they
never
leave you?
I% Who are your ore people! the ones who are most important for the
survival an#
growth of your business? What is your strategy to *eep them?
/% What are your ore funtions? What are the things you #o that are entral
to your
$ob? What ativities are peripheral?
Four Key >uestions
When onsi#ering buying a pro#ut or servie! ustomers have four )uestions
that
must be answere# before going ahea#M
'% What #oes it ost?
D% What #o 1 get for the money?
C% .ow fast #o 1 get the benefts you promise?
G% .ow sure an 1 be that 1 will get those benefts?
Whihever ompany or salesperson answers these )uestions most
onviningly
wins the sale%
)eliver n Your Promises
KWhat results or benefts #o my ustomers e"pet of my
pro#ut or servie?L an# K.ow onsistently #o my ustomers get those
results an# benefts
when they buy my pro#uts or servies?L @his is the true #efnition of
K)uality%L
Uuality an be #efne# as! Kthe perentage of times that your pro#ut or
servie
#oes what you say it will #o! an# ontinues to #o it%L
A )uality rating of '((O! or perfet )uality! means that what you sell always
#elivers on your promises% A )uality rating of 0(O means that your pro#ut
gets the
#esire# or promise# results nine out of ten times%
-ittle Things 3ean A -ot
Fe#eral E"press has #etermine# that if its )uality rating was 00%0(O! they
woul#
ma*e mista*es in the #elivery of GG!((( envelopes a #ay% At 00%0(O )uality!
Fe#eral
E"press woul# ollapse un#er its own weight of onfusion% @hat is how
important )uality
is in a business%
+our personal suess is also #etermine# by how onsistently an# #epen#ably
you
perform an# #eliver on your responsibilities an# promises% +ou shoul#
ontinually as*
yourself! KWhat results are e"pete# of me?L
+our level of e7etiveness is always #efne# by others! by what they nee#
from
you% 3ea#ers are always as*ing! KWhat #oes this situation nee# of me?L 6ne
they are
lear! they onentrate their energies in those areas%
As* yourself! K6f all the results 1 an aomplish! what are the most valuable
an#
important in terms of my rewar#s an# my future?L
Im#roving Your A"ility to 0et <esults
.ere are seven of the best )uestions you an as* an# answer to improve your
ability to get resultsM
'% KWhy am 1 on the payroll?L What e"atly have you been hire# to
aomplish?
Ma*e sure that what you are #oing every #ay is the answer to this )uestion%
D% KWhat are my highest value tas*s an# ativities?L 6f all the things that you
oul# be #oing #uring the #ay! what are the ativities that you engage in that
ontribute
the greatest value to yourself an# your ompany?
C% KWhat are my *ey result areas?L What are the ore ompetenies an# *ey
tas*s
that you must absolutely! positively #o in an e"ellent fashion to pro#ue the
most
important an# value# results e"pete# of you? Resolve to#ay to beome a
K#o-it-toyourself-
pro$et%L For the rest of your areer! #e#iate yourself to ontinually learning
an#
improving in those areas where top performane is most vital to your
suess% 9etting
better at your *ey tas*s is one of the best time saving tehni)ues of all%
G% KWhat an 1 an# only 1 #o that! if #one well! will ma*e a real #i7erene?L
@here is always something that only you an #o that an ma*e a signifant
#i7erene to
your life an# your wor*% 1f you #on>t #o it! it won>t get #one% 4o one else will
#o it for
you% -ut if you #o it! an# you #o it well! it an ma*e a signifant #i7erene%
What is it?
H% KWhat one s*ill! if 1 #evelope# an# #i# it in an excellent fashion! woul#
have
the greatest positive impat on my areer?L @here is always one s*ill that if
you #evelope#
it an# #i# it well! woul# have a greater an# more positive impat on your
areer than any
other single s*ill% +our $ob is to i#entify that s*ill an# then put your whole
heart into
beoming absolutely e"ellent in that area! whatever it is%
I% KWhat one result! if 1 ahieve# it onsistently for my ustomers! woul#
most
satisfy those ustomers an# bring me the greatest number of a##itional
ustomers?L What
must your ustomer be absolutely onvine# that he or she will reeive from
you in or#er
to buy your pro#ut or servie an# to reommen# it to his or her frien#s? .ow
oul# you
improve your )uality an# servie in that area?
/% @he fnal )uestion for personal suess! number seven! is thisM KWhat is the
most valuable use of my time right now?L ,se this )uestion as your gui#ing
star
throughout the #ay% 8eep as*ing! What is the most valuable use of my
time, right
now?
All )ay -ong
1f you oul# only perform one tas* all #ay long! what one thing oul# you #o
that
woul# ontribute more value to your life an# wor* than any other single tas*
or ativity?
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TEA3GP<HECT AW-FFFF
Whatever your answer% #ut mastery of that tas$ at the to# of your
list of #riorities&
)edi!ate yourself to getting "etter and "etter doing the one thing
that !an ma$e more of a
di=eren!e than anything else& This is the $ey to getting su#er"
results at every stage of
your life and !areer&
n!e more% here then are the DC $ey ideas in the Tur"ostrategy
#ro!ess:
'% Start Where You AreM ?o a omplete an# honest analysis of your
business as it is
to#ay! inlu#ing the urrent status of your sales! revenues! proftability an#
the mar*et
situation aroun# you%
D& )raw A -ine .nder the Past: Apply =ero base# thin*ing to every part of
your
business% 1f you were not #oing it to#ay! knowing what you now know! woul#
you get
into it again to#ay?
6& Condu!t A (asi! (usiness Analysis: E"amine your pro#uts! servies!
proesses!
an# ativities as if you were loo*ing at them for the frst time% -e prepare# to
as* yourself
the Kbrutal )uestionsL about eah one of them%
E& )e!ide E2a!tly What You Want: Set lear! written! measurable goals
an#
ob$etives for yourself in eah part of your business%
7& )esign Your Ideal Future: 5ro$et forwar# C-H years an# imagine that
your
business was i#eal in every respet% What woul# it loo* li*e? What oul# you
#o! starting
to#ay! to ma*e that future vision into a urrent reality?
:& Create A 3ission Statement: ?ei#e e"atly what it is you want to
aomplish
for others with your business% Ma*e it measurable% Ma*e it e"iting% Share it
with
everyone%
;& <einvent Your rgani'ation: 1magine starting your business or areer
over again
to#ay! with your present *nowle#ge an# e"periene% What woul# you #o
#i7erently?
?& Sele!t the <ight Peo#le: Fully 0HO of your suess in business will be
#etermine# by the people you hoose to wor* with an# for% @a*e the time to
ma*e goo#
personnel #eisions%
I& 3ar$et 3ore E=e!tively: @hin* through every part of your mar*eting
strategy by
applying the four priniples of speiali=ation! #i7erentiation! segmentation
an#
onentration to every pro#ut an# servie%
C@& Analy'e Your Com#etition: ?ei#e e"atly who you are ompeting
against! an#
why it is that your prospetive ustomers prefer to buy from them% .ow oul#
you o7set
this pereive# a#vantage?
CC& )o It (etter% Chea#er% FasterM Continually see* ways to serve an#
satisfy your
ustomer in a superior fashion to any one else in your mar*et% 4ever stop
raising the bar
on yourself%
CD& Change Your 3ar$eting 3i2: 1magine being your own management
onsultant
an# as*ing yourself har# )uestions about the appropriateness of your
pro#ut! prie!
plae an# promotion in to#ay>s mar*et%
C6& Position Your Com#any For Su!!essM ?etermine how you want to be
thought
about an# tal*e# about by your ustomers an# prospetive ustomers% What
are the very
best wor#s they oul# use to #esribe you?
CE& )evelo# Strategi! (usiness .nits: ?ivi#e your pro#uts an# servies
into one
of four ategoriesM cash cows, stars, 3uestion marks and dogs% Ma*e one
person
responsible for sales an# proftability for eah pro#ut or group of pro#uts%
C7& Sell 3ore E=e!tively: Fous single-min#e#ly on upgra#ing the )uality
of your
sales e7ort% .ire more seletively! train more thoroughly! an# manage more
professionally% Sales are the lifebloo# of the business%
C:& Eliminate the (ottlene!$s: 1#entify the fators that #etermine how
fast you
ahieve your goals of sales an# proftability% Conentrate on alleviating these
bottlene*s
in every part of your business%
C;& <eengineer Your Com#any: Continually see* ways to streamline an#
simplify
the proess of pro#uing an# selling your pro#uts an# servies% 3earn to
#elegate!
outsoure! #ownsi=e an# eliminate the omple"ity of everything you #o%
C?& Pum# .# Your Pro/ts: Evaluate every pro#ut an# servie to
#etermine e"atly
how muh net proft you are atually earning from eah item you sell% Resolve
to
#isontinue pro#uts an# servies that are not as proftable as others! an#
hannel more
resoures into those pro#uts that are the mainstays of your business%
CI& Commit To Continuous Im#rovement: 1nstall the 8ai=en proess of
Kontinuous bettermentL into your ompany% Fin# out how your ustomer
#efnes
K)ualityL an# then ontinually strive to e"ee# e"petations%
D@& Con!entrate n The Core: 1#entify the most important pro#uts an#
servies
you o7er! an# then fous on getting better an# better selling more an# more
of them%
5robably N(O of the mar*et potential for your ore pro#uts has not yet been
tappe#%
D'% Fo!us n <esults: Conentrate your best energies an# resoures on
getting the
most important results possible for your ompany% Set priorities in every area
an# then
wor* single-min#e#ly to omplete the few tas*s that are more valuable than
everything
else put together%
@he most important part of the @urbostrategy is not what you learn! but the
ations you
ta*e! an# how )ui*ly you ta*e those ations% @here is a #iret relationship
between how
fast you move on a new i#ea an# how li*ely it is that you will ever move on a
new i#ea%
Resolve to#ay to beome intensely ation-oriente# for the rest of your areer%
Sust #o it;
The Tur"ostrategy Pro!ess