BigFishTopDogs.com » Sales & marketing

Let’s Turn That Frown Upside Down

Theresa Bradley-Banta — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 14:06:43 +0000

I thought a little cliché might brighten your day! Did it work?

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There’s nothing more appealing to your customers as when you answer your phone with a smile on your face (and by extension your voice).

This may seem obvious, but… have you tried it? Do you you answer your phone with a smile? Back when I was a headhunter in training this was drilled into me until it came naturally. We also practiced standing up when we talked on the phone. You might be surprised at how much of this stuff comes across a phone line. Or at your front door.

It also does wonders for your own attitude. And your attitude can positively influence sales and customer relations.

When was the last time you said ‘Buenos días’ to a complete stranger? In some cultures this goes without saying. Or rather, it goes with saying… morning, noon and night. Buenos días, Buenas tardes, Buenas noches. Nice isn’t it?

I recently had a coaching client hire me after finding me on the internet.

When I asked her how she arrived at my blog she couldn’t recall. “Darn!” I thought. It would be so good to know this. I could do more of it. Was it facebook? Twitter? Did she search for coaching?

So I asked her the next obvious question. “Why did you decide to call me rather than the other coaches you found online?”

Her answer? “You look so happy.”

A smile goes a long way.

The way you are being influences others. Who would you rather work with? Someone who loves what they do or someone who begrudges every minute spent on the job?

Do you remember the song “Don’t Worry, Be Happy”? Have you ever wondered why a song like that gets stuck in your head?

When Success Turns into an Ego That is Madly out of Control

Theresa Bradley-Banta — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 14:24:28 +0000

Although traditionally the story does not end like this, the wolf can blow down a house that has been carefully built brick by brick.

With a single puff.

Success can lead to arrogance. Self promotion is a fine line we all have to walk. The trouble starts if you lose sight of why you were in business to begin with. When you carefully built your image as someone who had a desire to serve your fellow man, you were on the right track.

When things start becoming about you, and no longer about your customer, dark winds are on the horizon. The wolf might be at your door.

If you’ve ever watched The Secret or Tapping the Source you’ll know what I mean. It is really easy to see which of the participants are authentic and which are coming from ego. It amazes me when I witness someone take themselves so seriously they almost ask you bow in praise of them. What a strange way to go about asking for respect, or for someone’s trust. Respect and trust are earned, not demanded.

The media can be a dangerous platform. Whether you’re seen through your blog, television, print advertising or any social media platform…people are buying you. They buy your personality and the ideal you represent. If you start believing in your own greatness and it shows in your voice, or in your message, you are on a treacherous path.

When stats become king.

When was the last time you bought something from a company because they told you they were the greatest? That they had more customers than God? When a company starts throwing stats in your face, it becomes obvious things are no longer about you. Especially when the stats are transparently exaggerated.

It can take years to carefully build and nurture an image. It can take your customer 10 seconds to decide you are not who they thought you were.

All is not lost, though. You can be humble in your success by showing your customers you care more about them. Take a minute to remember that you care more about those you first set out to inspire, or to help solve a problem, than you do about your own winning numbers.

Your ego should be checked at your CPA or banker’s door. Let them count all the money your success has generated while you continue to send the message to your customer that you are in business for them.

Have you ever felt let down by someone you had a great deal of respect for? Or watched a company implode on their own success? What techniques do you use to put your customer first? How do you deal with success?

How To Run a Great Mastermind Group; Some Guidelines For Success

You Had Me at Hello

Theresa Bradley-Banta — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 12:34:48 +0000

I used to write blog posts that had ridiculously long preambles leading up to what I really wanted to say. Then I learned to go back and delete oh, usually the first 9 or 10 sentences. Now I try to just cut to the chase.

That means I usually pick a sentence in the middle of the second or third paragraph – the one that actually has something to do with my point – and I start with it. Nine times out of ten it’s the best point in the entire article.

That’s your attention grabber.

I found it hard to delete all that copy at first — erasing the brilliant prose I just spent time writing did not come easily. Then it started to feel a little bit liberating.

That fluff at the front end of your presentation, speech or article is the surest way to lose your audience. You can talk yourself right out of a sale by starting with the entire background story. It was dark and stormy night should be saved for bedtime stories.

A big smile, a confident handshake and a succinct description will win the day every time. Less IS more.

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Have you ever met someone who loved the sound of their own voice so much they talked themselves out of a sale? Or bored you to tears? What techniques do you use to keep it interesting — and short?

Shameless Self Promotion Part II

Theresa Bradley-Banta — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 12:42:28 +0000

I’ve been known to say, “There is no such thing as competition.”

Say, what?

Let me also say there are tons of people who have adamantly disagreed with this statement. You may be one of them. I say it so others will stop and think about their mindset.

Consider this. You may possess a highly competitive mindset — to the exclusion of other possibilities. Hmmm.

I’d much rather promote the philosophy that everyone is a potential joint partner. And that to collaborate is divine. Here’s a short post I wrote a while back on the The Art of Competition. Reading it might put you in the right mindset.

I love to support people who are in action. I love to share the spotlight. Should I worry about sending my visitors to another blogger’s site? Especially one who writes on the same topics as I do? Someone who has similar products and courses? Or is a fellow coach?

I don’t think so.

As I meet more and more fabulous people through my blog and through social media, I am constantly amazed at what’s going on out there in the business world. My friends are starting new businesses and launching products left and right. They have businesses that simply rock!

You know who you are.

So, in honor of all of you extraordinary entrepreneurs, today’s comments are wide open. You can ask questions, you can brag, you can even engage in some shameless self promotion or networking.

Here are some ideas for getting in the conversation:

Is your business so awesome you’re just dying to tell us about? Go for it.
Are you launching a product or service? Would you like to test the market? You’ve got a great focus group right here.
Do you have a business question? Ask away.
Do you have a little challenge you just can’t get your head around? Let’s talk.
Are you looking for a partner or a mentor? Well… 95% of the people who will help you… you don’t know yet!

Ready… set… go! You can leave as many comments as you like. There is only one rule. If you totally spam us (that would look something like, “Nice post, here’s a link.”) – I’ll moderate.

Start At The Top

Theresa Bradley-Banta — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 13:16:38 +0000

In a former life I had a headhunting business (aka corporate recruiting). During those years I learned some great marketing strategies. I also learned a lot about human nature. Things like, How to ferret out what someone doesn’t want you to know. (A little tip I picked up from Mom and refined by interviewing thousands of employers and job candidates.)

One of the best marketing strategies I learned was to start at the top. Of any organization. Big or small. You want to deal with the CEO, Founder or President.

Here’s why.

Chances are they will refer you down the chain. That’s a good thing. Then you get to say, “So and so (CEO, President, etc.) suggested I talk to you.” This gets the attention of middle management every time. It’s exactly the same as having a very warm lead.

It’s been my experience (and I’ve done this literally hundreds of times–no kidding) the people at the top are more accessible than you would ever imagine. They are not protecting their position with the company like a middle management guy would. They got to the top by being professional. They understand networking.

There’s a common belief that the ‘guy’ at the top got there by being ruthless and well, a regular S.O.B..

Not so. If you own a company you KNOW this isn’t true. You got there by hard work and by being accessible to people. You completely understand the importance of being a team player. Frankly, there really aren’t that many jerks who rise to the top.

Sure, there’s usually a ‘gate guard’. That would be the admin’s or lower level executives. Hard to get through? Not necessarily. Try using a perfectly honest approach.

When I was marketing to companies as a headhunter I was looking for clients. I was actually selling my services. Even so, business owners and top execs were still very willing to speak with me. Sometimes I was just looking for advice. Or an answer to a simple question like, “Do you guys hire your top level executives through corporate recruiters?”

See what I mean? Perfectly straight forward. No subterfuge. (That’s when you get yourself in trouble.)

On the occasions I simply could not get past the office door (figuratively speaking), I explained why I was calling and asked who the appropriate contact person would be. That’s okay too. You still have a warm introduction. When you call that individual you’ll say, “The CEO’s admin assistant (insert name) suggested I call you directly.” Works like a charm.

The only time this doesn’t work is when being told ‘No’ hurts your tender sensibilities. But then, you wouldn’t be in business for yourself if that were the case, would you? ‘No’ won’t kill you.

You’ll also make some awesome connections.

Why start at the bottom?

Do you have a product or service you’d like to get in front of some influential people? Try this. Do you want to run an idea by someone who might have some great answers? Start at the top.

Can you think of something right now where this strategy might help? What is it? Are you willing to give it a shot? When? There’s no time like the present.

Got a Great Business Idea? Why Are You Sitting On It?

Theresa Bradley-Banta — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 13:12:27 +0000

You can create an idea out of nothing.

You can spread or share that idea using tools your parents didn’t have. For free. Easily. Networking and connecting with others in and outside your field is an accepted practice.

Your grandparents wanted the big brands. Your friends and connections want you. Your idea. Your solution.

Products and services are easy to launch. Social media has made this a foregone conclusion.

Do you have something that soothes others pain? Makes life easier? You can test the value and viability by simply asking… and you can ask hundreds. Before you invest the big bucks bringing it to market.

You can start a business selling things or services people normally buy. Target markets can be reached easily. Prospects, customers, mentors and inspiration are at your fingertips. New technologies are tools your grandparents, and even your parents, didn’t have.

You don’t need to rely on luck.

So my question to you is,

Why wouldn’t you test your idea for a business?

You might discover your biggest challenge is in meeting demand. Nice huh?

One last thought …. have a price and ask for it.

Yes, it really can be this simple.

What’s stopping you? (This is not a rhetorical question.)

Why It’s Important For Your Business To Have A Web Presence

Phil Lusted — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 13:31:36 +0000

Today’s awesome guest post is written by my friend Phil Lusted. Phil is a freelance web designer from North Wales, UK, and is one of the most generous bloggers I know. You will find him blogging over at Philz Corner where he shares his passion for the latest social media happenings and web design tips and tricks. Today he is sharing that wisdom with us. Please join me in welcoming Phil to BigFishTopDogs!

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Today the internet is a huge thing and it can be used to display information in many different and effective ways. Surprisingly, a lot of small businesses do not take advantage of the internet in order to promote their business. A lot of the time it’s because business owners don’t know what the web can offer them and the effectiveness it can have on their business today.

Are you still doubting promoting online? Here’s some examples on how you could benefit!

Sell your products online

A great importance in today’s economy! A website can allow you to sell your products online which is quite efficient and can also be less stressful to control. So instead of receiving phone call orders from customers, they can simply visit your website any time of the day to purchase products from you. There is no opening time and closing time on an online website!

Save time by having a FAQ page

Do customers contact you regularly by phone asking you questions? With a website you can set up a frequently answered questions (FAQ) page allowing people browsing your business website to read. You could also setup contact pages for customers to contact you rather than using the phone. Once a contact page has been filled in and submitted you will receive the query via your business email address.

Create A Blog Page

Every business website should have some kind of blog. This will keep customers up to date with the latest happenings of the business. Sometimes customers like to read company blogs as it keeps them educated and gives them the urge to check the website more often.

Offer Newsletter Subscriptions

Instead of having customers visit your store (if you have one!) regularly for product or business news updates, you could create a monthly newsletter for the business, keeping customers up to date with new product updates. Customers who visit the business website will have the ability to subscribe via email for these monthly newsletters.

Customers voices are important!

With an online website you also have the ability of setting up a feedback page which could help you improve your business by receiving customer feedback and thoughts. Remember that your customers voice matters!

Social Network Promotion

Once you have a business website setup you can promote it through Facebook and Twitter. They are two of the most effective tools of online promotion and it’s all free to use! Both of these networking sites allow people to keep updated with business news. It’s also a very good way of getting your name around. Customers can also promote your business through Facebook and Twitter.

Are there any other important reasons why a business should have a website?

Your comments are always welcome!

Edsel

Theresa Bradley-Banta — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 15:43:18 +0000

Here’s what I mean by “challenge your underlying assumptions”.

If you think your product is going to sell simply because you want it to, chances are wishful thinking isn’t enough. If you believe a niche location will be the next new hot real estate market because you took a gamble and invested there, recall the top three words in real estate investing; location, location, location.

You can’t always impose your very good intentions on a market and make it want what you have. Don’t get me wrong; you can still help a market know what it wants, ask Apple, but I promise Apple wasn’t simply throwing darts and hoping for a bulls eye.

If you have a suspicion you haven’t properly done your homework, you probably haven’t. If you think you don’t have all the facts, you probably don’t. Be open to hearing what you don’t want to hear and be willing to course correct.

Does your product or service fulfill its performance promises? Do the numbers support its profitability? Do you know and understand your target market and/or consumer? Do you have the right team working with you?

Still not sure what I mean? Google Edsel.

How about it? Are you ready to investigate, take the extra steps, and honestly answer the difficult questions… and change accordingly?

If so, chances are you can smile all the way to the bank, just like the brilliant entrepreneurs at Apple.

No related posts.

What’s Does Your Smartphone Signature Say?

Theresa Bradley-Banta — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 13:40:50 +0000

I love having a BlackBerry, especially when it comes to email. It allows me to send and reply to messages in a manner that is short and concise. It lets me cut to the chase without a lot of chatter.

Some people seem really paranoid about smartphone emails.

For example, I’ve read some great signatures designed, seemingly, to insult no one. Paranoid signatures? Or smart? Or simply polite?

Here are some of my favs:

“Sent via a really tiny keyboard”

“Sent from my BlackBerry (please excuse terseness)”

And then there’s the default signature – heavy on shameless manufacturer and carrier self promotion:

“Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile”

And,

“Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry” (Wireless?)

For some reason these signatures remind me of the scene from the movie Jurassic Park where the Velociraptors tag-ambush the hunter Muldoon. Moments before he dies, Muldoon turns around and looks at the Velociraptor sneaking up behind him and says, “Clever Girl”.

I say, “Clever Company”. Those default signatures have ambushed your email messages.

So, what does your signature say? And why? And if you don’t have a smartphone what would your signature say if you did?

Just curious…

Oh, and in case you’re wondering what mine says, see my comment below. And while you’re here why not grab my RSS feed or subscribe by email?

No related posts.

Shameless Self Promotion: Here’s Your Opportunity

Theresa Bradley-Banta — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 16:21:01 +0000

Hey there friend. Let’s say I just stopped by your office or home right now and said, “So, what’s up?”… what would your answer be?

Maybe I should have knocked first, lol! What are you up to? What are you doing?

I’d love to know more about you. So, today’s comments are open. You can ask questions, you can brag, you can even engage in some shameless self promotion. Well… within limits that is. I mean, don’t spam us with links to ten websites or try to sell us the Brooklyn Bridge. Oh, and no sniveling or whining allowed.

This is your opportunity to do some brainstorming, some marketing, and some connecting. And if you hesitate… what wonderful opportunities have you lost by not taking action? Is this your declaration that, yes, you are definitely a lone ranger? Or are you ready embrace working with a team?

What are you working on right now? Is this what you want to be doing? Would you like some support? Do you have a little challenge you just can’t get your head around?

Are you doing something so great you’re dying to tell the world about it?

Take. This. Opportunity.

Ready… set… go! You can leave as many comments as you like. Come back and support someone else. If you’ve never been in a mastermind group before, see what it’s like by participating. You will be amazed!

Oh! If you haven’t done so already, grab my RSS feed or subscribe by email to bigfishtopdogs over on the right sidebar of this blog… you’ll be the first to receive new posts hot off the press!

A Few Thoughts on Waiting for Opportunity to Knock

Should Your Business Have a Blog?

Theresa Bradley-Banta — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 14:51:35 +0000

Have you been wondering if your business should, or could, have a blog?

Meet Donna McCord, of Dean’s Automotive. She is an amazing entrepreneur and blogger. Donna commented on a post I wrote this week about the Art of Competition. Her comment inspired me to write this post and it is definitely worth checking out!

Donna should be an inspiration to any business that questions whether or not their business should have a blog.

Donna is passionate about changing the perception about her industry in the marketplace and one of the great ways she’s achieved this is to have a blog as a part of the company’s website. Yep. An automotive company that embraces social media and blogging… thanks to Donna’s inspired contribution to her company.

Do you want to know how powerful a blog can be in generating new business? I read a single post Donna wrote and I immediately wished we lived in the same town because I wanted to bring my car to her.

I don’t get the opportunity very often to hang around jawing with my auto mechanic. If I did, I’d probably take better care of my car. My husband does a good job though.

Reading Donna’s blog (click the link) is as good as having a monthly visit with my mechanic, all without leaving my own home. And what she’s accomplishing is remarkable… with customer loyalty and retention at the top of the list.

Your turn! What business are you in? Do you have a blog or an interest in starting one? Please let me know in the comments below. If I hear from enough of you, I’ll post more on the topic!

Ask for the Money

Theresa Bradley-Banta — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 18:40:34 +0000

My friend Joe Griffith, The Action Dude, who knows a ton about building successful businesses, recently commented on a post I wrote. He said,

“…you don’t get what you don’t ask for! The world is full of *guessers* and *askers*…the askers usually get what they want.”

Joe was replying to a post where I asked you to vote for me as Rookie Blogger of the Year.

His comment was an excellent one.

Most of you know that I love being in business and I love to negotiate. Sometimes I practically live for it. For any negotiation or business transaction to succeed, you’ve got to ask for what you want. People don’t (and most can’t) read minds.

Your success depends on getting good at asking for the business without feeling guilty, embarrassed or unworthy. Here are some tips to get you over the hurdle of asking for the money (or for someone’s business, time, partnership, support, etc.):

Fake it ‘til you make it. Act like you’re confident in yourself and others will have confidence in you. A steady, firm voice, professional dress and businesslike mannerisms can all show confidence… with practice. If you know someone who absolutely exudes confidence, pretend you are them until you begin to feel more natural with your own style.

Expect a yes. As simple as this sounds, it really works. Assume the person will agree with you. Why not? With your confident attitude, they’ve already bought into what you are selling – whether you realize it or not. You sell yourself before you sell anything else.

You gotta know you’re good. Isn’t it a rip off to let someone go somewhere else for less service and less value? You’re really going to let them go get crappy service?

Never be apologetic. Although you may be uncomfortable for a while when asking for money or asking for business, you do not need to apologize for it. You know you are great at what you do. So, start selling what you do from a knowing place.

You are Superman. Start a descriptive narrative of what it will feel like when you’ve “arrived”. What’s it going to look like? Breathe like? Start acting like it now. There’s not a day when it’s going to just turn on – you need to be it now.

Don’t guess. As my friend Joe says, the world is full of guessers and askers… you don’t want to be a guesser. What if you expected to make a single small sale only to later find out your customer was planning to place the largest order you’ve ever received? See what I mean? Guessing will never get you anywhere.

Ask for the money. Be assumptive. Use clear, powerful language such as, “Are you paying cash or by credit?” or “Do you want this delivered to your home or office?” or “Shall we do this today or start tomorrow morning?”

“People who ask confidently get more than those who are hesitant and uncertain. When you’ve figured out what you want to ask for, do it with certainty, boldness and confidence.” – Jack Canfield

The very worst possible thing that could happen is someone says, “no.” And, as we all know, that won’t kill you.

Now, I’ll ask you to do two things! Visit this link and vote for me as Rookie Blogger of the Year, and please leave a comment below… I’d love to hear how you’re going to ask for the money today!

Why Your Product Does Not Appeal to Everyone

Theresa Bradley-Banta — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 16:22:14 +0000

Last week my friend, Karen, asked our mastermind group to vote on the best photo out of approximately 35 head shots. The request was a simple one, “Which photos are the most appealing and/or professional?”

The responses were enlightening.

The question I asked was, “Does she look great in this picture?”

Our group took another approach. They chose the best photos for particular uses – or niches. As in: dating sites, professional presentations and packages, social media and the web.

One product, image, or brand, will not appeal to all. It never will.

If you’re marketing a business or product, figure out who your audience is. Please don’t get confused by thinking your market is everyone.

What tips do you have for looking at your market differently? Please share in the comments below!

Know Your Market: Ripped Off By the Peanut Vendors?

Theresa Bradley-Banta — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 16:20:16 +0000

We paid $2 for a bag of peanuts outside Coors Field Friday night. Since then, my husband keeps suggesting I write a post about being “first to market”.

In a nut shell (pun accidental) we paid two bucks only to discover all of the other peanut vendors were selling their bags of peanuts for $1. Closer and closer to the ball park? One buck. The peanuts weren’t even that great… but the $2 vendors definitely had the first mover advantage by being the first occupant of a market segment. We reached them before we even saw the other vendors.

So, were these guys pioneers or followers? And, OK, technically this isn’t really within the definition of first to market or first movers…. where R&D costs can be high and the expense of educating the public about a new product can be risky. Most agree, “The second mouse gets the cheese.”

In the case of our ballpark vendors? Reaching outside the immediate ballpark area probably paid off. Did they study and learn by observing the other players in the market? Most certainly. They knew what the competition was doing.

And, sure we felt a little duped… but I grudgingly admired these vendors.

When was the last time you experienced a little marketing ploy that cost you money? How did you feel about it? I’d love the hear your comments!

Oh! If you haven’t done so already, subscribe by email to bigfishtopdogs.com over on the right sidebar of this blog… you’ll be the first to receive new posts hot off the press!

Who Else Has Your Customer?

Did You Make Money When You Were a Kid?

Theresa Bradley-Banta — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 12:12:45 +0000

When I was 9 or 10 years old my little sister Bernadette and I ran a lemonade stand… with a twist. OK — I finally give up — would someone help me, help me please? Is it “me and my little sister” or “my little sister and I”? You would never, ever know that my great grandmother, grandmother and mother were all English teachers. (Mom later became a lawyer.) And that I’ve read like one hundred million books or that I’m a professional writer, at least I will be on the day this blog makes some money. If you have a tip on remembering this little grammar rule, please let me know!

So, back to the story. When we were little kids my dad was transferred to a small college town in Northern Colorado. (That very same college where my great grandma, grandma and mother went! And ultimately, me.) Our big old house was across the street from the old campus dorms. We had a huge yard with a canal running through it and college kids walked by all day long.

That’s where we set up our lemonade stand. College kids don’t get homemade cookies so we decided to offer a *free* cookie with every glass of lemonade we sold. We were good cooks. We have 6 kids in our family and almost all of us cook. Soon, our cookies had a reputation and the college students were lining up down the street for more.

But… we weren’t in the cookie business… we were in the lemonade business! Until we got an idea. In order to get a cookie, you had to buy a glass of lemonade. Before we knew it, we were in the really expensive chocolate chip cookie business. It didn’t take long for the college kids (they were in college after all) to figure out that my sister and I wouldn’t budge on this. If you wanted a cookie, you bought some lemonade.

After a while the students started saying, “I’ll take 6 cookies and you can just keep the lemonade.” Our cost of goods dropped drastically and our profits skyrocketed! Here’s the thing. We knew we were being entrepreneurs at the time.

Today, I’ve been wracking my brain and asking my husband if he had any ideas on how this story would play in today’s world.

So, I have a couple of questions for you.

Did you have a business when you were a kid? And, when did you first know that you were an entrepreneur?

Do you know any kids with businesses today? And, while we’re on the topic, I’ve got a great post I wrote (if I don’t say so myself) called If Your Kid Started a New Business, What Would It Be?

Check it out.

You know, these stories can help inspire kids to start a business. Heck, they can inspire adults too! So, please share!

And my other question is, what ideas can we get from the lemonade stand I ran with my sister?

OK, ready? It’s your turn. Let’s hear your stories or ideas in the comments below!

Oh! If you haven’t done so already, subscribe by email to bigfishtopdogs.com over on the right sidebar of this blog… you’ll be the first to receive new posts hot off the press!

Who Else Has Your Customer?

Theresa Bradley-Banta — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 00:07:08 +0000

Do you love it when you connect with someone and both of you benefit?

Rather than seeing other businesses as your competition, have you considered the benefits of collaboration?

Cross industry partnerships are a great way to share, or increase, your database. You can integrate marketing campaigns. You can build your brand awareness in your community, whether that be brick and mortar or online, by partnering with industries that share your customer with you.

It’s a terrific way to draw from the knowledge of like-minded business people or partners.

Ask yourself, “Who else has my customer?”

Clients are glad to hire someone you endorse rather than go through the painful process of finding and hiring someone on their own.

Don’t you feel exactly the same way?

What if you teamed with five other professionals and said to your clients, “Here are my 5 new friends, you’ll need them today or in the future. I can highly recommend each of these professionals.” You set a referral fee schedule with your new professional friends and the person with the referring customer list gets the overriding referral money.

A realtor can team up with an electrician, a landscaper, a painter, a plumber, a house cleaner, a dog walker, a tree trimmer, etc.

A wedding planner can partner with a photographer, a cake maker, a travel agent, a bridal shop or a tux shop, a DJ or music group, etc.

A massage therapist can partner with a chiropractor, a health supplements distributor, an acupuncturist, a health club or spa… all businesses that are likely to share customers.

A cross referral system like this can explode everyone’s business. Your customers will continue to buy from you but they will also really appreciate the help you’ve provided by making your trusted partners and vendors available to them.

Who else has your customer?

You Gotta Know You’re Good

Theresa Bradley-Banta — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 20:27:45 +0000

Isn’t it a rip off to let someone go somewhere else for less service and less value? You’re really going to let them go get crappy service?

You know you are great at what you do.

So, start selling what you do from a knowing place.

There’s buying power in the world. People are buying things and services all the time. Quit listening to the recession talk. Be confident. Be certain.

You owe it to them to sell them hard.

The Entrepreneur’s Resume – Why You Should Have One and Some Tips on Creating One

bigfishtopdogs.com — Fri, 07 May 2010 15:01:01 +0000

Posted by Theresa Bradley-Banta

Entrepreneurs… do you have a resume?

A bio?

A statement of experience and expertise in your given fields?

Why not?

If you are making deals and actively “being an entrepreneur”, you will need to present your resume of expertise to any number of people.

Lenders will ask for it.

Potential partners and investors will want to see it.

The information should be on your website and all other social media sites in which you participate — and it should be consistent and current.

You should be prepared to present this information for any public speaking engagements.

This is the front line information for establishing yourself as an expert in your field(s).

Here’s a tip.

Your resume does not need to look like the typical resume you would use when applying for a W2 job… in fact, it shouldn’t. Resumes are for job hunting. A professional statement of entrepreneurial experience is a profile of who you are as an entrepreneur. You’re not looking for a job… you’re looking to be in the game. By stating your qualifications and expertise in your field or industry you are positioning yourself hands above your competition.

It can be a simple “Statement of Experience” or “Summary of Skills” and should include not only your personal expertise and experience but can, and should, include those of your team members.

Think in terms of what a banker, lender, investor or partner may want to know about you before going into business with you or lending you money for a particular deal.

What makes you the person to invest in on a given deal?

For example, let’s say you are buying a large commercial property.

The lender will want to know about your previous commercial real estate experience. They will want to know who your property management team is. They will be looking for skills such as previous acquisitions and management of real estate. If you are looking to reposition or renovate the property, the lender will want to see your record with the same type of deal.

And, if you do not have the hands on experience, they will want to know that you have the team members on board who can deliver a successful deal.

It’s not enough to say, “I’ve never done this before.”

Nor should you be expected to have experience in every aspect of your business. This is where your leadership skills and having the right team come in. If you are light on experience, you had better be prepared to say,

“I haven’t done this personally, but this member of my team has.”

I recently spoke with a woman who not only said she had no experience; she actually followed the comment up with a giggle. This was pretty high up on the unbelievable scale.

Be prepared. Get the bones of your resume down. Spend time on it. It speaks for you when you are not there. You can tweak it for a particular deal later. In any market, in any economy, you should be prepared to present on what makes you an expert and be prepared to do so on short notice.

Why not begin compiling a statement today?

Theresa Bradley-Banta, co-creator of www.bigfishtopdogs.com, is a musician, award winning graphic artist, blogger, mentor, and owner of multiple businesses. You can follow her on twitter @bigfishtopdogs.

Powerful Words and Phrases to Use in Your Daily Business Vocabulary

bigfishtopdogs.com — Tue, 04 May 2010 14:55:26 +0000

“It’s my pleasure.”

Here’s a nice little thought for the day, and it’s my pleasure to share it with you.

I appreciate unhurried, friendly employees. We were at a store the other day, and when I thanked the employee who had spent a lot of time helping us out, she replied with, “It was my pleasure.”

When I hear the words “my pleasure” I always pause. Probably because it is such an uncommon phrase — I can’t help but feel the person saying those words is being truly genuine. It suggests the person actually enjoyed helping me.

Imagine that.

Try it yourself. It’s as fun to say, as it is to hear.

The next time someone thanks you for something, reply with,

“The pleasure is all mine.”

See how it makes you feel. The same is true for…

“Thank you.”

“How can I be of service?”

“How are you doing?”

What do all of these comments and questions have in common?

They are putting the other person’s interests ahead of your own.

What they don’t say is:

“It’s all about me, it’s all about me, it’s all about me.” The “about me” thinking is your own head running. What am I going to say next? How will I close the sale? You know, you can change this starting today — and, it’s not that hard to do.

The next time a client or customer calls with a concern ask,

“How can I be of service?”

Look at your partners, teammates or clients as dear and valued friends. Thank them for their support and friendship.

A sincere expression of interest goes a long way.

An expression of gratitude goes a long way.

Continual and meaningful communication with customers and clients is the secret to good business.

With some practice you can develop good communication habits in your daily life.

Try it. You’ll be amazed at the results!

“What happened to 44%? We lost money!”

bigfishtopdogs.com — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 22:12:06 +0000

I’m finding that I write about business psychology more than any other topic.

It’s an elusive and slippery topic.

For example, do you think in terms of abundance? Or, do you believe there isn’t enough to go around?

When you have a goal, do you see it so clearly in your mind that it would be impossible for that goal not to come true?

Do you use the right language, even in your own thoughts?

I was mentoring an entrepreneur the other day who had a deal she was putting together to purchase an international vacation home.

She wanted mentoring on the mechanics of the deal. The numbers. The Terms. A review of her offering brochure, etc. I don’t believe she expected me to get inside her head, or thinking, as much as I did.

She wanted to make 10 small units available to her friends. This equals 10 new partners — do you know what a “PITA” is?

I encouraged her to think in terms of 2 to 3 partners. These partners would bring substantially larger chunks of cash to her deal. In addition to simplifying the deal, this would greatly reduce the PITA factor.

Do you see the difference in thinking here?

By asking for much bigger dollar amounts, from fewer potential partners, she had to overcome some personal fears.

The fear people would say “no”.

The fear her deal wasn’t good enough for someone to invest a substantial amount of money.

A lack of “abundance” thinking.

Why have 10 partners when you could just as easily do the deal with 3?

As an entrepreneur, you not only need to monitor your own thoughts — your mindset — you have to be aware of what other people are thinking and you need to be cognizant of the fact that you influence that thinking.

My friend with the deal was prepared to offer a 44% return, a return I think her deal may deliver. But, what if the deal returns 25%? This would still be a great return, especially in view of the other perks to the partners.

In this scenario, the problem my friend would have is the investors heard 44% — 25% will seem, in their minds, to be a losing number.

“What happened to 44%? We lost money!”

How you think influences everything.

Your personal outcomes.

The expectations of your teams and partners.

Your ease of doing business.

Theresa Bradley-Banta, co-creator of bigfishtopdogs.com, is a musician, award winning graphic artist, blogger, chief figure outer and owner of multiple businesses. She coaches and mentors entrepreneurs from startups to developed businesses.

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And, as always, your comments are welcome!