Okay, I’m not perfect. Never claimed to be. I got it right but it turned out to be only half right.

What I said was, “Don’t let the labor market dictate your hiring standards.” Sometimes I add the lament, “We hire people we don’t want for jobs they don’t want.” Both of those statements are right on the money, or at least half of it.

Several months ago I spoke to the operations folks of a major division of a Fortune 100 company. The very small audience was polite, attentive, and they had a check waiting at the end of the presentation. It was a pleasant end to a long, multi-client road trip. Nothing spectacular. No crowd of thousands. No upbeat walk-in music. No video projection on giant screens. Just me and them and a handful of simple ideas.

But they called soon after and hired me to present a couple of breakout sessions at their annual dealer meeting and again I had little expectation of anything beyond another pleasant afternoon casually sharing what we have learned about the relationship of customer service and the corresponding brand. At least, that’s what I expected.

Buns and I arrived at the hotel and in our usual workmanlike manner headed to check out the meeting room.

En route we were stopped several times and asked, “Have you seen Phil yet?”

“You have to see Phil!”

“Phil’s looking for you!”

Now I’m thinkin’, “I hope Phil isn’t upset with me. Do I owe Phil money? Who the hell is Phil?”

Phil. it turns out, is one of the smartest guys I know. Smart because Phil got the other half right. The other ‘half’ reads like this: “Don’t let the marketplace dictate your buying standards.” You can add the lament, “We use suppliers we don’t like to deliver service they clearly do not want to deliver.” (My words, not Phil’s.)

Phil had looked at the backside of the coin and decided to re-recruit his vendors. Cool!

Phil informed his vendors saying, “A company’s “brand” not only includes its logos and tag lines, it includes a set of consistent expectations… our brands are judged by the companies with whom we associate…we will be evaluating all of our service and product providers…(and) based on the results of this process we will consider changing suppliers.”

He continued by a.) listing the standards of expected performance and b.) providing materials to assist in conveying those standards to vendor staff members.

Phil wrote, “…I will be asking your field-support people what they have done to “wow” the customer and how their micro brand supports (our) customers.”

Imagine that! Making certain that the microbrands of your suppliers are congruent with your brand! And having the courage to say, “…we will consider changing suppliers.”

In another lifetime we owned a video production company. One of our key clients was a multi-billion dollar retailer. We did a ton of business with these folks and in the beginning the work was fun and challenging. We created a monthly television show with a live audience that made their training and other in-house communications entertaining as well as effective.

That was in the beginning.

A new VP of Operations came on board and felt a need to micromanage every decision. He was abusive and arrogant, a real prince.

So we fired them.

Our letter read something like this:

You’re Fired!
Our corporate policy is to work with clients who are enthusiastic and quality minded. We look for projects that are challenging and fun. We like to be rewarded commensurate to our contribution.
You are failing on all three of those requirements and our relationship is terminated effective immediately. Your master tapes will be delivered via certified mail.

Big Point: MicroBrands work together to create a composite expectation. The MicroBrands that influence your brand include those of your employees, your vendors and service providers, and even your customers. Make certain that all of your MicroBrands are congruent with who you are… and who you want to be!

Imagine it’s 4AM on a warm morning in August. The hum of the air conditioner is harmonizing with the whirr of the ceiling fan. At our house that would be cause enough to snuggle for a couple more hours till time for normal people to get up.

But at the Suter house in rural Pandora, OH the lights are on, teeth are getting brushed, and jeans are zipped and snapped. Jerry and Nancy Suter are focused on cooking breakfast for their kids…all 160 of them. It has to be on the table by 5 because work begins at 6!

The Suters are the kind of folks I think of when someone mentions the “mid-west” or the “heartland:” hard-working, conservative, good neighbors, and salt of the earth would all be fair descriptors.

The Suters think a bit differently about how to manage a young, temporary workforce: a team that works long hours that start before first light, a time when most kids of similar age are pulling the covers over their heads and burrowing in for round two. The Suter’s unusual approach may stem from the fact that they live a life well insulated from the cynicism of the big cities. Perhaps. But perhaps they know a secret.

I’m betting on the secret!

I met the Suters at a farm-direct marketing conference and discovered why they are so justifiably proud of the 160 or so mostly young people who give up their summer vacation sleep-in to pick fresh corn in the early morning before scattering a couple of dozen roadside stands scattered across their little slice of American pie. They literally opened their family album and speaking like proud parents revealed how they get young people out of bed, into the fields, and behind the counters of their mini-businesses that added together make up the pretty good sized company: Suter Produce.

Today’s menu includes all you can eat pancakes but over the course of the season there will also be an all-you-can-eat pizza party, an excursion to Golden Corral, and a bus trip or two to see a ballgame or check out a nearby attraction.

Sure the work is hard. But the line between work and play is kept deliberately fuzzy. And the chance to step up to the plate and run your own mini business is irresistible. The kids love it!

Parents love it, too!

The kids may be picking corn but they’re also picking up habits and skills such as marketing, merchandising, and controlling costs. Suter’s is THE place for your kids to work!

Local celebrities are invited to speak at the early morning muster to share their words of wisdom. (I’ve been invited but I’d rather just go and listen to Jerry and Nancy… they’ve got answers we all need!)

I will say that Jerry can get a little snippy when someone makes a comment about how difficult it is to get young people to work. It’s obvious they don’t know the Suters and it’s for certain they haven’t met their team.
“The farmers and others cannot imagine hiring today’s youth. Today’s young people are no better or worse than they have ever been. They just need to be treated well, treated fairly, respected, and given responsibility when they are ready to handle it… or maybe just before they are ready for it. It shocks them into performing if you give them just a little more than they think they are ready for! It makes them very loyal, too!”

www.suterproduce.com

Lead From Any Seat

 

 

According to the tiny digital clock in front of the mayor’s seat to my left the time was 5:58, two minutes to go before the gavel would shake our audience of citizens and staff to attention.  In a hundred twenty seconds or so the Council members, five including the mayor would sit up straight and shift their weight in their high-backed chairs in anticipation of standing for the opening prayer followed by the pledge of allegiance.

 

We’re small town

America and we can still do such things as offer a public prayer for Divine guidance and remind our friends and neighbors that we owe allegiance to the flag and the republic.  Heck, Buns even bakes cookies for anyone who can’t resist… the mayor is a sucker for oatmeal-raison.

 

At one minute to go I shuffled my papers, adjusted the monitor on my notebook computer, and traded my regular eye glasses for a cheap pair of “cheaters.”

The one-term city council member sitting in the chair to my right leaned in my direction and in a stage whisper asked, “Are you running for mayor?

 

“No. Why?”

 

“Well, you’re out front on the Arcadia Theatre project, the River Trail project, you’re pushing a branding initiative… I just figured you’re running for mayor.”

 

Whamm! 

 

Our mayor is anything but subtle when it comes to wielding the gavel.  He loves that gavel.

 

Had the mayor not been such a stickler for staying on schedule I would had time to tell my council colleague that ‘you can lead from any seat.’

 

You don’t have to be the mayor or the general, the boss or the president. You don’t have to be the chief resident or the charge nurse.  You can lead if you are a citizen, a patient, a customer, and I’ve even seen young children lead their parents, sometimes in a good way!

 

If you really can lead from any seat why don’t more people do it?

 

First, let’s recognize that there are many people leading from unlikely places.  Almost every group has at least one informal leader.  These are the ‘popular’ kids in school, the respected old hand at work, the volunteer who sometimes keeps an entire organization walking on egg shells lest she be offended.  (I didn’t say all leadership was good leadership!)

 

I suspect that there one big reason why more people don’t lead from the chair they are already in: It’s just not their nature to lead.

 

There has to be more to it than that but I think the nature of the individual is the dominating factor.  If there is a second most important controlling factor it is the situation.  People who by their nature are inclined to go with the flow and let others lead can, if the situation demands, take control.

 

Take my wife.  Please!  (My apologies to Buns and to Henny Youngman.)  Buns can, when the situation demands it, be a total take-charge and take no prisoners battlefield leader.  But it’s not her nature to lead.  She is, in most situations, the world’s greatest support person.

 

Another reason why some folks don’t take formal leadership is fear (sometimes doing a stand-in for intelligence… it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to recognize that the first to the front is the first to get shot at!)  Stand-up, be counted, get clobbered!

 

If you are leading a team, here are a few things to think about:

            Do they ever influence your behavior without you being aware?

                        (How long has this been going on!!)

            Who are the informal leaders on your team?

            In what situation are they likely to lead?

            Will they have more value to the team if left to lead informally?

            Could they make good leaders if promoted?

            Which leader, the formal or the informal, has the most power?

                        (Power defined as the ability to make things happen…or not!)

 

There is one thing that makes informal leaders different from the CEO selected by the search committee:  informal leaders are selected by those who follow.  So the final  question to consider is this: what do you have to be among the chosen few?

 

 

Next time: Children of the Corn, a real-life example of motivating a youthful workforce!

 

 

The concept of MicroBranding is pretty simple. Actually building a MicroBrand seems a bit complicated but it’s pretty simple, too! Follow along for the next few pages for a bird’s eye of a MicroBranding exercise that took place via e-mail. I’ve never met or talked to Aricia LaFrance but I know she is a dear and I thank her for sharing!

Scott

Consulting String: Brand Yourself!

Dear Scott,

I heard you speak at the branding summit and your information was truly
inspiring.

I am wondering if you provide coaching for folks regarding branding. I
am working on a business plan and would like to include personal branding in the costs.

If you do not provide private coaching on this subject, could you
provide some names of folks who are the best in the field of branding so I might inquire with them as well?

Thank you!
Aricia E. LaFrance, MSE

P.S. Please do put me on your mailing list - lifecoach373@comcast.net

From Scott:

If you don’t work me too hard I will assist you just for the fun of it.when you are ready to begin write a short summary of what you wish to accomplish and then give me a call. best to you!

830-792-5555 office 210-363-1144 cell

Thank you so much! I’ll give you a brief history and tell you where I
want to go from here.

I worked with women and families as a psychotherapist for 10 years, then ran a non-profit to help moms and daughters involved in the juvenile judicial system. When I started coaching 4 years ago, I named my company Dynamic Family Coaching Solutions. My hope was to work with families to help them communicate better and have a happy family life.

However, my career has taken a different turn and the name no longer fits. I now provide career and retirement coaching as well as coaching to empower women to take charge of their lives. I also enjoy working with therapists who are switching over to coaching.

My goal is to find a name - even if it’s my name (Aricia LaFrance
Coaching)that best represents what I do and will draw clients I will enjoy working with and who will most benefit from my work.

I’ve worked with the “Attracting Perfect Customers” model and the type of people that do best with my coaching are: motivated, intelligent,
respectful, courageous, grateful, easy going, considerate, optimistic,
takes responsibility, healthy and well-adjusted, they follow through, they trust me and the process of coaching, patient, able to focus and like to take reasonable risks.

I’m at the point where my business is just starting to pick up steam so I thought it’d be a good time to get my ducks in a row and work on my brand as well as develop a business plan.

Thank you once again. Any insights you can offer are deeply appreciated!

Best Regards,
Aricia

From Scott:

Ok, we’re going to jump the gun a bit…. you pretty much answered the mission question and you are close on the vision (what does this look like when the mission is accomplished) but let’s back-up and list your personal values and then write a nice, tight vision statement. THEN we’ll talk about the name BUT FOR NOW keep in mind the idea of “exclusivity” as I think that may be the heart and soul of your brand… we’ll get back to that concept shortly. Your assignment: list of values, vision statement, capture the mission in a simple statement, and hang on to the thought of ‘exclusivity.’

Values-mission-vision-snapshot-claim it-name it

From Aricia:
Hello Scott,

Fortunately, I’m down with a cold so I’ve had a good deal of time to work on this. It’s been fun! I’m attaching what I’ve come up with.

Thank you again for all of your help!

Best, Aricia

(Attachment follows:)

Dear Scott,

Well this is just exciting! I’ll try not to be too verbose, but I’m really having fun with this! In working on values, vision and mission, I talked with my husband, consulted client feedback forms and went back to my “Attracting Perfect Customers” journal. I meditated on it and this is what I’ve come up with. It’s not quite there but it’s pretty close. I’m welcome to questions and changes.

Here’s what I’ve come up with:

Personal Values: gratitude/appreciation, nurturing, optimistic, observant, patient

Vision: To empower and inspire responsible, courageous, optimistic risk takers who are motivated to find and live their truth.

Mission: My mission is to bring people into harmony with their innate truth.

I want to tell you something of my ideal clients and the coaching process that happens between us.

My ideal clients have really been amazing. We truly inspire each other! They are motivated and courageous, open and optimistic, responsible and respectful.

Clients come to me because they want to find their ideal something – career, retirement, mate, apartment, etc. They are often frustrated and uncomfortable. When I work with them I help them live with that frustration and discomfort – befriend it and see it as an okay thing. Then they talk and I listen, asking questions, creating a safe place - until I hear that essence speaking. I only get glimpses of the essence at first and then fear comes up for the client. We deal with that by shifting the focus off of the fear and onto the emotions around the essence – passion, satisfaction, contentedness. Frustration and fear start to melt off.

From there, we gradually bring the essence to the forefront, careful not to hit any trip wires and if we do, we deal with them (fears, obstacles, excuses). People report feeling they’re living the life they were meant to live, they finally feel comfortable in their own skin, they feel at peace, in harmony…

I play deep when I coach and some people love that. Those are the clients I’m looking for. For others, when that essence starts to peek out, they run for the hills! That’s okay too because usually they’ve found some real value in the coaching and have enough to chew on!

Here’s the process sheets:

Personal Values:

• gratitude/appreciation, nurturing, optimistic, observant, patient

• Warm, friendly
• Encouraging, with high expectations of clients
• Enthusiastic/passionate about people
• Inspired/motivated by ideal clients
• Intuitive/keen observer
• Conscientious/diligent/thorough
• Strong ethics/integrity
• Laid back/comfortable/one of my client says – I approach coaching from an “organic” place
• Good sense of humor – but it’s warm and gentle
• I have a lot of gumption and am an educated, calculated, wise risk taker (or as my husband would say – you take risks wisely, not in a “hey ya’ll watch this!!!” kind of way!)
• Pioneer/inventive thinker/creative
• Flexible
• Sometimes provocative and controversial

Vision:

• To empower and inspire responsible, courageous, optimistic risk takers who are motivated to find and live their truth.

• To provide a touchstone to effect change through “aha” moments.
• To create a safe, comfortable space for clients to launch choice and change.
• Inspire and facilitate intentional change through self-discovery.
• To be a pioneer in the field of coaching.
• To customize the coaching experience for each client – to facilitate discovery of passion and personal truth.
• To inspire enthusiasm about dreams.
• To provide the “go juice” to help folks live their dream.
• To help people shift beliefs and perceptions to improve their lives.
• To help people shift old, ineffective patterns out and adopt new patterns in order to live their passion and purpose.

Mission:

• My mission is to bring people into harmony with their innate truth.

• Reuniting people with an awareness of the god within. But it’s not about god – it’s about YOU.
• A path to the self
• Overcoming stuckness/fear.
• It’s connected to appreciating the good in each person, seeing life purpose as a light and bringing that forward and nurturing it. Moving them past fear by shifting focus to their gift. Patiently waiting for them to see their light, value, gift, strength.

What does my company look like when the mission is accomplished?

To have a full, fulfilling, rewarding coaching business from a home I love – working with people I really enjoy who get a lot of “aha’s!” and earning enough money to support my family.

How does exclusivity play into this?

I know that I help clients get the jobs they want faster than other coaches. I know clients feel more warmth and support from me than from other coaches. I know I’m extremely conscientious. I’ve had clients shocked that I remember something from when I worked with them three years ago and things like that.

I screen clients carefully to select only those who will get the most out of coaching with me. I look for people who take responsibility for their own actions, for people who are courageous and take reasonable risks, those who are optimistic and patient. Because I do this, (and those who aren’t a good match are referred to other professionals) my clients have amazing results in many areas of their life.

If it helps, The Associated Press followed me on a coaching job, I’ve been in USA Today, MSNBC, on NPR and other venues. The NY Times has consulted with me on an article and the Dr. Keith Ablow Show called to talk with me about one of their shows. PBS recently called me to talk with me about consulting on a show that Lance Armstrong is doing that includes a personal growth segment.

I am having some difficulty getting my brain around exclusivity. I like it and it’s true – I do offer coaching that is rather exclusive and have referred a lot of folks out when what I do isn’t a match for them. I feel there’s more to it than what I’ve said here.

From Scott:

We’re almost there…. vision needs a little but only if you want to be picky…it needs to answer “what does my company (career) look like when the mission is accomplished?”

When you get that adjusted to your satisfaction re-read your work to date and tell me how the concept of “exclusivity” comes into play.

Also, let’s have a verbal “snapshot” if where you are right now.

Then follow with the three or four or more steps you must take to move
radically toward your vision.

If you really want to put this stuff to work, repeat the previous steps for your marriage.

Then we’ll only have one more step… it’s the most fun!

From Aricia:

Hello Scott,

I hope you’re doing well. In Colorado we’re enjoying the beautiful,
glistening snow. It’s gorgeous!

Gave exclusivity some deeper thought. Here’s what I came up with.

Thank you for your help!

Blessings,
Aricia

What does my company look like when the mission is accomplished?

To have a full, fulfilling, rewarding coaching business from a home I love – working with people I really enjoy who get a lot of “aha’s!” and earning enough money to support my family.

(We are looking to move in about 18 months but are uncertain where we’d like to go).

How does exclusivity play into this?

I know that I help clients get the jobs they want faster than other coaches. I know clients feel more warmth and support from me than from other coaches. I know I’m extremely conscientious. I’ve had clients shocked that I remember something from when I worked with them three years ago and things like that.

I screen clients carefully to select only those who will get the most out of coaching with me. I look for people who take responsibility for their own actions, for people who are courageous and take reasonable risks, those who are optimistic and patient. Because I do this, (and those who aren’t a good match are referred to other professionals) my clients have amazing results in many areas of their
life.

If it helps, The Associated Press followed me on a coaching job, I’ve been in USA Today, MSNBC, on NPR and other venues. The NY Times has consulted with me on an article and the Dr. Keith Ablow Show called to talk with me about one of their shows. PBS recently called me to talk with me about consulting on a show that Lance Armstrong is doing that includes a personal growth segment.

I am having some difficulty getting my brain around exclusivity. I like it and it’s true – I do offer coaching that is rather exclusive and have referred a lot of folks out when what I do isn’t a match for them. I feel there’s more to it than what I’ve said here.

Verbal snapshot of where I am right now: Like a pregnant mom who has the crib put together, the lead free educational toys, the organic baby food, the parenting classes taken and now I’m just waiting for the baby!

Next Steps:

1) Lose some weight. I know this may seem an odd step, but when I considered what was blocking me, this came up. I used to do modeling and commercials and feel extremely self-conscious now that I’m heavier. I started Weight Watchers about 6 weeks ago and am down 7 lbs. About
8 lbs. to go ’til I’m comfortable, 20 to goal.

2) Overcome weak areas - I am okay at lecturing. My scores are generally 4/5. I’d like to be better. I’m getting back to Toastmaster’s and need to really develop good talks so that I can get the word out and reach clients as well as establish myself as an expert. I would like to find good strategic alliances that set me apart as the exclusive coach for career, retirement and therapist to coach transitions.

3) Find the appropriate venues to write so that people can find me and to help establish myself as an expert.

4) Get into the public eye more regularly - write a column for a newspaper or magazine, be “the” coach for the local news, get the press kit out to PBS, USA Today, the AP, etc. so that I am called upon for coaching needs.

5) Get my Press Kit out to appropriate venues to talk/write, to corporations that may hire me to work with folks during lay offs, and to other places that may have clients that are a great fit for the type of coaching I do.

I mentioned the mission, vision work to my husband after the call. I think it’s a wonderful idea to do this with our marriage! Thank you for the suggestion!

And thank you once again for all of your help. I truly, truly appreciate it!

Best Regards,
Aricia

From Scott:

We’re stuck. Not hopelessly. Just a little bit.

We have to get a better handle on exclusivity. I want you to really
consider what makes you different as a coach. Think about the customers you don’t want. Think about that tiny few you are willing to work with… how do I qualify for your attention.

When you nail that we will be ready to discuss re-naming (re-branding) your practice and then last we’ll create a tag line.

From Aricia:

I do get stuck sometimes. It’s good it’s not hopeless though!

I keep starting this e-mail but my answers seem too generic, too general. Here’s what I’m thinking:

In the book “Attracting Perfect Customers” they ask you to visualize your ideal client. Mine was David. He’d been working in a factory for 30 years. He was bright, optimistic, roll with the punches sort of guy. Married, kids, adventurous. He had this crazy idea that he might want to be a chef. We talked and he said, “What the heck!” and used his severance to pay for culinary school and now he’s living that dream and loving it. Just really enthusiastic, grateful, willing to invest in himself. Male, female, whatever age - this is the attitude I want to work with.

What do I NOT want. I had a client in California who was demanding and
scattered. She spent her sessions (only 3) complaining and did not want to redirect. If she was late for a call, she expected we would run over and wanted sessions to go as long as she wanted. This is the attitude I want to avoid!

Let me think on this more. I need to get my brain around exclusivity. Any gems you have to share to help me get a handle on this, let me know. Otherwise, I’ll marinate a bit and get back with you!

Thank you for your time and help with this!

Aricia

From Scott:

Sorry, I have been on the road… now it’s time for us to get back to work… I am delighted to be included on your web site (see attached)…
I’m thinking exclusivity in the sense that “she only accepts clients who are(follows is a restricted description such as ‘willing to commit to whatever’ or who are ‘mid-level professionals dealing with… use your imagination.)

Once we nail that we need to discuss a tag line and evolving the name of your practice…

From Aricia:

My goodness what a journey! This exercise is really getting me to think and I can feel my entire business shifting because of it. I feel the shift to abundance particularly. THANK YOU!

Here is what I’ve come up with so far:

Aricia only accepts clients who are positive, passionate and courageous in the pursuit of living their truth. My clients are patient, flexible and committed to themselves and the coaching process. They seek and embrace “aha” moments and live in gratitude.

I hope it’s not too long. I worked through the most vital pieces and there were a lot of them. This has also encouraged me to put together a questionnaire. I have those “Are you coachable?” sheets from school, but I’ve put together my own - specific to the clients I’d like to work with who get the most out of working with me.

I can’t thank you enough! This work has really made a difference in how I’m seeing things.

Best,
Aricia

From Scott:

Now we’re down to the final two steps: company name and tag line
(optional)

Let’s start with the name…if you intend to build an exclusive
practice we may want to let your name be the center of attention
(side note: once this is down we’ll need a new, less pedestrian e-mail
as well as a web site)

I think I’ve seen two corporate names but let’s go with the last one,
Career Success Coach… I’ll make you work for this one: does this
name really describe the product… are YOU the product… how could
this name EVOLVE in such a way as to truly reflect who you are and what you want to be?

From Aricia:

Hello Scott,

I hope you had a lovely Christmas! We had an absolutely perfect holiday - it even snowed - big, fluffy, floaty snow flakes. Just beautiful!

I’ve had some time to work through all of this and have made a start.

I do think The Career Success Coach is terrific - it’s short and simple and memorable. It suggests intention, abundance and exclusivity. The only thing I struggle with a bit is that I do more than career coaching. Yet - this is a way to get my biggest audience in the door. Then if they have other things to work on we can do that as well.

I also thought about the tag line and this is what I came up with: Aricia E. LaFrance, The Career Success Coach - Coaching services for the positive, passionate and courageous client wanting to build an exceptional career experience.

Don’t know if that sounds too generic. It’s interesting how you can think so long and hard about something and recognize that we’re really all paddling the same canoe and there are so many good people out there who truly want to help.

I still like the idea of using my name.

I do have a web site but we are working on it. Talk about generic! You can find it by Google-ing me or at www.coachlafrance.com

Thanks for all of your help. I’ll look forward to “talking” more when you have time. Enjoy the holidays!

Best Regards,
Aricia

From Scott:

If I have it right we’re down to tag line and business name. One
plays off the other but the name comes first. This idea of
exclusivity… we’re telling the client up front that they in a sense
must qualify to be your customer… if you can pull it off it can be powerful.

You said:
“we’re really all paddling the same canoe and there are so many good
people out there who truly want to help.”
The point behind branding is to get out of the canoe!

Otherwise you might as well name your company LaFrance
Same-As-Everybody-Else Coaching… I don’t think that’s where we want to go.

So here’s an assignment: come up with a company name that says “we’re
different.” It should be of the “you can’t get this anywhere else” variety.
It doesn’t have to be cute or long…just exclusive.

If you have a large client base you might need a name that evolves so
you don’t confuse current customer.

Audi Repair Shop
Scott Audi Repair
Scott Audi
Kerr Kounty Klip & Kut (forget this one, it can’t be saved. Set the place on fire, collect the insurance money, move!

When we get the name handled we’ll work on a tag line although if we
get the name just right we may not need a tag line.

Best to You!
-*-

From Aricia:

Okay. Out of that canoe! And thanks for the Kerr Kounty Klip and Kut. That’s hilarious! (and in Colorado you see that sort of thing everywhere!)

The immediate thought I have is that I need to use my name. This is what they can’t get anywhere else - me! And I really love my name. It is unusual and catches people’s interest. So many people I meet ask me to tell them the story of my name - what it means, where it’s from, etc. I think it’d be great to use it.

The great thing is, too, that it will be identifiable. I am fortunate enough to get national coverage fairly regularly so people often say, “you look/your name sounds familiar.” They heard me on NPR or saw an article in their local paper that a news wire picked up. Plus, current customers won’t be confused.

When I think of what’s exclusive about me, it’s what I bring to the table wrapped up with all of my experiences and education and training that is unique. But it’s really my personality and style. It’s me - Aricia E. LaFrance.

Truth be told people DO have to qualify to be my client. I’m not obnoxious about it, but I want people to succeed. If they’re not a good fit for what I do, I won’t work with them. I love the idea of exclusivity.

So what do you think of: Aricia E.LaFrance, The Career Success Coach - Coaching services for the positive, passionate and courageous client wanting to build an exceptional career experience.

Is it too long? Maybe just Aricia E. LaFrance - The Career Success Coach.

I want to indicate that exclusivity as well as the fact that I help people find their ideal career.

I’ll keep thinking on it. Any input is welcome!

Thank you, Scott!

From Scott:

You are getting it! I am sure if you want to be a Career Success
Coach or just a Success Coach as in “Aricia LaFrance: Coaching for
Success” which gives you a little more latitude re; type or focus of
the coaching. You could even coin a term for your coaching as we did
with Positively Outrageous Service.

Assignment: recreate the above in as many iterations as you can
imagine for example: Aricia LaFrance: success coach, Aricia LaFrance the Successful Living Coach… then avoid the urge to cross out the ones you can’t believe you thought of in the first place and take your list for a test drive. Ask your clients which fits best, what they would do to change it, and what they think the name communicates.

Assignment: get your own web site and e-mail address. The current
e-mail address looks like you are the 373rd life coach to sign up on Comcast… note the incongruence here life coach vs career success coach. Outta the canoe!!

-*-

From Aricia:

I’ve been working and thinking and this is what I came up with:

Aricia LaFrance: Beyond success coaching.

I want something that shows I do more than career coaching and that it’s about success but it goes beyond that. People who work with me tend to leave not only successful but truly happy. It’s like they really and truly figured out why they’re on the planet. Beyond success coaching feels good. It feels like it fits.

What do you think?

I’d like to work in a tag line too - something that communicates that exclusivity really well. I’m already incorporating it into my class descriptions with pre-screenings and limited numbers admitted.

Thank you!

Aricia

From Scott:

Long day so I may not be firing on all cylinders

I’ll thinking; Aricia LaFrance; coaching for life
or Success Coach for the discriminating
or Coaching for the Successful (that’s definitely
exclusive!)
or Aricia LaFrance Coaching: Beyond Success

Okay, I’m obviously toasted but notice with a name as above there is
no need for a tag line… put your energy in the direction you are
already headed and you will go beyond success (sorry, couldn’t resist)

-*-

From Aricia:

I really like coaching for life. So many of my clients work with me a few months, head off, come back, work with what they’ve learned for a bit, come back. So this really fits. I like it!

From Aricia:

Hello There,

I’ve been talking with a lot of my ideal clients and they say I’m not hitting it with my ideas. They say that I do something beyond what I’m expressing. The thing, they keep telling me, is not that I do a specific thing a specific way. It IS exclusive. It IS customized exclusively to the needs of the client. They kept coming back with tag lines that focus on the client because, they say, that is what I do in a focused way. The thing they value most is my attentiveness and singular focus on them, allowing me to see beyond the surface issues and help them shift perceptions and beliefs they weren’t even aware they had.

So first of all I had to just say “wow!’ I was using words like abundance and intention and they were saying “No, No, No - it’s that but it’s more than that.” Then I went to “Whole Life Coaching” or “Whole Life Happiness” or “Whole Life Success” and people said they sounded to “coaching cliche.”

Here’s what a wise and marvelous client came up with: Aricia LaFrance Coaching: This is Your Time.

She said it’s a play on words in a way. The actual time - the 30 minutes I spend with you - is entirely your time - your agenda. The focus is solely on YOU. But also, This is your time as in this is your time to do your life - what do you want to do with it?

When I bounced the idea off other people they went gaga for it. I heard a lot of “THAT’S IT!” and “Love it, love it, LOVE IT!!!”

So…I know it’s gone off in a direction I completely didn’t expect but what do you think?

Best,
Aricia

From Scott:

I love the play on words…it’s fun without being silly. It points out that the client has responsibility for the outcome… it says quite a lot for so few words. Best of all it is based on reality and promises fulfilled as articulated by your clients… the ultimate market test. It even has a Frasier Crane feeling: This is your time…good night, Seattle!

I now pronounce you MicroBranded!

-*-

Branding a Beautiful Community

 

Matryoska dolls, you’ve seen them.  They’re the Russian dolls that nest one inside of the other.  Sometimes the largest doll, the one on the outside, is not the most ornate, just the largest.

 

And that’s the way it is with brands.* 

 

In almost every case there are smaller brands associated with larger brands.  And in many situations one of the smaller brands, call it a MicroBrand, is the most powerful brand in play.

 

A real-life example is Jared the Subway customer who lost a ton of weight by eating at Subway.  Jared’s MicroBrand often draws more customers than the Subway sign.

 

MicroBrands are a good thing… as long as they are congruent and work together. For example, a new McDonald’s in an historic district is not necessarily incongruent.  With cooperative management and a little creative thinking Mickey D’s can fit right in.

 

What’s the point?  In our efforts to polish up our community we run the danger of creating incongruent MicroBrands.  Or we can take advantage of a golden opportunity to leverage our efforts and resources.

 

We need to do two things:

            1.         Get clear on what is the big brand we want for our community.

            2.         Provide loose coordination of various projects so that their MicroBrands

                        enhance the community brand.

 

We have a welcome sign project, a river trail project, a pavilion project, an ad hoc library committee plus a handful of consultant-lead projects.  For maximum positive impact all of these efforts must work together to create and present MicroBrands that are congruent with the overall brand of the community.

 

A few talking points:

            1.         The welcome signs on the Interstate will be a visitor’s first local

                        introduction to the brand.

            2.         The river trail should receive high branding priority in part because it ties                            in two powerful, congruent MicroBrands:

Museum of

Western Art and                             

Texas Rangers Museum. 

            3.         The river trail should be closely associated with Old Spanish Trail as well                           as the two brands mentioned above.

            4.         The pavilion should be built, branded, and tied visually to public art and

                        an Historic Downtown branding program.

            5.         The Historic Downtown program should proceed the instant the

                        community brand is articulated, graphically represented, and funding is                              available.

            6.         The library project (if it comes to fruition) should reflect the brand and be

                        considered a first stop for tourists for destination information and initial

                        exposure to local culture and history.

            7.         Marty Wender should be invited to the party.

 

*  A brand is an expectation.  A logo is not a brand.  We see the logo and then think the brand.

I would be rich. I’m not. But I would have been had it not been for one small mistake on my part. Really, it was a sin of omission not commission. But the punishment is the same: regardless of the cause the effect remains the same. I’m not rich.

But I would have been and I soon will be, thanks to small correction in my customer service habits and a little help from you!

If I had the contact information on every person who has read one of my books or attended one of my speaking engagement I would be stone cold rich.

No matter where you are in your career if you haven’t already, start collecting customer data now!

What will make me…and you rich are the data we are going to collect from our customers.

Why? Because when know what the customer wants, when you know how the customer likes to buy (or be sold), when you know who your customer is and who is the customer owned by your competition you can make accurate strategic business decisions that produce happier customers as well as a rustling sound when you put your hands in your pocket!

Principle One: Don’t Ace Anything!

You never know when that odd bit of data that seems so useless will become so useful. I have a data conflict in my life that consists of a large but rather haphazardly constructed database and a wife who hates waste. The problem is you never know when something that looks like waste today will turn to treasure tomorrow.

“Honey? Didn’t we have a file of small speakers bureaus somewhere on the hard drive?”

“We did,” is the word from Brown Eyes, “but they weren’t booking us and they were just taking up memory so… I aced ‘em!”

Memory is cheaper than paper. It takes up less space. Archive good. Ace bad!

Principle Two: Keep Your Data House in Order

Data that can’t be found is data lost. Begin with the end in mind. Before you start dumping data indiscriminately think about how you will retrieve it. Think big and think long range. Ask yourself not how you can use the data but rather how you could use the date.

Think.

What if we grow? What if we change our product? How could an extensive database increase our value if we ever decide to sell?

Think.

Principle Three: Give to Get

Customers know full well their data is valuable to you and rightfully question why they should give it to you. If you want it, be prepared to give to get. Just like you traded your contact data for this article your customers will give you theirs… provided you give something of value in return.

It helps to tell the customer what you intend to do with the data.

“We’re considering a new line of products.”

“We’re measuring our service to see how we can serve you better.”

“We’re interested in knowing why you shop with us so we can be even better!”

Principle Four: Honor the Data

Demonstrate your dedication for confidentiality. Don’t ask for data you will never be likely to use or if you must, ask in a way that doesn’t link requested data to an individual customer. This is particularly relevant to questions about income, home value, or other personal data.

It’s not that customers are uncooperative, they’re just wary. Be up front. Tell them about your privacy policy, let them know you will not sell or share their private information.

Get permission first if you intend to use their data to contact them in the future. Notice that on this site in order to receive our RSS feeds you have to personally make the request.

Principle Five: Use Multiple Methods

‘Hey! How am I doing?” That was a phrase that made Ed Koch one of

New York City ’s most beloved mayors of all time. Like Dr. Frasier Crane telling his

Seattle radio audience he was listening, “Howm Eye Doin” Announced to New Yorkers that the top dog at City Hall was really interested in their opinions.Perhaps the best but least often used method of collecting useful customer input is to pick up the phone, walk around the counter, or otherwise put yourself belly to belly with the guy who pays the bills and simply ask, “HowmEyeDoin?”Putting Principles 3,4, and 5 together a restaurateur might ask…

“If you have a minute I’d like to buy you a slice of pie and ask your opinion of

our food and service tonight. Just between the two of us. I really value your

opinion and it help us make this an even better place to dine.”

Principle Six: Value the Un-customer

Stu Leonard was famous for loading up a van with department leaders and hitting the road for a field trip to the competition… and sometimes to non-competitors all in a search for discovering new ways to serve Stu Leonard customers. Stu was always wondering why people were not buying from him.

If you can answer why some customers are choosing the competition you are close to a strategy for getting them to switch.

Principle Seven: Link Data

Individual data increase in value when linked to other data.

Knowing the profile of customers who purchase the higher profit products may help to discover additional high profit items you should offer. It may give you a clue to selling customers with different profiles and, best of all, it may help you discover are the high profit customers so that they can be pampered while at the same time the no-profit customers are being shown the door!

Be prepared! You may be surprised to discover that customers you think are your best customers… really aren’t!

Seven Principles but only one imperative: Begin collecting customer data… NOW!

Welcome to the T Scott Gross weblog.

I pulled up a chair at my favorite table at the Hill Country Cafe.  Rather than the usual “good morning,” Rhonda and Jennifer stood mouth agape before the smaller of the two, Rhonda, blurted out, “What are you doing here?”

 They were unaccustomed to seeing me without that silver-haired beauty on the left.  You see, Buns (AKA Melanie) and I are what you might call an “item.”  It’s rare when we are seen apart.  So if you aren’t used to it already… get used to it because when you see one you can expect to see the other.

This is our blog… me, and Buns.  Come into our life.  Come into our home.  You’ve found a place where you can feel welcome!