Effective advertising is essential to the success of any business; advertising and marketing involve very important business decisions. Effective advertising will attract attention, appeal to the interest, communicate your unique advantage, prove your advantage and motivate your reader to action.
Here are some strategies to implement in your advertising and marketing:
If it isn’t working, Quit it! Change the ad, rewrite the headline, lengthen or shorten the ad, use a different font; do not continue wasting your money on something that is not getting you the results you want.
Use only Direct Response Advertising – Buy today, for a limited time only, offer expires…Brand Advertising is great for the well-known company who has been around for years, but the results cannot be measured for the newer business.
Test and Measure – Determine what results you expect from your ad; a certain amount of revenue for an ad that is ran for a certain amount of time. Create milestones; how long will your ad be effective?
Headline – The headline is the most important; people will just read the headlines and then go on to the next article unless something in your headline grabs their interest. Make the headline about the customer, not about the company.
AIDA – This is an advertising acronym – Attention, Interest, Desire, Action. Get the attention of your reader, keep their interest, appeal to their desire, and offer a “buy now” bargain or a “call to action.”
Benefits – Be sure your advertisement displays the benefits of your product or service to the customer; clearly define how you can make a difference to them.
Keep Right! – Never advertise on the left-hand page; people’s eye travels to the upper right hand corner of the flat page as they are turning pages in a magazine or newspaper. Insist that your ad be place on a right-hand page. If the editor says they cannot guarantee that it be on the right, then insist on a discount if your ad ends up on the left, or, simply say you cannot do business with them. They will likely need your business and they will be willing to work with you.
Do Your Thing – Don’t follow the competition; you want to be ahead of the competition. Be creative; use your own slogan, define yourself.
Advertising is the area in business where you are allowed and encouraged to be very creative. Your advertising must be attractive, interesting and compelling to action to put you ahead of your competition.
Bill Bartmann is a self-made billionaire who has created the Billionaire Business System, a series of books and seminars that teach you what you need to know running a business. Bill Bartmann has provided real business guidance to thousands of entrepreneurs to help them succeed in business, even during tough economic times. Visit Bill Bartmann’s website http://www.billionaireu.com/ to learn more about the course.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Bill Bartmann Public Relations Tips: How to Create a Publicity Campaign
Publicity is a powerful tool for a business to get their message out to their customers. Unlike advertising public relations is inexpensive; quite often, it’s free; and it has a greater impact. Publicity has greater longevity where advertising is only remembered for a short time. Publicity reaches a wider audience and because it is not viewed as advertising, it has a greater credibility factor; it is newsworthy.
Here are 9 steps to creating an effective public relations campaign:
Your Positioning Statement – This statement will provide a clear image as to who you are and what you are about; this is the message you want to convey to the community.
Define your Objectives – Do you wish to accomplish fame or fortune? Are you just trying to get your name out there or is your publicity tied to money?
Define your Customer – Pick the right media to be sure you reach the right audience.
Identify the Target Media – To impact your customer; what do they watch, read and think?
Story Angle – Be considerate of the point of view of the producers and editors; present a story they can work into their paper, radio show or news program. Present something interesting, like a comment on current events that are big topics in the media.
Become an Authority – A little credibility goes a long way; become known as being an expert in your field. Write a book; it doesn’t have to be a novel; it can be short, or you can write an article.
Press Kit – This document is valuable to the editor/producer; it helps them understand who you are; it is valuable to you as it will help them decide if they can give you air time. Include in your press kit your story angle and why you are an authority. You also need a short bio about yourself and an introduction (what you want the host to say when they introduce you to the audience). Include 10 questions you want them to ask you and give your answers. Establish your credentials; include previous interviews or refer to articles that have been published about you in the past. Remember, you are competing for air time and you want to make the best of it by conveying your message. Your press kit helps the editors/producers do their job and fit you in to the schedule. You want to show them that you will do a great interview; you will make them look good while you make yourself look good.
Make the Pitch – Call the editor, producer, station manager or the main office. When they answer, make your pitch in two sentences; a compelling lead sentence followed by one which establishes your credibility; why you are an authority. At this point, if you are just speaking to a receptionist, you will be passed through to someone else. Repeat your pitch; if they respond positively, thank them for their interest and ask them whose attention to forward your press kit to, and how to get it to them. Be professional, don’t take up a lot of their time; recognize that they are very busy and provide them the material they need so they can review it when it fits into their schedule.
Follow up – You’ve introduced yourself, you know where to send your press kit; now, ask when would be a good time to call and follow up. Develop a relationship with the person you’re speaking to; use their name when you’re speaking to them. Send a hand-written thank you note to them, thanking them for their time and looking forward to speaking with them on whatever day and time they say is good to follow up.
A very important thing to know before you make an initial contact with any media is that they all have deadlines and things become very frantic as they approach their deadline. Be sure to know their deadline; call ahead and ask for this critical information; timing is everything. You want to make your first impression at a good time for them to ensure you a good chance for air time. If you call them minutes before a deadline, they will know that you are not experienced.
All media needs to fill their air time with quality; they want to make you look good, so they look good. Ratings are everything to them as publicity is everything to you. By approaching them at a convenient time, prepared with a press kit, you are helping them put together an interview and ask only questions you will be able to answer professionally.
Bill Bartmann has been interviewed, published and featured in many magazines, TV shows and radio shows. Bill Bartmann’s online business course has helped many entrepreneurs develop publicity and become known as an authority in their field. Find out more about Bill Bartmann’s Billionaire Business Systems online course at http://www.billionaireu.com/
Here are 9 steps to creating an effective public relations campaign:
Your Positioning Statement – This statement will provide a clear image as to who you are and what you are about; this is the message you want to convey to the community.
Define your Objectives – Do you wish to accomplish fame or fortune? Are you just trying to get your name out there or is your publicity tied to money?
Define your Customer – Pick the right media to be sure you reach the right audience.
Identify the Target Media – To impact your customer; what do they watch, read and think?
Story Angle – Be considerate of the point of view of the producers and editors; present a story they can work into their paper, radio show or news program. Present something interesting, like a comment on current events that are big topics in the media.
Become an Authority – A little credibility goes a long way; become known as being an expert in your field. Write a book; it doesn’t have to be a novel; it can be short, or you can write an article.
Press Kit – This document is valuable to the editor/producer; it helps them understand who you are; it is valuable to you as it will help them decide if they can give you air time. Include in your press kit your story angle and why you are an authority. You also need a short bio about yourself and an introduction (what you want the host to say when they introduce you to the audience). Include 10 questions you want them to ask you and give your answers. Establish your credentials; include previous interviews or refer to articles that have been published about you in the past. Remember, you are competing for air time and you want to make the best of it by conveying your message. Your press kit helps the editors/producers do their job and fit you in to the schedule. You want to show them that you will do a great interview; you will make them look good while you make yourself look good.
Make the Pitch – Call the editor, producer, station manager or the main office. When they answer, make your pitch in two sentences; a compelling lead sentence followed by one which establishes your credibility; why you are an authority. At this point, if you are just speaking to a receptionist, you will be passed through to someone else. Repeat your pitch; if they respond positively, thank them for their interest and ask them whose attention to forward your press kit to, and how to get it to them. Be professional, don’t take up a lot of their time; recognize that they are very busy and provide them the material they need so they can review it when it fits into their schedule.
Follow up – You’ve introduced yourself, you know where to send your press kit; now, ask when would be a good time to call and follow up. Develop a relationship with the person you’re speaking to; use their name when you’re speaking to them. Send a hand-written thank you note to them, thanking them for their time and looking forward to speaking with them on whatever day and time they say is good to follow up.
A very important thing to know before you make an initial contact with any media is that they all have deadlines and things become very frantic as they approach their deadline. Be sure to know their deadline; call ahead and ask for this critical information; timing is everything. You want to make your first impression at a good time for them to ensure you a good chance for air time. If you call them minutes before a deadline, they will know that you are not experienced.
All media needs to fill their air time with quality; they want to make you look good, so they look good. Ratings are everything to them as publicity is everything to you. By approaching them at a convenient time, prepared with a press kit, you are helping them put together an interview and ask only questions you will be able to answer professionally.
Bill Bartmann has been interviewed, published and featured in many magazines, TV shows and radio shows. Bill Bartmann’s online business course has helped many entrepreneurs develop publicity and become known as an authority in their field. Find out more about Bill Bartmann’s Billionaire Business Systems online course at http://www.billionaireu.com/
Bill Bartmann’s Advice: Borrowing Money to Fund your Business
All businesses need money to operate. Borrowing money to start a business or expand your business is a skill all business owners need to be successful. When you ask for a business loan, you must present your successful businessyou’re your personal experience and knowledge.
Here are some basic essentials you need to know about the Business Loan application process:
Qualify the Lender – Lenders are specialized; be sure the institution you are considering applying to is the right one for your needs. All lending institutions have rules and guidelines including amount they will loan (minimum and maximum), the industries they will loan to and geographic areas where they make loans.
Lenders want to Loan Money – Even in lean times, lenders want to make loans; this is how they make money. Don’t let anyone tell you ‘banks don’t have the money’ just because they were denied a loan.
Competition – You are competing with other people who are also asking for loans; you want to get in front of them; show you are the better candidate for a business loan.
First Impression – The first person you talk to likely has the authority to deny your loan; however, they cannot approve it. Their job is to screen applicants early to avoid wasting the loan committee’s time. You must make a good impression on this person.
Multi-Step Process – Be aware that borrowing money is a process; do not expect to walk in, apply and interview, and walk out with a check the same day.
The 4 P’s – Punctual – Keep your appointment; do not arrive very early or late; respect their time. Professional – look and dress the part. Prepared – Have your loan proposal with you for the loan committee’s benefit. Prompt – If your appointment is to last 10 minutes, do not go over. The less time spent with the first person you talk to, the less chance you have of making a mistake by saying the wrong thing. You don’t know this person; avoid small talk, be brief, get to the point and wrap it up in 10 minutes.
Call Ahead – Don’t waste your time or the lender’s time; make sure the lender you are making an appointment with is one who can do business with you. Tell them who you are, how much you need to borrow, the industry you’re in and the area you’re located in. Some lenders can only do very large loans; some are specialized in funding specific industries; some only work in certain geographic areas.
Always Make Application in Writing – Remember, the first person you speak to can say no, but they most likely cannot say yes. They will, however, be conveying your information to those on the loan committee. To avoid errors in relaying verbal information, always give them your written loan proposal; this is what the loan committee really needs in order to decide if you will be approved.
Your presentation determines your success in getting the lending institution to loan you the capital you need for your business. It is important that you show them that you are serious about your business and that you know what you are getting into. A well written loan proposal, with your business plan, will show the lender what you need, why you need it and that you are able to pay it back with a return.
Bill Bartmann has borrowed $3.1 Million dollars in 120 transactions from 180 lenders to fund businesses. He has never used any of his own money for business. Bill Bartmann covers all the essentials to borrowing money for your business, in great detail, in his online course, Billionaire Business Systems. Download this course at http://www.billionaireu.com/ to learn all the essentials of business ownership.
Here are some basic essentials you need to know about the Business Loan application process:
Qualify the Lender – Lenders are specialized; be sure the institution you are considering applying to is the right one for your needs. All lending institutions have rules and guidelines including amount they will loan (minimum and maximum), the industries they will loan to and geographic areas where they make loans.
Lenders want to Loan Money – Even in lean times, lenders want to make loans; this is how they make money. Don’t let anyone tell you ‘banks don’t have the money’ just because they were denied a loan.
Competition – You are competing with other people who are also asking for loans; you want to get in front of them; show you are the better candidate for a business loan.
First Impression – The first person you talk to likely has the authority to deny your loan; however, they cannot approve it. Their job is to screen applicants early to avoid wasting the loan committee’s time. You must make a good impression on this person.
Multi-Step Process – Be aware that borrowing money is a process; do not expect to walk in, apply and interview, and walk out with a check the same day.
The 4 P’s – Punctual – Keep your appointment; do not arrive very early or late; respect their time. Professional – look and dress the part. Prepared – Have your loan proposal with you for the loan committee’s benefit. Prompt – If your appointment is to last 10 minutes, do not go over. The less time spent with the first person you talk to, the less chance you have of making a mistake by saying the wrong thing. You don’t know this person; avoid small talk, be brief, get to the point and wrap it up in 10 minutes.
Call Ahead – Don’t waste your time or the lender’s time; make sure the lender you are making an appointment with is one who can do business with you. Tell them who you are, how much you need to borrow, the industry you’re in and the area you’re located in. Some lenders can only do very large loans; some are specialized in funding specific industries; some only work in certain geographic areas.
Always Make Application in Writing – Remember, the first person you speak to can say no, but they most likely cannot say yes. They will, however, be conveying your information to those on the loan committee. To avoid errors in relaying verbal information, always give them your written loan proposal; this is what the loan committee really needs in order to decide if you will be approved.
Your presentation determines your success in getting the lending institution to loan you the capital you need for your business. It is important that you show them that you are serious about your business and that you know what you are getting into. A well written loan proposal, with your business plan, will show the lender what you need, why you need it and that you are able to pay it back with a return.
Bill Bartmann has borrowed $3.1 Million dollars in 120 transactions from 180 lenders to fund businesses. He has never used any of his own money for business. Bill Bartmann covers all the essentials to borrowing money for your business, in great detail, in his online course, Billionaire Business Systems. Download this course at http://www.billionaireu.com/ to learn all the essentials of business ownership.
Business Capital: How to Create a Loan Proposal
The loan proposal is one of the most important documents you will need for your business to be successful. A powerful loan presentation will get lenders to want to invest in your business by loaning money to you. Though it may not always appear so, lenders want to make business loans; this is how they make money.
The loan proposal that you will be presenting to a lender should be very simple; yet very informative. This document should contain all the answers to the questions commonly asked by a loan officer.
The 12 Sections of a Loan Proposal
Executive Summary – a very brief overview of your business and highlights of what is in the rest of the document; this is where the loan officer will decide if he is interested in reading the rest. Make sure this says a lot with few words and gains his interest.
Term Sheet – bullet points of the deal you are proposing: The amount you need to borrow, interest rate you’re prepared to pay, monthly, quarterly or annual payments, interest only or principal and interest payments, short-term or long-term, etc… This section will show that you understand about borrowing money and that you are seeing things from their prospective – loaning money.
Your Relationship with the Lender – Include the information if you currently have a mortgage payment, car payment, or bank account at the institution you are visiting. Also include family, friends, or advisory board members who have a relationship with this lender. (Make sure you have their permission to name them in your business documents) This information will not necessarily make them say “yes”, but it will give them cause to consider, as you are showing that you are respected by others who already have a good relationship with this lender.
Your Credit Report – Show responsibility if you have great credit; display sophistication by knowing your credit score. On the other hand, if you have some negative items on your credit report, highlight them and add a page with an explanation as to how this occurred and how you handled it. There is no reason to not provide this information; they are going to run your credit report anyway; why not let them see it here first, as your side of the story?
Pictures of Your Business – Right now, you’re just a well-dressed, well-prepared loan application; the lender really doesn’t know about your business. Pictures validate your business; just a few, high-quality pictures, of your building, employees, equipment or something visual to add to your presentation.
Board of Advisors – With their permission, list your board of advisors. Lenders love it when you can admit that you don’t know it all. Here, you are signaling that you are not an egotistical know-it-all who will eventually run the business into the ground. A list of credible people who are respected leaders in the community will be impressive to the lender.
Professional Relationships – Who are you utilizing in your business? Show your lender how serious you are about success by showing who does your books, provides legal services, business consulting, etc… Use people who are well known and respected in the area.
Acknowledgements – Achievements, accomplishments, credentials, awards, published articles and recognition in the news or media will impress a lender. If you’re highly respected in the area, it could be in a lender’s best interest to have you as a client.
Financial Statements – true and accurate record of what has happened in your company. Also, include Financial Projections – what you expect to happen in the next 6, 12, 24 or 36 months. It is OK to have your CPA prepare these documents for you. Your CPA can make projections based on the data in your business plan and marketing agreement.
Business Plan – This is what distinguishes you from your competition; include it with your loan proposal
Employee Handbook – policies, procedures, job descriptions, benefits, compensation and all employee issues are in this book; the employee handbook clearly defines the rules so that you do not have to repeat them over and over again.
Employee Training Manual – This is an outline to show how you will hire and prepare new help as it becomes needed; it shows that you are prepared to handle future success.
Lenders generally have two fears. One is the fear that you will fail – If you should fail, you will not be able to repay your loan.
The second fear is the fear that you will succeed – Yes, they fear that you might be too successful and that you are not prepared for an increased volume of business. You might not be able to meet demand and deliver; you might not have enough trained employees to fill orders; customers will be disappointed, your reputation will suffer, and your business could ultimately fail.
The last two sections of your loan proposal, the employee handbook and the employee training manual show that you are prepared to hire new help if you need to.
A well prepared loan proposal will give lenders the impression that you are well prepared to go into business and to be successful. You will be presenting yourself as an intelligent, experienced business person with the necessary qualities and attributes to operate and grow your business.
Bill Bartmann teaches entrepreneurs all they need to know about how to build a professional loan proposal in his online course, Billionaire Business Systems. Bill Bartmann has built 7 businesses in 7 industries; through his experiences, he has learned a lot. Bill Bartmann shares everything he knows in this course; http://www.billionaireu.com
The loan proposal that you will be presenting to a lender should be very simple; yet very informative. This document should contain all the answers to the questions commonly asked by a loan officer.
The 12 Sections of a Loan Proposal
Executive Summary – a very brief overview of your business and highlights of what is in the rest of the document; this is where the loan officer will decide if he is interested in reading the rest. Make sure this says a lot with few words and gains his interest.
Term Sheet – bullet points of the deal you are proposing: The amount you need to borrow, interest rate you’re prepared to pay, monthly, quarterly or annual payments, interest only or principal and interest payments, short-term or long-term, etc… This section will show that you understand about borrowing money and that you are seeing things from their prospective – loaning money.
Your Relationship with the Lender – Include the information if you currently have a mortgage payment, car payment, or bank account at the institution you are visiting. Also include family, friends, or advisory board members who have a relationship with this lender. (Make sure you have their permission to name them in your business documents) This information will not necessarily make them say “yes”, but it will give them cause to consider, as you are showing that you are respected by others who already have a good relationship with this lender.
Your Credit Report – Show responsibility if you have great credit; display sophistication by knowing your credit score. On the other hand, if you have some negative items on your credit report, highlight them and add a page with an explanation as to how this occurred and how you handled it. There is no reason to not provide this information; they are going to run your credit report anyway; why not let them see it here first, as your side of the story?
Pictures of Your Business – Right now, you’re just a well-dressed, well-prepared loan application; the lender really doesn’t know about your business. Pictures validate your business; just a few, high-quality pictures, of your building, employees, equipment or something visual to add to your presentation.
Board of Advisors – With their permission, list your board of advisors. Lenders love it when you can admit that you don’t know it all. Here, you are signaling that you are not an egotistical know-it-all who will eventually run the business into the ground. A list of credible people who are respected leaders in the community will be impressive to the lender.
Professional Relationships – Who are you utilizing in your business? Show your lender how serious you are about success by showing who does your books, provides legal services, business consulting, etc… Use people who are well known and respected in the area.
Acknowledgements – Achievements, accomplishments, credentials, awards, published articles and recognition in the news or media will impress a lender. If you’re highly respected in the area, it could be in a lender’s best interest to have you as a client.
Financial Statements – true and accurate record of what has happened in your company. Also, include Financial Projections – what you expect to happen in the next 6, 12, 24 or 36 months. It is OK to have your CPA prepare these documents for you. Your CPA can make projections based on the data in your business plan and marketing agreement.
Business Plan – This is what distinguishes you from your competition; include it with your loan proposal
Employee Handbook – policies, procedures, job descriptions, benefits, compensation and all employee issues are in this book; the employee handbook clearly defines the rules so that you do not have to repeat them over and over again.
Employee Training Manual – This is an outline to show how you will hire and prepare new help as it becomes needed; it shows that you are prepared to handle future success.
Lenders generally have two fears. One is the fear that you will fail – If you should fail, you will not be able to repay your loan.
The second fear is the fear that you will succeed – Yes, they fear that you might be too successful and that you are not prepared for an increased volume of business. You might not be able to meet demand and deliver; you might not have enough trained employees to fill orders; customers will be disappointed, your reputation will suffer, and your business could ultimately fail.
The last two sections of your loan proposal, the employee handbook and the employee training manual show that you are prepared to hire new help if you need to.
A well prepared loan proposal will give lenders the impression that you are well prepared to go into business and to be successful. You will be presenting yourself as an intelligent, experienced business person with the necessary qualities and attributes to operate and grow your business.
Bill Bartmann teaches entrepreneurs all they need to know about how to build a professional loan proposal in his online course, Billionaire Business Systems. Bill Bartmann has built 7 businesses in 7 industries; through his experiences, he has learned a lot. Bill Bartmann shares everything he knows in this course; http://www.billionaireu.com
Business Management: Hiring and Retaining Quality Employees
For a business to succeed, you must be hire quality employees who will share your vision and be a part of your company. Though they won’t be a partner who shares a financial interest in the company, they must take pride in their work and have the ability to contribute to the growth and success of your business.
The first thing about choosing your employees is to measure their competence based on the following characteristics:
Attitude – willingness to do the job that is assigned to them
Aptitude – ability and capacity to be competent in their position
Integrity – honesty and loyalty when you’re not there
Intelligence – common sense and the level of academic skills required to perform their job
Intensity – their ability to focus
You will choose your employees from among those who are applying for a position with your company. Among your applicants will be those who are looking to change jobs and those who are unemployed. The ones who are unemployed are a red flag; there is likely a reason they are unemployed; they don’t get along with co-workers; they are not productive; there is likely something negative about their quality as an employee. There are exceptions; but you don’t have the time to investigate this. Your best bet is to look at those who are changing jobs.
The common reasons for changing jobs are:
To acquire a position at a fun, exciting place to work
To acquire a position that allows them to make a difference, do good and be appreciated
To build their career experience, to grow with your company
Salary is number 4 on the list; they understand that it is necessary, but they are mainly focused on their education and growth.
Remember that the best employees you hire are not necessarily going to stay with your company forever. The best, quality employees are likely to grow and succeed as business owners themselves some day. These are the people you want working for your business now. The important thing is the difference they will make with their contribution during the time they have this relationship with you.
So, how do you go about recruiting new employees? The best people to get referrals from are your current employees. They do their jobs well and they want others on the team to do their part. They are not likely to recommend that you hire slackers who will take the company down by not pulling their weight. Offer a bonus incentive to anyone who recommends a good employee if you should hire them.
There are four items that are crucial in your ability to retain high-quality employees. Remember, you likely will not keep them forever, but they are likely to perform more and stay longer if they are shown:
Respect – recognition for their contribution
Appreciation – thanks and acknowledgment for a job well done
Vision – share your vision; let them know where your company is going and the likelihood of growth within your company
Perks – money, benefits, rewards
Notice that money is last on the list of items that encourage employees to stay with a company. Of course, the income is needed, but so is the respect and appreciation they are shown. A good employee will take pride in his work and be happy if they are recognized for their contribution to your company.
Salary
Never negotiate salary with employees. Know what your pay range is, then ask them what they think would be a fair wage to be paid for the position which they are applying. Let’s say, for example, you are prepared to pay $40 to 50 thousand a year for a quality employee and their answer is $45,000. You have three choices of how to reply:
Agree to pay $45,000 – you’re both happy as you have someone to do the job for a salary that is within your range
Offer a little less, say $42,000 – they will likely accept this, but they may be somewhat disgruntled
Counter at $50,000 – already, your new employee loves his job! He is eager to start work; you have offered him more than he asked for; he will likely give you more than you ask for by being a very productive, hard worker.
Now, what if the employee says that their salary expectations are $55,000? This amount is outside your range; therefore, this is when you will discontinue the interview. Thank them for their time; they likely have other interviews to go to; one of them may be better suited to them.
Lead by Example
Are you the type who manages people or leads people? Employees are human beings; they don’t want to feel they are being managed or manipulated. They want strong leadership. Don’t isolate yourself from your employees; set an example; show up to work every day; be accessible; don’t always be in your office with the door closed. Be a role model in attitude and in action; share your vision. Your vision impacts everyone in your organization. Let your employees know that they are contributing to the growth of your business; they are working together to build something rather than each performing their individual tasks separately. Show them that their contribution is making a difference.
Measure Results
People will only do what is measured. Hold your employees accountable for whatever is most important to your business. Measure for productivity. It is better to let an incompetent employee go than to keep them on as this will only cause stress and frustration while holding them back as well. Letting them go can be an opportunity for them to find work where they fit in and can grow as well as an opportunity for you to fill their position with someone more suited to your business.
Relationship
Your relationship with your employees depends on your ability to communicate and to be sure they understand exactly what is expected of them. A good relationship depends on the 3 C’s
Communication – what you expect and a deadline
Concurrence – the employee should be able to repeat back to you exactly what is expected to show they understand
Compliance – you don’t have to stand over them constantly, but ask when is a reasonable time for you to check on their progress
It is important to communicate in this manner to remove all doubt and to avoid misunderstanding. Employees do not like to have to guess what you want and they don’t enjoy getting into trouble for failing to do what they didn’t understand they had to do.
You are showing your employees that you respect them and that you want them to feel good about accomplishing just what is required of them. When you assign them to a specific project, ask them how long it will take them to accomplish it and have them repeat back to you what they agree to do. This may sound strange, but it eliminates doubt and reinforces an understanding. Finally, let them know that you will not be hovering over them; you trust them to get the job done, but you want to be able to check on their progress at some point to see if they are on track.
Create an environment where the employees think of themselves as a part of your company rather than one where they distance themselves by saying things like “at the place where I work;” rather, they say, “at our company,” or “our policy is to…”
Bill Bartmann has had over 10,000 employees over the course of his career. The time and energy spent on employee relations has proven to be well worth the effort for the rewards to the business. For more information on good employee relationships go to http://www.billionaire.com and check out Bill Bartmann’s Billionaire Business Systems, an online business course for entrepreneurs.
The first thing about choosing your employees is to measure their competence based on the following characteristics:
Attitude – willingness to do the job that is assigned to them
Aptitude – ability and capacity to be competent in their position
Integrity – honesty and loyalty when you’re not there
Intelligence – common sense and the level of academic skills required to perform their job
Intensity – their ability to focus
You will choose your employees from among those who are applying for a position with your company. Among your applicants will be those who are looking to change jobs and those who are unemployed. The ones who are unemployed are a red flag; there is likely a reason they are unemployed; they don’t get along with co-workers; they are not productive; there is likely something negative about their quality as an employee. There are exceptions; but you don’t have the time to investigate this. Your best bet is to look at those who are changing jobs.
The common reasons for changing jobs are:
To acquire a position at a fun, exciting place to work
To acquire a position that allows them to make a difference, do good and be appreciated
To build their career experience, to grow with your company
Salary is number 4 on the list; they understand that it is necessary, but they are mainly focused on their education and growth.
Remember that the best employees you hire are not necessarily going to stay with your company forever. The best, quality employees are likely to grow and succeed as business owners themselves some day. These are the people you want working for your business now. The important thing is the difference they will make with their contribution during the time they have this relationship with you.
So, how do you go about recruiting new employees? The best people to get referrals from are your current employees. They do their jobs well and they want others on the team to do their part. They are not likely to recommend that you hire slackers who will take the company down by not pulling their weight. Offer a bonus incentive to anyone who recommends a good employee if you should hire them.
There are four items that are crucial in your ability to retain high-quality employees. Remember, you likely will not keep them forever, but they are likely to perform more and stay longer if they are shown:
Respect – recognition for their contribution
Appreciation – thanks and acknowledgment for a job well done
Vision – share your vision; let them know where your company is going and the likelihood of growth within your company
Perks – money, benefits, rewards
Notice that money is last on the list of items that encourage employees to stay with a company. Of course, the income is needed, but so is the respect and appreciation they are shown. A good employee will take pride in his work and be happy if they are recognized for their contribution to your company.
Salary
Never negotiate salary with employees. Know what your pay range is, then ask them what they think would be a fair wage to be paid for the position which they are applying. Let’s say, for example, you are prepared to pay $40 to 50 thousand a year for a quality employee and their answer is $45,000. You have three choices of how to reply:
Agree to pay $45,000 – you’re both happy as you have someone to do the job for a salary that is within your range
Offer a little less, say $42,000 – they will likely accept this, but they may be somewhat disgruntled
Counter at $50,000 – already, your new employee loves his job! He is eager to start work; you have offered him more than he asked for; he will likely give you more than you ask for by being a very productive, hard worker.
Now, what if the employee says that their salary expectations are $55,000? This amount is outside your range; therefore, this is when you will discontinue the interview. Thank them for their time; they likely have other interviews to go to; one of them may be better suited to them.
Lead by Example
Are you the type who manages people or leads people? Employees are human beings; they don’t want to feel they are being managed or manipulated. They want strong leadership. Don’t isolate yourself from your employees; set an example; show up to work every day; be accessible; don’t always be in your office with the door closed. Be a role model in attitude and in action; share your vision. Your vision impacts everyone in your organization. Let your employees know that they are contributing to the growth of your business; they are working together to build something rather than each performing their individual tasks separately. Show them that their contribution is making a difference.
Measure Results
People will only do what is measured. Hold your employees accountable for whatever is most important to your business. Measure for productivity. It is better to let an incompetent employee go than to keep them on as this will only cause stress and frustration while holding them back as well. Letting them go can be an opportunity for them to find work where they fit in and can grow as well as an opportunity for you to fill their position with someone more suited to your business.
Relationship
Your relationship with your employees depends on your ability to communicate and to be sure they understand exactly what is expected of them. A good relationship depends on the 3 C’s
Communication – what you expect and a deadline
Concurrence – the employee should be able to repeat back to you exactly what is expected to show they understand
Compliance – you don’t have to stand over them constantly, but ask when is a reasonable time for you to check on their progress
It is important to communicate in this manner to remove all doubt and to avoid misunderstanding. Employees do not like to have to guess what you want and they don’t enjoy getting into trouble for failing to do what they didn’t understand they had to do.
You are showing your employees that you respect them and that you want them to feel good about accomplishing just what is required of them. When you assign them to a specific project, ask them how long it will take them to accomplish it and have them repeat back to you what they agree to do. This may sound strange, but it eliminates doubt and reinforces an understanding. Finally, let them know that you will not be hovering over them; you trust them to get the job done, but you want to be able to check on their progress at some point to see if they are on track.
Create an environment where the employees think of themselves as a part of your company rather than one where they distance themselves by saying things like “at the place where I work;” rather, they say, “at our company,” or “our policy is to…”
Bill Bartmann has had over 10,000 employees over the course of his career. The time and energy spent on employee relations has proven to be well worth the effort for the rewards to the business. For more information on good employee relationships go to http://www.billionaire.com and check out Bill Bartmann’s Billionaire Business Systems, an online business course for entrepreneurs.
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