Recently, I started my Taste of Rain Series, and one of the concepts I’m teaching is Your Vendors are Your Allies. Most organizations look at vendors as sales people who only care about selling them something. Vendors have market intelligence that goes beyond the competitive landscape. They know who is going, who is coming and who can help your organization grow. If you ask, they will help. If you need clients, in many cases they will make referrals. One quick point is to treat your vendors like you want to be treated. Show them the utmost respect and let them know what your company desires to achieve. For more on Your Vendor are Your Allies, send an email to info@robertvanarlen.com.
Archive for the ‘relationship building’ Category
Your Vendors Are Your Allies
Monday, October 31st, 2011The Power of Your Posse-A Message for our Pro-Athletes
Wednesday, October 19th, 2011I think we can all agree there is one thing that successful people have in common, and that is a team that makes them better. Over the years, we continue to watch individuals win and lose everything and, in many cases, it can partially be blamed on the people behind them. Corporate leaders often hire coaches, and professional athletes often hire their friends, who are inexperienced in dealing with the plethora of opportunities that arise. Some of these opportunities are good and some, not so much. An average athlete with a great posse will extend their career opportunity long after their playing years. A great athlete with an incompetent posse is mostly headed down a rocky road.
As a corporate business speaker and a business coach to athletes and entertainers, I share the same message that I share with corporate professionals. You never know who you’re talking to. All of our careers come with one guarantee—it will end. What’s important is making sure you have people in your life whom you trust to give you good advice. As individuals, we hire professionals to handle our more technical issues, but when it comes to common sense decisions, we typically rely on family or friends. So, when does a team become ineffective for their leader?
When:
- their personal interest is put in front of the personality, leader or team goals
- they get caught up in the euphoria of celebrity, and
- they stop learning how to improve themselves.
Don’t let your posse take you down. Everyone should have a role and responsibility. If their role is indefinable, then there is no position for them. On the other hand, a great team can bring about more opportunity than you can imagine.
The winning equation is focus + initiative + autonomy + accountability = optimal performance.
How Do You Sell You?
Thursday, September 29th, 2011You have about 15 seconds to make a compelling impression, and it has to rock the world of your potential audience. You might be selling yourself for a job, your company, your products, services or ideas. Recently, I asked 10 teachers what they did, and they all responded that they are teachers. That was an answer, but what does it really tell you? Absolutely nothing! Marketing experts learned long ago that, to get our attention, the advertisement must be compelling.
What is compelling about you?
In today’s environment, we’ve all become brands. Social media has pushed us to a state where getting the opportunity to stand out is easy based on available platforms, but getting noticed is much harder. To make your message compelling, you should first examine the outcomes of what you do. Who benefits and how do they benefit? What are the outcomes for students, families and the communities if you are a teacher? The outcomes from your work are what’s compelling, not your position or title. The same thing applies to companies. What are the outcomes of the services or products your company provides? The benefit of this approach is replication. Once you understand it, others will also.
How should you build your brand?
First things first–and that is to develop a compelling introduction. It will only be a maximum of 5-15 seconds. Secondly, write it out and update everything. All of your social media site presence should incorporate your compelling introduction. This is the process of making your recognizable differences, recognizable. Thirdly, practice on everyone. This means your family, friends and associates. There are often diamonds in your backyard. The purpose of practice is to develop your own authenticity.
What should you expect?
Some say expect the unexpected, I say expect a great deal of new opportunity. I’m currently coaching a business owner in Little Rock, Arkansas, named Scott M. Scott and I rehearsed his compelling intro and the important things in his life. He began using it immediately over the phone, in person and as an opening for a marketing event to clients. All I can say is that he is now considered a rock star. Everyone knew he was a financial planner in his community, but the passion was not present. His new compelling opening has led to a flood of new business and opportunities that doesn’t appear to be ending any time soon.
You Never Know Who You’ll Meet
Tuesday, January 26th, 2010Several days ago, I received a call from a friend of mine stating I needed to contact him immediately. He was in Las Vegas and was meeting with one of his associates. The associate told him that he had gone to a concert at the Foundation Room and had the opportunity to meet the featured artist Sarah Thiele. The associate and his wife developed a relationship with Sarah. Their conversations centered on the discussion of the power of music and how it’s related to synchronicity. Sarah decided to send him copy of a book, titled Focused Synergy. A few weeks later, the associate met up with my friend and shared his story along with the discussions he had with Sarah. He told him that Sarah sent him a book called Focused Synergy that related music to everyday living. My friend asked him if the author was Robert Van Arlen and his response was yes it is. The call I received once again confirms that there are zero degrees of separation, when you are aware of what’s going on around you.
Can I get a recommendation?
Friday, January 22nd, 2010I’m currently reviewing several new books and want to know what you’re reading that you believe can make a difference for someone else. Each year I develop a list for my clients based not just on my recommendations but from others. I appreciate your help and will be posting the list. Thanks in advance and send your recommendations to me personally at robert@robertvanarlen.com.