How to stay in business...for 15 years!

Today my company, The Raven Group, Inc. enters its 15^th year in business. And on a recent trip to Orlando, my husband and co-owner, Bill, and I were asked how we stayed in business this long.

The answers came easy to us so I thought I would share them with you below. They are in no particular order.

1.      Surround yourself with great people: clients, employees, colleagues and friends

2.      Be thankful for all you have

3.      Continue to add new business while retaining your existing clientele

4.      Be involved in at least one group or organization outside of your company

5.      Have a mentor or confidant

6.      Stay current of trends in and out of your industry

7.      Embrace change

8.      Examine your P&L monthly

9.      Fulfill your commitments with honesty and integrity

Since we came up with 9, what one do you have to round out the list to 10?  Please let me know what you would add to our list.

To all of my readers, thank you! You are the number one reason we are celebrating today.

Achieve Great Success as a High Performer

Ever think about why one person seems to get ahead over another when they have similar skill sets? Do you wonder what is stopping you from becoming all that you can be? Well, I have a suggestion for those of you who want to achieve great success by becoming a High Performer.

After studying countless executives, top producers and business leaders, I have found High Performers significantly outperform their peer groups in a variety of settings and circumstances. While achieving superior levels of performance, they exhibit positive behaviors that reflect their values. And, they have a strong capacity to grow and succeed throughout their careers.

I’ve broken this down to three basic elements of a High Performer.

1. Deliver strong results – credibly
High Performers know results must come with building trust and confidence, remaining objective, and having high standards. They:
a) Develop goals and plans with others in mind
b) Operate in a productive manner
c) Facilitate dynamic interactions

2. Build value through relationships
High Performers understand behaviors count and work collaboratively with the success of others in mind. They:
a) Work to “complete” others versus “compete” with them
b) Develop and maintain positive relationships
c) Successfully manage conflict

3. Master new types of expertise
High Performers embrace lifelong learning, are willing to change and be different. They:
a) Become a possibility thinker
b) Always look to improve
c) Keep up-to-date

If you are ready to be a high performer, don’t forget: Performance always counts, but your behavior matters more and more as you grow your career.

Leadership Basics…10 Tips on Body Language

Leadership is all about connecting with others. Over the next few blogs, I will share with you some of my favorite tips on increasing your personal power. These are from Inside CRM editors at http://www.focus.com/:

BODY LANGUAGE - Like it or not, your body speaks volumes, even when you are silent. Here's how to express an attitude that's appropriate for a leader.

1. Stand tall. Keeping your shoulders back and holding yourself up to your full height will give you an air of confidence.

2. Take your hands out of your pockets. Putting your hands in your pockets is often seen as a sign that you have something to hide.

3. Stand with your arms crossed behind your back. This will help you adjust your posture, and it leaves your hands in a position that is open and not intimidating.

4. Make eye contact. Always look directly into the eyes of the people you are speaking with. This shows you're interested and also gives you a sense of confidence.

5. Sit up straight. Even if you're at an 8 a.m. meeting and feeling tired, it's important to sit up straight in your chair. Slouching makes you look disinterested and can give off an unwanted air of laziness.

6. Face the person you're talking to. This shows you are interested and engaged in the conversation.

7. Shake hands firmly. For many, a handshake is a reflection of the person you're shaking hands with. You don't want to come across as unsure or overbearing, so make sure yours is professional and confident.

8. Always smile. Smiles are contagious and will make others feel positive when you're around.

9. Look your best. You don't have to be model perfect every day, but you should dress appropriately and neatly. Clothes can have a big impact on the way you're perceived.

10. Walk confidently. Keep your head up and take even strides.

Motoring away from good business practices

When was the last time you bought or leased a car?  If it has been a while you are in for a wonderful surprise. 

Remember the days when the sales manager was unbearable?  Back then car sales people were the brunt of jokes – no one wanted to be associated with the industry and the mere thought of walking into a showroom made people cringe.

If anxiety sets in for you when it’s time to find a new vehicle, let me ease your mind.  Car sales people just don’t care about you anymore!  They do not follow up, will let you leave the dealership without a sale and enjoy letting you sit in the showroom for ridiculous periods of time while they…well, I’m not actually sure what they do when they disappear.

Over the past month my husband has lead the search for a new vehicle for me. And, experiencing the process is mind boggling to us.  As business owners, we believe in calling our customers back. We follow up. We respond to emails. We are respectful and honor all prospects and repeat clients. Obviously, we don’t sell cars.

So, when you want to lose loyal clients, make a poor impression on potential new business just follow top car dealers’ motto: ”If you want one of our cars, you’ll have to work for it.”

The next time you are in need of a car consider an auto broker. They work within your budget, offer suggestions that you hadn’t thought of and stay in touch with you.

Once your decision is made, they DELIVER the car to you!  Yes, folks, you don’t ever have to leave your house. The entire transaction takes about an hour – all being conducted in the comfort of your kitchen. 

If you are in South Florida, I will even give a contact – it is Holly Wright, President of Auto Source of America, Inc. She can be reached at 954-270-3987. I

As they say in the business…Happy Motoring!

Make your impressions count…in a good way.

Here are five simple ways to make a great impression with meeting someone for the first time and everytime.

1. Be early – not on time and certainly not late. Yet, if you are running late call the person to let them know – even if it is only 5 minutes.

2. Put your phone away – unless you are waiting for a very important call, don’t only put it on silent, put it away. When you are expecting a call, let the other person know. If it happens, excuse yourself and step away.

3. Don’t use inappropriate language – even damn or crap is unsuitable, much less any other four letter words.

4. Don’t talk negative about anyone – not your competitor, boss, colleague or client.

5. Spend half your time listening and the other half talking – relationships are not one sided.

That’s easy and simple, right?

Well, one would think so. But the last few times I have met someone for the first time, they missed at least 3 out of the five. Goes without saying their lasting impression is not favorable.

Make your impressions count…in a good way.

Have the simple pleasantries become a thing of the past?

How many times did you say "Please" and "Thank you" yesterday? Only when you felt it was deserved or every time you interacted with others? Have the simple pleasantries become a thing of the past?

As our society becomes more and more self-absorbed, we find less and less need to extend simple courtesies to one another. If we can't get the store clerk, waiter or ticket attendant to thank us for our business, we certainly can't expect a "Thanks" for opening a door, letting someone ahead in line or returning a dropped article to its owner.

Considering "Please" and "Thank you" were among some of the first words we were taught as a child, perhaps we should all go back to those days. The days when we said those two phrases all of the time because it was considered good manners - it was the right way to treat another.

Have the simple pleasantries become a thing of the past? Not if you start doing them again, with every memo or note that you write, every task or chore you assign and every customer you service. Yes, you can start today making a thing of the past come alive in the future.

Simple is easy. And easy always seems to get done.

This month our company, The Raven Group, Inc. celebrates 13 years in business. We are proud to have sustained the past couple of years and are finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. So, I thought it would be timely to write about how we did it.

Yet, many of my readers are not business owners. My following is also comprised of executives, department heads, managers and individual contributors. As I thought about the course of action we followed to endure, I realized it applies to everyone.

Whether you are working at keeping your doors open, avoiding reductions in force or worrying about being laid off, these 5 simple, easy tips may be just what you are looking for.

1. Always have options
Keep changing and don't get stagnate
Create opportunities

2. Remedy poor performance

Work constantly at self-improvement
Decide early to release substandard performers

3. Have little and big goals in mind
Strive for something everyday
Focus on just one or two long-term goals

4. Remember time flies
Don’t delay making tough decisions
Make choices and follow through on them

5. Celebrate often
Recognize the smallest of wins

Show your appreciation

These five simple tips have kept our company and our sanity as business owners on course since 1998. They also play a big part of how we lead our personal lives as well.

They are simple.

But simple is easy. And easy always seems to get done.