By Kevin Sheldrake

What’s the best client rejection you’ve ever had?

I bet it was something honest, positive and unambiguous: “Thanks, I can see the value of what you do, but it’s just not for us.”

And what’s been your worst rejection?

Probably something like: “Oh yes, this is great, we’re definitely very interested. Please send a proposal, and we’ll look to start next month … or the month after… or perhaps after Christmas…”

This is often followed by a merry-go-round of calls and emails with them asking for more information or you sending polite chasers. Or worse still, silence.

While this sort of rejection is not intentionally unkind or impolite, it can be very frustrating and a gross waste of time for both sides. Without a clear “No”, without a firm close, there is confusion, and you could easily find yourself caught in a vortex of ambiguity. Do you chase them? Maybe it’s just fallen down their priorities, and they would value a reminder? Or should you hold back? After all, you don’t want to seem pushy (but you also want them to know you’re keen and proactive about their business…). 

And yet, not only will you have received this sort of rejection before; but you’ve also likely given it too – we all have!

So why do we do it?

Usually, it comes down to this: We naturally opt for the soft kill as a gentler, more thoughtful, and let’s face it, easier way for us to ‘let someone down’. After all, rejection is tough, for both sides. As business owners ourselves, we know the disappointment our decline is about to inflict on the other party. Not to mention our having to endure push-back or escalation in the sales pitch if the other party isn't yet ready to accept defeat.

But… wouldn’t life be more straightforward for all concerned if we could just be candid, and direct?

How To Say “No”

First of all, it’s important to recognise the difference between a decision and the exchanges leading up to a decision. The former is closed and done. It ‘merely’ needs the closure to be communicated. How to do this in the most effective way is the subject of this blog.

Not to be confused with the others, which may take the form of challenges, or questions, inclinations, instincts, doubts (etc.), all of which are part of a process where the final outcome is not necessarily certain. These situations are about clarification, fact-checking and due diligence, so all require further work, not closure.

If you’re sure that it is indeed a decision that you are communicating, the best (/least worst) rejection should be:

Transparent

• If it is something that you can share, being transparent with the other party about the reasons for your decision will allow them to understand and accept it. This is always better than leaving them in a state of uncertainty or feeling the decision was arbitrary or ill-informed.
• Of course, there’s a risk if you share too much insight that you may give the impression that there is room for negotiation or the possibility the deal could still be recovered. Hence why you also need to be…

Absolute

• If your rejection sounds anything like “Well I’ve been thinking… and weighing up the options… and I’m just not quite sure that…” then think again. You’re turning it into a live debate and in doing so, encouraging arguments and rationales as to why you should change your mind. 
• There’s a good reason why the judges on all these wonderful talent shows use phrases like “I’ve made my decision, and…”. By framing the decision in the past, they make it a statement of fact, no longer up for grabs. It’s fixed, non-negotiable, absolute.

Concise

• Sometimes when nervous or trying to argue the best case, we’ll throw words at the problem. We think that by listing every possible doubt or factor in the decision, we’ll overwhelm the other party with so many on-point objections they’ll have to accept our reasoning.
• More often than not however it has the opposite effect. Too wordy, can sound a lot like over-excusey. It can sound fabricated, or over-rehearsed. The recipient should not have to read between the lines of what you say.
• Conversely, there is always something quite impressive about the quiet confidence of being concise and to the point. Communicated well, a message like this will leave the minimum of chinks to be challenged and bargained around.

Informed

• Check your facts beforehand, so you’re not having to make generalisations when put on the spot – you don’t want to be left open-mouthed and unable to give an adequate answer. The worst possible outcome is that your intended closure communication turns into an ongoing debate around some (ultimately non-fundamental) point of detail.

Honest

• Stick to the facts of the situation. Don’t be tempted to make up extra reasons for your decision, as this can inadvertently hint at further negotiation “So, if we just resolve these issues then we have a deal, yes?”, “Erm, still no.”.
• Take responsibility where appropriate and avoid excuses – there is no need to manufacture a story about your car breaking down or your dog being ill.
• Of course there is honesty, and then there’s brutal honesty, so be sympathetic too and mindful of how you would feel if the situation was reversed.

Positive

• Despite the overall declinature, you will surely be able to draw out some positive aspects that you can refer to – maybe the competitive pricing, or the professionalism of the proposal or the team. This will make the decision feel like a considered one, and that there are still positive elements that can be drawn from the experience.

Finally, ‘Be careful what you wish for’
So, we’ve discussed rejection, and how best to communicate it to others, and generally our recommendations above are founded on principles of ‘firm but fair’. It may feel tougher to deliver (and receive) at first, but is better for all sides in the long run. 

Ultimately you want to leave anyone you deal with feeling as though you’ve treated them honestly and with respect.

The responsibility that comes with this argument is that we also have to take it on the chin when being presented with a firm but fair rejection ourselves.

If you’re seeing a pattern where people seem to find it easier to give you a fake yes instead of a straight no, perhaps it’s a sign of something else. Maybe you’re not listening, or not picking up the signals early enough? Or possibly you are too defensive or taking business too personally? 

If this could be the case, step back and check yourself. - It’s up to each of us to be open-minded and resilient enough to take honest feedback and rejection when it comes. Otherwise we simply perpetuate the cycle.

What are your thoughts? Be honest; I can handle it! Let me know in the comments below.

Guest blog from Colin Bielckus, the Outsourced Finance Director and Avenue Business Services

How do you plan, let alone execute, in times of uncertainty?

Let’s face facts – even in this post-truth world there are still some – whatever your viewpoint on the EU, many businesses are finding themselves unable to plan properly due to uncertain markets, uncertain access to employees and uncertainty over whether costs of imported items will materially alter.

The correct thing to do is ignore the distractions and make an educated guess (or two) and make a killing while everyone else dithers but, in the real world, you’re going to be the one doing the dithering while someone (braver?) steals a march on you.

It’s just life.

The old fight or flight response (technically the hyperarousal or acute stress response) has been revisited and is now the fight, flight or freeze response.

And all too often the answer is freeze.

It can be that it’s not your “fault” – just take me as a for instance – a couple of presentations that I know have gone really well have not (yet) led to new assignments. They will – of that I am certain – but the other parties are suffering from said freeze.

So it’s not MY freeze, is it?

Or is it? Am I not just as guilty as my prospective clients?

I’ve a number of possible responses to this but they can realistically be summarised as:

• Persuasion – you know you want to, if you do so now you steal a march on your rivals
• Resignation – it will happen in the fullness of time so don’t push too hard for fear of jeopardising the relationship, and
• Substitution – if not X then Y. If prospective client A is dithering I can use the time to firm up with client B or use the downtime to deal with all those “nice to haves” that never seem to get to the top of the to-do list (writing guest blogs for instance)…
  
  

Which should you use and in which circumstance?

In much of what I do there is a coaching element rather than a mentoring viewpoint (ten points for those who can tell me the difference in a sentence) so, while there is the perpetual temptation to cajole, one must ask if that is the right thing to do at that time with that person. Sometimes it is, sometimes it really isn’t. Learn to be honest with yourself.

But do be wary of the snake oil salesmen – everything is wonderful if you buy my A or B or C – it’s the wonder cure for all ailments, personal as well as business. The new wonder cure – won’t take any hard work, preparation or staying power – just give me your money and all will be well.

Of course, I’m going to say that. Aren’t I?

It’s not in my best interest to give you a simple cure and go – one off payment and that’s all you’ll ever need – when I can sell you something that you will need to come back again and again. That’s what people like me do, isn’t it… Better the single payment for the panacea and, if it doesn’t work, try again. The grass is always greener.

But deep inside we know that life is really not like that, although we all know those people in business who act as if it is.

And we’ve got (a minimum of) two more years of this.

My confidence levels in our negotiators are not very high… I suspect the best we can hope for is that the economy acts as it does when coming out of a recession – eventually enough people get fed up with being miserable that things start to pick up because of a collective desire for life to improve.

Of course, the vote of last year demonstrated a deep division in our populace – as near as damn 50:50 – which suggests, whatever happens, half the country is going to be disappointed. But we are where we are, whether we want to be or not.

Certain sectors of the economy may well be more resilient than others. If you are selling UK purchased goods to UK consumers the likelihood is that, increases in bank base rate permitting, your audience is unlikely to disappear overnight. That doesn’t mean that, if you are selling snow to Eskimos, your market will disappear but you might find you have to be more flexible in your trading terms.

Do remember too that business is not a zero-sum game. Too many people treat it as such. If I make a profit it doesn’t mean that you don’t. One thing I am certain of is that SOMEBODY will be making money out of these conditions, be it a “disrupter” or not.

Just have the attitude that says that somebody is me.

 
Colin Bielckus is The Outsourced Finance Director, delivering a bespoke service for aspiring SMEs, and MD owner of Avenue Business Services, Chartered Accountants based in South Hampshire.

Also check out Colin's brilliant tongue-in-cheek blog Re: Accountancy.

By Kevin Sheldrake

In Part 1, we looked at the inward impact of VUCA and how we can make our own business resilient to external factors. But we also need to think of our customers and key connections in terms of the VUCA factor, particularly those VUCA ripples that we inadvertently create for them.

How many times have you had someone:

• Cancel a meeting at the last minute or even fail to show,
• Repeatedly defer a large contract, expecting you to shift your other client commitments around to suit,
• Take weeks to sign their contract and then immediately start chasing you for progress,
• Drive the hardest possible bargain on your fees, and then require constant chasing to pay their invoices?

It doesn't feel good does it?

You'll recognise these examples and you'll have your own. We all inevitably have to endure elements of this (although do also read my Golden Goose and How to Sack a Client posts!), but they are apposite examples of others creating VUCA splashes in our ponds. 

Actions like these create ripples. Cause enough of them and the ripples become a pattern of behaviour, that creates a reputation, and a source of problems, that can be traced back to you. Which would you rather be known as, the source of problems, or solutions?

So by inference, while it’s tempting to see VUCA purely in terms of the difficulties it presents, it also provides the opportunity to demonstrate your appreciation and respect for the time and value of those you come into contact with.

With this in mind, take these four steps to flip the dynamics of Volatility (to Stability), Uncertainty (to Certainty), Complexity (to Simplicity), and Ambiguity (to Clarity) to minimise the VUCA vibe you create for others: 

1. Stability
In an ever changing and shifting environment, you need to be seen as totally dependable and consistent, so avoid 'dipping in and out' of your activities, especially your marketing and other highly visible/client-facing initiatives.

As it’s easy to let these activities slip during busy periods – the “monthly” newsletter that became bimonthly and the once active social media accounts that now gather dust – look at outsourcing or automating them instead. Email lists, web sign ups, content scheduling and many other tasks can all be managed and maintained this way. Take a look at the Making Time post for tips.

If you handle your marketing outreach activities well, not only will it promote trust in your brand, but it will also help customers form a more enduring relationship with your business.
 
2. Certainty
Your clients are relying on you to get the job done. Promises and assurances, mean little unless they’re backed by action. Delivery is key.

If you’ve ever experienced the frustration of booking a taxi that's failed to show, or a scheduled delivery that doesn't arrive, you will understand. Let a customer down, even once, and it can plant a seed doubt that undermines your integrity and the relationship you have established. As a result your hard-fought client advocate may decide to take their business elsewhere or share their experience with others.

For this reason, your customers’ trust should never be taken for granted. Instead, show you value it, prove your reliability, and follow through on any undertaking.

Do this, and your clients will see you as an easy choice rather than a risky one.
 
3. Simplicity
Your customers, like you, have multiple demands to juggle and much to think about already, so respect their time and avoid complicating things.

Review the experience you provide from their perspective. More likely than not, it could benefit from a little streamlining.

Examine your processes, weed out those that are long-winded – do you really need that many questions on the client take-on form? Also, consider your offering. Is it overwhelming or difficult to understand – is it totally necessary to have all those product variations and pricing options?

While it’s good to give customers options, too much choice can hamper decision-making and stall your client take-ons.

Instead, opt for a clear and manageable set of choices, and a simple logical (obvious) sequence of next steps to follow. This will make life far easier for your clients, and ensure you stand out as a more confident and favourable option compared to your competitors.
 
4. Clarity
I'm sure I don't need to tell you how essential transparency and understanding are. Make sure these elements are a core part of your 'corporate values' and that your team get this too – the “computer says no” parody may be relatable, but it’s not an association you want.

In the eyes of your clients, your website, marketing collateral, and customer-facing team members and processes are your business. They’re responsible for helping clients on their journey, and explaining the critical details of what’s going to happen and when. To communicate all this effectively, your team need clarity and understanding themselves. Don't just tell them what to do, tell them why.

Nail this, and your customers will feel like you are on their side, acting in their best interest and helping them through their journey (as opposed to putting up barriers and bureaucratic processes for your own mysterious purposes).

 
Final word… the idea that 'change is the only constant' is hardly new, but it does sometimes feel like it's stepped up a gear of late. Regardless, if VUCA is the new normal, it doesn’t mean we have to just accept it.

Rise to the challenge. Prime your business for resilience (VUCA Part 1) and make things as un-VUCA as possible for those you come into contact with.

Master this and you will not only navigate your own VUCA seas with confidence, you will also enhance your reputation, earn respect, and achieve deeper relationships, while others around you flounder in reactive disarray!

What VUCA waves have you had to battle? How do you make things stable, certain, simple and clear for your customers? Let me know in the comments below.

Guest blog from Trisha Lewis, Professional Communicator

Let’s dig deeper - what are the ingredients of this ‘doubt’ that you are ‘doing’ to yourself?

Try these questions out for size:

Do you ever:

• Worry about how you are going to be judged - and pre-judge yourself?
• Put success down to fluke?
• Fear that one tiny mistake will be all that people notice?
• Feel everyone else has got what it together while you look in from the outside?

Would it help if there was a technical term to sum all this up?

Well the words won’t help as such - but it is good to know that these feelings are not unique to
you! When something has been through the process of rigorous research it tends to suggest
that it is real and worth investigating.

The research I refer to was done in the 1970’s by Clance & Imes - and the name they used for
these ways of thinking was ‘Impostor Phenomenon’ (and yes I did just use spell check).
Fortunately this ‘condition’ is now more commonly referred to as ‘Impostor Syndrome’ - easier to
say and spell, whilst not so technically accurate.


What is Impostor Syndrome?

It’s what I have right now as I scour my overflowing bookshelves for yet another reference for
this blog. It’s what I had an hour ago when I came across yet another person on google who
does something similar to me and seems to be having massive success and they look different
and talk different and have a good ‘ebook’ and ….. nobody will ever take me seriously.

It’s what I did at the last networking event I attended - looked around the table and associated
‘credibility’ to every person other than myself.

It’s spending 10 times as much time as needed to ‘perfect’ a presentation, piece of work,
business card, website…..

It’s completely ignoring every achievement and qualification you have already and considering
taking an open university degree to make sure people believe that you ‘know your stuff’.

It’s NOT GOOD! It can hold you back if you let it - and it’s exhausting.


Checklist of symptoms
​

• Putting success down to fluke
• Obsessing over your mistake - forgetting the good stuff
• Comparing yourself with others too much
• Perfectionism
• Turning down opportunity for fear of being ‘found out’ as a ‘fraud’
• Worrying way too much about what others think about you
• Over attention to ‘appearance’
• Embarrassed by ‘praise’
• Awkward about ‘selling yourself’ - in case they actually do ‘buy’ you!
• Disconcerting ‘alien’ feeling

Effects on your business

There is a concept in marketing known as AIDA - how to lead a person to buy basically:

• Attention
• Interest
• Desire
• Action

That makes perfect sense for persuasive communication - I certainly explore this sequence
when coaching clients and indeed use this AIDA approach frequently in verbal and written
communication.

However - let’s chuck all the above ‘impostor syndrome’ ingredients into the mix - and do so
even before you start this sequence. How does this influence the ‘action’ part? You want to get
the ‘prospect’s’ attention, interest, desire - but there is a voice in your head saying : ‘I’m a fraud
and they will catch me out any minute’. You therefore ‘pull back’ at every stage. You underplay
the benefits of what you do and more than likely you fail to get them to take action.

A quick look at the above checklist of symptoms will allow you to imagine many more ‘negative’
consequences of Impostor Syndrome thinking - the very worst being ‘giving up’ and reverting to
comfort zones to hide away where nobody will question you - where nobody will notice you -
where no mistakes will be made. You might even spend all your energy seeking ‘validation’ from
others rather than getting on with the job and seeing the results which lead you to give yourself
that validation!


Is there a cure?

Firstly - you have to want a cure. It is very possible to get into a love-hate relationship with the
Impostor Syndrome - and fighting it might feel like you are fighting your very identity - which
after all you are already a bit ‘wobbly’ about.

In the words of Diana Ross:

If there's a cure for this
I don't want it
I don't want it
If there's a remedy
I'll run from it

So - having decided that you DO want a cure - the bad news is there isn’t one! Sorry.

However - having decided that you are up for doing something to change the thinking pattern -
there is a way forward. This way forward is simple to say and less simple to do. Don’t be too
hard on yourself while you are trying - keep at it and the patterns will start to change as our
brains have an amazing capacity for re-wiring connections.


The way to make this change?

You have already done step one. Remember - you are totally the boss of all this - it is only you
creating it in the first place.

1. Get to know there is a name for it - it exists.
2. Find out more - here and here will do for starters.
3. Talk to others - you will be surprised just how much you are NOT alone
4. When the thinking pattern starts - stop it quick! Positive mantra and even referring to a list of your achievements and qualifications.
5. More ‘action’ and less ‘thinking’ can often help.

Final point to consider

The Impostor Syndrome is not confined to a group of people - it can be found in well over 70%
of the population - both genders, all ages, all backgrounds, all personalities ….. It is wildly
rampant amongst the highly skilled and outwardly confident - it lurks amongst academics and
actors alike!

Can you imagine winning 3 Oscar’s and still saying this:

‘You think, “Why would anyone want to see me again in a movie? And I don’t know how to act
anyway, so why am I doing this?”‘

These exact words were spoken by the actor Meryl Streep.

I frequently explore this topic in coaching sessions - and I am so pleased to have delivered talks
to students on this prevalent mindset barrier - the discussion needs to happen.

Brilliant short animation from The School of Life

Trisha Lewis - Professional Communicator

Helping individuals and organisations remove the barriers to effective communication
www.trishalewis.com

How do you recognise Imposter Syndrome in yourself and your work life? Let me know in the comments below.

By Kevin Sheldrake

You may already be familiar with the term, but even if not, it’s likely you’ve encountered it.

I came across VUCA only recently and immediately it struck a chord. It represents how we understand and cope with the environment around us and in turn, how our behaviour and business activities impact on that environment and our clients.

So what is VUCA?

For an acronym, VUCA has a colourful past. The U.S. military conceptualised it after the Cold War, but it was also used to navigate the chaos of the financial crash in 2008.

VUCA describes situations that are Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous. Now if that doesn’t reflect the space in which we all operate in the present day, then I don’t know what does!!

As you’d expect, a VUCA environment is a less than helpful one to work in because it affects our stability, confidence, planning and decision making. That said, while VUCA is generally used to describe external factors or influences over which we may have limited control, it doesn’t mean that we should just roll over.
 
Strategies for success in a VUCA environment

1. Remove - Avoid - Reduce

• First of all, are you able to remove or avoid the VUCA elements? Will a change in suppliers, or subtle alterations to your product or niche, allow you to sidestep the VUCA dynamics?
• Or can you at least dial down their influence? – Perhaps you can achieve greater stability by working with a range of delivery partners rather than being reliant on just one, or in uncertain times, gain more foresight by fixing-in longer-term supply deals for your key components.

2. Flex

• While it sounds slightly counterintuitive, there may be occasions when you choose to work in a VUCA environment.
• Like the Starship Enterprise deliberately entering a hazardous asteroid belt to escape technically superior pursuers, maybe you can create an advantage over bigger rivals by better navigating your VUCA space?
• To do this and succeed in the VUCA zone, you will need to adapt, with flex and resilience being your competitive advantage…

 
VUCA Resilience
“You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf” (Mindfulness and meditation guru Jon Kabat-Zinn)

Here’s how you can manage the VUCA dynamics and turn the tide on the effects it has on your business…

1. Vanquish Volatility: Achieve stability and consistency. In an environment prone to unpredictable change or disruption, you need defined processes. You want defined (ideally automated) procedures that are part of a system, with triggers to activate them, and follow-on actions and consequences. Remember, action is key, without it, procedures are redundant. With systems and controls in place, you will be able to ride the waves of volatility and be in a position to devote more time to grow and improve the business.
   
   
2. Uproot Uncertainty: When the external environment is unpredictable, it’s vital to understand how your business works internally and how a change in one factor, will impact on another. This requires design (as in 1. above) and also testing. You need to be confident, that when you pull a lever, you know what will happen. For instance, do you know how much extra money you need to invest in marketing in one month, to double your leads in the next, or how long it takes to recruit and on-board a new designer to be fully contributing? This appreciation of cause and effect will not only allow you to react and adapt in a VUCA storm, but it will also boost the confidence that staff and stakeholders have in your business and your own ability to lead.
   
   
3. Conquer Complexity: Create simplicity. Every business has moving parts, but too many can be chaotic. This is especially true when it has been built by exception – adding in a new process each time a new situation arises. Although few owner-run businesses set out with this intention, many still try to accommodate every eventuality all the same.  If this sounds familiar, take a step back. Consider which processes (internal or customer-facing) can be re-used and multi-purposed, instead of designing everything to work for one application. This will help simplify daily operations while also ensuring your business is replicable and scalable.
   
   
4. Attack Ambiguity: Clarify and gain understanding and agreement. When details are sketchy, or there is a general lack of understanding between people or departments, then confusion and ambiguity will arise. So, communicate, communicate, communicate! When your team knows what they need to do and why they’re doing it, they are empowered, supportive and more willing to invest in you.
   
   

What VUCA dynamics do you face with your business? Do you avoid, mitigate, or ride the waves? Let me know in the comments below.

Next Up: VUCA Part 2 – As well as looking at how our own businesses respond to VUCA, we also need to consider how we can reduce the VUCA ripples we create for our clients.

To ensure you don’t miss the second VUCA instalment sign up to the Boardroom Blog mailing list here!

​By Kevin Sheldrake

Everything that moves, meets resistance. If you want to move quickly, or move a lot, then this resistance becomes a big deal.
 
And your business wants to move! In today’s fast-paced business environment, everything is about flexibility, speed of innovation and reaction. Your ability to innovate and bring to market, or to learn and re-design and pivot, can be the making or breaking of your hard-fought business.
 
So identifying, and removing, your points of drag, is important stuff.
 
In your business there’s a number of factors that can lead to drag: complex approval lines, lack of funding, cumbersome manual processes, excessive administration and human factors like under-motivated staff or slow, out of touch, partners or suppliers.
 
Whatever the cause, the outcomes are often the same: efficiency declines, growth stalls and innovation is inhibited.
 
So the challenge for business owners is spotting and alleviating this resistance before it becomes destructive or debilitating. 
 
What does it look like? What should I do?
If you recognise any of these drag factors, it’s time to take action:

1. Motivations are not aligned: Whether it’s your workforce, your executive partner/s or your key suppliers, if any of these key parties have hidden or markedly differing motivations, you will experience conflict and communication problems, and everything will take longer.
   
   Start as you mean to go on by being up front and transparent about what you are looking for from each key engagement relationship, and understand the same from your partners’ perspectives too. Only then can you ensure that goals and activities are aligned and tuned to meet both of your needs.
   
   
2. Priorities are unclear: Without a focused approach, time, energy and resources will be lost on opportunities that have little or no strategic benefit to the business, causing drag and misdirection.
   
   Instead, define specific strategic goals so you can target opportunities that will actually move the business forward.
   
   
3. Decision-making is laboured: Whether due to poor communication or a convoluted hierarchy, a lack of focused and on-point decision-making will slow down core processes and stifle innovation.
   
   Differentiate every-day operational type decisions from those that genuinely need up-the-line review, and set authorities and empowerment accordingly. Not only will your decision times reduce, but your staff will also feel more involved and invested in the business.
   
   
4. Incentives are counterproductive: Target driven initiatives have obvious benefits, but if misaligned they can also become a distraction drawing attention away from other (but nonetheless important) tasks.
   
   Identify your key goals and outcomes at each level of the business and put in place corresponding staff performance goals and measures. Share your business vision with everyone, and step it up a level by also rewarding staff for improvement, innovation and acting in the best interest of the business.
   
   
5. Processes are overly complicated: Anything that adds extra time or effort to a task that should otherwise be undemanding, means extra drag. 
   
   Don’t just assume you can install a process or solution and then forget about it. Make a point of revisiting – maybe even bring in a fresh pair of eyes. Consider how it can be improved, made more flexible or simplified. Identify why it exists and realign as needed, so it supports the key outcomes.
   
   
6. Customers have become an inconvenience: If you find that your business would work a lot better without customers coming in and expecting things, asking questions or demanding inconvenient variations, this is often a sign of poor communications, an inward focus, and having lost sight of the original goals of the business. In the short-term, confused and disillusioned customers can wreak all sorts of havoc on the smooth running of things. Longer term, word will get out, and your competitors will get in; lousy service never prevails!
    
   Keep a close watch on customer service with quantitative (e.g. delivery times, service backlog) and qualitative (e.g. feedback, complaints) measures. Include this feedback as key measures of the business and set ownership and responsibility for continually improving performance.

 
 
By the way, reducing drag in your business doesn’t necessarily mean cuts and reductions. Quite the opposite in fact - it usually requires effort and investment.
 
Either way, it’s tough work, especially if the causes and behaviours have become ingrained in key processes and procedures or the mindset of staff or strategic partners. If you can’t catch it early, then you may need to dial down certain non-critical efforts so you can give due focus to your streamlining.
 
What kinds of drag have you experienced in your business? Do you have any tips of your own to remove friction and boost productivity? Let me know in the comments below.
​

By Kevin Sheldrake

It’s an inherent contradiction. We’re confident in our work and want our clients to be happy, yet the idea of offering unlimited revisions makes us feel nervous. One round is fine, perhaps even two or three is feasible, but beyond that, it’s like writing a blank cheque isn’t it?

Well no, not quite.
​
There is no denying that some clients can be picky, but it’s not in their interest to spend unnecessary time asking for endless minute changes. The reason for this is simple; no one wins when a job is delayed. However challenging they can be, clients do understand that you both have the same goal: the best job possible, with the most efficient use of resources – time, money and physical assets.
But nevertheless, there are still things to consider before you provide this as a standard part of your service.  
 
Balancing risk against reward
When you offer revisions, you are essentially guaranteeing the quality of your work or service. The more this includes, the stronger that guarantee appears.

Unlimited revisions are therefore a powerful and bold proposition. The client wants certainty, and from their point of view, it shows that you are skilled, that you stand behind what you do and that you pride yourself on doing a good job. Ultimately this increases their confidence, strengthening your relationship.

This has obvious benefits, as customer retention is far easier once you’ve earned their trust and demonstrated your value.

But there are of course risks too, you will, therefore, need to manage client engagement from the start and right the way through to the project’s timely completion – but surely you do this already?
The crux, however, is the balance you strike between being flexible – so you can actually make changes – and being efficient – so resources are not squandered and work with other clients isn’t jeopardised. 
  
Project planning and management
Some of this risk can be offset by investing a little more time upfront negotiating a job’s spec and planning its delivery. Here are some considerations to bear in mind:

• On-board diligently: Know who you want to work with (and who you don’t) and develop robust methods to vet the suitability of potential clients to help you avoid the headaches the picky ones bring.
  
  
• Determine boundaries: Define a ‘revision’ and set parameters to ensure changes stay within the original scope of a project and include it in your contract. But it may also be useful to consider a provision for more if needed, perhaps as a billable extra or add-on.
  
  
• Ask questions: Clarity at the outset is essential and will reduce the need for revisions later, so ask as many questions as is necessary.
  
  
• Set expectations: To ensure things run smoothly, also define your role and theirs, plus some clear objectives to map out the process, so everyone knows what to expect, from whom and when.
  
  
• Prioritise communication: Keep your client informed as you progress through each stage of the project so they can offer feedback incrementally. Not only does this save time in the long run, but it gives you both the opportunity to bounce new ideas before work begins on the next stage.

 
Unlimited revisions are a big step, but the risk that a client would make endless requests for changes is unlikely as they’d be wasting their time as much as yours!

Plus, when you also consider that a returns policy is a relatively standard part of any sales process, is it really that different? Surely, it’s just good customer service.
​
What do you think? Let me know in the comments below.
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Guest blog post from Lawrence Francis, Hardwiring A Healthier Lifestyle

Ah the life of a solopreneur! Freedom from work routine and the daily commute and office politics. Finally able to pursue your passion, without being held back by a team or boss who don’t share your vision. This is something of a romantic notion that is not the reality for most small business owners.
 
Life on the road, living out of a suitcase and networking events at the crack of dawn are the reality for most of us. Perhaps the most difficult aspect to keep on top of is the food we are consuming. A lifestyle of eating away from home, breakfast fry-ups, networking coffees and evening drinks can have its downsides. Inadvertently, we may stepping onto the energy roller coaster. Up one minute, down the next; experiencing weight gain, feeling ‘spaced out’ and general lethargy. Not great when you need to write a blog post, deliver a marketing presentation or meet with a potential client.
 
Most of my clients are business owners, who travel extensively and often don’t have full control over the food they are eating. Working with them, I have discovered three steps that will allow you to eat out, and still ensure you’re super focused when it’s time to get to work.

Step 1. Discover your Metabolic Type
This is the equivalent of knowing what fuel to put in your car. You wouldn’t put diesel into a petrol car and expect it to drive. So why do that with your body?
 
We all have a Metabolic Type; there are three types: Carbohydrate, Protein and Mixed. For example, as a Protein Type, I need to be aware of eating excessive ‘naked carbs.’ That is a carb source without a fat and protein to slow the rate at which I burn through the energy and keep me on my game for longer. No Metabolic Type is better than any other, and discovering yours will literally change the way you look at food forever!

Step 2. Learn what constitutes a fat, protein and carbohydrate
For clear thinking and even, all-day energy we need the right balance of all three macronutrients, eating the right proportions for our Metabolic Type. The only way we can proportion our plate properly is if we can quickly tell the difference between fats, proteins and carbohydrates. With this quick guide, you’ll never be unsure again.
 
Proteins are foods that had a pair of eyes, or came from of something with a pair
of eyes. Eg. Cows, chickens and fish have a pair of eyes; their products are milk, eggs and caviar respectively. ‘Eyes-foods’ are high in protein.
 
Fats I always picture the ‘fat aisle’ in the supermarket. Think about where the olive oil, sunflower oil and coconut oil live. These are all fats. Some fats may also be found in the fridge, such as dripping or lard. Some exceptions are nuts and avocados; both very high in good fat. Yum!
 
Carbohydrates are everything else not covered in the first two categories. Carbs are not just bread, rice, pasta or grains as you may have been led to believe; they include vegetables, fruits, wine, chocolate and most common snack foods and breakfast cereals.

3. Keep a food log (The acid test)
It takes between 1 and 2 hours for your body to give you feedback on what you just ate. Food logging is the best way to actively listen to your body. Best of all, it’s free, and can also help to identify allergies or foods that simply don’t agree with you.
 
You don’t have to get fancy with tracking apps or complex programs. Your phone is a great tool to log what you’re eating and if you’re anything like me it’s always within reach. Just take a before and after picture of your food (giving you the time and the amount consumed). Then an hour or two after you finish, make a 30 second video to record your responses. Speak about your energy levels, how full you feel and your emotional state. Say a few words about each and give the meal an overall rating out of 10, based on how you feel. Keep it simple, but do it consistently for at least a week.
 
The real power comes from reviewing your food diary after a week and asking yourself:

• What trends am I seeing?
• Does my energy always drop at a certain time of day or after a certain food?
• What opportunities are there to eat more of the foods that my body responds best to?

 
Adjust your diet based on what you discover from food logging for a week. Repeat for another week to fine-tune your diet.
 
YOUR TURN

1. Discover your Metabolic Type here: http://lawrencefrancis.co.uk/metabolic-typing-test/
2. Watch my video on telling the macronutrients apart here: http://lawrencefrancis.co.uk/quickly-tell-food-fat-protein-carbohydrate/
3. Let me know your thoughts, and your progress, with the above by leaving a comment below.

 
Lawrence is a qualified Psychologist and Holistic Lifestyle Coach, helping clients ‘Hardwire a Healthier Lifestyle’. For health tips and to ask any questions you may have, follow him on Instagram (www.instagram.com/iam2awrence) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/2awrence)

How do you deal with the networking food and energy rollercoaster? Let me know in the comments below.

In anticipation of our next Breakfast Board on the role of social media in personal branding, we asked Clare Groombridge, Founder and Director of South Coast Social, to write us a special guest blog...

If you’re a business owner, you’ve probably often considered how to portray the best possible image of your brand through the company social media accounts. However, many business owners I speak to are so focused on the way their company is perceived online that they often neglect a key factor - their own personal branding.

A quick Google search of your name and company will confirm that social media is one of the strongest ways for someone to FIND information about you and your business – and it’s also the best way to help DEVELOP this information into the online personal brand you wish to portray.

So why is developing your personal branding so important? Well firstly, by having a strong personal brand you will also help to boost your company profile. Research from Neilson shows that 77% of consumers are more likely to buy from a company when they hear about it from someone they trust. By ensuring your presence on social media is consistent, you can have a real influence on your company’s sales and reputation. 84% of people start their buying process with a referral (Source: SalesBenchIndex) - and Google is the very first place people look.

By creating a strong personal brand, you’re also effectively marketing yourself as an expert in your industry and demonstrating WHY people should trust you and your opinions. The same Neilson research also showed that 92% of people trust recommendations from individuals (even if they don’t know them) over brands!

​Customers researching your business will also be looking at you and every social media profile you own is promoting your personal brand - and they WILL be evaluated and checked! It’s an old cliché but it’s very true - you only get one chance to make a first impression and how your personal brand is perceived could be the difference between someone choosing your business over a competitor.

However, as a business owner it’s key to ensure that you carefully research which social media networks are right for you and your audience – you should also consider each profile set up, tone of voice, content (what do you want to share), who you are looking to target and how you will engage with influencers and potential new business contacts as well as the feasibility of how often you will be able to post.

What’s been your experience of developing your personal brand, and balancing this with that of your business, on and offline? Let me know in the comments below.

Clare Groombridge, Founder and Director of South Coast Social
 
South Coast Social are a Bournemouth based social media agency exclusively for small to medium sized businesses that are focused on growth and expansion.

With a prestigious client list spanning a wide range of sectors, South Coast Social work with brands to develop an effective social media presence based on their unique industry knowledge and years of experience.

“If you would like some guidance on crafting YOUR unique online brand through social media, we are excited to launch our first ever bespoke Personal Branding Social Media Package – affordable and tailored to YOU, whatever your niche or experience. We’ll guide you through every step of the process, reviewing your current social media (if appropriate), evaluating your individual requirements and creating a personal branding strategy to set you apart in your industry. We can also create a package for your business partners or employees – after all 53% of decision makers have eliminated a vendor from consideration based on information they did or did not find about an employee online (Source: HubSpot).”

Want to know more? Simply email info@southcoastsocial.com / call 01202 985022 to book your package and start investing in YOUR online reputation!
www.southcoastsocial.com