Increase Your Business Success; Seize New Opportunities

Professional consultants must frequently help clients anticipate and deal with changes that are critical to the success of their organizations.   

Changes impacting organizations and individuals can occur either internally or in their external environments.  Changes can unfold relatively slowly or quite suddenly.  Whatever the source or the pace of change, the fact is that change is inevitable.  In order to properly perform their role as “trusted advisors” to their clients, consultants must be prepared to deal with such situations.   

Consultants are likely to encounter challenges in terms of changes in their clients’ product offerings, service capabilities or the facilities they operate.  Increased competition from local and international companies is a constant threat for many clients, and fluctuations in the economy can create drastic impacts on clients.   

The same forces of change that impact client organizations can also be felt directly by consulting professionals, whether they work in a large firm or operate independently. In these cases, the challenge for the consultant is to readily and properly adapt to changing conditions in order to continue to advance his or her career success as a consultant.   

During the recent recession, many once-thriving businesses faded away as major changes in the economy forced them out of existence.  Some of these business owners were unable to adapt to changing conditions, and did not easily recover from the impacts of change.  Still others, those who had the necessary creativity and resourcefulness, were able to recognize the need to adapt to changing conditions.  Indeed, this latter group of business leaders seized control of their situations, and took steps to manage the change process in order to advance their careers and achieve business success once again.   

By examining newly emerging trends, many of these more resourceful business leaders were able to identify exciting opportunities for establishing new career ventures that aligned well with their passions and interests.  Focusing their efforts on achieving these new dreams enabled them to prosper amidst the new realities of a changed economy.   

The experiences of these business leaders in recent years clearly illustrate how consultants must be prepared to adapt to changing conditions and embrace new opportunities in order to advance their own careers and properly serve their clients.  Consultants with all levels of experience can benefit from learning to harness the power of the latest trends in technology and the potential to engage in a broad range of new business opportunities.  
 
Today, consultants who have made the necessary transitions are providing valuable expertise and a wide variety of new services to their clients. Instead of focusing on what worked on the problems of the past, these consultants are mastering new skills and technologies in order to better deal with the realities of a changing world.   

Consultants who want to remain successful in business, should explore their own opportunities for personal and professional growth, and establish a plan to manage the ongoing change that offers new avenues for success in their business and personal lives. 

     

 
                

How Effective Public and Media Relations Efforts
Can Make Your Organization More Successful

My presentation on ways  public relations and media relations efforts can make organizations more successful generated lots of discussion recently at the UCLA Conference Center in Arrowhead, California.

More than 100 people attending the California Park & Recreation Society's Aquatic Management School took part in the discussion. These aquatic professionals were highly enthusiastic about what they do, and willing to explore new ways of doing things.

 Now you may not operate an aquatics program, but I would suggest that an effective media relations program is as important to your success as it to those recreation professionals.

 Simply stated, sound media relations help to enhance the visibility of your brand and your profession, business or industry. Positive media exposure makes your organization more visible to current and potential customers, and drives increases in customers and sales. This public support can lead directly to increased profits, and additional resources and growth for your organization in the future. By generating enhanced public awareness of your company, its reputation and its products, you can help to increase the public’s understanding and support of your organization.

Building a more effective relationship with the media covering your organization and industry requires a number of basic steps that should be part of your overall communications plan.  As the chief executive of your organization, you or someone you designate should become a reliable source of information for the media. Your organization should distribute worthwhile information on a regular basis.  You should strive to be responsive and accessible.  Your staff should be trained on how to deal with the media, and your organization should have a plan for dealing with problems and emergencies that will inevitably arise.

Knowing what the media needs and expects from your organization is very important to the success of your media relations efforts.  The media needs you need to provide timely and accurate information when you are contacted or are submitting information.  You need to respect their deadlines, and be prepared to deal with the realities of a 24/7/365 news cycle that seemingly never ends.  You should provide reasonable access to you or your spokesperson.   You should also endeavor to be a good source of story and photo ideas throughout the year, particularly in slower news periods such as holidays.

Remember, it’s not enough for you and your organization to do things very well.  You have to make sure that people know about it.  The right people.

Even when your organization reaches the point where it can consistently provide top quality products, services and facilities, you will still need a comprehensive public and media relations program to ensure that word of the wonders you deliver reaches the key audiences you desire to have as customers.  That’s when you will have put it all together.  That’s when you’ll have a blend of top quality products, services and facilities supported by a communications program that makes your current and potential customers aware of the benefits of doing business with your organization.

           

Inspiration can be hard to come by in life today.  Dealing with others amidst the pressures of our highly competitive world can be tough, and leave little room for compassion or sensitivity. Too many people find reasons to be cynical instead of optimistic.  Too often you’ll hear “what’s in it for me” rather than “how can I help”.

Recently, however, I got a healthy dose of inspiration through a Business & Community Leadership and Ethics awards program I chaired for the 45 Rotary Clubs that compose Rotary District 5320 in Orange County and portions of Los Angeles County. 

A total of 21 nominees were submitted in four categories: Business Rotarian of the Year, Leadership Excellence, Ethics in Business, and Community Leader. The Community Leader award was to be given to a non-Rotarian, while the other three awards were reserved for Rotary Club members. 

Reviewing the nomination packets for this event confirmed that Rotary is truly made up of "ordinary people doing extraordinary things."  Each nominee had an impressive background of leadership and good works in their business, club and community. In addition, the Community Leader category, which had the highest number of nominees, was an especially rich pool of volunteer talents, dedication and drive.

I was particularly inspired by the accomplishments of the Community Leader award recipient.  The Rotary Club of San Clemente nominated retired businessman Don Glasgow for the award.  Glasgow had been very busy during his retirement.  He collected and cleaned 600 full sets of golf clubs and 35,000 golf balls for wounded soldiers at Camp Pendleton.  He gathered 10,000 pairs of shoes for the poor in Mexico, refurbished more than 200 bicycles for the needy, and established a ministry to build houses, churches and feed 1,000 children daily before school in Mexico.  In addition, he helped to raise funds to construct a playground for disabled people in San Clemente and collected musical instruments for school children.

While Glasgow’s accomplishments were many and varied, he was not alone in demonstrating impressive leadership skills.

Business Rotarian of the Year honors went to Placentia’s Glenn Baldwin, a member for 23 years, who has held numerous leadership positions.  As owner of Excalibur Extrusions, he is known for being fair to his customers, employees and distributors.  In one case he turned away a major customer trying to cut his distributor out of the supply chain.  Active in supporting youth groups, community events and fundraisers, he also was involved in school district accreditation and downtown redevelopment efforts.  In addition, he is active in supporter of the Miss California scholarship program.  He also transported patients through the Angel Flight program.

The Ethics in Business award went to Lisa M Wilson, a past president of Monarch Beach Sunrise Rotary. She is an attorney who obtained the Martindale-Hubbell “AV” rating indicating very high to preeminent legal ability and ethics, a ranking attained by less than 5% of all lawyers in the USA.  She found time to serve as her club’s link to local schools for over 20 years.  She incorporates Rotary’s 4-Way Test into school projects, and shares power of ethical decision making with students.  She also ran an Art Master’s elementary school program, brought “Reading by Nine” to schools, and worked to improve student math skills.

Buena Park Rotary’s Dr. George West has served pre-school thru graduate students in Orange County for 48 years.  He currently serves as Dean of the College of Education at Hope International University and as President of the Garden Grove Unified School District Board of Education, which is recognized as the top urban district in California.  Dr. West is recognized for building bridges between schools and Latino, Chinese-American, Korean-American and Vietnamese-American communities.  A life-long practitioner of Rotary’s motto of Service Above Self, Dr. West models ethical behavior and serves as a positive role model for young adults.

Each of these leaders deserves recognition for the outstanding services that they perform in our communities.

 

 

Business leaders who want to succeed in today’s increasingly competitive marketplace have to seize every advantage they can.

Those who don’t think creatively and work tenaciously to set themselves apart from their competition will quickly fall behind as others find new ways to reach out to both existing and potential customers.  It’s not enough to reach into the same old toolbox and rely on traditional ways of doing business that have been used for decades. 

As an example, the automotive service business has changed drastically over the years. Technology has made major impacts in service departments where computer diagnostics now quickly identify problems and solutions.  Skilled technicians are still needed to get the job done, but they work much differently than they did in the past.

Sales and marketing efforts have generally not kept pace with the increasing sophistication of the service side of the automotive business.  While auto manufacturers produce dramatic video, colorful print and sophisticated online ads, local dealerships are too frequently missing opportunities to use relatively inexpensive social media tools to connect with their local customer base.  Social media has the ability to easily and quickly reach out to thousands of customers in a dealer’s area.  These contacts can reinforce a dealer’s image and help to develop more personalized relationships, which are often the key to purchases of large item such as vehicles.  And, as every dealer knows, once a customer purchases a vehicle from a dealer, years of profitable service work frequently follows.

Advertising spending is at the highest level in more than a decade.  Digital advertising is projected to consume a third of the total advertising spending in 2015, according to Magna Global.  Digital media is also growing in importance because customers are increasingly getting their information from mobile devices such as phones.  Overall, digital media advertising is projected to grow at a rate three times higher than the growth in U.S. media ad revenues.  

As a Certified Management Consultant, I enjoy talking to executives about the challenges and successes of owning and operating their business. Similar conversations occur with executives in non-profits and government agencies.  During these conversations, I look for opportunities to help organizations find their competitive advantage.

Digital media usage is already transforming the world of business, and the pace of this change will accelerate in the months and years ahead.  As customers increasingly use social media to obtain their information, smart businesses will adapt to these changes, Smart businesses, the ones that will prosper and thrive, will make sure they get their marketing messages to their customers before their competitors do.

Your business needs to stay one step ahead of its competition, and needs to stand out in the marketplace. If you want to win in business, you need a strong business strategy, which can best be achieved by delivering superior products, services and facilities.  In addition, you need to have an effective advertising, marketing and public relations program using digital media to help reach your goals.

While some might say 'When the Game Stands Tall' is just another cliché-filled film about sports, I believe this recent movie goes much deeper to reveal a number of truths about successful leaders and organizations.

The film tells the story behind the remarkable achievements of the Spartans football team from De La Salle High School in northern California.  Coach Bob Ladouceur’s teams won 151 straight games over a period of 12 years, the longest winning streak in any sport, including college and professional levels.  As the Spartans’ win tally climbed, expectations of many around the team and in their community soared.  The pressure to continue the winning streak grew.

As an educator, Coach Ladouceur was not comfortable with the growing emphasis on winning.  His coaching had never been just about winning. It wasn’t about the streak.  Rather, he was totally committed to teaching young students how to grow up the right way in order to become successful people in the world at large.  It was about sharing genuine emotions, overcoming challenges and setbacks, and becoming a family. It was about commitment to each other.  It was about brotherhood on and off the field.

The real challenge for the Spartans came following its first loss in more than a decade.  Would the team’s unity and collective will dissolve after an inevitable defeat, or would the team become even stronger as its young members chose to recommit to doing their very best as individuals and as teammates?

What would happen in your organization if the floor fell out from under your sales operation for the first time in 12 years or a new product line failed?  What if a major new facility fell flat when it opened?  How would you want your team to react?  Would your team bounce back or would it sit around in stunned silence unable to respond?

As a leader what have you trained your employees to do in these situations?  How have you coached and prepared them to respond to challenges?  Have you properly conditioned them to deal with the stiff tests they are certain to face in the marketplace?  Are they clear about your expectations of their performance, and certain of your support?  What will they do if you aren’t around to lead the response?  Perhaps most importantly, are you growing their talents and abilities so that your team can become even more successful in the future?

I believe that superior quality wins.  Superior quality products, services and facilities are keys to success in any environment.  It will take dedicated teamwork, however, to deliver the superior quality your organization needs to pave its road to success.