Tweet

Reality Never Lies

Written by: Rodger Blaker

Article Overview: Often, the fastest, easiest and least expensive route to adding value and improving your bottom line is with the help of a qualified consultant or coach. Thousands of entrepreneurs and business leaders have learned that an extra set of eyes and ears, another perspective, and an objective point of view can quickly make a huge difference.

Reality Never Lies

I recently listened to a tape of coach and author, Laura Berman Fortgang's speech to the International Coach Federation in Chicago a couple years ago. In her presentation, she talked about the fact that reality never lies.

While her focus was on coaching, I immediately connected her words to the fact that in business, our sales, productivity, profits and customer satisfaction are ALWAYS precisely accurate measures of the service we provide.

From the dawn of history, human beings have searched for bargains. We love great products, at bargain prices. We love getting the goods or services we need, at a fair price, delivered on time, and hopefully, with an extra "bonus." In the words of the old saying, "build a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a path to your door."

Because of this, your bank account is an accurate reflection of the value the world places on your products and services. The facts and numbers do not lie. They may contain a message you don't like, or one with which you disagree, but they do not lie.

To increase your sales and profits, you must increase the value of your services. Advertising may help in the short-run. Laying employees off, or hiring "better" people may help briefly. Cutting costs or raising prices may give the illusion that things are "better," but illusions never last.

The key to the growth of your enterprise is providing more value, at a lower price. Fortunately, this is not difficult. "Value" can be many things, from faster delivery, to larger quantities, to more pleasing colors. The opportunity to innovate, add value, and increase sales is endless.

Reality does not lie. Study the numbers, notice where you can increase value to your customer, and adjust accordingly. Your financial future depends upon it.

Often, the fastest, easiest and least expensive route to adding value and improving your bottom line is with the help of a qualified consultant or coach. Thousands of entrepreneurs and business leaders have learned that an extra set of eyes and ears, another perspective, and an objective point of view can quickly make a huge difference. If you would like coaching to improve your bottom line, please contact me.

Related Articles
  Little White Lies
  LEADER ARE LIKE CALENDAR ,NEVER LIES.
  Live a Life of Discovery
  The Determination to Succeed
  The REAL Cost of Big Fat Internet Marketing Lies

Article Tags: accurate measures, accurate reflection, bargain prices, better mousetrap, bottom line, business leaders, coach thousands, customer satisfaction, financial future, human beings, illusion, illusions, international coach federation, laura berman fortgang, many things, pleasing colors, profits, quantities, sales productivity, services advertising



Related Forum Posts
Re: Create your own small business reality show - That's very true. I know I would work harder. But you're right....people like to see other people fail (sad to say) so I'm sure they'd watch it either way. Reality really keeps people interested. I think it's a way for some people to escape their own crazy lives for a while and/or a way to let them know they aren't the only one having a tough time.
9 Lies that are holding you back - I've picked up this book to assist me with my conversations when coaching business clients and I've found it to be quite enlightening as distinctions are made. The book is titled "9 Lies That are Holding Your Business Back..." by Steve Chandler and Sam Beckford (aka Small Business Millionaire). I'll use this post in two ways: 1. To highlight A Lie 2. To help me internalize the concepts by writing about it in my own terms/understanding so that I can use it in future conversations (yes, I'm feeling a lil selfish and want to take you guys along with the journey) first post to arrive shortly on the First chapter: Lie#1: I Just Need to Know [i:23sag391]How[/i:23sag391] to Do This"
Business plans are a waste of time - I really like what Shri said in a previous post about how the usefulness of a business plan depends on the individual. However, after reading some of Martin Lindstrom's "Buyology: Truth and Lies About Why We Buy"... I'm beginning to think that all business plans and traditional market research (i.e. using focus groups, surveys, etc.) are a total waste of time. No joke, I'm serious. Lindstrom says "That's because, just like market research, economic modeling is based on the premise that people behave in a predictably rational way", but "Most of the brain is dominated by automatic processes, rather than deliberate thinking. A lot of what happens in the brain is emotional, not cognitive." ("Buyology" pg 28). Basically, consumers will tell you one thing, and do simply do another with their unconscious minds.
Re: Some attractive terms in advertisement - [quote="lane_hug":sqdmyojl]Some terms can make the advertisement look more attractive, like unlimited, free, life time guarantee, and more. These should be definitely incorporated to ensure fast sales.[/quote:sqdmyojl] You've got to be careful with such terms, though. Take as an example the poor Korean dry cleaners who had the words "Satisfaction guaranteed" on their storefront window. They lost (supposedly) a pair of slacks from some loony judge, who proceeded to sue them for MILLIONS of dollars (over a $100 pair of slacks) because they did not provide him with satisfaction. [If the sign had said "Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back" perhaps none of it would have happened...] These days more and more people are apt to sue at the drop of a hat, and if you promise them something even though common sense says you wouldn't have meant what you said (for example Pepsi got in trouble because their commercial for Pepsi points, at the time the movie True Lies came out, featured a Harrier jet as in the movie. A few looney businessmen bought up all the points the could to get that jet, although they were told it had just been dramatic license, and ended up suing Pepsi for misleading advertising. The suit was dismissed, but the fact that the guy was able to find lawyers who'd even take the case on is scary. To cut a long story short, be careful what terms you use, and think to yourself what you'd have to do if people took them literally.
Re: Is A Business Plan A Waste Of Time? - [quote="Kevin":dzvusovb]... However, after reading some of Martin Lindstrom's "Buyology: Truth and Lies About Why We Buy"... I'm beginning to think that all business plans and traditional market research (i.e. using focus groups, surveys, etc.) are a total waste of time. No joke, I'm serious. Lindstrom says "That's because, just like market research, economic modeling is based on the premise that people behave in a predictably rational way", but "Most of the brain is dominated by automatic processes, rather than deliberate thinking. A lot of what happens in the brain is emotional, not cognitive." ("Buyology" pg 28). Basically, consumers will tell you one thing, and do simply do another with their unconscious minds.[/quote:dzvusovb] Please explain more. I get your point, but STRONGLY disagree with your generalized statement that bplans and traditional market research are a total waste of time. Statements such as this without sufficient evidence are dangerous to potential young entrepreneurs who might trust your opinion. The business owner who does their own business plan will find that it is not a waste of time. Think about the probable benefits from completing just one component of market research in a business plan: A comparative analysis of your competition. A wealth of information critical to planning your survival will be gained from a well organized SWOT of your competitors and their products/services. (SWOT analysis is certainly not limited to plotting logical decisions. Emotion can be factored in the analysis.) You know as well as I do that it has been understood for a while now that most buying decisions are emotional and nearly devoid of logical decision making. Many sources say that focus groups are an inefficient use of resources. Your conclusion that [quote="Kevin":dzvusovb]I'm beginning to think that all business plans and traditional market research (i.e. using focus groups, surveys, etc.) are a total waste of time. No joke, I'm serious.[/quote:dzvusovb] because focus groups are found to be inefficient is wrong. Your logic is faulty. You must qualify your statement more.


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Tweet

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Bootstrapping Your Start Up Business.

Ready for a Fresh Image?

Ten Reasons to take Notes during Sales Meetings

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.