Sales is more than just a numbers game...

Kids 4 the Planet - a new Indiegogo project from PeopleTowels

Mary Wallace, the Co-Founder of PeopleTowels, thinks one of the best ways to plant the seeds of sustainability and a lasting good habit with a younger generation is their new Indiegogo project: Kids 4 the Planet.

PeopleTowels is introducing kids to the idea of using personal hand towels rather than paper towels. They plan to give away thousands of FREE PeopleTowels along with an interactive lesson plan on the critical role that trees play in our eco-system. Children will also learn what other countries and their cultures are doing to help develop sustainable habits and practices.

What can you do to help them with their Kids 4 the Planet project? The simple answer is to support their project on Indiegogo. Then, put your foot down on the social media throttle and get the word out on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Twitter with some good old-fashioned GTWO communication to friends, family, and business associates. 

p.s. If you have some media contacts at the ready, encourage them to put some coverage toward the emerging “Kids 4 the Planet national art contest ” (fall of 2012 for kids ages 8-18).

Update for Tow-N-Stow: Arnie Wolfe, CEO of DCN, responds to customer and dealer complaints

Our official comment:

I, Arnie Wolfe, CEO of DCN, am the inventor and lead designer for the project Tow-N-Stow. I am extremely sorry for the lack of action taken by our former product licensee who is responsible for producing our product with so many problems and for failing to resolve the many end user customer and dealer complaints.

Our product was licensed for manufacturer to Lippert Components Inc (LCI) in Goshen Indiana, and who were to be co-developers of a final, marketable product. We report that Lippert Components failed to manufacture the product according to our specifications or to follow DCN's improvement recommendations. LCI's management and engineering team largely ignored almost all of our mandated list of improvements (that proved to be critical for this consumer product) in favor pushing them out the door for sales. True to DCN's prediction, many problems were soon reported and sales soon dropped like a rock. LCI response was to exercise to terminate their licensing agreement despite our best efforts to convince them to fix the issues and repair the damaged customer relationships. Unfortunately for all past Tow-N-Stow buyers, LCI is no longer providing warranty or spare parts in their efforts to abandon the product.
 

STIHL knows chain saws. Everett knows trees. – The question is who runs faster?

There are few sounds in an otherwise quiet neighborhood that seem as recognizable as a chain saw. No matter how far away, I can usually pick up on the variable pitch in RPMs as well as when the saw begins to take on the cutting load. Awareness comes from my own use, but also the fact I live in an area with many trees and can hear the professionals working close by.

When the chain is sharp, the engine running smooth, and the chips begin to fly, it’s like watching a magical dance of sorts. You can easily tell when one or more things aren’t running right – from the dulling of the chain, to the sometimes troublesome start, you know when to take a timeout and put things in order. The same can be said when the job is too large for a homeowner like me to tackle on their own.

Recently it was time for me to have some trees professionally removed from my property. Having witnessed Everett Tree Service’s work nearby, I posted a piece here titled, “Trust, a key component of teamwork”. Watching the crew that day showed me how efficient tree cutting can be, but more importantly the trust and respect each member of the team had for one another.

In this profession, I can see how critical equipment can be for operator and owner alike. In Jimmy Everett’s case, this day he was both. Like before, we were scheduled for an early morning start. What I didn’t expect was he would become the assigned tree cutter that day.

Not only can he talk fast, and change subjects quicker than a digital remote, but his instructions come from a variety of directions at once. If you work for Jimmy, you better be paying attention; he can be hollering and motioning with his hands at the same time. I quickly caught on to some of the signals – a tomahawk chop was calling for a freshly sharpened saw, or the artistic hand signals for up, down, right, left, or just a tad either way for the crane; it reminded me a little of a traffic cop at a busy intersection. I think he wants his own crane someday. I can’t tell if it’s for the business, or he just wants to learn how to operate one more thing.

Jimmy’s confidence in others shows through, too. He didn’t waste time overseeing the crane’s operation –the operator and Jimmy have a long history of working together and seemed to anticipate each other’s needs. If he’s using your products, or your services, they better operate as well as Everett does; from the reliability of his STIHL Magnum chain saw, to the safety and ergonomic design of his Buckingham Ergovation harness and climbers, Everett knows that his business depends on his gear doing its job, too.

Always on the move, I would find him riding the cable and ball to the top of the tree, cutting limbs, swinging out for the next move, or gesturing for slight corrections in placement of equipment or people. What you didn’t see was the need for him to expend energy in direct supervision of each task. I had read long ago that success in management is your ability to become “the What and When, not the How” with your staff. He has a seasoned and trained crew that seems to sense his next move or instruction.

Turn your head, and he’s gone. Not one to rest between tasks – I wonder what his calorie burn rate is – I would find him climbing in the cab of a truck, or talking to the crane operator about a better line of attack for limb removal. In between all this, I would quiz him about his business, the economy, or some other topic of interest of mine. What little downtime there was between the cutting of multiple trees, Jimmy was on the phone arranging for the next job or estimate.

There’s no mystery in my mind as to what it takes to run a growing business. Doing business with people that know how to do it well carries a certain customer satisfaction of its own. Quality work, respect for your employees, and meeting the customer’s needs are the basics. Excel at any one of them and you are likely to keep growing at a sure pace. Operate like Jimmy, and you’ll likely outrun your competition.

Would-be inventors need not apply

When I composed the original blog Post “For would-be inventors, or aspiring entrepreneurs – Five things worth thinking about before you begin “, I was struck by the notion of how difficult and unforgiving the market can be to an aspiring inventor. This is not to suggest that one shouldn’t pursue their dreams; it’s more about understanding the challenge associated with bringing an idea to fruition.

In my recent conversation with a mid-size industrial design firm, the conversation and responding emails pointed out their struggle in working with startup contacts, companies pre-vesting, and those lacking a business plan. They also pointed out that in their experience,  “significant funding” would be required to “take a product to market the right way (i.e. alpha, beta, production phases – contract manufacturing)”.

One law firm we know who deals in intellectual property and patent law does not represent individual inventors; they represent corporate and university clients, only. They go on to suggest that the road to success has many pitfalls and challenges, and they recommend the individual inventor should seek out the Inventors Resources of the USPTO for assistance and direction. Filing a patent can be time-consuming and costly. Also, some changes are afoot regarding patents on what should prevail in granting the patent: “first to invent” (current system), or “first to file” (proposed change through new legislation).

In some ways, you can see that the likelihood of success may not be in the lone inventor’s favor. That doesn’t mean it can’t be done. What’s important to know is what you are getting yourself into before you start. By removing the would-be portion of the equation, you can increase the odds in your favor.

First and foremost, develop your idea or invention into a reasonably working prototype. Although an attractive design in a CAD file may sound like a good soapbox to promote your idea, it won’t go far in attracting interest or investment. Like the adage “A picture is worth a thousand words”, there is nothing like being able to hold something in your hands and get a feel for how it works.

Once you have a good feel for your invention – at the risk of bad grammar, something that kind of works like it should – either begin to work with a local, independent design firm, or try your hand at working drawings with software like Google SketchUp; start out with the free version, then upgrade to PRO (you’ll likely need the PRO version to get some rapid prototypes built). Don’t forget the NDA (non-disclosure agreement) before sharing information, designs, or materials with others.

Assuming you get this far, get that business plan underway. Hopefully this exercise will quickly surface just how much money you’ll need to get your invention from idea into action. Also, begin the show-and-tell (assuming you are protecting your intellectual property in the process) to close friends and business associates. The best advice I can give here is don’t get defensive if they think you have lost your mind. Overcome objections or deficiencies in the same way you would respond to your choice of entrée in a restaurant; politely defend your choice, but listen to the reason your fellow diners are questioning your selection or taste buds.

Ready to go to market? You will need to have a proof-positive production run to show people you are serious about selling your invention; that’s not going to be a cheap endeavor. I recently followed two inventions from different companies that are sold into the home improvement market (suited to the average homeowner). Both inventions retail in the under $25 MSRP range. From what I could read, they each took about $250,000 of investment to enter the market; each one now enjoys distribution and sale in the big-box home improvement centers. Also, both inventions appeared to show an 18-24 month development cycle from idea to sales success.

With a few good steps along the way, you can move from “would-be inventor” to full-fledged entrepreneur. By securing adequate funding, exercising careful development of your product, and acquiring solid sales and distribution channels, you stand a better chance to turn your idea into a high-growth company.

Unkempt sales tracking outperforms CRM and sales force automation

They are a high-spirited and independent bunch; equally so, they all get along and the camaraderie is deafening. This group of seasoned salespeople will go about their business with a low-key approach, but a competitive spirit that is second to none.

Laughing in the face of CRM and more sophisticated sales tracking, their day may begin with 3 x 5 index cards, or a simple spiral bound notebook you might otherwise find in any school-age child’s classroom. Handwritten notes carry some reminders of the customer and contact events, and no page is without its fair share of strikeouts and markups of text.

Cell phone use is of simple nature – they use their phones to manage the customer’s needs much like an air traffic controller at a busy airport. Customer service reps are like ground controllers by helping each order navigate its way to completion. A few text messages here and there, and certainly a fair amount of voice mail, but email is best left to when they get home, or on the chance they will stop by the office for a visit.

Unlike their brethren who diligently – in many cases, unwillingly - update their call management software with notes and alerts, all the while losing more selling time just to keep their nose clean in the face of management, they don’t confuse activity with productivity.

How do they keep track of it all? Not much different than when the generation before them lacked today’s complex software and information technology. They are not unlike the restaurateur who remembers their best customers favorite choices that is often prefaced by, “I’ll have my usual.”

These are high touch individuals and they have the sustainable revenue numbers to prove it. Many are engaged in multigenerational businesses. Trust is a key component for their success - on the part of the customer, the company, and those who support their sales efforts.

Although you may not find them featured in a major business magazine or cover story, you are likely to see many of these professionals recognized in the local newspaper or an industry trade journal. If this sounds like you, your company, or someone you do business with, I would enjoy hearing your stories of success and how you manage your business in today’s highly competitive environment without all the stylish technology others would like to put upon you.

Online Poll -- Who deserves first (place) for a patent, invent (idea) or file?

Recently I have been looking closer at what holds inventors and entrepreneurs back from an early success with their idea or innovation. It doesn’t take long before the discussion turns to filing a patent. In some ways, I see an eagerness to do so before they have taken the time to better understand the process and evaluate how long it might take, and the costs associated with the patent filing.

In today’s The Wall Street Journal, I took interest in the article “Patently Wrong? Firms Are Divided”. The article points out a number of different views on whether our current system works in favor of, or a change would be against, individual inventors, small businesses, and innovative start-ups (companies).

What do you think? Here’s a simple Poll I put together for you to vote; click on this link to take the Poll (will open in a new window):

For today’s inventor, entrepreneur, or small business, which is more beneficial to innovation and new product introduction in the granting of patents by the USPTO?

“first to invent” or first to idea (current system)
“first to file” (proposed change through new legislation)

I’ll leave the Poll in place for a couple of weeks, and then post the results in the Comment section below, soon after it closes. In the mean time, you’ll see the on-going results, after you vote.

p.s. Feel free to weigh-in on the topic with a comment, after reading the article in The Wall Street Journal.

S.M.A.R.T. goals may be a simple litmus test for Sales Forecasts

As a volunteer with a nonprofit, I have been helping program participants define and carry-out “S.M.A.R.T. goals”; individually, the letters stand for: “Specific, Measurable, Attainable (or achievable), Realistic and Timely”. To help you understand the concept, here is a link to a simple write-up from the Office of Multicultural Affairs, University of Kansas, which outlines the process for students.

When it comes to setting these goals, I find many people struggle with defining the goal in a SMART manner; especially when there are so many variables in their life. The variables may include income, housing, job, education, etc. I can appreciate the challenge; it’s what I often refer to as, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!”

And so it seems with sales forecasts. Salespeople often struggle, and are regularly challenged by management, to put a strong definition around a particular sale, or quantity of business. I have written a number of blog posts, articles, and even recorded Podcasts on the topic of sales forecasting. It’s the most searched (for) string that directs traffic to our Website; some of traffic ends up at this blog, too (we have a category named “Sales Forecasts”).

That alone leads me to believe that there must be a less elaborate way to forecasting sales. You don’t need some fancy CRM system that spits out charts and sales funnels to have a disciplined approach. It’s as simple as knowing where you are going and how you are going to get there. You can do that on paper – 3 x 5 index cards will do.

But, for those running a business, nothing short of a disciplined process is in order. You have seen it before from me, “It takes a disciplined process to produce an accelerated sales cycle.” That said, why wouldn’t a SMART goal process work for sales forecasting?

Enter a round of laughter on my part. When I began to write this post, I quickly realized that the S.M. part was easy, but the A.R.T. is not. The chuckling came as I reflected on how many times people have told me there is an ‘art’ to selling; it’s not a science. Also, I am overdue on a book review for “Strengths Based Selling” (Tony Rutigliano and Brian Brim) that talks about how understanding your “…innate talents and strengths and use them to sell more effectively.” are the qualities of the most successful reps.

That may be so for some, but in my management of sales teams over the years, it wasn’t until I got everyone on the same page that I could better forecast our numbers. If I could get the team to have “clearly-defined, written-down goals” in the form of a sales forecast, then we could work together on specific pieces of business, in a timely manner (the “T” in SMART).

Once that was accomplished, it was a matter of fending off the merry-go-round discussions of what was realistic business to be had and whether it was attainable based on what we had to offer (i.e., competition, product, services, price, etc.). Therein lies the stalemate in my mind; management and sales holding to an undefined position when it comes to attainable and realistic business.

Laughter subsiding - I can already see the notes coming my way about how selling is an ‘art’ and not a ‘science’ – I believe there is a way to overcome the obstacle. By putting in place a clear definition of what constitutes good business (i.e., great product fit, good pricing, excellent service), it’s only a matter of whether you’re the right vendor and can deliver the order on time (by the client’s deadline, or your own to make the forecast date).

Opening this up to the floor, so to speak, weigh-in with a comment on what you think about SMART goals when it comes to sales forecasts.

Three guys; three stories – Where are they now?

As promised, here’s a follow-up piece on three young professionals that were featured in individual stories last year, with a twist of “Where are they now?” Since they know each other well, I asked them to come out one evening for some open conversation at a local restaurant or coffee shop.

Alan Wilser rose to the challenge of pulling everyone’s schedule together and corralled us for an evening at Lilly’s Pizza (in Raleigh). With a high decibel level of conversation from enthusiastic patrons nearby, Wilser, David Fish, Brent Francese, and I ventured into a year in review, and what the future may hold for these outgoing and passionate tradesmen.

First, a bit of history. Wilser was introduced in the story, “Curb appeal applies to businesses, too “. Fish gave me the opportunity to experience the challenge presented by pulling together an inaugural home tour in, “When it comes to the AIA Triangle Homes Tour, think showcase -- not parade “. And my interest in the “Go Green” movement (for products and architectural design) was brought to light by reaching out to Francese; Brent was featured in a couple of stories, “How many of us welcome constraints?“ and “Two guys, a plan, and a better way to Go Green in building“, as well as an article of his on the topic of “Green building in the restaurant and hospitality industry “. If you didn't read these stories, I would encourage you to get acquainted with the guys by clicking on the links.

Fast forward one year later (or thereabout) and we find that not only are the three of them continuing on in their respective professional paths, but growth has occurred in some new and promising ways.

Francese continues with a finely balanced blend of architecture, music, and graphic design. He has a keen eye for finding ways to apply his skills in unusual places. As a distance runner, he is also a FIT Specialist at Fleet Feet Sports (Raleigh) – like me, you may be left wondering if Brent has any downtime in his life. Putting his architecture and design skills to task, he is working on new ways to present footwear in retail stores. His goal is for the merchandise display to offer a better presentation within a tighter utilization of space; in retail, Francese recognizes it’s all about sales per square foot.

Wilser has brought on additional staff and expertise that will allow him to take advantage of a portion of our inclement weather, that others may see as a seasonal downtime, and pursue his passion for helping those in need, especially in Nicaragua (to grow both spiritually and economically). He is an active participant and driving force behind Su Nica. During the conversation he would regularly strike a serious pose, only to come back quickly and add character to what others had to say. He reminds me a little of my car; chatting with him is like going from sedate sedan to agile performance car, at the push of the dashboard’s Sport mode button.

With Fish, we now find him as a Project Manager at Alphin Design Build, Inc. I was not surprised by this slight occupational adjustment. Fish manages projects a little like an early Swiss watch; few parts doing many tasks, all at the same time. Acting as the client’s agent, he exercises his ability to see something through from start to finish, excitedly explaining developments along the way – Fish could hold his own against one of those fast-talking guys on a radio or TV commercial.

As our conversation moved away from the aspect of the individual to a group discussion, Wilser described the need to take the client’s generalized ‘wants’ and translate it into specifics; a kind of ‘fix this space’ challenge for staff and vendors. Fish talked about how the refinement to the project takes up the most time, and there is a need for the space to support the function (of the people) within it. Francese made the comment that “space has its own vocabulary”; I took that to mean that the professional (working to better utilize a given space) must be careful not to overwhelm the client with terms and ideas that only the architect, builder/landscaper, or designer seems to understand.

Struck by the commonality they shared across their professions, i.e., more similarity than exception, three words quickly come to mind: creativity, engineering, and art.  At minimum, each one of them is putting two of these three practices to work at any given time.

Looking to the future, I sensed they felt many of us have lost confidence in the economy. However, for each one of them, they seem to see more things going right than wrong. Wilser will continue to look closer at the best way to grow his business and take on larger projects. Fish has found the gains to be made (applying his architectural background and project management skills) in the design-build approach versus acting as the architect, alone. Although Francese sees more caution being exercised in Going Green (for the average individual), he has found a larger landscape of possibility with new products, better sustainable practices, and a higher level of comfort in doing more within the constraints of less space.

The more time we spent together, the more I could feel the enthusiasm they shared for the future. They see a challenge as an opportunity to build credibility; with clients, in the market, and with their peers. Sure, maybe youth is working in their favor. But, these are seasoned professionals who feel comfortable competing on the larger stage; they recognize the subtle benefits of co-opetition, filling a niche, and the joy of (as they put it) “design it, build it with your own hands, and manage it”.

Gone in 60 Seconds; I feel the same about some new business ideas, too

I have been away for awhile. My writing time has been elsewhere the last couple of months – some of it was hit by writer’s block, as I ventured into some new territory writing a three-part series for a regional publication, and some other pleasure writing (non-business related).

Now that I am back, I am happy to say that the New Year is off to a good start. A recent trend for me is evaluating new business ideas and/or innovative products and ideas. By referral, I often spend an hour, 60 minutes that seems to take flight during the discussion, with would-be inventors and entrepreneurs. As I hear their ideas for a new business or innovative product, I try and offer some thoughts and perspective as to what I think might happen for them, or their idea.

It’s exciting to see the possibilities for so many people. We part on good terms, and I feel they may have a better perspective on where to go from here. But, I find there are many barriers that need to be addressed, much like the post I wrote titled: “For would-be inventors, or aspiring entrepreneurs – Five things worth thinking about before you begin”. It’s as if the hope of success is “Gone in 60 Seconds”. So, I have this nagging feeling of, ‘Why is that?’

I will soon be posting a follow-up story to three young guys that I featured individually here last year; it’s going to be a “where are they now” kind of piece. Having recently spent an evening with the three of them together, I left feeling upbeat and positive about the future. Why do I feel differently when I challenge others in a causal setting about their business endeavor? I’m working on it, and when I have some thoughts to share, I’ll put them out there.

In the mean time, what about you? What are some of the barriers you see for “would-be inventors, or aspiring entrepreneurs” to overcome in this highly competitive, rapidly changing marketplace?

For would-be inventors, or aspiring entrepreneurs – Five things worth thinking about before you begin

The following is based not only on my personal observations over 30 years, but also some personal experience with my own ideas for innovative products, or inventions. This list came to light as I find our company dealing more with inventors and entrepreneurs who are pursuing their first attempt at bringing a product to market.

The list was composed from a variety of notes I have taken over time, as we consider a number of inventions and ideas put before us for business development or corporate partnering opportunities. From my notes, please consider the following before you put forth a large outlay of cash, effort, and commitment to your idea:

1. Most would-be inventors are not prepared for the cash outlay that will be needed to take their idea to market,
2. Many would-be inventors know what they want, but have a hard time accepting something different when proposed by others, that may stray from their original vision,
3. Worse than someone consumed by buying yet another pair of shoes, most would-be inventors want far too many iterations of the same idea, rarely coming to closure on any of them,
4. Once the design is accepted, many would-be inventors are cash-strapped to get it into production, e.g., start-up costs in molds, first production run, etc., and
5. Don’t even begin, until you are absolutely sure you are willing to lose every penny invested and write it off to experience – no different than real estate investing.

This is not intended to discourage anyone from pursuing their dreams. Just the opposite. We would like to see everyone be successful in their endeavor. But, I think it’s equally important to take a realistic view of the odds against you – call it measured risk, if you like. Before you begin, please consider these five simple observations. If you have already started, this may help you better understand where you are at, and what lies ahead.

p.s. If you have an invention, idea, or innovation, and seek an outside opinion of its viability in the marketplace, we welcome the chance to talk to you. Drop us an email from the “About” link here in the blog.