I attended a webinar yesterday that goes along with my second sign. The topic was, “The Art and Science of the Elevator Pitch”, and the speaker, Donato Diorio suggested that one of the best ways to find out what people are being told about your company is to put yourself and your employees on the spot and record what you say about your business. I’m talking about more than just the elevator pitch here, but the same principle applies.

Sign #2 Reads: I Know What My Business Is…

If you are a solopreneur (I still haven’t decided whether I like that word.), recording yourself will definitely come in handy. It’s kind of hard to be your own mystery shopper, but the idea is to be your best self every time, so just record and practice…and practice and record. Once you’re happy with the recording, try your spiel on a couple of real people and see what they think.

For everybody else: Shop your own business.

Record your employees. Find out what people see (or are told) when they contact your business. I’m not suggesting that you put up hidden cameras. I’m thinking more along the lines of:

1. Have a meeting, record (with their knowledge, but not with advance notice) employees describing your product or service as they would to potential clients.
2. Make sure everybody is on the same page. They don’t have to use the same “script” (unless that’s your business model), but they all need to be giving the same information.
3. Make sure everybody knows, or knows where to find, the information about your company that clients or potential customers might ask.
4. Send in a mystery shopper. Once you’ve given your people sufficient training, send in a friend, colleague, or professional mystery shopper to find out if they’re practicing what you preached. (Check yourself, too; you’re not immune to flubbing your lines.)

Check yourself before you…

When you’re meeting a potential client for the first time (and everyone you meet is a potential client), the only thing they know about your business is what you tell them. If you don’t sound like you know what your business is, they probably won’t either. Actually, it’s probably worse when someone you meet is able to do a better job of explaining your business than you have. So what you’re saying is that you…

Don’t just record the people…

If you have an office or a storefront that clients visit, walk in and look around like you’ve never seen the place before. Walk around with a video camera so that you record what is, and not what you see. Do your floorplan, furnishings, and decor create the atmosphere you’re trying to convey? Do your shelves look well-stocked…or over-cluttered? Would the client or customer you’re most interested in pleasing be comfortable in your establishment? Are you? Don’t forget, this is a place where you need to be at your best. If you’re not comfortable in your surroundings, well, that’s hard to fake.

Pay attention to the signs…

I don’t really think I need to explain why it’s important that you become expert at explaining your business. I don’t even think I need to tell you why you should make sure that everyone affiliated with your business needs to be explaining your business the same way. That’s just logic. You should record yourself and do a mystery shopping routine on your business to get a better idea of what your client/customer sees in you in terms of product, service, and expertise.

I’m trying to make a point of listening to my own advice more often these days. I recently re-read a proposal I wrote for a client some months ago. She was starting a new business and needed a marketing strategy. It had to be cheap because she was bootstrapping. It had to be easily implemented because she was going to do it herself. It had to be effective because for both of those reasons she’d given herself a deadline for success (after which she’d cut back her business efforts and return to her day job).

Sign #1 Reads: Other People Should Be Doing…

I wrote up a strategy that met all of those requirements and gave her a little extra in case her comfort level increased before her budget did. As I was researching and writing I remember thinking several times, “Ooh, that would work for me, too. Why aren’t I doing that?” I didn’t have a good answer, so I told myself that I would definitely incorporate those ideas into my own strategy as soon as I completed hers.

I’ll get right on that…

Months have passed since then (I’m ashamed to admit how many.), and most of those good ideas are still sitting in a file in my computer whittling ducks and waiting. Now that I think about it, those aren’t the only good ideas I’ve filed in my computer and failed to follow up on. Could the problems I’ve been having with my computer be caused by circuits clogged with wooden ducks? I’ll have to check into that.

If you’re asking, “Why ducks?”, well…that’s another story. For now let’s just leave it at, I like ducks.

Getting back to the point, I’m sure I’m sure I’m not the only one with files full of ducks. It’s easy to see what other people are doing wrong or failing to do. It’s the whole log and speck scenario played out in our own lives (or in our own businesses).

Enough with the ducks, already…

To get a clearer picture I need to get out. I need to stop seeing my business from my perspective — with my head down plugging away at all I need to do — and see things as someone else would view them.

I’m using the first person here because I know for a fact that I’m talking about me. I think I’m talking about some of you, too. If you see yourself, own the I.

Time for a little evaluation…

Instead of just doing things the way I’ve always done them because I always have, I need to be the buttinsky (or the child, if you prefer) who continually asks, “Why?” until I come up with a logical, rational response that makes sense to someone who isn’t me — or I realize that what I’m doing really doesn’t make sense.

If you’re in position to do so — meaning you have thick enough skin and are strong enough to stand your ground when the situation warrants — you might want to have a real person help you with your evaluation. I’ve got a 13 year old who’s more than willing to question every decision I make. I don’t know yet if I’ll invite him to examine my business practices (or just pretend that I did), but when you get too trapped in your own thinking, an outside opinion might help.

Friends and family will probably give you a free consult. If you’re looking for a more professional (and more detached) evaluation, SCORE counselors may also provide the advice you need (for free). If you’ve got the money to spare, there’s no shortage of life coaches, business coaches, organizers, efficiency experts, and so on, who would be happy to help you regroup. I also know where you can get the opinions of a 13-year-old pretty cheap.

Pay attention to the signs…

Why does it matter that you are great at offering advice you’re not following? Why should you care what other people think about the way you do business? You should check the signs and evaluate your business from the outside to get a clearer perspective of your processes and strategy.

This post started out as “5 Signs That You Need to Step Out and Regroup”. Once I realized how long “Sign 1″ was getting, I figured I’d best make it a series. Tune in next time for The Second Sign.

In the middle of all the Obama hoopla, I’m quietly interjecting my own news…
I’m preparing for my own inauguration! Well, I’m hyped about the inaugural posts of my new blog theme and my new web site. I’m not sure when they’re going to be ready for the public but I’ve seen them and I’m excited!

Well…that’s all I had to say. I just really had to let you know that I am just days (I can’t contemplate weeks) away from doing my “New Look” Happy Dance. Believe it or not, though, there are a some ideas in this brief post that may have relevance to your business.

1. Don’t let your blog or any marketing lapse while you’re waiting for the next part to be ready. No matter what you’re going to do “when…”, don’t put your life, your business, your marketing, or your whatever on hold until the when becomes now. You may infer from the time since my last post that I am speaking from experience on this one. Note the good example, though — my new blog theme will have current blog posts because I started now.

2. Don’t do it if you’re not passionate about it. If you’re not excited about what you’re doing, if might be time to think about doing something else. My new web site design tickles me pink…and green…and purple…. You get the idea. I’m a writer, not a designer so I’m learning a lot about the little things that make a difference. Column width and theme-stuff doesn’t really do anything for me (my designer basically starts each meeting with a refresher on what I need to know to make decisions — I just don’t retain that stuff), but the overall look of the project thrills me. If your web site, blog, product, or service doesn’t excite you, how will you get someone else excited or even interested?

3. Don’t worry about sharing your mistakes (within reason). Even experts make mistakes. If your missteps can save someone else the trip, share what you did (and what you should have done). I’m not saying that you should stand before the world and tell them you’re totally clueless. I am saying that people generally relate to people who admit mistakes and learn from them (and that’s not just wishful thinking). If even the productivity guy (Dave Navarro) can admit to being less than productive, I can expose a few things I haven’t done to perfection. That goes for you, too.

4. Don’t think your ideas are the only ones that matter. Somebody, somewhere is discussing, selling, or giving away something that may be relevant to your customers (or your readers). If you’ve got that information, share it. You may not be thanked (or remembered) for it, but you’ll know you did it.

These tips fall on the negative side instead of focusing on the positive side as suggested by Chris Brogan in his post on 12 Things to Stop Doing in 2009. I just went back to re-read that post to find out if he’d used a specific term for “the positive side” (I read this post in December, details escape me). What I found is that either we think alike; I subconsciously co-opted some of his ideas; or he reads my mind. I’m not sure which of those realities should frighten me more.

So, do you see the relevance? Have anything to add? Think I’m out in left field? Let me know (please).

So I’m here to share five ways to quit planning and start doing. In other words…

1. Tell someone you’re going to do something.

This isn’t the point where you give trade secrets to random people or talk to your family and friends about your plan. This is where you find an acquaintance, preferably a relatively outspoken acquaintance, that you see on a fairly regular basis that you can share your general plan with. Think person you chat with at church, fellow PTA member, the cashier you usually go to at the grocery store, or some other friendly stranger. The next time your person asks, “How are things?”, tell them your plan. Don’t just say the usual, “Can’t complain”, or whatever, say, “I’m planning to climb Mt. Everest.” Of course, you should tell them your plan, not the Everest line — unless you’re actually planning to climb Mt. Everest.

You need someone that you see regularly who will ask you questions the next time they see you. “Oh, you’re still here. I thought you might be at a mountain base camp somewhere….” The idea is that you’ll then have to explain why you’re not following your Sherpa yet and what steps you’re taking to get underway. Generally speaking, this is not the job for friends or family (see number 2 for my take on this one). Look for someone who will get in your face in a non-threatening way and make you own your plans. If you’re keeping your plans to yourself it’s too easy to let deadlines slip. If you know that in three days Myrtle, the church lady, is going to ask you what you’ve been doing, you’re more likely to do something so that you’ll have something to report.

2. Don’t tell your friends and family until you know what you want (for sure).

This one depends on you and on your friends and family. Procrastination often has a basis in fear. If you have the type of friends or family who will support your plans and help you to push past your fear, by all means, tell them what you want to do. Supportive friends and family have more of a vested interest in your well-being than Myrtle. They’ll push harder, ask more, and offer more.

If, on the other hand, you know (or believe) your friends and family will remind you of all the things that can go wrong, or all the reasons why you should not attempt your goal — don’t tell them. Keep your plans to yourself at least until you’ve overcome your own objections. It’s hard enough battling your own fears without having other people send fears your way. Myrtle’s a much safer bet in this situation. Her initial reaction is more likely to be, “Mt. Everest! My goodness, that’s quite a goal. Why did you decide on Everest?” That’s the kind of questioning that helps you solidify your plans. “Climb Mt. Everest? You’ve been afraid of heights since you fell off the monkey bars when we were 10!”That’s the kind of response you need to avoid — at least until you’re sure that you’ve overcome the monkey bar incident.

3. Make a bet.

Once you’ve let the people close to you in on your plans, a bet (or dare if you’d rather) can help you to stay motivated. Almost everyone has some kind of dream or project that’s been in the idea or planning stages for a while. Your younger brother might not want to climb Mt. Everest with you, but maybe he’s always wanted to write a novel. There’s no need for a lot of explanation here. Friendly competition can help you beat procrastination. Race each other to the finish.

4. Post a calendar.

Make up a list of activities you need to achieve your goal and set reasonable dates for completion. Reasonable is a key word here. Don’t give yourself too much time, but don’t decide everything has to be done by the end of next week either (unless everything has to be done by the end of next week, in which case you should stop reading now and get to work). Mark those dates on a calendar and set reminders for yourself. Use whatever type of calendar works for you, just make sure that you can see it on a daily basis. If you use a web-based calendar, you can send yourself email. The method doesn’t matter — sticky notes, task lists, email, or whatever works for you — the important thing is to remind yourself regularly of what needs to be done. Modify your deadlines if you need to, but don’t just let them slide. Make sure to hold yourself accountable.

5. Just do it.

Don’t let the plan turn into the project. Don’t wait for all the I’s to be dotted just so, the cross-bars on the T’s to be at the same height and width, the web site to be completed, and the stars to be perfectly aligned. If you find yourself spending a lot of time in the planning stage, just jump into the project. Of course, if your project or business is selling web sites, you may not want to put up a bad or half finished site just to get started…and if you’re working on something that could prove harmful or fatal to yourself or others, by all means take your time.

All of these suggestions need to be taken and used or rejected on a case by case basis. What works for some may not work for others. Ideas that motivate you on some occasions may paralyze you at other times…and people can always surprise you. Myrtle might say, “Well, that sounds like a hare-brained scheme to me,” and the brother you thought would take the wind out of your sails might jump in and become your partner. The bottom line is that in order to reach your goals you have to actually take steps to reach them, not just plan to.

Have you tried any of these ideas? Do you think they’re worthwhile? What keeps you on track from planning to doing?