Every Small Business Gets Stuck, Says Barry Moltz

Every Small Business Gets Stuck, Says Barry Moltz
How To Train Your Team And Make It Connect
Chris Ogburn of Hewlett Packard: Consumerization of IT
Buts Are A Problem
Apple Unveils the iPhone 5

Posted: 14 Sep 2012 01:00 PM PDT

Barry Moltz If you’ve ever felt stuck in your business, you’re far from alone.

Small business consultant Barry Moltz says that every business gets stuck from time to time.

And he believes it can happen for several reasons:

“Sometimes it's the sales "glass ceiling" where your sales just won't budge in spite of your best efforts. It doesn't get much more frustrating than this.

There are times when leads are at an all-time low, new customers are barely trickling in and existing customers fade away. Not fun, but we've all been there.

Oftentimes, it's simply a case of burnout. The business owner becomes completely exhausted. Their family suffers, their business suffers and life stops being enjoyable. It's a real rut and at this point, it is absolutely critical to transform the situation and get unstuck as quickly as possible.”

Moltz, one of the Small Business Trends Judges, specializes in helping businesses get unstuck. There are plenty of resources to help startups, he says, but few that help a company a few years down the road when they need it most. Thus, his niche is the stage when businesses get stuck.

Moltz has written several books to help business owners, including Bounce! The Path to True Business Confidence. He’s a regular contributor to sites like American Express Open Forum, Forbes and Crain's Chicago Business. He has appeared on TV and radio programs like The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch, MSNBC's Your Business and NPR's The Tavis Smiley Show.

Failing for the Lesson of Failure

Like so many entrepreneurs, Moltz has had his fair share of business failures. The lesson, he says, is in the failure itself:

“Failure doesn’t always teach you something. The most important thing is to realize that failure is just part of the business cycle. There will be success and failure. Learn what you can, let go, and take another action to get to success.”

Since Moltz has worked for one of the largest companies in the world, as well as numerous small businesses, he knows how similar (or not) the two are. He says both small and large businesses make mistakes, but larger companies can hide them more easily.

Are We All Crazy?

Moltz says you’d have to be crazy to start a business. Does that mean all of us are crazy for doing what we do?

“If you looked at the statistical chances of financially succeeding, you have to be crazy. The risk is too great! People do it out of passion or a calling.”

Given that we’re risk-takers, over-achievers, and Type A personalities, maybe we are all a little loco.

Editor's Note: This article is one of a series of interviews of key players in the Small Business Influencer Awards.

The post Every Small Business Gets Stuck, Says Barry Moltz appeared first on Small Business News, Tips, Advice - Small Business Trends.

How To Train Your Team And Make It Connect

Posted: 14 Sep 2012 11:00 AM PDT

Staff training is an on going part of business. You can't just toss people in and expect them to swim. That works for a hand full of all-stars, but if you want to increase the success rate and the consistency in how the team does what it does, then effective training is important.

There's a big difference between having a training session so that you can say you had it; and having a training session that effectively changes behavior. In other words, it doesn't matter what you tell the team if the message doesn't stick.

eureka

I recently heard my Aunt, who's working on her Masters in Information Technology, say:

"Understanding the theory behind it is great, but I need to know that when I walk out that door I can do something."

When it comes to advance education isn't that what we all want? Information that makes a difference in our business, in our daily life? So why torture staff with boring or ineffective training — when there's another option on the table?

Dr. John Medina, molecular biologist and author of Brain Rules, says:

"The brain does not pay attention to boring things."

He continues by stating that we retain and remember six times more information when we experience the words and the images. In fact, there's a real benefit to adding some entertainment value and true hands on experience to your staff training. But how?

Below are five steps to help make any training message stick (I've used it for well over a decade and teach others to do the same — because it still works). Of course, it's more effort on the trainer and the managers end, but it pays off in a team of people that can actually do the work the way you want it done.

Successful teams don't build themselves. Effective leaders and managers build successful teams by reinforcing a core message until it becomes second nature for them and their team members.

1) Say It

Even though most people retain more by doing than hearing, all training begins with a message about:

What it is
What is expected
How it works

Before you can expect your team to effectively "do" anything, explain some things. The goal is to expose them to the information. And since your trainer understands that this is step one, he doesn't have to cram information into people who stopped listening 30 minutes ago. Once you've spoken on the subject, it's time to reinforce the information.

2) Display It

Create visual reminders to use inside your training and to post around the building. The goal is to provide a bite sized way to digest the information from training, and since a picture is worth a 1000 words, then make it visual. Don't try to cram everything onto one poster. Instead, choose the most important points. You can also:

Reinforce the steps to a new process
Add some relevant pictures
Increase the font size
Put it on the wall

And for online businesses with teams who work from home, you can place your visuals on your private company website, as well as forward it by email. Now your team has an easy reminder of what is expected, instead of having to wade through a dense report or letter.

3) Demonstrate It

You don't know what you don't know until you're in the middle of the situation. And while hands on is priceless there are certain things that you can NOT allow your team to learn the hard way — because it could be bad for business. So role play. This is the step right before your team gets their hands dirty. Give them a relevant scenario and have them to talk it out and then act it out using the information you just gave. Let them work the kinks out in this setting.

4) Put Their Hands On It

Now that your team has heard it, seen it and had to role play it — it's time to place them in a real world situation where they have to use what you taught them. To solidify the lesson you have to back off a little bit and let them deal, but make sure they can get in touch with you. Even if you are in the building, let them work it out. They need to feel the fear and find the answer in order to drive the lesson home.

Of course you have a business to protect and clients to take care of, but this step is necessary if you intend to have a team that can produce while you're in the hospital, on vacation or at a conference. And for your own peace of mind you can be right around the corner ready to step in, but only if necessary.

5) Teach It Again

I don't care what they say, people need a refresher. So after they have gotten their hands dirty, it's time talk about the training again. But this time let the staff reteach the lesson to each other. Now you're driving it home.

Follow these steps and it will stick because you have to know more in order to teach it to others. Plus the team is pulling from personal experience after these steps and not just theory.

Eureka Photo via Shutterstock

The post How To Train Your Team And Make It Connect appeared first on Small Business News, Tips, Advice - Small Business Trends.

Chris Ogburn of Hewlett Packard: Consumerization of IT

Posted: 14 Sep 2012 08:00 AM PDT

Technology seems to be moving at the speed of light nowadays. As it evolves, lines are being crossed, it’s continually morphing, blending and becoming a different beast – and the consumer is now the one dictating the beast that is born. The individual user, not the corporate environment, is now the driving creative force. Tune in as Chris Ogburn, Director of SMB Marketing For HP, joins Brent Leary to discuss this shifting environment, the consumerization of IT.

* * * * *

Chris Ogburn Small Business Trends: Can you tell us a bit about your background?

Chris Ogburn: I've been in the IT industry about 20 years, and have been with HP (Hewlett Packard) for about 10 years. One of the great benefits of my job is being responsible for the small and medium business space, and covering the Americas.

I love being out there with customers and learning what they are doing with technology. This whole topic around consumerization of IT is a really hot topic right now.

Small Business Trends: What's your definition of consumerization of IT?

Chris Ogburn: We think about it as a shift in technology, from more business centric solutions to more customer centric solutions.

From a manufacturer's standpoint, you think about how technology is being designed very early in those stages to maybe a little bit less about large, corporate environments and thinking more about the individual user.

The power of information has moved away from where it was 50 to 100 years ago. Where it sat with the business, the manufacturer, the designer, and they share what information they wanted with the customer. That's really now shifted all the way to the consumer.

We can get information, feedback and referrals from our friends, our peers and our colleagues. So it is really all about that massive shift powering the consumer, and then powering the user within a business.

Small Business Trends: How much of a role does cultural change within the organization play in being able to successfully make that transition?

Chris Ogburn: It is very important. When I talk about customer culture, you know there are a couple of things that go into that. One is they have to be really eager to engage with their customers. They have to really develop a culture that is built around customer service, engaging with customers, and wanting to have those conversations frankly, willing to address the tough issues or topics, or help solve problems and issues for customers.

What I have learned and find in speaking with people that have adopted this type of approach is that they are the ones that are so much more effective in using the tools like social media to communicate with, and talk to their customer base.

The more that you use those tool sets, whether you are on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, or whether you are continuing to improve and develop your website, if you think about how you are using different aspects of social media tools to reach customers, with that kind of culture built-in, you are so much more likely to learn from your customers, make faster decisions, eliminate issues and problems, and have great creative new sparks and ideas because of the feedback you are getting from your customers base.

Small Business Trends: How do small and midsize businesses go about integrating these new concepts, along with these new technologies into their businesses?

Chris Ogburn: The important thing is just getting started. If you are within your company already at a point where you have expertise, and you are executing, keep doing it. Fuel the engine. Put in effort and initiate and invest time into it. Because it is worth it on the backend.

If you are thinking about this, but maybe you don't feel comfortable with it, you don't have that expertise, reach out and talk to people. Talk to peers and colleagues in your community. Get on Linkedin and communicate with business associates. Start to get feedback from people and suggestions around how to take in and integrate this type of technology.

We are seeing a lot of businesses now, even in the small and midsize space, get more comfortable with some of these newer technologies that are out there, and use those
heavily in their environment. Finding ways to incorporate tablets; incorporate smart phones; incorporate new thin Ultrabooks in their environment. Then they think through ways to more effectively to communicate to people through those specific types of devices.

Small Business Trends: How does HP help with this shift?

Chris Ogburn: HP invests a lot of time and effort. It is not only the product development cycle, we are now specifically developing products with the consumerization of IT in mind. But we are also working on areas that are manageability focused, as well as security focused. So we are giving them the tools to manage a secure environment while gaining all the benefits of utilizing these new technologies that enable them to do the kinds of things we are talking about today.

Small Business Trends: How do you see consumerization of IT, five years from now, when it comes to how it may impact small businesses?

Chris Ogburn: Well, we continue to see this merge of the historically corporate driven product sets and the consumer driven products sets.

HP recently just offered this product in the market place, the Spectre XT Pro. This is an Ultra Book product, it weighs 3 lbs. It is only half an inch thick. It has a 13 inch screen. The design is very consumer centric. It's got really long battery life, eight hours on a single charge, and the interesting thing about it is it also has Beats Audio built in the notebook.

Now you may ask, why does a product you are delivering in the business space have Beats Audio? It talks to this whole consumerization of IT. People that are in the business environment need the tools to be successful, to do their job and to win every day. But at the same time we are all also consumers. So the benefit in having that feature built into the product for premium sound capability, is something that has really resonated with users.

I think that is just an example of the types of things that we’ll see over the next two years, that these technologies start to really blend, and bleed together.

Small Business Trends: Can you tell us where people can learn more?

Chris Ogburn: Go to HP.com and navigate your way down to learn a little more about what HP is doing.

The post Chris Ogburn of Hewlett Packard: Consumerization of IT appeared first on Small Business News, Tips, Advice - Small Business Trends.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Buts Are A Problem

Posted: 14 Sep 2012 05:00 AM PDT

ifs and or buts business sales cartoon

I love idioms, catchphrases, and jargon of all stripes. So when I hear something like, “no ifs, ands, or buts” it’s like a little puzzle to be solved. And if you win you get a cartoon!

So there are a lot of ways to go with “no ifs, ands or buts:”

Empty store shelves with “Ifs,” Ands,” and “Buts” labels. Clerk says to customer,”Sorry, we’re all out.”
Lawyer to client, “As your lawyer, we’re going to embrace and exploit any and all ifs, ands, and buts.”
Sign on conference room door reads, “Sales Meeting 1:00.” Smaller signs below has Ifs, Ands, and Buts and circle-with-line symbols over them.

Those are all okay, but I like this version best because I’m curious as to what made the Buts go kablooey.

Good old idioms. They never let you down.

The post Buts Are A Problem appeared first on Small Business News, Tips, Advice - Small Business Trends.

Apple Unveils the iPhone 5

Posted: 14 Sep 2012 02:30 AM PDT

Apple fans have been salivating in anticipation, and of course business owners know the growing importance of smartphone technology in an increasingly mobile and app driven world. Here are some things you should know about Apple’s new iPhone 5, announced Wednesday, and then some news all business leaders should find interesting about the opportunities available via mobile tools today.

Mobile Marches On

World’s thinnest smartphone. The iPhone 5 continues the march toward thinner, lighter, more mobile technology and that’s good news for business users on the go. In fact the phone is 18 percent thinner and 20 percent lighter than its predecessor, and includes faster processing, a better camera, and compatibility with wireless LTE networks. The Wall Street Journal

The time is now. Business owners who want to get a hold of the new iPhone 5 for their companies can start ordering today. Pre-orders are being accepted beginning early this morning, though the phones officially go on sale in nine countries Sept. 21. With a starting price of $199, this device may offer an opportunity for many small businesses to keep up with the mobile trend. Wired

Brave New World

Managing mobility. With a greater emphasis on mobile technology, even at small businesses with little or no IT support, management of mobile devices like smartphones is becoming a big issue. An estimated four out of 10 employees at many small businesses work away from the office on smartphones, so cloud-based services are emerging to handle issues like lost device detection and remote setting configuration. Smallbiz Technology

All you need are apps. If you’re tired of paperwork, then the best thing about smartphones may not be placing a call or accessing the Internet. No, there are a lot of cool apps out there to help you do everything from digitizing copies of the many forms your business uses to transcribing paperwork and converting it to Adobe PDF or Microsoft Word. Gosh, with tools like these, paperwork could even be fun. UPrinting

Rise of the mobile marketer. The rise of the smartphone should bring with it a different mindset for marketers too. Everyone’s talking about making sure your Website is mobile ready, but how about your e-mail marketing campaign? If your e-mail marketing is aimed at customers who will be viewing your messages via smartphones, here are some things you may wish to consider. Step By Step Marketing

Marketing Stars and Stinkers

An Apple a day. With the release of the new iPhone 5, focus has again turned to the incredible marketing demonstrated by Apple over the years. There is a lesson to be learned here by any small business owner about how effective products and services combined with creative marketing will bring success again and again. Small Business Trends

Epic fail. To the other extreme, another smartphone maker, Nokia, took a serious misstep recently when announcing the release of its Lumia 820 and 920 phones, with the most exciting feature being the PureView Camera Technology intended to separate both smartphones from all other competition. Unfortunately, it turned out that neither a promotional video or still images used in the advertising materials were actually shot with the new phones! The PR Verdict

The post Apple Unveils the iPhone 5 appeared first on Small Business News, Tips, Advice - Small Business Trends.