The Online Marketer

Mike Hendrikse

marketing Processes

Beard trimming can be a business process driven approach

A Business process can allow your business to scale at speed

Even my new barber uses business processes
I’ve been growing a beard for a while and have had a love-hate relationship with the process. My beard gets long, misshapen, trimmed short and even shaved right off at times. Yip, but the shaved off period was scary. I didn’t recognise the human behind it.
 
It’s a bugger to keep a beard neat, and to find a good barber has been a problem. So I settled for a two-part process. I’d have my haircut at a hairdresser and then have my beard trimmed at a barber.
 
My ex-barber, a chatty fellow, with an occasional body odour problem, served me well. Then one day he threw an off colour rant. I became very uncomfortable going to him. I didn’t feel like putting up with another rant, and I knew I would feel awkward about putting him in his place.
 
This is, after all, the guy you trust with a razor at your throat.

The Universe Conspires

My beard got itchy and I was miserable. The kind of miserable where you want to scratch the skin off your face rather than write inspiring words.
 
So off to my friend Google.
 
I use beard balm from the Black Hat Beard Company, which I bought from the local home industry store. I saw from Black Hat’s website that they also had a beard soap. So I popped a message to their Facebook Page and asked if there was a local outlet to collect. They offered a few suggestions.
 
Then I threw in the question about where was the best place to go to get your beard shaped or trimmed.
 
And that’s how I met Wayne Smit. He didn’t have the soap in stock and I said that although I had just had my beard trimmed I was ready for a haircut and could I make a booking. He promised to investigate stock.

The Appointed Day

Wayne sat me down and discussed what I liked, what my routine was and had me off to the basin for a hair wash and head massage.
 
All good and well. We chatted about what I do and I mentioned I was into business processes and automation, particularly around marketing.
 
Well, that lead to a very interesting discussion about Michael Gerber’s Book “The eMyth Revisited”.
 
Turns out Wayne had given a lot of thought to how he can systemize his business. He had an eight pillar approach in place.
 
In Wayne’s business, every stylist asks their clients six questions when they arrive. Each of these questions are designed to let the stylist know exactly what the client wants and also to allow them to identify further marketing opportunities.
 
Then the rest of the seven pillars kick in. There’s a hospitality process, a basin process, a product recommendation process, a demo process, a rebooking process, and finally a referral process. (okay I may have them mixed up but you get my drift).
 
Now I know that Wayne will do very well in his business with a bit of help but was inspired that he had read THE book and developed business processes around the book to benefit his business.
 
Oh and did I mention, I now have a plan on how to grow my beard in a controlled fashion.
 
I’m all for systems.
For more on Business Processes

Digitally First - Physically Enhanced

The Online Business Model has usurped the Physical Business Presence as the primary business presence. Physical businesses now support the online versions.

This transitioning has been fraught with difficulty but has been terribly exciting. Successful transients are alive with possibilities…

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We are serious about money

We are not embarrassed about asking to be paid

We work hard for our clients

At our Online Marketing Agency we work hard for our clients. We are meticulous about our research which adds enormous value to the effectiveness of our clients websites and online marketing campaigns. We compete with graphic designers who produce visually appealing sites but who never stand a chance in hell of being found on Google.

Some of our clients actually even understand the difference. Some even appreciate our efforts and so they should.

We are generous with our time.

 We are always on hand to assist our clients with their computer problems. We regularly take calls to assist our clients with their email problems (mostly to with their outlook or email client), their inability to use certain software and are patient when they have forgotten how to make an adjustment to a page on their site. This time that we give freely in an effort to build relationships robs us of the opportunity to do more work but we accept it as part of the game and give freely in good grace.

But there is one area of our business where we fail. We fail to insist that clients pay us on time.

I’ve spoken to many small businesses about this problem and most of them fall into the same trap.
Somehow, despite offering great service we get all shy about asking for money and insisting it gets paid on time.

I think it’s a form of masochism. After all try not pay your electricity account or you Vodacom account and see how shy these people are about cutting you off. Vodacom has millions of cash reserves. As small businesses we have to pay our overheads such as salaries, lights, water, telephone and internet bandwidth. In our case we pay our service providers for hosting, domain registrations and God help us somewhere amongst the endless list of expenses we have to keep a bit for ourselves.

So why do small businesses devalue themselves so much by feeling shy to ask for payment for services delivered. It’s demeaning and it shouldn’t be.

The accounts department that has closed for the holidays wouldn’t dare not have paid the directors mobile phone  accounts.

Why should we be treated any different?

My advice is “don’t demean yourself”. Feel free to ask what is due. If not received then cut off. The utility company does- why not you.

Your clients will soon learn to take you seriously.

If you fear loosing customers because you are asking them to pay what’s due then you’re being a masochist.

If your clients get offended – then ask yourself “do you really need them as a client”?

Probably not.

If you routinely battle to get payment from your clients then be bold. It may change your cash flow and your life.

Be safe

 

Digitally First but Physically Enhanced

The Online Business Model has usurped the Physical Business Presence as the primary business presence. Physical businesses now support the online versions.

This transitioning has been fraught with difficulty but has been terribly exciting. Successful transients are alive with possibilities…

Why do small businesses feel strange about asking for payment? Read More »

Connect with your target market
Content creation

The Power of Action in Content Creation:

A Reflection

Action starts with a plan

I’d been asked to address a guest house forum on tackling social media. Given the broad nature of this topic, I chose to focus on the power shift from business to consumer due to the new ways we communicate since the advent of the Internet.

The short talk was well received; I saw many people jotting down points I made. However, at the end of my talk, one delegate initiated a new discussion. She expressed frustration with the local authorities’ lack of commitment to basic services in the city, impacting tourism. She cited issues like street cleanliness, pothole repairs, and the lack of promotion for her area.

This made me think.

In life and business, including content creation, to tackle a problem, one needs to take action. I always break down projects into actionable steps. Inspired action is crucial to moving forward.

Our delegate identified the problem but was at a loss on what to do next. She spent considerable time introducing negative energy by deflecting the problem onto someone else, hoping the forum would take up her cause—a classic case of passing the monkey.

Some things are out of our control. Wasting time trying to control the uncontrollable is counterproductive. Instead, we should analyze what we can do. The question to ask is, “What is the next step or action I can take?” Knowing this is key to moving forward. Big, audacious goals are essential for focus, but without breaking them into next actions, we won’t achieve the desired outcomes.

For instance, possible actions in her case could be:

  • Make an appointment with the ward councillor to express her views.
  • Identify the steps needed to remedy the situation.
  • Engage with the right people.
  • Call for a meeting with affected stakeholders.
  • Plan her vote in the next election to reflect her discontent.

Assuming someone else will take action on your behalf is impractical. The lady hoped the forum would champion her cause. As a founding member of that forum, I believe we need to clearly define our roles.

In content creation, this principle applies too. Break down your projects and tasks into next actions and see the benefits. Inspired action propels progress.

Dave Allen’s excellent book, “Getting Things Done,” encapsulates this philosophy. It’s well worth a read for anyone looking to boost productivity.

For more insights on revolutionising the content creation process, visit Revolutionising the Content Creation Process.

Enjoy breaking your projects into actionable steps and watch your progress unfold.

Digitally First but Physically Enhanced

The Online Business Model has usurped the Physical Business Presence as the primary business presence. Physical businesses now support the online versions.

This transitioning has been fraught with difficulty but has been terribly exciting. Successful transients are alive with possibilities…

The advantages of taking action Read More »

Content Creation
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