A question: “Have you ever started a small business?”
What will define our answers?
The fact that we had an ideas journal?
The fact that we typed up a small business plan?
The fact that we even looked at some costings to pull it together?
The fact that…
We need to define success in launching a business the same way the tax department does, when we have got revenue.
Until this time, all we’ve done is flirt with theory. We must do to become.
Cold calling is difficult. What choice do we have when we are establishing a product in a new distribution channel? One in which we have few contacts. (note: my definition here is B2B & excludes interuption phone calls to private dwellings)
Try two phase calling. Turn up and ask for the manager or owner. You only want 5 minutes to talk about an idea with them. You simply tell them what you are doing and ask for some input. It goes something like this:
We are developing X and think it could be good for your industry or a business similar to yours, but we’re not sure. This is what we are thinking, what do you think…?
Two things often happen. Firstly they tell you what type of marketing you should be doing. Then, they may ask you to bring in your widget to show them next time. What it needs to be successful is a low status approach. Let them they own part of the idea. Collaborate with them. Don’t bring anything with you. No samples, no brochures, nothing. Just talk with them.
If they’re not interested move on. Don’t be annoying.
This can work because you remove their defenses. They don’t have to figure out a way to reject you. Then next time you come to actually sell something to them, it’s not a cold call, it’s warm.
In the movie The pursuit of happiness, there’s a seen where the main character asks a successful Ferarri driving stock broker his secret. He replies with two things, “People and numbers”
What it doesn’t mention is the subtlety of this statement. It’s actually about numbers ‘of’ people. It’s the art of rainmaking.
The most important role in any start up is your ability to make rain. (read here sell). It can only be done by hitting the pavement and phone. Our technical and strategic brilliance will need to the back seat for a while. Especially in launch phase.
Success ratios aren’t nearly as important as the number of calls we make. The former improves when we focus on the latter.
Some things are just nice to look at. They demand eyeball time, so we investigate further.
What does your website, bottle, office, church, uniform, gadget look like?
Some advice from the street. Love jobs can kill your start up.
Definition
Love Job : Engaging friends or colleagues to perform specific, crucial tasks which one would normally pay for.
Through our journey as entrepreneurs we’ve engaged the help of friends, colleagues, professionals. In this category fall tasks like legal advice, design, advertising. They’re always happy to help, but when it’s delivery time, they got caught up, their boss was on their back, their dog died…
They didn’t make time because they weren’t getting paid. We were low on their priority list. Love Jobs are part of entrepreneurship and bootstrapping. You should and will use them. But if something is vital and you can afford it, it might be best to pay for getting it done and meeting your timeline.
Is it enough to define your market as a group of people? It doesn’t sound very strategic. It wouldn’t stand up in an MBA assignment. The question we must ask ourselves is: Do ‘our’ people want to be strategically defined?
Maybe the term target is better than consumer or prospect? They’re still people, right? I don’t think so. No one wants to be a target. I don’t. Not for anyone, thing or corporation. Makes us feel like a cartoon rabbit in the wrong season.
If we must be more deliberate than using the word people. What can we use and maintain our direction?
I prefer the terms audience or community.
When you whisper in someone’s ear, they act a certain way. They lean forward, close into your cupped hand. Sometimes they close their eyes. They concentrate to hear what you’re saying. They feel empowered. It must be a secret. They’re privileged.
When you shout, people put their hands over their ears. They go into protection mode. They’re not really listening.
Both whispering and shouting are like advertising in the post mass media era.
Smart start ups whisper their message to the people who care.
If you whisper, maybe they’ll tell someone else. Who’ll tell someone else…..They can’t resist. Maybe the story will change a little or get embellished. Is that such a bad thing?