 Welcome to the Sentinel
by Jack Warkenthien
“Welcome back my Friends, to the show that never ends…. step inside, step inside”, to paraphrase a song that was popular in my college days. Or said another way, “We’re baaaack”. Don’t remember the movie, exactly, but that’s how we feel, as NextStep Solutions fires up the eZine Press once again, and delivers our first edition of The Sentinel. Some of you were original subscribers, back in the early 2000s, and most of you are new friends, enjoying the pub for the first time. Regardless of how (and when) you got here, we’re glad you made the trip! I’m Jack Warkenthien, and I’ll be your Tour Guide for this journey.
As NextStep Solutions races towards our seventeenth year in business this Fall, some things are new & different, and some things have remained the same. Allow me to comment on the latter: Our purpose remains the same: “To enhance your sales experience”. Sounds simple on the surface, but the many facets of our value equation make your gem of a company, both brilliant and valuable. Isn’t it amazing what happens, when you focusing on enhancing your relationships and communications skills? Dale Carnegie reminds us that 85% of our success in life—however you define it—is comprised of these two ingredients.
What’s new? In short: everything else! This month, we officially launch The Century Club. We are searching for ONE HUNDRED (hence, Century) business owners or Sales Professionals, who commit to being a minimum of a “one million dollar revenue generating machine”, in less than two years. Each of the Century Club members will receive tons of sales/business development/marketing resources monthly, for UNDER $100 per month! Said another way, Nextstep Solutions will deliver big company sales training and strategy for small company prices. As you can imagine, candidates are signing up on the spot.
As a subscriber and reader to this monthly eZine, you’ll also be part of our movement: to elevate selling out of the gutter and make everyone proud to be a part of the World’s Oldest Profession. We’re gonna remind everyone on the planet, that “SELL” is NOT a four-letter word! Face it: you’re in sales and everyone’s in sales, so you might as well get good at it. We’re also “rebranding” our book series—SuperSelling—to include the series of books and sales tools that are being created as you read. Think “Chicken Soup” or “X for Dummies” or “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to…”. You’ll not only be the first to see the first new edition (“SuperSelling For The Home-Based Business Owner”), but we’re gonna ask you to write YOUR book (or Chapter) on an area in which you have expertise. So far, we’ve had candidates who want to write, “SuperSelling For The Inventor”, “SuperSelling For The Hispanic American”, “SuperSelling For The Single Set”. What’s YOUR topic?
You can expect every issue of The Sentinel to be chock full of resources, tools, Jack’s Snacks, client success stories, What’s News, and of course: Jack’s Stack—special monthly deals on our stuff. You’ll meet our staff, like Jon Phillips, our COO who runs the “Mother Ship” from San Antonio, Luann Stec, the Editor of this eZine, LIVE from Naperville, IL—and a cast of others. Above all, let us know what you want or need. We’ll feature your suggestions in the next edition, and implement as many as your ideas as feasible. Your Jack Snack for the month: There’s no finish line to the human race. Enjoy the journey, and we’ll see you along the road.
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A NextStep Solution
by Jack Warkenthien
TIREMAX, a Conroe, TX- based company, has found a way to beat the likes of Discount Tire, NTB, Firestone, etc. at their own game. For the past decade, they’ve been opening corporate-owned retail tire stores up and down the State of Texas. Every one of them has been profitable—and within a very short period of time. They get it. Chris Wilkerson, the Founder and CEO, realized that if the industry “commoditizes” your product, you’d better personalize or “customerize” your service and delivery. Due to their success, they decided to franchise the concept, and in 2010, they were selling stores all over the U.S. In fact, TIREMAX is one of the fastest growing Franchisors in the country, since there are few other franchises available, that do what they do.
Enter NextStep Solutions. We were brought in, to design, develop and deliver a training system to teach the Store Managers and Assistant Store Managers, how to quickly establish relationships with their customers. Last month was our first month, of a 12-month initiative, to provide the skills necessary to increase store sales. The TIREMAX professionals left the first workshop, learning that they’re really in the sandwich business, increasing their believability, likeability and trustworthiness—or B.L.T.s. You know how “on guard” you are, when you go to a repair shop. You just KNOW that you’re gonna get “ripped off”, by a guy that knows a lot more about your car than you do. We teach Retail Store managers to diffuse the tension, by being proactive and extremely polite.
It’s too early to tell, but we’re told there’s already a whole new attitude of the employees. Next week is Round 2, so we’ll keep you apprised. Next time you need tires, look for the TIREMAX sign. They may be coming to your neighborhood soon.
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Building Relationships & Your Business Through Social Media
by Marci Kleinsasser, CFE Vice President of Marketing at PuroClean, Inc.
Most of us today are using a social networking
site in our personal or business life on a daily
basis. Whether you have a Facebook page, a
LinkedIn page, or you “tweet,” you are all listening
to and/or participating in conversations that you
may not have even considered in the past. The
same holds true for your clients and customers,
and the opportunity you have to create, build and
deepen relationships in your business has taken
on a whole new dimension with social media.
Why is social media important?
1. Social media allows you to bring your product and service where your
clients are gathering:
• There are more than 500 million users on Facebook
• LinkedIn has over 80 million members in over 200 countries
• Microblogging site Twitter has over 190 million users and growing
2. In addition to the vast number of people available to you in real time, you
have the ability to manage your brand’s reputation. You can see what people
are saying about you and quickly respond.
3. Your activities on all of the social media networks are extremely valuable to
your SEO (Search Engine Optimization) efforts online. Everything you post
allows you to link back to your web pages. Both the new content and these
links will enrich your SEO. Google LOVES social!
4. Social media is one of the most cost-effective platforms to connect and
engage your clients, customers, vendors and associates. There really is no
other medium out there, now that you can access in real time and deliver the
message that you control with such impact and results.
Now let’s hear from some of our PuroClean
Franchisees and see how they are using social
media to help them build their businesses.
Q. What do you find most beneficial
about using social media
(Facebook, in particular) to promote
your business?
A. “Ok, this one is EASY! Facebook allows you to learn more
about your client or potential client. I have made so many
new friends in this journey of owning a PuroClean.
Facebook allows us to keep in touch on a more personal
level. Also, it allows us to give daily tips for those who would
like to get them, instead of us shoving emails down their
throat.”
Kelli Smith
PuroClean Emergency Property Recovery, Nashville, TN
A. “It’s free, and approached the right way, it can actually be
fun. There is a bit of give and take with Facebook, and it
can be interesting to post questions that evoke a response
out of people. It makes your brand memorable. I spend about
a half an hour on Facebook just a few times per week, so I
really don’t invest a ton of time in it. I try to put educational
tips on my page, as well as job experiences with pictures to
show the type of work that we do. People seem amazed when
they see pictures of a water loss, and a few leave comments.
I feel strongly that if they experience a water loss in the
future, they will remember us and hopefully give us a call.”
John Jacobs
PuroClean Water, Fire, & Mold Experts, Waukesha, WI
A. “Facebook allows me to show potential clients that there
is a real name and face behind the business. It lets them
know that I am more than just a service provider, but a valued
reference/consultant for relevant items that may be of
interest to them in their related businesses and regarding
how and why we do what we do. It also allows me to touch
potential clients regularly without having to take valuable
face time away from their everyday busy schedule. It basically
lets them know that our business is “alive and really kicking”
in a regular, non time-invasive way. For me it’s just another
way to stay in touch. Since this is such a reactionary business,
you need to be everywhere and reachable in a moment’s
notice. Facebook is just another place for people to reach
out to you in a time of need.”
Kevin Oakley
PuroClean Property Rescuers NC, Fuquay Varina, NC
A. “I love the social media outlets for the business. These days,
almost everyone is tuned into Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter.
Facebook, in particular, has been a fabulous way to get to
know the people you market to on a daily basis. Once I go
into an agency and meet the staff or anyone new, I go back
to the warehouse at the end of the day and start searching
for their profiles. Even if I do not feel comfortable enough
to ‘friend’ them yet, I'll browse and try to pick up a few
conversation pieces for my next visit. For those that I do
‘friend,’ it becomes a great way to drop a comment more
often than they would normally see you, in an informal way.
You learn key things about their lives, like children,
vacations, sports, etc. that you may bond over. Another
key benefit to social networking with others is that it allows
the people you market to ‘professionally,’ to see you for
who you really are, not your branded name tag. I have also
started a Facebook page for my PuroClean (office). There,
my Twitter feeds through with our logo, and I can post
pictures of jobs, new equipment, and other things of
interest. You can set up an account with Facebook, and
pay to have your ad run to a strategic audience to get
"likes" or followers. This is a good way to build your page
so it doesn't look empty when you invite the people you
really want to join.”
Megan Thiel
PuroClean Restoration Professionals, Atlanta, GA
Q. Have you received any leads/jobs
as a result of the marketing you
have done on Facebook?
A. “Yes. However, mostly it just strengthens the existing
relationships we have built.”
Kelli Smith
PuroClean Emergency Property Recovery, Nashville, TN
A. “I approached my Facebook page methodically when I
started it by finding real estate Agents to hook up with.
They have a very big Facebook presence, and I would say
that I have gotten about seven leads as a result. In addition,
one of my Facebook followers recommended me to
someone else in her office that needed a mold quote, so it
has actually transformed itself into a word-of-mouth
resource. I also had someone ask me to call them during
a surge event via Facebook, but didn’t notice until about
a week after the post. Obviously, checking Facebook
wasn’t a high priority during the surge, but I realized the
importance of splashing my phone number everywhere on
my page, just in case. Others that I approached
were Plumbers, municipalities, politicians, property
management companies, bars (they flood too!) and new
reporters. Again, it’s methodical. News reporters are
looking for news, and in October, I posted a picture of a
tree that fell on a house during a windstorm. We were
asked by a State Farm to board up the windows. Not ouran hour after the post, I received a call from a news reporter
asking if we would be willing to tell our story on the news.
That particular interview fell through, but we received a call
from the same reporter last week who interviewed us
regarding freezing pipes. I will now anticipate freeze/flood
events on the horizon and post information that may lead
to similar results.”
John Jacobs
PuroClean Water, Fire, & Mold Experts, Waukesha, WI
A. “Yes, but as expected, it is difficult to really measure the
total impact of this valuable exposure except that it is
obviously beneficial.”
Kevin Oakley
PuroClean Property Rescuers NC, Fuquay Varina, NC
Q. What tip(s) do you have for other
Franchisees who have not yet
tried or who are hesitant to try
using Facebook/Social Media in
their marketing efforts?
A. “Don’t be afraid of it! My daughter had to show me how
to use it! LOL… It is a great way to strengthen relationships.
It lets them see that you are human and have a life outside
of business. Make sure you monitor it, though. Do not friend
people that may comment on you offensively, etc.
Remember, you want them to see you in your best light.
Pictures can be inappropriate, too. Try not to have pictures
of you at functions smoking or drinking, etc… Remember it
is all about the image and how they perceive you.”
Kelli Smith
PuroClean Emergency Property Recovery, Nashville, TN
A. “Twitter is my new favorite toy! You can link both your
Facebook and LinkedIn accounts to your Twitter account,
so what you blog about during the day shows up in all three
applications. I am just building my following on Twitter now,
so follow me @PuroATL! You only get a short, two sentences
or so to say what you need to, so it keeps your blurb less
annoying, at least I think so. You can post a link to an article
you have found online, or a YouTube video. I also like to say
where we are working that day, or if we did something
special. Ex: "On a big fire job today in EastATL! Remember
to unplug the Christmas tree when u go to sleep!” Some
Agents are on Twitter, and I also follow State Farm and
Allstate so I can chat to Agents about their own company
sometimes. Also, I urge you all to remember that your nifty
iPhones have video cameras, so capture anything you
would personally want to see! These videos will not
necessarily be searched for by the homeowner, but used
by the rest of us in the Network to show the world what we
do. So many Agents have NO IDEA about the equipment
we use and how technological we can really get. Have fun,
and if you have trouble, ask a teenager how to do it!”
Megan Thiel
PuroClean Restoration Professionals, Atlanta, GA
A. “It’s like selling anything. Don’t be afraid to open doors and
reach out to potential connections that may be able to
help your business. Push the Facebook envelope a little
bit. Connect with people who know you, and then work to
connect to people who know the people you are friends
with. Connect with your past customers and clients for
sure. This is a relationship business. My impression is that
Facebook pages are less valuable than Facebook friends,
so use both.”
Kevin Oakley
PuroClean Property Rescuers NC, Fuquay Varina, NC
A. “You have nothing to lose. Free is a great price, and
the results for me have been far more successful than
ServiceMagic.”
John Jacobs
PuroClean Water, Fire, & Mold Experts, Waukesha, WI
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Ask Jack
by Jack Warkenthien
• “I’m being told, by my Sales Manager, to go out and Network. So I attend all these events, from breakfasts, to lunches to after work mixers. The problem is, I can’t track any real deals that occurred for having attended. Am I doing something wrong?” (Kathryn M.)
Hey Kathryn,
For starters, your Boss is right. There’s no greater “investment” of your time, than to attend events where your candidates lurk. Of course, you have to know your “sweet spot”, and I’m gonna assume you do. While at the networking events, you should have one objective: identify Qualified/Interested candidates for your product/service/value. You’re NOT trying to sell anything—other than an appointment—if they qualify. Here’s a tip: Be a card collector and ask for THEIR business card. Ask 2-3 qualifying questions and jot the answers on the back of the card. When you come home, place the cards in one of four piles (Qualified/Interested, Qualified/Not-Interested, Not Qualified/Interested, Not Qualified/Not Interested). Then follow-up, diligently, with all Qualified candidates, by quickly setting an appointment to next meet. If you do that, you’ll soon be converting your new “relationships” into “revenue streams” and you’ll be glad you listened to your Boss.
• “People always ask me for my elevator pitch, or 30-second commercial, etc. It’s hard to describe what we sell in such a short period of time. What do you suggest I say, when I’m asked that question?” (Brad W.)
Brad,
The days of the 30-second commercial, are behind us, for many reasons. Primarily, you can’t differentiate yourself in that short of time, so you end up sounding like everyone else. At NextStep Solutions, we teach our clients the 2-Minute Engagement—and the differences are profound! In essence, here’s how it works: get in the habit of asking the other party “What do YOU do?” first. Then, when they reciprocate—and they always do—you tell them how what you do, applies to what they want/need/seek. For instance, when a plumber asks me what I do, I DON’T say “I’m the CEO of NextStep Solutions”. Why? Because we’re not a household name—yet! That doesn’t mean anything to them. Instead, I say, “We engage plumbers and help them convert the numerous inquiry calls they receive, into firm appointments”. Wow. THAT means something to them. (True story: we picked up a new client in S.A. by doing that). Following that, you ask a qualifying question or two, to see if they’re a candidate for your value equation. We next create a sense of urgency and FINALLY, own and control the Next Step, so both parties know what happens next. Good luck, Brad.
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- Welcome to the Sentinel
