Business COACH Reggie Shropshire's ActionCOACH Blog Wilmington NC

Guerrilla Marketing Boot Camp Starts July 11th

2010-06-30T14:42:00.014-04:00

We Want You!

FOR GUERRILLA MARKETING BOOTCAMP

ActionCOACH Reggie Shropshire and Sgt. Major
Charlene “The Bon Bon Queen” Dupray want you to join
their ranks for their powerful 3-month, 6-session Guerrilla
Marketing Boot Camp. This brief, yet intense program
has been specifically designed to strengthen your
marketing muscles and equip you to take on the challenges of
creatively marketing your business on a budget.

Each two hour training session will be conducted on the 2nd and 4th Fridays, July-September from 9 am – 11 am
with a focus on one (or two) specific guerrilla marketing weapons. Here’s a sampling of what’s included:

July 9th: Boosting Website and Marketing Materials
We’ll identify the 7 crucial elements that no website should be without and show you how to
transform your website from a glorified business card into a sales-generating powerhouse.
Time will be devoted to analyzing websites and marketing materials of willing class participants
and giving concrete suggestions on how to maximize your online real estate.

July 23rd: Creating Effective Newsletters and
Communications
We’ll break down all of the components of creating effective newsletters and c
ommunications pieces that work as powerful selling tools for your company. We’ll spend time
strategizing on specific ideas for your business and ensure that everyone leaves with strong
material for their next newsletter or direct mail piece to clients.
This powerful session alone is worth your boot camp investment!

August 13th: Making Social Media and Networking Work for Your Business
We’ll teach you specific how-to shortcuts to save time on social media; we’ll reveal where you
should invest your energy and what social media and networking groups are not worth your
time; we’ll show you how to use networking to create meaningful (and original) strategic alliances; and we’ll provide the details of real case studies of small business who have success in
this area, so you can model after them.

August 27th: Developing Incredible Events and Promotions
How can you drive customers to your door and generate buzz about your business?
How can you get the media to cover special events related to your business? How can you build
and sustain priceless word of mouth advertising? We’ll answer all of these questions and more
in this boot camp session, plus we’ll devote time to a creative
brainstorming session that leaves you with a list of exciting ideas for your next event
and/or promotion.

September 10th: Maximizing Customer Relationships
We all know that we should treat our customers well, but what does it take to turn them into
loyal, raving fans? How can your business create a ‘cult’ following like Apple, Harley-Davidson,
or Starbucks? In this session we’ll explore powerful strategies that will get you thinking out of
the box and have your customers eating out of the palm of your hand!

September 24th: Building Your Customized Battle Plan
Every business worrior knows the importance of having a strategic battle plan.
We’ll spend our last session together working on your own plan of action to take everything
you’ve learned and incorporate it into your business. You’ll leave with a
step-by-step guide on how to win the marketing war in your industry.

Tuition Options...
3 monthly payments of $200
Pay in advance $550 (save $50)

Early Bird Special: Pay in full by July 1st and save $50! ($500 for complete program)
If you are interested in enrolling the Boot Camp Contact Coach Reggie at 910-471-2725

2010-06-02T09:23:00.003-04:00

There are two ways to market your business:

1. Dedicate a large budget to advertising, spend lots of $$$, and hope for results

The reality is that 80% of traditional marketing campaigns FAIL. I am sure you have experienced it before. You need more customers, so you write a check for some form of advertising, hoping for a ‘silver bullet’ that will bring people in the door. A few weeks later, you learn that your check was just tuition paid to the school of hard knocks. It taught you what doesn’t work for your business.

2. Dedicate time and imagination, spend very little $$$, and get results

Which would you rather do?

If you choose Option 2, then don't miss this incredible primer on guerrilla marketing!

Guerrilla Marketing is an unconventional system of promotions that relies on time, energy and imagination rather than a big marketing budget. Guerilla marketing campaigns are unexpected, interactive and highly targeted to ideal consumers. They generate buzz, intrigue, word of mouth, and publicity--all of which are often FREE!

Join our ranks and become a guerrilla marketer.

On Friday June 11^th from 0900 – 1200 join us for a FREE ActionCOACH seminar “From The Trenches: 101 Guerrilla Marketing Strategies to Grow Your Business” at the North East Cape Fear Library at Landfall.

The seminar will feature the owner of South 'n France, Sgt. Major Charlene “The Bon Bon Queen” Dupray, who is a battle-tested guerrilla marketer. She will share more than one hundred guerrilla marketing ideas plus her own success stories from the trenches where she used these very techniques to gain national recognition and publicity without spending a dime.

At this seminar you will learn…

· How to use your small size as an advantage over the ‘big box’ competitors

· How to employ unconventional marketing strategies that use minimal resources, but yield maximum results

· Which marketing weapons you should have in your arsenal to be an effective guerrilla marketer

· 101 real world examples of guerrilla marketing strategies that work

This seminar will open your mind to powerful ideas that will bring you more customers at a much lower cost than traditional advertising mediums....

Are You a Pro? Part 3

2009-12-14T12:47:00.001-05:00

ActionCOACH Bill Gililand

Consistent- Consistency is key in a service or product. McDonald's is not successful because they have the best product. When you go to McDonald's do you expect the best burger? No. But you know what your going to get. Give your customer the same satisfaction everytime.
Passionate- Be passionate in what you do. When you get up in the morning, you should be excited about getting to work. When asked about your business, when working on your business, take pride in what you are doing. Your passion for your business will rub off on others, creating a passionate environment others will wish to be apart of.
Evaluate/ Adjust- A professional evaluates every situation, and adjusts its structure to succeed. They know their business inside and out and measure their methods to determine which works best.
Accountable- A professional is a victor and not a victim. They are accountable for their actions and do not blame it on the recession, your employees, or others. They do not believe in excuses.
Discipline- A professional knows when, how, what and where to put their time. They do not waste away in front of their television programs. A professional is dedicated in what they are doing. They are disciplined in their work as well as their life. They are healthy and eager to learn.
Focus- A professional is focused on where they are and not daydreaming about what they will do. If they are at work, they keep their mind on their workd. If they are with their family, they focus on their family.

So, how many of these 6 do you need to make improvements. Take action NOW and make the changes you need to make. Next week we will have 6 more!

Make it a great day!!!

Coach Reggie

Are You a Pro? Part 2

2009-12-07T12:34:00.001-05:00

ActionCOACH Bill Gililand

Purposeful- What goals do you hope to accomplish at your business. Are you there to pass the time or do you have a purpose?
Like Thinkers- Surround yourself with people who are on the same path as you. The more successful thinkers you surround yourself with, the more likely you will succeed.
Look Easy/ All Together (Appearance)- Make your work appear easy, even if it is not. Be prepared for anything.
Push Through Fear- If a professional comes along a "wall", where it seems difficult or scary to surpass, they keep their composure and push through the fear.
Adapt- Change/ adapt to your surroundings. A business owner today will not be able to succed without efficient technology. Your business should reflect on your environment, in which you must adapt to.
Self Promote- A professional must be proud of themselves. Now, they should not be cocky but confident, not be modest and preserving, but let people know, "Hey, I have a great business".
Reliable- A professional is on top of their work. If something needs to be done, they make sure they finish it ASAP. If someone is relying on them, whether their employees or another organization, they can be counted on and not have the other organizations worried about having their needs met.

So, how many of these 7 do you need to make improvements. Take action NOW and make the changes you need to make. Next week we will have 6 more!

Make it a great day!!!

Coach Reggie

ActionCOACH Testimonial - Just Perfect! Home Staging + More - Jessica Pirone

2009-12-04T12:16:00.000-05:00

I first met ActionCOACH Reggie Shropshire at a Chamber of Commerce event, shortly after moving to the Wilmington area and launching my own business, Just Perfect! Home Staging + More. Reggie invited me to attend on of his free seminars, and I subsequently took several of his great classes.

As a solo entrepreneur, when I needed hands-on help or wanted to talk through a business challenge out loud, I turned to my family and friends for assistance. Before long, I noticed that I was relying heavily on them for support. For me (and I’m sure for them too!), the situation felt less than perfect. After all, they hadn’t signed on for this. I missed our normal interactions and felt that my business was putting stress on my personal relationships. I didn’t want to create a long-term dynamic that centered around my business; with family and friends, I prefer to just be “Jessica”.

I felt strongly that one-on-one coaching with Reggie would give me the benefit of having an interested party who could brainstorm on business ideas and hold me accountable to meet my goals. Moreover, with a strong business advisor in place, I could rely less on my friends and family.

About a year ago, I began coaching with Reggie. One of the first things I noticed was that things started getting done faster. As a business owner, you always have an infinite “to do” list that pulls you in many different directions. Although you might be able to mentally prioritize that list, it can still be difficult to get the important stuff done. Reggie helped me create a weekly ‘short list’--each week we identify just four important tasks that I must complete, no matter what. Those four tasks are usually things that are easy to put off, but that once done will help to drive my business forward by leaps and bounds. Because Reggie helps me focus on the best items to add to that short list and because he holds me accountable (and I’m paying him to do so), I’m far more effective at getting those tasks done!

Another benefit from my coaching has been a shift in my thinking. Reggie has helped me to analyze my business from a big-picture perspective. Also, by encouraging me to take the time to celebrate my strengths and successes, he has increased my confidence. Since working with Reggie, I have landed a big staging contract and hired a great team using the unique ActionCOACH hiring process.

Best of all, I’ve reclaimed my life! I recently went to Italy on a vacation with my family and the business kept running smoothly thanks to my newly hired staff. Even better, once the plane touched down in Italy, I never discussed my business with my family even once! Finding both success and balance between my business life and my personal life has been, well, just perfect!

--Jessica Pirone, Just Perfect! Home Staging + More

Wilmington's ActionCOACH Business Community Builds a Business

2009-12-02T12:33:00.003-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I attended a launch party for my client Gretchen Rivas of Relax! Massage Therapy. Gretchen launched a new segment to her business Relax! Productions which over time will produce several films that will teach you the proper ways to offer massage to your partner at home.

As a husband with a wife that likes to receive a massage on a regular basis I can appreciate the concept of a 'how to massage at home guide.' Quite honestly because my wife makes it quite clear that I'm not doing it right. I have the tendency to apply too much pressure or just 'rub her the wrong way.' Try as I may, my lack of home masseuse skills can be racked up to my ignorance on how to provide a proper massage. I love that Gretchen has a vision to produce a product that will help me 'rub her the right way' by teaching me every thing I wanted to know about giving my wife a rub down but was afraid to ask.

Her first Video is one that I wish I had then but I hope not to need in the future, "How to Massage Your Pregnant Partner." Not only am I proud of Gretchen because I am her coach but also because most of the businesses that were part of the creation, production, and marketing of this business are members of the Wilmington ActionCOACH Business Community. Gretchen has met most most of these resources at local ActionCOACH Seminars, Workshops, ProfitCLUB, GrowthCLUB, and similar events.

I have always taken great enjoyment from being a connector and linking people together. I had a vision several years ago when I started my ActionCOACH practice to build a community of local business owners that create synergy amongst themselves. This would create added value to their ActionCOACH involvement. I was so gratified to watch my vision demonstrated that evening when Gretchen recognized her 'team'...

Life Stage Films - Matt & Melissa Davis - For creating the concept and filming it. I think Melissa deserves credit by saying, "I wish you could teach Matt..."
NeoNexus Corp - Kent Milholland - For creating a great looking and well functioning web site that is the store front & cash register for this web based business.
Steven Dryer Design - Steven Dryer - For creating a top shelf company identity package. Steve has a gift in this area and he never disappoints.
Bon's Eye Marketing - Steve & Sarah Bon - For building and executing the marketing plan to cast a wide but targeted net on a shoestring budget.
Fussbudgetpromo - Sarah Barbee - For her role as social media advisor
International Minute Press - Todd Bailey - For printing first class marketing materials on a tight time line
The River Room - Brian & Tina Marie McArtan & Ray Baca - For providing a great place to have a launch party.
Thyme Savor Catering - Danielle & Jeff Cousler - For catering the launch party.
ActionCOACH ProfitCLUB - A peer to peer advisory board for providing tons of great ideas and resource recommendations during the incubation period of the business.

As you can see it "Takes a Community" to build a business. If you are in the market to launch a business the businesses above are great resources to get the done right the first time. If you have a business and you didn't get it done the right the first time they would be glad to help you get on the right track.

While it was rewarding to watch this vision come to life, I have tons more to bring to reality for me and the clients that I coach. If I can help you achieve your business vision, it is a big part of fulfilling mine. Let me know if you want to move journey into the fast line.

Make it a great day!!!

Coach Reggie

Are you a Pro? Part 1

2009-11-30T12:46:00.000-05:00

ActionCOACH Bill Gililand

Practice- Ever hear "practice makes perfect"? Well it's true. Where would a professional be without practice. Without practice, you are no where close to being where you ought to be with your business. By starting your business you are already practicing and learning from your mistakes. The best way to learn is by doing.

100%- A professional gives 100% in whatever they are doing. If they are working "on", not in, their business and they are completely devoted to it. When you are with your family, stay 100% devoted to it. If you are doing 50% of one and the other, they are both only receiving 50% of what you can give them at the time.

Visualize- Without knowing where you want to go or where you want to be, how can you get there? Visualize youreslf in 1 month, 1 year, 5 years, or even 10 years and what you want your life to be like and what you would like to accomplish. By visualizing, you are setting a pathway that will guide you to success.

Have a Coach- Even Tiger Woods still has a coach (actually he has several). Without a coach, you only have yourself to tell you what your doing right and wrong in your business. Sometimes you need someone to check up on you and see your work from another point of view, making sure you are doing the correct work to help you grow. Most importantly, we are often to easy on ourselves. A coach will help you push forward once you own self-discipline would have let you call it quits.

Equipment- Having the right equipment at your job is essential. Without the best equipment "needed" (you don't have to buy the most expensive with extras you do not need) how are you able to deliver the best service or product?

Get Paid- Make sure you pay yourself. What is the purpose of owning your business if you do not make money? If you believe in your product or service, do not be afraid to raise your prices. If you have loyal customers, they will be alright with paying a little more for your services.

Look Good- If you appear sloppy, people are going to believe your work is sloppy. To be taken serious, you will have to take yourself serious, as well as your business.

So, how many of these 7 do you need to make improvements. Take action NOW and make the changes you need to make. Next week we will have 7 more!

Make it a great day!!!

Coach Reggie

ActionCOACH Testimonial - Relax! Massage Therapy - Gretchen Rivas

2009-11-28T12:04:00.000-05:00

Quite simply, I wouldn’t be where I am today had it not been for the incredible coaching I have received from ActionCOACH Reggie Shropshire. Under his guidance, I have been able to take my business in directions I never dreamed possible.

When I first started working with Reggie, I was content to book 10-15 massages per week. Then, Reggie worked with me on creating a budget, reviewing my expenses, and re-evaluating how much business I really needed to book in order to be successful. I set a goal of 20-25 massages per week, and have been consistently working in that range ever since.

Reggie also introduced me to lots of other incredible business owners with whom I’ve been able to create powerful alliances. Thanks to his introductions I now have strong relationships with a website firm, an advertising and marketing company, a copywriter, a video production company, a professional products company, and an acupuncturist with whom I do a lot of referral business. All of these people have helped to shape my own business and grow it into what it has become today.

From a personal perspective, it’s also been beneficial to share with other business owners--no matter our trade, we’re all in the same boat. I like to think of Reggie as the Captain of that boat encouraging us all to “Row!, Row!, Row!” Reggie is indeed a great Captain: he knows when to let you coast on the winds and when you need a push.

Like many busy professionals, I’m great at finding excuses for not getting certain things done. For example, my website needed work, but it just wasn’t my priority. Reggie pushed me to update and upgrade my website, and I’m so glad he did. Getting that project done freed me to pursue an entirely new venture with my business: I’ve recently filmed an educational DVD called How to Massage Your Pregnant Partner and guess what—I’m now building a second website to promote my new project, something I can easily do since my company’s main site is up-to-date. (By the way, my primary site, www.relaxwilmington.com, is at the top of the search engines for keywords ‘massage therapy’ in the Wilmington area, another milestone I’ve reached, thanks to ActionCOACH goals.)

When we entered this recent economic recession, Reggie wouldn’t let me use that as an excuse to let up on my business. While others in my industry closed their doors, he pointed out the potential opportunities for me. Not only has my business remained strong, I’ve now launched an entirely new revenue stream for the company! I birthed (excuse the pun!) my pregnancy massage DVD in just nine months, thanks to a plan of action and target date that I created with Reggie’s help. I’m so grateful for the abundance I’ve experienced thus far and so excited about the future of my business. Thanks, “Captain” Reggie for helping me navigate toward a life of smooth sailing.

--Gretchen Rivas, Relax! Massage Therapy

Couple of Noteworthy Events Next Week

2009-11-27T14:33:00.003-05:00

There are a couple of great events next week that I wanted to make sure you were aware of.

#1 - Wednesday Morning Dec. 2nd - SunTrust Business Over Breakfast - 7:45 - 10:00 a.m. - Hilton Riverside Downtown - FREE - If you didn't attend last year this was a very well done event. The networking was good, the speaker was solid and the content was great! I would highly recommend attending if you can. The speakers topic is "How Fit Is Your Business." You need to preregister if you are going to attend. The website to register is http://www.breakfastleadership.com/.

#2 - Thursday Morning Dec. 3rd - Greater Wilmington Business Journal Power Breakfast - "Real Estate:Recovery, Recession, or More of the Same" - 7:30 - 10 am - Hilton Riverside Downtown - $35 - The GWBJ Power Breakfasts are always time well spent. Great content and who's who of the Wilmington Business Community is in attendance. With this events topic, if your target market is related to real estate this is the place to be Thursday morning. For more info and to register go to http://www.wilmingtonbiz.com/events/power_breakfast.html.

Hope you have a great Thanksgiving and hope to see you next week at one or both of the above events.

Make it a great day!!!

Coach Reggie

Our 1st Family Elf Yourself Video of the Christmas Season

2009-11-25T22:25:00.002-05:00

It took a lot of practice and several takes but I think we have something that we can use.

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

ActionCOACH Testimonial - A Creative Touch - Renee Jones

2009-11-06T10:45:00.011-05:00

“Reggie Shropshire and I were members of the same business networking group. Each week, he talked about his seminars, but it took me several months to make room in my calendar to attend one. After all, I had already been running my business for five years; I wasn’t sure that he could teach me anything new…. I finally went to a 90-Day Business Planning Session, and I was sold! It wasn’t that Reggie presented earth-shattering material that I’d never heard, it was that he succeeded in getting me to spend an entire day in a setting where I was completely focused on evaluating my company’s current situation while setting goals and prioritizing action steps for the quarter to come. That planning session was so valuable for me and for the growth of my company, that I now attend this seminar regularly.

My husband, who runs his own small business, also attended the seminar. He encouraged me to start a one-on-one coaching program with Reggie, certain that we’d be a good fit for one another. At my husband’s insistence, I decided to give Reggie’s coaching program a try.

I’m a big believer in the old adage: “If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself”, and one of the first things Reggie did was work with me to hire help and delegate low-level administrative work so that I could spend my time earning more business for my company. I thought I only needed part-time help, but turns out I needed a full-time assistant in my business. Reggie worked with me using his unique hiring format to identify my needs and select potential candidates. He also helped me fine-tune my leadership skills for this kind of management. Having been the national President of a 250,000 member non-profit organization, I didn’t think that I needed any leadership coaching, but Reggie gently helped me to see that motivating an employee who thinks of ‘work’ as a 4-letter word is a lot different than organizing a large group of passionate, committed volunteers.

I also appreciated Reggie’s numbers-based approach to prioritizing business demands and motivating myself. I had been dragging my heels on pursuing a government contract, thinking I was too busy with day-to-day business demands to carve out the time for the mountain of paperwork the proposal required. Reggie said: “Just figure out how much that contract will be worth to you on an annual basis and write that number down.” That certainly lit a fire under me—when I looked at it as a revenue-generator instead of a time-killer, I knew that working on that proposal was a must!

Through similar techniques, Reggie taught me how to make more money while spending less time working, and he encouraged me to reward myself for reaching personal sales goals. Once, I set the goal of making enough extra sales to pay off some revolving business debt; another time I promised myself a Herman Miller desk chair if I met a lofty goal. The debt is paid and my chair was worth every penny!

I now tell other business owners: “Invest just one day and a little bit of money to attend the 90-Day Planning Session, and I guarantee you that it will pay for itself over and over again.” I know. I’ve got the Louis Vuitton briefcase to prove it!

In all seriousness, the material rewards I’ve reaped from meeting my own goals mean very little compared to the satisfaction of running a healthy, growing business and leading a balanced life. It’s like those credit card commercials: Herman Miller desk chair: $1,500. Louis Vuitton bag: $1,100. Happy business owner with growing profits: Priceless.”

— R. Renée Jones, A Creative Touch, Incorporated, Promotional Products Division

ActionCOACH Testimonial - Medical Insurance Assistance

2009-10-29T21:41:00.011-04:00

For months, a fellow business owner kept raving about ActionCOACH Reggie Shropshire. Neither of us was very interested in attending one of Reggie’s free seminars as it sounded like there might be a catch. But our friend was so persistent, we finally gave in. As we sat there listening to Reggie share the 6 Steps to Building a Better Business, we looked at each other as if to say: “Is he talking directly to us?” Of course we were there with an entire room of people, but Reggie’s information was so on-point and so pertinent to us, it felt as

if he had customized the entire presentation to our specific needs.

It’s been a little more than a year since we finally attended that first ActionCOACH seminar, and quite frankly, we don’t know why we waited so long! Pat, a nationally renowned expert in the

medical insurance industry, started our business 16 years ago, but working with Reggie Shropshire this past year has been one of our most productive and fruitful years to date!

Our business hinges on Pat’s specific expertise. Reggie quickly identified that like many small businesses, our company’s ability to run effectively resided solely with the owner since much of Pat’s valuable knowledge was only “in her head”. Reggie showed us how important it was to the growth and the health of our business to convert her knowledge into documented systems that could be replicated by our employees. If a burger franchise can create systems that ensure consistency and specific quality standards across the globe, why couldn’t we?

We’ve established several systems like our Operations Manual and a default calendar that assists Pat in better managing her time. Now she has specific, uninterrupted time blocked for every task from returning phone calls to working on new business projects. Pat says: “I used to handle every task as it came to me willy-nilly. With Reggie’s guidance, I’ve taken control of my time and created more time to work on my business instead of in it.”

We’ve also used the ActionCOACH hiring format to find two new employees. We thought it was impossible to find good help in this town, but Reggie proved us wrong; we’re very pleased with the two newest members of our team. By creating strong systems for them to follow and by delegating some of the administrative tasks that used to bog us down, we’ve made room to pursue some long-term goals for the company.

Once again, Reggie’s influence has been crucial to our success in this area. With his help, we’ve created a timeline to reach our goals. For example, Pat has wanted to write a book about patient advocate practices in the medical insurance industry for years, but it felt like a daunting task. We used to put big projects like this off until “next month”, but in fifteen years, “next month” still hadn’t come…. Reggie showed us how to break that big goal down into smaller, achievable segments, and now Pat’s making real progress on her book.

We’ve also benefited from the group coaching in Profit Club, which is a small club of business owners who meet monthly to strategize together so they can increase profits in their respective businesses. Reggie is well-connected in the business community and is an excellent resource for referrals. He has introduced us to some of the greatest people we know, many of whom have become strong business associates and good friends. From his seminars to Profit Club to private coaching, Reggie’s entire system works together to make you a better business person.

In a year when the nation has suffered from a recession, we’ve nearly doubled our staff, improved our systems, and increased our revenues. We’re right on track for achieving some of our goals: creating our own training products and classes for patient advocates in the medical insurance industry and opening up new offices in other locations, all while working smarter instead of harder. As business owners, our new systems will allow us to eventually scale back to a 4-day work week instead of a 5-day work week.

Now, we’re the ones referring Reggie Shropshire to other business owners. Our best advice: “Don’t wait as long as we did; go see Reggie and the ActionCOACH system in action. The only catch is that your life will be changed for the better!”

—Pat and Joe Pane, Medical Insurance Assistance, Inc.

The Lost Intern Blog # 4 - Leadership

2009-10-26T08:42:00.001-04:00

6/11/09

Leadership is a key element in a business's success. Without leadership, there would be no one to motivate the TEAM. Who comes to mind when you hear the word "leadership": William Wallace (from Braveheart), Caesar, and even Hitler (what he did was terrible but he was able to do it because of strong leadership; he had the passion but did not take on the responsibility). Leadership does not have to come from the top of the organization but can come from any level of the corporate ladder. To be a leader, one must possess passion and responsibility for their business. They must be decisive, passionate, responsible, inspirational and a visionary. The stronger leader someone is, the stronger the TEAM will be.

While traveling around with Coach Reggie, I can pick out the good leaders from the non-leaders (or managers). He has taught me that there is a difference between being a manager and a leader. When hiring a new TEAM member, a manager is looking for someone who is best suited for the job in mind and body. They are looking at their basic credentials, like what school they went to, their GPA, and past jobs. A leader is looking for someone who has heart and spirit. Someone who can bring that extra to a TEAM. When they show up to work, they are their to improve the business, not just receive a paycheck. If you are high up on the corporate ladder of a business, you must realize that people are counting on you to set them in the right direction. A leader must give the TEAM a vision and set long term goals for them to seek. A or are there to improve the business. When a business is not improving, whether moving along at the same pace or slowly falling, most likely it is because leadership is unclear. Coach Reggie draws out the passion of his clients that they have lost along the path of their business.

”Management is efficiency in climbing the ladder of succes;

leadership determines whether the ladder is leaning against the right wall.”

- Stephen R. Covey

Lack of leadership results in absenteeism, low moral, poor results/ growth, lack of results and those are just a few of them. A leader must show confidence that others admire. Confidence comes from knowledge. The more you know, the more confident you will be. In order to learn, one must have self-discipline. If you have something to do that can help you in the future, do it NOW! It might cause a little grief now, but loads of pleasure later. If you put it off, you will have some pleasure now, but guilt in the future.

"If people are coming to work excited . . . if they're making mistakes freely and fearlessly . . . if they're having fun . . . if they're concentrating doing things, rather than preparing reports and going to meetings - then somewhere you have leaders." - Robert Townsend

PJ Fox

ActionCOACH Intern

The Lost Intern Blog #3 - ProfitCLUB

2009-10-19T11:28:00.000-04:00

6/3/09

Over the past few weeks, I have attended two sessions of ProfitCLUB with Coach Reggie. ProfitCLUB is made up of different small business owners, that meet together to go over their plans, goals, ideas, present situations, and any trouble they are having with their business. Coach Reggie and I set up lunch for the members, which allows them to come in, put something in their stomachs, and give them time to talk and catch up with other members, providing a more comfortable and relaxed environment.

Once everyone has caught up, Coach Reggie guides them through the session into developing new ideas and addressing any concerns they may have at the time. He sometimes focuses one major concept and the group discusses that particular subject. To begin, everyone goes around stating their name and business (in case someone is new, missed a class, or just to remind everyone) and what issues they would like to address during the meeting. Then each individual is given ideas and opinions by the other business owners, which helps improve their business.

Last Tuesday and Thursday, Coach Reggie addressed one particular subject, Marketing. The members discussed what marketing was to them and how to promote a positive awareness of their business. Some of the ideas they came up with was having a good TEAM. It is significant to have a positive environment for your employees. If you have a TEAM of employees that enjoy working for your business, share the same goals, and have a desire to improve, they are going to tell their friends and family how great it is to work for your business. Their opinion will rub off on others which can be a positive or negative chain reaction to potential customers.

Some other marketing ideas they came up with was community involvement, volunteering (credibility), donations, and establishing relationships. By giving back to the community, businesses are creating an affectionate, kind, generous, compassionate attribute for your business that will attract customers. Customers will perceive you and your business to be one that cares, which you can build a relationship that can lead to loyalty. By providing for your community, they will be able to provide you customers.

I learned that marketing is everywhere when it comes to businesses. It can be a friendly conversation at a party with someone you just met or a conversation with someone you are stuck next to in traffic. Picture yourself stuck next to someone in traffic due to an accident. You may have a logo on your car, in which they ask "What is that?" You talk with them for thirty minutes, about the logo, your business and you ask them about themselves, and the next week someone calls your business up and tells you they heard about you from the stranger you met in traffic and would like to acquire your service or product. Marketing can be anything and anywhere, so you need to remember that you represent your business wherever you are.

PJ Fox

ActionCOACH Intern

ActionCOACH Testimonial - Hardee's Grassworks

2009-10-14T08:00:00.000-04:00

My background is in accounting, and it was working in the field that made me decide to go into business for myself. As I processed tax returns for people who had all different kinds of businesses, I saw that the path to building real wealth is very difficult to reach as someone else’s employee.

I decided to open a landscaping service, and had been in business for about a year, when my father heard ActionCOACH Reggie Shropshire on a radio show. Reggie offered a free seminar, The Six Steps to Building a Better Business, and my father encouraged me to attend.

I was really impressed with Reggie and the material he presented at that seminar. It made sense, and the steps seemed simple enough that I was sure I could implement them in my own business. I signed up for business coaching with Reggie that night.

In our coastal resort town, there is a lot of competition in my field. There are approximately 75 full-service professional landscaping companies (like my own) plus hundreds and hundreds of small lawn maintenance (mowing) businesses. Although I was doing pretty well for my first year, like most business owners I have strengths in some areas and weaknesses in others. Although I had the financials under control, I didn’t know much about marketing and advertising.

Almost immediately, Reggie helped me create an effective ad and place it in the right spot. The results were incredible—that one ad brought me six new customers and an additional $10-12K in revenue. And the results didn’t stop there. Reggie stresses the importance of marketing your business in at least ten different ways at any given time. As a result of multiple initiatives, my company’s revenues increased 150% from my first year in business to my second year in operation!

Reggie changed my ideas about how to run a business, and he opened my eyes to lots of great opportunities. By introducing me to other like-minded business owners, I was able to create invaluable alliances and business networking relationships. Through those conversations, I learned how to change my communication with customers, increase on-time payments and decrease collections. I’ve also been able to add services that create extra value for my customers, deepening our relationship and further establishing our business as the one to trust. In fact, as others in my field, close up shop due to the economic situation, we’re poised for continued growth.

Following my Dad’s advice to go to that free business seminar was one of the smartest business decisions I’ve ever made. I learned that there is so much more that I can with my company. It’s impossible to do it all, but when you have a coach to help you prioritize the really important stuff, you will see great results!

Scott Hardee, Hardee Grassworks

The Lost Intern Blog #2 - Week #3

2009-10-12T15:06:00.001-04:00

5/29/09

Last Thursday night, Coach Reggie took me out to one of his free seminars at the library in downtown Wilmington. It's one of the many events he hosts where he shares great ideas for strengthening small businesses. He enjoys knowing that he has helped them.

Business owners develop great ideas by listening to him preach (I refer to Coach Reggie talking as "preaching" because it is more than simply lecturing) on hundreds of different methods on to enhance their businesses. One thing I have learned since working with Coach Reggie is that it doesn't matter what business you are running or working for, their are always abundant opportunities to improve it. At the library on Thursday, I had the pleasure of meeting with some of Wilmington's downtown businesses. After listening to Coach Reggie preach for an hour and a half, I could tell he made a difference to many, and most likely, all of them . A major networking method I have learned from Coach Reggie goes by the name "Twitter". I had never heard of it before I came to ActionCOACH, but since he has introduced it to me I now see it everywhere. Talk shows are referring it, Sports Center has it at the bottom of their screen frequently, as well as many celebrities are sending "tweets" to different television stations. Twitter allows people to let others know what they have going on in their lives, whether personal or in their business life. By sending "tweets", businesses can develop networks/ relationships with other common organizations, whether they can help each other augment their businesses or share an interest in each others organizations.

One important concept I took from Thursday is that "the obvious is not always so obvious to the customer". This is a concept most people know but usually forget. When I heard this concept in the seminar I said to myself "You know, that's really true." But I didn't write it down because it was so obvious and there was no way I could forget it, but of course what happened? I forgot it. Fortunately, it randomly popped up in my head. I had to write it down right away before I forgot again. Businesses need to bring attention to the obvious from the customers perspective because you never know, unless you test and measure, if the customers are noticing the obvious.

Some businesses are hesitant in acquiring an ActionCOACH. They may be skeptic in the idea of having a coach for their business. They may ask themselves "Why do I need a coach? What can he do for me I can't do for myself?" My response to those questions is another question "Why do athletes need coaches?" Even Olympic athletes have coaches to help them improve and develop their skills to the best of their ability. It is the same with ActionCOACH. They help business owners set and meet goals by motivating them and giving deadlines. I look forward to learning a great deal while working this summer with Coach Reggie.

REMEMBER: "Action springs not from thought. But from a readiness for responsibility." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

PJ Fox

ActionCOACH Intern

The Lost Intern Blog #1 - Introducing PJ Fox

2009-10-05T16:46:00.001-04:00

I was reviewing my list of blog posts and realized that I had my summer intern put together several blog posts that I never reviewed and published. He did an incredible job for me over the summer and I would hate for his hard work to be forever to stuck in "Draft Status" so I will be publishing them over the next few weeks.

By the way, if you happen to be a business owner looking for a hardworking business major you should get in touch with PJ as he is someone that I would highly recommend.

Coach Reggie

5/29/09

Hello blogging world!

My name is PJ Fox. I am interning at the ActionCOACH of Wilmington with Coach Reggie Shropshire. I am excited about getting my feet wet in the "real world" of business.

I'm from Raleigh but will be finishing up my career as a student and be graduating from UNC Wilmington in the fall. I am in the Cameron School of Business with a concentration in Business Management. I am a fan of almost all sports. If its a sport, most likely I'll enjoy playing it.

I'm in my third week of following Coach Reggie around the Wilmington area, mostly the downtown area and Landfall. Being accepted by Coach Reggie into the ActionCOACH Community was exactly what I needed. Following Coach Reggie around, listening in on his seminars and CLUBs, has been a great experience. He has taught me the steps to build all types of businesses even with the slow down of the economy. It has brought out a hunger for business I didn't know I possessed.

I am excited about growing and building my skills in the business world!

PJ Fox

ActionCOACH Intern

ActionCOACH Testimonial - All Comfort Heating & Cooling

2009-09-30T22:51:00.004-04:00

Since meeting Reggie Shropshire of ActionCOACH Business Coaching, our business has grown by more than 300% and we’re ahead of schedule for reaching our ultimate goal of being a multi-million-dollar business. It all started when my business partner and I decided to attend a free seminar sponsored by Reggie. As he spoke about the 6 Steps to Build Your Business, I was sure he was speaking directly to us. Although our business was doing pretty well, I realized that we were so focused on day-to-day operations we had lost sight of our long-term goals, the reasons why we had started the business in the first place.

You see, my business partner and I started our heating and air conditioning repair business very young. I was just 23 years old, working as a waitress, while my boyfriend Allen worked more than ninety hours a week as a service repair technician. As a result of his crazy work schedule, we didn’t get to see each other much. And, when I saw the revenues Allen’s employer was bringing in versus the paltry pay Allen was receiving for all of his hard work, I knew what we needed to do. Allen picked out a business name, I ordered some free business cards from the internet, and we opened our own independent heating and cooling repair service. In less than two years, we were profitable. Of course, this also meant that now Allen and I were both working 90 hours a week! I felt like we had hit a wall, but I was so busy working in the business, I didn’t know how I’d ever find the time to push it through to the next level.

Reggie was genuine, humorous, and trustworthy, and he helped us realize that instead of working for our business, our business could work for us. We didn’t really have the budget to employ a coach, but we could also see that we weren’t making it very far without one. We contracted Reggie and literally saw a payback on our investment within the first week! Thanks to his suggestions for our website, our search engine optimization went through the roof, immediately generating 200% more repair jobs booked via the internet.

Because I wanted to get the highest return on my investment, I implemented all of Reggie’s suggestions and did all of the assigned homework. It felt like a true collaboration. Sure, Reggie gave me great advice and suggestions, but I also think I taught him a thing or two! He’s really open-minded and committed to find helping us find the best solutions using a variety of resources. He also helped to hold me accountable to achieving success. Some of the work felt a lot like going to the gym—you don’t want to get started, but you feel great after the workout! Reggie made sure I stayed on track. He recommended books, helped me implement ideas, and sometimes he just called to make sure I’d done that one thing I had promised to do. In just five months with Reggie, our business had achieved more than we could have anticipated.

We’ve hired more employees, we’ve experienced substantial growth, but most importantly, we’re back in touch with our dreams and our goals.

And, we have a concrete action plan to help us attain them. Reggie helped boost my confidence level; I now understand how to implement and measure the steps necessary to achieve our business goals. As I mentioned earlier, we’re actually ahead of schedule for reaching our target goals. I joke that one of these days I’m going to write a book:

How a Hooters Girl Became a Self-Made Millionaire. You better believe that in the acknowledgments page, I’ll be paying tribute to Reggie Shropshire and ActionCOACH.

Amanda Hall, All Comfort Heating & Cooling

ActionCOACH & Cape Fear Community College Small Business Center Monthly Business Coaching Clinics - Fall 2009

2009-09-01T22:34:00.010-04:00

ActionCOACH Reggie Shropshire and Cape Fear Community College Small Business Center will be offering the Monthly Business Coaching Clinic Series again starting in September 2009. The clinics were held in the Winter and Spring of 2009 and were very well attended and received tremendous feedback.

The clinics will be held on the 2nd Tuesday of the month from September thru December from 5:45 - 8:00 pm. Registration is now open through ActionCOACH for the following upcoming Business Coaching Clinics...

September 8th, 2009 - How to Write Advertising That Sells - More info & registration at http://howtowriteads.eventbrite.com

October 6th, 2009 - It's Not Time Management, It's You Management! - More info and registration at http://itsnottimemanagement.eventbrite.com

November 10th, 2009 - How to Turn Your Best Cutomers Into Your Best Salespeople - More info and registration at http://yourbestcustomersyourbestsalespeople.eventbrite.com

December 9th, 2009 - 5 Simple Ways to Double Your Profits - More info & registration at http://5simplewaystodoubleprofits.eventbrite.com

There is NO CHARGE to attend these Business Coaching Clinics but REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED attend. Space is limited to only 40 attendees per clinic so register to reserve your place.

Looking forward to helping you and your business reach it's full potential.

Coach Reggie

GrowthCLUB 90 Day Planning Session

2009-07-16T16:08:00.007-04:00

Make You Next 90 Days the Best Ever!!!

GrowthCLUB 90 Day Planning Program is a day of Massive Action in which we help you identify your key priorities, goals, strategies, & tactics for the upcoming quarter. As you know, running a business without a clear & defined strategic & tactical plan in place can be like trying to get around in an unfamiliar city without good directions. On top of that it is difficult to get where you want to go with out a solid road map.

If you don’t currently have an internal quarterly planning system in place I would like invite you to join me and other members of the ActionCOACH business community to become involved in our GrowthCLUB 90 Day Planning program.

We are having our next GrowthCLUB 90 Day Planning session next Friday July 24th from 9a-3p. If you haven’t been to a GrowthCLUB session in a while, it has changed dramatically and I recommend giving it another look.

As a reminder, some of the benefits of attending a GrowthCLUB 90 Day Planning Session are…

Investing the day in a powerful environment of ‘Action Oriented’ business owners who are focused on growing their business and learning from their best practices, success stories, and lessons learned.
Taking a day away from your business for a ‘birds eye view’ to determine the opportunities and untapped potential that exist in your business.
Developing your top 5-6 business objectives so that your actions are clear & focused.
To get strategies, tips, ideas, and BFO’s in areas that have you stuck in certain areas in your business.
Building & deepening relationships with other members of the ActionCOACH Business Community that can develop into business, referral & strategic alliance partners.
Walking out with a 1 page 90 day plan that will be a clear roadmap for your Actions for the next 90 days.

This is a fee based program in which the investment to attend is $100 which includes admission for you and one other member of your team, course materials, & lunch.

If you ARE interested in attending GrowthCLUB contact me at reggiehshropshire@actioncoach.com and let me know that is the case. From there, we will get you registered and provide you with more details. There is some preliminary work that you will have to do prior to the session so don’t wait until the last minute if you are interested.

If you have any questions let me know.

Looking forward to hearing from you soon,

Coach Reggie

910-471-2725
email: reggieshropshire@actioncoach.com

Back in Action

2009-05-28T15:58:00.003-04:00

Lots of changes in the ActionCOACH of Wilmington office over the last few weeks so blogging was put on the back burner. The good news is that most of the changes have been positive and are very exciting. On a sad note (for me) is that Lynn Hagin & I decided to go in different directions. Lynn was a critical part of the team for the last year and did an incredible job as my business development manager and administrative assistant. Too be quite honest she was way overqualified for the position and I was truly blessed to have her on my team. Unfortunately the time came for her to pursue some other projects and spread her wings a bit. Although I was sad to see her go I am truly grateful for the time and energy that she invested in helping me build the ActionCOACH practice here and it wouldn't be where it is at today without her. It won't be the same with out you, Lynn!

On to happier thoughts, BUSINESS IS BOOMING!!! The ActionCOACH of Wilmington Community Members are growing dramatically and there are tons of successes to celebrate. Our May revenue has increased an incredible 70% over the trailing 12 month average and we are looking to increase it even more in June. We made some major strategical changes at the beginning of March and they are starting to pay huge dividends. These are exciting times and I am looking forward to the changes that are happening in the business. Although I have been running full speed doing time intensive intake work with my new clients (while being down 1 team member) I have some exciting new things that we will be doing. Several of the innovations with be featured on the blog so stay tuned.

Make it a great day!!!

Coach Reggie

Wilmington, NC Business Events, Seminars and Networking Calendar

2009-05-01T12:30:00.000-04:00

Mark your calendars...for these upcoming events:

May classes at Cape Fear Community College
To Register: http://cfcc.edu/sbc/ or phone: 910-362-7216 – Free WILM classes
5/01 (Fri): Writing Business Plans w/Business Plan Pro, 8:30-4:30 p.m., T-100
5/05 (Tues): MS Publisher Applications for Your Small Business, 2-5 p.m., T-100
5/05 (Tues): Monthly Business Coaching Clinic 5, 6-8 p.m. N-202
5/06 (Wed): Basic Bookkeeping for Your Small Business, 6-9 p.m. Wed L-107
5/12 (Tues): Using Them All Together in Your Small Business, 2-5 p.m., T-100

June Classes at Cape Fear Community College: (Mon and Wed): Save the date for this 'Best Bargain in Town': SBC's first 24 hour class! Instructor, Marie Izzo, Wavecrest Associates.6 to 9 pm, Room L-107. Mondays and Wednesdays in June, at Cape Fear Community College, Small Business Center: 'Basic Financial Management, Accounting and Bookkeeping for Your Small Business'. This class will provide comprehensive training on financial matters small business owners must deal with on a daily basis; how to run your finances more effectively; and she plans for class-member input into some of their discussion topics. Phone or email Marie for information: 910-686-8528 or marieizzo@charter.net

April 30 (Fri): 2nd Annual Today's Woman Conference & Expo at the Coastline Conference & Events Center. This one-day conference and expo features guest speakers from across the state. Up to 35 exhibitors will also be on hand. This event is geared towards professional women and businesses that have women as their targeted clientele.
Kathryn Freeman: 762-2611 ext. 212.

May 1 (Fri): North Brunswick Chamber of Commerce, Business after Hours at 5 PM. Carolinas Roofing and the Chamber invite you to an old fashioned pig pickin’ at the “Barn” – picnic area beside the Chamber office. Please RSVP to Doris Sullivan, (910-231-9161), carolinasroofing@atmc.net or call the Chamber office (910-383-0553).

May 5: (Tues): ActionCOACH Reggie Shropshire and CFCC – SBC partner to host Business Coaching Clinic: "5 Simple Ways to Double Your Profits". Free with registration. Free with registration: Email or phone for info: reggieshropshire@actioncoach.com; 910-471-2181. This will be a great opportunity for you to learn…Simple and low cost strategies to get more leads & inquiries, once you get an inquiry, how to turn more into customers, how to get your best customers back more often, strategies to increase the amount every customer spends and how to keep more revenue as profit in your pocket.

May 7 (Thurs): WILMA Nights, 6 to 9 pm at the Coastline Conference and Event Center. Contact WILMA for information: www.wilmaontheweb.com or 910-343-8600, ext 201.

May 11 (Mon): Wilmington Chamber of Commerce: Double Day Open Golf Tournament at Porter's Neck Country Club. Women's tourney in the morning and Mixed tourney in the afternoon. This event is an enjoyable way to assist the chamber in raising funds to support Wilmington Chamber services and programs. Sponsorships are available. Kathryn Freeman: 762-2611 ext. 212.

May 11 (Mon): WAVES 4 K.I.D.S. Annual Ladies Golf Tournament
Help benefit the needs of foster children in Brunswick County and have fun at the same time. Application deadline is May 2. Fee is $55, which includes a buffet lunch. There will be a shotgun start at 8AM.Contact Cheryl Francis at 910-253-8243 or the Chamber office for an application or more information.

May 13 (Wed): Wilmington Professional Group (WPG) meets for networking, food and fun. Hosted by Cosh Caine, Past Present Future Digital, 4601 Peachtree Ave, 910-339-1820. Host: Josh Caine and sponsored by Nick DiNapoli of Basil Cafe.

May 20 (Wed) and 21 (Thurs): ActionCOACH seminar “6 Steps to Build Your Business to Thrive in a Tough Economy”. This ‘free with registration’ workshop is designed for every business and will take you through each step of successful business growth to have a commercial, profitable enterprise that works without you. Wednesday evening: 6 pm to 9 pm: http://6stepsmay09pm.eventbrite.com or Thursday morning: 8 am to 11 am: http://6stepsmay09am.eventbrite.com. Call 910-471-2181 for information.

May 21 (Thurs): Wilmington Chamber of Commerce: Business After Hours, 5:30-7:30 pm, Lower Cape Fear Hospice (Phillips LifeCare & Counseling Center)1414 Physicians Drive. Networking event for Chamber members featuring food and beverages.RSVP to 762-2611 ext. 101

Mark Your Calendars:

June 25 (Thurs): Wilmington Chamber of Commerce: Business Expo
More details to come! Contact Kathryn Freeman at 762-2611 ext. 212.

ActionCOACH Business Community meets for GrowthCLUB

2009-04-27T16:07:00.013-04:00

Coach Reggie met with GrowthCLUB members last week to create their quarterly business plans. This planning meeting was held at the Beau Revage Golf and Resort. Daneille Coulser and her team at Thyme Savor served a delicious breakfast and lunch!

Daniel Coulser, owner and chef: Thyme Savor Personal Chef and Catering

(910) 262-2962. Exclusive In-House Caterers for Beau Rivage Golf and Resort ,

where they can accomodate up to 350 guests!

Coach Reggie:

"Are you working above or below the line?"

Read what Matthew Sarkela, Mr. Appliance had to say about GrowthCLUB on his 3rd Street Plaza blog post: Thanks Matt!

"Wow! What a great Growth Club planning session on Friday, I’m so glad I made the time to attend. I have gone to more of these sessions than I can remember and every time I do I get much more out of them. We know have a tactical plan for the next 90 days to help us grow our business in a areas like team building, marketing, sales training, time management, and other tasks. Awesome work Reggie, Thanks."

Check out 3rd Street Plaza!, Wilmington, NC's first Social Media Network!

Business Tip of the Week: Learn to Earn!

2009-04-27T15:43:00.007-04:00

How keep increase your knowledge to increase your profits! The only place that ‘Earn’ comes before ‘Learn’ is in the dictionary.

Here are some ways ActionCOACH Community members increased their knowledge to increase their profits this past quarter:

Experiences:

Networking works!
Persistence – don’t give up when depend on others
Renegotiate with delinquent clients
Accountability partner – s/o who pushes you to learn more
Pushing through the hard stuff

Classes/workshops/websites:

Reggie’s marketing class: creative advertising
Web research – UTube as a learning resource
Specific blogs to your industry
Action seminars
Go back to school
Podcasts
Blogs for market research – industry competitors
Solution Focused Selling: Sales Force/sales training – Ron Silver
Get it Done (pod casts)

Books:

E-Myth, Michael Gerber
Milkshake Moment, Steve Little – the difference bet entrepreneurs
Courage to Lead, Charles Farrell
Billionaire in Training, by Brad Sugars
Tribes: We Need You To Lead Us, by Seth Godin
Raving Fan, by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles (customer service)
Eat That Frog, by Brian Tracy (Procrastination)
The Art of Being Creative
Rich Dad Poor Dad
How to Keep Employees Accountable
Art of Getting Things Done
Jeffrey Gitomer’s books, materials , newsletters and website
It Doesn’t Take a Hero, The autobiography of General Norman Schwarzkopf
The Go Giver by Bob Burg and David Mann
Duct Tape Marketing podcasts, blog
Book Yourself Solid, by Michael Port

Make it a great day!

Coach Reggie

Ask the Coach: How Important is a 90 Day plan?

2009-04-27T15:32:00.004-04:00

How important is it for my business to develop a quarterly plan for my business?

It’s a challenge to find time to do the push-ups in your business- but everyone will make time and money for what’s important to them! Are you working ‘below or above the line’ in your business? Do you hear excuses? Are you in denial or do you blame others? Or…do you take responsibility, ownership and accountability?

What are the excuses YOU use to avoid working on your 90 Day Plan? How are you working ‘Below the Line’? Here are a few ideas to get you thinking...

Not enough time

Too much travel

Phone not working

Too tired

Lack of resources

Caught in traffic

‘That’s not my job’

Jury duty
Need new equipment

Pricing

Communication

Assistant out sick

Server down

Children

Not focused enough

Marketing not productive – not producing correct results

Constantly taking phone calls

‘Gotta check email”

Life situations to deal with

What a difference it makes when we work above the line, and take Responsibility, Ownership, Accountability!

At last week's GrowthCLUB, ActionCOACH Business Community members shared how they successfully made their 90 Day Plan work for their businesses this past quarter:

Schedule time better – more efficiently

Bring in part-time personnel or interns

Delegate more often

Schedule weekly team training

Focus on being a better manager

Work on the higher priorities – do what you most dislike most first – get the stuff you really don’t want to do out of the way

Set schedule for certain time of the day for what you need to do (they may be painful and not fun…and may not want to do!)

Put systems in place, and then stick with it!

Cutting back extracurricular activities

Look for an accountability partner

Follow up with clients instead of waiting for them to call you back

Test and measure

Say ‘no’ when it’s in my best interest – follow my priorities, be intentional in my day

Prioritize my to-do list

Delegate

Change email inbox to check manually – rather than the tempting and distracting frequent interruptions

Decide where ‘saw sharpening’ is most important and take the time to learn it! (Excel, FaceBook, etc)

More employee team meetings and communications to improve accountability. Ask them questions and see what they come up with.

Setting daily goals and following through

Train team in new sales tactics – practice, rehearse, sharpen their saws.

Take a look at your 90 Day Plan to set your monthly and weekly priorities!