Finally getting back to writing since I broke my brain by getting a concussion and does it ever feel good to not feel so sick, dizzy and exhausted after everything I do! Still not 100% but I am back to running, slowly, and it’s just great to get out and play again. So, today’s blog is talking about if it might be broke, it’s okay to fix it.
I’ve been talking to several people and this topic seems to be coming up over and over, so thought it would be great to discuss.
Just because things have been going a certain way or have been done a certain way in your industry doesn’t mean that there isn’t room for improvement.It Might be Broke!
It might not be the right way for your business, the right way for you and there might be a better way for both.
Branding Example
I was speaking to one of my friends about branding and I was talking about using two of her branding ideas interchangeably. One could be used as the main brand, and the other could be used as an icon, foot notation, sign off or something like that. She hesitated and thought she better check the branding rules. She didn’t want to have a confusing brand. To me, the branding was clean and similar for both, same color, same vibe, that’s what made it “on brand” and work in this case. Both options could be used together. It’s great to think about the rules and what’s been tried and tested, but if you feel it’s right for your business, it might just be!
Sales Cycle Example
Another one of my clients was chatting with me about her sales cycle. She was going to visit her clients every two weeks. She found every time she turned up she felt like an annoyance. (That’s the last thing you want to be to your client’s is a nuisance). She knew it didn’t feel right and she felt she was wasting a lot of time driving to see everyone. I recommended she cut back, try a three week cycle to see how it felt. With it being done this way for ages, she was hesitant. I recommend talking to her clients to see what is best. It should always be a two-way communication between you and your clients. Every client is going to be different. Even with my clients, I need to figure out if they want me to be hands on or if they like more time to think things through. I want to be able to give them the best experience, an experience that makes them happy and feel best supported and everyone is different. In the end, she felt a three week rotation was actually better for her and her clients.
Managing Teams Example
As you know I come from the New home sales industry, and I’ve found that sales people feel like they are on an island separate from the office people. Because they work on location and have different hours, it makes them feel disconnected. Likely bias, but I am a big believer in sales people. I believe that they can make a company successful and keep people coming back again and again. Therefore, I always want to make my sales teams feel the most supported. With sales managers typically working office hours, it creates that gap and distance. I want to bridge the gap! I’m trying to create a movement in the industry to allow the managers to balance both some office hour time, but also much more sales people one on one time so that they can be a high performing force to be reckoned with. I’ve tried this type of managing in the past and had great success with it, so it’s surprising when people get stuck on the “well this is how it’s always been done.” We also used to ride horses everywhere.. and then found a more efficient form of transport.. just sayin’!
Do or do not, there is not Try
At the end of the day, feel free to give it a go. Not all our ideas will work out, but it’s worth trying. From your mistakes you might figure out where to go next, or where not to go! Just because your business is one way today doesn’t mean it will be that way forever. If it might be broke, it’s okay to fix it and change the way you’re doing things.
Tell me if you’ve had an experience where you’ve come up against things that might be broke.
