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February 2007   Issue No. 76

Index

• The Paradox of Tunnel Vision

• Promotion - Safety & Wellness Info Breakfast

• Sales Champions' news  

• Master's Wisdom  

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The Paradox of Tunnel Vision! 

by Narelle Stratford

For those of you who have just started in business, you're probably wondering why tunnel vision could be a paradox....  And for those of you who are well-past start-up phase, perhaps some years down the track from when you started, you may still be hanging onto your tunnel vision! Let me explain the paradox.

New Business  
When you start your business, it is important that you stare down that tunnel and concentrate your efforts on where you want to go, and what you want to achieve.  The more that you can have a niche product in a niche market, the more that tunnel links your customers and clients in a straight line, directly to your business. 

It doesn't matter if you are in real estate or the automotive industry, health or the coaching field, the straighter your tunnel is, the more you will develop deepen your strengths and become recognised as having excellence and expertise in your field.  

It is this skill development and your increased credibility, referrals and word of mouth advertising that helps you to attract many customers to you primarily because of your tunnel vision.

But how long should this continue?  

I would suggest that tunnel vision is essential in the first few years of your business but after that, it may not be so useful.  

Habits - they work both ways

You see, we are creatures of habit and habits when they are positive and healthy, do work well.  Think of getting your BAS done on time each month, think paying your bills, praising and rewarding staff both verbally and with a gift, think of rewarding your customer's loyalty....  These are great positive habits to cultivate and never let go.

But what happens when you become unconscious through the repetition of the habit and never think to open your eyes, ears and especially your Conscious Mind, and essentially fall asleep in the middle of every habit.  You are unaware that a problem could even exist!

If you don't believe me, think about this for a moment...

(This is an example close to home.)  Ever been driving somewhere and suddenly realise that you have no idea where you are?  You can't remember going through a suburb or passing a certain landmark or worse still, whether you are before or after the turn you need!  What happened?  

Your conscious mind fell asleep and while it was asleep your trusty subconscious drove on automatic for you.  All of a sudden the conditions changed and because you weren't prepared for change, (lulled into that false sense of comfortable security in noddy land) you don't know what to do.  So you do what most people do, you under-react (not enough acceleration, not enough control from the driver) or over-react (too much speed, or too much brake) and suddenly your business is not doing so well.

You grew inured to the day-to-day humdrum, while sleeping peacefully and what's more you didn't even want to see that any change had occurred.

Change is scary!

Change, whether inside your business or outside in your industry, is the elephant that we don't want to see, so we ignore it.  Yes, we ignore it at our peril and sometimes too late.

One day, you wake up and find out that some new competitors have come into the game...

You wake up and find that some of your clients no longer use you...

Some of your staff have gone to work for your competitors...

And you find out that price cutting to get them back doesn't work because you've been asleep for so long that now you are just a price giver to your customer.  There is no light at the end of the tunnel, it went out ages ago and you were asleep so you didn't know!

What's going on in your industry?  What competitive changes have occurred?  What do your customers need from you that the competition isn't supplying?  How can you value-add and get them back?

You may think that discounting will bring people back and for some customers that is true, but on the whole we buy from a person, not a robot.  We buy because we made a connection with someone and even if we pay a little more, we enjoyed our human connection with the salesperson.

Have you ever walked into a shop and the salesperson was so rude you walked out?  It wouldn't matter how cheap or discounted the item was, you wouldn't buy it from that person.

Okay, so discounting doesn't work to solve the issues. 

What will work if you have fallen asleep at the wheel of your business and ignored that big elephant?  

Change Hats!

You need to step outside your business and put on a competitor's hat.  

That's right.  Run a judicious eye over your business as though you were a competitor who wants to put you out of action, or wants to size you up for a take-over.

7 questions to find out if your tunnel vision has locked you into bad habits?  

1. Have you and your staff grown complacent and don't follow the systems you set up?  

2. Is the paperwork trail being completed each and every time?  

3. Are customers and client's inquiries followed up within 24 hours? 

4. Are staff remembering the personal touch and sincerity?

5. Have other competitors expanded their business with creative approaches in the industry, while you haven't noticed?

6. Have you lost efficiency and time, while your competitors can be the first to supply their customers?

7. Are you using meaningless gimmicks and cutting profit margins to the bone instead of building up quality customers, with quality products and quality 'value adds'?

These questions aren't rocket science but it is useless to wait until you are losing business before asking these questions.  Yes, you have so many balls to juggle when you first start, and yet, it's easy to fall asleep and lose sight of the light at the end of the tunnel.  And guess what happens to the balls when you fall asleep...?

If these questions suddenly wake you up and you want some help, give me a call.  Your business might need an overhaul from the inside out.  After all, what's let you get so complacent?  Where has the passion gone?  Where's the fire?  Have you kept up to date with what's happening?  Are you letting your business slide?  Call now, and let's make a time and place to chat, or do it over the phone.

Do you want to set up a Safety & Wellness programme that meets your legal Risk Management Requirements and prevents Psychological Injury? 

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© Narelle Stratford                    www.saleschampions.com.au                    February 2007