Better Problem Solving:
Another Key
Approximate reading time: 2 minutes
In This issue:
- Better Problem Solving
- Lessons from Sales, VI
- More FSTD Content: Blog Posts
- Upcoming Public Workshops
Want to be a better problem solver? Here’s another tip that can give you “the
edge”.
Last time we concluded by saying, whenever you are faced with a problem
(Deviation), make searching for a Comparator part of your standard approach. If
you do, you will immediately become a better problem solver.
This time we’ll go one step farther. This happened a few years ago at one of
our client’s production facilities. They had a pump that pumped chemicals into a
tank. This pump had worked “perfectly” for more than 20 years. This pump
underwent a major rebuild along with the rest of the system in which it worked.
This pump had a
3 HP electric motor.
About a month after start-up, the motor burned out (remember this pump had
worked “perfectly” for over 20 years). So someone figured it was a “bad motor”,
and they replaced it. It ran for about a month, then it burned out too. Well,
someone reasoned, we need a bigger motor. Let’s install a 5 HP motor (remember
this pump had worked “perfectly” for over 20 years with a 3 HP motor), so they
did. They fired up the system. It ran for about 6 weeks and burned up the 5 HP
motor.
Now, some near genius said, “We need a bigger motor. Let’s install an 8 HP
motor" (remember this pump had worked “perfectly” for over 20 years with a 3 HP
motor). So they did. They fired up the system. It ran less than one hour, and
the pump blew up. It literally blew up. There were parts of that pump
everywhere.
So, here’s the next problem solving tip. We know that the pump worked
perfectly for over 20 years with a 3 HP motor. Rebuild the system and, bam, 3
burned out motors, two 3 HP motors and one 5 HP motor. Whenever something
happens unexpectedly, ask, “What has Changed?” In this case, we compare the
current state to the pre-rebuild state and ask, “What has Changed?”
A look at the before and after shows:
Had they done this after the first 3 HP motor burned out, they would have saved
a ton of money and a ton more in production that was not lost.
Today’s quite obvious tip: When something that worked well for a long,
long time suddenly breaks, ask “what changed” as an almost knee-jerk reaction.
Lead On!
 George
George posts regularly to the blog at TroubleShootingLogic.com. |
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Lessons in Sales, VI:
To Generate Solid Leads, You Need a MAP
If you’ve been tracking with me these last few weeks, you’ve
determined/decided that
- You need a structured sales process;
- You need to get everyone appropriately involved;
- It’s important enough that you will lead by example.
Last week, we shared the overview of the CODE (Communicate, Organize,
Document, Evaluate) process with you. CODE has four phases, beginning
with Lead Generation. CODE has one goal: to keep the pipeline filled and
moving.
It all begins with Lead Generation. Your MAP, or Marketing Action
Plan, defines where you will go and what you will do to generate those
leads. It also dictates how your marketing efforts will dovetail with
your sales efforts. There are four parts to the MAP:
- Who You Know
- Who You Don’t (But Would Like To)
- Marketing Events
- Top Three Marketing Priorities
CODE keeps it simple, so your MAP begins with Who You Know. Why?
These individuals don’t require the initial “sell” on you or your
company; they know your capability, they like you, you already have an
“in” with them. Since it is far easier to get additional work from
current or recent clients than it is to develop a new business
relationship, CODE has us focus 70% of our sales time reaching out and
growing current customers.
Start the Who You Know list with all of your current or recent
clients. Include your vendors in the list: while they may not become
your client, they have market knowledge, and they can be a source of
referrals.
Get on the phone and reach out to these folk. In the depths of the
recent (still present?) recession, Elizabeth Allen coached George and I
to start right there – call up former clients, reestablish contact, see
what opportunities might be available. We followed that advice … and
landed our largest single account in 2009. (DO THIS. DO IT TODAY. IT’S
EASY, AND THERE ARE PROBABLY SOME LOW HANGING FRUIT OUT THERE. You can
thank me later.)
Not everyone has work for you, but through the simple rule of degrees of
separation, they either “know someone,” “know someone who knows
someone,” or “knows something” pertinent about your market. Train your
people to begin asking those they know for referrals or information into
your target markets.
More on the MAP in our
blog series on CODE. If you’d like a full picture of what CODE can
do for your sales efforts,
contact us.
All the Best,
Rob
PS. LAST CALL: I will be presenting two workshops on the CODE sales process at the upcoming National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) Conference in Louisville, KY on September 2, 2010. If you are in the area, please consider joining us at that event. Email me if you'd like further details. |
- Trouble Shooting Logic
- September 20-22, 2010, Atlanta, GA
- October 25-27, 2010, Atlanta, G
- The Sales CODE, September 14-15, 2010, Atlanta, GA
- Performance Coaching, September 23-24, 2010, Atlanta, GA
- Mastering Involvement, October 28, 2010, Atlanta, GA
- Trouble Shooting Logic Train-the-Trainer (T3), November 8-19, 2010, Atlanta, GA
- Experiential Expertise Train-the-Trainer (T3) - Openers, Initiatives and Low Elements - November 30-December 1, 2010, Utica, MS
- Experiential Expertise Train-the-Trainer (T3) - Trust, Low Ropes, High Ropes and AlpineTower - December 2-3, 2010, Utica, MS
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