Posts
Marketing today results in tomorrows clients/customers/patients. Marketing is the life blood of every Practice. Unfortunately marketing is not a core competency of most Practices.
Marketing is both an art and a science. Marketing takes time. Marketing takes repetition. Marketing takes patience. Prioritization and persistence are keys to success.
All marketing initiatives are not of equal value. Many marketing initiatives are frankly wasted. Keep in mind the marketing is about creating awareness and interest. It is about securing mind-share. it is about building trust and relationships.
For clinically based Practices perhaps the best marketing is the contribution of time and expertise in the community that demonstrates the professionals knowledge, skill, and personality. Doing so creates value, appreciation, loyalty, and word of mouth endorsements.
Focus on meaningful community service activities that you and your team can participate in together at both company and personal expense. Pick events and activities that showcase what it is that will be attract the kind of clients you desire.
Market continuously - you are always on stage. Marketing materials are good. Personally stated marketing messages are better. Marketing actions are best. Market!
Need help with Practice growth strategies? Give Performance Builders a call - we have innovative solutions that get results!
Bob
Copyright 2008
Performance Builders
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Quotable
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Performanxce Matters - Idea #17
Conduct team building activities that will help people better understand their own and each other’s gifts and potential contributions. Use those activities to stimulate conversations that will bring people to greater levels of understanding, respect, and possibility. Use those conversations to encourage one another and to position each other for success.
Here are some ideas on where to start.
Read Leadership Above the Line by Sumner.
Read The Five Dysfunctions of a Team byLencioni.
Explore the powerful tools at www.Kolbe.com
Explore Strengths Finder by Rath / www.StrengthsFinder.com
Provoke the potential of those around you. Need help? Give us a call...
Bob
(c) Copyright 2008
Performance Builders
Here are some ideas on where to start.
Read Leadership Above the Line by Sumner.
Read The Five Dysfunctions of a Team byLencioni.
Explore the powerful tools at www.Kolbe.com
Explore Strengths Finder by Rath / www.StrengthsFinder.com
Provoke the potential of those around you. Need help? Give us a call...
Bob
(c) Copyright 2008
Performance Builders
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Quotable
“The only thing that holds you back from getting what you want, is paying attention to what you don't want.” - Abraham-Hicks
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Performance Matters - Idea #16
Encourage continually – Build on success. Work at the threshold of failure. But position people for for imminent success. Give the gift of courage by constantly encouraging.
A short story to illustrate the point...
Jaime Escalante, the teacher on whom the movie Stand and Deliver was based, tells an amazing story about a mistaken identity and the difference it made in a young man’s life.
This teacher had two students in his class who were both named Johnny. One Johnny was an excellent student, a happy child, and always had his homework completed on time. The other Johnny was always in trouble, never had his work finished, and generally made the teacher’s life miserable.
The night of their first PTA Open House of the year a mother stayed after the meeting to ask about her son, Johnny, and how he was getting along in the class. Assuming it was the mother of the “good” Johnny, the teacher replied, “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate him. I am so glad he’s in my class.”
The next day, for the first time all year, the “problem” Johnny had all his work done, he spoke up in class, and never once caused a disruption. He even volunteered to help another student.
The teacher was astounded! At the end of the day when everyone else had left, “problem” Johnny came up to the teacher and said, “My Mom told me what you said about me last night. I haven’t ever had a teacher who wanted me in his class.”
That Johnny became one of the best students the teacher ever had – and all because of a mistaken dose of appreciation!
No matter who we are and what our situation in life is, we all want and need to be appreciated."
-Source Unknown
Be Strong, Be Strong, Make Each Other Strong! - Ancient Jewish Chant
Bob
(c) Copyright 2008
Performance Builders
A short story to illustrate the point...
Jaime Escalante, the teacher on whom the movie Stand and Deliver was based, tells an amazing story about a mistaken identity and the difference it made in a young man’s life.
This teacher had two students in his class who were both named Johnny. One Johnny was an excellent student, a happy child, and always had his homework completed on time. The other Johnny was always in trouble, never had his work finished, and generally made the teacher’s life miserable.
The night of their first PTA Open House of the year a mother stayed after the meeting to ask about her son, Johnny, and how he was getting along in the class. Assuming it was the mother of the “good” Johnny, the teacher replied, “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate him. I am so glad he’s in my class.”
The next day, for the first time all year, the “problem” Johnny had all his work done, he spoke up in class, and never once caused a disruption. He even volunteered to help another student.
The teacher was astounded! At the end of the day when everyone else had left, “problem” Johnny came up to the teacher and said, “My Mom told me what you said about me last night. I haven’t ever had a teacher who wanted me in his class.”
That Johnny became one of the best students the teacher ever had – and all because of a mistaken dose of appreciation!
No matter who we are and what our situation in life is, we all want and need to be appreciated."
-Source Unknown
Be Strong, Be Strong, Make Each Other Strong! - Ancient Jewish Chant
Bob
(c) Copyright 2008
Performance Builders
Monday, April 28, 2008
Performance Matters - Idea #15
Celebrate frequently and authentically.
Job satisfaction, loyalty, and performance has much to do with friendship, purpose and recognition. Celebration is evidence of all three.
How often do you celebrate with your team? How many ways do you know how to celebrate? Perhaps a chief celebration officer (CCO) is needed.
Celebration begins with something to celebrate... achievement, anniversary, opportunity, loyalty, or even just having "time to" celebrate. Celebration always acknowledges the something that is being celebrated in words written or spoken from the heart.
Celebration can be time spent together or time spent apart - try a celebration that allows employees unexpected time with family. Celebration is more about opportunities to bond than it is about money or time.
Celebration takes practice. Practice frequently. Celebration builds and defines community!
Bob
(c) copyright 2008
Performance Builders
Job satisfaction, loyalty, and performance has much to do with friendship, purpose and recognition. Celebration is evidence of all three.
How often do you celebrate with your team? How many ways do you know how to celebrate? Perhaps a chief celebration officer (CCO) is needed.
Celebration begins with something to celebrate... achievement, anniversary, opportunity, loyalty, or even just having "time to" celebrate. Celebration always acknowledges the something that is being celebrated in words written or spoken from the heart.
Celebration can be time spent together or time spent apart - try a celebration that allows employees unexpected time with family. Celebration is more about opportunities to bond than it is about money or time.
Celebration takes practice. Practice frequently. Celebration builds and defines community!
Bob
(c) copyright 2008
Performance Builders
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Performance Matters - Idea #14
Have you ever wondered why so much emphasis is placed in the work place on people improving their "weaknesses"? Why isn't more focus placed on understanding peoples strengths and then using them to their maximum potential. It comes back to what I've written about before, "Do more of what you do best and less of all of the rest."
Think how much happier and satisfied people would be if that was a core strategy of the business. Think how much more successful the business could be if that were a core business strategy!
Play to people’s strengths rather than trying to make them into someone they are not. Each person has a unique combination of gifts and experience unlike any other person. Managers need to get to know their people - what makes them tick? What is their unique knowledge, experience, skills? What stirs their passion? What do they aspire to?
For many manager's their greatest weakness is not knowing the answer to the above question for all of their people.
There are some great tools out there for helping a person or a team discover their strengths and to start the conversations that will help them better utilize them. Are you in conversation with your team? Are you engaging the tools to leverage the talent you have?
When people play to their strengths they actually increase their energy and loyalty. When they are working in their weaknesses they consume energy and and burn loyalty.
Get more out of each person by playing to their strengths.
Bob
(c) copyright 2008
Performance Builders
Think how much happier and satisfied people would be if that was a core strategy of the business. Think how much more successful the business could be if that were a core business strategy!
Play to people’s strengths rather than trying to make them into someone they are not. Each person has a unique combination of gifts and experience unlike any other person. Managers need to get to know their people - what makes them tick? What is their unique knowledge, experience, skills? What stirs their passion? What do they aspire to?
For many manager's their greatest weakness is not knowing the answer to the above question for all of their people.
There are some great tools out there for helping a person or a team discover their strengths and to start the conversations that will help them better utilize them. Are you in conversation with your team? Are you engaging the tools to leverage the talent you have?
When people play to their strengths they actually increase their energy and loyalty. When they are working in their weaknesses they consume energy and and burn loyalty.
Get more out of each person by playing to their strengths.
Bob
(c) copyright 2008
Performance Builders
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Performance Matters - Idea #13
Recognize that about 5 % of any team are positive leaders who are fully committed to the organization’s performance and success – they are passionate about it. They lead by example.
Another 15% are negative leaders who undermine the organization’s performance and success. These are equally passionate people who very often operate in a passive aggressive mode. They lead by words usually spoken in private.
Both groups are opinion leaders! Both groups contribute to defining the culture, attitudes, and behaviors of the team. Both represent the team / organization to the community.
The remaining 80% of a team / organization are followers who can be effectively influenced by either the positive or negative leaders.
Management’s job is to effectively keep negative leaders in check or better eliminating them from the team quickly and decisively. Who you keep on your team says much about how you and your team will be perceived. Your team culture is worth protecting. There are no excuses for keeping negative leaders on your team. You are always better without them and so is the rest of your team!
Bob
(c) Copyright 2008
Performance Builders
Another 15% are negative leaders who undermine the organization’s performance and success. These are equally passionate people who very often operate in a passive aggressive mode. They lead by words usually spoken in private.
Both groups are opinion leaders! Both groups contribute to defining the culture, attitudes, and behaviors of the team. Both represent the team / organization to the community.
The remaining 80% of a team / organization are followers who can be effectively influenced by either the positive or negative leaders.
Management’s job is to effectively keep negative leaders in check or better eliminating them from the team quickly and decisively. Who you keep on your team says much about how you and your team will be perceived. Your team culture is worth protecting. There are no excuses for keeping negative leaders on your team. You are always better without them and so is the rest of your team!
Bob
(c) Copyright 2008
Performance Builders
Friday, April 18, 2008
Quotable
"The body is limited. The mind is not. To enlarge your world, expand your mind." - Alan Cohen
