small business Archives - Page 12 of 19

Are You Really Focusing on Your “A” Clients?

I was talking to my friend and colleague Lewin Williams yesterday. Lewin is a financial services consultant who helps other financial services consultants improve their business. Lewin’s philosophy—the one that has made a big difference for his clients—is simply this:

Focus on your “A” clients.

Now that sounds simple and obvious, doesn’t it? Focus on the 20% of your clients who bring in 80% of the results. Obvious, right?

Except that it isn’t.

If it were really that obvious, everyone would be doing it, ...

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23
JUL
2014

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Customer Service, Producing Results

award winning performance, Bill Stainton, business speaker, customer service, keynote speaker, leadership, leadership speaker, leadership training, motivational speaker, professional speaker, running a business, running your business, small business, small business success

You Are NOT Your Customer’s Responsibility

Posted by: Bill Stainton

You do a great job for a customer, and you’re set! That customer will never forget you! Right? Wrong! As it turns out, it is NOT your customer’s job to remember you!

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1
JUN
2014

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Customer Service, Producing Results

award winning performance, Bill Stainton, business speaker, competition, customer service, keynote speaker, leadership, leadership speaker, motivational speaker, professional speaker, running a business, running your business, small business, small business success

You Can’t Please Everyone…Nor Should You!

Posted by: Bill Stainton

Are you feeling unloved and underappreciated? That’s okay! You can’t please everyone…nor SHOULD you!

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26
MAY
2014

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Leadership, Producing Results

Bill Stainton, branding, business integrity, business speaker, customer service, exceeding expectations, keynote speaker, leadership, motivational speaker, professional speaker, running a business, running your business, small business, small business success

A Tale of Two Restaurants…and You

Posted by: Bill Stainton

Today we’re going to talk about two fast-food restaurant chains. They both serve similar products, but one makes way more money than the other. Let’s see if you can guess which one is the big winner:

Restaurant Chain #1:

[unordered_list style=”tick”]

Virtually synonymous with its product
Thousands and thousands of locations throughout the entire country
Open 7 days a week, 365 days a year

[/unordered_list]

Restaurant Chain #2:[unordered_list style=”red-x”]

Virtually unknown in half the country
Fewer than half the number of restaurants as Restaurant Chain #1
Every location closed nearly ...

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2
APR
2014

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Producing Results, Sales, Work Ethic

attitude, award winning performance, Bill Stainton, competition, keynote speaker, leadership, leadership speaker, leadership training, motivational speaker, professional speaker, running a business, running your business, seattle motivational speaker, small business, small business success

This One Thing Will Make Change Easier

Posted by: Bill Stainton

I just had a client for an upcoming keynote speech tell me, “We’re going through a lot of change right now.”

YOU: “Oh my God, he’s talking about my organization! We’re going through a lot of change right now!”

Okay, before you get too excited [YOU: “Too late!”], you should know that I hear this from nearly every client. I conducted an informal survey (translation: I was still in my pajamas when I made the calls) of some of my fellow motivational ...

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26
MAR
2014

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Change, Producing Results

award winning performance, Bill Stainton, change, keynote speaker, leadership, leadership speaker, leadership training, leading through change, motivational speaker, running a business, running your business, small business, small business success, teams

Why You Need More Women On Your Team

Posted by: Bill Stainton

Here is today’s message to all you business leaders out there:

Don’t be like me.

YOU: “But Bill, you’re my hero! I’ve modeled my entire career–my entire life–around you!”

Yes, and in most cases you’d be correct to do so. But not in this one particular aspect. Let me explain.

For 15 years, I was the Executive Producer of a sketch comedy TV ...

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19
MAR
2014

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Leadership, Producing Results, Teams

Bill Stainton, business integrity, business speaker, hiring women, keynote speaker, leadership, leadership speaker, leadership training, motivational speaker, professional speaker, running a business, small business, talent, talent management, team building, teambuilding, teamwork, women in the workplace

Innovation Killer: Attack of the Clones

Posted by: Bill Stainton

You want to know who’s really bad at coming up with innovative ideas? Clones. Also goldfish, but for now let’s stick to clones. Why are clones so bad at coming up with innovative ideas? Because they all think alike! They can’t help it—they’re clones!

It stands to reason then, that if you’re looking for an innovative ...

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5
MAR
2014

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Creativity, Producing Results, Teams

award winning performance, Bill Stainton, creative ideas, creativity, innovation, innovative thinking, keynote speaker, leadership, leadership speaker, leadership training, motivational speaker, professional speaker, running a business, running your business, small business, small business success

Questioning Your Business Innovation

Posted by: Bill Stainton

My friend and fellow motivational speaker (I could also include “Seattle business legend” and “self made millionaire”) Sunny Kobe Cook has an interesting theory, and one with which I agree:

Being innovative in business usually starts with a question.

Asking a question is one of the best ways to spark creativity and innovation, either individually or within a team. Why? Because our brains will try their best to answer whatever question(s) we put to ...

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19
FEB
2014

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Change, Creativity, Producing Results

award winning performance, Bill Stainton, business speaker, creative ideas, creativity, innovation, innovative thinking, keynote speaker, leadership, leadership speaker, motivational speaker, professional speaker, running your business, small business, small business success, teamwork

What Can You Learn from “Shark Tank”?

Posted by: Bill Stainton

Have you ever watched the TV show Shark Tank? Or, if TV’s not your thing, maybe you’ve read the spin-off book: Shark Tank Jump Start Your Business: How to Launch and Grow a Business from Concept to Cash.

Basically, it’s a show where ...

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12
FEB
2014

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Producing Results, Sales

Bill Stainton, business speaker, keynote speaker, leadership, leadership speaker, leadership training, motivational speaker, running a business, running your business, small business, small business success, success

Embrace the Messy Part!

Posted by: Bill Stainton

Messy is good.

A recent article in The Wall Street Journal talks about leadership and creativity (one of my favorite topics, and the focus of my keynote program The Emmy Effect: How to Develop and Lead Award Winning Talent and Teams). In the article, author Justin Brady says:

[quote]Most leaders talk about creativity (or its cousin, innovation) without understanding what it is and how it happens. The process of real creativity is messy, chaotic, sometimes even disgusting, and ... Continue Reading →

17
JUN
2013

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Producing Results, Work Ethic

attitude, award winning performance, Bill Stainton, change, innovation, innovative thinking, keynote speaker, leadership, leadership speaker, leading through change, motivational speaker, professional speaker, running a business, running your business, small business, small business success, success, thought leader, work ethic