In organizing a trade show and hosting competing organizations to take part in the free marketplace supply fair I have created, I have discovered the fragile balance of inclusive and exclusive opportunity.  I remain impartial to several related industry organizations that vie for members. A growing group can choose to open or close doors. I do this as well. For example, I only offer a price report to fans who paid for a newsletter subscription; yet I offer free information to the entire industry that is nearly as beneficial, with tid bits I hope they’ll crave more of and subscribe. There must be some balance, and a fair option to gain entry into the community.

As my supporters become agitators, I must consider: Did I give them a reason to try my product or service?  Are they giving our newsletter readers a reason to try their products? Are they even in the game? Or too insecure to play? Some prefer to position their organization as elite, for members only and put forth a great barrier to entry. Others charge a fair price, commensurate with what a successful business is willing to pay. It all comes down to membership with benefits. Your organization’s growth equals its perceived value. [Read more…] about Associations: How Much Should You Give Away to Non-Members?

Are you one of those who suffer from the shiny new object syndrome? Do we hope the new, latest and greatest phone app or DIY jig will solve our problems?
Are we seeking to deliver value to people, or are we just feeding a machine? It’s unproductive to use new tools that don’t fit your business model. Invest in the ones that do, but stay knowledgeable about HOW and WHY they do.

When machines break or you have no cell phone signal, it’s those moments when the customer relationship depends on you. Relationships build the foundation with customers and vendors. Not Social Media. Not machine automation. Humanity becomes the killer app. We can press buttons and get through a day without thinking. (Google maps for me! I do look for the sun but on cloudy days, I’m lost.) Technology offers accuracy and consistency. Still, the human touch, even with our quirky variations, offers another layer of quality control if we inspect each job, do each task, with care.

There is no app for a firm hand shake, a personal thank you or the sound of a friendly voice. Emails can be impersonal. Texts misunderstood. Go ahead. Make eye contact. Pick up the phone and deliver service with your friendly voice. The “personal touch” in relationships doesn’t have to be an uphill battle. The shiny new object this month just might be you!

Since Labor Day is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers, let’s take a moment to congratulate our industry innovators. Thank your employees, family and US vendors who have helped your business success. Everyone needs a lift once in a while. Then pat yourself on the back if you achieved a goal you set for yourself in 2014! If you procrastinated, there are 4 months left in the year to get it going. The day of rest and celebration can be a time to re-set your “internal clock” and revitalize a plan. In the US, we have until Nov. 2 to enjoy extra daylight hours, and that could be used for extra reading time to stimulate your mind.

Did you know that most people overestimate what they can do in one year, but underestimate what they can do in five years? Even if you’ve been in business longer, a 5 year vision going forward is healthier than the status quo.
Will you be experimenting and teaching yourself a new method to get your job done, or launching a new service that requires skills outside of your comfort zone? Let’s talk self-discipline. If you spend your self-discipline fuel too quickly, you burn out. If you spend your self-discipline fuel too slowly, you miss the key period where it works. (I’ve done both, how about you?)
Try setting a new habit and give yourself a full month until the habit reaches equilibrium.
Back to the thought of accomplishing lots more than you thought you could in five years. August marks my 3rd year publishing the Sharpeners Report newsletter. So by Year 3, my company, Creative Lakes Media, LLC, has increased circulation, but there still is a lot more room for growth. I encourage customer referrals! I also am proud to be planning another full spectrum trade show in Minneapolis in Spring 2015, and produce an even grander Sharpeners’ Supplier Directory in 2016!
Then there is another chapter to write in my novel, “Wheels to Liberty,” about a woman who is trapped in an abusive relationship in the 1940s. She battles her way freedom and contentment, all the while raising a daughter with a life long disability.
Plan ahead for your business, and use self-discipline to get there.

For a new Whine column, tell us about customers you’d like to put in the grape squash pit. Then share how you artfully changed that customer relationship into a “resolved” situation that saved your reputation. Let’s toast to you! Dealing with the public is not so different from the art and science of  how you do your job.
Today, I am whining about the post office. I send out the newsletter across the country to 1600+ readers who like a hard copy versus email versions. I send out CDs of Back Issues and DVDs of trade show classes on sharpening knives or shears or clipper blade repair. While first class is cheaper, it is definitely worth sending items with priority mail tracking.  Now where is my glass pf wine to toast to solutions?