You often see people (including me) writing about customer service, successful vendor practices and the like, very rarely, however, do you see someone ask you to review your own actions and determine if you are a good client for someone else. And that's what today's article is about -- if you dare.
It's easy to review someone else's actions and praise or note where they could improve, it's much more difficult to shine that light on our ourselves.
When you sign up for a program, hire a private coach or mentor or hire a team to support you, do you:
1. Are you prepared for your calls?
Do you come prepared to calls with any questions you have, items you want to request special guidance on, successes you wish to share with the group, etc.?
It's more rewarding for you AND your coach/mentor when you get what you want from the program and because we can't cover all situations all the time, it's even better when you ask. When working with team members, they WANT to shine for you, do you give them the tools to do that (answers they need, training on your processes)?
2. Do you show up. . .and on time?
Do you show up for your calls and, if so, do you show up on time?
Your vendor (coach, mentor, team member, etc.) has prepared and reserved this time just for you to the exclusion of other things she can be doing.
You'll get the best results if you're as respectful of their time as they are of yours (and if they're not, it's time to let them go -- no "ifs, ands or buts").
3. Are you reasonable?
Do you constantly and with little-to-no-notice reschedule calls for non-emergency reasons? The key word here is "constantly" -- we all have reasons we need to reschedule occasionally.
Do you respect boundaries and the terms of your agreement or do you "push the envelope" every chance you get?
4. Do you implement?
Do you use the resources you signed up, and paid, for or do you tell yourself (and others) that you're "too busy"?
If a coaching/mentoring program, do you take advantage of everything that's offered: Q&A calls, 1-on-1 calls, bonus resources OR do you sign up, get the CDs and put them on the shelf with the others, all the while wondering why you're not moving forward in your business?
In short, are you implementing? If you've hired a team (or a single virtual assistant) so that you can work on other items, are you doing that? If you've hired a coach/mentor, are you getting things done?
5. Do you pay on time?
Do you pay according to the terms of your agreement?
If not, why not? Do you need to bring in more revenue? Do you need to implement faster? Is the team not a fit and you just don't know how to let her go? Whatever the reason, you need to determine the "why" and then resolve it in whatever way is best for your business.
In short, all of the above stem from you making the decision -- yes, actually making a firm decision or commitment -- to FULLY embrace all aspects of the programs you're in, the people you hire and to implement.
My Request to You
Grab a pen and paper (no computer here!):
- Turn the paper sideways (landscape) and make 4 columns lengthwise,
- List every program or service you've purchased in the last few months in the first column,
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- List the results you anticipated when you signed up for or hired it/her in the second column,
- List the features/benefits of the program/service in the third column and
- List what results you've gotten since signing up/hiring
Now, for each item on the list ask yourself the 5 questions from today's article -- be completely honest here! No one's watching (promise!).
And now, it's time for you to make some decisions. What stays? What goes? What changes do YOU need to make regarding your own actions?
For the past 5 years, Sandra Martini has been showing self-employed business owners how to get more clients consistently by implementing processes and systems to put their marketing on autopilot. Visit Sandra at http://www.SandraMartini.com for details, compelling client testimonials and her free audio series “5 Simple and Easy Steps to Put Your Marketing on Autopilot”.
