The Kiss Business too (2)

Trafficking ideas, not stuff

According to Seth's latest post: "Digging it out of the ground", we as specialised retailer don't sell stuff (wooden flooring, flooring accessories, glue, maintenance products) but ideas.

Now, not that I'm averse to the idea of selling ideas, but what ideas are sold at:
Food & Drug Stores
General Merchandisers
Pharmaceuticals
Semiconductors and Other Electronic Components
Speciality Retailers
Wholesalers?

Two entry in the idea-selling list I found are: "Computers, Office Equipment" and "Mail, Package, Freight Delivery". Equipment to create ideas (or store ideas) and shipping ideas, yes, that might be the case, but still doubtful IMHO.

Who can enlighten me?

Language - management - understanding

Ok, new category: Networked - have to walk the talk, not?

Found a very interesting trail of posts on various blogs today, all related to the use of (simple) language and getting the message across, be it in writing, speeches, marketing or management practise.

Kent Blumberg reacted on a post about 'Gemba' and how it should be used, not ridiculed by those who don't or half understand the meaning of it. Do read the comments on Kent's post, gives you a better idea of how important language is, in any country, in any situation.

Trekking forward to Mike Wroblewki's post on another management technique: MBWA, but than differently reminded me of the company I used to work for where one of the Directors (4 on a total of 120 employees!) went through 4 - 5 different new techniques every year! (And the result? - still unknown)

But the most interesting trek forward was to Mike Shaffner's book review on "Words that work" by Dr Frans Luntz. It's not what you say, it is what people hear.
How true and (of course) simple, but most times hard to follow (or to remember when writing - like I still am trying to do on our 12 page booklet for the upcoming large Business-2-Business Exhibition 2020Vision in April - really have to set myself a deadline soon!)
Immediately emailed Mark of Goodword Editing the link to the article, that's what networking is about, not?

What, why and how are we blogging about?

Blogs (or blog-sites, or interactive websites) are a funny thing. Some regard it as only something you do/create if you want to talk about your hobby, others (I'm one of them) regard it more and more as a marketing tool that can be used for interacting with prospects, customers, like-minded people; teaching and/or explaining readers about your products or services. And it's a marketing tool that becomes even more important when the 'blogosphere' continues its growth-rate.

Various blog-conversations this week tackled/questioned the blog as tool; how to reach/teach non-bloggers to become a part of it; how to embrace 'self-promotion' through your blog (without bragging); how to 'brand' yourself as blogger - not only on your own blog, but also when commenting on other blogs.
What made me stop and re-think my own blogging 'habits' was item four three on Liz Strauss "The SOBCon Next Level Quest" : Define a Vision for our Blogs.

So, combining that thought (we define visions for every other business goal/aim, don't we?) with other wise tips I've decide to do exactly that for all three active blogs we/I have.

Business wise (i.e. working for a profit) our FAQ blog "tips and advice on natural wooden flooring" I have to consider most important. I have to see it as an extra marketing tool to encourage prospects to:

• visit our 'static' website (where all available ranges are described with pictures and - also very important - prices in a decent and practical lay-out)
• read about how we have solved problems for existing customers
• are easily redirected to our 'download' page for PDF leaflets and booklets (free - well, we get their email address for follow-ups)
• quickly add the feed to their RSS reader
• find the various categories
• see other 'visitors' commenting and/or asking us questions

Blog two: The Kiss Principle in Business, no more 'Double Dutch' in business (you've found it already) is my - as business manager/marketing director - learn/teach/tell blog.
This blog started after I'd written my (first, still only but who knows) business novel, which tells 'our story' as two Dutch people struggling and slowly succeeding as retail business in Kent U.K.
Besides telling remarkable good (or bad) business practise stories I encounter myself, books I read, other interesting blog post I find it was supposed to help me sell my novel.

So, redefinition (and re-vamping of the sidebar):

• Kiss2 should become a business 'network' blog, where I or others through comments tell about business practises - self-encountered or 'read-about' in books, blogs or newspapers in order "To make business simple".
• Encourage others to join in with comments: hence the added sidebar option: recent comments
• I'm proud of the novel I've written, so the link to the 'static' website' where the paperback or E-book version can be ordered has found a more pronounced position

Then there is my latest blog: stop/start ponderings on growing and growing pains. That's a personal blog, not really related to anything business wise, just a place where I 'ramble' around, my 'coffee-corner' which needs no redefining. I did change the lay-out a tiny bit and  added the 'recent comments' category to it, just to keep in line with my overall definition of blogging: encourage conversation.

Ending on that note (encouraging conversation): so what y'all think?

(side-note: on personal branding, you might have noticed the change in 'nickname' from plain old Karin to Karin H. - that's me)

E-zine on Business Myths

I'm a great fan of Hard Facts, Dangerous Half-Truths and Total Nonsense (as you all might know by now) and am interested in all things related, like other myths stopping businesses from growing.
Since Dawud tipped me on combining blog search with my RSS reader I found some interesting articles on this, like this morning:

The Top 10 Myths Keeping You From Hitting the Online Jackpot by Jim Daniels on the ETR (Early To Rise) E-zine (which on its own is worth to 'keep' as bookmark).
The article is the third down on the page and tells half the story how Jim Daniels himself succeeded in online business by refusing to believe in the myths and just 'got-on-with-it'

Another freebie

Two years ago our accountant pointed us to the 'reward' HM Revenue and Customs give small companies for filing online (reward total up to date: £ 500.00 - free! no strings attached).
This year we will receive another reward (£ 150.00) filing online. And you?

Side-note: since also two years we use online payroll software for our wages, simple, handy and....
accredited by HM Revenue and Customs to use for online filing.

I do love simple things ;-) (specially when they come with a 'reward')

Dutch lesson 1: voordenken, niet nadenken

Some 18 years ago I encountered my first mentor. He had a wonderful credo which always came in focus during the many IT-projects I was fortunate to be involved in (Jos de Hey was a consultant on IT - Logistics - Systems brought in by the Director of Finance - a great man on its own - to update and improve the ailing existing IT software and practise).

But in order to relate this remarkable remark some Dutch lessons are needed, verbatim translation in English just won't do it the justice it deserves.

The Dutch word for thinking is denken, but mostly it is accompanied with na as in nadenken (English would be: thinking about it).
But..... na also means: after as in after diner (na het eten), after school clubs (naschoolse activiteiten).

Or as in: if we had only thought about the impact, consequences before the implementation of this, or in other words: we should have 'thought ahead' (in order to save time, effort, resources etc).

And 'before' in Dutch is voor, hence Jos' credo: Voordenken, not nadenken

So, Joseph, where ever you are now, your credo is still on the forefront during many decision we make and it's a worthwhile 'system' to have.
About time I thanked you for that.

BNI week 10.2007 Best 60 seconds presentation

John Lofting (J L Services) took the BNI-Ashford weekly trophy away this morning, well earned.

John's a plumber (and a good one), and according to him 99.9% of his work comes from recommendations (and are there any stronger recommendations than BNI-referrals?)

Today he reminded all of us how simple (and I do like simple things) it is to find referrals for him:
every 3 bedroom house has on average 2 bathrooms and 7 central heating radiators.
In his plumber's eyes that means over 350 points where a leak can occur.

Simple, not? Just have John's card ready when you find one ;-)

The importance of...

a good accountant!

I have one, for years already, Burns Waring always "adding more than just the numbers". Their new website comes with a newsroom and two articles on there 'triggered' this post:

Tax waste in the UK and Pensions Planning (which in the UK is a very different kettle of fish compared with Pension Planning in The Netherlands and one thing we still can't get our heads around - the seemingly illogic and problems of it here, but that's for a later post).

But coming back to The Importance of a Good Accountant. (And the first thing I advice others when thinking of going self-employed or 'go-it-alone' is to find one from day one on).
Your accountant should inform you, advice you, help you with both items:
a) making sure every tax-break is used (properly - not 'creatively')
b) and by doing A, pension planning is made easier and in a sustainable way.

Like I, no, my accountant says: an accountant who has the success and growth of your company in mind should add more than just the yearly numbers.

Knowing enough?

Thanks to Dawud at HealthyWebDesign I recently added a new handy tool to my Google reader: blog search results on a specific subject.
This means I have a daily 'feed' of possible interesting blog posts on the subjects I selected (Business advice books among them).

Today that landed me on a post called:
"How Well Do You Know Each Other" by Malcolm Munro (Leaders Notes).

Most interesting in his post I found the same sentiment already 'discussed' on the Kiss2 blog: when do we ever know enough (by reading books, blogs, through workshops, brainstorm sessions, advice from mentors, consultants etc).

Ever? Never?

I like Munro's answer:

"So how do we focus on management and leadership fundamentals? Start by committing yourself to an hour of reading and study per day. Attend workshops with an open mind. Get yourself assigned to a coach or a mentor. Make a conscious effort to grow in your abilities.

Your hard work will pay off if you really put forth the effort."