katiekrienitz.com

Knowing Math Brings in Major $$$ To Your Company

Katie Krienitz — Wed, 11 May 2011 22:31:24 +0000

I’ll be the first to admit…I’m an organizational junkie. I get incredible amounts of pleasure out of seeing things organized, systemized and beautifully aligned. Checklists, perfect marketing collateral, management systems, and efficient office flow all bring a huge smile to my face. To me, serving our members with efficient, easy systems to get them what they need is crucial to making sure we are always exceeding expectations. Chris, on the other hand, is a Marketer. He gets mass amounts of joy coming up with creative ways to get the Annex, eMarketing Groups and all of our events and services out there to the world. Generating new ways to bring people to an event, tweaking the process of our masterminds and workshops, and creating Success Safaris* (*see the newsletter box for details) are his ways of making sure we are always exceeding expectations.

Operations and Marketing are vital parts of a business system, but neither are the fuel that makes your business work. Imagine if you had a brand new Bentley sitting in your driveway. Shiny paint job, pristine engine and an interior that is laden with all the upgrades you could possibly imagine. No matter how gorgeous this car might be, it ultimately will not go anywhere if it has no gas! The same holds true for your business: you can have a business that is meticulously organized to service your current and potential client. You can market your business in the most creative and innovative ways to bring clients into your pipeline. But if you are not actually closing the deal and getting a new client or getting someone to swipe their credit card to purchase your product…if you are not making the sale, then your business will not survive.

There are many elements of sales to master in order to find the sales system that works the best for your company (there I go again with the “systems!”) – target market, touch points, marketing strategies, proper language, sales people, sales techniques and more. But at the end of the day, sales is nothing more than mathematics:
How much money do I want to bring in?
How many products do I have to sell or how many clients do I need to add in order to get the answer to (a)?
How many clients do I need to meet with or how many people need to see my product every week in order to close the answer to (b)?

How many touch points do I need to make (calls, visits, marketing material, etc) in order to get the answer to (c) to meet with me or see my product?
This is your sales metrics. Looking at sales this way makes sense once you look at it, but is usually counter intuitive to the way most business owners work.
While you continue to do what you love best in your business (marketing, operations, fulfilling the services), make sure you never lose sight of the fact that you MUST have sales coming in in order for you to continue doing what it is you love! Remember to focus on sales…and everything else will fall into place.

Edison & Ford: Greatness Sticks Together

Katie Krienitz — Wed, 04 May 2011 22:30:53 +0000

In an attempt to escape the craziness of Gasparilla, Chris and I drove down to Fort Myers this weekend for some relaxation and exploration. To our delight, we came across the Edison & Ford Winter Estates just across the river from our hotel. For almost 3 hours, we explored Edison’s laboratory, the Edison & Ford museum, and the gorgeous grounds where the Thomas Edison and Henry Ford winter homes stood side by side.

We eagerly listened to the statistics and stories of these two great men. Two men whose entire lives were dedicated to excellence in their fields and whose contributions to the world forever changed it. How was it that these two men came to know each other so well that they had winter homes right next to one another? We wondered. We saw pictures of Edison, Ford, Harvey Firestone and John Burroughs hanging out together and thought about how mind-blowing those conversations must have been and how much of an impact they had on one another. How was it that all these great people found one another?

As my feet walked over the grounds that Edison and Ford had tread in the past, a big smile spread across my face. This is exactly what the Annex does, I thought to myself. The Annex acts as a conduit for great people to come together. Like attracts like. Those with big hearts and great minds and big goals are attracted to the Annex because our members all have big hearts, great minds and big goals! And through our masterminds, our Keynotes and our workshops, our members connect, help one another out, refer business, give ideas and help the tide rise for us all. Edison and Ford cultivated a long lasting friendship because the greatness in each of them sought out the greatness in the other. And then, they “locked shields,” as Kim Nauman would say. They found kinship in their desires to be great, to grow their businesses, to expand their thoughts and to effect the world…and then stuck close to one another to make those things happen! And that is exactly what the Annex was meant to do.

Hit it Hard! Business Is a Vehicle to Change the World Learned While Traveling Across America

Katie Krienitz — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 22:30:14 +0000

It’s been 2 years since I participated in Body Bash Boot Camp. Two years since some of the toughest workouts of my life had me bear crawling on the Platt Street Bridge, running the Convention Center stairs, sprinting across the St. Pete Times Forum parking lot, lunging on the Jackson’s dock and counting out push ups at Ballast Point Pier. After each early morning workout, I was soaked to the bone with sweat, my muscles already aching…and blissfully happy. This wasn’t just any boot camp…this was owned by John Hannon. John’s innate ability to make even the newest or slowest or most out-of-shape person feel special and part of his Body Bash family was truly remarkable. He dedicated his business to helping people get into shape, feel good about themselves and accomplish physical feats they never would have thought possible.

On January 20th, 2011, I opened up my Facebook wall and saw a picture of three candles lit in the dark. John Hannon was tagged and the caption under the picture said, John Hannon’s Memorial. John had been battling lunch cancer since September 2010 and as I read comments on his personal profile page that confirmed that he had lost his battle with cancer, I cried tears of sorrow for a man whose business and life had profoundly impacted the world.

In the days that followed, I visited John’s Facebook page often. Here, I was informed about the time and location of the memorial service and was humbled by the number of people leaving comments on John’s wall. Whether written directly to him or written to those who loved him as a public statement, my heart swelled with love as I realized that Facebook was now a living, breathing memorial for my friend. Comments and pictures by the hundreds flooded John’s wall and reassured the world that John Hannon’s reach had been grandiose. His “Johnisms,” sayings John used to inspire bootcampers, were speckled all over the page: Hit it Hard! What do you want for yourself? Pain is weakness leaving the body! It was never so obvious how intertwined one’s business and life could be.
His sense of humor was just as prevalent as his Johnisms. In a moment that contradicted his usual fight and win attitude, John joked with a friend just before he passed that “there must be some really fat and lazy people in heaven because God wants me up there!”
John was in line with his purpose. And he created Body Bash Boot Camp to give his purpose life. In the fitness industry, personal trainers and boot camp coaches saturate the local market. But Body Bash Boot Camp and John Hannon had no competition. And there, on John Hannon’s Facebook profile, lives a real-time homage to just how true that was.

Patience = Good Business

Katie Krienitz — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 22:28:33 +0000

Patience may be a virtue, but it is one that seems to allude me quite often. I was never very good at learning musical instruments because I just wanted to be able to play perfectly now! When I learned a new technique in softball that would make my talent dip before it could get better, I’d hit thousands of balls on the tee in my backyard until the sun went down just so I could get through the slump as quickly as possible. My gourmet chef attempts usually fall within a 30 minute time period because a full day in the kitchen doesn’t exactly make me feel like Julia Child. I’m convinced that every experience I have had in my life – every challenge and every success – has been so life could teach me patience.

And business is no exception. Before I even get into this, I want you to think of all those “overnight success” business stories and throw them out of your head. Not that they’re invalid or that they can’t happen to you, but they are specs of sand on the beach of the business world. The majority of that beach is filled with successes that took years and years to build. Lots of sweat, lots of time, lots of energy, lots of failures and lots of sacrifice. Building a business is hard. It’s hard in year 1, hard in year 10 and hard in year 30…all for different reasons! And it takes a very unique individual who can constantly push forward, adapt to change, create, think outside of the box, fall down and get back up again to be a business owner. Someone who has…patience.

Patience is knowing that your business model is broken, but continuing to provide your services or products while the kinks get worked out. Patience is not firing an employee the moment the emotions are high, but letting the situation calm down over a period of time so the right coarse of action (with the appropriate attitude and communication) can be determined. Patience is having too much business to handle and approaching each client/customer with care while you figure out how to meet everyone’s needs. Patience is having a “bad month” and not reacting by changing every aspect of your business, but sitting back and understanding what happened. Patience is accepting that your business system, no matter how successful and productive, will constantly change and morph. Patience is understanding that your clients, referral sources and employees might change, but showing kindness and love to every person touched by your company throughout its metamorphosis is vital.

When you practice patience as a business owner, you allow your company to be fluid and give it permission to not be perfect. You free yourself of any need to put your perfect company in a perfect little box and thus…you get to actually experience the life of your business. As Rainer Maria Rilke wrote “Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is to live everything. Live the questions.” Make sure you are living your business and all the questions and uncertainties it offers up to you every day. Be patient.

Old School vs New School: What’s the Best Way to do Business?

Katie Krienitz — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 22:26:23 +0000

I walked into a bank for the first time in years yesterday. You see, I tend to look at banking as a line item on my checklist and all I want to do is check it off in the most efficient way possible. Walking in and waiting in line to complete a financial transaction is not efficient in my eyes. So, I’ve spent years becoming really good at online banking, frequenting ATMs and calling 800 numbers to answer any questions I may have. And I’ve been very happy. But yesterday, I had to set up an account that I was unsure how to structure and because my boyfriend goes to the same bank, I figured I’d tag along and do everything I needed to while I was there. (Side note: my boyfriend is the exact opposite of me when it comes to banking. When we walked into the bank, he was greeted by a symphony of hellos from the employees who obviously knew him well. And when he pulled out checks he wanted to deposit, my mouth dropped out of shock as I asked, “you don’t deposit those at the ATM?” He laughed when I later commented, “Wow…you’re so old school!”)
We sat down at a desk across from one of the Account Managers (who my boyfriend was talking to about movies, just as they did every time he came in) and I immediately began asking the questions I needed answered in order to open the account appropriately. Though the gentleman answered kindly and knowledgeably, you could tell I had caught him a little off guard in my forwardness. My boyfriend sensed the discomfort and jumped into the conversation with more movie talk. I sat back and surrendered to the situation: I was in a “belly to belly” situation here…I needed to play the game of relationship building in order to get my needs met.
This situation got me thinking…as we’re deep into the age of the Internet, just how important are those “belly to belly” situations?
The Internet has changed the game for all of us business owners and here’s why:
You now have access to a Global market.
The playing field has leveled (you have the same resources at your fingertips as giant corporations).
The point of entry is a comparatively cheap (you don’t have to have a $1 million marketing budget to get the word out about your company).
This boils down to the fact that you and your business have great potential to hit it big. The trick to the Internet game, however, is learning to use this “global” tool to make your audience feel intimate and local. With the advent of Web 2.0 and Social Media (interactive and user-centered experiences), out of touch, non-interactive and static websites are quickly losing business to their connected, interactive counterparts. All this being said, it is still about being in touch with what your customers want so you can offer it to them when they need it.
One of the biggest complaints about the Internet is that it’s allowing us to become way too disconnected and out of touch with one another. Even though Web 2.0 answers that issue with its interactivity (c’mon…how cool is it that I can know exactly what my college roommate is up to on a daily basis when I get onto Facebook?), it’s vital that as a business owner, you never lose touch with the foundation of those “belly to belly” interactions that may feed your business.
There are two kinds of business people out there: those who love to network and those who loathe it. A few of us fall smack dab in the middle…we know it’s vital to business so we do it, and we enjoy it just enough to continue with it at our own pace. No matter where you are on the networking spectrum, it’s imperative for you to accept the fact that those in-person interactions are the best places to not only build relationships with clients, but also build relationships with business allies who can elevate your own game.
The bottom line is that in order to thrive in business today (let’s be honest, none of us want to “survive”…we want to thrive!), you must utilize the tools around you – from the “old school” ways of belly to belly relationships to the new ways of the interactive online world.
Even though I was frustrated sitting in the bank for an entire hour, I was thrilled when I downloaded the iPhone app that keeps me digitally connected to the accounts I had just set up. I recognized in that moment that this bank had done an amazing job marketing. They knew they had a world of customers just like me, who wanted to be “left alone” to do my banking business (just give me the tools and I’ll do it fast!). And they also knew they needed to service people like my boyfriend, who wanted to know everyone’s name and make every transaction in an actual banking facility. All they did was make sure to have their services and products available in ways that appealed to us both.
So, what do your clients want? How do they want to have access to it? How are you integrating your “belly to belly” interactions with those of your online presence?

An Annex Case Study: How Taking Action on ONE Tip Can Lead to the Big Time

Katie Krienitz — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 23:00:12 +0000

The very first time John Mickel (or “DJ” – Dynamic John as we like to call him) ever stepped foot into our mastermind, he looked a little concerned. “What’s wrong, DJ?” Chris asked. “I just learned that I need to make videos in order to market Dynamic Carpet Care, but I’m not sure exactly what to do or how to do it!” Chris pulled his camera out of his pocket and immediately instructed DJ to stand in front of the white board. “It’s easy! Just stand there and give a tip about carpet cleaning. I’ll tape you.” Ignoring his hesitations and discomfort, DJ stood proudly in front of the white board and gave his first of hundreds of video tips. Minutes later, the video was uploaded onto his Facebook page and…a star was born.

Eighteen months have passed since that day and since then, DJ and Dynamic Carpet Care have established themselves as a Facebook staple. If you’re his friend on Facebook, you constantly see his before and after pictures of carpet, tile and grout. You’ve also played his videos showing his cleaning in action or listened to a tip he’s given on how to get that red wine stain out.

Three weeks ago, DJ received a phone call from eHow.com, offering him the opportunity to be the video spokesperson for carpet spot removals. They had seen his activity on Facebook over time and were impressed. These videos will be featured on eHow.com and HomeDepot.com! These are national campaigns that he will be representing! DJ is a great example how implementing just ONE tip can snowball into something great!

Golf to the Rescue: Incorporating Your Passions into Your Business

Katie Krienitz — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 22:25:06 +0000

Being passionate about your company is a vital component of every successful business owner. It may not always be the product or service you’re passionate about. It could be the marketing of that product or service, the systemization of the company, the management of the team, the execution of the sales process or even the development of new ideas that get your juices flowing. Wherever that passion lies, it’s crucial to constantly stay in contact with it..otherwise, it dies. And then, your business becomes WORK.
I was definitely in WORK mode a few weeks ago. Exhausted and burnt out, I sat in a fog during a team meeting as our marketing plan was discussed. One of the ways I experience joy in our business is in the details of our processes…making sure that our company is as systemized as possible. Apparently, my passion for this had served its purpose because there was no longer a need for the majority of my time to be spent on our systems. I have an incredible team that I can hand these systems over to, so my time was now free to market and bring in new members. And because I was not in touch with a passion for marketing, our business was now WORK to me.
Until…a brainstorm.
Chris, Mark and I sat at the table while committee meetings, events and networking ideas were discussed, none of which made me very excited. To be honest, my stomach began churning as I anticipated walking into each of these scenarios. While I love to connect with others and form strategic alliances, networking, committee meetings and events are not my strengths. I slumped in my chair and felt defeated. I saw the looks on their faces – business owners who loved to get involved in the ways that made me cringe. Frustrated and feeling lost, I suddenly blurted, “what other ways, besides joining committees and networking groups, can I get out there and connect with other business people?” Thoughtful stares, but nothing. The conversation resumed and went in different directions. A few minutes later, Mark brought up the Centre Club golf membership and suddenly, I sat up straight.
“Golf! I can golf with people!!!!” A seemingly easy concept had hit me hard. “It makes perfect sense! I’m an athlete. I love sports. I can incorporate my athletics into my marketing!” All the tension and pressure that had been building up over the past few weeks were immediately gone. “And I can pick up tennis again too!” There it was…my passion. Once again living in the same space with me and my business.
I know this sounds ridiculously simple. But as your relationship with your business matures and changes, the smallest of tweaks can have the most powerful effects. I felt horrible for a long time that I didn’t want to be a part of 20 committees and join 15 different networking groups. But with a simple twist of how I can embrace marketing in a way that excites me, I’m not WORKING anymore…I’m playing business builder. And I’d say my 227 yard drive on my first time out on the golf course says I’m playing to win! (yes, it was straight on the fairway).

Super Focus and the Big Easy: What New Orleans Taught Me about Getting What I Want

Katie Krienitz — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 22:23:43 +0000

“I hate New Orleans,” I told the business group. “I’ve had horrible experiences every time I’ve visited. I’m reluctantly traveling there this weekend because Chris is speaking and I am determined to have a good time.” I looked around the room, pen and paper ready, “I would love any suggestions about where to go or what to see so I can have a pleasant experience this time!” I was bombarded with great ideas.
Two days later, we walked out of the hotel and stepped foot into the city where my purse had been stolen years before and creepy men had followed me down skinny streets as I had walked by. I had never felt safe here. But here I was, ready for a new experience, walking hand in hand with Chris on a chilly autumn day, hearing the joyous melodies of the riverboat songs and watching all the interesting people crowd the streets. We meandered through the French Market, the oldest city market in the nation and eventually came across an adorable cafe. Outside seating and a fantastic live band blanketing the customers with gorgeous Cajun melodies, we eagerly sat down and ordered a wonderful Cafe Au Lait.
I scanned the park benches so we could find a place to relax. After hours of exploring the city, our feet needed a rest. We laid our tired bodies on a bench and as the sun drenched us in its light, I felt happy. Wow, I thought to myself, just when I put all my focus into enjoying this city…I actually have a good time!
My New Orleans experience made me realize just how powerfully FOCUS steers our lives. And in our business lives, having the ability to focus is one of the most fundamental elements of success. Focus is defined as, “the concentration of attention or energy on something; cause to converge on or toward a central point.” And it is with focus that we make the biggest strides in our businesses and our lives.
At 29 years old, I was looking to buy my first house. After weeks of driving neighborhoods and searching listings, I couldn’t find anything. Finally, I created a list of criteria, focusing on exactly what I wanted and where I wanted it. A week later, I was signing the contract for the exact house I had described.
The ability to focus is a tough skill to master…especially if you suffer from “bright shiny object syndrome.” As a matter of fact, I believe one of the distinguishing factors between an entrepreneur and a business owner is the ability to FOCUS, to hone in on one market or one core competency or one product or one service and blow that one thing out of the water! The payoffs of such focus are enormous. Bill Gates admits that “my success, part of it certainly, is that I have focused in on a few things”. Donald Trump agrees that, “what matters is where you want to go. Focus in the right direction!”
Unfortunately, our focus can be distracted by many things, including new ideas for businesses, ideas on new products or services that might be provided, the daily drudge of office tasks, the worry of making budget, and elements or systems in the company that need to be fixed. It is very easy to lose focus when these things swarm around us.
Lying on the bench in the middle of New Orleans, the sun warming my smiling face, I knew that my focus had manifested happiness within this city. And with that thought, my smile beamed even brighter as I thought about the endless possibilities of mastering such a powerful practice.
What is your FOCUS? What is the core competency of your business and how are you focused on it? How do you want to grow and are you focused on how to make that happen?
“When I chased after money, I never had enough. When I got my life on purpose and focused on giving of myself and everything that arrived into my life, then I was prosperous.” – Wayne Dyer

No Men Allowed – Are Women-Only Groups A Benefit Or A Hindrance?

Katie Krienitz — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 22:14:11 +0000

I was sitting in Women’s Studies 101 when I first identified with that dirty little f-word, feminist. I was 21 and so moved by the silenced history of women and the imbalances that still existed that I joined various women’s organizations and focused my attention on uplifting women any way I could.

I’ve been a member of women’s networking groups, women’s sports teams, women’s business groups and women’s therapy groups. And while they have all been incredibly beneficial, I realize that 10 years later, some of those groups leave me wanting more. This is most evident in business.

I had the opportunity to sit at the table with our Presidential members during their mastermind recently. The energy was electric as our business owners were giving and receiving mind-blowing ideas on how to deal with challenges and revolutionize their businesses. In one of our most vibrant moments, I thought about a woman with whom I had recently talked to about joining our Presidential mastermind. “Is it a women’s group?” she asked. I responded no and that gender didn’t matter, that the ideas and sense of community generated were incredible. Although she was impressed by the mastermind, she made it clear that she was not interested in a group that was not women-centered. And in that vibrant moment of the Presidential mastermind, I thought about how much she had missed out on because of her female-only focus.

At this point, you might be tempted to list off statistics that show women’s disadvantages in the business world (women still make about $0.75 for every $1 a man makes, women are still a minority in high level management positions, yadda, yadda, yadda). BUT, as part of a community focused on abundance, I have shed the finger pointing and statistic giving for an undying belief that I can do ANYTHING I put my mind to. That YOU can do anything you put your mind to. No matter your gender (or age, race, socio-economic status, sexual orientation or spiritual beliefs for that matter)! And once your mind gets wrapped around that, the important thing becomes surrounding yourself with brilliant and phenomenal people who can help you get to where you want to be (and whom you can help as well). Gender becomes a non-issue.
By no means do I want to imply that groups bringing women together are bad. They are wonderful and can be magnificent community builders! Especially when they’re revolved around experiences that are specific to women – like pregnancy groups, mothering groups or menopause groups. And, of course, there’s an entirely unique element of sisterhood that is created in women’s groups that is fantastic. But in business, surrounding yourself by as many points of views, experiences and cultures as possible actually strengthens your business!
So for all you wonderful women out there who may feel anxious about being the only woman in a boardroom full of men, remember that each of those men have the capability to enhance your business…and you have the capability to greatly enhance theirs! The more diverse your business community, the more powerful you and your business are!

The UnSexy Way to Grow Your Business

Katie Krienitz — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 22:08:15 +0000

After speaking to one of our Annex members, Rosemary Nickel, I decided I would touch on the subject of growing your business in a manner that we rarely talk about: Slow & Steady. As we stand amidst the Internet revolution and do everything we can to utilize the incredible tools at our fingertips, it’s important that we never lose sight of one of the most powerful ways to get our business to expand: good ol’ fashion friendly referrals.
Rosemary just returned from Vision Day (http://VisionDay.com) and was so energized by her experience. During our discussion, she revealed that Vision Day business is done on 100% referrals. 100%!!!!! If you look at their website, it’s nothing fancy. But if you were to hear the words of love and appreciation and positivity streaming out of Rosemary’s mouth, you would swear they’re the best in class! And according to many of their clients, they are just that.
What would your business look like if it were built on 100% referrals? My guess? It would be full of ridiculously happy clients who have turned into your most loyal and vociferous marketers.
Social Media and Internet Marketing are tools that can help spread the word about your incredible business. However, you don’t need to have all these tools optimized perfectly in order to have a thriving business (as Vision Day proves). So, how do you shift your paradigm? Start by asking yourself these questions:
How much of your marketing dollars are spent on new business? How much of your marketing dollars are spent on your current clients? A person who has had a phenomenal experience with your company will easily sing your praises, if you ask them to (and sometimes even if you don’t!). Why not try filtering some of those marketing dollars into rewarding your clients for referrals? Or creating some sort of program that encourages your clients to bring someone new into your system? If you have a fantastic product or service and you WOW your clients, they will be happy to help you grow. This isn’t as sexy as SEO, Google searches, magazine ads, Facebook Ads or Affiliate traffic, but it is the foundation of any thriving and long lasting business.