INTRODUCTION - THE POWER OF PEER GROUPS Where Did All These Ideas Come From? What a Peer Group Can Offer You Other Types of Business Groups What's Different about Paid Peer Groups How to Use this Book CHAPTER 1 - THE BUSINESS OWNER'S ROLE/MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES Responsibilities "What Is My Role?" (Case Study: Bill) Measuring Risk: Don't Be a "Seymour"! Crafting a Corporate Culture Management Styles Riding the Horse vs. Driving the Team The Chameleon Effect Let Chaos Reign…Then Rein in Chaos Are You a Benevolent Dictator? (Case Study: Julie) Stop the Bus! Giving Non-Performers A Transfers What's Your Company's Driving Force? Leadership True Leadership Means Breaking the Status Quo Improving Internal Communication Not Another Meeting! Or, How To Make Meetings More Meaningful (Rules of Engagement) Delegation Delegation…Not Abdication Your Aging To-Do List Don't Do Well What You Shouldn't Do At All (Case Study: Henry) Goal Setting & Performance Evaluation Goal Setting: The Key to Performance Evaluation Miscellaneous Management Strategies and Ideas An Alternative to the "Non-Compete" Contract When Employees Are Hired Away by Your Customers How To Stop Runaway Legal and Accounting Expenses Baker's Dozen: Ideas for Outsmarting a Soft Economy Turn Brown Into Green: How To Reduce Your Shipping Costs Greener Pastures: Realize Savings While Relocating Seminar Amnesia: Hold Employees Accountable for What They Learn Conducting SWOT Analysis Faux Searches-A Competitive Tool Making Commitments, or How to Eat an Elephant CHAPTER 2 - SALES Your Unique Selling Proposition Do You Know Your USP? Crafting Your 30-Second Introduction The Sales Funnel Defining Your Sales Funnel What's the Best Way to Compensate Sales People? Expanding the Sales Force When You're the Rainmaker High-Powered Hiring: Finders, Minders, and Grinders Referrals How to Get and Use Referrals (Case Study: Lyle) Turn Up the Heat: How to Cook Up Hot Referrals CHAPTER 3 - SALES MANAGEMENT Sales Management Responsibilities The Gestation Period of a New Salesperson How Do Your Train A Salesperson? Recruitment Creating a Sales Profile (Case Study: Clarence) Where To Find Your Next Salesperson What Do You Do When You Can't Find the Right Salesperson? Sales Priorities Classifying Customers: You Can't Sell to Everyone When and How to Fire a Customer Miscellaneous Ideas Improving Expectation with Customer Advisory Meetings How to Find Manufacturer's Reps How to Get the Most from Manufacturer's Reps CHAPTER 4 - MARKETING Branding, Positioning, and Differentiation Achieving Differentiation: What Are You Willing To Give Up? Pricing and Positioning Strategies Defining Your Customer Mind Share, Market Share Branding a Service (Case Study: Aaron) The Marketing Plan Creating a Marketing Plan and Budget Tactics Trade Shows: Before, During, After Using Public Relations: Let the World Know! Making Your Ideas Contagious Creating a Full-Blown Communication Program Mining for Treasure: Data Base Mining The Gift that Keeps On Giving: Giving Your Products or Services to Charity CHAPTER 5 - PERFORMANCE AND ORGANIZATION Organization Concepts and Structure Creating Measurable Standards Creating a Three-Year Organization Chart Raising the Bar Starring and Supporting Roles Don't Hire Anyone You Can't Fire (Case Study: Sam) Employee Evaluation Creating Job Descriptions and Personality Profiles Evaluation Methods Evaluation vs. Valuation Terminations Truth or Consequences The 20% Rule Incentives/Compensation Bah Humbug! Doing Away with the Christmas Bonus Unusual Incentive Approaches Golden Handcuffs: The Anecdote to Greener Pastures The Golden Hello Wowing Your Employees The Elevator Test The Employee Benefits Report Card How to Minimize Turnover CHAPTER 6 - HUMAN ASSETS Recruiting The 24/7/365 Recruiting Program (Case Study: Joe) Recruit Like You Market Is Your Website Soft and Fuzzy? Interviewing What Candidates Lie About Innovative Interviewing Techniques 48 Open-Ended Interview Questions The Importance of Humor (Case Study: Terry) Staying Out of Trouble Nice Guys End Up in Lawsuits The Benefit of Exit Interviews How to Handle Severance Issues: The Severance Release (Sample document included) Documenting Progressive Discipline Cutbacks, Layoffs, and Outplacement Overcut-The Kindest Cut The Politically Correct Way To Get Rid of a Political Problem Ideas for Your Benefit Program Cutting Health Insurance Costs (Without Cutting Benefits) How About Barter Benefits? Enhancing Employee Attitude Watch Out for Organization Destroyers (Case Study: Desmond) Using Outside Evaluations Maximizing Employee Communications Get Behind the Grill! (Case Study: Joanne) CHAPTER 7 - INNOVATION AND IMPLEMENTATION The Necessity of Change Does Your Culture Encourage Innovation? (Quick quiz) The Pain of Change Evolution, Not Revolution Implementation Innovation vs. Process Change Champions (Case Study: Al) CHAPTER 8 - FINANCE: MONEY-FIND IT, GET IT, KEEP IT Cash Flow Performing Cash Flow Projections Managing by Cash Flow to Get Out of Trouble Getting the Most from a Financial Loss Avoiding Bankruptcy with an "Informal 11" Dealing with a Customer's Questionable Credit Fresh Collection Strategies (Case Study: Ken) Banking Relationships Know Your Lending Officer (and His Boss) How to Communicate Negative Information Project Your Needs: Don't Work Hand-to-Mouth Miscellaneous When Do You Cut a Customer Off? Loaning Money to Your Company? Protect Yourself! CHAPTER 9 -SUCCESSION AND TRANSITION Having a Life Plan Make an Appointment with Your Life What About the Kids? Do You Have A Successor? Taking the Vacation Test (Case Study: William) Exit Strategies Developing Your Exit Strategy CHAPTER 10 - 60- SECOND DIAGNOSTIC TESTS Overall Management and Organization Sales and Sales Management Marketing Operations Human Resources Compensation Finance