Round Pond Group, LLC

Back to Basics for your Business
The ABC’s still are the Golden Rule
By Fern Nissim

It probably dawns on you, once you get stuck behind the big yellow school bus, that fall is slowly arriving in front of your eyes. All of the dreams of summer plans and goals are fading into the leaves and reality starts to set in. If you have not ramped up any efforts to build your business over the summer, the new season is the time to get back to basics.
Here are five Golden Rules that should provide a checklist of basics to get you started.

Sharpen your pencils: It’s time to take a look at the budget. Depending on whether you are a service or product provider, or a nonprofit organization, this is the time of year to review those numbers and adjust spending or development to meet end-of-year goals. Sometimes a little creative coding needs to be determined to re-evaluate the bottom line numbers. Now is the time to do that and prepare for the holiday season ahead.

Prepare all your supplies: Like any new student, businesses need to evaluate their inventory. Do you have all the resource materials, support and information you need to round out the year? What shape is your client data base in? Do you have a client reward and customer referral program in place? Is this the time to refresh some of those print materials and update your website? It is important to take a close look at marketing efforts to support the season.

Check your test scores. There is no room for failure here; only A’s and B’s are acceptable. Research can be a helpful tool in bringing your scores up. Have you surveyed your past clients to evaluate their experience? Getting customer opinion is key to building on successes and determining failures. Consider online or telephone surveys to benchmark your efforts.

Do your homework: Have you looked at your competition lately? What are they doing this fall that might catch the eye of your customer and minimize your share of market? Be savvy about your industry and keep up to date with all the latest news, regulations, market shifts etc. Resources for that are everywhere with the internet. The world is changing in a heartbeat these days and you need to be prepared for that change.

Be tops in your class: You can be an all around student and stand out in your class or industry by allocating time to the most important basic of all. Be visible and build credibility this season by making a new effort to participate in various gatherings, speaking opportunities, networking events, trade shows, etc that will showcase your capabilities and give you the opportunity to build new business relationships.

The ABC’s of running a business or organization include basic elements that are true in all seasons across all industries, but many managers lose their focus when getting caught up in the business of doing business. This fall, take a step away from that for a day… even if you just came back from vacation… take the time to revisit what it is you’re trying to accomplish.

It doesn’t take a lot of creative planning to build the basics into your business. It does take some due diligence and an allocation of your time to make it happen. But the time investment will help you prepare for the new seasons ahead in a well organized manner... and any teacher would give you a gold star for that effort.

This article was written by Fern D. Nissim, certified marketing director, and founder of Round Pond Group LLC (roundpondgroupllc.com) a management consulting firm in Central Mass that offers a full circle of solutions to businesses and nonprofit organizations.

Don’t Just Walk the Walk- Be Sure to Talk the Talk
Five Easy Steps to Getting your Business Message Clear
By Fern Nissim

It is a challenge to keep all the messages straight in today’s complex world. But somehow, through the clutter, as a business manager or owner, you need to keep a clear focus on what the message really is for your business. You can’t be all things to all markets. You may think you are clearly stating your message- but others may not hear it. One must first figure out what it is you should be saying that best represents what you are delivering. It’s not only about having the best product and service… you need to be able to talk about it in easily understood terms. Here are some basic steps to Talking the Walk

First answer these questions. Do you have a clear idea of what your product or service offers? Think about the clients you service. Is there more than one answer? Is there a different benefit for different customers? Break those out separately. One size may not fit all.

Think about it. What does your organization or business stand for? When you or your associates speak to the prospect or client, is the “benefit” articulated? Are you still talking about all the features you offer instead of the benefits that will be received? There is a big difference in the way the recipient hears that. People don’t want to hear about what you can do for them as much as how it will impact their life. Reverse your thinking and see it from their perspective. Does what you are saying really reflect what you are doing for your customer?

Test it out. Once you can pin down the basic message(s) you can incorporate that into every aspect of your business. It may sound simple, but it is not. You will be surprised how the message that is getting out there may be interpreted in lots of ways. Think of all the people on your team that may be presenting a separate message and confusing it- because it is being filtered differently and not clear to them. This is how misperceptions begin and perpetuate. Question your team members individually and find you what their “talk” is for your product or service.

Build it in. Now that you have a better idea of what you want to convey to the market, and what your team is saying in reality, it is time to incorporate the message into every aspect of your business. Don’t assume your team or staff can read your mind. Start with training them to stay on message. Clearly express to them what the message is. It should imply what the customer gains by doing business with you. It should reflect the culture and integrity of the company or organization. Be sure everyone understands what the talk should be. Have them practice until it is undeniably a part of all they say when speaking about it.

Make it visual: They say a picture speaks a thousand words. Be sure your picture is sending out the message you want and that it conveys it. Is it reflected in the visual appearance of everything that represents your company? Is it part of all the media, website use and promotional efforts? Does it represent the uniqueness of your product and service and the quality of your company? If not- then you have more work to do.

By clearly defining your talk you will be sending a powerful message to your staff, colleagues your prospective customers but most importantly yourself. You will empower yourself and others to present a clear and memorable package of walking and talking your business to success.

This article was written by Fern D. Nissim, certified marketing director, and founder of Round Pond Group LLC (roundpondgroupllc.com) a management consulting firm in Central Mass that offers a full circle of solutions to businesses and nonprofit organizations


		Back to Basics for your Business The ABC’s still are the Golden Rule By Fern Nissim It probably dawns on you, once you get stuck behind the big yellow school bus, that fall is slowly arriving in front of your eyes. All of the dreams of summer plans and goals are fading into the leaves and reality starts to set in. If you have not ramped up any efforts to build your business over the summer, the new season is the time to get back to basics. Here are five Golden Rules that should provide a checklist of basics to get you started. Sharpen your pencils: It’s time to take a look at the budget. Depending on whether you are a service or product provider, or a nonprofit organization, this is the time of year to review those numbers and adjust spending or development to meet end-of-year goals. Sometimes a little creative coding needs to be determined to re-evaluate the bottom line numbers. Now is the time to do that and prepare for the holiday season ahead. Prepare all your supplies: Like any new student, businesses need to evaluate their inventory. Do you have all the resource materials, support and information you need to round out the year? What shape is your client data base in? Do you have a client reward and customer referral program in place? Is this the time to refresh some of those print materials and update your website? It is important to take a close look at marketing efforts to support the season. Check your test scores. There is no room for failure here; only A’s and B’s are acceptable. Research can be a helpful tool in bringing your scores up. Have you surveyed your past clients to evaluate their experience? Getting customer opinion is key to building on successes and determining failures. Consider online or telephone surveys to benchmark your efforts. Do your homework: Have you looked at your competition lately? What are they doing this fall that might catch the eye of your customer and minimize your share of market? Be savvy about your industry and keep up to date with all the latest news, regulations, market shifts etc. Resources for that are everywhere with the internet. The world is changing in a heartbeat these days and you need to be prepared for that change. Be tops in your class: You can be an all around student and stand out in your class or industry by allocating time to the most important basic of all. Be visible and build credibility this season by making a new effort to participate in various gatherings, speaking opportunities, networking events, trade shows, etc that will showcase your capabilities and give you the opportunity to build new business relationships. The ABC’s of running a business or organization include basic elements that are true in all seasons across all industries, but many managers lose their focus when getting caught up in the business of doing business. This fall, take a step away from that for a day… even if you just came back from vacation… take the time to revisit what it is you’re trying to accomplish. It doesn’t take a lot of creative planning to build the basics into your business. It does take some due diligence and an allocation of your time to make it happen. But the time investment will help you prepare for the new seasons ahead in a well organized manner... and any teacher would give you a gold star for that effort. This article was written by Fern D. Nissim, certified marketing director, and founder of Round Pond Group LLC (roundpondgroupllc.com) a management consulting firm in Central Mass that offers a full circle of solutions to businesses and nonprofit organizations. Don’t Just Walk the Walk- Be Sure to Talk the Talk Five Easy Steps to Getting your Business Message Clear By Fern Nissim It is a challenge to keep all the messages straight in today’s complex world. But somehow, through the clutter, as a business manager or owner, you need to keep a clear focus on what the message really is for your business. You can’t be all things to all markets. You may think you are clearly stating your message- but others may not hear it. One must first figure out what it is you should be saying that best represents what you are delivering. It’s not only about having the best product and service… you need to be able to talk about it in easily understood terms. Here are some basic steps to Talking the Walk First answer these questions. Do you have a clear idea of what your product or service offers? Think about the clients you service. Is there more than one answer? Is there a different benefit for different customers? Break those out separately. One size may not fit all. Think about it. What does your organization or business stand for? When you or your associates speak to the prospect or client, is the “benefit” articulated? Are you still talking about all the features you offer instead of the benefits that will be received? There is a big difference in the way the recipient hears that. People don’t want to hear about what you can do for them as much as how it will impact their life. Reverse your thinking and see it from their perspective. Does what you are saying really reflect what you are doing for your customer? Test it out. Once you can pin down the basic message(s) you can incorporate that into every aspect of your business. It may sound simple, but it is not. You will be surprised how the message that is getting out there may be interpreted in lots of ways. Think of all the people on your team that may be presenting a separate message and confusing it- because it is being filtered differently and not clear to them. This is how misperceptions begin and perpetuate. Question your team members individually and find you what their “talk” is for your product or service. Build it in. Now that you have a better idea of what you want to convey to the market, and what your team is saying in reality, it is time to incorporate the message into every aspect of your business. Don’t assume your team or staff can read your mind. Start with training them to stay on message. Clearly express to them what the message is. It should imply what the customer gains by doing business with you. It should reflect the culture and integrity of the company or organization. Be sure everyone understands what the talk should be. Have them practice until it is undeniably a part of all they say when speaking about it. Make it visual: They say a picture speaks a thousand words. Be sure your picture is sending out the message you want and that it conveys it. Is it reflected in the visual appearance of everything that represents your company? Is it part of all the media, website use and promotional efforts? Does it represent the uniqueness of your product and service and the quality of your company? If not- then you have more work to do. By clearly defining your talk you will be sending a powerful message to your staff, colleagues your prospective customers but most importantly yourself. You will empower yourself and others to present a clear and memorable package of walking and talking your business to success. This article was written by Fern D. Nissim, certified marketing director, and founder of Round Pond Group LLC (roundpondgroupllc.com) a management consulting firm in Central Mass that offers a full circle of solutions to businesses and nonprofit organizations
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