Build Business Profits

While working with a coaching client on site in Orlando, Florida I observed packed parking lots, traffic jams around Millenia Mall and filled restaurants. My comment was ” they have not heard there is a world wide recession!”

We discussed why the area seemed particularly crowded. The number one reason seemed to be that the new Harry Potter attraction had just opened at Universal Studios and it seemed be a huge draw.  So now I knew that my observation of the market could be distorted by a special event.

Later that day, I was invited to join a group at a very popular “upscale restaurant”. This place is very near Tiger Wood’s home.  My definition of an upscale restaurant is one where the dinner check for two including tip is in the $200 plus range.

After a marvelous dinner, I met the owner. I had a comment and a question. My comment was about the wonderful dining experienced I just finished. I assured him I really enjoyed it as did the  business people dining with me. My second remark was that his business is  actually an economic indicator…a barometer of how well people are doing.  Given that I asked how his business was doing on a comparable basis with last year.

Comparable analysis in business is where you compare the same period this year with the same period last year. In this example I was asking about business this year to date vs last year. He told me his business was down 30% and that the “upscale restaurant market” was down 40%.  He felt good as he was fairing better than the competition. I was not feeling that good about it considering the economic slide began accelerating in 2008.  This means the numbers in 2009 used as a comparison have already been on a decline so the decline in 2010 is particularly disturbing.

I mentioned to my client  and his key person in Orlando that I would send them a list of what I would recommend this restaurant business owner do to strengthen the business. I decided these 7 Steps could help many other business owners so I am using my blog for the action plan and I will email my friends to let them know about these ideas for their Orlando restaurant owner friend.

Top 7 Steps For Strengthen Sales and Profit In The Restaurant Industry….Actually Applies To Most Businesses:

1. Know your customer!  People coming thought the door and buying should be acknowledged with an email or card and possibly more. How do you do this?  You need to have their contact information and specifically an email address and now ideally their cell phone number.

Here is an idea on how you do that: Buy them a drink or a dessert in exchange for their information.  Here is the key: when you identify a particularly important person, the owner comes to the table, welcomes them and offers to buy their dinner in exchange for the cell phone number so they can be alerted for a very special event. Now before you say this ticket could be $200 or more I ask you how worth it is to have the cell phone number for key text messages with VIP’s and I mean people whose net worth is in 8 figures. This is huge

2. Have a plan. Your financial plan should be an annual target that can then be detailed to a weekly plan.

3. Know your numbers. Traffic and sales by time of day. Track your trends. Use this information to market to your list. Invite them to slower times using incentives.

4. Use all proven marketing tools to help grow your business. These include direct mail to targeted zip codes and ads with a “hook” in publications your target customer reads and other venues like radio, participation at key charitable events, local/regional festivals that are for your target audience, on line promotions and more.

5. Have your on line credibility in place meaning a website and social media presence

6. Use a referral marketing system. Reward people for inviting their friends and colleagues.

7. Monitor the variances from plan in all areas of your business. Nothing is excluded: payroll, food costs, utilities….the gold is in the detailed analysis of the variances.

Now You Know…Success Is In The Details.  Failure is almost always a result of not consistently following the steps that have been proven to lead to success.

Steve Pohlit

Business Consulting, Executive Coach
Turnaround/Crisis Management
Temporary CEO, CFO, Controller Services
International Business Resources

Social Media Services
New Digital Media, Inc.

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About: Steve Pohlit CPA,MBA has been the CFO and COO of  major domestic and international companies.  Steve has extensive business ownership experience having purchased and started off line and on line businesses.  Steve offers his  business building experience to companies and entrepreneurs with business coaching and business consulting.  His  focus is on building business  profits and net asset value at above average rates.   All articles published by Steve unless specifically restricted may be freely published with this resource information.

I love the IPhone. I owned the first IPhone within 2 weeks of launch and have upgraded to the 3G and then 3GS. As soon as Apple released a new model, I was there for upgrade. Not this time.

I would love to be testing the IPhone4 right now.  ATT has pushed me to the point where I don’t want to extend my contract for two years. Why….ATT’s service sucks.  It has not always sucked. In fact for well over 2 years I enjoyed my service.  Then something changed. I began reporting this situation 6 months ago.

Bottom line .. I want great service at my primary location, had it and now it is opposite that. When I discuss this with ATT the responses are amazing.  Tonight was the icing.  The lady said “the reality is that the service you are getting is what you can expect”  I asked her how much experience she had and she said “my experience level is irrelevant”. Amazing.

So I thought ..well maybe it’s me.  However, when I would make comments about my phone and dropped calls, I would hear …”that is so common with IPhone users.  So I tested that with people I know with IPhones and that is very true. All and I mean all IPhone owners I know complain of dropped calls.

I would love an IPhone4  However, ATT wins…they have worn me out and I am now waiting for Apple to expand to other carriers.  Rumors on line that will be this fall. Regardless of the timing it cannot be soon enough for me.

New IPhone4 owners I am sure you will love your new IPhone and I wish you the best with ATT service.

ATT –  you have had an amazing opportunity to dominate the market. You have benefited from Apple’s success and have not taken notes on how they lead.  Your negative goodwill accelerates. Verizon and others gotta love it. This is a great example of viral marketing for the competition.

Is it too late for ATT?  Not at all ATT could turn this around in a heart beat because customers love the IPhone and they do not like change.

Steve Pohlit

Business Consulting, Executive Coach
Turnaround/Crisis Management
Temporary CEO, CFO, Controller Services
International Business Resources

Social Media Services
New Digital Media, Inc.

Twitter

Facebook

Linked in

MySpace

727-587-7871

Email

About: Steve Pohlit CPA,MBA has been the CFO and COO of  major domestic and international companies.  Steve has extensive business ownership experience having purchased and started off line and on line businesses.  Steve offers his  business building experience to companies and entrepreneurs with business coaching and business consulting.  His  focus is on building business  profits and net asset value at above average rates.   All articles published by Steve unless specifically restricted may be freely published with this resource information.

The media and government is taking the predictable “finger pointing” route in connection with the BP oil spill.  Screaming someone is surely to blame attracts attention to the publications and politicians screaming the loudest. Fingers point to BP and Obama.

BP accepts responsibility and has allocated $20 billion for the cleanup.  Citizens and politicians say Obama isn’t acting fast enough. Obama apologizes to no one, blames the MMS (Minerals Management Service) and appoints  Michael Bromwich as its new head.

What if this ecological disaster is actually no one’s fault. There is that strong  possibility. Recognize  that in spite of everyone’s best efforts, sometimes things fail.   Consider this excerpt from an article by Carl Hoffman explaining what most likely happened:

“No oil company wants to have a blowout and these companies spend vast sums of money and expertise to ensure that they never happen. But happen they do. If this was a blowout, it’s the first deep-water one in the Gulf of Mexico that I can think of. And for that to happen requires the perfect storm of scenarios.”

I totally support an independent investigation to confirm what really happened. There are two possible outcomes of such an investigation. First, all practical steps were taken to prevent this event and it still happened. Second, preventive measures were known and not implemented.

In the first case, we learn and get better. In the second case, there would be a violation of fiduciary responsibility and appropriate measures taken.

Related to investigations,  I am wondering what information on preventive measures was provided at the Board of Director’s level at BP.  This is a public company and Boards have very clear responsibility for asking the tough questions and getting answers.  At the government level, appointing a new head of the MMS now is interesting. Obama failed  to act following   two scathing reports on the MMS  by the Inspector General in recent years  (See full article by the  The Washington Post ) What if the MMS was operating as intended?  Would the BP Oil Spill have been prevented?

I am a major advocate of a system of accountability in business and government. The media is accountable for accurate reporting. Citizens are accountable for holding  government responsible for upholding the values of our constitution.  All of us are owed accurate information as to what happened and what steps are being taken now to minimize the risk.  The problem with the finger pointing culture is that the truth can be obscured or even ignored. That would be the ultimate disaster.

Steve Pohlit

Business Consulting, Executive Coach
Turnaround/Crisis Management
Temporary CEO, CFO, Controller Services
International Business Resources

Social Media Services
New Digital Media, Inc.

Twitter

Facebook

Linked in

MySpace

727-587-7871

Email

About: Steve Pohlit CPA,MBA has been the CFO and COO of  major domestic and international companies.  Steve has extensive business ownership experience having purchased and started off line and on line businesses.  Steve offers his  business building experience to companies and entrepreneurs with business coaching and business consulting.  His  focus is on building business  profits and net asset value at above average rates.   All articles published by Steve unless specifically restricted may be freely published with this resource information.

In the early fall of 2009 I was looking at the progress of my career. In the 18 months prior to that point I had created two on line based businesses and knew they would be successful long term. But something was missing and I was trying to pinpoint what it was.

I remembered a presentation  by Ernie Cheu who is the author of   “Soul Currency”. Ernie told his story of how when things turned south for  him he dug deep and reflected on the key success factors when he was riding high.  He then began doing again what he was doing then and regained his foundation to move forward.

In my life the number one element that was apparent in every case where I had accomplished huge professional success was this …relationships.

Between early 2008 and fall of 2009 I had developed several business models on line and connected with many wonderful people. However the relationships were different in most cases. I say most because I am blessed with having developed  very close relationships with wonderful people who I met on line .

With that brief background you may appreciate my decision in early fall of 2009 to renew my connections with highly successful people.  Once I decided that I became very relaxed about the outcome and continued on with my daily/weekly priorities.

And then the phone rang.

From that moment forward I began connecting with an increasing number of very successful people. I didn’t connect all the dots at the time. However beginning in late December 2009 I heard the word “relationships” beginning to echo loudly in my ears and then repeated because the person who called and who I am now working with is all about teaching and being an example of the importance of relationships. Thank you JT Foxx

One of JT’s coaches is Nido Qubein, the president of High Point University.Nido is a remarkable man who came to this country with $50 in pocket and is very prosperous in all areas of his life. He created it and is as excited about what he does as anyone I have ever met.

Recently I was with a group of our top clients  at High Point University. Nido  delivered a 3.5 hour message to our group. One of us in attendance asked him what his number one point of advice was.  Nido talked about his mother and the advise she gave him. She said connect with the experts who are an example of what you want to be. Nido further clarified this in a brief private discussion with me. He said “once you define success for you, find those who you feel be exemplify that definition. Then clarify the attributes they have that you don’t or you need to be better at. Once you do this then it is matter of taking steps to advance your own attributes that you have identified as those being important for you to be where you want to be. Stated another way seek out the experts then become an expert by developing the skills of the experts.

Nobody had ever clarified it for me like that before. But in an instant I got is and I knew that in many respect I have followed that guidance. I also knew I did not follow that guidance to my potential.

Nido was taking about relationships. JT teaches how to develop key relationships all the time. Our coaching, mentoring, consulting program reinforces for our student how to develop key relationships and take action to implement that guidance. Both Nide and JT are  talking about the right relationships. That is the key ..the right relationships.

If you are to develop powerful relationships then you must learn how to network, you must learn how to communicate…you must be prepared.  There are specific steps we teach for developing relationships and there are those chance encounters that seem to be a coincidence. You never know when a visit to the coffee shop, restaurant, gym, church, grocery store could be the key relationship that makes a huge difference in your life.

I have written about the Top 1 mindset in previous articles. That attitude plus the associated skills and actions is well worth the effort. However, none of us ever accomplishes anything of consequence alone. The more powerful the relationships, the faster you will achieve your ever expanding goals.

Here is an example: JT started his coaching program about the beginning of 2009.  It grew to a multi-million dollar a year business in less that 12 months. He hosts  on his show well know success stories including  Robert Kiyosaki, Jack Canfield, George Ross  and many more (visit The JT Foxx Show for more examples) On June 12 and 13, 2010 JT is bring a former leader of a G8 country to Toronto for a major event. We will have a capacity crowd of more than 500 people. VIP tickets for dinner, a picture with this leader who we cannot name for security reasons, plus the event ticket  are still available for $495. (email me for more information)  The event itself is only $95.

Imagine the credibility of having your picture taken with a former leader of a G8 country. JT still talks about the value of having met and his picture with Senator John McCain.  In fact later this year and early 2011 there are additional events materializing that will also be “off the charts” with the keynote speakers lining up. This all happens because of relationships.

Key events are great opportunities to network. Our students are increasingly successful  in part because of the networking they are doing at these and other events. Just yesterday in a coaching call I advised one of our students to move forward from a goal of attracting $300,000 in investor money to $14,000,000. With that redefined goal we developed the action steps which will start to be implemented in less than a week. I am confident he will line up a pool of $14 million for investing in his deals.

No matter what your goals are, you will accelerate the achievement of those goals by forming key relationships. Key relationships are with those people who are masters of the characteristics you know are must haves for you.

Steve Pohlit

Managing Director
Top 1 Coaching, Consulting
JT Foxx Organization

Business Consulting, Executive Coach
Turnaround/Crisis Management
Temporary CEO, CFO, Controller Services
International Business Resources

Social Media Services
New Digital Media, Inc.

Twitter

Facebook

Linked in

MySpace

727-587-7871

Email

About: Steve Pohlit is a CPA,MBA and has been the CFO of several major domestic and international companies.  Steve is The Managing Director of  Top 1 Coaching/Consulting of  The JT Foxx Organization. He is  an expert business coach and consultant focused on building massive business  profits and net asset value. He is very experienced with Internet marketing and social media marketing.  All articles published by Steve unless specifically restricted may be freely published with this resource information.

This is precisely why as JT Foxx says ” there is plenty of room at the top…the bottom is where it is crowded”. The Top 1 mindset is the key to excellence. Watch!!

Steve Pohlit

Managing Director
Top 1 Coaching, Consulting
JT Foxx Organization

Business Consulting, Executive Coach
Turnaround/Crisis Management
Temporary CEO, CFO, Controller Services
International Business Resources

Social Media Services
New Digital Media, Inc.

Twitter

Facebook

Linked in

MySpace

727-587-7871

Email

About: Steve Pohlit is a CPA,MBA and has been the CFO of several major domestic and international companies.  Steve is The Managing Director of  Top 1 Coaching/Consulting of  The JT Foxx Organization. He is  an expert business coach and consultant focused on building massive business  profits and net asset value. He is very experienced with Internet marketing and social media marketing.  All articles published by Steve unless specifically restricted may be freely published with this resource information.