(Time to read this Blog is about 4 minutes)

Before we get to the main topic, here are a few things to get you thinking or smiling:

1. My Biz Quote of the week:
   A great question that I love to ask my audiences and Biz Coaching clients:  “Does your business model serve your life model?”   Sadly, for many, it does not.  How about you?    
   …Donald Cooper.

2. Quick Biz Tip:
   There are 2 levels of business improvement:
    
   Level #1:  Copying the best in the world at what you do.  This is called ‘Benchmarking and Best Practices’.  Who is the best in the world at what you do?  Do you even know who they are?  Have you studied them and learned from them?

   a)  Who’s the best at selling, profitably, at a low price…and what can you learn from them about efficient business models, world-class operating efficiency and logistics, and effective market positioning?  

   b)  Who’s the best in the world at selling what you sell at a high price and what can you learn from them about building a powerful premium Brand, creating extraordinary customer experiences and making it not all about price? 

   Level #2:  Having the insight, the courage and the ability to do what has never been done before in your industry.  Don’t follow…lead!
    
   What extraordinary customer value and experiences, marketing and relationship building would ‘grab’ your target customers, clearly differentiate you from your competitors, make you ‘famous’ and grow your bottom line?  That is true market leadership.
    

3. Productivity problems in Canada and Europe. According to The Economist magazine, productivity in the US is now about 30% higher than in both Canada and western Europe.
    
   By the way, in my opinion The Economist is the world’s best magazine for giving you a global view of what’s happening internationally, in business, geo-politics, science and culture and all aspects of the human journey.  It comes in both printed and on-line formats.  I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to know what’s going on.

4. How many of your employees are planning to leave you the next year? In a recent survey of more than 1,000 American employee, 58% reported they plan to change jobs in the next year.  ‘Yes’, it’s an American survey, but the reality may not be that different in Canada, or wherever you’re located.

 
What would happen to your business if 58% of your Team departed over the next 12 months? How will you improve your culture, your communication (that includes ‘listening’)  and your career opportunities to prevent this from happening in your business or department?

Now, to this week’s important topic:

 7 lessons on how to be #1…from a small company in the #2 business:

Northern Disposal & Sanitation (ND&S), located in the tiny community of Katrine, 20 miles up the road from Huntsville, Ontario, is a wonderful ‘case study’ on how to get things right.   ND&S does 3 things …and does them well.  Here are their 3 revenue streams:  

1. They rent out portable washrooms to construction sites, festivals, community events and private functions like outdoor summer weddings and family reunions.     
2. They rent waste disposal bins (dumpsters) to contactors and home-owners needing bulk disposal.
3. They pump out septic tanks for cottagers and full-time residents in their area.  For you city dwellers, ‘septic tanks’ are the on-property, in-ground sewage treatment units used by folks in the country who are not connected to municipal sewers. Every few years they need to be pumped out.

So, let’s look at how they do each of these 3 revenue streams a bit better than their competitors ….and also let’s see what we can learn from that.

1. Portable Washrooms:  Notice that they don’t call them ‘portable toilets’ or ‘porta-potties’ like everyone else in their industry does.  These are ‘portable washrooms’.  They have sinks for hand washing, they’re spotlessly clean and they don’t smell.  They offer 4 styles…Basic, Supreme, The Royal Flush and Wheelchair Accessible.  The units that they rent to festivals, community events and private functions have never been used on a construction site, so they’re sparkling clean, inside and out.  The units used for weddings are white, with ‘Welcome’ door mats outside and solar powered lights for evening use.
    
   They also have special pink ‘portable washrooms’ that, when rented, raise money to support cancer care at their Region’s hospital.  Renting toilets and touching hearts by giving back to the community is sheer genius.
    
   ND&S coaches you on their website as to how many ‘portable toilets’ you’ll likely need for your function, then they deliver on time, maintain the units and pick them up when they say they will.   And, they have ‘fan’ letters on their website from delighted customers praising them for doing that.  They also partner with Event Planners and Caterers to proactively market their units and their unique commitment to service and cleanliness.   With whom are you partnering to promote and grow your business?
    
2. Waste Disposal Bins:    Each bin is delivered clean and on time….and it’s placed exactly where the customer wants it.  They coach customers on what’s recyclable to help save them money and to be more environmentally friendly.  Their slogan is ‘Green & Clean’.  How could you coach your customers to wisely choose and more effectively use or dispose of what you sell?  Being your customer’s ‘Caring Coach’ is powerful marketing…and it’s the right thing to do.

2. Septic Tank Pumping:  Because many people, especially city folks with a cottage, don’t understand how a septic system works, and what keeps it working effectively, ND&S devotes an entire page on their website, including a detailed drawing, to coach customers on how to ‘manage’ their septic system.  How are you ‘coaching’ your customers to wisely choose and effectively use what you sell?
    
   They also give each new customer, as a gift, a one-year supply of ‘Bio Active Septic System Treatment Packets’.  Everyone loves to get a gift.   
    
   Katy and Dave McGregor have built a successful regional business based in a tiny town that no one has ever heard of.  How did they get their story out into the marketplace?  First off, they’re active in and support 15 local business and Trade Associations in their area.  Because local contractors are a big customer group for them, Katy served on the Board of the Muskoka Builders’ Association.  She speaks at conferences, gets interviewed by the local newspapers and wins awards.   
    
   They’ve built a database of customers and prospects and write a regular E-Newsletter to keep in touch with them. Katy is the company’s ‘Chief Visibility Officer’.  She makes sure that every potential customer knows about and understands their value and their difference.  She is ‘firecracker’ and an unstoppable force.  That’s what it takes to succeed in any business today.  Who’s the ‘Chief Visibility Officer’ in your business?  Remember, there’s no point being the best if you’re also the best kept secret.

So, what are the 7 key lessons from this successful company in the #2 business?

1. World-class is an attitude, not a location.  You can be amazing anywhere if you chose…and if you do the work.        
2. Clearly differentiate yourself with extraordinary products and services. Mediocrity is no longer an option.
3. Give back, touch people’s hearts.  People buy with both their minds and their hearts.
4. Be the ‘caring coach’ for your target customers. Help them to wisely choose & effectively use what you sell.
5. Promise to be amazing…and then keep that promise.  You can’t build a business on broken promises.
6. There’s no point in being the best if you’re also the best kept secret.  Be visible…get ‘famous’.  Not ‘Hollywood’ famous…but famous to your target customers.  

• • • Create a customer database and proactively use it to add value, inform, remind and uplift. 
    • Create a media and key influencer database and regularly send them some helpful information that they can use to talk about you. They will help make you famous.  ‘First, you have to be a story…then you have to tell your story.’ 
    • Use Social Media to keep in touch with customers, prospects and fans.
    • Get involved in your industry and your community.  People do business with people they know and trust. 

7. Be an unstoppable force.  Love what you do.  Every business is tough, unless you love it….and no one will love it more than you do.  

So, there you have it.  How can you use these 7 simple Tips to delight and amaze your customers, become the ‘go to’ business in your market and to grow your bottom line?  

That’s it for this week…

Stay safe…live brilliantly!       

Donald Cooper 

Donald Cooper speaks and coaches internationally on management, marketing, and profitability.  He can be reached by email at donald@donaldcooper.com in Toronto, Canada.