5 Things the Super Successful Do Not Do

The hyperactive, hyper-achievers seem to relish differentiating behavior. Why? Market leaders, by definition, don’t copy and can’t wait on the crowd. However, they often sensibly “reformulate” based on proven criteria. Those stories, new successes and “breakthroughs” carry them into the future. They tend to see a wave coming and prepare to ride it ahead, while others frantically splash about. Which way are YOU going next?

The 5 Behaviors and “New” Habits of Successful Contractors are revealed below. Do not read this if you are unwilling to read some harshness.

1.  Accept the Norm. 

A few examples: If “normal” contractors spend over half their budgets in the Yellow Pages and perennially complain about the sorry results, the leaders shun same. Our top clients spend about 20% in the Yellow Pages – less if we can make a business case for it.  Likewise, the “normal” ad is a stupid, puffed up, ego-driven and ridiculously ineffective ad designed for “Free!” (featuring sweating penguins, starbursts and “for all your heating and cooling needs”) by the staff whose design criteria is to “not stand out too much.”  (They succeed – the ads in the heating and cooling section all blend together in a sea of sameness. Guess what? That’s bad.) Leaders advertise with customer-focused direct response ads that DO stand out.

Likewise, if the “crowd” is not having success with Maintenance Agreements, the leaders find a way to pile them on.  If the “crowd” is not getting publicity, the leaders focus on it. If the “crowd” doesn’t want to invest in customer retention, the leaders quietly amass legions of devoted fans by using it.

2.  Resist Outside Advice from Qualified Experts. 

The “fear of change” aspect again. Leaders typically hire specialists in finance, estate/succession planning, insurance, legal, marketing, sales, personnel and technical training. They see these as “investments;” the crowd sees them as “unnecessary costs.”  In time, the gap between the investor and the fearful non-spender widens. The “crowd” calls them lucky. The leaders would call the crowd names, but they have bigger things to focus upon.

SIDE NOTE: Our Coaching Clients typically say things like “just having someone on my side, giving advice and urging me forward is worth several times the fee.”  That was NOT a plug to join OUR Coaching 

Program, but to find someone, someplace, where you get a regular “sense of mission.” Looking at the same walls, the same employees’ blank faces, generally will not do it.

3.  Refuse to Look at the "Hole in the Bucket." 

If the website visits are going down, there’s a reason. If the response to direct mail has sunk, there’s a reason. If your ‘old’ customers aren’t calling you back, there’s a reason.  If you regularly hear people ‘not’ requesting a certain tech of yours, there’s a reason.  All are costing you.  Turning the other way doesn’t make it go away or get better.

Self Admission Time: Though our ‘renewal’ rate for newsletter clients had gone up, I still wondered about those who did NOT renew. So we launched a 3 part mail/email/call campaign to all who – for any reason at any time – didn’t renew.  It’s amazing.  Many new phone calls, old clients feeling “appreciated” and new orders came in.  The hole in the bucket is now smaller.

There are negative habits, practices, trends in your company NOW that are reversible. Take a hard look at them. Be the leader who a) Admits b) Takes corrective action c) Measures and repeats accordingly.

4.  Get 'Hurt' by Criticism. 

Sorry, but we’ve become wimpy, politically-correct, crybaby-prone fence sitters concerned about everyone’s self-esteem.  This is, to me, the ‘fear’ behind change.  We fear resistance, reluctance, ‘making a wrong move’ (so we make NONE) or offending.  Respectful leaders forge ahead without bullying but also without regard to slings and arrows of sideliners. Most critics do little other than criticize. So, if you have something you’ve “been thinking about doing” for awhile, there’s a God-given reason it won’t leave you alone. Apologies to Nike^©, but just do it.

5.  Expect New Results from Old Habits. 

The “old” model has died. The economy rupture of last year just gave it a not-so-respectful funeral.  Those who change are going to manifest their destinies accordingly.  Yet following the same marketing pattern, sales presentations, going to the same discussion boards and same industry events with the same speakers, are NOT going to bring change.

Best thing you could do is buy a plane ticket to visit a business you want to become and find out what they did. Ask whose advice they sought, what ‘systems’ they have. You’ll find that they were never afraid to change. Emulate that.

Watch for these 5 nasty habits in your business, and pick one thing you can change now.