If you ever volunteer for anything, I believe that your name is instantly uploaded into a vast global database where you will be “selected” for all manner of committees, appointments and an official clearinghouse for “stuff nobody else wanted to do.”
At church, I volunteered for something harmless, like crayon sharpening for the nursery. Then the database was unleashed and I was appointed to 11 committees and took on a job for which I couldn’t have performed any worse: an usher.
All you do is show people to their seat, right? Turns out I had to actually fire myself from this job. Things did not go all that well…
For my ushering duties, it seemed I always walked too fast, went to the wrong side, was up too close or was somehow responsible for not saving enough spaces for a family reunion at two minutes ‘til the hour. Plus, the older ladies, many marinated in heady perfume, had “their” seats, and any soul unwittingly unaware had to be moved or face death-by-glaring. Bad way to go.
So I quit.
I told the head usher that it was just too much, and though others did it with aplomb, I tended to spend the first 40 minutes feeling several pairs of eyes burning holes in my neck. (I feel sure if I’d not quit, he’d have told me they were “downsizing” anyway.)
What a relief.
My next assignments from the Global Volunteer networks were: a) More carefully considered, b) IF accepted, it was after much scrutiny, c) Several times more rewarding. You gotta do what you’re good at, and quit doing what you’re not. To extract the most out of any project, idea or mission, you must focus your talents. There is great power in “no” if you are unsuited. It is also quite liberating.
Same with your business. You might be “ok” at accounting, and fair at administration, but fantastic at securing high dollar clients. Guess which job would pay you more to do, and which should be hired or assigned?
Too many contractors adopt the “Why Hire If I Don’t Have To?” mindset. Those same contractors wonder why they “can’t ever reach the next level” or why customer service doesn’t improve, nor lead generation, nor retention rates, nor data errors… well, you get the point.
Also, attempting to do or be involved in “all things” often means this intense lack of specialization puts you in the same “average” compartment as everyone else skimming the surface. Case in Point:
SPECIALISTS, NOT GENERALISTS
1. Two of the Latest Google Mysteries
Most everyone “assumes” that the top of Google rank is the place to be, right? As a surface-skimming marketer, you’d pursue this doggedly. Yet we found that:
Some contractors with a ‘Top of Google’ Result actually suffered. Why?
You can thank the “double jump.” Say you have a great Pay Per Click campaign, you “own” the top spot, and you’re all happy. A prospect sees your rank, clicks to a sometimes (actually often) amateur or drab site, then jumps back to
Google to find a site that met his expectations.
You paid for the click and for sending him to the competition. (The solution to this is “High content SEO for your main site. Click for a no-cost Web Content Critique.)
Another phenomenon is since Google bought Zagat (the international “review” site), the “activity” of your listing helps govern ranking. So, if you’ve got a recent and horrible review, guess what?
You’re ranked high on Google in the most negative light imaginable.
These seemingly opposite effects are what happen when you “try” to do everything, not realizing the story-behind-the-story. There are countless marketing examples (such as me nearly fighting with the Yellow Pages for years because our “ugly” ads absolutely trounced their pathetic institutional versions.)
2. Where’s the Profit?
The “specialization” examples within your business – and mine – are nearly endless. For 11 years, I did the pay and bonus plans, which in time became cumbersome, unmotivating, hard to calculate. I “thought” I’d done a good job.
Yet, we recently had Sandy Steinman, author of, The Small Business Turnaround Guide, on a Coaching Call. (Most post-call click-throughs of ANY call.) He spoke about dynamic incentives that promote service, growth and profit.
After the call, I immediately hired Sandy – a “Profitability Expert” – to help us become more efficient, make staff more self-reliant, make our meetings shorter and install a significant incentive that has staff energized like no time in recent history. This is all designed to free me up for more time to drive thoroughly irresponsible cars with my newly empty-nested wife. His focus and his expertise have been life-altering. I “thought” I knew what I was doing.
Excel Where You’re Strong – Hire Where You’re Weak
I leave you with the power to say “no” to things you’re not good at. Others are out there, with expertise priced far below what you’ll save in dollars, time, stress… and holes glared into your neck.
Adams Hudson will be conducting a HVAC Marketing Breakthrough: 6 Steps to 7 Figures Video Training Series next
month (July 18, 2013). You’ll hear AND SEE the richest Case Studies, techniques, and red-hot marketing strategies ever compiles for ONline and OFFline. PLUS, 3 no-cost video downloads and samples throughout. You MUST PRE-REGISTER to get on the advance notification list. Limited to the first 255 contractors who get in.
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