Understanding Price vs. Value

I was looking for some specific grass seed last week. My yard is larger than average, so I needed at least 12 bags of seed.

I found two stores in town that offered the particular seed I wanted. I purchased all the first store had in stock. I called the second store and visited with the manager. He had one bag, but he did not know the price. I can handle that; he can’t know the price of everything is his store. I said that I knew what his competition charged and assumed he would be in the same price range. He agreed. He took my name and phone number and was going to call a branch store to see if they had the stock to fill my order.

When I went to the store to get my seed, the sales clerk and I found the note with my name, phone number, and the amount of seed I needed. But the call to the other store had not been made. On the shelf, we found the bag of seed, which was to have been at the checkout counter. What is more, his price was half-again more than the price of the first store. This gentleman’s price was higher than the first store, and his service and value were less.

My point here is that if one’s price is higher than the competition, he must have added value. I would have no problem paying a little more, but half-again more with less service? I don’t think so. Store No. 1 will have more seed in stock tomorrow. And I do not think I’ll be back to Store No. 2.

We know BLI Rentals is not the least expensive rent-to-own provider. We like to say, “We don’t strive to be the cheapest rent-to-own – we strive to be the best.”

Is your price justified by your service and value? Do you offer more service and value than your competition?

10 Attitudes of Successful Workers

Why do some people rise to the top and others plateau? Some may think it is brains, talent and/or connections. There is something that is just as important: Attitude.

Research has shown that attitude was a better predictor of success than IQ, education, etc. They found that positive people stay healthier, have better relationships, go farther in their career and make more money.

Attitude is a personal choice. I can choose to be upbeat, or I can choose to be grumpy. It is so much more fun to be upbeat. Try adopting these 10 attitudes of successful workers:

1. I am in charge of my destiny. Waiting for something to happen will take a long time. Make something happen.

2. Anything is possible. If you think you can’t, you probably won’t. Remember the little engine that could — “I think I can …”?

3. No task is too small to do well. You never know when you will be noticed.

4. Everyone is a potential key contact. One needs to determine the balance between being aggressive and nice. Be courteous to those around you, you never know when past contacts will play a role in your future.

5. I was made to do this job and the one above me. Successful workers act like they are in their dream job, no matter where they are.

6. It’s not just what I know, but who I know. Establish professional contacts, go to lunch with a colleague.

7. What else can I do? Look for ways to improve yourself, take on the extra project, help your coworkers. There is no traffic jam on the extra mile.

8. Failure will help pave the way to my success. Everyone experiences setbacks, the key is to learn from them and move on.

9. I am my own biggest fan. It does not hurt to blow your own horn. However, try not to sound boastful.

10. My opportunity monitor is never turned off. Always be on the lookout for new opportunities. You never know …

–Adapted from an article by Kate Lorenz, CareerBuilder.com Editor

My desire is that we choose to have a positive attitude. Being positive will make life much more enjoyable. Why not be happy? Go for it!

HOW TO: Tackle Twitter for Your Business

Illustration by Jacque Haag

Here’s part two in an ongoing series on social media. (In case you missed the Facebook post, it’s here.) Again, I’m starting with the basics, as if Twitter is from outer space, so if you need to, just skip down a little.

WHAT IS TWITTER?
Twitter is considered a microblog. You know what a blog is — because you’re reading one — so imagine blog entries that are only 140 characters long. Because they’re shorter, it’s acceptable to post on Twitter several times a day. Instead of becoming “friends” with someone or “fans” of something like Facebook, on Twitter you “follow” people and have “followers.”

When you follow people/businesses on Twitter, their posts show in a stream or feed on your homepage. When they follow you, your posts show on their homepage. Unlike being Facebook friends, you don’t have to follow someone who is following you, and vice versa. A Pew Research Study shows that 51 percent of Americans get news from “people they follow.”

WHAT IS A “TWEET”?
Twitter has its own vocabulary. Here’s a quick rundown:

• Tweet: a verb, to post a Twitter “message”; a noun, the 140-character messages you post using Twitter
• Retweet (RT): to repost someone else’s tweet (because you like it or you want your followers to know the same information)
• DM: a direct message, a private message sent between two Twitter users who follow each other
• Hashtag: the pound sign (#) is used in Twitter messages to help people monitor conversation about a certain topic; these are one word, or short phrases with no spaces (Example: during the 2010 World Cup, people tweeting about the World Cup included #worldcup in their posts.)
• URL shortener: a program that shortens web addresses; examples are TinyURL and Bit.ly (Example: I could say, “Go to http://blirentals.wordpress.com/2010/09/16/getting-your-business-on-facebook.” Or I could shorten it, “Go to http://bit.ly/b9sOFk.”)
• @: the “at sign” is used to post messages that mention or are directed at a specific Twitter user (For example, on Renee’s birthday, I could post, “Happy birthday, @ReneeSampsel!” This is still a public message, but it will be brought to Renee’s attention.)

WHAT DO I PUT ON TWITTER?
You can use Twitter to post most of the same updates you would use Facebook for, so please refer to the “What do I put on Facebook?” section of the Facebook blog entry. The difference is that you need to find a very clear, concise way to share your message. (Just 140 characters, remember?) It’s still possible to share photos on Twitter, using sites like Twitpic or applications like Hootsuite or Tweetdeck. You can share links to blog entries, articles, websites, etc.

ANY MORE TIPS?

• When you join Twitter, find real people to follow. No one knows you’re on Twitter unless you announce it and find relevant people to follow (and potentially follow you back). These might be customers, business suppliers, other local businesses, etc.
• Find potential customers by following Twitter accounts for local organizations (maybe the local newspaper or TV station, the chamber of commerce, local sports teams, etc.). If they’re interested in community happenings, they likely live in your community! Following them lets them know you’re on Twitter.
• Spend time replying to, retweeting and mentioning Twitter users you hope to interact with. DON’T just yammer on and on about your barns, your sales, your promotions, etc.
• Share helpful and useful information. This includes news, tips, resources — it doesn’t always have to pertain to your business. You can post a message encouraging the high school football team this weekend — and that shows that you’re engaged in your community.
• Don’t spend all day on Twitter. But drop in for three to five minutes a few times a day — think morning, noon and night.

Does this help you get started (or refocus your strategies) on Twitter? What other questions do you have? As always, feel free to call or e-mail me.

HOW TO: Manage Tasks Efficiently

By Tim Pychyl and Paul Mason

Just as I mentioned in my blog entry on Friday, there is always something demanding our time and attention. E-mail, mail, voicemail, coworkers, customers, etc. — seems like we get pulled in too many directions to get everything done.

Last month, we asked you how you handle your to-do list. Today, I want to offer tips for handling it well.

The tool you use (notepad, planner, computer software, sticky notes, etc.)  is not that important. There are many tools available. What is important is that you find a way to focus on your tasks.

Tips for Your To-Do List:

1. Make sure your to-do list consists of “next actions.” Your action on your to-do list must be small enough to get done in a few hours or less. If it is a larger project, it is best to break it down into smaller, more-doable chunks.
2. Prepare your to-do list the night before. I like to do this toward the end of the day. I don’t always get this done, and when I don’t, the next day is not as productive. It also gives me a chance to hit the ground running, knowing exactly what needs to be accomplished that day.
3. Review your to-do list first thing in the morning. Before I do anything else, I like to review my calendar and my to-do list. The calendar items are the things that I must get done that day. My to-do list is the items I will work on when I’m not in a meeting. By reviewing these items first I know what my day looks like, and I’m able to make last-minute adjustments.
4. Stay focused on your to-do page throughout the day. I always have my to-do list in front of me. I use Remember-The-Milk, a web-based program that syncs with Astrid, an app on my Droid phone. I used to use Outlook. One nice thing about Outlook 2007 is you can arrange you screen to show your e-mail, calendar, and tasks, which makes it a real “command center.” The tool is not as important as your need to use what you are comfortable with. Then check it off when you’re done. It is a great feeling to cross off a task.
5. Add to your to-do list as items occur. You want to be able to get to-dos out of your head and into a reliable system as soon as possible. If I don’t write something down, there is a good chance I will forget it. So I want to get it out of my mind as soon as I can.
6. Repeat the process. I rarely get everything on my to-do list done. So uncompleted items roll over to the next day. Sometimes, that makes them more important for tomorrow’s list. At the end of the day, I start the cycle over and prepare for tomorrow.

Microsoft Outlook: Task (To-do) Items vs. Calendar
I want to distinguish between a Task or To-do item and a Calendar item. I use my calendar for appointments, meetings and time-sensitive things. For example, if I need to call a dealer, I put that on my task list, but if I have a 9:30 conference call with a dealer, I put that on my calendar. See the difference?

Another difference is what if I didn’t call that dealer today? If it was a calendar item and tomorrow comes around, I’m not prompted to call him. However, if it is a task, I have the mark it complete, and items not completed remain in my task list, staring at me in RED.

Scheduling Time to Complete Tasks
I am learning it is important for me to schedule time on my calendar to work on my projects or to-do list. I consider it an appointment with myself to work in my office on certain projects. If I’m not intentional about my time and if I don’t have a plan for my schedule, then I can be sure someone else will. This gives me the ability to say, “I can’t do this now because I already have an appointment.”

This does take some planning and foresight. I try a daily or weekly review of what I have to accomplish, and then schedule my work time around that. This is a new practice for me, so I’m still learning, but I can already see the benefits.

Which of these methods can help you to manage your tasks best? Which ones can you see yourself implementing today? Do you have other tips to share?

HOW TO: Manage E-mail Efficiently

We all have an “inbox” that consumes and demands our time and attention. Whether it’s e-mail, regular mail, voicemail, conversations, etc., they all want our attention NOW. I live in e-mail like most of us do and generally receive about 50-60 e-mails a day.

To efficiently manage this I have developed my own little system based on ideas from David Allen’s GTD, Lifehacker’s Trusted Trio, and Michael Hyatt.

When I read my e-mail I try to deal with each message only once. There are 5 basic actions I can take:

1. DO it.
If the task in the message will take less than two minutes, then I do it right away. It takes about that much time to add it to my to-do list, so I just do it, and it keeps my to-do list shorter.

If I can’t do the task in two minute or less, I add it drag it to my “Action” folder. This represents my to-do items, and I review it frequently when I am in a position to work on things.

2. DELEGATE it.
I may not be the best person to do the task so I delegate it to someone else. But you must have a system to follow up with that person; don’t ever assume once you send an e-mail to someone it is done.

Whenever I delegate or assign a task to someone I “BCC” myself. Then, I have created a rule in Outlook that automatically moves the message to my “Follow Up” folder and marks the message as read. I periodically review this folder to see if I need to follow up on something. When I get a response that the task is complete, I simply delete the message from the “Follow Up” folder.

3. DEFER it.
Some tasks can’t be done right now but must be scheduled out at a certain time. For these I also move to my “Action” folder, and I might also add it to my to-do list with a specific date if necessary.

4. FILE it.
If I think I might want the message later for any reason, I file it. If there is any question, I keep it. I simply move it to my “Archive” folder. The key is to have a simple filing system. One single folder is best. I didn’t start out this way, and I am slowly working myself into one folder. With the search function in Outlook, you can very quickly and easily search for any message.

If I think I might need to retrieve it in the next week or so, I will move the message to my “Hold” folder. I use it as a temporary holding bin. There is no action required, but I might need it. Later I will probably file it in my “Archive” folder.

5. DELETE it.
If I am sure I won’t need it again, then I delete. If I’m unsure, then I file it.

Other tips:

• Empty Your Inbox: I can’t stand to walk by people’s desks and see their inboxes full of messages. Some have never deleted any message. They might have hundreds of them. How can they function?! David Allen says those messages “consume psychic energy.” It sounds weird, but for me it is true. When my inbox has 10-20 messages that I haven’t dealt with yet, I feel a little consumed. If it sounds good, set up your inbox with the folders as I have suggested and create the “follow up” rule, and you will be on your way to a clean inbox.
• Keep It Empty: The key is to keep it empty every day. That is my goal to go home with zero messages in my inbox. Now that doesn’t always happen, but when it does, it feels good.
• The Catch: Now, just because I have all of my messages filed in Action, Follow Up, or Hold doesn’t mean I’m free and clear. I must periodically revisit those folders and complete the tasks. In Outlook I change the settings of each folder to show the total number of messages, not just the number of unread messages. That way I can see at a glance how many items are in any given folder.

A recap of my folder explanation:

1. Action – things that I have to do, and will want to reply to when finished.
2. Follow Up – things that I have delegated and need to follow up in some way.
3. Hold – messages that I might want to look at in the near future. No action required.
4. Archive – messages that I want to keep and no further action is required.

So what do you think? Can my e-mail management methods help you in any way? Or share: What do you do to manage your inbox?

HOW TO: Tackle Facebook for Your Business

Image courtesy of http://www.watblog.com

I promised some tips for getting started with social media for your business, so we’ll start with Facebook. I’ll begin with the basics, so if you’re already a Facebook pro, feel free to skip ahead a little.

WHAT IS FACEBOOK?
Facebook is a social networking site with more than 500 million users. This is about 1 in 14 people in the world! And Facebook has surpassed Google in that it receives more page views each day. Facebook is the best social media option for business-to-customer relations.

Facebook users have profiles where they put information about themselves, and they connect with people they know as “Facebook friends.” To become Facebook friends, two people have to mutually agree they want to share information. Profiles are more private.

It’s a little different for businesses. Businesses, organizations, celebrities, etc., start Facebook Pages. These are similar to profiles, but instead of becoming “friends” with Facebook users, they have the chance to “Like” your business. When they “Like” your business’ Page, they become Facebook fans. Pages are more public.

WHAT’S YOUR POINT?
I’ve mentioned all this so I can say this: It’s important that you start a Facebook Page for your business instead of a regular profile. You don’t want to force customers to ask permission to “Like” your Page, and you want people who aren’t already Facebook Fans to be able to view the information on your Page.

Here is something Sarah Evans said at Social Media Marketing Boot Camp with Sarah Evans: Facebook is all about the “Like.” You want customers to Like your Page. You want them interact with what you post on Facebook by clicking the Like button and commenting. (The image on this blog is of a “Like” button.)

WHAT DO I PUT ON FACEBOOK?
But what to post? There are so many options!

• To start a Facebook Page, you must already have a personal Facebook profile. So create a profile at Facebook.com, and then click here to start your business’ Page.
• Post photos and videos — of your barns and sheds, of happy customers with their barns, of repos, of events you hold, of your employees and facilities, etc.
• Post status updates — greet your customers, thank your customers, tell them what’s new with your company, post satisfied customers’ comments, ask questions to get them involved, etc.
• Post “Notes” (like blog entries) — about current promotions, about the materials you use when building your barns. Detail why your barns are quality-built, add customers’ testimonials, write employee bios and company history, offer relevant storage tips, share barn-building news, etc.
• Post “Events” — when you’re having a sale or month-long promotion, when you’re opening a new lot, etc.
• Post links — to your website, to relevant articles (with your brief commentary), to videos you want to share, to your blog entries, etc.

ANY MORE TIPS?

• Don’t just get your business on Facebook just to get them there. Have a vision for what you want to accomplish with Facebook. Set goals and check them often to see if you’re meeting them or if you need to adjust them.
• Be creative. Think outside the box. Watch what other builders are using Facebook for and strive to do better! Check out how other companies use Facebook Pages, and tweak their methods to work for selling barns.
• Encourage participation by responding to all comments, even if it’s just, “Thanks for your comment!”
• Ask customers and Facebook Fans what they want — and listen.
• Consider a Facebook contest or special promotion of some kind — but not before consulting Facebook’s guidelines on the subject.
• Advertising on Facebook is inexpensive, and it’s a great way to gain Fans and promote sales. Here’s my how-to blog on Facebook advertising.

Does this guide help you get started (or continue) on Facebook? What other questions — big or small — do you have? If you don’t want to post them here, feel free to call or e-mail me.

We’re Here to Help

Image courtesy of Charles Schulz

Yesterday, I attended Social Marketing Boot Camp with Sarah Evans in Lawrence, Kan. — an event sponsored by Social: IRL. (You might have followed some of my #socialIRL tweets.)

I picked up some new perspectives on marketing with social media. I also heard some great tips for getting started with social media that I would love to give you, and I will be doing that in the next week or so.

Facebook and Twitter can be great ways for you to connect with past, current and future customers,

Dealers: Though I’m no Sarah Evans, I do have some insight and experience that I’d love to share with you if you have interest. Maybe you’ve started a Facebook page or a Twitter, but you’re not sure how to use it. Maybe you’ve been using social media for a while and you’re looking for some fresh ideas. Or maybe you’re thinking, “What’s a ‘Face page,’ you Twit?”

No matter where you fall among those scenarios, don’t be afraid to ask questions! You can leave questions in the comments, and of course you can e-mail or call me.

Equipped to Do More

“It’s just amazing to see how God can use a man without arms and legs to be His hands and feet.” –Nick Vujicic

I recently saw a couple YouTube videos about Nick Vujicic, a motivational speaker and evangelist who was born without arms or legs. His story, if you haven’t heard it, is truly touching.

At a low point in his life, he realized he was going to praise God and be thankful for what he had instead of being bitter about what he didn’t have. He’s taken this perspective all over the world, impacting people. He believes that God can use any circumstance for His glory. “He’s more interested in changing your heart than your circumstance,” Nick says.

It really made me examine myself. No matter my circumstances, God has given them to me — not as punishment — but so I can use them to glorify Him. It’s easy to despair about what you’re going through, to cry out for God to change your situation. But whatever circumstances He has given you, God has a plan. His will is always for you to glorify Him in all you do, and Nick Vujicic found a way to do that because of his disability — not in spite of it.

Consider your hardships, your circumstances. How are they equipping you to do even more?

Forum 2010 Webcast – FREE!

Click to view webcast schedule

UPDATE: The webcast will broadcast at 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. EST, and it will be re-broadcast twice — 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. EST, and 2 a.m. until 9 a.m. EST.

On Thursday and Friday, BLI employees will be viewing The Forum 2010 Webcast, a webcast of popular business and spiritual leaders. This is the 4th Annual National Leadership Forum, and it is hosted by Tommy Barnett and moderated by Ken Blanchard.

“The National Leadership Forum was originally developed as an avenue for Southeastern University to interweave students’ educational experience with exposure to the teachings of world-class leaders,” according to The Forum website. “However, the Forum quickly became a predominant leadership conference in the business and church communities as well. The Forum’s innovative and creative approach to teaching servant leadership through a cross-section of renowned experts from ministry, business, and academia has resulted in sold-out audiences in each of its four years in existence.”

2010 Speakers:

• Tommy Barnett – senior pastor of Phoenix First Assembly of God
• Ken Blanchard – prominent author/speaker/business consultant (Ken wrote the book, “The One Minute Manager,” which we just had a book study on)
• Marcus Buckingham – a former Gallup Organization researcher of leaders, managers and workplaces
• Andy Stanley – pastor of North Point Community Ministries in Atlanta
• Brian Houston – pastor of Hillsong Church in Sydney, Australia
• Craig Groeschel – senior pastor of LifeChurch.tv in Edmond, Okla.
• Patrick Lencioni – author of “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team,” president of The Table Group
• Jim Blanchard – former chairman and CEO of Synovus Financial Corporation
• Mark Floyd – chairman of the board of Tekelec
• Joyce Meyer – best-selling author
• Erwin McManus – lead pastor and cultural architect of Mosaic in Los Angeles
• Bill Hybels – senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Ill.

We are very excited to hear these speakers and share our thoughts as a team, and we would love to share the experience with you. Signing up for the webcast is free, and you can tune in whenever is convenient for you on these two days. (We do believe the times on the schedule are EST.)

Sign up here!

Let us know: Will you be joining us?

Labor Day by the Numbers

In honor of the deliciously long weekend coming up, I decided to put together a collection of facts and trivia about Labor Day. Enjoy!

1882: The year Labor Day was first celebrated in the United States (it was Sept. 5 in New York City)

2: Men who have been credited as founders of Labor Day (a dispute between Peter J. McGuire, cofounder of the American Federation of Labor –and Matthew Maguire, a machinist)

6: Days it took Congress to unanimously pass legislation making Labor Day a national holiday after the end of the Pullman Strike

1st: The Monday each September when we celebrate Labor Day

50: States where Labor Day is a state holiday

54: Years the Southern 500 NASCAR race was held on Labor Day (between 1950 and 2004)

155.1 million: People who comprise the nation’s labor force

25.3: Minutes Americans spend commuting to work each day on average

7.7 million: Workers who have more than one job

100: Hours spent commuting each year, which exceeds the typical two weeks of vacation time taken by many workers

10.4 million: Americans who are self-employed

83: Percentage of full-time workers covered by health insurance

4: The median number of years workers have been with their current employer

BLI wishes you a safe and happy Labor Day Weekend!

Sources: U.S. Department of Labor, Wikipedia, Chiff.com, Long Island Press, MyNC.com