Andy Wibbels has a great thread going on his blog:

Trimming the Freaks

I posted a comment, and I want to leave it here as well:

A little over two years ago, I made the decision to “topgrade” my clients, referral partners and team members. This term was coined by Bradford Smart, and the term refers to the true A players of the world, and they come with about 45 great qualities (and they score a 10/10 on these qualities) such as intelligence, strategic skills, leading edge, excellence, independence, risk taking, likability, listening, leadership, experience, energy, inspiration and the ability to think critically (and many others).

As I looked at “my list”, it was filled with people who had landed on my website simply to get “free stuff”, and these same folks were contacting me constantly by e-mail wanting more “free stuff”. So I moved my opt in box off the home page of Five Star Leader, redesigned my website for a much more elegant/high end look, and I began being quite selective about who I asked to join my network. People don’t know it, but when I meet with them, I am actually running them through my “topgrading” assessment system. I have done this so often that I now have the assessment memorized, and I know how to ask certain questions to see where they land. If they are falling short of the “topgrade”, then we can be acquaintances, but we are never going to be great partners.

A lot of people call me arrogant for this. A lot of people call me “high and mighty” for taking this approach. For me…it just makes great sense…it calls me to play the biggest game I can play in life, because if I am going to hold my clients, partners and team members to this rigorous scoring system, I better damn well be able to live it as well.

The thing that I find most fascinating is that the topgraders in my life are NOT on my newsletter mailing list. They have never once signed up for something free…they actually pay thousands of dollars to work with me or send people who can pay high fees to me, and they don’t seem to even know that I have a website, and they don’t have time to bug me with crazy questions. They don’t get mad when I contact them to let them know about a new program like the Gen Y Project (BTW…which is another way to trim down the people who drive you crazy…open a new program that has NOTHING to do with why they signed on in the first place, and they will unsubscribe like crazy), and they champion me…they don’t drive me crazy.

I am a Guerrilla Marketing Coach, and I am sure that one of my first mentors, Mitch Meyerson, would tell me something different…that I need to be building a big list, but you know what…I want a QUALITY list of people. I want to know that I have 50 “topgraders” on my team who have 50 other “topgraders” around them.

So…the answer…Look at what you are doing to attract the people who drive you bonkers. What profession are they in? What are they doing with their lives? Why is it that they have so much free time to drive you crazy? Maybe it’s time for a complete overhaul!

Many businesses of today are often driven to compete strictly on price, quality, and features of their products and services. Companies who prosper over the long term don’t simply offer the best deals, the best quality, or the most impressive bells and whistles. If you want to win big in today’s cutting edge world of business, you have to begin by thinking differently and by challenging the status quo. Whether you are a new or an established business owner, these ten powerful strategies, taken from the Personal Environments Learning Club of CoachVille will position your company for big success.

1. Adopt the Philosophy of “Givers Gain.”

In 2003, the members of Business Network International (BNI) passed over 2 million referrals to each other. Founded by CEO Ivan Misner, BNI is a business and professional networking organization that offers members the opportunity to share ideas, contacts and most importantly, referrals. Misner founded BNI based on the philosophy of “Givers Gain,” which is the belief that in order to get business, it is important to first give business. One of the critical factors in achieving success rests in the ability to develop reciprocal relationships where two parties naturally refer business to each other on a consistent basis. “It’s not what you know but who you know” has never been so true as it is in today’s competitive world of business. For more information on Ivan Misner and his philosophy of “Giver’s Gain,” access this interview with Misner here:

http://www.cvcommunity.com/utility/showArticle/?objectID=1452

2. Focus on Soft Innovations

In today’s competitive marketplace, the old equation of spending more on advertising to increase profits it not working as it once did. In his book, Free Prize Inside, author Seth Godin, makes a strong case for using soft innovations as a way to get noticed in this crowded and noisy world. Soft innovations are the small yet insightful ideas that can take your product or service from good to remarkable. They are often hidden, and they usually solve a problem that is “ peripheral to what your product is ostensibly about.” At first glance, you think the soft innovation does not mean much, but once you have it in place, it becomes an essential part of your product or service. Examples of soft innovations include Starbuck’s Cards, Dinosaur-shaped pasta for kids, and Amazon.com cutting its ad spend and offering free shipping with the money saved. For more information, read an interview with Seth Godin in Today’s Coach here:

http://www.cvcommunity.com/utility/showArticle/index.cfm?objectID=1524

3. Re-Groove!

How do you operate when the heat is on? How do you respond to chaos? When new skills or new behaviors are needed, how do you respond? Knowing what to do and how to do it is one thing but being able to respond effectively and to keep your cool under pressure and on a consistent basis is a very different ballgame. As leaders in today’s world, it is crucial to learn how to work differently and how to be able to shift and bend to meet expectations which are here one day and gone the next. The half-life of a great idea or a new product or service has never been shorter, and it is up to you as a business owner to become masterful with reshaping strategies, adding new perks to old products, and to stay on top of your game in the face of dramatically changing circumstances. You may find that your strength of achievement was required to get your company up and running but that same strength is now squelching the creativity of your team. It’s time to Re-Groove! It’s time to unlock the incredible potential that is inside of you that is required to get the job done under present day demands. If you are dedicated to re-grooving (getting past the old worn out grooves of your past conditioning and the rut that we often get into,) it is essential to work with a coach or trainer who can coach you through the new behaviors quickly and in real time. By learning to re-groove, you will be able to create incredible opportunities for your company and for yourself with lightning speed.

4. Make Your Brand a “State of Mind.”

Are you winning when it comes to style, a smart and accessible mix of products and services, and first rate customer service? If so, Bravo! However, this is just a part of the equation of what it takes to truly succeed. In order to create a brand that is truly memorable, it is crucial for you to live an inspired life and to make your brand a “state of mind” for your customers. This state of mind could be a feeling of trust and confidence, a sense of well being, or a state of knowing that you are buying from a company who has your best interests at heart. This state of mind cannot develop behind the confines of the walls of your business. It grows and develops when you are in the middle of your potential buyers…in restaurants, traveling, checking out the competition, playing sports, tinkering with a hobby, having fun and lots of it! If you are living fully and in relationship with others, you will be re-energized every day and you will give your customers a vision of what an inspired life actually looks like, because you are living one! Your brand will become much more than your trimmings…it will become the connection that others feel when they think of you as a valued person in their lives.

5. Become Masterful at Mobilizing Resources.

The ability to galvanize resources, both human and monetary, and to build effective and efficient projects with them is a critical component of success in today’s marketplace. We are quick to look first at the monetary costs of a project and quickly get cold feet, when the reality is that we have valuable resources hidden in our personal and professional lives which may not cost a dime. Social capital is one resource that is one of the most valuable assets available to business owners of today. The term social capital emphasizes that very specific benefits are made available from the trust, reciprocity, information, and cooperation associated with social networks. The value of social capital is that people can draw on the wisdom of each other to solve common problems, especially as it relates to money, time, and resources.

6. Buck Conventional Wisdom.

In 1971, Rollin King and Herb Kelleher decided to start an airline that you might say…was different and a little bit quirky. They began with one simple notion: If you get your passengers to their destinations on time, at the lowest fare possible, and make sure they have a fantastic time doing it, people will choose you over a competing airline. This is the story of Southwest Airlines, who chose to move beyond the status quo by offering services and a sense of style that bucked conventional wisdom. With their focus on fun, games, and “Love Southwest Style,” this top ranked airline has made its mark with its strong focus on stellar customer service and conveniences such as allowing customers to proceed to their departure gate without stopping at the ticket counter, skycap, and a self-service kiosk. Most importantly, Southwest has honed in on searching for important personal qualities in those they hire– the perfect blend of energy, humor, team spirit, and self-confidence to match its famously offbeat culture. Southwest was once dismissed as a maverick, as their strategies seemed strange to the traditional “airline powerhouses.” These same powerhouses are now looking in awe at what this “maverick” has built. The strategy of originality worked…It had the sticking power required for huge success.

7. Become a Talent Farm.

When recruiting new employees, what are you looking for? Raw talent? Raw communication skills? Intellect? Athletic ability? Commitment? Skills? Flexibility? What about all of this and more? If you are a company who wants to operate at the leading edge, where change is the greatest and success is the goal, you will want to recruit the most talented group of people you can find…those people who are self- starters and who are living boldly in the world. By developing a “talent farm” culture, you can instill a mindset of excellence from the top to the bottom of your organization. This culture encompasses a deeply held belief that having high caliber people is crucial to your success. With this “talent farm” approach to recruiting, your company will also be required to continually recruit top talent. Successful businesses and organizations have a strong sense of what they are looking for, and they are always on the look for new talent and ways to retain them for a lifetime.

8. Embrace Your Core Values.

What is it in life that you most value? Do you value beauty, leadership, creativity, stability, or family? You can choose to orient your life around your wants and needs or the list of things you feel you “should” be doing, but if you embrace your core values and build your life around them, you will find experience inspiration and joy at a level you never thought was possible. Whole Foods Market is one of the fastest growing supermarkets of today, because its commitment to fresh, nutritious products is a value that keeps customers coming back for more and keeps employees happy, hard working, and committed. When you focus your business on doing what feels right and what fulfills you, you will have no regrets, because you have been true to the very core of your being.

9. Become a “White Hot Center” of Influence.

A “white hot center” of influence is an organization or group that you most want your company to be aligned with and in a relationship which is reciprocal. One connection into a visible and strong center of influence can position your company to attract a stream of qualified opportunities. (Example: You are an interior designer, and you want to be in the middle of Southern Accent or Better Homes and Gardens Magazine.) In order to attract a “white hot center” of influence, you have to become what you want to attract. Be well educated, highly skilled, experienced, trained and innovative in your product development. Fill your network with other business owners who are up to big things in the world and who are experts in their respective fields. Attract talented people into your company, and tap each and every talent and skill available. As you begin to raise your bar in all areas of your business and enhance your network, you will eventually become a “white hot center” that will attract others by the thousands.

10. Just Begin.

Start where you are, and begin today to create success in your life. Drop the excuses, reasons or people to blame, dis-empowering attitudes and behaviors and get on with the business of living the life you know you were born to live. Do what you know you want to do, and do it with passion. Begin today to create the tomorrow you want. As Peter Drucker said, “The best way to predict the future is to create it”

This piece was originally submitted by Business Coaches, Bea Fields of Five Star Leader Coaching and Training and Kimberly George of Coaching Into Greatness.

Each day, I work with leaders who say “I really want to get better results…more money, more productivity, more free time, better products and services.” My response: Your ability to move into action and to achieve bottom line results rests in the power of your thinking. These ten strategies will support you in transforming your desires into concrete action.

1. Expose your fears.

Fear is a gift that was given to us at birth as a means of protection and to provide us with safety from harm. This innate fear often becomes distorted, and as adults, we begin to react with anxiety, sabotage, and self-defeating behaviors. Ask yourself this question: “What is my main fear? Is it fear of rejection, commitment, loss, change, or of growing up?” Once you have identified this fear, speak it out loud to one person and write it down on paper. Once you expose your fear, it is very possible to break through its control over your life.

2. Identify your beliefs.

Our belief system is formulated in numerous ways through our environment, family, friends, society, religion, the media, politics, and cultural influences. Quite often, negative beliefs can cause us to act in ways that actually repel success. Do you believe that “Money is evil” or “To be successful, you have to work way too hard,” or “Girls should be seen and not heard?” If so, you may be pushing away the thing that you most want in life. By identifying your negative beliefs and replacing them with beliefs that empower you, you will begin moving in a direction of lifelong success.

3. Assess your communication style using the DISC.

The DISC is a fantastic assessment tool which provides individuals with a nonjudgmental language for exploring behavior. One of the key foundations of personal and professional success lies in understanding yourself and realizing the impact that your behavior has on your life and the lives of others. This one instrument can help you be more productive, improve your communication with others, and ease conflict and frustration in all life areas.

4. NOW! Discover Your Strengths.

The strengths profile finder from the book NOW! Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton, Ph.D. is a revolutionary program which can show you how to discover and then develop your unique talents and gifts. One of the secrets to achieving big results and for feeling more fulfilled lies in exercising your strengths, not in dwelling on your weaknesses. This tool by Buckingham and Clifton can guide you to becoming a high performing and empowered individual.

5. Tap into your creativity.

Many adults move through life thinking “I am not creative,” and wondering “What if?” As humans, we all have the ability to be wildly creative, and sometimes, this requires practice. Through the support of tools such as “Five Star Mind” by Tom Wujec, you can begin to unlock and expand the creative potential that lies deep within you. Using puzzles, mind-mapping, word association, and the power of curiosity, you can stimulate your intuition, innovation, and creative expression. As Napoleon Hill stated “All the ‘breaks’ you need in life wait within your imagination. Imagination is the workshop of your mind, capable of turning mind-energy into accomplishment and wealth.”

6. Focus!

A good idea can become a fantastic and profitable idea when it is given true focus. Your ability to concentrate begins with removing external (phone, interruptions, and noise,) and internal (fear, worry, and doubt) distractions. Creating a brain dump is a first step in the direction of focus. By purging all that is in your mind onto paper, you will create the room you need to begin focused thinking. From here, finding a time and place to focus and choosing one priority to concentrate on will make you more productive and will start your walk to greatness.

7. Join or Start a Mastermind Group.

Did you know that Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone were all members of a Mastermind Group? This group of Leaders knew something many of us do not know. They knew that the key to their success was in their ability to rely on each other for feedback, ideas, accountability, and above all…support! These men controlled much of the industry of the United States during the height of their careers. Innovation and expansion in human thought often result from teams that mentally capitalize on the principle of collaborative thinking. With spontaneous expression and interchange of thoughts with folks who are up to big things in life, a mastermind group can shift your awareness, expand your thinking, and can take you to unprecedented levels of inspiration.

8. Be devoted to extreme self-care.

You have heard it hundreds of times, but are you living it? Be devoted to a life of great sleep, daily exercise, a balanced diet, meditation, and luxuries such as massage. Begin today to formulate a plan for self care that will give you the energy to not only tackle life’s challenges but to one that will inspire you to greatness.

9. Teach what you most want to achieve.

Teaching is about sharing and using your own experiences in order that others may learn from your learning. The teaching process can also support you in developing yourself and is all about learning from other people. When we teach, we are developing, both personally and professionally, as we learn from our students, and most significantly, we are more likely to put our knowledge into action. By teaching what you most want to achieve, you will develop the knowledge and skills to take you where you most want to go in life.

10. Strive for mastery.

Mastery is defined as a possession or display of great skill or technique. By going for mastery with your goal, you will be playing a much bigger game in life, calling you to set your sights much higher. When your goal is mastery, you will be devoted to finding better ways to deliver what you offer, you will be expanding your knowledge, and you will find yourself achieving much more than you ever thought was possible.

Is your marketing plan dull, flat, and downright boring? Is it lacking the zest and appeal which can penetrate the consciousness of your buyers If so, you may be driving away folks who could easily buy your products or services. If so, these ten signs from The 90 Day Marketing Marathon Blunders from A to Z: B is for Boring will support you in raising your awareness of what drives folks away and tips on how you can create a message which will catch fire in the market place.

(1) It’s all about you.

Folks are not interested in you and your accolades. They want to know what you can do to solve their problem of the day. Drop the focus on you, and turn the spotlight on what is important to your buyer.

(2) Your plan is filled with details and research.

People are bogged down in details and statistics. They are much more interested in buying from someone who shares their personal experiences and who is willing to build an open and honest relationship.

(3) It lacks action-oriented words.

People love to buy Nike products, because the words “Just Do It” communicate action. By using words such as run, dance, live, sing, move, or play, you will get your potential clients moving, excited about buying your product or service.

(4) You have nothing new to offer.

People are bored with the same old same old. Put yourself on the bleeding edge of your profession by taking advantage of the new tools and resources which are out of the norm. (Example: In Coaching, we take advantage of modern online survey tools and blogging tools which breathe new life into our businesses.)

(5) Your message drips of “neediness.”

If your marketing message is focused on “sell, sell, sell,” you will send the message that you are needy, which will drive customers away. Communicate your willingness to provide value, and you will develop raving fans.

(6) Your message lacks “color.”

An advertisement can be delivered in black and white, still have “color,” and paint an amazing picture. Use powerful words which will grab the attention of your potential customers such as discover (suggests excitement,) proven (sends a message of peace of mind,) and savings (everyone wants more money and more time.)

(7) You are marketing on the surface.

People buy based on emotions. If you are selling shampoo, don’t just sell shampoo…sell beautiful hair. If you are selling heating and air units, sell comfort and warmth. If you are selling a vacation, sell a luxurious day on the beach and romantic walks under the stars.

(8) It lacks your personality.

Even if you are selling widgets, folks want to know who is selling the widgets. Why? Because they want to know you can be trusted to deliver as promised. Use fun photographs and life stories so that your buyers can get a closer look at your life. The connection you will make will be unforgettable.

(9) Your message lacks added value.

Studies show that people will buy if the value perceived is worth the investment. If you are charging nickels and dimes for small extras, you will quickly drive buyers away. People who “nit pick” over incidentals are often considered to be “uptight” and “inflexible.” Yawn!!!. Drop the nit-picking, and over deliver by adding extra value. Folks will love you for it!

(10) You are playing “Follow the Leader.”

People want to buy from people who are leaders…not people who are offering copycat versions of something else they’ve seen out there in the marketplace. Be bold and unique in what you stand for in your business, and make this known on your website, in your brochures, and in the articles you write. You will position yourself as someone who is both open and confident and someone who is worthy of trust.