Business Coaching to Help You Grow Your Business and Achieve Your Personal Best!

Tag: Business Coaching

Can You Pass the QR Code Quiz?

Posted by on in Branding, Business Coaching, Coach Robin, Continuous Improvement, Marketing StrategyLeave a comment

by Coach Robin

Is a QR Code the right move for your marketing? Take The QR Code Quiz!

We see QR codes almost everywhere we go. They are a quick and convenient way to access a website or app from your mobile device. Many businesses use QR Codes but don’t necessarily know if they are using them correctly. They’re for more than just reaching your audience!

Knowing when, where, and how to use a QR Code can make a big difference in your marketing strategy effectiveness. So, take the QR Code Quiz today! 

These simple Yes or No questions will help you decide if a QR code is the right addition to your messaging. Read along with the tips and tricks to become a QR Code pro! 

1. Will your messaging be viewed in a physical, in-person format? 

You should never plan to use a QR code online. If you’re presenting your message online, such as in an email or on social media, a clickable link is the way to go, not a QR code. Remember that QR codes are accessed by scanning them with the camera on a smartphone, and over 90% of internet users browse from their mobile device, making it very difficult for those users to access a QR code. QR codes are highly effective for use in store displays, event spaces, screens, and pretty much every printed material you can imagine, such as flyers, brochures, and even business cards. 

2. Is your QR code accompanied by a strong call to action?

It’s important to determine whether or not a QR code can help you reach your goals, so make sure you have a clear objective in mind. You’re asking the audience to take a specific action, and that QR code is the quickest way to reach their destination. Here are some great examples…

  • Leave us a review
  • Register for our event
  • Order online
  • Browse our specials
  • Apply today!

Without a clear motivation for the audience to act, the code will not be effective. 

3. Does the link in your QR code match the audience expectations? 

Remember that a QR code is meant to make it easy and convenient for the audience to accomplish their objectives. Help them out by making the link as direct as possible. If you want them to read your blog post, the link needs to go to the blog page, not the home page. If you want them to leave a review, the link needs to take them directly to the review form, etc. There’s nothing more frustrating than the bait and switch, so don’t ask your audience to scan your code for savings, then link to your contact page instead. Take them straight to the savings!

4. Does your target audience have their phone handy when they see your code?

It seems like everyone is on their phones constantly these days, but there are still a few settings where QR codes aren’t the right fit because you shouldn’t be expecting people to have their phones handy. Billboards are not the right place to use a QR code because most of your audience will be driving in their cars and should NOT be opening the camera on their phones as they pass by your ad. Another example is during presentations. It is still common etiquette for people to put their phones away during high-end presentations. If you’re a keynote speaker at an event, think about providing a handout instead of asking the audience members to take out their phones to scan your code in the middle of the event. Of course, there are some settings where this is ok, so use some discretion when making that decision. 

5. Do you have a trust-based relationship with your audience? 

In this era of hacking and scams, it’s important to establish trust before using a QR code. Please make sure you trust that your audience will only use the link as intended and they won’t be trying to hack your code to embed a malicious link. You also want to make sure you have trust with your audience, because if they don’t trust you then they may not (and shouldn’t) scan your code.

If you answered “YES” to all of the questions above, then a QR code should be effective in producing results. If you answered “NO” to even one of these questions, then let’s discuss better strategies for achieving your goals through effective messaging. Schedule a consultation with our Marketing Muse, Robin Mahle-Piccione, and get ready to take your branding to the next level!

Assumptions – And Pest Control!

Posted by on in Assumptions, Business Coaching, Change, Christy Austin, Coach Christy, Communication, Continuous Improvement, Employee Motivation, Executive CoachingLeave a comment

by Coach Christy Austin

Working with countless teams over the years has shown that assumptions are like a hidden pest. Like termites in the foundation, they erode our business, resulting in lower productivity, dissatisfied customers, and increased employee turnover. An assumption is defined as “an expectation believed to be true, without facts or evidence.” Though most are unaware, we each make hundreds of assumptions every day and don’t even realize it.

We make assumptions.

Our staff make assumptions.

Our customers make assumptions.

Our potential clients make assumptions.

This affects our overall success and often negatively impacts our bottom line!

Our own assumptions are laced through the DNA of our business. We know what we’re thinking, we know the culture we want, we know our values, we know our daily procedures, we know what we expect from employees, and we know how to work hard to make things work. But, does our team, or our customers, know these things? We often assume they do!

According to a recent Forbes Survey[i], the most common assumptions in the workplace that hold teams back include these.:

  • Management can’t be trusted.
  • I can’t make any mistakes.
  • If someone has an issue, they’ll speak up.
  • This is the way it has always been done.
  • Don’t fix it if it isn’t broken.

Obviously, most of our assumptions are automatic thoughts that “pop” into our minds. We never question them because we think they’re facts. Why? Because, much like family dysfunction, our assumptions are “normal.” They are familiar to us.

What assumptions did you make when you woke up today?

  • I’ll leave at my usual time because there’s never much traffic.
  • Our morning meeting will be productive.
  • The new hire probably won’t work out again.
  • My staff will work hard.

When I walked into my office this morning, I immediately sat in my chair, assuming it would hold me. I flipped a switch, assuming my lights would work. And I began typing away on a keyboard, assuming my computer would precisely function to answer dozens of emails. Interestingly, none of these assumptions are guaranteed and in fact, I’ve had many days these assumptions weren’t true – the chair broke, the lights didn’t turn on, and the computer didn’t send emails. Nonetheless, daily I assume each of these will happen normally without a second thought.

The greatest challenge with assumptions in the workplace is, most often, we can’t identify our own because they’re buried deep in our everyday function and routine. They come from our experiences. We don’t recognize these personal assumptions until they cost us something – time, money, valuable staff members, and other resources. In the end, just like with termites in the foundation, assumptions end up costing business owners much more than they realize!

So, what’s the solution, i.e., Pest Control?

Self-Awareness – Take time to become aware of assumptions, individually and as a team, and then we can begin to assess their validity through evaluation and dialogue.

Communication – Assertive communication is the key to dispel assumptions by ensuring others truly know what we expect, value, and need to maintain the culture and success of our business.

Policies and Procedures – A strong team culture is formed and maintained through simple and consistent procedures and policies, such as continuous improvement programs, which minimizes the pesky assumptions and guides us to achieve our goals and continued business success!

Do you know what assumptions are costing your team and your business?

Coach Christy can help you and your team with Pest Control to minimize those pesky assumptions and build a stronger team and more profitable and successful business. Give her a call today!

[i] https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicolebendaly/2019/07/05/14-assumptions-that-are-holding-your-team-back/?sh=aaee6da76ebf

The Dominance of Small Businesses and Word of Mouth Referrals: Did You Know?

Posted by on in Business Coaching, Executive CoachingLeave a comment

Last month, we listed some stats in our newsletter. If you read that, you know that 99.9% of businesses across the US are small businesses with nearly half of all U.S. employees being employed by a small business. Yet, over 8 out of 10 small businesses have no employees and just 16% of small businesses have 1-19 employees.*

Small businesses rule. So that’s interesting!

Also interesting, advertising accounts for just 1% of a business’s revenue on average.* So what gives? Aren’t we supposed to spend a bunch of money on advertising? Of course we can, if we want to see a low ROI. Or, we can go a better route.

Did you know, 85% of small businesses get customers through word of mouth referrals?!** It’s the number one way to generate revenue with search engines coming in at number two and 59%. Word of mouth referrals have the least cost in out-of-pocket expenditures and is based on the Know You, Like You, Trust You Principle and it works!

SO, WHAT TO DO?

  • Build and maintain your online presence, social media, GMB page, etc. Customers will check you out online to verify what they hear from others.
  • Survey your customers to understand what it is they Know, Like, and Trust about you.
  • Focus on customer service to create Raving Fans.
  • Ask for referrals and testimonials from those Raving Fans to help create buzz and spread the word!

* Forbes Advisor Small Business Statistics Of 2023

** Small Business Trends Philadelphia Survey 2014

Humor Is In the Eye of the Beholder!

Posted by on in Business Coaching, Employee Motivation, Executive CoachingLeave a comment

It’s good to have fun at work but you need to be careful with how fun and humor is defined. Horseplay is usually not recommended and often not allowed for good reason. Humor on the other hand is often allowed and even encouraged but it’s still good to be careful. It is useful to know that there are several types of humor that may, or may not, be appropriate in the workplace and when used inappropriately, can get you into hot water. When used appropriately, i.e., “Humor is in the eye of the beholder,” it can raise morale, build team spirit, and improve productivity!

Dr. Rod Martin, Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, and his fellow researchers have devised the Humor Styles Questionnaire that allows us to determine which of four styles of humor is being used more often in an organization. The four styles are Self-enhancing, Affiliative, Aggressive, and Self-defeating.

  • Self-enhancing humor is a type of mild humor used to enhance oneself.
  • Affiliative humor is used to enhance one’s relationships with others.
  • Aggressive humor is used to enhance the self at the expense of others.
  • Self-defeating humor is used to enhance relationships at the expense of oneself.

It’s fairly obvious that Self -enhancing and Affiliative humor can be more beneficial than Self-defeating and Aggressive humor. Most organizations have a combination of all four types of humor being displayed at various times and situations.

It’s always good to remember: Humor is in the eye of the beholder! If even one person thinks it’s not funny, it’s not funny. Most businesses don’t think about this, many don’t teach it to their employees, and many don’t consider how it impacts company culture, morale, and employee productivity.

If you are not sure how well your team is doing with humor, Give Us a Shout, so we can help you build a better workplace through positive humor for small business success!

Unlock Your Business Superpowers! – Socratic Dialogue and High-Performance Coaching for Greater Success

Posted by on in Business Coaching, Executive CoachingLeave a comment

High-performance coaching involves supporting individuals, business owners, and their team, so they are able to achieve high powered results. Socratic dialogue, a back-and-forth questioning process and a tool in the EA Lewis & Associates toolbox, is highly effective for high performance coaching due to its emphasis on critical thinking, reflection, and self-awareness.

If you want high powered results to grow your business more efficiently and more effectively, whether by defining your USP, creating a new service offering, or getting your team members to lean in, Socratic dialogue can help. Here’s how it works:

  1. Self-awareness: High performance requires a deep understanding of oneself, one’s strengths, weaknesses, motivations, and personal roadblocks. Socratic dialogue, with its emphasis on introspective questioning, can facilitate this self-understanding. A coach will help you answer questions about your own beliefs, actions, and motivations and help you discover insights about yourself that you may not have been aware of.
  2. Critical Thinking: High performance is often about solving complex problems, and this requires strong critical thinking skills. Through Socratic dialogue, a coach can guide you to challenge your own assumptions and consider different perspectives, fostering your ability to think critically and solve problems effectively.
  3. Goal Setting and Achievement: Socratic dialogue can be used to support setting and achieving your goals. By questioning you about your goals, why you want to achieve them, and how you plan to do so, a coach can help you develop a clear and achievable action plan.
  4. Breaking Through Barriers: Often, what stands in the way of high performance are mental roadblocks, such as limiting beliefs or fears. Socratic dialogue can be used to uncover these barriers and challenge them. For example, if you believe that you are not capable of achieving a certain goal, your coach might use Socratic questioning to challenge this belief and help you see that you are indeed capable.
  5. Continuous Improvement: High performance requires continuous improvement, and Socratic dialogue fosters a mindset of continual learning. By repeatedly questioning and reflecting on one’s actions and beliefs over time, one can consistently identify areas for improvement and take action to develop in these areas.

Ready to unlock your true potential and take your business to the next level? EA Lewis & Associates is here to help you do just that. Click HERE to set up a free chat with one of our high-performance coaches who will help you figure out how to excel in what you love doing! Just tell us what you love, what you want to do, and we will match you with a coach to get started!

Motivation

Posted by on in Business Coaching, Executive Coaching, Running, Success QuotesLeave a comment

IT'S A CHOICE!
IT’S A CHOICE!

“Motivation is simple.  You eliminate those who are not motivated.”
                                                – Lou Holtz

It’s called…
Self-motivation
Real, honest, practical, necessary
Personal accountability
Tough love

What does it mean to you?

When People Miss the Mark…

Posted by on in Business Coaching, Executive Coaching, Success QuotesLeave a comment

Lift people up!
Lift people up!

When people miss the mark, screw up, under perform or just seem to not get it, it’s good to keep in mind:

They may be looking at a different target – My idea of “clean” is probably not the same as your idea of “clean.”

It may be the system – There may be things outside of their control that introduces variation in results, i.e. change in wind speed, different equipment, poor communication…

It could be the consequences – Very often the best employees get “stuck” doing what no one else will and their reward for doing their best is actually a punishment.

Solutions?

Start at home first – It’s our job as leaders to do everything we can to help them do the best job they can.  Make sure you are doing that and…

  • Get on the same page
  • Improve the system
  • Focus on and reward the right behaviors
  • Be a people builder!

Write it on your heart…

Posted by on in Business Coaching, Executive Coaching, Running, Success QuotesLeave a comment

Stay in the moment for that is where you find
peace
productivity
prosperity
business will be good…you will be strong…life will be balanced

on your heart

A Peace of Success…

Posted by on in Business Coaching, Executive Coaching, Running, Success QuotesLeave a comment

In the solitude on the trail…findpeace

“Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming.” – John Wooden

Peace on the inside…brings peace on the outside

Discipline, effort, choice…to find balance, self-worth, value

Not a thing measured but a feeling…and a knowing

Recognize Your Progress

Posted by on in Business Coaching, Executive Coaching, Running, Success Quotes1 Comment

strivebuddhaprog·ress

noun

1.  a movement toward a goal or to a further or higher stage.

positive change…an attitude…a vision…a change of pace…one more mile…the next level…even the smallest of steps

with heart

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