The Big Chicken Sale

The Big Chicken Sale

by | Jun 4, 2020 | Sales

As you know, I am now a chicken mama. In the past three weeks, I have learned that my chickens are much more free-range than I expected or planned on. Yes, this is saving me money on food and effort in cleaning the coop, but I do have concerns for their safety, especially at night.

Two weeks ago, I began the campaign to bring them into the coop each night. Thanks to my neighbor, I have learned that running after them and trying to chase them into the coop isn’t effective.

What I really want to do is entice them to come into the coop willingly. And this requires understanding their wants and needs and providing a solution that meets those needs.

Chickens need food, water, and, to a certain extent, shelter. Within the run, I keep chicken crumbles, a flock block, and water available for them. And it appears that they have been partaking of the food. My chickens have been roosting in trees since the second night following their arrival. And with all the trees and cover around our property and the adjacent property, they seem to have the shelter angle covered (pun intended). However, when winter arrives, the cover will not be as thick, and the nights will be cold, wet, and long. 

What do chickens like? Well, fortunately, they like bugs, which is a win for me. But they also like snacks like watermelon rinds, pineapple, and mealworms. So, every morning, I put out some treats for them in their run. They seem to like these, but so do the squirrels, chipmunks, and rabbits.

Chickens fear the dark and predators. And apparently me (and my dogs). The good news is that we haven’t found any predators lurking around yet, but I fear it is only a matter of time. Thanks to one of my readers, I now have a solar light over the coop. I’m hoping this will encourage the chickens to “come to the light” as they settle in for the night. 

My mission is to meet their needs and help them overcome their fears. And so far, I think it is starting to work. The Chicken-Cam has caught them lurking around the coop first thing in the morning. They clearly like the treats and food I leave for them. They haven’t committed to sleeping in the coop, but they definitely know where their meals come from.

Are you wondering how I’m planning on relating this to real life? Well, every one of us is a salesperson in one capacity or another. You may be a professional salesperson, but you could also be an owner, a manager, or a parent. Regardless of what you are trying to sell, you need a process. And that process can’t be simply scaring the target into buying what you are selling. You must frame your goods to be in the best interest of your target audience. What are their needs? What do they like? What are their fears?

Using fear alone to sell your solution may result in short-term gains, but it won’t result in a long-term relationship. If you take the time to understand the customer’s needs and deliver a solution that shows you understand, you will have much better luck.

During your next sale, decide if you want to chase your target around the field or throw out some tasty pineapple skin to lure them in. I’m confident that one of these options will result in the achievement of both parties’ goals. If you find that your sales process hasn’t adapted to the new Covid marketplace, please email me. I can help you and your sales team thrive in this new reality. 

How to Cope When It’s Time to Fly the Coop

How to Cope When It’s Time to Fly the Coop

by | May 21, 2020 | Efficiency, Process Improvement

On Mother’s Day eve, I became a chicken mama. Our friends brought over two hens and three chicks and put them in my chicken coop.  
 
On Mother’s Day morning, we opened up the chicken coop door and out came five very scared chickens.  
 
By that evening, however, we had less than five chickens.
 
Here is the daily morning count of our chickens: 5, 4, 3, 4, 0, 5, 0, 0, 5, 0, 5, 5, 0, 5.  
 
Here is what we learned:

  • Chickens can fly better than we thought
  • Chickens can and will roost in a tree
  • One of our hens has figured out where to lay her eggs in the coop, but I do believe we will need an egg hunt to locate the other hen’s eggs 
  • I need to redesign my whole plan for having free-range chickens. 

So how does this relate to our current life? Our economy is slowly starting to move toward the next phase of the pandemic – learning how to re-open businesses while keeping people safe. This process will change the way we do business, both as we interact with our customers and how we do our work internally.

If you looked carefully at your current processes, you would probably agree that there are some inefficiencies that, if addressed, could lead to increases in productivity. In our pre-COVID-19 life, this may not have been a top priority, but now we are forced to make changes in order to protect the health and safety of our employees, customers and stakeholders. I believe we can leverage this as an opportunity for growth. 

Consider a few of these ideas: 

  • Employ a Kanban scheduling system to reduce interactions between departments and employees. 
  • Use process mapping to highlight non-value-added steps in your process. Then redesign your new layout or flow to eliminate or streamline those steps.
  • Implement a visual workplace that outlines product flow, departmental goals, and performance metrics.

 
If you are feeling overwhelmed by the changes you need to implement in your business, let’s connect.  I have spent my entire career streamlining processes of all kinds, from tortilla chip manufacturing to metal casting to sales. My brain is hardwired to find the inherent opportunities in a process and leverage them to maximize productivity, reduce waste, and increase profitability. My clients have seen an average a five times ROI on the work we have done together. 
 
I welcome the opportunity assist you in maximizing the output of your business. And if you have some tips on how to be a better chicken mama, I’d welcome your input.

Fearing or Forging the Path Forward?

Fearing or Forging the Path Forward?

by | May 7, 2020 | Leadership, Management

I finished my chicken coop and have just a few details to wrap up before I bring the chickens home to roost (I’ve been waiting my whole life to say that). But surprisingly, behind these details has been some fear, almost paralyzing enough to keep me from finishing the job. Can I handle the added responsibility of caring for chickens? How will my daily routine change? What if I do something that causes a chicken to die?   

I spoke with a good friend who’s a chicken owner, and she reassured me that the benefits of owning chickens far outweigh my fears. Yes, I will have to adapt my daily routine. And chickens do die – sometimes of natural causes. But, in the end, the experience is a lot of fun! 

I wonder how many of us are facing this same kind of fear right now. Fear of not knowing what our post-COVID life might look like. Fear about keeping our families safe. Fear about the future of our businesses.  

I’ve spent time reflecting on some of my fears. And I’ve learned that nothing worthwhile is ever accomplished without some fear and uncertainty.  Have you ever been through an event that caused you to change, either by choice or by circumstance? Did this event bring about a worthwhile outcome?

The Chinese word for change is made up of two symbols – Danger and Opportunity. If we know that our current reality is going to change, then we have a choice to look ahead with a positive mindset. And given the choice, I choose to see this uncertain future as an opportunity for growth.

There are countless examples of how people and businesses are adapting to this new world – distilleries making hand sanitizer, Ford making ventilators, Subway delivering groceries. There are many opportunities for you and your business to pivot toward a new reality. In order to do that, you need to adjust your mindset to see beyond where you are and focus on where you could be.  

If you are struggling to find where you fit in this uncertain future, please reach out to me. Together we can get you and your mindset focused on a future full of opportunity. 

April Showers Bring May Growth

April Showers Bring May Growth

by | Apr 30, 2020 | Leadership

As April comes to a close, I thought I’d share some of what I have learned in the course of the month. This month was so long, it seems I should have a lot of wisdom to impart. But, what I do know is what I have learned this month has allowed me to grow into a stronger version of myself.

  1. We always have an opportunity to develop new skills, whether it’s how to conduct a webinar or how to build a chicken coop.  
  2. Disciplined daily habits are the key to success.  
  3. Teachers are a critical part of our society. They have a skill set that I believe every parent has learned to value. 
  4. The greatest gift of humanity we can give is looking beyond ourselves and caring for people around us. This is especially true when we are struggling internally.
  5. I truly value the connections I have with other individuals. Finding new ways to connect has been challenging but rewarding.
  6. I’m so thankful for the people who have continued to work with the public even during this time. This includes the gas attendants, grocery store workers, nurses, doctors, delivery drivers and all other essential business workers.  
  7. Hearing a different perspective can help me grow and expand.  
  8. The best solution to a problem may end up being your third solution. Don’t give up when you get the first idea – keep brainstorming until you get two more. You may be surprised at how much better your final solution will be if you keep working through a few more options. 
  9. Take time to enjoy every moment. Joy comes from embracing the small things – not just celebrating the big ones.
  10. Don’t let fear hold you back. There are lots of great opportunities waiting if you give yourself permission to fail.

The great news is that the chicken coop is done. I just need to build in some protection for my chickens and then bring them to their new home!

Enjoying the Small Moments

Enjoying the Small Moments

by | Apr 24, 2020 | Management

If you are like me, this quarantine has lost its novelty.  I’m ready to go hiking, have another person cook a meal, and hug someone other than my husband (though I do like hugging him).  But I know that we are not quite at a point where we can resume our normal activities.  This has forced me to work through my frustration with the situation while striving to make the most of it.  

 Every morning, after I finish my workout, I take the dogs for a walk and throw the ball.  Actually, I’m throwing the ball for Marlee, while JacX is biting Marlee’s collar trying to slow him down. In February (before the yearlong March), we had JacX spayed.  This required us to keep her on a leash during these morning walks.  She didn’t like it. Being on-leash meant she had to watch as her brother chased after the ball.  But she did make the most of it by grabbing the ball when he dropped it in front of me. She’s adroit enough to get him to chase her, even though she’s on a six-foot leash.  Her hair up, loving the chase, she dashed behind me and dodged away from Marlee. Marlee, for his part, quickly tired of the game and resorted to staring at me to get the ball back for him. I, however, found this whole exchange very amusing! 

We can either act like Marlee or like JacX.  Marlee – asking someone else to correct the situation – or JacX, making up a game that she can still play!

Our lives are often marked by the big moments – weddings, birth of a child, holidays – but what I think makes life more meaningful is enjoying the small moments. 

I challenge you to find joy in the situation in front of you. Borrowing from Gary Larson’s cow philosophy, “As you travel life’s highway, don’t forget to stop and eat the roses.”