The Future of Business – Yours, Mine & Ours:

Trends That Can7Actually Help Us!

Presenter:Glen J. Cooper, CBI, CBA, BVAL

Business & Professional Coach,Intermediary, Appraiser & Speaker

President, GlenCooperColorado.com

Summary:Workshop Outline:1) 7 Trends to Help?2) 2 Fundamentals3) A Closer Look at the Trends4) Questions to Ask Ourselves 5) Fixing Ourselves – 6 Steps

to Cope with Stress to Achieve Work/Life Balance to Build a Valuable Business

7 Trends That Help?Quick Descriptions:1) Change is getting faster

2) Science & technology driving change

3) People want more control

4) Relationships are multiplying5) Transparency & accountability up

6) Ideas & information now free

7) Collaborators are winning

7 Changes? Quick Descriptions:1) Nobody is keeping up

2) Significant breakthroughs ahead

3) Custom products/services 24/7

4) Friendship and trust mean most5) We can’t hide our mistakes

6) Intellectual capital is fleeting

7) Complexity is forcing cooperation

Fixes Required?Quick Descriptions:1) Slow down, deal with stress

2) Choose lifetime learning

3) Adopt “crowd sourcing”

4) Drop the “Elevator Pitch!”5) Brand with true stories

6) Invest in systems, teams

7) Partner up with the best

Two Fundamentals:Everything We Need Is Within

Reach1) Accepting “What Is,” we must

always start from where we are2) Knowledge & relationships are in

unlimited supply

We All Need “Quick Wins”1) Big wins come from many

“quick wins”2) We must have “joy in the journey”

Trend #1 Faster ChangeTime to slow down, deal with stress.

Relaxed people make better decisions. Stressed out people are no longer creative.

Get back to core values, core performance. Is our work/life balance important or not?We deny our own stress. Our “flight or fight”

response fires 24/7 and we don’t even know it!There are 6 ways we can deal with stress. Steps in building a valuable business are exact parallels to stress coping skills. Who knew?

Trend #2 Sci/Tech DriversChoose lifetime learning. Reading, studying & thinking is a new

comeback strategy! While everyone else is distracted, we can be focused and well-read.

Computer literacy is #1. Learn to search, access information and build relationships

Regularly literacy would be good too! It may be time to return to school.

Knowledge of science, technology, history and economics are probably top priorities. Future business value drivers are driven by science and technology in the context of history and economics.

Trend #3 People want controlAddressing client frustrations beats trying to solve their problems.

Our prospects and clients are frustrated. They want to solve their own problems if only we will address their frustrations.

Our staff, markets & referral sources are changing. Women are our #1 game changers.

“Crowd sourcing” harvests the wisdom of “crowds.” Don’t know it? Better learn it!

Turn the organization chart upside down. Who speaks for your firm now?

Trend #4 Relationships are multiplyingPeople are radically changing who they know, like, trust and buy from.People only call those they can check out.

If they can’t find out about you, you don’t exist.Because they know a little, they think they know a

lot. Half pre-sold and in a hurry, they don’t want to start at the beginning.

Drop the “elevator pitch.” Best response in an elevator is, “You first. What do YOU do?”

Coaching clients is an old “new” way to sell. Our clients and prospects need it!

Trend #5 Transparency Up!Truth in branding is now essential.

It’s time to get clear about who we are. A successful brand is a relevant, believable story that resonates with people in an emotional and symbolic way over time.

People can now check out our stories. If they don’t catch inconsistencies, our competitors will.

Fakes and frauds will still be with us. Their working lives are shorter now, however.

Privacy is an unresolved issue. But, selling requires exposure and disclosure.

Trend #6 Ideas, info freeUSPs: Systems, Teamwork, Track Records

Systems, teamwork & track records are now our unique selling propositions (USPs). Ideas and information are now universally shared.

Systems are about “how we do it here.” Never heard of the “E-Myth?” Listen up!Teams are who we keep and “keep-up-with.”

Clients notice who co-collaborators are.Track records are now openly visible.

Everyone can now see “the company we keep” as well as the “the company we don’t keep!”

Trend #7 Collaborators winning!We need to partner up with the best.

Prospects seek out those with the gold. Ideas, information & relationships are the “new gold.” Those who have these are hired.Location, location, location. Today, our Internet

connectivity determines who and what we know. But local still counts!We have to be the better connector of resources

for our clients. They expect it!Partnering takes due diligence and work. Help people you know and like build their talents, orLearn to know and like talented people

Asking questions fixes things?Right answers come when we ask the tough questions. Asking ourselves tough questions sharpens our edge.

How are we going to do all this stuff? We can’t finesse that question much longer.

Asking our prospects and clients questions truly helps them. We all need help to think things through,

especially now.First things first! Remember, if we have not yet

achieved work/life balance, we cannot help others.

Fix Ourselves –1st Things First!It’s time to bring work and life into balance.Discover. If we take time to search, our searching will be stress free.We may also discover an answer or two!Dream. Think very big! We’ve got to be inspired.

What if?! What If!Create. Let’s give ourselves a few “Quick Wins.”

Do what we CAN!Share. We need to give, and get, feedback,

encouragement and support. Plan. Plan the Work.Act. Work the Plan. Forgive failure.

Defining Niches? Guidelines:1) People pay for what they want, often in response to a

problem that frustrates them.

2) Observe who wants what, who is frustrated by what

3) Get clear on what wants, frustrations our services and products meet or address

4) Envision the person we need to talk to

-Must be findable & “find-out-about-able”

-Must want what we offer

-Must be willing, able to afford to pay for it

6) Narrow the niche so we stand out in the crowd

7) Structure our presentations (SSBTGA)

What’s Unique About Anyone?

Who They Are!1) Unique experiences, ideas

2) Credentials, reputation3) Lifetime learning

4) Lifetime skills

5) Current location

6) Contacts & friends