What’s the most important asset in your business? Your employees? Your equipment? Maybe the building you own?
Saying yes to any of those, you’d be right and yet wrong.
We recently recounted the tale of an employee buying out the owner of a popular café. Then rather than leaving well enough alone, started changing things (not for the better) and lost customers.
Contrast this with Barbara’s hairdresser, Sooty.
The story starts over 16 years ago with salon owner, Darren.
Darren was an excellent hairdresser who ran an extremely tight ship. He understood his clients and was fanatical about getting it right. An excellent marketer, he understood Client Lifetime Value. His internal systems were top notch and he expected the best from his staff.
Darren’s right hand person Sooty had worked for him for most of the time Barbara been a client.
Darren retired a year ago and decided to give Sooty his clients. Having educated and coached Sooty for years he made it very clear he expected her to keep to the standards he expected.
Sooty is smart. She knows the value of the gift Darren gave her and the trust he’s shown in her.
She immediately contacted all the old clients and invited them to her new salon.
Understanding Lifetime Value, she kept the loyalty cards going. Kept her prices at the same level and provided excellent service.
But she didn’t stop there.
Darren still coaches Sooty and has instilled the importance of marketing. Reaching out to locals in the area and building up business.
Being on the fourth floor of a building in the city, Sooty has gone around the dozens of offices, introduced herself and left brochures.
Now here’s the interesting bit.
Sooty isn’t Darren. So when he retired, Barbara tried another more local hairdresser rather than traipse 45 minutes into the city.
Not happy, she decided to go back to Sooty in spite of the travel inconvenience. Sooty recounted that a number of her other clients had done just this as well.
With Sooty Barbara knows what she gets. She likes the girl and wants to support her.
Sooty in turn appreciates her clients, realising they are her biggest asset. Well, almost!
Your biggest asset is your own mindset!
Here’s what Sooty embodies.
Give your best and people will support you. Don’t nobble a winning horse. Put your ego in your pocket and accept help when offered. Surround yourself with mentors and coaches and learn from them.
The late Zig Ziglar’s put it best. “It’s your attitude, not your aptitude which will determine your altitude in life”.
Open up your mind. Get ask for help. Then act!
