ELECTRONIC HOUSE CALL - November 17, 2006

What a week! I am still high from the Birthday Bash. The goal of the program was to give attendees THE SILVER BULLET -- the secret that would move them from ideas to implementation. All I can say is that we now have 30+ people who are about to re-define what is possible in their markets!

We tried to record it but the program was so interactive that the recording won't make much sense unless you were actually there. You may have missed the Bash but a couple of you may still be able to get in on the follow-up support program ... but more on that later.

For now, I am finishing up several projects and getting ready to welcome a houseful of friends for Thanksgiving dinner. Two weeks from today we head back to Italy for a couple of weeks. Life is full ... and very, very good!

AVOID INCREMENTAL THINKING
(This article vainly tries to capsulize a much longer discussion that we had at the Birthday Bash.)

We have a tendency to think incrementally. That is, we project what we want to do in a future period by using a prior period as a base. So we think in terms of a 10% or 20% sales increase ... but is that number really relevant ... and does it really serve us? I think not.

The problem is that you can achieve an incremental increase in sales by continuing to do what you have always done, and by doing it pretty much the same way you've always done it, although with perhaps a bit more intensity. That gives you mental comfort ... but rarely produces spectacular results. It certainly isn't likely to produce any major break-throughs.

What would happen if, instead of projecting a 10% increase for next year, you determine to TRIPLE your volume? Well, for one thing, you would have to start thinking in a very different way. You would start to take a look at how you are spending your time and eliminate or delegate those activities that would not move you toward a 300% increase. You would have to think much larger, be more aggressive and make more significant commitments. You would have to ask more questions of more people and learn to listen better. You would want a very rigid support system to keep yourself on track. In short, you would approach your business in a very different way.

In the end, you might not get a 300% bump ... but I bet you would do a lot better than 10%!

(By the way, the attendees at the Birthday Bash are now projecting increases of 200-300% for 2007 ... and we have put together the support system that can help them get it!)

NOW WHAT?
Well, I still have those 230 pounds of CDs to figure out. I haven't even had time to open the boxes, so at this point I don't even know what's in there ... except that I do know they are interviews from my Management Insight Series and Pizza Insight Program.

These are discussions with people in our industry who are doing interesting and unusual things -- the sort of conversations that leave you thinking, "Wow, I never thought of it that way before!" (There's a reason it is called the Management Insight Series!)

It will be a few more days before I can go through everything and get some idea of how to put it all together. One thing for sure, I will have to come up with something spectacular to clear most of this out!

SILVER BULLET AND BEYOND
The goal of the Birthday Bash was to give attendees the secret of THE SILVER BULLET. One element of that secret is creating a support group to keep you on track and allow you to tap the power of the mastermind principle. Joel Cohen and I have created just such a high level coaching group to assist the "Bashers" in accomplishing the massive sales increases they expect to create in 2007.

The group size is limited and those who were at the Las Vegas program have the first claim on the available spots, but it looks like there may be three, possibly four vacant spots. We will know better in a few days.

If you are ready to give up excuses in favor of real results -- and if you have the courage to commit yourself to a massive sales increase in 2007 -- being part of such a Mastermind group may be just the support you need to pull it off.

If you are interested in being considered for an opening if it becomes available, send me an e-mail to that effect and I will get you the details of how the coaching group will work.

THE NOVEMBER SURVEY
Look out! The first of the Baby Boomers are turning 60, meaning that the largest population group in the country is graying ... but these people are not like your grandparents. They have led a much more active lifestyle (if you lived through the 60's you know what I mean!) and are not ready to retire into a life of shuffleboard and pablum.

They will continue to stay active for many years to come. They have money, they are used to dining out and while there are some inevitable limitations that will come with age, they still want the quality of life they have come to expect.

If you can capture this market you will be set for years to come. Miss it and someone else will cash in on the age wave. This month we look at what you are doing (could be doing, should be doing) to make your restaurant more senior-friendly and how you are -- or plan to be -- marketing to the Boomers.

As usual, I will make the collected information available to all those who participate in the survey. BTW, you can download copies of all past EHC surveys -- including the massive WOW Ideas collection.

Add your thoughts to the monthly survey.

THE PERPETUAL QUESTION
What did you learn from your staff today?

Today I re-enacted the listening session you did with us; two of my managers talking and listening to each other. Within the last week I have shouted them both down with their crazy ideas about how to "communicate" effectively with other staff as well as customers. Both came close to quitting! (I am SO failing this leadership stuff, Bill!)

At any rate, today at our manager's meeting I asked them to listen to each other. The first time each one did it, the conversations were meandering. The second time I asked them to do this they shared very personal things with each other. I was amazed!

One has a potentially cancerous lesion that she is afraid to have operated on because she's already had three other cancer operations at 28. The other has serious child-rearing problems that she can't seem to get a handle on. Amazing how differently they looked at each other when they were done!

I left them to reflect on that and to work through a scheduling problem they had between themselves. There were only smiles and ice words coming from the front table! -- Ann Reichle, Angelina's Pizza, Olmstead Falls, OH

Never doubt that the most critical -- and perhaps profitable -- management skill you can develop is your ability to truly listen ... and to teach your staff to do the same!

I will continue to collect your answers to this important question ... and you can add comments as often as you want. Just click on the link below and contribute your insights for the common good (and your own as well!)

What did YOU learn from YOUR staff today?

© 2006 Restaurant Doctor