How did we take a small Wellington based radio sales consultancy business and turn it into a global success story servicing 400 worldwide markets and selling to 320,000 people?
It all started with a Dictaphone. In the early days we worked out that we could show radio media companies how to move advertisers from a small two week campaign into a 52 week commitment. I watched my business partner in action and realised that he always did the same thing. He said the same words, made the same offers and got the same results. I spent a week watching him, recording him and taking notes. I created a sales system around what we did, with manuals clearly outlining every single word and action taken. We then packaged up the system and began selling it to other media companies… all around the world. In effect we turned a commodity into a system. Now my business partners and I live in Wellington, our CEO is in Atlanta and we have offices in four different countries… all doing things exactly the way we would.
And so my tip for business owners who want to decrease reliance on you and create a leveraged business is to take time to document exactly what you do. Use the microphone app on your iphone/android and record yourself as you go about your day… every single little thing that you do and say. Then get it transcribed and turn it into a manual… paper or computer based, whatever works for you. It may seem laborious – and it is – but this is ultimately what will set you free. Turn what you do well into a system. Then train others to use it.
Good Selling
– Mike