Dig it, and Dung It! - by guest blogger Scott Carely

How healthy is your referral landscaping?

When we built our home in Lubbock back in 98, landscaping wasn't in the bid….so I got to do that!  Flowerbeds, a hedge, monkey grass trimming the driveway, moguls and a grassy front lawn.  Part of my dream house included a lawn without stickers.  Weeds brought stickers.  Weeds had to go.

I went back to the nursery and told the owner I needed "weed killer".  Instead…he suggested fertilizer.  I clarified the issue: WEEDS.  He clarified the solution: FERTILIZER.  He taught me something really powerful.  "Fertilize your grass.  Water it.  Aerate it.  Strong, healthy grass will choke out all your weeds."  He was soooooo right!

Interesting story in Luke 13:6-9  Read it.  It's good business advice.  I'm just saying…..

Luke 13:6  And He began telling this parable. "A man had a fig tree which had been planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and did not find any. 7  Then said he unto the vineyard keeper. 'Behold, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree without finding any. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground?' 8   And he answered and said unto him, 'Lord, let it alone this year, sir, for this year too, until I dig around it and put in fertilizer (dung); 9  and if it bear fruit next year, fine; but if not, cut it down.'" (NASB)

 Here is what we learned:

1. Three years into this project, the owner isn't happy with the crop return.

How long have you been into some projects and you're not seeing the return you want?

2. The dresser wants time to execute a strategy

Time isn't always the answer….unless it is accompanied by a plan or strategy.

3. He is going to Dig and Dung it (fertilize).

Digging simply means that you need to work your prospect and referral connections.  Sort out your contact base. Make some calls.

Dunging means…. you need tofertilize the referral connection with things that are a value add!  Give them something.  Recognize their efforts. Invite them to an event.  Offer something complementary.

If you want fruit (results)… Dig it and Dung it!

My clients use a 7-7-28 plan.

• 7 New connections to their data base per week
• 7 Personal notes or cards out to their A and B client list per week
• 28 Personal phone calls to A and B clients or Prospects.

Last week….one of my clients closed a $5600 proposal…..Digging and Dunging.  Contact me and I'll get you a shovel and some Miracle Grow!

Scott Carley, Coach512-470-0570

Coach@GrowthDynamic.com

Click HERE to test your Networking Proficiency

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A BIG THANKS for this excellent post to Scott!

....all the time!

"Try to tell me there's not a creator" - Bruk Schenken

Advancing in my dreams

"If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours." - Henry David Thoreau

That's an incredible statement. Dreaming, being confident in moving forward, having images of what the dreams look like, uncommon hours, achieving success.

Ask this,

- What am I dreaming?

- What do I really want?

Dream big and test them them by moving confidently to their achievement.

Don't just seize the day, throttle it.

To that end....Dream FIRST

Seize it. Throttle it.

Danny L. Smith
512-773-6528

"A time comes when you need to stop waiting for the man you want to become and start being the man you want to be." - Bruce Springsteen

Email: Top 3 Marketing Weapon

http://huff.to/1501YCM

I agree, in part with the author's colleague who believes emails from smartphones don't seem to offer a full or credible response. Emphasis on "seems." 

Having said that, you can say all you want, the "sent from......" is a bad marketing message. I'll add to this discussion "please excuse my errors..." Heck, that's not just bad marketing, it's bad leadership. How exactly does that statement influence someone? It does, negatively. And it makes the user looked used. 

Marketing is everything I do before and after getting the check, and everything rises and falls on leadership. 

My email is a top 3 marketing weapon and it needs to be tuned-in every time I use it. 

          To that end.............

Danny L. Smith

512-773-6528

"A time comes when you need to stop waiting for the man you want to become and start being the man you want to be." - Bruce Springsteen 

New Beginnings

"During the first period of a man's life the greatest danger is: not to take the risk" - Soren Kierkegaard

I don't know what context Kierkegaard wrote that comment but I contend that the same danger lies in the latter stages.

To "finish well" requires the risk of making the mistakes AGAIN.

So, is your dream big enough to take the risk, again?

To that end.......


"A time comes when you need to stop waiting for the man you want to become and start being the man you want to be." - Bruce Springsteen

Implementation, evaluation, correction

Lack of business is usually the lack of

Implementation - Evaluation - Correction - Re-Implementation - Evaluation - Correction - Re-Implementation - Evaluation - Correction - Re-Implementation - Evaluation - Correction - Re-Implementation - Evaluation - Correction - Re-Implementation - Evaluation - Correction - Re-Implementation - Evaluation - Correction - Re-Implementation - Evaluation - Correction - Re-Implementation - Evaluation - Correction - Re-Implementation - Evaluation - Correction - Re-Implementation - Evaluation - Correction - Re-Implementation - Evaluation - Correction - Re-Implementation - Evaluation - Correction - Re-Implementation................

Get it?

 

Struggles

If I had only one piece of advice for someone in the midst of a problem, it would be

"Don't waste the struggle."

Thinking back on some of mine, it would be literally horrible to have wasted them.

Danny L. Smith
512-773-6528

"A time comes when you need to stop waiting for the man you want to become and start being the man you want to be." - Bruce Springsteen

Thinking about yourself

Charles Stanley, in his book "Success God's Way," asks the question "how do you think about yourself?"

How we think about ourselves manifests into how we relate to others, our business, our marriages, our health and other aspects of our daily life.

Today, join me in having good thoughts about ourselves.

Danny L. Smith
512-773-6528

"A time comes when you need to stop waiting for the man you want to become and start being the man you want to be." - Bruce Springsteen

Changing the small things

It's changing the small things that matter. The more I pray, ponder and practice, the more I look at what's added value, what hasn't...the more it's about

changing the small things.

What did you change yesterday?

Annual Read: Declaration of Independence

You're Welcome

Please say "you're welcome" when I say Thank You.

Please don't make me think it might have been a problem by saying it's not one.

Thank you

Keep it short

Michael Hyatt's post this morning included the following tips on blogging  - 

1. Use short words.
2. Use short sentences.
3. Use short paragraphs.

Wise words in any context.

Read Michael's post at http://michaelhyatt.com/improve-writing.html

To that end.....

Danny L. Smith

512-773-6528

"A time comes when you need to stop waiting for the man you want to become and start being the man you want to be." - Bruce Springsteen 

Good, bad or otherwise, harvest the good - Paul Martinelli

What if you train yourself and you leave? What if you don't and you stay?

That's a play on Zig's

"What if you train your employees and they leave?

What if you don't and they stay?"

 

But you can't "leave" yourself. You're stuck with yourself but not who you are.
 

You spend time and money on new gadgets, systems, equipment, marketing, compliance, stuff, more new systems, more stuff and hire more people. Yet, do you train your people?

Do you train yourself?

Statistics continue to prove that the more training/coaching a company provides (or you GO GET), the more productivity, the more trust, and the better overall results. Companies that have training programs rank over 70% higher in local and national best places to work surveys.

Train others, train yourself.

 

 

To that end....

In-the-Box Thinking

The purpose is to stimulate my creativity 

from within, not construct from without 

- Paul Martinelli 

Thinking-in-the-box releases me from thinking I need to come up with new stuff. I believe the ideas, and what-it-takes-to-get-it-done is already inside me. Behavioral scientists say we only use a fraction of our abilities. Yes, maybe I need a bit of the stimulus I get by reading books, listening to speakers, seeking counsel, having good conversations, but I want to reconstruct and build on what God's given me.

I don't want to open that box up in front of St. Peter and find all the things God had in store for me that I didn't receive because I spent so much time piling unnecessary stuff on top of it.

Think-in-the-box and let me know if it frees you up just a bit, if your creativity expands.

To that end....have a great day!

A new generation being "formed"

At 58, I'm a digital immigrant and not a native, 

but I feel like a commuter. 

Thanks to Hurdie Burke for sharing this Google publication

Google's THINK group have declared a new generation: Gen C. 

Dig in the box long before thinking out of it

We grow by dreams

Goals and growth are properly fueled with DREAMS

What gives you the gumption to keep getting up, to keep-on-keeping-on? Dreams.

Small dreams, big dreams, dreams about a better life, a better job, better health, a house, a car...dreams. There are good dreams and bad dreams. There are dreams you should go after and those you probably shouldn't. 

Woodrow Wilson said, "We grow by dreams. All big individuals are dreamers. They see things in the soft haze of a spring day, or in the red fire on a long winter's evening. Some of us let those great dreams die, but others nourish and protect them; nourish them through bad days until they bring them to the sunshine and light which comes always to those who sincerely hope that their dreams will come true."

Whatever you goals are, whatever growth you want, keep dreaming or start dreaming again. Whether their little dreams, or BIG HOLY AUDACIOUS DREAMS (BHADs).....just dream.

To that end......

Repeat Well, and Simply Lead