Making Uncertainty Your Comfort Zone

Sunday, Feb. 21, 2016

3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Presented by

Russell White, CSP

Pinnacle Solutions Clover, S.C.

American Rental Association 1900 19th St., Moline, IL 61265 800-334-2177 ARArental.org

Comfort Zone Differs from the Safety Zone

“Feeling safe is important, in fact, critical to business success.”

The Comfort Zone: We are at ease, relaxed, confident, have steady income, and

experience smooth sailing with no negative surprises.

We feel most secure here. We have a certainty in this place. We understand our

competitors and have a friendly relationship with them.

The Safety Zone: Our business is strong, growing, making good revenue, and

improving.

The Safety Zone for today’s rental business: Take measured risks, use evolving

technology, have less structure, delegate more, become more agile in our thinking and

our actions.

We need talent over experience. There are many more unknowns here with many

potential negative surprises. We live in uncertainty.

What is your tolerance for being outside of your comfort zone?

Everyone here stepped outside of the comfort zone

when you got into business for yourselves.

Beginning steps beyond the comfort zone:

It’s only one meal.

Do something you’ve never done before.

Stepping beyond the comfort zone in the rental store:

Less stability and more agility

Hire talent over experience.

Delegate and step back.

When was the last time you upgraded your comfort zone?

Why Do We Fear Uncertainty

“We don’t fear the unknown. We fear what we project onto the unknown.”

We have little experience in what we are being asked to do.

With limited experience, there is a limited perspective.

Fear of failure, rejection and the unknown

We have a lack of trust.

It can be risky.

Your Chicken Point is Holding You Back

“When I started it was easier to be successful. Today it’s just crazy.

I could never start in today’s business climate.”

Limiting beliefs

Do you see danger or opportunity?

Waiting on the right time

Fear of offending others with your ambition

Memories of previous mistakes

Typically, the older we get the less risk tolerant we become.

New Thinking for Dealing with Uncertainty

“Fear, uncertainty and discomfort are your compasses for growth.”

Buried treasure is rarely found on the first attempt.

Find the exception to your limiting beliefs.

Fruitful failures

Don’t procrastinate – If you wait for the right time, it will never happen.

Measured Risk Rules:

Don’t bet more than what you can expect as a return.

Don’t bet more than you can afford to lose.

Low-cost, short-term testing

What is the worst that could happen? What are the possibilities of that happening?

Action plan for taking measured risk

What is something you’ve always wanted to do, but haven’t yet?

What is stopping you from doing it?

To make that dream a reality, what things do you need to do?

Make a plan.

Start executing.

Reinvent the success strategy for the modern business climate.

Look for talent, not experience.

Listen to those who do, not the porch sitters. Be optimistic.

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking

backwards. You have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.

Trust in something – your gut, karma, God, whatever.

This approach has never let me down.”

-- Steve Jobs

Solving the “Who?” Factor

“Be easy to find and be memorable.”

95% of people buy from the first business that comes to mind (or appears at the top of a

Google search).

Create something memorable that people will remember and share with others.

Out of sight is out of mind: Consistency of message wins.

1 in 3 people initially research on a mobile device: What do they see when you are

Googled?

Build alliances and referral networks.

Reputation Management

“When they know you before they contact you, they trust you.”

24-hour follow up

Customer thank you notes

Encourage Yelp reviews.

Facebook business page

Show off happy workers, new employees and employees having a birthday

Instagram photos, catering, special events and drawing winners

Fan marketing on YouTube

Set up Google +, Google My Business and Google Mapmaker.

Take 3

Make a commitment to take three ideas from this presentation and apply them to your

rental locations.

Idea 1

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Idea 2

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Idea 3

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