roadmap for success

Copyright © 2006-2009 Entrepreneur Success Strategies LLC. All rights reserved.

ROADMAP

for

SUCCESS

A Workshop

Jon Slaybaugh, Author

Presents

This program was prepared and is presented by Entrepreneur Success Strategies, LLC. The program and its content is copyright protected and can not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written consent of Entrepreneur Success Strategies, LLC.

The principles and concepts presented in this program have produced performance improvements in actual businesses. While we can not guarantee results, ….. you too can achieve improved business performance. Actual results achieved in your business will depend on your application of and commitment to the principles and concepts presented, and how you manage the non-strategic business elements.

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ENTREPRENEURSuccess Strategies

LLC TM

Entrepreneur Success Strategies LLC is an Ohio company.


• Introduction• Pricing• Vision• Mission• Time Based Competition• Strategy & Value Creation

• Product Definition• Market Niche Definition• Competitive Positioning• Unique Selling Proposition• Marketing Plan

Workshop Chapters

ROADMAP for SUCCESS

Underlined chapters have a workbook sheet to complete.

Here are the Chapters contained in the CD Workshop. The same chapters are contained in the DVD Video Workshop. Each chapter that is underlined has a corresponding Workbook section. You can go through the program chapter by chapter, or go back to any chapter for review and to reinforce learning.

This free introduction file gives you the principles for success …..

The WHAT to do and HOW to do it!

By purchasing the complete DVD or CD ROM programs, you will get a detailed, step-by-step program, leading you through how to apply these principles.

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Customers,Clients

and Constituents

Throughout the program, we use the term ―customers‖; this is the same as ―constituents‖ or ―clients‖. Here, we are talking about WHO you provide your product to – the recipients of your services.

Here is another definition of terms used in the program. ―Product‖ applies whether you produce and/or sell a good or a service. ―Product‖ is what you provide your customers; ―Service‖ is how you go about delivering that ―product‖ to them.

While the focus of the dialog may seem like it is aimed at ―Businesses‖, the concepts are applicable to any organization, whether ―for profit‖ or ―non-profit‖, so long as you rely on customers or constituents for your success.

Products and

Services


Source: Managerial Marketing: The Ultimate Advantage

B. Charles Ames & James D. Hlavacek

First let’s tall about Marketing. You will find this same thought in the Market Niche Chapter. It is important to understand it now, because it is an underpinning for the multi-focused approach used in the program.

Marketing is not the advertising and promotion activity of your business or organization.

To the left is a definition that I like.This definition can apply to any organization, whether ―for profit‖ or ―non-profit‖. All have a need to improve performance, however performance is measured.

Advertising and Promotion is only a

tactic used to accomplish your

Marketing Strategy.

―…Marketing … is a total business philosophy aimed at improving profit performance by identifying the needs of each key customer group and then designing and producing a product or service package that will enable the company to serve selected customer groups or segments more effectivelythan it’s competition.‖


This program will help you to…..

Think Entrepreneurially

Most resources for entrepreneur business planning focus around the ―mechanics‖ of writing a Business Plan. Unfortunately, the best written business plan, if written around the wrong strategy and underlying assumptions, will likely lead to disappointment.

This program gives you an ―analytical‖ approach to step by step develop a winning strategy, with well thought out assumptions, for your business. It helps you to ….. ―Think Like an Entrepreneur‖.

Once you have completed this program, you will have the basis for writing a successful Business Plan.

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You can find templates for writing a complete Business Plan at www.score.orgor search ―Business Plans‖ on the Internet.


Task

Inspiration&

Imagination

DreamMove from

• Stop being totally TASK focused –start dedicating time to DREAM –Inspiration & Imagination

• Dedicate time each day to getting inspired, then imagining what could be.

• Idea – Go to the Internet and Google ―Entrepreneur‖ and see what you find.

• You will be moving from …..

WORKING IN YOUR BUSINESS

to

WORKING ON YOUR BUSINESS

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It is not about YOU!

Its about creating value for a group of

customers with a common problem.

You need to understand that what you want and what your business does - what you now do, the product or service you now offer, the market you now serve - is not the important thing. What is important for success is finding a group of customers with a common problem, then using your imagination to find an inspired solution.

Solving problems creates value.

If you are creating value for your customers, you will undoubtedly be creating value for You and for Your Business.

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What is the Program Take-Away?

You will develop

Your

Unique Selling Proposition

You will be completing a workbook sheet at the end of each section. With the completed workbook sheets for each section, you will be led through a process to extract a Unique Selling Proposition for your business. This USP is not just a phrase or motto or advertizing gimmick; it is a statement about what sets you apart from any other competitor, a statement about your unique capabilities and a way you commit to run your business.

Following the USP implementation, or Marketing workbook section, you will have your unique ………

RoadMap for Success!

The following pages use my own experiences to illustrate the principles taught in this program.

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Vision

Use Your Inspiration

& Imagination

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Thinking back to my own experience in the sensor market, we did not have a lot of capital to spend and we were much smaller than the competitor companies.

We had many fewer sales resources and we were much less well known by the average customer at the start. But, we had a VISION.

USE YOUR

INSPIRATION & IMAGINATION

TO CREATE YOUR

VISION

As much as being a profitable business should be an objective, it can not be your Vision. It is not likely that you can build a profitable business without a vision for how you will create value for a group of select customers.


Focused Market Niche(s)

Define your business around a group of customers with a common problem.

We had very focused market niche definitions. We found technical solutions specific to the niche versus following a ―one size fits all‖ or ―me too‖ approach. We routinely introduced new product features, offering additional problem solutions.

While we had a small market share of the overall sensor market, we held a significant share of our niche market, at one point over 90%!

Define your business around a group of customers with a common problem …..

HONE IN ON YOUR MARKET NICHEDEFINITION.

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Get Close to the Customers

Your key to finding unsolved problems

We were close to the customers within those niches. I spent at least half of my time traveling to customers locations or meeting with them in their facility, our facility, trade shows and other venues.

A CEO / Owner who is not spending 40% to 50% of his/her time in front of customers, asking questions, is NOT close to their customers.

Invite them to your facility, meet them at trade shows or other events, call them, if retail be in the store….. and yes, go to their operations.This is the way you will find unsolved problems to solve.

GET CLOSE TO YOUR CUSTOMERS

―You Have to Taste the Pickle to Know How It Tastes!‖

Unknown

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Forget ―Me Too‖ Solutions

Your Product or Service needs to be

UNIQUE

We continuously offered new UNIQUE solutions.

Every product or service you offer should offer a unique solution for a problem shared by you customers. Being just like your competitors is not much of a future.

When multiple competitors are ―just alike‖ the customer soon learns to drive PRICE as the differentiator.

You need an EDGE over competition that is sustainable over time.

Forget ―Me Too‖ Solutions

BE UNIQUE!

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Do It Rapidly &

Repeatedly

Your Key to staying ahead of any competitor

We continuously tried torecognize unfulfilled needs and then respond much faster than the larger competitor companies were able to not only act, but react.

We routinely had product revisions in the market before competitors had released their copy of our original offering.

DO IT RAPIDLY

THEN DO IT AGAIN

Your key to stay ahead of any competitors

Time is the one asset you have the same amount of as the biggest competitor. Use it wisely.

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So here is …..THE WHAT TO DO

Have a Vision for your business – use your inspiration & imagination

Have a Niche Focus – Be a Big Fish, even if in a very small pond

Get Close to your Customers –understand their Needs & Wants

Offer Unique Solutions – be differentiated from your competitors

Use Rapid Execution – make Time a competitive weapon

NOWHere is the bases for any successful business …..

THE HOW TO DO IT

• Vision• Focused market

niches

• Close to Customers • Forget ―Me Too‖

Solutions• Do It Rapidly &

Repeat

THE

WHAT TO DO

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Find a Problem and Solve It!

&Stay Focused!

THE

HOWTO DO IT

FIND A PROBLEM AND SOLVE IT TO CREATE VALUE

Everywhere you look, you can find problems that people would like to have solved, no matter what type business you have.

If you are solving a problem, you are creating value for your customer, … and, if you create customer value there will be value for your business.

Be an active seeker of problems to solve.

Then use your imagination!

Be sure to stay focused on your Vision, and around your Unique Product offering and your selected Market Niche. Stay true to your Plan!


―Too many

people risk their

life savings on a

not very

original idea.‖

Source: Tom Peter’s Blog

on Entrepreneurship

Here is what Tom Peter’s had to say on his blog on entrepreneurship:

―Too many people risk their life savings on a not very original idea. No, I don't mean that you have to start a Google, but I do mean that you must be clear, very very clear, about how your new Italian restaurant or real estate agency will be "dramatically different" from the current offerings in your locale-market. Far too many folks "bet the farm" on, in effect, a "me too" proposition—too sad.‖

This workshop will help you to notbe part of this statistic!

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Define your business around a …..

Unique Selling Proposition

Don’t think of just your current product, whether it is a good or a service.

In everything you do, tell customers and prospects how you will solve a problem they have and what value you will be creating for them.

Define your business around a

Unique Selling Proposition …

One that inherently solves

Problems for Customers.

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Remember,

………… an IDEA….. without an

ACTION PLAN… is only a DREAM

Remember,

An IDEA ….. without an ACTION PLAN to implement it… is only a

DREAM

You need to turn your dreams into reality by developing & following action plans.

In that way, you can …..

LIVE YOUR DREAMS!

You can purchase the complete program on-line, on CD ROM Book or DVD Video format.

See our web site at …..

www.e-s-strategies.com

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He who ignores discipline comes to poverty and shame, but he who heeds correction is honored.

Proverbs 13:18


To Contact Us go to

www.e-s-strategies.comor

www.entrepreneursuccessstrategies.com

and

click on the ―Contact Us‖ link

To contact us, go to …..

www.e-s-strategies.com and click on the ―Contact Us‖ link. You will find phone and e-mail contact information for general comments. You can also leave a comment about this Workshop overview, topics for possible future programs and any general questions for the author. You can experience the full benefits of this program by buying the CD ROM Book or the DVD Video Workshop; click on the ―Product‖ page.

While at our web site, take a moment to use the link to tell a friend about this program.

Thank you for your interest in the ….. ROADMAP for SUCCESS …..

CD Workshop and best wishes for the success of your business!

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