Cutting costs without cutting your throat

Last time we talked about building trust and confidence.
Today we’re going to talk about cutting operating costs.
Here are two field-tested ideas from our Gatlinburg, TN, seminar.
We were at the Park Vista Hotel with the Lakeway Publishers group.
It was exhilarating. They are enthusiastic people with great ideas.
Idea #1: Don’t invite your people to cheat on their mileage reports.
How do you do this? Simply check odometers randomly.
Make sure the odometer readings match their mileage reports.
Our publisher caught one sales person several hundred miles off.
She had given herself a raise by claiming excessive mileage.
If you put temptation in someone's way, they might take it.
Idea #2: Pay them on miles driven, not a standard gas allowance.
A publisher friend asked how to get one of her sales people moving.
He stayed in the office and made calls by phone and on the Internet.
She paid him $200 a month for gas.
No wonder he stayed in the office.
If he didn’t burn gas, he made money.
We advised paying him on miles driven only.
Cut out the allowance and get him off his you-know-what.
Next time we’ll talk about building sales and revenues.
For more cost-saving strategies, click here.

Building trust and credibility

Last time we talked about increasing your sales and income.
Today we’re going to talk about building trust and confidence.
Greg Wych was looking for a local charity to sponsor.
I asked him to consider our $200 million literacy campaign.
We want to help 42 million Americans who can’t read.
We want to help millions more who have trouble reading.
Think of literacy as the foundation of all learning and knowledge.
Think of literacy as the first step toward success and wisdom.
Without literacy, it is difficult to survive or thrive.

Greg invited me to share this dream with his business group.
Sponsoring a charity adds credibility to any business venture.
If you and your business don’t sponsor one, consider it seriously.
I can tell you several stories about its impact on our credibility.
I’d like to ask you to join us in this 10-year literacy campaign.
Yesterday, Greg and I presented the idea to his group.
We asked for help with a memorable name for the campaign.
We asked for their ideas on how to reach the $200 million goal.
Would you and your group like to become involved?

Today MacLeod and I are off to Gatlinburg, TN, for a seminar.
We will share cost and revenue ideas with Lakeway Publishers.
We will come home with many of their great ideas.
Next week, I’ll share some of these great ideas with you.
Meanwhile, to improve your bottom line, click here.