I was at a networking event yesterday, and as the women went around the tables to introduce themselves and explain what they did, I had a thought, "Every business does two things – what they do and what they REALLY do".
What do I mean? Well, take my business. I am a copywriter, which means I write website words and marketing words. But, what I REALLY do is help clients get clear on what they offer to their customers, fall back in love with their business, get enthused about the possibilities in their business and attract new clients.
And another example - I was talking to a psychic colleague the other day. What she does is offer tarot readings. What she REALLY does is give hope, clarity and some steps for the future for her clients.
And for my painter client – what he does is commercial painting for body corporates'. What he really does is bring diverse clients together to quickly beautify their surroundings, gain consensus, and bring a sense of pride and happiness.
Every business has something that they do, and something that they REALLY do. In business, we need to explain what we do in a way that people understand. But, what makes us unique is what we REALLY do. So, "what we do" opens the door for a conversation. "What we really do" gives the positive experience for the client.
The challenge is that people don't wake up in the morning and decide they want to buy hope, pride or clarity. They decide they need to buy a widget and the other things are the silently hoped-for side effects of their purchase. And you will notice that many of these side effects are feeling or emotional states and not "things" or tasks.
Our job is to make the silent hopes explicit if we are to have any chance of meeting them. We can do this through questioning at the time of purchase, or client feedback processes after the purchase. Chances are if one person had a silent hoped-for wish, others will too.
We can then work out how we can meet these hidden needs. What do we need to do to give hope, pride, clarity or whatever the feeling that people are really looking for?
We have to be aware that people buy "what we do". But what makes them a raving fan and what makes us unique is "what we really do". So, the next time you are stuck on finding out what makes you or your team unique, ask yourself, "What do I REALLY do?"
HR Tip of the Week: What does your team really do?
The question, "What do you REALLY do?" is a great one to use in team planning or strategic planning processes.
Most teams and executive groups when asked what they do, will list a whole pile of projects or services they deliver. But what makes them valueable to an organisation is what they REALLY do.
The finance team issues and pays invoices. What they really do is ensure cashflow for the whole business as well as being the corporate watchdogs keeping the company on the straight and narrow.
HR hires and fires. What they really do is ensure that projects flow smoothly because the right people with the right skills are in the right place at the right time.
For an executive group to ask what their business "really does" can open up possibilities for other income streams.
For example, if Borders had asked that question, they could have realised that while what they do is "sell physical books", what they really do is "sell information" or "sell data". This would have opened their thinking to what else they could sell instead of hard copy books, and potentially saved them from going into receivership.
Like all of our Heart Harmony products, our Employee Performance Reviews product has undergone a major update over the past few weeks.
And in particular, we have added in a pile of new bonuses.
We now have full transcripts of each of the MP3 training sessions, so you can quickly refresh your memory of something that I said during the training.
We have added in a pile of useful and relevant articles including:
How to review jobs that have changed
How to review freelancers or subcontractors
Are they really a poor performer
Why CEO's need a review
7 ways to help people transition through change
New employee inductions
Firing tips
And we have added in 100 Exceptional Performance Appraisal Questions, so you can have pretty much every scenario covered.
This is in addition to the already brilliant value of the ebook, 8 MP3 training sessions and performance review forms.
And even better ... we have kept the same low price $24.97 + GST.
Sharing what you do online is a great way to attract new clients. But don't just look at your website as the be-all and end-all. In this post I share some quirky ways that are driving massive amounts of traffic to my website (and they don't cost a cent).
Legal stuff: This newsletter is intended as only a general guideline for Australian businesses. You should seek specific advice for your situation rather than relying only on this newsletter
Earnings disclaimer. Some of the content may include advertorial information, which means I may receive financial compensation for the products I recommend. But - unless I know and trust the product, I will not recommend it.
Ingrid thankyou this article is fantastic, i learn something new every single time i read your weekly newsletters , have a magnificent day
Vanessa Sumner
Heart and Soul Transformations
Thanks Vanessa - This topic really applies to you. You do much more than energy healings and selling crystals ... there is a little bit of love and joy in all you do.
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The question, "What do you REALLY do?" is a great one to use in team planning or strategic planning processes. 
Ingrid thankyou this article is fantastic, i learn something new every single time i read your weekly newsletters , have a magnificent day
