You never know where you'll find a GREAT idea..

I talk a lot with small business owners and through my work in the professional beauty industry, I work directly with a lot of salon owners and stylists at beauty salons. It is a fantastic industry where people are passionate and emotionally committed to their work and it's a whole lot of fun!


Recently, I was working with a beautiful salon just outside of Atlanta and we spent a lot of the day on how to add value to their client's experience. Given the ecomomic environment, focusing on your value proposition along with your products, services and execution is key to survival. I left the session feeling great knowing that we talked about some great value added ideas and how to put them into action.

I thought about ways I could add some additional value and came across an idea in one of the most unlikely places, the men's room at a bowling ally! Before you all get excited, this blog is rated PG-13 so let me explain.

I have two children, Megan and Matthew (you'll be hearing more about them in the future, I'm sure) and Matt was invited to a birthday party for a classmate. It was a bowling party on a Sunday morning and I was doing my "Dad" duties and taking him to the party (I wasn't thrilled but it is in the job description).

I decided to stay at the bowling ally rather than drive back and forth and towards the end, needed to use the facilites. In the men's room, over the handtowel dispenser, I noticed a flyer that the bowling ally had put up. It announced a "Superbowl Widows Party" to take place on Superbowl Sunday - sort of a women's night out for all the ladies that are abandoned by the guys watching the big game.

I thought this was a brilliant idea! Think about it:

1. It's going to be dead in the bowling ally on that day
2. There is a group people who are going to be left with nothing to do

The bowling ally discovered a chance to add value and make some revenue on a day that would have been dead for business. I loved it and I immediately saw a way to apply this to my salon friends and help them do the same and sent out a note with a call to action!

Here is an idea that you can do in your salon to generate extra service revenue, sample opportunities, retail sales – even bring new clients to the salon. It is simple, easy, customizable and fun. Throw a Superbowl “Widows” Event – essentially something fun for the ladies to do while the guys are watching the game.

This could be run in the salon Sunday afternoon as a “pre-game” event or in the evening during the game – whatever the you want to do. Offer quick, pampering services – a shampoo with a complimentary conditioning treatment, retail offerings, bring a friend – even cross sell into other areas of the salon. Of course, wine and food are optional. The ideas are endless and can be whatever the salon wants it to be. Ultimately, they can boost revenue and expand clientele on a day that the salon typically wouldn’t generate any revenue while having a fun time with their clients.

The moral of the story is: always be on the look out for great ideas and never by shy about lifting a great idea either! You might just find your next creative, value adding, revenue producing idea at the bowling ally.

Take care.

Joe Sileo
President - TRAIN, LLC

* - The salon I worked with in Atlanta is the JYL CRAVEN COLOUR STUDIO. Take a look at the website at http://www.jylcraven.com/ and if you're in the area, definitely give Jyl a call and stop by the salon!

Happy New Year! Is it too late to keep saying that?

Why is it that by January 3rd, people stop saying Happy New Year when they see you? I know time flies but the year is just getting started, so keep saying it!! Happy New Year!!

Now that we've got that out of the way and we dust off the old year and begin 2009, there is no doubt that some of the challenges from 2008 will carry over into the coming months but it is also a time to start anew.

Make Goals – Not Resolutions
At this time of the year, everyone starts to think about making some resolutions. I’ve done this in the past and have always been more successful by setting goals or turning my resolutions into goals.

What’s the difference? Resolutions typically are vague, broad in reach and open ended. By following this simple guide, you’ll achieve even more than you planned on in 2009.

1. Be positive and focus on moving forward
2. Realize what you can and cannot control and spend time on what you can control
3. Set a few, focused goals and write them down
4. These goals should be realistic and challenge you but not outrageous
5. Break each goal into small measurable chunks of activity – this will give you targets to shoot for and keep you moving forward
6. Actually do the activities that will help you achieve your goals
7. Put timing around each goal, in 1 month I’ll be here, in 3 months I’ll be here, in 6 months here
8. Celebrate when you take successful steps toward achieving your goals
9. Be willing to adjust your goal as time goes by or things change - stuff happens, be flexible
10. Look at your goal sheet often, post it where you can see it, don’t just pull it out once or twice during the year
11. Tell someone, a coach, mentor, spouse or partner your goals – this will make them real and they can help hold you accountable
12. Allow yourself to have “your moments”; take 5 minutes and let out your anger or frustration, then move on
13. In the words of my friend, Dr Lew, “What is..…is!” Whether something is right or wrong, fair or unfair doesn’t matter. It’s happened – now move forward from there.
14. Remember to have fun

Good luck and give this a shot. It is never too late to start TRAINing!

Joe Sileo

President - TRAIN, LLC

And so it begins.....

I'm really excited about today and launching my blog, "personal TRAINing"! A good friend and partner of mine, Mark Ferdman, Founder and CEO of Freedom Partners, talked to me about starting a blog and gave me a nudge in the right direction on how to do it. I think the title is "catchy" and really defines what I want to achieve with the information here.

I view this as an extension of what I speak to in my training sessions and workshops and by using this method of communication, I can make it more "personal". I consider this to be an added value to anyone who I've trained and a way to connect with everyone else.

I realized that I've actually been blogging to my clients, friends and partners through the e-mails I send out. I'm excited to start this process and I look at it as a way to add even more value to the individuals who attend my programs and I know professionally through TRAIN, plus my partners, collegues and friends.

That being said, there are a few points I want to make.

1. First, you wont just be hearing from me, I intend to invite the brilliant individuals I interact with to post information and I intend to interview people I think everyone will find interesting.
2. Second, I will start the blog by posting content from a few emails I've sent out recently. (Some really good stuff!!)
3. And finally, although the information that I will share with you here is of business nature, most, if not all of it can be used in all aspects of your life. (I like that, more added value!)

I'm looking forward to this adventure and invite you along as an active participant. HANG ON - I intend to make this a fun and informative ride!! Let's get a good stretch going and start TRAINing!!

Sincerely,

Joe SileoPresident - TRAIN, LLC

* - coming soon, I'll be launching my website, http://www.traintobethebest.com

** - check out Freedom Partners at http://www.freedomandpartners.com