Some years ago, I decided to conduct research into why there were so few women in senior positions within law firms.

A great idea for a piece of worthwhile content but it also had an unexpected yet very beneficial upside.

I started conversations with around 15 decision makers in law firms that were great ICP matches.

In this edition of FTDOMA I explain what I did and how I got the introductions.

Honestly, it was a doddle and I have to say, I had a 100% success rate on turning an introduction into a conversation. 

I think it could work for you, too.

Metrics are data points that tell you how something has performed or is going to perform.
 
Providing they are accurate, you can then make decisions to rectify problems or head off potential future issues.
 
In this edition of FTDOMA I share three groups of metrics I believe every recruitment firm should collect.
 
The bigger your business, the more data points you’ll need; however, my advice is to start small and work your way up.
 
That said, even if you are on your own, it’s essential to collect and analyse your results and diagnostic metrics.
 
Do this, and growing your business will be easier (and safer).

Candidate or contractor registers used to be a huge asset for recruitment firms.
 
Indeed, they figured heavily in the valuation of those companies, too.
 
However, with the rise of LinkedIn and job boards, the importance of a recruitment firm’s database has diminished.
 
Of course, some companies work hard to maintain the relevance and integrity of their databases.
 
Others just hit the job boards and see what’s there when they get a vacancy.
 
You can use your register to give you an edge over the competition as a USP when pitching and to engage candidates that other agencies aren’t talking to.
 
Check this video out for more.

I recently listened to a podcast, and although the guest was knowledgeable and shared many valuable insights, I found it a bit dry.  The reason was that the interview was a series of (quite valid) pieces of advice after another.

 What was missing were stories to illustrate the point.

In this episode of FTDOMA I explain how to use stories as a business tool and yes, I do tell a couple of stories in it! 

Stories bring an extra depth to your messages and can be a powerful tool, one worth mastering in myy humble opinion.

I recently watched a podcast where Jimmy Carr said, “Small talk brings people together, and big talk separates them.”
 
How true is that!
 
In this message, I reinforce the uses of small talk in a business context and then share three tips to improve your skills in this area.
 
Can you learn to be good at small talk?
 
You sure can. I was a programmer who couldn’t look people in the eye, and now I can talk to anybody.
 
Dig into the video, and then please leave a comment with your thoughts after you’ve watched it.

You go to a restaurant, and at the end of the meal, they come round with the bill and a heap of mint chocolates and ask you how many you’d like.
 
Or, before a visit to a Spa hotel, they ask you about your preference for the size of the dressing gowns, and when you arrive, that’s the size they give you.
 
Or, on the anniversary of doing business with a client, you get a thank you card in the post or a personalised thank you video via email.
 
All of these are Sili features, Small Items with a Large Impact.
 
Build them into your service, and they will differentiate you, make people believe you get the big things right and increase referrals.

At our growth summits, we discuss the differences between a Scale-4-Sale business and a Profit, Lifestyle, and Wealth business.

On one slide there is a line that sums up what success means in each case.

For the scale up business, success means “more”, but for the PLW business success means “enough”.

In this edition of FTDOMA I explore this concept and then discuss the implications for you, as a business owner.

Don’t forget, a business provides 4 things for its owners we want to make sure it does!

When it comes to building relationships, speaking on the phone comes after an in-person meeting and a video call.
 
It’s really hard to build a relationship thru the written word like emails, LinkedIn DMs and WhatsApp’s.
 
But how often do you struggle to get people on the phone when you need them.
 
Another problem further down the relationship trail is getting your clients to look at things and then act on them.
 
The solution is simple and devastatingly effective.
 
In this video, I’ll explain two things you can do to be more effective at reaching the people you need quickly.

Sales calls can be difficult and we often find ourselves “doing this one thing first” followed by another before we make that next call.
 
In this edition of FTDOMA, I share one tip that has worked well for me over the years.
 
It relates to three pieces of information you need to keep about your targets.
 
Do that, and suddenly, the sales calls will become easier. There will be less need to procrastinate, and more calls will be made.
 
In addition, your calls are likely to be more successful!
 
I also include at the end the targets I use when making sales calls that might also help you.

A brand is like a shortcut. People see part of yours, and an internal box is ticked (or it isn’t).
 
That’s why the corporates spend millions of pounds building their brands.
 
See the golden arches or an apple with a bite out of it and feel it’s okay to get your credit card out. Right?
 
It might be for big corporations, but it's different for solopreneurs or small rec firms.
 
In this edition of FTDOMA, I unpick company and personal branding to make knowing what you must do easy.
 
The good news is that most of your brand is not down to image and messaging. There is something far more important.