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Business Success: A Little Bit of This and That
04/10/09
In her book, Alpha Dogs: How Your Small Business Can Become a Leader of the Pack, Donna Fenn focused on the business practices of several companies that have found great success.
At her CAMEX 2009 educational session, Fenn provided attendees some exemplary business practices from a few of the companies she chronicled in her book.
Two of those companies were PRConsultantsGroup and Trish Carter's Dancing Deer Baking Co.
PRConsultantsGroup is made up of senior-level PR and marketing representatives in every major market in the U.S. The company starts by hiring only those with experience, at least 10 years. They also must be able to cultivate deep ties in the community they will represent, be willing to share their best practices with the entire group, have a high degree of integrity, and be able to leave their ego at the door. The group works together or separately on projects in a collaborative system that provides a community focus for each client. There is no competing for clients, as each is considered part of the entire group.
It all started in 1992, when 7-Eleven was looking for PR consultants in major U.S. markets. The success PRConsultantsGroup had with 7-Eleven encouraged it to expand to include consultants in more markets. Its collaborative approach proved attractive to potential clients.
The payoff for the company, said Fenn, is 33 brains working on a much bigger playing field than would be possible with one central location.
The firm's overall message is to tap into and leverage the collective knowledge of peers in order to grow your business. One way is to share ideas at industry meetings such as CAMEX.
When considering Dancing Deer, it's the brand of the company that stands out more than anything else.
Dancing Deer boasts baked goods made with no preservatives. Carter was offered a deal that would have doubled her revenue by partnering with other companies, but preservatives would have been added to meet the shelf-life requirements of those companies. Carter, however, wasn't willing to compromise the integrity of her product for the sake of profits. The result is a satisfied customer base that knows they're getting the best possible product.
In addition to the quality of the product, Carter goes out of her way when it comes to community outreach. One program her company sponsors is called Sweet Home. When a customer purchases "Sweet Home" cake and cookie gifts, Dancing Deer donates 35% of the price to education, job training, child care, and housing through a nonprofit called One Family Inc.
In addition, Carter promotes her own efforts to help the less fortunate. One example is a bike ride Carter will take for charity. Carter plans to ride 1,500 miles from Atlanta to Boston, staying at homeless shelters in 15 cities along the way. The ride is designed to promote solutions to family homelessness.
Dancing Deer's brand makes it stand out among its peers. Carter created a distinct identity for her product and service by building a relationship with her customers and community, fostering a positive company culture, and adhering to a high set of values.
To sum up her presentation, Fenn offered four essentials for success in business.
"Service Seals the Deal for Loyal Customers"
www.nacs.org/news/040309-zanes.asp "Alpha Dogs Need the Whole Team Pulling"
www.nacs.org/news/032709-alphadogs.asp
—Dan Pender
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