The Power Hour

Karan Radcliffe, Independent Executive Director with Pampered Chef, was featured in Step into Success^TM  magazine (our predecessor of The Success Express). We asked for her advice she could give our readers and she stated: "You can build a great business by working only 13 hours a week."

When asked how, she provided specific guidance on how to maximize your time by thinking in terms of a "Power Hour." Here is what she said:

"Every day (or five days a week) spend one 'Power Hour.' The first 15 minutes, spend the time making hostess-related calls: hostess coaching and setting up shows. The second 15 minutes, spend the time making teambuilding-related calls: following up on recruit leads or calling someone you met at a show who would be great doing what you do.

The last half-hour, spend the time servicing what you did the first half-hour: sending out hostess packets or recruiting information. Then spend two evenings per week doing shows. If management is a goal, [simply double your efforts] by spending two 'Power Hours.' "

It wasn't long before our readers began calling to share the profound results they were experiencing since implementing their own "Power Hours."  There was such an overwhelming response, in fact, that I contacted Karan and asked her to discuss the system in more detail with me.

I found Karan's advice so powerful that I realized I needed to be training it. But, before you can train something effectively, you need to do it yourself. So, I added my own little touches to make it work for me and began to utilize the system in my daily life.

So, here is how the Power Hour^TM system works.

To help you get organized, take four manila folders and label them with four topics that need your regular, focused attention. These could be: Booking Leads, Recruiting Leads, Customer Service and Personal Development and Growth. Personal Development and Growth is really important and you could use that last 15 minutes for going to The Success Express^TM site for ideas and motivation or you could print articles from the site and place them in this folder to be referred to during your Power Hour^TM at a later time.

If you're a manager, you may want to increase your time spent to half-hour increments instead of 15 minutes or you may want to spend one Power Hour on your personal business and allocate a separate hour for team-building or team-support activities. That extra Power Hour for Leaders could focus on: Calling Your New Consultants, Teambuilding Calls, Recruiting Lead Follow-up, Meeting Ideas, etc.

You allocate one hour and divide it into four 15-minute increments, with an increment devoted to each of your four topics.

During the first 15 minutes, you pull out your first folder and discipline yourself to only work on the topic at hand, no matter what. Your topic could be "booking calls" or "customer care calls." The point is, you spend that 15-minute timeframe only making booking calls or customer care calls and nothing else.  When your 15 minutes are up, you go on to the next folder and topic and spend 15 minutes on that topic. Then, in the next 15 minutes, you move on to the next foldertopic, and so on.

Customer Service is really customer care

Customer service is taking care of our customers and our hostesses. It's building a strong rapport and camaraderie; it's making friends and establishing relationships that will ultimately make us their "consultant for life."

So customer service is a category that should not be ignored when allocating the 15-minute increments of your Power Hour^TM. How many of us make it a point to call our hostesses a week or so after they receive their products and ask, "How is everything? How are you enjoying your products? Was everyone excited to get their orders?"

The truth of the matter is that most of us don't make customer service calls because we equate it with negative responses: problems, complaints, etc., and we don't want to deal with it. The excuse we'll often use is, "I just don't have the time to call everyone back." In reality, we can't afford not to call everyone back!

We want our hostesses and customers to be advocates for our businesses. We want them to use and show everyone all the free products that they received from our companies. We want them to rave about our products and hostess plans, to be excited that they had a show, and to encourage others to do the same.  How can our hostesses and customers be advocates for our businesses if they're not using their products or receiving exemplary customer service from us?

Do you think that everyone was able to get everything they wanted the night of the show? Of course not! That's why it's important to do follow up. You could reap $1,000 to $2,000 in extra sales outside of your shows each and every month with these calls.

When making your calls, rather than calling to ask if there is anything they need right now, use verbiage such as:

"Hi Mary, this is Carol. I'm really excited about a great special we have this month (describe it), and I'm calling my special customers to let you know that I'm placing a special order this week. Would you like me to add you to that list?"

This offer could focus on current holidays or events, i.e., "This makes a great Mother's Day gift," or "This would be perfect for any weddings or anniversaries you have coming up," or "This item would be great for those hard-to-buy-for people on your holiday gift list this year." When people are asked, "Is there anything you are needing right now?" It's too easy to simply respond with, "No, I'm all set." So try this idea and boost your sales!

The Power Hour helps us focus on our goals

We all know the importance of goals. Many of us have short- and long-term goals in our business, and one of the major vehicles we use to propel us toward our goals are daily lists, or things we wish to accomplish each day.

 

Unfortunately the majority of us do not make "healthy" lists. You may ask: What is a "healthy" list? A healthy daily list is simply one that lists no more than five things that can realistically be accomplished within a 24-hour timeframe -- things that will move us toward our goal!

We set ourselves up for failure by making unhealthy lists filled with scores of things to do that are unrealistic and impossible to complete. At the end of the day, when only four or five tasks have been completed, we become discouraged. Making healthy lists reinforces a positive sense of accomplishment.

All too often I hear salespeople and managers say, "I never have time for myself; it seems like I do this business 24 hours a day!" It's not that you don't have the time; it's that you don't allocate the time for yourself. Each day ask yourself: "What five things am I going to do today to get me to my goal? What five things can I do during the next 24 hours that will propel me forward on my journey to success?" Then do them, 15 minutes at a time!

When you get them done, you will feel great, and have a sense of pride and accomplishment. Then you can take time out to do the things you enjoy -- time for you! It's all about how you allocate your time.

There is nothing you can't accomplish by breaking it down into smaller tasks.  One hour each day. Four 15-minute increments can begin to move you in the direction of your goals. By incorporating this Power Hour^TM system into your business, I am confident that you will begin to see powerful results!

[Editor's Note:  Belinda has completed a lot of the work for you in two different Power Hour Systems.  The Power Hour system works your personal business; and The Power Hour for Leaders system helps you to work your team.

The Power Hour™ Package:  Belinda’s famous time management system, revolutionizes the way we do business. You’ll be amazed as Belinda teaches you how to conquer your biggest challenge – time! She will show you how to build your business in just one hour a day.   This powerful system includes: CD audio program, Power Hour folders for bookings, recruiting, hostess coaching and customer care; and pre-printed worksheets and daily lists for each folder.

Power Hour for Leaders:  This package includes 2 CDs of instruction on HOW TO SPEND YOUR TIME working with your team - depending on where they are in the business. PLUS a CD-ROM with 28 printable documents you will need for tracking your results. This can be modified to fit your specific company, and will focus on time and action steps spent with A) your new recruit; B) your business builders: C) those close to promoting; and D) newly promoted leaders.