[Author: Cindy Feldman, 07.16 | Keywords: Marketing, Change]
It was Neale Donald Walsch who said: “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” And it
cannot be more true if you think about the correlation of where the equipment industry is right now.
Most often, people live their lives in their comfort zones—afraid to change, afraid to step out, afraid of the unknown and where they know all the rules—but then there’s the rest of us who take those steps, who embrace change and who leap into the unknown…for the human potential knows no bounds.
Remember, what makes you comfortable never lets you grow.
Use comfort as a red flag. Be aware of times when life seems too comfortable. Look at the situation with the understanding that you can achieve most anything. Most of the time, what we call comfortable is what our mind conditions us to believe is comfortable—often referred to as “comfort zones.” Those boundaries, that were placed by the mind, do not represent your potential.
Embrace change. If there is one sure thing to come your way in life, it is change. Most believe that change will come sooner or later, but dismiss it thinking they will adapt to it when it arrives. Bad choice. Not only will you be unprepared for the change, but when it comes, your attachment to your comfort zone will make you cling to the past and make life miserable.
Ask yourself questions. Realize the limits you have placed upon yourself. Push them. Break them. Let go of limiting beliefs and thought patterns that don’t serve you in attaining your goals.
Use “time” wisely while it’s on YOUR side. Whether it’s being present on social media channels or sending hand-written thank yous to your customers, make use of the down economy to make positive changes to your business. If you need help with a Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or Instagram presence, let me know so I can guide you through the process. Or better yet, if you have a millenial working for you, engage him/her with the offer to manage your company’s social media presence. If there’s more than one, encourage them all to get involved.
Meet AND exceed expectations. A great customer service experience always gets my vote. What are you doing to make it a better experience for your customers? Maybe it’s taking a product out of the showroom and onto a farm site to demo for a customer. Or maybe it’s making an offer to do an on-site inspection for a customer. Whatever it is, do it with gusto!
Show economic return on products. Most growers require a positive economic return to justify capital purchases, so be as transparent as you can with his/her numbers. Does your sales staff have that information? If not, get to work on getting it in front of your customer.
Give in the places that make your business grow. Now is a perfect time to talk with your employees and coworkers about teambuilding. Ask workers if they’d like to work at a community event or local festival. Being present and active in front of your community is a way to reinforce that you’re investing in your local community—its people and yours!
Re-evaluate often. If you feel like you’re getting too comfortable again, trace the ends of your comfort zone and take a step beyond.
About the Author
Cindy Feldman
For over three years, Cindy has managed marketing and communication efforts for the Association and Power Farming Shows through print, electronic and social media. Outside of work, Cindy can be found traveling, gardening, hunting for cool vintage finds, running, biking and hanging out with her dog, Jack.