PUTTING BUSINESS
CALISTHENICS TO WORK
by Alan J. Zell, Ambassador of Selling

Before you begin this article, you might first wan to begin with "Business Calisthenics -- Exercises In Business To Keep Business Healthy".

Before any project or course is started, explain to everyone in your organization what the Business Calisthenics Courses are all about. Be sure to you give all those who are participating in the Courses a list of the points the Courses cover and WHY you feel Business Calisthenics will help you help them. Then tell them of HOW they will be expected to participate in these projects.

WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT to emphasize to the Staff is that there will be a definite system set for these projects. The Staff should write all comments, ideas and suggestions as they happen or come to mind and not just before the time for discussion.

It is suggested the Business Calisthenics be inaugurated in the following order:

B.C. 3 - The Competition. Have everyone make 2 lists of your organization's competition: indirect and direct competitors. The reason for starting with B.C. 102 is that it is an easy way to show how these Courses work. It will also begin to help the Staff be more aware of what factors Management uses in making their decisions. This might be repeated annually or more often if the Staff has changed since it was last discussed.

B.C. 1 - Listening to Customers. This is the first of the ongoing Business Calisthenics Courses. Since it is only asking the Staff to be aware of customer's questions and requests, it is not threatening. As the first ongoing project, it should be discussed at least once a month until some of the other projects are brought on. After that, it could be bimonthly.

B.C. 5 - Rolling ideas. This is the 3rd Course to start. Do not start this course until B.C. 101A and 102 are well under way. Do not rush to get into B.C. 103 for it is in B.C. 103 where the fear of embarrassment and inter-officer politics come in. You are asking the Staff for "criticism - constructive criticism," and it is hard for Staff to accept the fact that you want it and need it. This is also the course that requires management keep the staff informed of where their suggestions and ideas are in the decision-making system.

B.C. 2 - Non-sales. This is the first Course where the staff is being asked to be introspective, and the one where the job-security fear comes into place. Therefore, it is important to emphasize here that Non-sales are system problems; that the information brought in from these meetings will help Management develop the new tools the Staff will need to do a better selling job. Be sure that in these discussions no one is blamed for a sale that was not made (those discussions should be held in private). Try to use the Non-sales situations to help the Staff be aware of what might be done next time so that when the problem arises, the Staff member win be able to react to the situation

B.C. 6 - "Junque" Mail. One of the results of the previous discussions will be the need for better printed material. Until this need comes up, analyzing Junque Mail will not fit into their need for this information.

B.C. 9 - You As A Customer. Because it is last does not mean that this course is unimportant. It may, in the long run be one of the most meaningful courses. By this time your staff will be very aware what Business Calisthenics is all about, and comparing how one is treated and how one should be treated win help produce added sales and more productivity.
The following courses can be added as the time and situation warrant inauguration:

B.C. 7 - Industry Mailing, Advertisements and Articles. This will start to give the Staff a background into the problems as they are seen by your entire industry. It will help the staff evaluate where their own problems are; that they are not so different from problems faced by others. Learning how your industry approaches its products, services, ideas and problems will aid them is assisting in the decision making process. This course is one where Management should take the initiative and bring those publications to the Staff's attention.

B.C. 8 - Consumer Media. This Course, bringing in every reference seen in the public media concerning your business or industry will make your staff more aware of what your customers are seeing about your business. It is everyone's job to make sure that everyone is aware of this information. This should also apply to what was seen or television or heard on radio. This will benefit everyone. This course could be done at the beginning of every meeting for the other courses. It will be an ice breaker for the discussions where there are fears involved.

Watching The Competition: their Advertisements and Actions. It is not just watching what they are doing, it is asking why you think that they are doing it that is important. Remember, your customers are also seeing it. A good source for some of this information for this course can come from suppliers, customers, friends, acquaintances, as well as the public media.

INAUGURATING BUSINESS CALISTHENICS

FOR MANAGEMENT.
A. Make 3 lists:

1. Ideas you can start to put to work immediately that will fit into a "to do now" list.
2. Ideas you feel can be worked into your current plans: will fit with "what we are planning to do" list.
3. Ideas that you would like to do, should the time and opportunity present itself: "would like to do" list

B. Initiating Business Calisthenics

1) Before inaugurating any program, an outline of what you are going to be doing should be given to those that will be participating in the exercise. Be sure to tell them not only what they will be doing, but also how they will be doing it, and why you are having them do it. (Remember, how comfortable they feel about this will determine just how productive your program will be.)
2) Start with project #1 from the "to do now" list. Don't start this project #2 until you have been working on the first one for a time.
3) Start project #2, then #3, etc. as time permits.
4) After 3 or 4 projects are running, start on project #1 from the "will fit in with what we are planning to do" list.

C. Add other projects as they seem to fit in with what you are currently doing.

D. Start to combine some of the earlier projects.

E. Add new projects.

FOR STAFF MEMBERS: If you are part of a group that is going to participating in a Business Calisthenics program:

A. Make 3 lists:
1) Ideas from the seminar that you feel you could put to work immediately: "to do now" list.
2) Ideas from the seminar that you feel would work with what you are planning to do: will fit into "what we are planning to do" list.
3) Ideas from the seminar that you feel you would like to do should the opportunity present itself. "would like to do" list.
4) Compare these lists with Management's list and help decide which projects will be started first, second, etc.
B. Participate in the projects as they are inaugurated.

FOR STAFF MEMBERS to use Business Calisthenics as a method for self-improvement:

1) make your own 3 column list as above.
2) start to work on the first project from the "to do now" list
3) add other projects as they seem fit.
4) as the projects become developed, discuss the ideas and progression with others.

This article was written to help you and your business. If you believe some of these articles will be helpful to your business, please e-mail me your comments on how you will apply them. ajz

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Alan J. Zell, Ambassador Of Selling
P.O. Box 69 Portland, Oregon, USA 97207-0069

Email: azell@aol.com
Telephone: (503) 241-1988