Regardless of your political affiliation or whether you are a registered voter, there are some business strategies you can learn from President Barack Obama. Whether you are just thinking about starting a business, have just started a business or you are looking for ways to take your business to the next level, you would be wise to pay close attention to how President Obama manages his team. Here are six tips you can to advance your business by using the strategies gleaned from the leader of the free world:
Share freely - While he was a candidate President Obama shared a lot of 'inside' information on how they government works that many of us had never heard of or paid attention to. Take the "pork barrel" and "earmark" talks. He made sure we understood what all of this meant. Don't hesitate to share great information and content in your newsletter, on your blog or website because you think if you share too much free stuff, people won't buy. This is simply not true; people will buy. They will buy because now that you have shared all this knowledge you are now considered an expert and you have increased your validity in the eyes of potential customers.
Admit when you have messed up - President Obama quickly acknowledges when he has made a mistake be it selecting someone for a post that was not thoroughly vetted or something else. If you have messed up with a customer, quickly admit it and do something to rectify it. If you have lost that customer, try to gain them back by acknowledging your mistake and offering a gift to make it up to them. This free gift could be a free product or service, a huge discount or a refund. It's best if you do this immediately after the infraction has occurred but as they say, "Better late than never."
Make it about them - President Obama always put staffers out front so they get the credit for a great job. If he has asked them to head up a project, notice how he allows them to go to the microphone first at the beginning of an important news conference. If you have employees, do the same - give credit where credit is due and let others shine. If you don't have employees, put your customers first. Whether you are creating a new product or service or adding content to your website, always keep in the front of your mind the benefit to the customer. It's not about you; people are seeking your goods and services because they are hurting some how or they need help with a problem. It really is about them.
Learn how to ask for help - President Obama doesn't pretend to know everything. When he selected people for various posts, he stated, "... will help me with..." You'll often hear him say "My team will help me with..." Even if you are a solo entrepreneur, you need to assemble a team to help you and don't be shy about asking for their help. Some examples are hiring a virtual assistant or enlisting the services of a business coach or mentor. You may have to rely on your family too. Do you have a spouse or teenager that could help with packaging and mailing your products or updating your database? Ask for help; your family will be especially honored that you thought enough of them to ask.
Get personal - People do business with people. While remaining professional, find ways to connect with customers and potential customers in a very real and personal way while maintaining your professionalism. One can't help but feel like they know President Obama, like he's one of us - the regular folk. Notice how in the past he an NBA game between his beloved Chicago Bulls and the Washington Wizards. Now, I'm sure he could have sat in the owner's skybox but guess where the President of the United States chose to sit? He sat courtside and shook hands with common folk and had quite a chat with a cute little blonde boy. A very dear friend of mine met President Obama during the campaign. My friend is a retired professional basketball player and he told me that while at a private event for then presidential candidate Obama, when my friend was introduced to him, Barack Obama asked, "Do you ball?" When my friend shared his background, Obama connected with him - very deeply.
Stay in contact - Even after the 2008 election was over, the Obama team still churned out emails. The email may have been controversial encouraging the reader to take some type of political or civic action or the email may have been a 'just keeping in touch with you' type email. The emails did not feel intrusive but the emails kept the Obama brand before the recipient. To successfully build and market your brand you must stay in front of your prospective customers and your target market. When you do send newsletters, emails, postcards or other communication, make sure you are offering substantial information that the reader can actually use and make sure what you are saying ties into what you are selling without sounding like you are selling each and every time you communicate. Yes, there will be times that you are straight out selling - it could be a new product or service you are announcing; just make sure that you balance your customer communication by sending out great, informative and helpful information while mixing things up with your sales message.
President Obama is a political genius but he is also a smart politician and leader because he knows how to share credit and information, acknowledge his mistakes, put others first allowing them to shine and he allows people to get to know him as a person while maintaining his professionalism and leadership status. Finally, he stays in constant contact with his target market. Whether you are a budding entrepreneur or you have built a multi-million dollar business, your business will thrive if use the lessons taught by President Obama.
Carmin Wharton is a home-based business expert and the founder of http://www.e-blackwomennetwork.com/, a membership community designed to take businesses owned by women of color from startup to prosperity. Carmin's mission is to help women earn what they're worth and make it big in their home-based business on their own terms.
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