Sell your compelling story - in 10 seconds

Russell Bell PHOTO/FILE

I get asked a lot about what our businesses do.

Certain management writers have espoused the value of having a "10-second elevator speech" to describe your business, and it is a pretty good idea in that you could start a business relationship if what you say matches with a business need.

The challenge we have at the Zenith Group is that we have a wide range of service lines and have access to deep professional experience and skill sets.

But I have been putting my mind to the 10-second speech and had an epiphany which arose from a business model I had developed with my late business mentor, Mark Thomas.

I actually got to test this out while in Auckland on Tuesday and it sparked two what could prove to be quite valuable conversations.

"Zenith Group is about future proofing. We assist businesses, through strategic assistance of many kinds, to be more successful, profitable and achieve longevity." 9.48 seconds to be precise!

It certainly takes less time than listing all the things we do. If I were to try that approach it would see the person I was talking to reaching their floor and leaving the elevator and others entering wondering who the tall guy in glasses was trying to talk to.

So try developing your own 10-second business description and, at the same time, make sure that it also covers that your "business is here to stay".

Succession planning is a key aspect of future proofing and it is a concern of business owners everywhere.

At the centre of it is the nurturing of successors through proper development.

Having been mentored myself and also, myself, mentoring people at various levels, I have come to the conclusion that the right training (executed by professionals who have actually been in the trenches) is crucial to ensuring that your people transition into roles of responsibility effectively.

I said a couple of weeks back that it is an investment but, in addition, it is a performance and quality enhancer for your business, which ultimately benefits you and your customers.

This month we have launched two training courses. The first is for people transitioning into management. The second is to train future leaders and/or business owners to equip them for leadership. Our reference point for both has not only been building on our own experience managing and executing training for teams but has included highly skilled professionals in our network who have vetted the "curriculum".

Have you future-proofed your business? Ask yourself that question and look ahead to the future of the business and those who might transition into management and leadership roles.

Russell Bell's Zenith Strategic Solutions is a specialist Wanganui business advice and consultancy practice - 021 2442421.