Not every idea is worth acting on… even if it’s a great idea. When my clients pitch favorite new ideas to me, my first thought is usually, “How can I stop this?” No, I’m not out to get them. I want them to succeed. But sometimes, it’s our best ideas that stop us from taking the action needed to reach our goals.

Are you a widget salesperson? Are products an important part of what you sell? For anyone in the AV industry, widgets are a part of your life. Whether you specialize in permanent installation or live events, you use widgets all the time. Your customers may even call you specifically asking for a widget. But widgets aren’t what sells. Service sells.

Have you ever thought about why you give your clients valuable products and services for free? Maybe you’re trying to strengthen the relationship with the client. Or, maybe you’re just trying to ensure you’ll win the project or make the sale. To be clear, there’s nothing wrong with providing some extra value to a client, but we often give away the wrong add-ons in our proposals .

You will encounter gatekeepers. Even people with top-notch marketing and business development strategies designed to target their ideal clients occasionally find themselves stuck in a gatekeeper cycle. It happens to the best of us… and it’s not always your fault.

Every good owner and manager knows that top performance comes from more than simply achieving goals — it’s about setting the right goals. Otherwise, we sacrifice effectiveness for efficiency. This is one thing that sets Operations apart from other departments. For example, the goal of Sales is to sell, regardless of the industry (which is one reason salespeople have such highly transferable skill sets). But in Operations, the goals you set (and which goals should be a top priority) are completely determined by the industry and specific type of business you’re in.

You’re already a functioning business. You have a good understanding of strategy, you’ve hired your essential staff, and know how to meet your customers’ needs. You’re getting orders out the door and operating with a system, but... Maybe you could do it better. Hiring an operations manager who focuses on the right tasks might be the key to moving your organization to the next level.