My Personal Point of Difference, and How it Contributes to the Success of our Business Brokerage.....

by Dione Mauric 14th of September, 2023

My Personal Point of Difference, and How it Contributes to the Success of our Business Brokerage.....

Most people in my profession (i.e. business broking) are short-term thinkers, oh they talk “long” however, they actually walk “short”. I walk and talk “long”. Everyday. That’s the difference. “Long” means perseverance and determination, integrity and a genuine client focus, even at personal “expense”. In addition, I back up what I say with my technical competence and a high-performing team.

Perseverance and Determination

“A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.” Colin Powell.

I love this quote, this is what separates the “walkers” from the “talkers”. Achieving success isn’t easy, if it was everyone would be doing it! I like to take a measured approach, assess a situation, review and analyse various options, select and advise on the best solution and then diligently plan to achieve the desired outcome. This takes determination and belief and an ability to follow the plan through to the end.

Let me give you an example, last year I sold a franchise business at Mooloolaba, it was a very difficult sale,
our buyer was inexperienced in business and demonstrated little business acumen when meeting with the franchisor. Subsequently, the franchisor did not approve them to join the group. I had to work hard, to get the buyer over their disappointment and feelings of rejection, manage the sellers' anger directed toward the franchisor and come up with a plan to educate, mentor and train our buyer to convince the franchisor that their decision was wrong.

I had to get everyone on board to work toward the same goal. I proposed a 6-week training program between the buyer and seller and lobbied the franchisor to reconsider the application once this training had been completed. Not only did I need to persevere, but I needed to inspire this with this tenacity too. Ultimately, my goal was achieved after 6 long weeks.

In my industry most would give up, and most would cut their losses and move on.I am strong-minded and I display confidence in my capabilities and plans. Coupled with my entrepreneurial spirit, I am able to consider possibilities that most aren't brave enough to do.

Integrity and a strong moral compass

Every mile I walk, every breath I take, and every interaction I have with a buyer, seller, or associate is done with integrity, this is an absolute no debate. It is core to my character…. my business and my team.

Fostering long-term relationships is critical to my success. I deliver on the promises I make and I make tough decisions when necessary. It’s frequent in my business that I need to tell people what they don’t necessarily want to hear – “Sorry John, your business isn’t worth what you think”; integrity is about taking the uncomfortable option when required, my success is a result of doing this, particularly when some of our competitors won’t!

I always put honesty before dollars and live by my convictions. Over the years it is mutual respect and trust, which has enabled my business to grow. People seek to do business with those they trust; in the end, when the job is done; my clients thank me for my honesty and professionalism.

A genuine client focus

It’s very common and easy to state that a business is client-focused, for me it’s not what you say, it's about what you do… you need to walk the talk, day in and day out. I position myself, and my business as the solution to our clients’ problems. I leave no doubt in their mind that we are the best people to achieve the outcome they are seeking.

Over my many years in business I have consistently strived to not just meet a client’s expectations, but to exceed them - “deliver the world, NOT a small island!”.

A truly delighted client or a raving fan spreads the word, there is nothing more satisfying than receiving a referral, our business leads run at 73% referral – an outstanding result in my industry.

A genuine client focus is not a difficult thing to achieve, it's not complicated. It’s about prioritising my clients’ goals as the No. 1 paramount measure of success. I do a few simple things on a day-to-day basis to deliver this – respond to enquiries, queries and complaints super quick, with no delays, the sooner the better. I am solution focused and easy to deal with, I make it simple for our sellers to get their businesses on the market, and easy for buyers to get information about them. I do this consistently (every minute of every day); I have a defined process and religiously stick to it.

My team and I deal proactively with client disappointment – it’s the way we deal with disappointment that delights my clients! I empower my team to act spontaneously where required to take the initiative to exceed our client’s expectations.

Competency, expert knowledge and a rock-solid reputation

Qualifications and experience in small business are often hard to find. I pride myself on being a financial subject matter expert (I am a Chartered Accountant with 20+ years of commercial experience); I have undertaken extensive sales coaching and have a creative marketing mind – I have a business coach that I use as a sounding board, to challenge my thinking and help me improve outcomes. My negotiation and influencing skills are second to none, I rarely miss a deal.

With all this in my arsenal, over the years I have become known for my expertise in franchising and small business. I regularly receive business opportunities from our referral network of franchisors, franchisees, accountants, lawyers and finance brokers – and they are in safe hands. I strive to have an excellent reputation and have earnt this by honouring my promises and delivering results for my clients.

I consistently deliver my service to a high standard, this builds trust . . . and with trust, you will have an excellent reputation.

Team – I have built a high-performance team and surrounded myself with outstanding people

I believe that the service level of a business is only as good as the weakest link in the chain. So in business, your weakest performer had better be an expert! My team members are both high achievers, they are subject matter experts in their own rights. They are committed to our clients and developing their business knowledge and expertise.

As a team, we also have a laugh and a bit of fun along the way!

Tags: business broker career selling success