The companies that get comfortable are the ones that get left behind.
Marcus Sheridan, who presented “How to Become a Video-First Dealer” on Thursday with Sam Danzler during Dealer Week — the annual dealer event and expo organized by the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas held virtually this week — said it’s dangerous for companies to become complacent.
“We should always have a sense of discomfort,” said Sheridan. “The companies that are comfortable where they are the ones that get left behind. Don’t wait until you’re in pain.”
Danzler pointed to Blackberry as an example of complacency damaging the bottom line.
Both encouraged dealers to start using VidYard, a free Google Chrome extension that allows users to quickly record and send one-to-one videos.
“It literally adds 20 to 30 seconds on each end,” said Sheridan. “It’s more personalized, and it’s more efficient.”
If business owners knew what the return on investment would be to hire a full-time videographer, they would never question the expense, said Sheridan.
David Spader addressed employee burnout in “Move Beyond Burnout: The Search for Sustained Motivation for Yourself and Your Team” — a relevant topic during the pandemic.
Fifty percent of the 106 attendees voting in the poll said they felt emotionally exhausted, which managers and owners should take as a caution, said Spader. Another quarter of respondents said they also felt physically exhausted.
“If you work 60 to 80 hours a week, you’re abnormal,” said Spader. “Not abnormal meaning dysfunctional, meaning you’re not typical. That’s not really sustainable for most people; 50 to 70 percent of that climate comes from the leader.”
Employers should be sure to give employees enough time off to recharge and focus on personal things, said Spader.
Read more about Dealer Week in the February issue of Soundings Trade Only.
