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Double the Benefits

Bob Ryan, About Purpose, Inc. ©2007  

 

It was a regular theme in our house: “If you’re going upstairs, take a pile of laundry with you.” My folks were big on trying to get double benefit out of anything we did. I guess it stuck because I still brush my teeth while waiting for the water to get hot enough to wash my face.

 

A couple colleagues and I were talking this morning about how many people use their workout time to catch up on their business reading. I started thinking about the regular things we do in the workplace and how we might be able to get more mileage out of them. I came up with a few examples and I hope they will help you double the benefits.

 

  1. A very popular one right now is cause marketing. We can advance name recognition and brand promise while performing a community service. There’s even a triple benefit if we involve employees in the delivery of that service. (One local example in the Mpls/St Paul area is Feed My Starving Children – an organization that specializes in high nutrition meals packaged by volunteers and sent all over the world. Go to www.fmsc.org).

  2. A similar idea is purchasing environmentally. Do extra research to see how you can fill your purchasing needs buying “green” products or from companies that support environmental causes. Your double benefit is in getting the materials and supplies you need while positioning your company as concerned about the environment. (Corner Kick Soccer is planning a sports complex in Maplewood that is estimated to be the largest “green” building project in the state. See www.ckisoccer.com.)

  3. Another idea is in the area of employee compensation. Instead of just supplying salary and benefits, why not provide (for free) personal financial planning and debt counseling? While keeping compensation consistent with the market, you help your employees get more out of their paychecks and provide for a more secure future. (One I’ve learned to trust is Isaac VanLoon from Primerica who has helped my wife and I tremendously. Call him at 651-329-4645).

  4. And while we are on the subject of employees, anytime you give a promotion in your company, publicize the competencies the employee mastered to have won the job. Not only will you be giving a well-earned pat on the back, but you will be providing clear, measurable goals for others to strive for.

  5. Join a mature networking club – not just a business card trading club, but one that focuses on long term relationships and trust building. While building visibility for yourself, you will be getting to really know vendors of a wide variety of products and services, before you buy. (The Breakfast Club of Minneapolis has been around since long before I was on any business scene and is still going strong. Call 952-925-6884 or talk to me about membership).

  6. One more: When you get into “clean-up” mode, consider transferring old inventory, usable furniture and carpeting, etc. to Hope for the Cities (www.hope4thecity.com). Not only will you streamline and spruce up your physical plant, but you will bless non-profits around the whole world with goods they can use to deliver their mission.

 

These are just a few ideas. I’d be interested in things that you are doing to double your benefit. E-mail me at bobryan@aboutpurpose.com. Oh, and as long as you’re reading this, why don’t you forward it to a few acquaintances – and bring the laundry up, too.