"Built to Sell" - even better if you do not want to sell

Please do not neglect this book because you do not want to sell your business, or do not want to sell in the near future.

In fact, the book is also useful for owners of small businesses that seek to improve their business and you do not want to sell.

Bo Burlingham, in his foreword to built for sale, by John Warrillow, said best:

"The point is that the best companies are saleable and smart business people believe that you need to build a company to be sold, even if you do not have the intention of the receipt of or decline any time soon.".

In 2008, Warrillow received an offer, he could not refuse and sold his company, which was built using the principles of this book.  Today, Warrillow and his wife and his children live the good life in Provence, France, from the sale of this company.

This book is actually the Second Edition, updated with a Guide to implementation and published in April 2011 by portfolio / Penguin.  Original version published in 2010, is written as a parable and is known by many, including the team of small business trends critical, and you can read the original review, Book Review Editor, Ivana Taylor.

I had received a copy of the review of John Warillow and could not wait to talk to you.  But I didn't want to regurgitate the information in the review of the original book (and it's great, and I recommend it Check out), so I talked to Warrillow and put him on some specific parts of the book that really called me.  Here are some highlights of the interview.

Question: What is small business owners reason tell you that they buy your book?

John warrillow: I hear most often it's because they want to grow their business.  They often reached a ceiling on their earnings.  Maybe it is $200,000.  It may be only $700,000.  In any event, they want to understand how their scalable enterprise.

Question: Make a scalable enterprise appears to be an important concept in your book.  Can you describe what you mean by that?

(John warrillow: a scalable enterprise has meet the three criteria I in detail in the book: 1) a service or a product that is "teach to employees," so that the owner is not always that doing the work; (2) a service or product that is valuable to your customers and is not a commodity; (-3) a service or a product that is "repeatable," means that customers need to return again and again to buy.

Question: It is clear how certain products are scalable, such as razors.  In your book, the main character, Alex, creates a scalable logo design company, which many people consider a "scalable" business, since it is a professional service.  Is it just an aberrant or business service value can really create "evolutionary products?"

John warrillow: here are two examples.  I know an attorney, who, instead of offering its services on an hourly basis, as the vast majority of lawyers, their offer in a package of products, such as the $5,000 for a divorce null and $1,200 for incorporation of new companies.  Another example is Hassle Free Home Services, Inc., created by Jim Vagonis. It offers customers a single point of contact for all their needs for home care by paying a flat for a year, in a renewable annual contract.

Question: What is the most common question that you get on your book?

John warrillow: is "Why can't I propose evolutionary products or services and still do custom work?"

Question: Ah, why should the former, I have a niche, why can't offer any argument…

John warrillow: Yes, and it is the concept that I am more passionate.  It is one of the reasons for which that I wrote the implementation guide.  In it I describe is trying to do just that at a time in my study of market and failed business.  I also reiterate throughout the book that the key to success in the transition to the offer only a product or scalable service is still fresh in advance, so that you have positive cash flow.  You may sometimes bumpy, but after a year or if your company generally regularly will increase.

Question: You also make a point about describing your customers as customers, not customers, in a scalable enterprise.   Can you explain that a little more?

John warrillow: the term "client" means a personal, consultative relationship.  It is not the kind of thing that can be scalable.  If your company has customers, this means that each client has a relationship with a person of your company, often the owner. If your company has customers, the entire team is working with them.

As always, I thank John Warrillow to write a great book, one of my favorite books of all time business.  The Second Edition is even better with the addition of the implementation Guide.  Run, doesn't work for this book.  Your company will be thank you.

Margie Zable Fisher is President of Zable Fisher Public Relations, a public relations firm that works exclusively with small businesses. It offers free advice for Public Relations at Zable Fisher Public Relations.

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