During a recent practice visit I produced a bag full of 100 £1.00 coins – much to the surprise and curiosity of the team.
Before the meeting I had analysed the existing management accounts of the practice, to see exactly what was being spent in every key area of the business, including lab, materials, associates and hygienists, staff, marketing, utilities – and so on.
During our “lunch and learn” we used post-it notes for each category of expenditure – I then asked the team to guess “how much of every £100” was allocated to each post-it note.
There were quite a few eyes opened on just how much it costs to run a business.
Finally – after we had paid for everything – there was £23.00 left in the pot.
But…..
Just before the owner of the practice pocketed the remainder.
I asked how much they would need to re-invested in the business over the next year – new kit, new uniforms, new web site, new literature, new this, new that.
Then, how much the tax man would take before the owner could finally go home.
The answer came out at about £12.00.
Left out of £100.00.
Remember the stories that your grandmother told you about “father” coming home on a Friday night, putting his wages on the table and the cash going into “mother’s” jam jars to pay the bills?
In the lucky family, the breadwinner came home first, then he went to the pub.
In the unlucky families, “father” went to the pub first.
Its the same in business – some owners pay the bills first and then party – others party first – a recipe for trouble ahead.
My physical demonstration at this lunch time meeting held the attention of the room.
The title of this blog post indicates a strong feeling I have right now – that folks are sick to death of Powerpoint slides and lectures.
Digital training you might call it?
So I’m proposing a return to Analogue training – getting an audience to engage, to participate and to have to think.
Chatting to Gary Dickenson about the Cfast marketing workshop we are running on Saturday – and whether I had permission to switch off the computer and communicate.
Permission granted – so lets see what happens.
It will not be £100 in coins this weekend but I do want to experiment.
(by the way – ask me to come and facilitate the £100 cash session for you – its a blast and really makes the team think).