⚙️ Ops Playbook #28

_{Read Time: 7.2 Minutes}

Ramadan Mubarak Operators ⚙️

I’m currently writing this in Austin, Texas. I drove up from Houston, just for the Steph Smith Internet Pipes event during SXSW. I love a great in-person event!

After last week's email, where I mentioned that you should feel free to ask me questions about scaling your operations, I got a flood of responses!

Thanks, everyone, and I’ll try to get to all of them. Here are two that I thought were super interesting:

• I'm seeking a Director of Ops right now and we're 6 weeks in (re-posted after failing to seal the deal w/ a GM role). This is my first mgr/exec hire and I'm finding it hard to weed out the BS. Do you have any tips/questions to assess the right fit early on?
  
  

• Do you happen to have a framework or any suggestions for how to approach getting a meeting with a potential client and not making the call feel like a sales call? I want to ensure their time is respected.

So just like last week, we’ll dive into these questions! This is whats on the agenda:

• Snag that client meeting → Use a value proposition canvas to map out what is truly valuable to your clients. Then dangle that to secure that meeting
  
  

• Listen, don’t sell → Don’t be a pushy salesman once at that meeting. Listen to your client, gather data, and build a relationship
  
  

• The 3 circles of hiring an executive → Execs are great at BS. Use the 3 circles on intensity to burn through that bull
  
  

• Creating an AI meeting prep tool [Members only] → I built a tool to prep me for my meetings. Especially useful for when I have back-to-back meetings with external folks.  

Let’s jump in.

(P.S If you ever have questions about scaling a business, feel free to reply to this email or email me at [email protected])

^{Together With Rad AI}
The Future of AI needs you

Did you know that over 25 billion pieces of social media content are exchanged daily? That’s… a lot. And in a world where social posts are a brand’s direct line to their customers, it’s important that they’ve got a solid grip on their content strategy. The only problem? A lot of brands don’t.

RAD AI is not only paving the way for better content creation, they’re on the threshold of a groundbreaking AI advancement. They have $27M invested and over 6,000 backers, including VCs and execs from Google and Amazon… and now, maybe you, too.

Click here to learn more about getting in on the ground floor. You can earn 15% bonus shares by investing right now.

This opportunity only lasts for the next $350,000 of investments.

Operators Library

• This is the most impressive demo I’ve seen in years. Cognition launched Devin, the first software AI developer. (Link)
  
  

• How to fix your FB ad funnel (Link)
  
  

• Nvidia CEO interview on how no task is below him (Link)
  
  

• Tiktok is killing itself with its constant commerce push (Link)
  
  

• A framework to explain any concept (Link)

P.S. To get featured in this section, share the newsletter 10 times using this referral link, and I'll include you in a future issue. 

1. To get a potential client meeting, use this

Insight from Rameel Sheikh

I went door-to-door to 100+ gas stations across Texas to convince owner operators to sign gas contracts.

(The first business I started was a gas jobber for those confused)

I tried brute forcing my way to get conversations with gas station owners. Anything you can imagine to make the sale, I tried.

The owner wouldn't speak to me until his shift ended? I waited 8+ hours with them.

The owner couldn't speak English (or Urdu)? I would bring a translator.

The owner not wanting to speak to a stranger? I would become their friend by offering to buy their lunch.

Even after these attempts, I still couldn't get a meeting.

These rejections were brutal. They especially stung for an introvert like me.

Until I changed one thing.

I returned to my tech product-building roots to figure out what I could offer to these gas station owners. Maybe if I dangled the right carrot, I would be able to get into the room.

After reflecting, I ended up using a simplified version of a value proposition canvas to get a gas station owner to agree to a meeting.

Check out this chart. We are going to focus on the customer side first.

Here's how you can use a value proposition canvas to get that meeting while still providing value:

1. Customer Segment (VCs) Analysis:

   • Jobs to be Done: Identify the key tasks, goals, or objectives your customers are trying to achieve.
     
     

   • Pains: Understand customers' challenges, obstacles, or frustrations in their work.
     
     

   • Gains: Determine what outcomes customers value or aspire to achieve`

2. Value Proposition Mapping:

   • Pain Relievers: Identify how an offering you could provide can reduce customers' specific pains.
     
     

   • Gain Creators: Determine how your service can enhance the customers desired outcomes.

When I went through this exercise myself, I found that gas station owners wanted to rebrand their stores if this would drive sales in their store. But, they didn't know the first steps to get a rebrand done.

To lock in that meeting, I would offer to bring in a checklist on how to start, organize and complete a rebrand. This would include contractor contact information, financing requirements, and more.

P.S be sure it's valuable enough to warrant their time but workable for you to provide without significant strain on your end.

2. Use the SPIN framework to gather data on your clients

Insight from Rameel Sheikh

So you finally got a list of potential customers ready to meet you.

Now what?

Please don't walk into the room and start immediately selling your solution.

No one wants to meet an overeager salesman.

(And remember that you booked this meeting because you offered something valuable to this client. Not because they are interested in your product).

Once you're in the room, your job is to convince the client why they should continue listening to you.

I used a reformatted method of the SPIN method to close gas station contracts. It's an old-school sales framework that people have used since the 90s.

The goal of the SPIN method is to close the deal. But instead of forcing the issue, try being a friendly ear for your clients.

Questions are the foundation of SPIN Selling. SPIN stands for the four stages of questioning that client:

To get started with the SPIN method, try this:

1. Situation Questions:

   Start by asking questions to understand the client’s current situation. The goal here is to gather information and show interest in their challenges. Example questions are:

   • What is your role at [company]?

   • How do you do X?

   • What’s your process for X?

2. Problem Questions:

   Once you clearly understand their situation, transition to problem questions. These are designed to help you and the client identify problems they are experiencing. Example questions are:

   • How long does it take to do X?

   • How expensive is X?

   • How many people are required to achieve the necessary results?

3. Implication Questions:

   Implication questions delve into the consequences of the problems identified. They help the client realize the severity of their challenges. Example questions are:

   • What’s the productivity cost of doing X that way?

   • What could you accomplish with an extra [amount of time] each [week, month]?

   • Would your customers be [more satisfied, engaged, loyal] if you didn’t experience [problem related to X]?

4. Need-payoff Questions:

   Finally, need-payoff questions guide the client to state the benefits of solving their problems. These questions are positive and focus on the solution and its benefits. Example questions are:

   • Would it help if … ?

   • Would X make it simpler to achieve [positive event]?

   • Would your team find value in … ?

Listening actively and adapting your questions based on their responses is key throughout this process.

By the end of the meeting, you should deeply understand their challenges and a clear path to how your service can address those needs.

Even if you don't make a sell, you'll walk away with another data point about your audience.

3. How to avoid BS when hiring a leader

Insight from Melissa Nightingale

I've interviewed dozens of executives at this point in my career.

I’ve found that it’s often a fine line between a great interviewer and a candidate's true ability.

Experienced executives might excel in an interview yet falter in the actual role. Whereas others might struggle in interviews but excel in their positions.

So how do you find the One?

While there's no definitive right or wrong way to conduct interviews, I've found a method by Melissa Nightingale that works for me.

I like to think of the interview process as navigating through three circles - starting from the outermost layer and moving inward.

It’s like three circles of intensity.

The outer circle encompasses the lighter aspects of the conversation. It's about getting to know the candidate on a basic level. Try asking about their background, their career history, and professional highs and lows.

The key here is that you get to see this person at their baseline level of comfort.

But, it's crucial not to dwell too long on these light topics.

When progressing to the middle circle, the focus shifts. This is the stage to challenge the candidate's understanding and perspectives. 

You can now probe their industry knowledge, their awareness of trends, and how they interpret these trends within the industry.

If they don’t know anything about your industry, then you might as well end the interview here. If they use a bunch of buzzwords, try to cut this off quickly.

Between two leaders, being able to have a normal conversation is critical.

Now it's time to ratchet up the heat.

The innermost circle delves into the specifics of your business and the candidate's role. This is where you really test their problem-solving abilities on your company's challenges.

Discuss the role, ask how they would address certain issues, and explore their project strategies.

This segment is pivotal for gauging how well they grasp the nuances of your business and their potential to contribute.

I like to do 2 things during this phase.

Ask to run through a scenario that you experienced (and failed at).

This will tell you how this person problem-solves, deals with issues, and you get to learn a new way to handle a road bump you might face again

I always push back on any given answer at this level so I can understand how they handle pressure. It doesn't matter if you agree with the answer.

Using the 3 circles has saved me countless weeks of headaches. Try out this framework and let me know what you think.

4. Creating your own AI meeting prep tool

Insight from Olivia Moore

I’ve always wanted an assistant to prep me for those days when I have back-to-back meetings.

The context-switching between meetings can be brutal.

After seeing this tweet, I can finally have my meeting prep tool!

The tool that Olivia outlines sends me an email 15 minutes before a meeting, providing a brief on:

1. the attendee(s),

2. their organization

3. discussion topics.

Here's how to set it up:

I used Zapier's new AI tool for its crucial integrations and IT compliance.

Step 1 - Identifying Relevant Meetings: I used Google Calendar as the primary data source, programming the AI to prepare for external pitch meetings only. Using Zapier Formatter, I filtered out internal discussions and recurring events, focusing on appointments with external attendees.

Step 2 - Gathering Context: The AI needed to pinpoint and analyze the right information from each calendar invite. I determined that extracting attendee names, email addresses, meeting titles, and descriptions provided the necessary context for the next step.

Step 3 - Activating ChatGPT: With the relevant data extracted, I utilized the ChatGPT integration in Zapier to research the attendees and their companies. I set it up to generate a concise summary, akin to what a Chief of Staff might compile, ensuring it included the correct links and adhered to a specific length constraint.

The tool is wonky but cheaper than hiring my own assistant!

Something Fun

Feel free to reply with your meme; I might add yours to next week’s edition.

How I Can Help

In case you're new: Who's The Bottleneck?

We share high-quality, vetted, and actionable operational content as we learn it from the top 1% of operators.

How we can help you scale:

• The right 30-minute call can go a long way. Join our office hours to talk shop

• Transform your life with this Notion Operations Toolkit. I'll be adding new templates every week. You pay once and get value forever.

• This lessons directory is packed with advice from over 40 business leaders, offering you more than 50,000 words on strategies.

Or you can join our paid membership to get all of the above.

Spread The Word

Share The Bottleneck with friends to get a few freebies. Maybe you’ll make some new ones on the way 😆 

We’ll give you free stuff and more friends if you share a link. Only one link.

You currently have 0 referrals, only 1 away from receiving Delegation & Outsourcing Playbook.