Do you know that one person who everyone goes to when they need something? There’s the one handyman that everyone uses, that one swimming pool service pro they can’t live without, that entrepreneur that has the answers? Have you ever wondered how to be a business resource go-to?
Rex Richard of Peak Dynamics, has spent his career nurturing not only his own coaching clients, but his swimming pool clients and other entrepreneurs. He is the go-to for answers or to be pointed in the direction of someone who has the answers.
How To Be A Business Resource Go-To
What can you to do hone your go-to-ability? Rex has compiled this list for your review and implementation.
Talk to your customers. Really talk to them. Get to know them, personally. Dig until you find the reasons why they need to work with you and buy and use the products and services you offer.
Listen to the customer. Keep in mind they are buying your expertise and even your personality as much as they’re buying what you have to sell. If you have two options of a business owner from whom to buy widgets and all things being equal, one of those business owners took time to talk with you and was more personable wouldn’t you choose that person? Of course you would.
Ask question. Remember it is not all about you. It is about the customer. Don’t assume you know what they want. You don’t. Or even if you do, their reasons may be different than the features or benefits you spout off.
Analyze what’s worked… and what hasn’t. Pivot and course correct until most all your interactions are wins.
Ask the customer why he or she would refer you. What experience did they have with you that would make them want to work with you?
Making a sale is great. Making a sale is important if you want to stay in business, but what about building relationships. The better the relationship the more loyal a customer will be to you and it’s much more cost effective to keep a customer than to bring on a new one.
Is your blog working for you? Is it being a slacker and just taking up space in your head and on your website? What can you do to make it earn its keep? Because blogs aren’t dead and because Google loves new, updated content we have come up with 5 jobs your blog should perform; if it isn’t you need to reach out to Rex Richard of Peak Dynamics and discuss a strategy.
Technology and analytics and what makes for “good” and “searchable” content is always changing, but great content on your website via your blog are not going away any time soon. In fact, an updated blog helps your site be found in a search.
5 Jobs Your Blog Should Perform
What should your blog be doing for you?
Helping with SEO. Using the correct key words and key phrases will help your content rise to the top of a search and help more ideal clients find you. Make sure you’re using H2 headers and subtopics, and key words and images with alt tags to up the searchability of the posts.
Authentically you. When you blog — or have a ghostwriter blog for you — you are able to be more real, more authentic and more conversational. Let your cilents get to know you. Show them a side of you they don’t see on a Zoom or a networking event.
New content rules. Google loves new content and when you post a blog you are upping the chances that you will be found in a search. It’s a win.
Your blog can act as a lead magnet. Offer a free download or other goodie to new clients through one of your blog posts. You can even use a blog post page to house/host a freebie aka lead magnet.
Cha-ching! You can monetize your blog either through affiliate links or by having ads placed on your site. You could also offer individuals guest spots on your blog and charge them for the placement. Keep in mind that it’s not easy to charge until you have the traffic to support someone wanting to advertise with you, but creating new and fresh content will surely help with that.
No matter how many new technologies come along, you are never going to replace your blog — nor should you. Don’t put all your eggs on a social media site you don’t own and that could shut you down and shut you out.
What is your goal as a new entrepreneur? To get clients, make money and stay afloat. If you have put time and effort into creating your product or service, the next step would be to get that first client – then more and more after that, right? We have tips on how to get and retain leads to help your business grow.
How do you get those initial clients and how to you keep them with you for the long haul? By staying in touch and raising awareness of all that you do and all the benefits you bring them.
For the attraction phase you need to:
Build trust
Raise awareness
How can you build value when a new client doesn’t know anything about you or your products or services?
Give value right out of the gate. Give them a freebie, great content, a reason to give you a test drive.
Give a free consultation, 15- or 30-minute.
Give access to free video content
How To Get And Retain Leads
You want to entice prospects with content or a product that highlights your expertise in a way that gets a reader to give you their email address – a highly coveted piece of information.
Once your potential client consumes your free lead magnet your hope is that they see your expertise and will hire you or buy your product.
Segment your leads. If your lead only wants to know about dogs, don’t send them content about cats and vice versa.
What can you give that will offer value?
Templates or guides
Free trial offers
Free consultation
Free webinars
Money off a first purchase
A quiz or survey that helps your prospect narrow down or hone in on his or her… XYZ – whatever your niche is
How do you get a prospect to your free offer?
Write an attention-grabbing headline in your email
Drive them to a beautifully-designed landing page
Create the opt-in form
Ask them to opt-in. Make the call to action clear and pointed
List out the features and benefits and how your product or service will address their pain points
Let’s get right to it, shall we? Grab your writing instrument of choice or pull op a document on the computer and get ready to sharpen this necessary skill.
Identify the problem. If you only have a vague understanding of what the problem is or might be, you won’t be able to solve it because you won’t have the information you need.
What different angle could you approach this problem from? Jack Welch said, “Continually expand your definition of the problem, and you expand your view of all the different ways that it can be solved.” Ask, “What else is the problem?” You may not be looking at the correct “problem” at all.
Consider the solutions you’ve tried. Look the problem over and under. Ask for help because you just might have a blind spot to the problem.
What caused the problem? Is it something that just popped up or has it been brewing for some time now? Know when and how it arose and you might be able to better address it.
Look for ALL possible solutions — don’t censor yourself. No matter how far-fetched a solution may seem, write it down because there could be a kernel of a solution.
Reward yourself because by now, you have thoroughly examined the problem, causes and some potential solutions. Given this hard work, you are ready to decide which tactic will work best, and to go for it. No more procrastinating!
Get your team around you and delegate
Set a deadline and metrics to measure the success moving toward it
Get the solution implemented BUT have a back up plan in case the original plan doesn’t fall into place.
Re-examine the success or failure or points that got missed and make a written note of them in case you’re faced with this same problem or a similar one
Rex Richard understands the importance of leading a balanced, orderly personal life as a way to help you be a better leader in your business role. Your personal satisfaction, or dissatisfaction, can color your business dealings.
Reinvention is something you should look at regularly in your personal and your professional lives. Make the time to achieve serenity and peace. On a daily basis, simply turn everything off for a time. Be quiet, calm and peaceful.
Savor the silence. Use your former TV-watching time to get in closer touch with your loved ones. Be considerate to them and to yourself.
