It’s sometimes hard to get motivated especially in the triple digit heat of an Arizona summer. Keep in mind though that chances are your competition isn’t taking the summer off. They are moving forward with business plans and business growth.
If summer has traditionally been a time for you where you kick back and take time off, I urge you to at least do undertake these five summer business strategies:
Make certain your website is mobile friendly. Having a mobile friendly website is critical to business success and that isn’t something you want to let go until autumn arrives.
Make note of your top prospects and then reach out and contact them. If you’re in a lull — whether self imposed or actual — they may be as well and might welcome a call from you.
Look at your marketing materials and start now to think about what you might offer or change up for the upcoming holidays. If you need new peripheral materials, now is the time to look at that so you can get the designing and printing underway before the rush of the season is upon you.
Update and review your business plan. We’re now more than through the half way point of the year and you should be making certain you’re on target with the goals you set at the beginning of the year.
Take on a project you’ve been dreading. We all have them and they aren’t going to miraculously go away. Work on it in bite sized chunks and get it taken care of this summer.
As entrepreneurs, regardless of our niche area, we are all sales people. It’s true. Without making a sale how would you be in business? Whether you’re a dog groomer, pool service contractor, blogger, or an accountant you need to sell to remain in business.
Here are my tips for using your personality to make that sale:
Be who you are. Don’t try to be someone you’re not just to close a deal. Being authentic is critical in today’s competitive business environment.
Be happy. If you love what you do, this will shine through in your interactions with clients and potential clients.
Encourage others. When you’re making a sale the product or service you’re offering will in some way enhance the client’s life or business, right? Use that as a way to encourage them to reach higher levels of success.
There are myriad other items that go into being a stellar salesperson and I’d be happy to talk with you about this and about ways you can grow your business through your sales processes. Give me a shout if you’d like to learn more!
When I am working with coaching clients, one of the questions I hear most often is, “How can I bring in more clients?” or “How can I close more sales?” One item I tell my clients to do is to ask for referrals from current satisfied clients and to ask for testimonials from chose clients — having a current client recommend you is the best way to bring in new business.
If your client-closure rates aren’t what you hoped they’d be, here are some tips for closing that sale:
Make sure you understand their pain points.
Don’t try to be everything to everyone — make sure the products and services you’re offering are a good fit for that client.
Build relationships by taking more time to listen than you do talking. Listen to what a potential client is telling you because their pain point might be different than what you imagined it was.
What tried and true tactics do you have to bring in new clients? Take time today to ask a current client for a referral.
Have you ever been told, “You can’t be all things to all people?” As a business owner, I know it’s sometimes difficult to not say “yes” to every project a client or potential client throws at you. I also know that when you’re just starting out you are looking at your business’s bottom line and the urge is there to say yes, simply to keep your bank account in the black.
I can tell you though, that if you choose a niche or specialize your bank account will remain in the black and your business will thrive.
In what way will being a specialist help you to be more profitable? Here are a few:
You will be better able to focus your marketing efforts
Being a specialist — regardless of the field — gives you immediate credibility
You may attract higher-paying clients. (Professionals would rather work with someone who truly “gets” what they do)
Choosing a niche aka area of specialization will set you apart from your competitors. Your clients and potential clients will appreciate working with a professional who truly understands the subtle nuances of their industry. Are you focused on a particular niche?
Unless you’re a fast food restaurant, chances are you cannot be, nor do you want to be, everything to everyone. You can’t mix and match all of your products (sandwiches) and add or subtract other items (condiments) until you are everything to everyone. You will make more money and be more productive and well-respected if you focus on a particular niche. Claim your expertise and focus on a particular client or market segment. Be the gourmet restaurant, not the fast food drive through.
Who is your ideal client? When you’re just starting out you may not truly know nor will you find it easy to turn away
potential clients who might not be just right for your goods or services. You don’t want to fall into the trap of changing your offerings to feed the market. Let the market come to you because you are specialized and exclusive.
Here are steps to work through when developing the persona of your ideal client:
If you’ve built the better mousetrap, who would be best served by it? Consider your client’s pain points and the solution your product or service offers and focus on that as your potential market.
If you know that your goods or services address XYZ issue in the market place, then go to the marketplace and demonstrate how you can help them do their XYZ even better.
If you have a client base, take some time to look at them and note all of the common traits they share. If you have turned away potential clients, make note of why and what they did, or did not, possess that made you think that your goods or services weren’t ideal for them. Your current client base is your best source for building a client persona.
Target a specific market. Make sure that your goods or services fit their needs then focus on making what you offer the best it can be.
If you believe that attending networking meetings will automatically and magically help your business grow, you may want to read this post first. There are networking myths that everyone believes, that may not be true.
I do enjoy networking events and do find they are helpful if I walk into the event with a plan in mind of what I want to accomplish when I am meeting current colleagues and new people. Here are myths that surround networking and inherent benefits:
Myth Number 1: It doesn’t matter what meeting I attend, as long as I attend something. Busted: It does matter. Do your homework and attend events that will put you in front of your ideal client. If you fill your calendar with every networking event you find, you are spinning your wheels.
Myth Number 2: Everyone is a potential client. Busted: Not true. Every person you meet is a potential colleague, but not necessarily a client. A colleague is someone who could become a trusted business partner who (once they get to know you and your business) could become a great referral source for you. That being said, they may be a potential client but you need to cultivate a relationship first.
Myth Number 3: I need to recite my elevator speech and give my life story to everyone at every opportunity. Busted: This is not an ideal way to network. You wouldn’t share your entire life story on a blind date, would you? Get to know the person in front of you. Ask open ended questions. Schedule a getting-to-know-you meeting after the initial event. This won’t happen with everyone you meet, just the people you “click” with.
Plan your networking so you can maximize effectiveness. Bottom line, it’s about relationship building and that takes time.
