4 Things You Can Do Today to Develop Your Business
Think and Do - Part I
Lots of people have ideas.
Many of these are good ideas, some less so. A few of them could be million-dollar ideas! The key to the million-dollar idea is implementation. The sad fact is that many great ideas are wasted because we do not do anything to make them a reality.
Ideas are only half of the formula
Ideas, creative and innovative ideas, are the life-blood of modern business, big or small. Generating and capturing these ideas is part of our job as business-people, but not the most important part. The one thing that is even more vital to our success is doing something to make that idea a reality.
4 Business Development action steps
Think about these four questions that relate to your current clients and to your future prospects:
Tip: Get a pencil & paper and write this down!
- What one thing can we do for a customer today that will strengthen our relationship? We must do this every day in order to develop loyalty in our customers. Remember, people like to do business with their friends.
- If we can’t help a customer or prospect to find a solution ourselves, can we refer them to someone else? Remember the Macy’s Santa Claus from the movie “Miracle on 34th Street“? Give value first.
- Which of my current clients can we contact and ask for a referral, or simply as for more business? Satisfied customers talk to other people about their problems and the solutions.
- What portions of our market remain undeveloped or under-served and how can we develop/serve it? The answer to this question really depends on the answers to the first three. Knowing your market, developing meaningful relationships with your clients, and providing value to your contacts and prospects will point the way to this answer.
Now get out there and Do Something!
Action is what makes our business a success. Get in touch with that client today and grow the relationship. This activity is an investment!
Follow up with that prospect that you referred to a more appropriate solution. Ask them about how it worked for them, and remind them that you are there for them in the future. Thank them for having the opportunity to help.
Contact one client today to thank them for their business and their time. Ask them for a referral.
Finally, get out in front of that underserved market. Use Social Media, Marketing, Networking - whatever. Expose yourself to new environments and the new business opportunities will appear.
Do it today.
Do it now.
« Innovation and the Market-led Approach to Your Blog | Home | An Investment in Marketing Yourself »
Comments
Thanks for this post. It is great how clearly the first three activities are squarely focused on the customer. You customers are clearly the priority of your business.
It is a bit of a cliche, but without customers, there is no business. And everyone successful business person that I have spoken to has said that they are a success due to customer Word-of-Mouth.
Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog. :) Cheers! Sandra. R.
Trackbacks
Leave a Comment