How to Grow Your Business in 2011
Is your resolution for 2011 to exceed your revenue forecasts? Mine is! After many years of learning how to grow Creative Coverings into a national presence (which includes a banner year in 2010), I’ve figured out the recipe – and I’m here to share it with you!
To grow your business and get ahead of your competitors, you must have three key components: passion, effective selling and an “A” team. Once these components are in place, you will grow leaps and bounds!
SELLING CORRECTLY
In order to sell correctly, there are four key areas: networking, follow-up, marketing and public relations. In order to do any of these well, you need one thing, PASSION! Like Donald Trump said, “...if you don’t have passion, you have no energy, and if you don’t have energy, you have NOTHING.”
Once you find your passion, use it! Here is the key to successful networking, “You’ve got to start with a friendship and work backwards towards the sale, not the other way around.” This is why NACE is a great tool. All the new industry friends you get to know at a meeting will lead you to more business! Remember…having your name on a chapter roster isn’t the tool. The tool is going to the meetings, getting involved and developing friendships by not talking about your business. Make your sales call after the NACE meeting to talk business.
FOLLOW-UP IS CRUCIAL
Take notes about your contacts (after the networking event), so you have something to talk about during your “follow-up” call. Making phone calls and staying in touch is the name of the game! Schedule phone calls to prospective and current customers every week! If you stay fresh in peoples’ minds, they will call you first when they need your services.
Many people (myself included) don’t give enough attention to marketing and public relations, but during the past year I’ve come to discover that it is as important as “selling”. Your company needs to be in front of people on many levels! Sending a monthly newsletter is great (and inexpensive), have a blog with it! BE CONSISTENT in updating them and sending them out! Facebook is a great tool (and FREE) if you are careful and regular about your postings. Advertising is expensive, so pick carefully. One ad in a magazine can be far more expensive then a one year membership in NACE.
The art of public relations is beautiful, here’s why. When people read an ad they know it’s paid for, but people generally trust the press. Journalists are ALWAYS looking for stories. Think of a press release as FREE advertising. Make sure your press releases are not self-indulgent. Write about something the readers will care about. Partnering with a charity is always a great way for press coverage.
IF YOU ARE A ONE-MAN SHOW
Here is my last bit of advice…think about the things you do that make your company the most money! If you don’t have enough time to do those things, hire a part-time sub-contractor to do the things that don’t make the company money. Concentrate on making the sale! If you are a multi-person show, put the right personalities in the right positions. A great sales person doesn’t always make the best customer service person. A great marketing person may not be a great logistics person. Put your team into positions where they will succeed, and you will see your business grow.
