small-bizXpress

Stephen James considers that if you take action in each of these 10 areas, you will not only be 2 steps in front of your competition, but you may very well be within touching distance of living your dream.

1. Business Plan. A business plan is critical to achieving consistent growth in any business. The benefits of a business plan are realised immediately through the process of just thinking clearly about your business for an extended period of time, and through illuminating the areas of your business that need fixing.

2. Customer Database. At the end of the day, your customers are the most valuable asset you have in your business. You should be taking every opportunity to collect the names and contact details of your customers and communicating with them on a regular basis.

3. Systems. Systems are essential for ensuring that you provide a consistent level of service to your customers and so that you understand the financial performance of your business.

4. Staff Incentives. To attract great people, progressive companies are keenly aware that they need to foster personal responsibility and provide direct reward for measurable results.

5. Staff meetings. Meetings are an opportunity to inspire your people and thereby your business. They also give your people a sense of belonging through the process of sharing information.

6. Marketing. Marketing is the most important of all success strategies in your business, because if you can't find a buyer for your product or service, nothing else you do will matter!

7. Branding. Branding is about creating and communicating a set of values to the consumer of your product or service.

8. Business Image. First impressions count for a lot. Addressing your business image is all about paying attention to the little things that will exceed your customers expectations.

9. Guarantee. How does a customer truly believe they are going to receive value from doing business with you? They will only know this if you are prepared to take more risk in the transaction than they are…and this promise is delivered through your guarantee.

10. Customer care. Every business should have a follow up system that extends sincere thanks to every new customer and for their ongoing patronage.

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Labels: branding, business plan, clients, customers, marketing, staff, strategy

Seeds of Growth blog on how to get experience and credibility when you are just starting your business:

Gaining Experience

If you are brand new in your field, you might want to "test drive" your service as a volunteer. Choose an individual or organization that would be an excellent case study and that would provide clear "before and after" results. Gain agreement from your client that if she is satisfied with the results, you may use her as a reference for future clients and would use her project as a case study for your marketing.

Gaining Confidence

Find yourself a mentor. There is nothing like hearing "stories from the trenches" from someone who used to be in your position and now has a thriving practice. You can get information, resources and confidence-building from the right person, or group of people. You may also join a professional organization or community. They are usually very open and supportive people and I am sure would share tips and tricks with you, as well as give you encouragement to make the leap.

Getting Clients

Obviously, there is an art and a science to small business marketing. If you are concerned with just getting things going and taking on a few clients, start with defining your niche. That is the specific segment of people that you will target for your marketing efforts.

For just about anyone these days (well, anyone with the something meaty to share and who likes to write), I would recommend starting a blog on your topic, since it is a great way to showcase your expertise, build community, test ideas and develop a friendly relationship with potential clients.

Labels: clients, customers, experience, niche

American Chronicle is presenting 7 Reality Checks to help you reconcile your dreams with reality so that you can build your dream into a thriving business:

1. In spite of your best intentions you will make mistakes
2. Things go "wrong"
3. Not everyone wants or needs what you have.
4. Humbly welcome opportunities to profit.
5. Customers have bad days, too
6. Sometimes whole systems go wrong or you find out too late that a new project was not quite ready for prime time
7. Owning a business can be isolating

Labels: customers, mistakes, reality check, small business