When you want to get your business moving the key is action, but it has to be the right action or you’re simply running faster and faster on that hamster wheel. Check that you are following these 7 steps:
- Know exactly who your perfect customers are – what they want and what’s important to them. Your ideal client is NEVER ‘everybody’ or even ‘anybody’. Of course, you may have several different groups of clients and you’ll need to know each one really well. An ideal client:
- Needs and wants what you have to offer
- Values good service and quality goods
- Is prepared to pay for what they want
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Is not usually looking for a cheap ‘fix’
- Know exactly what your products or services will do for each client group. This means understanding how each product or service you offer hits the hot buttons for your clients. People buy on the ‘what’s in it for me’ aspects, not the ‘nice to have’.
- Know where your clients hang out. This applies to online and offline – are they gathered on a Facebook Page demonstrating an interest in your area of expertise, or are they in a LinkedIn group discussing the issues that you can help with? Are they in your local networking group (or do those people have the same client groups and will introduce you? Or will you find them in dedicated association groups or more specialist gatherings?
- Educate your networking connections about what you do. This may be engaging in discussions online or at networking or business events, speaking to groups of people, holding webinars, posting in social media, blogging, offering free reports or other information. The more you share, the better people know you.
- Make sure all of your clients KNOW what you do. Most companies acquire a client for a specific product or service and yet, most companies provide several products and/or services. Do all of your clients know all of the things you offer? If not – tell them.
- Stay in touch. The quickest way to lose business is to lose touch with your clients. Some clients will come to you when they need your services, but others will have met someone else who does what you do somewhere along the way and been ‘kidnapped’ by a new supplier. If you stay in touch and keep sending them useful ‘stuff’ you’ll find they are much more likely to value your service and come back to you.
- Ask your existing clients for recommendations and referrals. The easiest way to do this is to ask them if they are willing to answer a few questions when you complete an assignment or supply a product. If you ask the right questions you’ll end up with a really good testimonial AND a referral or two.
Can you tick off every single one of these steps? If not, get stuck in and you’ll see a noticeable – and positive – difference in your bank account.
