Building your
Business for Success.
By Paul Barrs. (c) 2003
It's
a strange anomaly.
Most
people who set out to start their own business, no
matter what type, build it for failure, not success.
Crazy
isn't it? But true.
The
saddest part in all this, is that they don't even
know that they are destined for failure long before
their dreams shatter and break apart.
Statistics tell us that within 5 years of start up
90% of all small business will go under.
My
personal experience shows me that 98% of all home
based business will do the same.
Why?
Because they lack the fundamental skills, education
and development to plan ahead, foresee the pitfalls,
and capitalise on gains.
Here
is a key secret to business success. It's "Easy to
Do", it's also "Easy not to Do."
That
applies to everything. It's easy to do a business
plan. It's also easy not to do one.
It's
easy to create a marketing plan, but it's also easy
not to create one.
It's
easy to pick up the phone and call a new potential
customer; it's also easy not to do it.
That
one thing will determine your success, or measure
your failure.
However, on a brighter side, there are three
specific things that you must focus on doing if your
want to develop a powerhouse and dynamic business in
2002.
Those
three things are:
1.
Get potential customers to your business.
2.
Get those same people to come back.
3.
Get them to refer their friends, family and
associates.
Sounds simple doesn't it?
It's
easy to do, it's also easy not to do. And if you're
not consciously aware of this business reality,
you're probably not doing these three things.
Let's
look at them.
1.
Get potential customers to your business.
It
does not matter what your business, your product, or
your services. Whether you are online or off-line
makes no difference. You absolutely must focus 50%
of your time and energy on gaining new customer
enquires. (Initially 80% if you are just starting)
Use
every method available to you. Utilise every single
resource. Study and learn what it takes to get
people to call you, or visit your Website, or mail
you a form.
I
know I'm pointing out the obvious, but if your head
is stuck in product development, or management and
accounting you won't be able to see the trees from
the forest.
Customers are your lifeblood. They are your bread
and butter. They represent every reason why you go
into business in the first place - to make money.
So
get them and get them quick.
2.
Get those same people to come back.
It's
a proven fact that most people will not buy from you
on their first contact. There are no exceptions to
this rule. A prospective customer must have exposure
to your business an average of 5 - 8 times
(depending on your products and services) before
they will even contact you.
The
world of professional selling tells us that most
sales closes take place on the 7th contact.
What
does this tell you?
If
you work so hard at getting new people to your
business front, but then not getting them to come
back - you're building for failure.
Don't
do it!
Stop
right now and look at your sales systems. Do they
make allowances for automatic or semi-automatic
follow up? Do you offer Auto responders from your
Website? Do you have an off-line sales letter follow
up plan. Do you use contact management software so
that you don't loose track of potential customers?
Why
do you think the Pro's in your industry are the top
income earners? Think about that. They keep in touch
with people.
3.
Get them to refer their friends, family and
associates.
This
is the cream of the crop.
When
you set out in your business, you must focus 80% of
your time on getting new contacts. As your business
develops, you must then change that focus to 80%
gaining referrals.
Referrals are the sweetest prospective customers of
all. They are already pre-qualified. They already
want what you have to offer.
And
you don't have to spend a cent getting them!
If
your business is online, you can do this with a
simple, click and refer a friend script. If you're
not on the web, you can do this by using a business
card referral system.
But
even more - are you ready for the kicker?
You
must ASK people for their referrals!
When
you've got a great product and a great service, it
fantastic. But there is really no point in working
really hard to get a brand new fresh customer at
great expense when all you have to do is ASK your
existing customers for a few referrals.
Don't
be shy. You ask, and most of them will happily give.
It's
that easy. Easy to do, easy not to do.
Can
you see the pattern developing here, the difference
between success and failure, those that do and those
that don't?
All
these things are easy to do. They are, really. But
most people opt for the easier choice - not to do.
The
choice is yours. Build your business for success
with qualified customer flow and you will reap the
rewards.
=======================================
Paul
Barrs is the creator of "The
Complete Guide to Home Business Success",
as well as being a professional speaker, trainer and
presenter. He would like to offer you a free
subscription to his "Home Business Gold Online Audio
e-Magazine" where each week you'll receive a free
audio seminar delivered to your in-box. To get your
subscription, go now to
http://www.paulbarrs.com/
today.
