If you had four tasks to complete before the end of the day, how would you organise your time to achieve this? One way would be to divide the time available into quarters and dedicate your efforts to each task…
Year: 2013
You can’t do everything
So many small business owners that I chat with are desperately busy. Their work backlog is massive. If they listed everything they had to do and worked out how long it would take them, it would immediately be obvious they…
Posted in Time Management
Learn something from every lost sale
It is, of course, always bitterly disappointing to lose a sale. This is especially so if your sales cycle is long and you need to invest considerable time and effort into each sales campaign. Some businesses are fortunate and enjoy…
Posted in Differentiation
Collaborate with other suppliers
Lead generation is a big headache for many small business owners. They struggle to maintain a consistent level of marketing which, of course, is essential for attracting new prospects. One way to improve success in this area is to collaborate…
Posted in Lead Generation
Personal experiences of good customer care
Most people, if they were asked, would probably agree that the standards of customer care have fallen over the last decade. There are many reasons behind this trend, ranging from suppliers taking what they perceive to be unnecessary costs out…
Posted in Customer Care
Reward clients for their loyalty
Unless you are just starting up your small business, you will already have a number of clients who are happy with their purchases. These clients have the potential to help you grow your business, provided they remain loyal and make…
Posted in Customer Care
What makes a great sales lead for you?
I assume that every small business owner has asked themselves this question – it’s one of the most important questions to address. Once you know what constitutes a great sales opportunity for your business, you can begin to channel all…
Posted in Lead Generation
Look alike suppliers rarely thrive
Small businesses struggle with differentiation. If you appear to be just like your competitors then the only way prospects can differentiate between the different suppliers is on cost. If suppliers are equal on all other measures, prospects will obviously buy…
Posted in Differentiation
Marketing for micro businesses
In my mind, a micro business is one with five or fewer staff. Often they are operating with only two people – the original founders. Owners of micro businesses have a particular set of challenges which, if not handled properly,…
Posted in Marketing
Networking isn’t selling
Successful networking comes from holding conversations with people in which they are your primary focus of attention. Networking events are a great forum for meeting new people and making new connections. For them to bear fruit, your new connections need…
Posted in Lead Generation