Flourishing

Your business is ‘going great guns’. Maybe you’ve just dropped by to see what we’re about and what Tips you can pick up.

No business can stand still: It’s either growing or declining, so flourishing is good – let’s just check we all mean the same thing:

Flourishing means not relying on one or two customers for the majority of your income: One business we know survived the unexpected loss of a major client purely because no single client was allowed to represent more than 25% of the business turnover…

What we’re about is helping you maintain your flourishing and channel it into sustainable business growth that can weather whatever circumstances throw at it: That’s when good becomes great!

Flourishing suggests that, whether you’re a sole trader or an employer, your business doesn’t rely on your physical involvement on a day-to-day basis for that to continue: You’re working on the business rather than in it.

If your business does require your presence to make it work, you’ve created a job where you’re the boss: If anything (heaven forbid) happens to you, the business will go into a swift decline.

So, first things first

• Where is your business at right now?
• Where do you want it to be?
• How big is the gap?
• What processes, resources and/ or skills do you need to bridge it?
• Which can you put in place yourself and which do you need help with?
• What’s your time scale?

This is important to you and will help you focus and prioritise your efforts to continue sustainably growing your business. If you’re not able to give these questions the consideration they need and deserve right now, bookmark this page and come back later, preferably today, when you can: but don’t put it off indefinitely…

Then you can evaluate your assets…. Time and again we see small businesses that are literally sitting on an untapped goldmine of one sort or another – are you? Here are some check points to cover off:

• Whatever ratio applies to your industry, 5 x, 10 x, 20 x or more, everyone agrees that it costs a lot more to win a new customer than to get an existing one buying more from you or recommending others to you who will! Are you making the most of growing your customers?
• Do you know for sure what their key issues are right now and how you can help them? Do they know how you can help them?
• What systems, processes and skills do you have in place to ensure a full pipeline from a mix of existing and new customers? Are they in great shape or do they need attention? You will lose customers through no fault of your own: People and companies move away, cease to exist, needs change and so on… You need replacements lined up!
• If you have a dedicated sales force how are your people performing in this tough economy? Are they taking it in their stride or do they need to brush up their techniques to reach their potential?
• If you don’t have a dedicated sales force, nobody in the company is strong in the sales discipline and you now need that activity covered off is the best choice for you to train somebody up or outsource it?
• Can everyone in your company explain in words of one syllable what makes your offering different from and miles better than your competition? And how that helps your customers?
• Is everyone you know potentially part of your (paid or unpaid) sales force?
• Are you making the most of your online presence?
• How easy is it for people to do business with you?

In short, are you making the most of the goldmine you‘re sitting on? We have a team of experts who can help you in many ways from an elevator pitch that works, to giving and getting quality referrals and recommendations, to effective use of the phone, to sales training, to a company blog that works…

We have three options on most of our offerings (over and above our FREE Tips). You can:

1. Do it yourself with a guide from us to help you – Investment? Money: Low – Effort: Depends on your existing skills – Reward: High
2. Have one of our team do it for you – Investment? Money: Medium – Effort: Low – Reward: High
3. Discover the techniques and how to tailor and apply them specifically to multiple situations in your business – Investment? Money: Comparatively high – Effort: Depends on your existing skills – Reward: Priceless

We understand that this will require investment and, as you’re already in good shape and no rush, we firmly believe in trying before you buy – so sign up for our newsletter.

Twice a month we’ll send you a letter packed with helpful Tips and advice. We’ll also give you exclusive discounts to some of our training packages and a free “Marketing Tips in Minutes” email course – give them a go – you, like many of our customers, will probably be surprised at the speed of the difference they make…

Why not get to know us? Have a look around at the lots of great advice that we give you for FREE here; bookmark us; and why not help someone else out: Send someone you know to our site to look at our fab tips and advice.