Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Rise to the Challenge of Leading Your Business

One of the most difficult things about being an entrepreneur is there is no one telling you what to do. You must be your own manager and push yourself to accomplish your goals. That requires a great deal of motivation. But it also requires you to gain the support and enthusiasm of your clients too.

  • Make a list of people you need to call. But before calling them, figure out what will motivate them – how will their companies reap the benefit of taking action?
  • Highlight any good publicity your company receives. The more familiar you are to a prospect, the less resistance you'll encounter to a call.
  • Don’t give up on potential clients even when they turn you down. If you are persistent, you stand a better chance of getting through or being top-of-mind when a need arises that is suited to your core competencies.
  • Keep your goals firmly in mind, review them often, and update them as necessary.
  • Don’t be deterred by detractors.

If you are persistent and offer a convincing argument for the value of your company, you will win the clients you seek and build a stronger business.

Thursday, February 08, 2007

Know the Fundamentals of Marketing

One of the key things to remember when you embark on a marketing campaign is be original. You want to distinguish your company’s brand and principles from other companies, particularly your competition, with unique selling points.

A willingness to adapt to change is critical. As market forces change, you need to be able to respond and address them by focusing on appropriate products and services.

Be prepared to improvise in response to customer demands. Offer ways for your customer base to provide feedback on the Internet or by phone and you will gain information and insight upon which you can base decisions to add to subtract products and services.

Stick to your company’s principles. If you champion your company’s values and emphasize them in a way that wins the appeal of your customers you will win the loyalty of your audience

Provide a well-balanced offer that wins over your potential customers, and you’ll build a stronger business.