The world is full of opportunities. And if you’re in business this can be a very dangerous thing indeed.
Let me explain…
As a business owner, you need to focus. Focus on what brings in the money. And that means knowing exactly what it is you do for your customers and why they pay you.
It means sticking to your knitting and becoming the “go to organisation” for whatever it is you provide.
First the Echidna in our back yard. For those of you who don’t live in Australia, an echidna is a sort of hedgehog with an Australian twist. It is a so called monotreme, or an egg laying mammal, one of only two species left in the world.
Take a look at the video we took and watch total focus and persistence in action as the echidna goes about vacuuming up ants into its very specialised snout.
If you’re in business there are good times and bad times. And when times are difficult it’s easy to complain, whine and be depressed about all sorts of things.
So if you don’t have all the business you want, it’s up to you to do something about it rather than complain, blame the economy etc.
Is your business unbalanced? Are you constantly on the hunt for new customers to feed the hungry beast? Or have you discovered the hidden treasure sitting right in your own back yard…
Every business has its own “Acre of Diamonds” in its own back yard. Hidden money just waiting to be uncovered. Money that should be flowing into your pockets if only you knew where to look.
So where is this treasure? Simple – it’s your current and past clients.
How so?
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I can pretty much guarantee that you haven’t sold everything you can to your clients. And the reason’s pretty simple. Do your customers know about EVERYTHING that you can do for them? You may think they do, but I’m willing to bet that they don’t.
Reminds me of a printer I know. Had a client who ordered business cards for years. One day the printer was dropping off some stock and noticed boxes from a rival. Obviously he asked the client why he hadn’t been considered – and to his dismay found that the client had no idea he could have done the same job. Cost him over $500,000 in a lost order.
And let me tell you what can happen when you do get back in contact.
But first a personal confession… Barbara and I have been pretty slack the past three years or so. We’d moved into a different circle and basically stopped contact with a lot of old clients. Not because we didn’t like them, but life just got in the way.
Sure they get this newsletter – and sometimes even read it. But it’s not the same as personal contact.
Having realised I was wasn’t walking the walk, I decided to start picking up the phone and connecting. And the response was been very heartening.
People have been very glad to hear from me and in a couple of cases we’ve actually picked up some significant business.  Right place at the right time, but more importantly, a relationship built on trust and time.
So don’t just sit there – get on the phone and start connecting.
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