How To Build a Profitable Business

It's never too soon to start saying thanks to your clients, vendors and referral sources for what they contribute to your business. Everyone loves to be appreciated and acknowledged, so start now and do something every month.

Keep in contact with your clients and vendors by sending articles you have written or that would be of interest to them. Add a little "How are you?" note to these people and keep the lines of communication open. Include current information about any new value-added products or services, such as a newsletter, or tele-class you will be presenting.

Marketing doesn't have to be expensive. You just have to do it.

Communication and relationship are the keys to marketing. Attending numerous networking meetings may be worthwhile to some, but that strategy doesn't work for everyone because, as someone once told me, the people who love you will always refer business to you.

The people who are your advocates or supporters are the ones who require nurturing. Send them an e-mail, e-zine, note, or article at least once a month.

Gather your internal and external management teams in an informal meeting such as breakfast or lunch. Advise them of your upcoming plans, get feedback and give acknowledgement for all their support and advice.

Check in with former clients to see how they are doing. Don't be afraid to dispense free information to these people. Generosity is its own reward. If you keep a timer on your desk, you can be sure of keeping the conversation brief as well as focused. Then, send them more information.Follow up in about two weeks to see how the seeds of your generosity have blossomed.

Information is available to everyone, through the internet, magazines and newspapers. Only you can provide customized data to your clients that will be appreciated as well as remembered.

Review your brochures, marketing letters, and newsletters in a new light. Does this information speak to your "Ideal Client"? Do you know who your "Ideal Client" is? Reinvent these documents as needed after you have thoroughly defined this client. Give these documents to your management team and get their feedback.

Does your collateral material speak to what you do? Is the information clear or does it require interpretation? Spend time on this now and review it every ninety days.

If the cost of a new brochure is prohibitive, or if you think your business will be adding more products or services in the near future, create an Information Letter.With this type of document, you can update your advocate group as well as former and potential clients. Again, it's not costly and serves a specific purpose.

This letter can include updates on your particular industry or market. You also can advise them of your continuing education and how it will benefit them.

About those referral sources, they deserve a little extra attention. Remember, they thought of you first! Consider seasonal flowers, plants, a book or a special card.

You want them to keep remembering you! Nurture all these relationships and your business will grow and glow.

About The Author

Joanne Victoria works with independent professionals who want to simplify their lives and professional practice and small business owners who want to streamline their operations in order to achieve more.

Sign up now for Joanne's FREE monthly e-zine: Lighting Your Path!-Find Your Inner Truth at: mailto:JoanneVictoria-subscribe@topica.com

Joanne Victoria ? Coach, Speaker, Author

Tel:415-491-1344 mailto:joanne@joannevictoria.com

http://www.JoanneVictoria.com/programs.htm



What Every Manager Should Know About How to Learn from the Complaints of Customers and Employees

Listening to complaints, whether they're reasonable or not, is a... Read More

Customer Service Is More Than Just Being Nice To People

Many organizations tackle to the issue of customer service by... Read More

The 7 Principles of Business Integrity

If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't... Read More

Mastering Challenging Service Situations

During the course of everyday business, many of you encounter... Read More

How to Transform Your Voicemail into an Effective Medium of Communication

"Hi this is Randy. Leave me a message after the... Read More

Customer Service - A Lost Art?

Is customer service a lost art? Before you answer that... Read More

The Consumer Power

While most companies talk about consumer friendliness, customer centricity, customer... Read More

Five Tips to Calm Cranky Customers

1. Tis the SeasonRecognize that everyone is frazzled during the... Read More

Writing The Book On Great Customer Service

Q: One of the big chain bookstores recently opened up... Read More

Moments That Matter

Many years ago, I was a first year apprentice assigned... Read More

Quality vs. Quantity

There is a battle in Call Centers. The teams are... Read More

Get Customers to Stop Calling You--12 Easy Ways to Save Money with Online Customer Support

Despite rumors to the contrary, the Web is not dead.... Read More

Why Passenger Surveys are a Transport Operators Best Friend

Public transport operators who already use passenger surveys may not... Read More

Complaining Consumers

The salesman's job is to be well informed; extremely well... Read More

Provide Exceptional Value - Grow Your Business

The primary objective of a business is to get and... Read More

Caring for Your Customers

You probably think I am going to say something like,... Read More

Customer Service, the Internets Primary Neglected Business Concern

Customer service is everything to a business. Just look at... Read More

Customer Service Consultants

When all else fails in your company to meet the... Read More

A New Way To Handle Complaints, Or Is It?

What a lot of money we have been wasting on... Read More

Proofs of Delivery and Logistics: Speeding Throughput and Avoiding Pitfalls

It should be a straightforward business scenario: making sure that... Read More

Putting The Service Back In Customer Service

The future of customer service is here. Technology has made... Read More

Whats The Customer Service Buzz About Your Business?

If you're a regular reader of my column you know... Read More

We Got It Wrong: Never Under Promise & Over Deliver

You know how it is, you believe something for so... Read More

Automating Your Customer Support

My regular readers will know that one of the things... Read More

Leverage Customer Capital First

If you're still dreaming about raising outside capital for your... Read More

If you'd like to keep up-to-date,
please complete the form below and we'll put you on the mailing list
to receive our twice-yearly newsletter for supporters

* Your email address:
* choes your language: