On the 12th day of Business Planning my true love gave to me… a CELEBRATION! Who knew this would be a necessary step to articulate in the Business Planning process? We readily celebrate others, and yet we neglect to do the same for ourselves. When we take the time to recognize that we’ve accomplished something – finished a project ahead of schedule, exceeded a sales goal, or discovered a way to save the company money – inside we experience a positive vibration that raises our confidence, establishes us at a higher level of productivity, and sets us up for additional successes. Instead of … [Read more...]
12 Days of Business Planning – Day 11: OFFICE
On the 11th day of Business Planning my true love gave to me… a great OFFICE environment! How do you feel when you walk into your office – happy and productive or anxious because of the clutter and disorganization? Your office is your environment for productivity and profitability. Everything in this space impacts your performance. STOP NOW and write down what’s working and not working with your office. Here are step-by-step instructions on evaluating: Tour your space. What do you see, and how do you feel, in the space? Evaluate the size and location. Do you feel cramped, or is … [Read more...]
12 Days of Business Planning – Day 10: TECHNOLOGY & EQUIPMENT
On the 10th day of Business Planning my true love gave to me… TECHNOLOGY and EQUIPMENT! Here’s a facet full of things we tend to take for granted. If your business is to run smoothly, it’s important that your technology and equipment are efficient, so that they truly leverage your time and resources. Consider the following questions: Is any of your hardware outdated and restricting speed and efficiency, and hence profitability? Are you missing a key piece of hardware or a software application that could make someone on the team’s job easier? Does an application exist today that … [Read more...]
12 Days of Business Planning – Day 9: CUSTOMER RETENTION
On the 9th day of Business Planning my true love gave to me… CUSTOMER RETENTION! Sales Expert Jeffrey Gitomer states, “Customer satisfaction is worthless. Customer loyalty is priceless.” So often, once we’ve successfully helped our customers navigate their way to the closing table, we send them on their merry way and we neglect to stay in touch. It’s easier, and typically far less expensive, to retain a customer than it is to generate a new one. So it’s well worth taking the time to map out a plan for staying in contact with all your customers post-sale. STOP NOW and determine your level of … [Read more...]
12 Days of Business Planning – Day 8: SALES SYSTEMS
On the 8th day of Business Planning my true love gave to me… SALES SYSTEMS! Let’s face it, nothing happens in business unless a sale is made. And yet, most people spend precious little time evaluating this area of their business. A successful sales facet requires purposefully and thoroughly looking at your sales system from start to finish and understanding the best ways to manage all your sales activities. Have you determined what your sales funnel looks like? By this, we mean everything involved in the acquisition of leads all the way through to closing the sale. What are the … [Read more...]
