The year ahead can be anything you want it to be. If you want to see massive changes and growth in your business this year, it’s up to you to discover what you need to do today to make changes that will result in more clients and more profits. And if you choose to leave the status quo as is, your future results will be similar or you’ll see less growth. It’s all up to you.
By now you’ve probably gone through your goal setting strategies and plotted an action plan with timelines, if growth is your choice for 2014. But aside from that necessary strategy, I encourage you to look at where you are being ordinary in your business, in your marketing messages, and in the ways you serve your clients.
A few small changes can make you stand out and help to change the results you’ll see twelve months from now. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
- What’s your message? Are you still marketing with the same boring platitudes as everyone else? Best service? On time delivery? Best prices? Instead, tell your prospects why you have the best service or how you guarantee on time delivery. What’s your secret or system you’ve created, which no one else can claim?
- Be grateful and show it. Whenever possible, send thank you notes or small gifts. It could just be to say thank you for being a client in the past…not to sell anything today. The message will be remembered.
- Connect with past customers. Pick up the phone and tell someone you’ve been thinking of him or her. Again, this is not to sell but just a couple of minutes to re-connect. You could ask what they currently need for success – a referral for new business, a connection for a virtual assistant, or a contact to ease stress. Then dust off your Rolodex and see how you can help make it happen.
- If you’re giving a workshop or hosting an event, what “surprise” value are you adding? The little things can make a huge difference. Perhaps it’s a small book, an unexpected Resource List, or any other offering that gets them to say, “Wow.”
- When you meet with a new business prospect, do your research. Know something personal about him or her and create a memorable connection.
- No matter how tempted you are, keep your cell phone hidden when meeting someone. It is extremely rude to talk on the phone in another person’s presence.
- Embrace possibility. When something does not work out in your favour, find a way to make it happen. Be flexible. Be curious. Be confident. When you embrace possibility, great things happen.
Being extraordinary is a choice. Take it one step at a time and you will see amazing changes in your business and in your life.
