Monthly Archives: January 2012

Networking or Notworking?

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So many businesses are jumping on the networking bandwagon to increase their referral sales. But is your networking really working? Are you meeting the right people to add to you business circle or just finding yourself hanging out at the bar with a few friends? Or both?

  • Take time to research the events you plan to attend and walk in with a plan for success. At first glance, some events seem like a success due to the flurry of attention you may get as a newbie. But, are the right contacts at this event for you to expand your referral circle?  If you don’t leave every event with at least one good contact to follow up with, the event may not be one worth attending again.
  • When joining an organized referral group such as a lead share or a BNI chapter, do your homework and make sure you can afford the time commitment to really make it a success. Also, be sure you get into the best group for your business. Every group has its own culture and mix of members. “Court” several groups to find the one that suits your culture and that has the members you want to build relationships with and can refer business to.
  • Investment vs. Return. The monetary investment may not be that much, but the time commitment can be very expensive. Every three to six months, run a revenue report and check off every sale you received as a result of the various networking activities. This is a great tool when deciding which events to continue pursuing, and which to ditch!

Most of all, when you are networking, whether at a Smart CEO event, mixer, a speed event, a lead share group, or at the Chamber casino night, ask for the referral that you want  (or the person that you want to meet). You can’t be paired with the perfect referral, if people do not know who you are looking for!

Why is it so hard to focus?

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undercover Printer

How does this happen? We start the year with plans of fabulous marketing, attending events, displaying at trade shows, following up and volunteering on boards & committees. We have great intentions of doing it all and doing it great! Then, a little thing called Time Management steps in and squashes our best laid plans of excellence. I am one of the worst offenders of this. I just keep running out of time!

Can’t wait for February’s extra day this year? Then read on…Some of the most common time crushers I’ve found:

1. Shiny Things: Nothing like ditching your project for something prettier! Whether it is a last minute happy hour with friends or pulling a few weeds from the garden, there is always something more attractive than getting done what we really don’t want to do. Through extensive coaching and practice, I am learning to “eat the frog” and get those painful tasks done first, so I can play without guilt when the occasion arises.

2. Bonfires and S’mores: Nothing gets me off track more than having to put out fires. My dedication to customer service takes precedence over all else and I will drop everything when I hear that something may not be going right with a client’s order. But, once I am off track, then I am off to something sweeter. How easily I forget! I really have no remedy for this, as I cannot say no to a tasty chocolate treat – I just try to get back on track when the last marshmallow is eaten.

3. Staffus Interuptus: Pretty self explanatory and probably the #1 reason I don’t get things done. If your business is in the stage of growing your team and delegating tasks that once were only in your head, your staff is in need of a lot of feedback and direction. Staff training and written policies have helped this a little bit, but I found two things that seem to guarantee my focus: shutting my office door and staying out of the office completely.

Staying on track all comes down having a plan and sticking to it as close as possible. All of the stories I’ve read of successful people have one thing in common – they have a laser focus on their goals that gets them where they want to go. So, avoid the shiny objects and yummy s’mores and ‘focus grasshoppah.’

 

Stick it to them!

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undercoverprinterSo you’ve made the effort and gone around to say hello to your clients – now what? How often will you have contact with them? Once a year for a check up on your services? Make sure you leave behind reminders of you and your company so that they don’t forget.

Now, wait just a second before you order up a fresh batch of chip clips or $.50 pens. Are your clients only worth half a dollar to continue doing business with you? Will the items you leave behind make an impression or end up in the receptionist’s drawer with the unwanted? Take the time, and the money, to plan out the ideal leave behind that portrays the value of your product or service and the value of that client or prospect to your organization.

I’ve never heard of an IT company making an impression with a chip clip – think about it. Seek the advice of an expert or a creative thinker if you are having a hard time finding that perfect thing to keep your message sticking around all year. Have fun and be creative! Make the giveaway a part of your brand and something with a perceived value that will not be tossed aside or consumed before it is remembered.

“Nobody Comes to See Me Anymore”

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undercoverprinterYes, we are in the electronic age, but nothing compares to face time. Think about it: when is the last time anyone other than the UPS guy and the deli delivery person came to your office? I can’t think of the last time a vendor knocked on my office door to say a quick hello – and we do a lot of business with some of them! Surprising that they wouldn’t want to be sure that my loyalties lie with their company and not another.

Wondering how well your business is performing? Trying to figure out where to improve in 2012 or where to spend your marketing dollars?  GO SEE YOUR CLIENTS! They really do want to see you! They can also be a wealth of information on how loyal they are to you and possibly some ways that you can stay ahead of the competition.

As long as your visits aren’t always an attempt at a sale, good old fashioned face to face time is more valuable than any other form of marketing. Take one or two days out of your month and stop in to see the people that help keep the lights on. Oh, and if you want to stop in and see us on your way – we love company – just be sure to bring chocolate.

Don’t forget to keep in touch!

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undercoverprinterEver ponder what happened to the clients that didn’t return from last year, or the year before? Was it the slow economy that kept them from buying from you? Possibly. But my research is showing that most companies lose business because they don’t stay top of mind with their customers.

Turnover in companies is more rapid than ever. The average employee stays only 2-3 years. If that employee was your main contact  – what happens to your visibility with that client?  Is it imperative that you make connections with several people in each company so that when your key contact transfers or moves on to greener pastures, your revenue does not go with him.

Now, lets talk about your competition. The competition for business is fiercer than ever in many industries. It takes some effort to keep up with the vultures out there just waiting to take care of the business that you’ve worked so hard to acquire. Don’t let them! It doesn’t take much to keep your clients thinking of you and staying dedicated to your company and its offerings.

Stay tuned for our series on Keeping in Touch in 2012. Whether you apply these principles we will reveal or hire Undercover Printer to help, your company’s client retention will be better than ever just by keeping in touch. Happy 2012!