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"Building your Business for Success in 2002." By Paul Barrs. (c) 2001 It's a strange anomaly. Most people who set out to start their own business, nomatter what type, build it for failure, not success. Crazy isn't it? But true. The saddest part in all this, is that they don't even knowthat they are destined for failure long before their dreamsshatter and break apart. Statistics tell us that within 5 years of start up 90% ofall small business will go under. My personal experience shows me that 98% of all home basedbusiness will do the same. Why? Because they lack the fundamental skills, education anddevelopment to plan ahead, foresee the pitfalls, andcapitalise on gains. Here is a key secret to business success. It's "Easy toDo", it's also "Easy not to Do." That applies to everything. It's easy to do a businessplan. It's also easy not to do one. It's easy to create a marketing plan, but it's also easynot to create one. It's easy to pick up the phone and call a new potentialcustomer; it's also easy not to do it. That one thing will determine your success, or measure yourfailure. However, on a brighter side, there are three specificthings that you must focus on doing if your want to developa powerhouse and dynamic business in 2002. Those three things are: 1. Get potential customers to your business. 2. Get those same people to come back. 3. Get them to refer their friends, family and associates. Sounds simple doesn't it? It's aasy to do, it's also easy not to do. And if you'renot consciously aware of this business reality, you'reprobably not doing these three things. Let's look at them. 1. Get potential customers to your business. It does not matter what your business, your product, oryour services. Whether you are online or offline makes nodifference. You absolutely must focus 50% of your time andenergy on gaining new customer enquires. (Initially 80% ifyou are just starting) Use every method available to you. Utilise every singleresource. Study and learn what it takes to get people tocall you, or visit your website, or mail you a form. I know I'm pointing out the obvious, but if your head isstuck in product development, or management and accountingyou won't be able to see the trees from the forest. Customers are your lifeblood. They are your bread andbutter. They represent every reason why you go intobusiness in the first place - to make money. So get them and get them quick. 2. Get those same people to come back. It's a proven fact that most people will not buy from youon their first contact. There are no exceptions to thisrule. A prospective customer must have exposure to yourbusiness an average of 5 - 8 times (depending on yourproducts and services) before they will even contact you. The world of professional selling tells us that most salescloses take place on the 7th contact. What does this tell you? If you work so hard at getting new people to your businessfront, but then not getting them to come back - you'rebuilding for failure. Don't do it! Stop right now and look at your sales systems. Do they makeallowances for automatic or semi-automatic follow up? Doyou offer Autoresponders from your website? Do you have anoffline sales letter follow up plan. Do you use contactmanagement software so that you don't loose track ofpotential customers? Why do you think the Pro's in your industry are the topincome earners? Think about that. They keep in touch withpeople. 3. Get them to refer their friends, family and associates. This is the cream of the crop. When you set out in your business, you must focus 80% ofyour time on getting new contacts. As your businessdevelops, you must then change that focus to 80% gainingreferrals. Referrals are the sweetest prospective customers of all.They are already pre-qualified. They already want what youhave to offer. And you don't have to spend a cent getting them! If your business is online, you can do this with a simple,click and refer a friend script. If you're not on the web,you can do this by using a business card referral system. But even more - are you ready for the kicker? You must ASK people for their referrals! When you've got a great product and a great service, itfantastic. But there is really no point in working reallyhard to get a brand new fresh customer at great expensewhen all you have to do is ASK your existing customers fora few referrals. Don't be shy. You ask, and most of them will happily give. It's that easy. Easy to do, easy not to do. Can you see the pattern developing here, the differencebetween success and failure, those that do and those thatdon't? All these things are easy to do. They are, really. But mostpeople opt for the easier choice - not to do. The choice is yours. Build your business for success in2002 with qualified customer flow and you will reap therewards. ======================================= Article Tags: It's Easy, Must Focus, Come Back