You Work IN your Business… When Do You Work ON it?

Entrepreneurs, probably more so than other professions, are so focused and caught up with their day to day operation that they either have little time or forget about working ON their business. This is understandable, given that your money-making opportunities are of paramount importance and the reason why you do what you do in the first place.

If you want to expand your business, attract new clients, compete successfully with other businesses in your area and boost your profits, you will need to spend some time working ON your business, not just IN it.

Here are some quick tips to get you started:

· First, let's look at the basics. Do you work from a real as opposed to "virtual" building? If so, is your reception room welcoming? Look at it through your client's eyes. If your waiting area is looking a bit old and shabby, try replacing the furniture with new comfortable chairs. Throw away the old torn magazines and keep the supply fresh and in tidy piles. Do the walls need repainting? Consider some leafy green plants and a water cooler. Make your reception area warm and inviting – it should exude a cheerful, healthy welcome to all your clients, potential or otherwise.

· Do you provide your clients with informative brochures? Consider using a wall bracket where you can keep interesting and useful brochures on matters of interest for your clients to take with them.

· While you are in this area, does your letterhead, stationery, or business card need a facelift? You can use these as marketing tools, and not just to provide your name and phone contact. Consider redesigning them if they do not encourage clients to take action in some way, like make an appointment! Using succinct language, you should include information about what you can do for your clients. Don't waste space providing full information about YOUR background or experience – clients want to know what YOU can do for THEM. Your clients are more interested in themselves than in you!

· To help you with the above activity and for marketing purposes generally, spend some time considering just WHO your ideal client is. Is your ideal client a very wealthy professional type, or somebody in the middle-class range? Or maybe you prefer to help the poor? Once you know exactly who your ideal client is, then you can think about what their needs are so you can find ways to meet those needs. You will also then know where to spend your advertising dollar because magazines read by CEO's for example, are not likely to be read by unemployed and perhaps poorly educated single parents!

· Make some attractive wall posters, framed or mounted, and include your Vision Statement. You can also express your appreciation to all your clients for their custom. You can invite them to leave suggestions. You can suggest ways in which they can get the most out of their visits. You can educate them about yourself – your qualifications and specialties. You can suggest ways in which they can improve their situation and invite them to ask you about it at their next visit!

· To ensure past clients will return to YOU keep in touch with them. Make it a practice to follow up with them.

· Consider offering a Referral Reward Program. When somebody refers a new client to you, thank them and reward them. It may be something as simple as a thank-you card, flowers, an Amazon gift voucher, or as elaborate as a gift basket. You can offer gifts that increase in value with each referral. Be creative.

· Of course, the BEST advertisement for your business is yourself! Are you the picture of success? Do YOU lead a balanced life? Set your clients a good example, and for your own benefit, learn to take extraordinary care of yourself. After all, you cannot give your best to others if you're not in peak condition yourself!



To learn more about this author, visit Terri Levine's Website.

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