Tweet

How To Succeed In Business

Guest post by: Drew Stevens Ph.D.

Article Overview: The problem with small business is not the amount of new possible business – its arrogance. Anyone can begin a business. There is a low barrier of entry, but not everyone can stay. It takes quite a bit of marketing to remain visible in very competitive markets; it also takes the ability to ask for the order. Yet most important is the consistent and relentless ability to be service oriented. After all the failure to follow up differentiates you from everyone else.

How To Succeed In Business

I have a wonderful koi pond in my backyard where I can sit with a nice drink, cigar and book on the weekends and enjoy. There is nothing better than reading and listening to the sound of the waterfalls for weekend relaxing.

Recently, I discovered a small leak in the pond, which required the work of a service technician. I called 9 pond/landscaping firms in the area – two returned my call. Two called for an appointment and one showed up.

Two weeks later I needed my roof gutters cleaned. Once again I called 8 to 9 organizations. Only 1 returned the call.

There are two issues with my anecdote, 1) obviously small business is better than most predict since 18 vendors never returned a call and 2) lack of follow-up and follow through will kill your business.

I get approached every day with questions from sales professionals and entrepreneurs about aiding their businesses and practices. Each will ask me if I can help them. I always say it depends on three things 1) their passion 2) their focus and 3) their unrelenting desire to service clients. With that each asks me why their business/practice is failing and here are my reasons:

1. Confident is one thing is business cockiness is another. When you believe you have too much business and fail to look down, business will fail.

2. You suck at follow up. Voice mail and email were developed for a very simple reason – ease of follow –up. Failure to return calls and email forms is not only poor business procedure it is stupid.

3. Time Dementia – Some appointments take longer than others. With 30 years of business I too have been caught in lengthy conversations. However many years ago this wonderful device called the cell phone was invented so that communication can be relayed when tardy.

4. Call Returns – Calls should be returned within a reasonable timeframe. I use a 90-minute rule, others a few hours. After a day expect a call from your competitor thanking them for the new client.

5. Language Lack - Did you ever receive a proposal for services in the mail without a cover letter? Since I might cut a check for a few thousand dollars a simple note of thanks for the opportunity might be helpful.

6. Rules of Etiquette – I expect to be greeted by last name initially and expect an explanation of services to be rendered. Do not speak in terms of acronyms and Martian language uncommon to me. And if you do not like the previous work there is little reason to speak of prior vendors just show me the value you can provide.

7. Show up – When I hire you I hire you not a team of subordinates. If that is the case then communicate but do not expect me to read minds.

The problem with small business is not the amount of new possible business – its arrogance. Anyone can begin a business. There is a low barrier of entry, but not everyone can stay. It takes quite a bit of marketing to remain visible in very competitive markets; it also takes the ability to ask for the order. Yet most important is the consistent and relentless ability to be service oriented. After all the failure to follow up differentiates you from everyone else.

© 2011. Drew Stevens PhD. All rights reserved.

Related Articles
  Make Time To Succeed!
  The CEO Who Needed to Hire Salespeople
  It is your choice.
  Success in Business is a Conscious Choice
  Success or Failure in Online Business
  How to Succeed in any Home Based MLM Business Opportunity
  Personal Success - Are You Trying To Impress?
  Leaders Get Paid for What Their People Do
  Is making money online really possible – Why Internet marketers fail
  Why Having a Mentor is so Important for Your Business
  From Rags to Riches with Online Self Employed Business Opportunities
  The Determination to Succeed
  How To Avoid Failure With Online Business Opportunities
  Tips to Help You Succeed in Network Marketing Despite Primerica Scam Rumor
  The Characteristics Of High Performing Teams
  Get Out of the Way and 8 Tips for Sales Success
  So You Have A Desire To Have A Home Based Business
  Reasons to Succeed
  The Journey to Success - Persistence
  The secret to success

Article Tags: entrepreneur, failure, marketing, sales follow up, small business successcompetitive markets



Related Forum Posts
My entry - 1. The Best Business Books Ever: The 100 Most Influential Business Books You'll Never Have Time to Read - this is a fascinating book about the history of Business theory, and I'd recommend it to anybody. 2. The Big Book of Small Business: You Don't Have to Run Your Business by the Seat of Your Pants, by Tom Gegax. Ditto. 3. PADI: The Business of Diving Book Okay, so this book won't be of use to anyone who doesn't want to start a scuba store, but I did, and this book was of course invaluable to me in reaching that goal.
Re: Books for Business Owners - Hi DougSchadle, Thanks for sharing your favorite business book with us! A good book I'm reading now is "Maximum Achievement: Strategies and Skills That Will Unlock Your Hidden Powers to Succeed" by Brian Tracy as it was a birthday gift from a friend. Tracy's book is helpful in identifying what's important in your life and then setting an action plan to achieve it.
Exclusive: Interview with Results - Hi Forum Members, I'm helping start up a Business Coaching and Consulting company here in Toronto, Ontario, Canada (a Subsidiary of RSC Business in Los Angeles). As a Research and Development Intern I am required to practice my listening and interview skills by surveying Small and Medium Businesses on thier Business. This Survey is designed by RSC Business to also assist the Business being interviewed more insight into their own business. I am looking to interview about 30 businesses across North America over the span of 3 months. At the end of these interviews I will be publishing a report of the results and they will be made available for free to the Interviewees. The Report data will include responses from a minimum of 100 interviews. I would like to extend this opportunity to members of the Forum. If you would like to have this short 20-30 minute interview conducted on your Business and you reside in North America please send me an email or PM. Please contact me at andy[at]jvprosperity[dot]com to arrange our interview and to get free access to the results when they are published.
Re: HOw to market a B2B consulting company - [quote="zohahunt77":428owzbi]Hi, I was wondering if anyone can tell me the difference between B2B and B2C. I don’t know about b2b marketing but I have done marketing so know things about it. I will suggest you to take online services which will spread your business all over web network. Online marketing is the best way to market any business.[/quote:428owzbi] B2B = Business to Business - You are marketing to other businesses. B2C = Business to Consumer - You are marketing to consumers.
English teachers learn Japanese as Interns - Yasunori, what about the many students that leave N. America to teach English in Japan. They may want to learn Japanese (maybe Business Japanese is a bit different) and the Japanese Business Culture.


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Soda Vending Machine = Energy Hog

How to Conduct a B2B Marketing Content Audit

When Living the Dream isn't enough!

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.