When you hear the word "success" does it bring on visions of fame and fortune for your business? Have you clarified and articulated what that success will look like for your business and how you'll know when you've achieved it?
What's the definition of success for your business? Most small businesses are selling their time and expertise to deliver a service to their clients. So the question I want you to reflect upon is this? "What does success look like?"
Now before you start answering with responses like, "I'll do $X Million in sales this year." ? STOP! That's not what I meant. The question is? "What does success look like for your client(s)?" Remember, your clients? Isn't it generally fair to say you're in business to provide a service to your clients? When you do it right, what does it actually look like for the client?
Don't get me wrong. I understand that we're in business to make money ? to make a living for ourselves. But that's rarely enough in life. Most of the service providers I know love working with and servicing their clients. If you focus on taking care of that, the rest will almost certainly take care of itself. So what does success look like for the client when you do it right?
Spend some time and clarify success for your service business. What are you passionate about? What is it that you're trying to do for your clients? What difference do you want to make? What do you "love" doing for them? What is it that they will have or be able to do because they bought your service from you?
This definition covers a broad range of issues for you and your business. All aspects of your business must be working well together to achieve this success. Be as specific as you can.
Now, if you really want to make this a valuable exercise for your business, then I challenge you to take the results of your own brainstorming and sit down with a few of your best client(s) to see what they think and get their input.
I think you can see that this type of reflection goes beyond listing your services or the results of your services. This is not, "I'm providing marketing and business growth services to help my clients' realize greater return on their marketing investments." Instead, let's get down to, "Clients won't have to struggle with their marketing efforts, wondering how they're going to get more clients. They will be able to easily generate a consistent supply of high-quality leads and convert them into more business so they can focus on what they love doing ? servicing their clients." See the difference?
For most small business owners I've known and worked with, owning their own business is a "dream." Unfortunately, if they're constantly stressed about how and where to find more business, then their "dream" may become their "worst nightmare."
Success then for my clients means helping them put a more systematic approach in place to ensure they're constantly generating leads and converting them into more business so they can realize their "dream."
When you clarify success in this way, you'll be able to devote your attention to continuously improve what you do and how you deliver your services to your clients. You'll be motivated to ensure you're delivering that value to your clients and not just doing what you always do so the clients will pay their bills. With success clarified, you'll be able to ask yourself, "How is what I'm doing today contributing to delivering success for my client?" And here's the real kicker ? because of your focus on your clients' success, expect to see more success for your own business!
(c) - Kevin Dervin, KPD Marketing
About the Author:
Kevin Dervin is focused on helping small businesses that are ready to grow, but struggle with how to consistently attract more clients. Visit http://www.proven-small-business-marketing-solutions.com for more great marketing information you can put to use in growing your business today.
Find Kevin's Kansas City based KPD Marketing practice at http://www.proven-small-business-marketing-solutions.com and subscribe to his free ezine called ABCD Grow.
limousine Ackley .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareBusiness consulting opportunities might be just what your are looking... Read More
If you're an entrepreneur responsible for your own small business... Read More
Are you a home or small business owner and you're... Read More
You are selling your small business (business value under $1... Read More
It's just like a marriageTo expect a bank manager or... Read More
The air in my client's office nearly crackled with her... Read More
If you're like me, you love accounting. It's so fascinating... Read More
Starting a business? For many people, the bravery to venture... Read More
Last week's question from Anthony R. on how to choose... Read More
The FTC- Mighty Federal Trade Commission has unilaterally decided to... Read More
What are the benefits of using a Freelance Consultant /... Read More
All legitimate home business entrepreneurs insist and announce loud and... Read More
An observation while returning home from a seminar: Getting away... Read More
One of the major complaints in the QSR Quick Service-Fast... Read More
Ok, so next to the taxman, your company payroll department... Read More
As a home business proprietor, you may already realize why... Read More
I frequently give presentations at small business gatherings, providing me... Read More
Due to the over regulation in the Franchising Industry and... Read More
Business card size works well for invitations to special events.What... Read More
Small business owners can relieve a lot of their own... Read More
Writing a business plan is a fundamental step to ensuring... Read More
How often has someone thought of starting a business based... Read More
Last year, trillions of dollars transferred hands on the internet... Read More
If you run a mobile car wash, mobile fleet washing... Read More
In the world today, many people are further in debt... Read More
shuttle from O'Hare Alexander ..When small businesses fail, the wreckage is often assigned to... Read More
There is a continual trend we are seeing which I... Read More
When is advice free and when should you charge for... Read More
Are you thinking of starting a small pressure washer business... Read More
So often small service businesses fail to exploit niches, which... Read More
You may be in Mail Order, Direct Mail, or you... Read More
Starting and growing a small business can be a daunting... Read More
Grow your Professional Organizer business by branching out into related... Read More
Seventy percent of US households use the web when shopping... Read More
Did you ever have one of those days or weeks... Read More
I meet and talk to hundreds and hundreds of business... Read More
Get maximum results with minimum effort. Sounds great doesn't it?... Read More
A Mattress Cleaning Business might be just for you if... Read More
The success of your business is critically dependent on how... Read More
In the heavy equipment cleaning business you can make good... Read More
Each day we hear of companies entering the franchising industry.... Read More
As an entrepreneur you can learn a lot by following... Read More
As you reflect on this year and prepare for next... Read More
Remember the training programs, seminars, and workshops you had to... Read More
Here are just a few ways to increase and diversify... Read More
What is a Virtual Assistant?A Virtual Assistant is a person... Read More
The resume writing service serves an important role in the... Read More
Macon, GA goes after garage-gas station conversion detail/hand car washes... Read More
In this series of articles I'm going to show you... Read More
We all know how glorious those first warm days of... Read More
Small Business |