Today’s Lie: Customers Grow on Trees

If you’re a business that’s just starting out, or trying to get to the next level, you may have realized that it’s hard to generate revenue if you don’t have customers/clients. Some of you may have been lucky to have a decent referral/word-of-mouth base that’s kept you going. Until now. But if you don’t make enough money from word-of-mouth referrals, or you don’t have any, and you’re just waiting for the universe to answer your daily prayer of “please send me more business!” then you may be in for a rude awakening. It would be nice if our prospects simply lined up outside our door, waiting for us to open it, and if we could plant a customer tree, water it and find that several clients on our tree were ripe to work with us each week!

Sadly, no amount of tree watering and universe praying will work to get you clients….at least, not by themselves! (Hey, I am a believer in the power of the universe, and aligning your thoughts with what you want to attract. However, we need to add some physical determination to the spiritual to ultimately succeed.) So, just what kinds of activities might help you get to a point where it feels like customers do grow on trees? One idea is to consider focusing directly on your target market by learning about tribal marketing. This type of marketing focuses on a group of individuals who share an identity-based attribute. By recognizing who is most likely to buy or use your services, you should be able to market directly to them. Businesses can read more about tribal marketing at https://www.sheerid.com/tribal_marketing_and_consumer_tribe_behavior/ if they want to. This should help them to boost their business and experience more sales. Here are a few other ideas:

1. Ask for business. You probably just read that and said, “duh!” Now, read it again. How many people are you actually calling, emailing, or meeting at events, and ASKING to meet with you to see if you’re a good fit, as opposed to TELLING them what you do? Now you see the difference? The first, and most basic, step to getting customers to grow on your tree is to plant the seed by asking them to make time to discuss their business and yours and see if there is a fit.
2. Follow-up. Again, you probably think this is basic. But how often are you keeping track of everyone you speak with, and following up with them weeks, or months, later to see if they might be ready to work with you? Things change over time, and that prospect that seemed “luke cold” last month, may have reached a point where he is badly in need of your services, right now. Remember that it can take several conversations before you close business.
3. Grow your business around your business. A course in financial modelling for example, allows you to understand the expenses; predict the earnings; and thus helps in the growth of your enterprise. Moreover, existing customers (and clients if you are a service-based-business) are a great source of business! The nice thing about owning a business where you develop your own services and products is that you can develop them around your clients/customers! So, as you work with them, you will learn what they need after they finish using one of your programs, products, or services. Now you can create the next level layer they need, and not only continue to help them, but also continue to grow your business.

Want more ideas to attract more customers? Set up a BullBusting Strategy Session and get some great business growth strategies and implementation help!