It seems like everyday I have a conversation with somebody who talks about how difficult times are, how the economy is tough, how there are few opportunities and how it will be years before things improve.
What is wrong with people?
Exterior forces, no matter what they are, really have little effect on your business compared to the things you actually control.
How many of the following are true about you and your business:
1. You leave decisions that could be made today until another day.
2. You expand processes so that something that could be done in a day or two takes a month.
3. You hold meetings without agendas and time constraints.
4. You schedule regular meetings whether or not they are truly necessary.
5. You do not empty your in-box everyday.
6. You don’t train your staff when you possess the knowledge to help them perform their work more effectively.
7. You don’t keep on top of your receivables.
8. You keep customers that you know cost you money.
9. You have opportunities to grow your business that you have not pursued.
10. You have customers that you have not contacted in the last thirty days.
11. You don’t regularly review employee productivity.
12. You subscribe to services that you no longer need.
13. You have equipment or inventory that you do not use but you have not taken steps to liquidate.
14. You don’t regularly try to up-sell customers.
15. You haven’t reviewed all purchasing to see if lower prices or better quality could be achieved.
16. You don’t call at least one prospect everyday.
17. If you are an owner or top manager you don’t actually speak to your customers.
18. You haven’t taken a good customer to lunch in the last month.
19. You don’t have a current, written, business plan.
In every recession there are businesses that take off and grow far beyond what the economy suggests should be possible. The reasons may be many but I think the main reason is that someone has decided to ignore the bad news and get on with their own plans.
Stop listening to the news! Do you really need to know about teenage pregnancy, riots, cheating bankers and lying politicians? Does this new help or distract?
I promise that none of that really affects your business very much. However, spending time thinking about anything other than your business will actually hurt your business!
Sales is a process that can be developed and managed! Get the right plan, the right people, the right tools combined with the right kind of motivation and success will happen! The Sales Experts offers London Sales Consulting and London Sales Recruiting.