| |
| |
|
Small Business Information |
|
|
|
Knowledge is Power
Why does research and education play an important part of the business relationship? Have you ever attended a business briefing or meeting without reading the materials ahead of time? I know I certainly have, and I also know that I felt like a fool when asked a question. It was up to me to be informed about the meeting and to read the information, and I neglected to do so. When you attend a meeting for a potential client, you will often find that they have not read much about you and have not done their research. Make sure that it is the other party wearing those shoes and not you. Find out all you can about their business so that you have a fairly accurate understanding of their potential business needs. You may also discover some problems they may have in keeping up with the competition or other items of interest that you can discuss at the meeting. You want to make sure that you are better informed about their business than they are about you. Once you have gained an understanding of their business, spend some time in the meeting asking relevant questions about how they tackle certain aspects of their business. You are working towards forming a bond and a business relationship here, and not trying to sell your products or services. Have them speak on what they do best and what they think the competition's weaknesses are. Also give free advice on some possible solutions that you can discuss in detail further down the road. The main goal of the first meeting is an introduction and to get to the second meeting, nothing more and nothing less. You may discover in your research that the company has many strong points, but at the same time some weaknesses may be revealed. Do not play on those weaknesses, but play to their strengths. If the weaknesses get in the way, it may be time to book a time with another client. Bette Daoust, Ph.D. has been networking with others since leaving high school years ago. Realizing that no one really cared about what she did in life unless she had someone to tell and excite. She decided to find the best ways to get people's attention, be creative in how she presented herself and products, getting people to know who she was, and being visible all the time. Her friends and colleagues have often dubbed her the "Networking Queen". Blueprint for Networking Success: 150 ways to promote yourself is the first in this series. Blueprint for Branding Yourself: Another 150 ways to promote yourself is planned for release in 2005. For more information visit http://www.BlueprintBooks.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Small-Business - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
In Home Daycare Businesses for Profit To have one of the popular in home daycare businesses. Many people think all you have to do is love kids and have a home. Understanding Franchise Releationships in a Franchised Business Now that you have invested your time, energy and money in buying a franchise, how do you work within the system? How do you take advantage of all your franchisor has to offer? How do you deal with your counterparts, other franchisees?In this chapter, I will give you tips that will help you thrive and prosper in your new business.CommunicationIn any franchise organization, it's important to maintain open communications lines. Do You Really Need a Toll-Free Number for Your Business? Do You Really Need a Toll-Free Number for Your Business? The answer is YES! If you run a home business, whether it's a direct sales business, a part-time venture, or if you work full-time from home, if you don't have a toll-free number, you could be leaving money on the table.Studies show that a potential client is 50% more likely to contact a business who has a toll-free number. Preparing to Launch Your Small Business Small business owners often enter their field with great expectations. Unfortunately, reality strikes shortly afterwards. Creative Marketing Tips: Simple Things You Can Use In Your Business To Attract More Clients The single most important activity you can do in your small business is create a unique marketing strategy and plan. When was the last time you saw a company marketing themselves in an outrageous way? In this day and age it looks like everyone has read the same book on marketing - and sorry to say - that book doesn't work!What does work - is a little creativity, a little personality and a lot of effort to make yourself so different from your competition - that there is no real competition. Modern Clear Coats, Auto Detailers and visit to Lexus of North America We visited Lexus USA, home of the Lexus North America Head Quarters to help us better understand the latest innovations in automotive clear coast. As professional auto detailers we must know our customers cars and finishes. Find Your Niche & Follow It - Part 1 In this series of articles I'm going to show you how to find out if there's a hungry crowd for your information product BEFORE you write a single word.Mark Twain once said: "Find out where the people are going and get there first". 6 Steps to a Successful Medical Spa Expansion According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, since 1997, nonsurgical procedures have increased by 471 percent. Jeff Russell, CEO of MedSpa Financing, comments "Medical Spas are a natural progression of medical practice expansion, having a medical doctor run them gives them the credibility and public confidence needed for their success. Fire the CEO If you are the boss and you think your job is to run the business, you are dead wrong. Your job, the most important job in any business, is to market the business. Procrastinate Your Way To A Successful Small Business What will your business look like a year from today?If you're like most small business owners, you have many things to do and not enough time to do them. Can't you just ignore them and procrastinate your way to success?Not likely. Small Business 101: Deadly Ignorance American small business is again in transition. Many employees, now working from home, are no longer tied to a geographic office and the woes of commuting. Top Ten Tips for Leveraging Conferences for Big SUCCESS! As I am preparing for my attendance to the CoachVille's Third Annual Coaching Conference, I have been considering how I can make the most of my conference attendance. These ten tips will support you in leveraging those conference you will attend in the future and for creating an unforgettable experience!1. Do You Own Your Business Or Does It Own You? What was your aim when you went into business for yourself? Chances are you wanted to be your own boss, be in control of your future, improve your chances of earning a high income, among other things.How are things for you right now? Do you feel in control of your business? How many hours do you put into your business each day? Each week? Will your current business enable you to retire in the next 10, 20 years?Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed by all the administrative tasks involved in running a business? Do you wish life could be simpler?More importantly, if you don't work, does your cash continue to flow (inwards, that is)?You see, if you can't take a vacation for fear that you won't make any money while you're away, or if your business is such that you're paid per hour (meaning that if you're not working you're not getting paid), then what you are is a glorified employee, and your business owns you. Cabinet Refacing Business Opportunities With all the cabinet refacing business opportunities out there, you could have a home based business that grows in this expanding industry. You've wanted your own kitchen updated, or talked to friends and family who have put out thousands of dollars remodeling theirs. Small Business Savvy: Reaching Key Big Business Decision Makers As a solo entrepreneur or small business owner, one of our key challenges can be reaching key decision makers in larger companies. Getting to the right person who can seal the deal can be a frustrating experience, especially if you don't have a game plan. Equipment Maintenance Manual for Mobile Cleaning Business Outline Service Cleaning Businesses must maintain their equipment in order to insure it is ready to go when the company vehicles reach their customer. It does not matter how many service vehicles or employees you have, a manual can save you both time and money. The Failures Guide to Small Business Success How many "get rich schemes" have you joined? Or have you invested in numerous legitimate business endeavors only to have them not work for you? Have you started you business and now facing a complete shut down? Do you consider yourself a failure? Are your loved ones pressing you to give up?Risk-taking is a large part of entrepreneurship, in fact it is what drives it, and it's why so many people avoid small business, despite its many potential rewards. Those of us who have tried it only to have failed may find ourselves right back where we started, which could leave us feeling like total failures. Small Business Essentials: Start Here Thinking of starting a business on line? If so there are two things you absolutely must commit to before ever opening shop on the web. Any one who refuses to realistically consider these two factors should not be in business. Tips For Successful Home Show Businesses Opportunities for home show businesses have never been more abundant. If you're thinking about joining the ranks of those in the many show businesses at home available, use these quick tips to get going. Small Business Marketing - How Important Are Your First Words? "What do you do?" It just might be one of the most asked questions there is, at least here in America.Are you prepared to answer this question and make a positive impression for your business at various networking (and social) events you attend?How about this one.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
