Growing Your business? Don’t Forget These 5 Things

Take time to build relationships. One of the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make is failing to build relationships with customers. The first thing you are selling is yourself. If they don’t like you, the sale is not going to happen.

Stay on the radar. Once you’ve established rapport with customers, find ways to stay top-of-mind with them, such as through regular newsletters about your business. When running a sale or hosting events, update your blog, your website’s events page and your social networks. Social media can help drive traffic back to your website.

Don’t make assumptions. Too often, small-business owners sabotage their sales by assuming they know what customers need or are willing to pay. Instead, try to ask customers as many questions as possible to learn what’s driving their purchase and what criteria they’re using to make their decision.

Establish a daily ritual. It’s easy to neglect sales prospecting when you’re wearing all the hats in your company. To avoid that pitfall, create a sales routine. That might mean reserving an hour each day for prospecting calls or setting a weekly goal of meeting at least 10 potential clients. A defined daily routine is non-negotiable.

Showcase your success. Your website and social pages are often the first and only contact people will have with your company. Not only should it be clean and professional looking, but it also should help build credibility. Be sure to include testimonials, along with case studies of clients you’ve worked with. People love case studies. They’re not buying talk, they are buying [your] actions and [your] results!