You’re a small business owner. You’re the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, and the Chief Marketing Officer. You wear ALL the hats. Therefore, your “to-do” list can sometimes feel never-ending: answer emails, follow up on timelines, pay invoices, meet client deadlines, etc. You’ve also got that personal list of checklist items: get the dog groomed, pick up the kids from swim practice and make an appointment to get a mammogram. And somewhere, in the midst of all of it, you need to focus on marketing and sales to ensure a consistent stream of clients!
Like you , time is my most important asset. As organized as I try to be, a lot still needs to be done daily. Simple strategies that work efficiently and quickly are essential to keeping my business foraging ahead.
So, how do you grow your business and profits quickly? Here are a few tips that will lead to effortless results.
Be Kind
What a novel idea, right? Stick with me, and I promise this is good stuff.
According to Harvard Business Review, kindness and warmth are the keys to connection. “A growing body of research suggests that the way to influence – and to lead in your business – is to start with warmth. Warmth is the conduit of influence because it facilitates trust and communication.” In other words, kindness equals influence, and influence equals sales. I am not suggesting being fake, passive, or agreeable to make a money grab or handing out kindness with the expectation that everyone will become a client. True kindness is about showing compassion, respect, and consideration in every interaction with your clients – that’s powerful.
When you’re looking to hire someone to provide a service or are considering purchasing a product, how likely are you to engage with them when the initial contact is filled with positive energy and kindness? Far more likely.
Case in point: I ALWAYS start my responses to inquiries with “Thank you so much for your email.” Your response lays the foundation that you are friendly and THANKFUL for their business, and your gratitude is attractive.
Words can make or break a sale, so choose positive words and gratitude within reason (we’re not brown-nosing the teacher here), and you’ll stand out as someone appreciative and safe to work with. This is important in sales, as consumers buy primarily from people who make them feel safe. The bottom line is that people who are kind and show genuine interest in their customers will have more authentic, open conversations that, in turn, breed trust and make more money.
Plus, the benefits of being kind extend beyond our business. According to experts, kindness is linked to increased personal satisfaction as engaging in acts of kindness releases endorphins, the brain’s natural painkillers, creating a phenomenon often referred to as the “helper’s high.” If you ever read the kid’s book “Have You Filled Your Bucket Today?”, you know that the best way to fill your own “bucket” (aka soul) is to fill someone else’s.
Focus on Experience vs Sales
When business is slow, it’s easy to hyper-focus on getting sales and let your existing customers slide a bit to the wayside, BUT that’s the opposite of what you want to do. Focusing on each client and ensuring an excellent experience inadvertently sets you up for 5-star Google reviews and referrals. Plus, it just feels better.
I like to think of the customer experience as something I can control within my business. In reality, I have little control over when people reach out, but I can control showing up online or with my clients in person. I love hearing about people, so I really enjoy asking questions to learn more about them. This leads to a natural, easy conversation, and we often discover we share similar interests, views, or even histories. One time, I found out my client’s mother was actually the childhood best friend of my mother – you never know!
Of course, not everyone is chatty, and that’s fine – I read the energy the other person is putting out and respond appropriately, but making conversation and learning about your clients – goes a long way to establishing great relationships. Remember, it takes more energy to get a new client than to retain an existing one, so good experiences create solid relationships which are the key to making more money.
Follow Up
I struggle with this one because it’s last on the list of things to do when a project is complete (and you’re excited to move on to the next project ), but I try to make a habit of following up.
Following up is gathering information for the future. You can learn what’s working and what’s not in your business. This allows you to make shifts for future clients ensuring a positive experience for everyone. It’s an easy way to figure out what you’re doing well and put more time/effort into that while also learning what things your clients don’t value OR that you may need to hire out to get additional support.
The other reason for following up? You show clients how genuinely grateful you are for their business.It’s another great way to create a positive connection that stands out. You’ll make more money as a result of being a business that people remember when they need your product or service again or want to refer a friend.
Making More Money Doesn’t Mean A Ton of Extra Work
These are ways to make more money in your business without a bunch of extra effort. The tactics aren’t meant to produce overnight results but to be actions you can easily make part of your day-to-day workflow that will continue to plant the seeds that sprout into clients and cash over time.
If you’re looking for more sales now, Subconscious Marketing and Sales is a proven way to attract more right clients into your world. It’s based on learning how to communicate with your clients and establish relationships quickly, so you can use the above techniques to keep building those relationships.
If you’re ready for results now, click HERE and let’s start chatting!
