Posturing

The Beginning of a Work in Progress

When it comes to starting a part-time business or a business that is running on a shoestring budget your posture and follow-through are everything. The key to success right out of the gate is to work with what you have. Don't obsess over what you don't have. Don’t use anything as an excuse to fail.

If you have the ability and resources to launch a website and marketing materials than do it to whatever degree you can. Extend yourself as far as you will go. If you don’t have the ability to set up a website become professionally creative. Do not use lack as an excuse not to take action on your dreams. You have to develop the skills to move forward. And you develop the skills to move forward by moving forward and persisting until they have developed. Plain and simple, let nothing deter you from action.

Do not make the mistake of thinking that you have to have everything in place in order to succeed. This is not true. I have won business based on a simple text email, from people who have never heard of me, that simply stated my intentions; I have associates that have won business due to their initiative and reputation of excellent service – no marketing materials exist.

Mull it Over

Now moving forward with your existing resources is no excuse not to think things through. Make sure you put thought into what you are doing. Think through your marketing information, think on paper or word document, even if you don’t have a marketing budget to invest. This process will help you to think through your value proposition, so that when you are given the opportunity to speak to someone about your business offering you will sound half intelligent.

Now, that you put away all the excuses not to take action and have thought about your offering (on paper), put yourself out there. If you don’t have business cards to pass out put an email together and send it out. Look online for a couple of hundred phone numbers to call. Get out there get your story in front of the masses consistently. In business timing is everything if you hit a chord with the right professional at the right time you will get business.

If this seems a little far fetched to you, partner with someone who provides a similar service than you. Let the CEO or VP of Business Development know that you will help them to get clients for a commission;this is also known as a reseller(this is until you have get things in order). Let them know you will be willing to exchange your efforts for their reputation and collateral. You may find that it is more profitable for you to join them than to go our on your own, especially if they have a reputation in the market place. There are many businesses that make a tremendous amount of revenue reselling other technologies and services that other companies provide.

Accidental Success

Now what happens when you stumble across a potential customer that says yes? Make a connection by providing extra value free of charge to show your worth. The added value could be a free consultation or free trial, white paper, a free e-book that is related to your services. When you get an opportunity to provide a free assessment or analysis or added value than you have earned the right to ask for the business. After a few of these you will have the confidence and finances to put some marketing materials together. In between serving clients and earning money you can gradually get a marketing presence together. It's good to realize that your potential sales are not based on marketing materials but, on gaining the skills to move forward in the light of difficulty.

Creating Leverage In a Growing Business

One of the challenges I come across often while serving my clients is the concern of the limits on billable hours or limits on resources. This is what eventually becomes the ceiling to earning potential.

So what are we suppose to do?

When you have no more room to grow, then began investing your time creating something you can sell along with your services. Restructure your business model so that you can sell more of something without having to invest potential billable hours, raise your prices, or partner with others, to create a one stop shop for any related needs you may run into; work to resell other services to existing clients. These suggestions have the potential of adding credibility to your company and to make you seem larger in the eyes of your clients.

You are always limited by your lack of imagination, 'Necessity is the mother of invention.'

Remember to think outside your box and to always posture yourself for business success.

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