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| Business Coaching and Small Business |
By: Santi Chacon
Business Coach
Posturing
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
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 you will sound half intelligent when speaking to a prospect.
Now, that you put away all the excuses not to take action and have thought about your offering, 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 and get your story in front of people 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 too far fetched for you, partner with someone who provides a similar service. Let the CEO or VP of Business Development know that you will sell for them for a commission. This is also known as a reseller agreement. 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 create revenue through reselling another companies products or services.
Accidental Success
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, free trial, white paper, or 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. Value needs to be contributed to the fact 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
As your company becomes moderately successful you may find that you are limited by billable hours. When you can't find time to bring on more clients began investing in 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 your time in billable hours, raise your prices, partner with others, to create a one stop shop for any related needs you may run into, or work to resell other services to existing clients. These suggestions have the potential of adding credibility to your company.
You are always limited by your lack of imagination and hard work. 'Necessity is the mother of invention.'
Remember to think outside your box and to always posture yourself for business success.
A FREE evaluation with an business coach is a value of $500.
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