As you set up your business you are super conscious of the pennies, making sure each one goes as far as you can right? You haggle with everyone to get the best rate and do a lot on your own.
I know I did (and still do!) so that I could get the most out of what I was spending. Maybe you are new to the entrepreneur world and don't know where to spend your money to get the most out of it. I found it all really daunting.
I took advice from a plethora of people and still ended up back at confused. I remember sending my first flyers to the printers. I had designed them myself, they cost me $500 and I barley slept a wink that night hoping there wasn't a typo on them.
Ironically I was so tired the next day that I couldn't think clearly to see if there was in fact the feared mistake. I hear many of you expressing the same fears and we over come these in my One-on-One Program.
Once you have the systems in place many business owners don't take time to re-evaluate their practises and leaks start to appear in their profit. When was the last time you looked at your subscriptions ?
So many times we let profit leak out of our business when we get in the flow and start making money. I love the tips Bryony Thomas's new book Watertight Marketing discusses.
Here are 12 new business leaks to put some putty in. Keep the profit bucket full by asking yourself these questions. Start at the top as without the customers all the other leaks won't matter!
1. Forgotten customers
Do you have consistent customer communications? Does your comms proactively addresses their service needs keeping your business in their minds? Or have you sold to them once and then thought NEXT? Wrong – go back to your faithful customers and see what else you can do for them.
2. Poor on-boarding
Is there a structured approach to communicate with your new customers as they settle into the relationship with you? Does it demonstrate that your service is consistent with the expectations they had?
3. No emotional connection
Does your visual and written style have a personal touch? Is it friendly? Does it allow people to make an emotional connection with your business?
4. No gateway
Does your business offer a coherent set of products that lead helpfully from one to the next? Do you include a stepping stone that allows people to understand what it's like to be a customer before they are one?
5. No critical approval
Is there a clear way of educating anyone who could veto the purchase decision?
6.No proof
Are you systematic about signposting some sort of proof against every promise or claim that you make?
7. Information overload
Do you have a steady stream of relevant information that invites people into finding out more?
8. How
Is your content available in a range of familiar and novel formats? Can people engage with ease and enjoyment?
9. Where
Have you put your materials in three places that you know your potential buyers already access?
10. When
Have you made a commitment to timing the release of your materials that is convenient to your buyers?
11. Who
Is there a way of getting people talking about your business so that buyers hear something good about you? Externally and internally?
12. What
Do you have an absolute clarity of purpose in telling people what your business does?
And everyone loves a cheeky something for free so here it is -
13. No emotional impact
Do you strike an emotional chord with your potential buyer? Do they take notice of you? Do they feel compelled to take action?
You won't have all of these holes in your business. Some might need a tweak and others a big bit of putty. So get plastering and keep the profit in your bucket so you have more to live the life you desires.
Love,
