...if the Mayans are wrong.
I heard a very interesting story on the news the other day about “magic bullets.” The report was about single industry towns like Detroit, and how car manufacturing was the magic bullet that made the Motor City a powerful and relevant town decades ago.
To make a long story short, I don’t believe in magic bullets. There is no ONE thing you can do, buy or become to make your business a thriving enterprise. The past is the past, and today is now. So, let’s reflect on real and relevant ways for you to make positive changes to your business this year.
WORK HARD—Simply put, you gotta kick it into high gear this year. That means no messing around on Facebook, no Angry Birds, and no long lunches with friends.
Until you are where you want to be, it’s nose to the grindstone time. Show up for work each day knowing what you are going to do and how. Stay focused, be disciplined, and work harder than you have ever worked before. If you usually make five calls a day, make six. If you see two clients a day, see three.
SET GOALS—What is your revenue goal for 2012? If you don’t have one, you need one. Your goal should be set with an eye on last year, but be looking to the future.
I always start with income. How much money do you want to make this year? How does that translate into monthly revenue targets? What is your average sized account? How many new accounts do you need to reach your goals?
If you can’t answer those questions, you need to sit down right now and do some assessing and calculations. Your work means nothing without vision and planning. Get on it!
BE POSITIVE—Negativity never helped anyone get anywhere great. So, if you or someone close to your business is constantly talking down and keeping you and your team down, it’s time for an attitude adjustment.
Last year might have sucked, but it’s time to move on. There are clients out there who don’t know about you. There are stories to be told and business to be won. Go win it.
You attract the kind of energy that your thoughts and actions generate, so if you are down and droopy, your clients and prospects will sense it. But, if you walk around like today is the greatest day of your life and things are rosy and you are sitting on top of the world, you WILL be more successful. And who cares if you’re acting? Soon, you won’t have to!
GET HELP—If you need to get training, help finding salespeople, or someone from the outside to motivate your team, do it. I just heard about how the Association of Visiting Nurses contracted with an expert bee breeder to take members on tours to hives to learn about what makes a great team. Sounds cool, huh? Try something crazy! One of my favorite questions to ask is, “Why not?”
LEARN SOMETHING—Read about new technology. Learn about the latest and greatest social media tools. Be fluent in the jargon of marketing. There are books, blogs, websites, clubs, organizations, vendors and consultants just dying to see your business flourish. Because if you are prosperous, you will invest more money. Everybody wins.
Take a look in the mirror. What scares you? It’s time to put those fears to rest and kick it up a notch. You can do it!
- Categories:
- Business Management - Marketing/Sales
Blogger, author, consultant, coach and all around evangelist for the graphic arts industry, Kelly sold digital printing for 15 years so she understands the challenges, frustrations and pitfalls of building a successful sales practice. Her mission is to help printers of all sizes sell more stuff. Kelly's areas of focus include sales and marketing coaching, enabling clients to find engagement strategies that work for them and mentoring the next generation of sales superstars.
Kelly graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in Political Science and, among other notable accomplishments, co-founded the Windy City Rollers, a professional women's roller derby league. She is also the mother of two sets of twins under the age of ten, so she fears nothing.