LeePemberton.com

Another New Year Is At Hand! — Pay close attention to things happening around you. I am sharing these trends that I see unfolding, and I strongly caution you to take positive steps so that they don’t steamroller over you and your business this year. Following are two that I feel you must become aware of, with more over the next few weeks:

#1 – RETENTION
Customer Retention is a big one! Attracting new customers has become increasingly difficult, making the retention of existing customers a big priority for several reasons:

• It really does cost less to keep customers than get new ones even when times are good. With the incredible lack of trust among consumers today, the saving are significant!
• Secondly, referrals are the new “customer gold”, available only to those hardy “miners” who are knowledgeable enough to know how to do the “mining” in a totally trustworthy manner.

Retention of good employees is directly tied to your ability to retain customers, and is especially critical when “mining” for referrals!

• Don’t let the high unemployment issue blind you to the fact that good employees are still not easy to find and keep.
• The employee who knows how to treat your valuable customers may well be your most valuable tool this year for increasing your customer base through referrals!

#2 – SELF EMPLOYMENT
As the fact sinks in that their old jobs will not be coming back, the unemployed will be faced with options they don’t like. Some will take jobs at a lower pay scale and adjust. Others will decide to take advantage of government subsidized training to qualify for jobs in a different field. Some will relocate for better job opportunities.

However, many will decide to become self employed. You can expect a significant upturn in new business start ups in the cleaning industry! Parents & grandparents will lend money for equipment once they realize that good training is easily available in this industry, (and everyone already thinks this is an easy business)!

by Clate Mast, CEO of Infusion

There is one marketing truth you must understand: People buy when they are ready to buy, not when you are ready to sell. So, just because your lead is not ready to buy today, doesn’t mean they aren’t important. After all, today’s leads are tomorrow’s customers, or next month’s or next year’s.

Treating your leads like customers ensures they will come directly to you once they are ready to buy.

I’m going to admit something that may sound a little arrogant. I have hundreds of thousands of customers. They just might not be buying from me right now. But, whenever I’m talking to any small business owner, I am thinking, “This is one of my customers.”

I don’t even have a chance to tell them what Infusionsoft does before I have categorized them as “Customer” in my head. Many times it is my perceived value of this person that causes them to want to learn more about Infusionsoft…and often earns me another customer!

Customers are often disloyal; friends are usually loyal.

This is a scary time for the new business start ups that are specializing in carpet cleaning  in the northern parts of our great country.

The question I get is “What can I do, it’s really slow?”  -  Giving that question a quick “off the cuff” answer is not fair or easy!

And, here is why:

The first and most important “secret” that I have learned about being successful as a “Mom & Pop” business is simply this  .  .  .

Just Be Yourself – Will Always Be Your Best Policy.

Your effectiveness in business comes from your effectiveness as a person. The two are inseparable. To have a business goal worth pursuing implies that you have a life goal worthy of your best efforts.

That attitude will shine through in both your business and your training activities. If you don’t really believe that your business goals are meaningful, that is exactly what will shine through, regardless of all the motivational words you use.

• Learn to step back and remove your feelings from a situation.
• You can see situations much more clearly when feelings are removed.

Only then can the discussions begin!  Things that might be great for one “Mom & Pop” business, will absolutely not fit another. The secret is honesty with your self! Why even try to do something you can’t or won’t be comfortable doing?

Bottom line: Figure out who you are and what you are honestly comfortable with and I can help you! And while we are being honest with ourselves, next week we look at something called “Truth”.