— Harish Keshwani, BusinessWorks, Inc.
On Lead Generation
58. “Reanimate your sleepers – It costs far less to reach back out to an existing list of dormant customers than it does to find and sell to new customers. Offer your sleepers something outrageously compelling to get them buying again. Even if you make nothing on the sale that ‘awakens’ them, you’ll likely make up for it in continuity sales.”
— Jonathan Fields, JonathanFields.com
59. “Nurture your leads that aren’t sales ready. Lead nurturing isn’t calling every quarter to ask if they are ready to buy, but to become a trusted advisor and provide relevant information to your prospects. In fact, a recent study of business-to-business buyers shows that sales people who become trusted advisors and understand the needs of economic buyers are 69% more likely to come away with a sale.”
— Brian Carroll, B2B Lead Generation Blog
60. “Use your CRM – Don’t create the biggest database of contacts possible. Instead, seek to create the most relevant database possible that contains the right companies and contacts that influence the buying decision. In the beginning, you won’t have all the data you need. Be patient and you’ll build the opportunity profile over time. See each conversation as an opportunity to build a relationship.”
— Brian Carroll, B2B Lead Generation Blog
61. “Don’t let up. Be consistent. No matter how busy you are make time to do lead generation activities. As you know it doesn’t always stay that way. Try to do at least one lead generation thing every day, even if it is something small, that will help you engage a prospective customer. If you use calling, resolve to make an extra call a day before you leave. If you do networking, strive to meet one more person at an event.”
— Brian Carroll, B2B Lead Generation Blog
On Sales
62. “Boost your sales by focusing on how each customer wants to buy, instead of plugging in some standard sales approach.”
— Michael McLaughlin, Guerrilla Consulting
63. “Talk to your prospects to discover their most pressing needs then direct your efforts to solving those challenges. Always be focused on being seen as a problem-solver, sharing and giving rather than focusing on your own gain.”
— Chris Garrett, ChrisG.com
64. “When you do make a request, frame it in benefits to the prospect. For example instead of ‘join my list’, say ‘get the 10 secrets to … delivered to your email inbox’.”
— Chris Garrett, ChrisG.com
65. “Sell more to existing customers – Create a sleaze-free sales process that upsells and cross sells highly-relevant, value-added products or services to clients in order to bump your average order size by 10-15%.”
— Jonathan Fields, JonathanFields.com
66. “Co-operate with a competitor. Up-sell related products after the initial sale. If your customers would benefit by having both of your products, you might negotiate the opportunity to include your competitor’s product inside your own box, or vice versa.”
— Martin Zwilling Startup Professionals Musings
On Customer Relations
67. “Treat your customers right, even when they’re wrong“
— Muhammad Saleem, MuhammadSaleem.com
68. “Small businesses know that relationships matter. Start asking for ways to connect that go beyond the sale.”
— Chris Brogan, ChrisBrogan.com
69. “Then, if you get them, treat these people special, and not like marks. Give them MORE than the others. Encourage them.”
— Chris Brogan, ChrisBrogan.com
70. “If you value your company’s survival, it is imperative that you educate those who respond on your company’s behalf to bear in mind that people are publicizing their interactions.”
— Rosalind Resnick, Entrepreneur.com
On Networking
71. “Always be polite and cordial, even if you think the entire population of the room/party/event you are at are insipid pond scum not worth the light of day. The irritating, pompous pest with an attitude problem and personal hygiene to rival your average skunk may one day turn out to be your best client, or the one man in town who can provide what you need.”
— Derek Heck, Bootstrapping Blog
72. “Never stop learning and associate with right people.”
— Harish Keshwani, BusinessWorks, Inc.
73. “Find a partner. There is no single type of person who succeeds at running their own business, the most common characteristic is someone who decreases risk where he or she can. People who run their own business are taking a big risk just by doing that — they don’t want any more risk if they don’t have to take it. And the most common way to mitigate risk is to partner with people who have skills that you lack yourself. So the successful small business owners have a wide network so they can more easily find the skill set they need when they need it. First in a partner, and then in future employees.”
— Penelope Trunk, Penelope Trunk’s Brazen Careerist
74. “Be confident in your networking, and always think long-term. Don’t discount someone as a contact because they may not be able to help you out immediately. Don’t run up to people demanding their assistance, either. Networking is a two-way street, and quite often it pays big dividends to be the person offering help, rather than the one asking for it. Make yourself useful to your contacts, start building a relationship, and then take things from there.”
— Derek Heck, Bootstrapping Blog
75. “Create a culture of yes. And by that I mean a support system of possibility thinkers - mentors, peers, a coach – who can help foster your greatness. Sometimes that means they’ll call you out and challenge your ideologies, but they will always, always be cheering you on in a way the evokes your true strengths. And that where the power is.”
— Danielle LaPorte, White Hot Truth