Monday, October 10, 2011

Be Careful When Business Gets Busier!

Wow you think to yourself. Just a few months ago business seemed slow. How would I find new business, how would I keep the clients I have? And overnight it happened - business turned around and you still have staffing levels of last year with less resources. Here are a few tips on how to handle a burst in business even when you are still short on resources:

1. Slow down and focus
2. Don't just raise prices without a candid conversation with your key clients
3. Create an internal process to handle inquiries/phones/RFP's
4. Don't lose the personal touch that your clients got used to during slower times
5. Remember as fast as business comes back it can go away - create a give and take with clients

We are dealing in a time when business flow is not constant. You need to prepare for the ups and downs without losing control. Time management is key at this point. How you manage your emails, proposals and follow up will separate you from your competition. Remember the average won't work - the middle of the road is the road to nowhere!

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Let's Take It Up a Notch for Q4!

Where did 2011 go?!
As we have entered our last quarter this week, it is so important to raise the bar in the last months of the year. Because the year has flown by and things, for most, have been very busy - it can be very easy to relax and take the slow road through the holidays and onto 2012.
STOP RIGHT THERE!

Don't crash your creativity. I built my business on my creative spirit and that lives through my entire team. Creativity is the core of innovation. Begin to start thinking more creative today. Start this creativity course of action:
1. Change up your office environment.
2. Change your Outlook background and colors!
3. Start your day earlier and spend 15-30 minutes reading something - newspaper, online articles, a book or magazine.
4. Stand up during your calls and ALWAYS during your morning lineup.
5. Change where you go to lunch.
6. Get outside your comfort zone, where a different color to work today. (I know we all wear black, black, black!)

*Keep it fresh, keep it simple and never settle for ordinary!