Here is the continuation of yesterday’s article …

You have read and answered the questions set forth in Part I of this article so now you are ready to look at what business are you really in?

The first question, “My prospects contact me (or my business) for the products and/or services we offer because: ___________.” And the second question, “My customers or clients make repeat purchases with me or my business because: ___________.”

Now let’s take a look at what you wrote. Why do people who are not yet doing business with you - your prospects - contact you for the products or services you offer? Is it that your office happens to be in the neighborhood and they just stop in? Or is it because they find your name in the yellow pages, in an ad you run, a direct mail piece you send, or because someone… one of your current customers refers them to you because they’re thrilled with the work you do for them?

Do most of your prospects contact you because they just happen to stumble across your name by accident or because of something you proactively do that cause them to seek you out? Is it because they’re in need of the types of products or services your company sells or because they’re looking specifically for you?

Next, why do your current customers make repeat purchases with you? Is it because you’re business just happens to be in the same neighborhood that they live in and it’s convenient for them? Or does it go beyond that? Do they make repeat purchases with you because they can’t get the kind, amount and quality of service, helpfulness and friendliness from anyone else but you? That they’ve come to the realization that they’d have to be totally out of their mind to do business with anyone else but you?

These are important questions and it’s critical that you take the time to think through your answers and make sure they reflect the reality of your business and situation.

The point of this exercise is not to try and fool anyone… especially yourself. These questions are not going to be graded or even seen by anyone else. These are strictly for your own use and benefit. And if you delude yourself and write in other than what is reality you’re deceiving yourself and will never be able to take your business to where you want it to be.

Now that you’ve completed the two questions I’m going to give you one answer for both questions that you should strive for. Here’s the position you want to get yourself in as to why your prospects contact you and your on-board clients renew with you. You want to lead them to come to the inescapable and undeniable conclusion that… “I’d have to be thinking completely irrationally, to even consider doing business with anyone else but you regardless of the manufacturers or product lines you represent, regardless of the prices you charge, regardless of where your office or business location is located, and regardless of the relationship I have with my current supplier and salesperson.”

You see, once you get your business to that point, all your customer acquisition and retention problems will disappear. You’ll have more efficiency, more fun, and infinitely more of a profitable business than you ever imagined. Can you do it? Sure you can.

Copyright 2007 ProfitsMakeOver, Inc.

Gail M. Barsky, ProfitsMakeOver, Inc. works primarily with small business owners. Gail’s proven systems and strategies help business owners’ increase: the size of customer transactions, profit margins, the frequency of purchases, the number of years customers do business with you, referrals and boost conversion rates. Gail works only with a handful of personal clients. Her results have been impressive and have earned her substantial recognition and notoriety. Gail frequently offers “Breakthrough Business Development Seminars & Workshops.”

Gail M. Barsky, Esquire offers a FREE 20 Minute Business Strategy Session Call to interested business owners. Schedule your FREE private call with Gail M. Barsky, personally at http://www.profitsmakeover.com and click on the link marked FREE Strategy Call.