What's your Purpose?

In times of economic hardship or the overall "the economy is bad" cloud, it is so easy to lose sight of the vision we have for our business. All over America people are feeling a "profit" crunch. However, it is imperative that remain focused and continue to implement strategies for businesss growth. Do not become personally deflated by the "bad economy" syndrome. In other words don't use this as the excuse for all your business woes. Ask yourself, How can I stand in my power and take back my business? How am I responsible? Review your mission statement. Do you know what need your business fulfills? Are you clear about your purpose and your passion? Are you truly aware of your worth. Encourage and Empower yourself to be responsibly,committed. I too am guilty of this. When asked "How is Business?", I have immediately said."Oh you know this economy is horrible..blah, blah". This has become a theme song. Yes the economy is bad right now, but I encourage you to persevere with purpose. Take control of things in your business that you can control.Implement those changes immediately. Be grateful for what is working and be a source of purpose.

NetWORKing IT OUT

A network is not good if you don't work it! Networking is about building relationships. Building your network takes time.

Prepare you 30-second commercial. "Who you are? What you do? What happens as a result of what you do? (clearly articulated)

Have plenty of business cards..make sure info on the cards is up to date.

Make sure to follow up the next day with an e-mail. (Just say ..It was nice meeting you..etc. This is not the time for a sales pitch. You must build a relationship.)

Build the relationship by recommending books and articles of interest to the person(s)

Establish yourself as an expert by inviting them to subscribe to your blog or newsletter.

Staying in contact with your network is crucial for relationship building which = more customers.

It's not who you know...it's WHO KNOWS YOU!

You need a website..NO EXCUSES

The importance of a website to a business is like the importance of motivated employee to a company. A well designed site will generate revenue and increase your business; on the other hand, a poorly designed or out-dated website may portray your business as amateur or unproductive. In today's growing, small business society, I like to compare: employee vs. website. The well designed website will: always add credibility to your business and strengthen your brand; expose your expertise; communicate with your customers regularly via newsletters and updates; increase your customer reach by putting your business out there to be found by clients who are already looking for what you offer; and last but not least, your site will provide 24-hour service. Your website is so important to your business that it should receive the employee appreciation award.

Ronieka Page
owner of eYe Q Solutions

Recommended Financial Readings

Know Thine Customer....

This post is inspired by a few business owners I spoke with earlier today. As business professionals....particularly entrepreneurs.. we need to understand exactly who our customer is. Unless you are in the toilet paper business everyone is not in your target market. Think about who currently does business with you. What do they look like? How old are they? How often do they need your service or product? What are their spending habits? Where do they live? How much money do they make? If you are just starting a business who do you want to buy your product/service.
When you understand who you are targeting you can then understand how to cater to your target. You will be clear on where and how to spend the money in your advertising budget. Your client profile is crucial information that you must know. When you answer the above questions then you can use marketing outlets that reach clients that fit your profile.

The Magic Words.......................

Master using the magic words. These magic word go a long way in your personal life and can make or break you in your professional life. "THANK YOU" How many ways can you tell a client Thank You? I will list a few.
1. Immediately after a client makes a purchase from you- Send an e-mail or card saying...Thank you for your patronage..........Look forward to servicing you in future
2.Referrals....Thank you for the referral. Your expression of confidence is appreciated. Trust that anyone you refer to me will receive the highest degree of professional service.
3. Telephone or In person contact- I realize time is precious. Thank you for taking the time to meet/talk with me. It was a pleasure. I will continue to respect the time you invest and hope to someday be able to serve you.
4. Presentation-Thank you for giving me the opportunity to present to you.........If you have any questions please don't hesitate to call.
5. Prospective client buys from someone else- It is with sincere regret that I am unable to help you at this time. Thank you for taking the time to consider my services. I will keep you informed of any changes or developments that may benefit you.
6. Birthday/Anniversary- Happy_____________. I thank you for your support. As always, I am commited to serve your needs.

The power behind the Magic Words is organization. Get organized now and watch your business grow and your Client Retention soar. You should have a task list of people to send out Thank You cards or email to weekly or even daily depending on your industry. How does it benefit you? = Recognition, Brand Awareness, and Stronger client relationships.

Business Cards 101......

Take your business cards seriously. Seems very basic and no- brainer but.....have you ever asked someone for their business card only to have them fumbling through their purse, pocket, or wallet? Also, to make matters worse they present you with a stained, wrinkly, out-of -date information..."scratch off the old number" card. Have you ever been that person?
Show your clients that they are really important and that you are prepared to serve their needs.

Your business card is a reflection of your business. When a potential client receives it they immediately decide if it is worth keeping. Below you will find my list of business cards do's and don'ts.

Don't ever get caught without one
Do take mental notes of when you are running low

Don't have to search high and low to find it
Do have cards in a case or other designated place that's accesible in a moments notice

Don't have too much information packed on card
Do have all the vital info...e-mail, website, correct number etc.

Don't have grubby, stained cards
Do have a unique card.. something that sets you apart in your industry

Don't use cheap stock, basic, tacky paper
Do make sue your card is a reflection your "brand image"


Your business cards are part of your business image.Your business image is an asset. Be confident that your image attracts those you want to serve. Display your image with pride and flair.

www.indyblackbiz.com

Be the Change...

I often wondered why Indianapolis did not have an on-line resource for African-Americans. I thought to myself...well other big cities do....Atlanta, Los Angeles...why not Indy. Yes, of course I am aware of the printed publications that are of great resource to our community but wouldn't it be great to have a listing of black businesses in Indy at the click of the mouse? Community and Cultural events ?I thought surely there are people like myself that are firm believers in supporting black owned businesses and keeping our money in the community.
Hmmmm, well in the words of Gandhi......"Be the change you want to see in the world" or the change in Indy. So anyway...I humbly decided to start IndyBlackBiz.Com. My intention is to bring awareness and support....love....and strength...Keep it in the Community...

www.indyblackbiz.com