thriving in 2014: ten practical tips for growing your business
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Thriving in 2014: Ten Practical Tips for Growing Your Business. Include these in your new year planning!TRANSCRIPT
Thriving in 2014 Ten Practical Steps to Grow Your Business
© 2009 Sophia Associates, Inc. © 2013 Sophia Associates, Inc.
Plant a Seed and Watch it
Grow!
Be a thought leader! Do
speaking engagements,
write articles and post on
popular blogs.
© 2013 Sophia Associates, Inc.
Your Creativity is
Showing
Get creative about how to offer your
services and products, whether it’s
packaging, delivery or an innovative
solution to a customer’s problem. © 2013 Sophia Associates, Inc.
Collaborate!
Find like-minded people who
offer complementary services
and products and team up on
marketing efforts and new
offerings. Create strategic
alliances. © 2013 Sophia Associates, Inc.
Get Known Overcome your fear of
speaking and share your
wisdom and expertise to the
right audiences for your
business. Learn to network
effectively in the right
places.
© 2009 Sophia Associates, Inc. © 2013 Sophia Associates, Inc.
Build Community
It’s called the WEB for a reason.
Start your own social network and
offer your clients and colleagues
great content and resources. Build
loyalty and community! © 2013 Sophia Associates, Inc.
Brand
Messages
Twitter, Facebook, Linked In, Instagram, Google and Blogs
can be strategically used to build your brand messages with
minimal cost. Integrate these into your marketing. What do
you want to be known for? Answer that and consistently build
in that message in everything you do.
© 2013 Sophia Associates, Inc.
Provide Extreme
Customer Service © 2009 Sophia Associates, Inc. © 2013 Sophia Associates, Inc.
Give Back
Generosity should be part
of your business plan. Do
pro bono work and give
back to your community.
© 2013 Sophia Associates, Inc.
Reward
Evangelists Create an affiliation or
referral program that
rewards others for providing
leads and referrals
© 2009 Sophia Associates, Inc. © 2013 Sophia Associates, Inc.
Notice
Ask
Listen
Provide Notice what is happening
with your customers. Ask
them about their challenges
and problems. Listen.
Provide the right solution at
the right time.
© 2009 Sophia Associates, Inc. © 2013 Sophia Associates, Inc.
The
Questions that
matter WHO are we?
WHY do we exist?
WHO do we serve?
WHAT is our emerging
Future?
HOW will we create it?
Why does it matter?
© 2009 Sophia Associates, Inc. © 2013 Sophia Associates, Inc.
Ten Questions You Should Never
Stop Asking
• What is our purpose for
existing?
• Who is our target customer?
• Why does anyone need what
we’re selling?
• If there is a need, is it enough
to support a profitable
business?
• What are our competitors up
to?
• Can we reduce expenses without
harming the product or service?
• Do we have the right leadership?
• Do we have the right
employees?
• How will we continue to drive
revenue?
• How are our employees holding
up?
Source: Mark Kramer, Kramer Communications in Forbes Magazine
http://www.forbes.com/2009/11/20/ten-key-questions-entrepreneurs-management-kramer.html
© 2013 Sophia Associates, Inc.
Thriving in
2014
Sophia Associates, Inc.
www.sophia-associates.com
+1 410.544.5262
Wisdom Notes Blog
www.sophia-associates.com/blog
© 2009 Sophia Associates, Inc.
Leadership Development
Personal Development
Team and Cohort Coaching
Organizational Learning
Retreats
Coach Mentoring
© 2013 Sophia Associates, Inc.