Anyone who has achieved great success in business has never done so on his or her own.They have always relied on a team to get them there. Whether you are working on your own, or with others, you need to find a way of building a team of champions.
Your team of champions are the people who go out there to champion your cause….another name for them could be your unpaid sales force. They are happy to tell people how good you are, how good your product or service is and recommend you regularly. They remember you when you're not there and keep their eyes open for opportunities for getting you new business. Since word of mouth is the cheapest and most effective way to obtain new business, investing in your team will pay dividends over and over again.
So where do you start? The first place would be your satisfied customers. Do you ask them for referrals after a job well done? Make a conscious habit of requesting two new contacts from them once they have completed business with you. It's far quicker and easier to build up a bank of contacts that way, rather than going out and searching for new ones yourself. Do the same thing when you go and see referrals, and soon you will have a regular flow of new prospects. As they have been recommended, they will also be much easier to convert to new clients.
As well as working on your current client base, I would strongly advise you to start networking if you don't already. There are many different events out there, and there will definitely be one to suit your business. However, don't expect results straight away. Networking is all about building up relationships. Whenever you attend a networking event, imagine that every person in the room has a sign round their neck saying, "Please make me feel important." Using this as a starting point will enable you to develop strong, fruitful relationships.
Eventually you should reach a stage where you do not have to go actively seeking new business - it should just keep coming to you from your "team of champions." One of my colleagues once said, "If you know enough good people, you never need to worry about business or money."
Where is YOUR team right now?
