If you think you are only as good as your last project, sale or event, you’re totally wrong! You are only as good as your NEXT project, sale or event! Someone is stealing your business, ideas and sales – and here’s how to stop them and build your business.

No One Cares About Your Past Successes

Your history, heritage and flawless execution actually don’t gain you any “pretty points” with current or potential customers and clients. All that matters is how good you are at meeting their next need, solving their next problem and making your company easy to buy.

Everyone is Watching & Waiting

Think of one of your latest and greatest sales. Remember how you got the business? Odds are some other company had it first and you watched, saw what worked and didn’t work, and waited for your opportunity to pounce. Okay, so look around you. Do you see glowing eyes peering out of the bushes? Those are your competitors quietly waiting to steal your clients and customers.

No one steals your business, ideas and sales – you lose them!

Build Your Business – Not Lose It

In just a second, thousands of old-school marketing people will be clutching their chests in horror – because they don’t want to believe this current reality: You can best protect all your hard work by marketing harder to existing clients than to new ones.

• Where is your biggest investment?

• What is your main revenue source?

• Where are the biggest opportunities to build your business?

Existing clients and customers are NOT your security blanket – they are where you are most vulnerable!

You are most vulnerable with the people, clients and customers who are most valuable to you. Here’s the point:

Show me a business that relies on the success of their last project, sale, campaign, event or program to speak for them – and I’ll show you a company that’s in danger of losing that client.

If you focus all your time, money and resources on gaining new business then you might as well start shopping for a corporate cemetery plot.

Market Harder to Existing Clients & Customers

Of course you should always looking for ways to build your business, but don’t assume that you can take your existing clients for granted.

Big Idea #1 – You can’t afford to market any less than the competitors who are trying to win the business away from you.

Big Idea #2 – You can’t afford to put all your efforts into gaining new business and assume your current clients will return because they “know us.”

Actually that’s part of the problem. Big Bucks Corporation hires you to do ABC or they buy your product to do ABC. You do an exceptional job, so they hire you or buy your product again. Once more you blow them away. The good news is you now have a strong reputation; the bad new is that it’s for only one thing.

That’s great if ABC is all you do. But if you or your organization offer a full alphabet of products or services, you are in deep yogurt. In the case of Big Bucks, you are just a provider of ABC and that’s all they will ever see you as – if you don’t show and tell them you have more value to offer.

Make Your Clients 100% Sold

Ladies and gentlemen, please write this on a Post It Note, draw a big red circle around it and stick it to your monitor where you see it every day. Look at your current clients. Are you getting 100% of the available business that you are capable and qualified to provide? If not, you need to make every client 100% Sold!

If they aren’t 100% Sold, you need to consistently and aggressively market to them. Remember, your competitors are waiting in the lobby for meetings, sending emails and other direct marketing. They are contacting every possible decision-maker and not just your contact. Competitors are selling against what you currently offer and also selling things the client may not know you provide.

Aggressively market your value, abilities and ideas before the competition steals your customers. Go after the business you want and not just the business you have. Polish up your marketing strategy and go to work. Here are some things to keep in mind to help build your business.

Market like The Coca-Cola Company. Look big, capable, dynamic and powerful. Reinforce what you’ve done, but focus on what else you can do for them.

Parlay your successes. You are the company that just completed the highly successful ABC. Emphasize the experience of working with you. Never overlook the importance of the secret message: “We make you look good!”

Market beyond just one group or division. Whom else can you serve? Your current relationships should open doors and not slam them. Use your inside knowledge to uncover new opportunities.

Market to New Business the Smart Way

Target the clients and customers who generate the most revenue over time. Go after the business you want and not just the business that wants you. If you want to be more successful in finding new customers and clients check out this article – Design Your Dream Client – Find the Best and Most Profitable Business.

How Often Do You Market to Current Clients or Customers?

How often do you think your competitors are beating the bushes? Market once a month – minimum. That’s right, minimum. We have clients who contact their existing clients and prospective clients weekly. You can’t build your business and never leave the office.

The key is to have something new to say or a new value to offer. No one buys a new company who looks and acts like their current one. Remember, if you have a choice between a marketing message that is cute and creative or one that stresses how you are valuable … go with valuable. Showcase new ways you can make your clients money, save them money and motivate people to do what they want them to do. Remind them that you are not just their best friend – you are the best business choice.

You can maximize your success. Just remember the old saying,

“The person who got the business was the last one who called.”

Let’s spend 15 minutes talking about your next project or challenge. Just click on CONTACT US or send an email to andy@ideagroupatlanta.com and get in touch.

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