5 Secrets to growing your Small Business!

1. Standard Pricelists

 Customized pricing makes customers nervous! Small business owners think they're giving good service by meeting a prospective customer's needs and pricing products and services according to the requirements of a job, but the customer thinks they're being charged according to the amount the seller thinks they can pay. Not a good impression. When you go into the grocery store, a pound of hamburger costs the same whether you're making patties or lasagna when you get home.

2. Offer low priced-loss leaders

Help your Customers & Clients make simple low-risk decisions. Develop a simple loss leader product to begin an easy relationship that hopefully will become a long-lasting business association. A good loss leader is an opportunity to win more business with excellent customer service, a winning support team and a really good product.

3. Go Social with advice

With today's technology, give little tidbits of helpful advice on twitter, facebook or linkedin. Who knows when someone will click through to your website and contact you for a solution that your service or product offers. Remember the web is world-wide while at the same time it's still very local. Business is in there!

4. Don't educate, Sell

If you're trying to teach your prospects an industry or the history of your products---stop! People who learn about products will be encouraged to do more research, not make an immediate purchase. Don't insult your customer by assuming they know nothing about what they called you for. Solve problems, don't teach a history lesson about your industry or product and you'll yet better sales results. 

Never stop networking, and follow up fast! Everyone you meet who hands you a business card should be called before they forget who you were. People have a short memory and will shop until they find a solution to a problem. Be there right away because speed and efficiency is the competitive advantage of the small business!

Here's to a prosperous New Year!!