Saying No To Customers Or Prospects Not every assignment or sale is right for your company, nor is it the best use of your time. Every small business owner has at least a few customers that he or she refers to as ‘‘one-day customers’’, customers with potential. Add Comment So Much Power In One Word Just as important as being careful whom you chase is the ability to know when to turn down an opportunity. Running a business involves dealing with a series of questions that can be answered with a yes or a no. Some small business entrepreneurs desire their own business in order to be able to say Yes. 10 Things To Consider, Assessing Large Opportunities 1. A Big Name Isn’t Everything. A fallacy surrounding big opportunities is the belief that a big-name customer looks good on your client list. It could impress some people but turn others off. Smaller customers might ask themselves, ‘‘If she’s busy with a big customer, will she have time for me?’’ Assessing Opportunities Opportunities come in all shapes and sizes, from easy and profitable to difficult to get and costly. Large opportunities can fall into your lap and small orders may take weeks of work, adding up to very little profit. Opportunities are not always finite and require investigation, evaluation, and the decision to accept or reject them. Big opportunities are not always the answer to your prayers. If an opportunity appears to be too good to be true, chances are it is. 7 Sure-Fire Ways To Beat Large Businesses 1. Outmanoeuvre Them. A small business is like a speedboat that can manoeuvre quickly, slow down or speed up as needed, and turn around completely in a much smaller space than a battleship (a larger business) can. A new strategy may take a large business three months to develop and implement. You could execute it in three days. You Can Compete With Large Businesses And Win I’m often asked a certain question, usually posed by someone speaking in a troubled voice, when I address groups of small business owners, "Can small businesses compete with Wal-Mart?" This question is not about one retailer but really about any large organization. 11 Hot Tips For Beating The Competition 1. Know What You Want. Know what information you are looking for. Much of what you are seeking is readily available. Talk to your staff, customers, and suppliers. Equip yourself with a list of the specific information you require. Look at competitors’ price plans, additional services, and staff capabilities. Review their product lines and determine how much they overlap with yours. Look Out For The Competition Marketing your business successfully involves more than just making people aware of your products and services and treating customers well. Competition is fierce in most industries. New participants seem to show up every day. If you are not aware of them and their positioning, product offerings, promotions, and advertising, you may be in for a surprise soon. Be A Problem Solver, Sell A Solution Good salespeople understand that selling a solution to a problem is more important than just selling the benefits of their products or services. Many small business owners are positioning themselves as problem solvers. 7 Great Questions To Ask Your Customers 1. Who Are the Decision Makers And Influencers? You never sell to one person or group at a company. You really sell to one or more decision makers and to a selected group of influencers. Although the key contact has certain needs, you must determine the needs of the other people involved in the decision. Who really has the authority to sign for the order? Who will eventually use the product or service you are selling? Who will be reviewing your proposal? Do you have a champion within the customer’s company who can provide pertinent information that will help you make this sale? How important are the influencers in the decision making process? Can they override the decision maker? |   Eric Gilboord is the Founder and CEO of Warren Business Development Center Inc. We
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