Yearning for the days when work was falling from the sky into your lap?  The new “normal” is a lean organization that has cut costs to the bone.  Businesses that continue to provide the same services that are no longer in demand are starving to death.  Reinventing your business is easy to say but what does it really mean? 

I’ve found that many successful people are good at saying “NO”.  Its what they refuse to do that opens the door to better opportunities.  Directing time and resources toward more viable business prospects and away from “same old, same old” is a simple and effective strategy.  Thought before action can help you choose what to do and what to avoid. 

Constantly evaluate what defines and motivates your customers.  First ask, “Do I want them as a customer?” What makes them a better customer?  That’s the defining part.  Study what your customers want.  You can guess but its better to just ask them what they want.  That’s the motivation part.

You are now armed with this the results from this process.  You know who you want to do business with and how you might address their needs.  Now the challenge that sets businesses apart is making your offer more attractive than anothers.  That is if they even notice your offer.

Have you ever felt invisible?  Have you ever stopped to figure out why you felt that way?  Remember what successful people do, say no.  Saying NO to what is keeping you invisible can help you become visible.  Waiting for the phone to ring = invisible.   Picking up the phone and with your pitch rehearsed start calling people you know.  Now you are becoming visible.  It does not happen overnight.  It is a long road that discourages most people.  Persistence in your tasks, in your beliefs, in your actions gets results.  Re-evaluate your strategy and change direction if things appear to be stalled.  Stay visible.

You are good at what you do.  Give your desired customers a taste of what you can do for them. Give them free samples.  Become valuable by providing what your customers want, when they want it, in as convenient a manner as possible.  With persistence on your side you discover you have become both visible and valuable and are getting the work you want. 

The selfish motive behind this post should be obvious to you now.  If not, I’ll be blunt.  If your business is starving it won’t do me any good.  If your business improves we all win.  I will have a better chance of working with you to help you make your business even better.  Why?  Because I have become visible and valuable to you.