How many frogs have you had to kiss along the way to the pond?
How many clients have you taken on even though you knew they were going to be a nightmare? Don’t be embarrassed, I’m just as guilty as you are of doing the same thing.
But why do we do this, even though we know it’s going to end badly? More importantly how can you make sure that you never have to kiss another frog?
Like so many business professionals in the early years of self employment I was constantly seeking, quoting and occasionally even closing new business. And once in a while I actually acquired a really good client, a client that allowed me to do my job—to be my best. They even paid me my full fee without negotiating. I don’t know about you but I call those IDEAL clients.
But just like the princess, I had to kiss a lot of frogs along the way. Do you feel like you have to kiss a lot of frogs on your way to the pond to catch the big fish?
For many small business owners and most solo-professionals, kissing the frog seems like a necessary evil on your way to the pond, where the really big, profitable fish are. You have a mortgage to pay, a business to grow. You feel like you don’t have the luxury of being selective with clients. Or do you?
I believe that business development can and should be an organic part of your business. I don’t believe that you have to kiss multiple frogs to find your ideal customer. There is a better way.
No More Frog Kissing for Me
Well, I made a decision. I decided to write my first book Business Development is Everyone’s Business. The book supports my belief that business development IS everyone’s business and that while doing whatever employees do for the business—in the natural course of performing their work –they can also proactively and significantly contribute to a company’s business development.
Well, I wrote the book and I said to myself, “SELF, I’m going to write this book, put it out there and then I’m only going to work with people who read this book and say. ‘YUP, I AGREE with Linda and I want THAT for my business too."
And that’s exactly what I did and have been doing ever since. Writing that book was my first true client attraction strategy. A way to get my ideal clients to chase me instead of me chasing them. And that’s exactly what I want to help you do. Build a business development system that helps you attract--YOUR IDEAL clients – not some of the time – BUT ALL OF THE TIME!
|
