This is part two in a six-part series. Click here to view the first post.
Your business will be built by people, and you need to get very clear about who those people will be. Like a noisy owl, I want you to ask — “Who? Who? Who?”.
1. Who are your customers? Think about your best customers. If you could spend your entire day with a customer, who would that be? If you could clone your favorite customer, who would that be? What do your best customers have in common? Where did you first meet them? You may have several types of customers. Describe them by industry, job function, demographic profiles. Describe three characteristics of your best customers.
2. Who should you fire? Which customers waste your time, your money, your energy? What do these nightmare customers have in common? Why are you still dealing with them? Can you think of a competitor to turn them over to? Compare them and see if you can find any patterns by industry, job function, demographic profiles. Describe three characteristics of customers you would be better off firing. (And then start pruning them now!)
3. Who can help you get to the next level? Who can you partner with? Is there a trade show exposition company in the area or a direct-mail or ad agency that you might be able to create a strategic alliance with? Your expertise combined with their expertise might benefit both of you and both of your companies’ clients. What other companies are serving the same target audiences but are not really competition? Can you find some synergy there? Who can provide professional and strategic advice to help you grow? It could be your banker, your CPA, your lawyer. Can you create a mastermind group of professionals to meet with and share areas of expertise?
Get specific about to whom you are selling and make a conscious effort to attract more of the types of customer that are profitable and fulfilling and fewer of the energy suckers, shoppers and those who don’t recognize or respect the value you bring. Cultivate relationships where you can help others, and they can help you, and you’ll discover new sources of ideas, creativity and solid business advice that can help you realize your dreams.
