FEBRUARY 2010 NEIGHBORS NEWSPAPER PAGE 7
Five Things Every Business Person Should Do
By Geoffrey S. Spickler
1. Talk to your customers daily
3. Look at your goals every day
Talking to your customers can be one of the most rewarding activities a
When you look at your goals every day, somehow they manage to make it
business person can do. Sure we all do it when complaints arise, but that is not
easier to achieve them every day. That doesn’t mean that you will hit your num-
what I am talking about here. Spend the time to get to know them, enjoy the
ber, check the completed box, or make every day a winner. But it will become
interaction. Ask them questions. They can tell you an awful lot about your busi-
easier to manage your business, accomplish your tasks, and help you feel more
ness. And most importantly this input is from their perspective. Customers are
at the top of your game. It will also help you to make your daily decisions a
very intelligent and they can see shortcomings in your business or product that
little bit smarter, because you realize the task in front of you. If you look at your
maybe you don’t even realize. In addition, they can tell you if your pricing is
goals every day, you will certainly be more likely to achieve them, than not. So
good or bad, the quality and durability of your product or the products that you
do yourself a favor and get familiar with the numbers, metrics, or goals for your
are selling. You can easily read their level of satisfaction and so much more, just
company and manage to them. The results will amaze you.
by listening to them. Don’t make interacting with your customer a task that only

gets done when trouble is looming. Make it a daily habit and your customers
4. Think about business you would like to have
will appreciate it and your business will too. And remember this applies not only
This could be a new customer, a new product line, or a new avenue to
to business owners, but salespeople and other employees too.
generate business such as a website. Business is everywhere and it is constantly
in flux. If you can begin to think about getting new business, your efforts and
2. Learn to say YES
daily activities will begin to reflect this mindset and you will no longer be thinking
Yes is such a powerful word in business, but so is the phrase I can’t. One
about what you don’t have, and you will begin working towards getting what
of the two will leave a positive and lasting impression on every one, the other a
you want. Most business theory talks about keeping business you already have,
negative. I know this seems like a no brainer, but you would be surprised by all
and it is true that this is very important, but business growth comes from new
of the ‘I can’t’ that I hear in businesses every day. The common misconception is
business. New business can be developed with new products and services with
that saying YES, means you have to give everything that is being asked of you.
both new and existing customers and it can also be derived from new methods
And I beg to differ. Saying yes just means that you are willing to work with them
of doing business. So look at what you would like to have and begin planning
on a solution that meets both of your needs.
to get that new business in the very near future.
We all understand that we cannot give the business, product and profits
away in every business deal, or else we would all be out of business. But what
5. Learn to say thank you
we cannot do is consistently say no to what our customers are asking for. Think
Probably nothing is more important in business than thanking your custom-
of yes meaning that we will find the middle ground on something that is asked
ers. And do it personally. Customers are the lifeblood of business, and without
of us. Make it a habit of saying yes; let’s see what we can do together. You
them businesses vanish. So say thank you and mean it. The customer is still king
won’t believe the great feelings that this will leave with customers, employees,
or queen in my book.
and more. You will see a change in attitudes, I guarantee it.
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