Free daily tips, information, advice and ideas
to help you better manage your small business.
Expanding? Need space for that new business? Moving out of the house?
You have three choices. You can lease the space you need. You can share space with another business. Or you can buy a building.
Example: Rita was excited. She was about the realize her dream of establishing her own retail shop. She found a storefront in an up and coming town that she thought was perfect. The landlord was asking a rent that she could afford, but he wanted only a one year lease. This raised a red flag in Rita's mind. On the one hand, if the business did not go well, she would be out of the lease after 12 months. On the other hand, if the business took off, she would be going back to extend the lease after only one year. The landlord would be in the best position to ask a much higher rent because she would not want to move. Rita stood her ground, asking for a 5-year lease. Finally, they agreed to a 3-year lease.
Example: Diane is a personal trainer. She sees private clients in their homes, and she sees corporate employees at company gyms. She is building a client base and reputation so that one day she will be able to open her own place.
Example: John is a furniture designer. He could not afford a space of his own so he went looking for an upscale gift shop. He found one that offered original works by artists and artisans, and he made arrangements to consign his furniture.
Example: Elise is a potter. She used part of her inheritance to buy a small building. There, she established a working studio and display shop. She is supplementing her income by teaching--group and individual instruction. She is set up so that the business pays her back a monthly rental income, thereby recouping over time the money she spent buying the building.
Explore all the possibilities when arranging for space--especially when you are starting out. Opportunities vary. Make certain that the arrangement you make matches your long term goals.
Many will tell you that in today's computerized world, you don't need a space. Well, you'll have to handle your customers/clients somewhere--even if it's in your home office.
Monday, May 18, 2015
Friday, May 15, 2015
Getting more referrals
Free daily tips, information, advice and ideas
to help you better manage your small business.
New customers and clients show up at your place all the time. Many come from referrals. John refers Mary who visits your website. Joan refers Ted who walks into your shop.
Referrals result from the natural interactions between people. When you are impressed with the work your plumber did, you want others to know about it. When someone admires the coat you're wearing, you tell them about the wonderful little shop where you found it.
You can do some things to speed up the number of referrals coming your way. This means you are growing your business.
Example: Pam is a massage therapist. She posts pictures on her Facebook page showing her hands hard at work on necks, legs, shoulders and more. The pictures get "liked" on Facebook and passed around. This has the effect of referring others to Pam. It has worked so well, Pam decided to post pictures on other social media. Today, Pam's appointment bookings extend far into the future and she's added another massage therapist to her staff.
Pictures are powerful communicators. Many of today's social media offer opportunities--mostly free--to get the word out there and passed around.
Social media, extensive as they've become, represent only one method to get more referrals. There are other ways to keep the word zIpping around the community.
Example: Jill is an attorney concentrating on elder care and the problems seniors have. She regularly puts on informational sessions at senior centers, organizational meetings, and other gatherings. She talks about living wills, social security, elder care and more. She answers questions from the audience and helps people understand the implications of their problems. These sessions have the effect of spreading Jill's reputation and calls come in for appointments. Attendees also refer others to Jill--not only other seniors, but grandchildren as well who have legal problems.
Getting the word out to the community can take many forms. Some businesses sponsor sports teams. Others hold classes to teach pottery making or baking fancy breads. Still others hold events.
Example: Lisa runs a health foods store. Once each month, she schedules an event at the store designed to increase awareness of healthy living. One month a nutritionist will talk about eating habits and foods. Another month an organic farmer will answer questions about the problems of raising vegetables organically. A chef has offered cooking lessons and a Reiki expert has demonstrated Reiki to the group. Lisa's reputation is spreading.
Getting more referrals can be an inexpensive way to grow your business. The way you go about it is up to you. Just keep in mind that many methods are available. And with today's social media, getting more referrals is easier than it has ever been.
Getting more referrals means putting your customers and clients to work for you. They will be doing it anyway, so what you want to do is to speed up the process. Keep it positive.
to help you better manage your small business.
New customers and clients show up at your place all the time. Many come from referrals. John refers Mary who visits your website. Joan refers Ted who walks into your shop.
Referrals result from the natural interactions between people. When you are impressed with the work your plumber did, you want others to know about it. When someone admires the coat you're wearing, you tell them about the wonderful little shop where you found it.
You can do some things to speed up the number of referrals coming your way. This means you are growing your business.
Example: Pam is a massage therapist. She posts pictures on her Facebook page showing her hands hard at work on necks, legs, shoulders and more. The pictures get "liked" on Facebook and passed around. This has the effect of referring others to Pam. It has worked so well, Pam decided to post pictures on other social media. Today, Pam's appointment bookings extend far into the future and she's added another massage therapist to her staff.
Pictures are powerful communicators. Many of today's social media offer opportunities--mostly free--to get the word out there and passed around.
Social media, extensive as they've become, represent only one method to get more referrals. There are other ways to keep the word zIpping around the community.
Example: Jill is an attorney concentrating on elder care and the problems seniors have. She regularly puts on informational sessions at senior centers, organizational meetings, and other gatherings. She talks about living wills, social security, elder care and more. She answers questions from the audience and helps people understand the implications of their problems. These sessions have the effect of spreading Jill's reputation and calls come in for appointments. Attendees also refer others to Jill--not only other seniors, but grandchildren as well who have legal problems.
Getting the word out to the community can take many forms. Some businesses sponsor sports teams. Others hold classes to teach pottery making or baking fancy breads. Still others hold events.
Example: Lisa runs a health foods store. Once each month, she schedules an event at the store designed to increase awareness of healthy living. One month a nutritionist will talk about eating habits and foods. Another month an organic farmer will answer questions about the problems of raising vegetables organically. A chef has offered cooking lessons and a Reiki expert has demonstrated Reiki to the group. Lisa's reputation is spreading.
Getting more referrals can be an inexpensive way to grow your business. The way you go about it is up to you. Just keep in mind that many methods are available. And with today's social media, getting more referrals is easier than it has ever been.
Getting more referrals means putting your customers and clients to work for you. They will be doing it anyway, so what you want to do is to speed up the process. Keep it positive.
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Do more for clients
Free daily tips, information, advice and ideas
to help you better manage your small business.
Clients tend to see you for one thing. They pigeon hole you. They file you away as a provider of something they need.
Joe takes care of my lawn. Mary is my fashion expert. Greg gets the kinks out of my neck and shoulder. Amy styles my hair. And Frank makes the best coffee in the world.
In business, you must continually remind your customers/clients that you can do more. Otherwise, you'll miss opportunities.
Example: Eli is an independent insurance agent. He has built up a client base filling their needs for insurance--homeowners, accident, life. He frequently reminds his clients that he can write other types of insurance--flood, loss of business, key man or partners insurance. It has brought more calls and clients.
Example: Sue is a hypnotherapist. She specializes in offering sessions on weight reduction and stopping smoking. Recently, she reached out to local physicians, informing them that she could help their patients with weight problems and smoking addictions. It resulted in more calls. When Sue informed physicians that she could also handle pain management problems, even more calls came in.
Example: John designs websites for clients. When he informed them that he could set them up on social media, the calls came in. His clients had not made the connection until John laid it out for them.
Example: Donna's restaurant was a go-to place for healthy meals, and customers regularly returned and referred others. Donna also offered catering, but she did not remind her regulars often enough that she could handle their parties and special events. When she lost several catering jobs to others, she realized she needed to put the word out on a regular basis.
Every business tends to settle into a comfortable way of doing business. And the customers/clients tend to settle into seeing you in one way or another.
Remind people of all the things you can do for them. It helps to grow and expand the business among a client base already familiar with you.
Every time you interact with customers/clients, try to remind them of all the ways you can serve them. Otherwise, they will tend to think of you in a very narrow way.
to help you better manage your small business.
Clients tend to see you for one thing. They pigeon hole you. They file you away as a provider of something they need.
Joe takes care of my lawn. Mary is my fashion expert. Greg gets the kinks out of my neck and shoulder. Amy styles my hair. And Frank makes the best coffee in the world.
In business, you must continually remind your customers/clients that you can do more. Otherwise, you'll miss opportunities.
Example: Eli is an independent insurance agent. He has built up a client base filling their needs for insurance--homeowners, accident, life. He frequently reminds his clients that he can write other types of insurance--flood, loss of business, key man or partners insurance. It has brought more calls and clients.
Example: Sue is a hypnotherapist. She specializes in offering sessions on weight reduction and stopping smoking. Recently, she reached out to local physicians, informing them that she could help their patients with weight problems and smoking addictions. It resulted in more calls. When Sue informed physicians that she could also handle pain management problems, even more calls came in.
Example: John designs websites for clients. When he informed them that he could set them up on social media, the calls came in. His clients had not made the connection until John laid it out for them.
Example: Donna's restaurant was a go-to place for healthy meals, and customers regularly returned and referred others. Donna also offered catering, but she did not remind her regulars often enough that she could handle their parties and special events. When she lost several catering jobs to others, she realized she needed to put the word out on a regular basis.
Every business tends to settle into a comfortable way of doing business. And the customers/clients tend to settle into seeing you in one way or another.
Remind people of all the things you can do for them. It helps to grow and expand the business among a client base already familiar with you.
Every time you interact with customers/clients, try to remind them of all the ways you can serve them. Otherwise, they will tend to think of you in a very narrow way.
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Getting into business
Free daily tips, information, advice, and ideas
to help you better manage your small business.
There is no magic road map for getting into business. You begin where you are and take it from there.
If you are young, you have little experience in business. But you have a real interest in something, and if you're interested, others are interested. They are your market.
If you are in corporate America, you have little appreciation for the world of small business. But you have years of experience doing something, right? Can this be translated into a small business? Or do you have a hobby that can form the basis for a small business?
Example: Jane was a customer service representative for a large company. She had a book of accounts and handled the problems that cropped up with products and services. Exhausted at the end of long days in the office, Jane came home to her jigsaw puzzles. She looked forward every day to her evening time at her dining room table fitting pieces together. Usually, she had 4 or 5 going at once. One day she screwed up her courage, gave her employer notice, rented a small store front, and installed her jigsaw puzzles on the shelves. Her grand opening attracted some interest, and her presence on social media generated even more. She bought and sold puzzles and board games through her website and on eBay. It took a while to get the business off the ground, but it worked. And Jane was never happier.
Example: Jeb worked summers and after classes during high school for a construction company. He learned how to install siding, power wash decks, build steps, mount gutters and downspouts, paint and pour concrete. He saved his earnings. When he graduated high school, Jeb could have started his own renovation and repair business, but he had a bigger idea. With his savings, he made a down payment on a three-family building that needed work. He put the place in tip top shape, rented the apartments to three tenants, and looked around for another building. He still takes on renovation jobs for others, but his main business is acquiring and managing rental properties of his own.
Example: Sheena was fascinated with the law. She got her law degree and passed the bar exam with flying colors. Then she found herself stuck in a large law firm where someone else made all the decisions. Sheena wanted to be her own boss, so she decided to build her own business using what she knew as a basis. She structured a series of presentations on various aspects of legal matters and began offering them to organizations, churches, senior centers, and other groups. These events brought Sheena clients who needed legal help in buying and selling real estate, writing wills, dealing with law suits, handling traffic accidents, and other matters where the law was concerned. It took some time, but today Sheena is doing what she loves in her own way.
Getting into business is a matter of knowing your own interests and kicking it up to the next level. It takes attitude and determination and persistence.
Any interest you have can be turned into a business. It might never grow into the next Microsoft, but it can be rewarding--personally and financially.
to help you better manage your small business.
There is no magic road map for getting into business. You begin where you are and take it from there.
If you are young, you have little experience in business. But you have a real interest in something, and if you're interested, others are interested. They are your market.
If you are in corporate America, you have little appreciation for the world of small business. But you have years of experience doing something, right? Can this be translated into a small business? Or do you have a hobby that can form the basis for a small business?
Example: Jane was a customer service representative for a large company. She had a book of accounts and handled the problems that cropped up with products and services. Exhausted at the end of long days in the office, Jane came home to her jigsaw puzzles. She looked forward every day to her evening time at her dining room table fitting pieces together. Usually, she had 4 or 5 going at once. One day she screwed up her courage, gave her employer notice, rented a small store front, and installed her jigsaw puzzles on the shelves. Her grand opening attracted some interest, and her presence on social media generated even more. She bought and sold puzzles and board games through her website and on eBay. It took a while to get the business off the ground, but it worked. And Jane was never happier.
Example: Jeb worked summers and after classes during high school for a construction company. He learned how to install siding, power wash decks, build steps, mount gutters and downspouts, paint and pour concrete. He saved his earnings. When he graduated high school, Jeb could have started his own renovation and repair business, but he had a bigger idea. With his savings, he made a down payment on a three-family building that needed work. He put the place in tip top shape, rented the apartments to three tenants, and looked around for another building. He still takes on renovation jobs for others, but his main business is acquiring and managing rental properties of his own.
Example: Sheena was fascinated with the law. She got her law degree and passed the bar exam with flying colors. Then she found herself stuck in a large law firm where someone else made all the decisions. Sheena wanted to be her own boss, so she decided to build her own business using what she knew as a basis. She structured a series of presentations on various aspects of legal matters and began offering them to organizations, churches, senior centers, and other groups. These events brought Sheena clients who needed legal help in buying and selling real estate, writing wills, dealing with law suits, handling traffic accidents, and other matters where the law was concerned. It took some time, but today Sheena is doing what she loves in her own way.
Getting into business is a matter of knowing your own interests and kicking it up to the next level. It takes attitude and determination and persistence.
Any interest you have can be turned into a business. It might never grow into the next Microsoft, but it can be rewarding--personally and financially.
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Tackling market trends
Free daily tips, information, advice and ideas
to help you better manage your small business.
Market trends are all around us. Markets are subject to fads and fashions, just like clothing styles. Things are continually changing. Sometimes, a trend develops and the marketplace runs with it. Other times, a trend dies aborning.
A good example can be found in the way men dress up for office jobs. While the three-piece suit has been around for a very long time, the vest comes and goes. The jacket lapels get very wide in some years, go narrow in other times. Shirts used to be all white. Today, colorful stripes and checks are everywhere.
To spot market trends, watch television. Trends in clothing styles are readily apparent. Harder to spot are trends in healthy living, exercise, foods, education--the list is endless. All over television are ads for gadgets--the trend here is not for the gadget but rather for the convenience of distance buying.
Example: Lisa put the convenience of distance buying to work in her bakery. She began offering scones, biscotti and brownies on her website and on Facebook. Her target market was people tasked with supplying refreshments at meetings and gatherings in corporate settings. Her sales pitch was simple: "You already have the coffee. Now you have the caterer--anytime, anywhere." The orders came in and Lisa ships out the goodies daily via UPS.
Education usually means a classroom. But it ain't necessarily so. People are thirsty for information--not the kind that puts a degree on their resume, but the kind of everyday, practical information that helps people get through the day.
Example: Joan is a trained and certified nutritionist. She has been trying to establish her business, but attracting paying clients has proved difficult. She gives talks at health foods stores, supermarkets and senior centers. This has resulted in a few more clients for her nutrition sessions--but not enough. When she noticed more and more questions about weight reduction, Joan decided to try that direction. She devised weight reduction programs for adults and children which she promoted on her website and Facebook page. When she scheduled these new seminars, they quickly filled up. Some of the attendees at the seminars became regular clients and referred others to Joan's programs. She has now partnered with a chiropractor to hold demonstrations and events. By re-packaging her nutrition programs as weight reduction and healthy eating programs, Joan has tapped into a market trend that will support her business.
Your job in managing your small business is to find the market trends that will help you sail into the future you deserve. Sometimes, it's a matter of re-structuring your own thinking to better align your business with trends in the marketplace. Other times, it's a matter of taking off in another direction.
Market trends are never static. What works today will more than likely not work tomorrow. It takes constant attention to stay on top of what works in the marketplace. Now, where did I put that white shirt?
to help you better manage your small business.
Market trends are all around us. Markets are subject to fads and fashions, just like clothing styles. Things are continually changing. Sometimes, a trend develops and the marketplace runs with it. Other times, a trend dies aborning.
A good example can be found in the way men dress up for office jobs. While the three-piece suit has been around for a very long time, the vest comes and goes. The jacket lapels get very wide in some years, go narrow in other times. Shirts used to be all white. Today, colorful stripes and checks are everywhere.
To spot market trends, watch television. Trends in clothing styles are readily apparent. Harder to spot are trends in healthy living, exercise, foods, education--the list is endless. All over television are ads for gadgets--the trend here is not for the gadget but rather for the convenience of distance buying.
Example: Lisa put the convenience of distance buying to work in her bakery. She began offering scones, biscotti and brownies on her website and on Facebook. Her target market was people tasked with supplying refreshments at meetings and gatherings in corporate settings. Her sales pitch was simple: "You already have the coffee. Now you have the caterer--anytime, anywhere." The orders came in and Lisa ships out the goodies daily via UPS.
Education usually means a classroom. But it ain't necessarily so. People are thirsty for information--not the kind that puts a degree on their resume, but the kind of everyday, practical information that helps people get through the day.
Example: Joan is a trained and certified nutritionist. She has been trying to establish her business, but attracting paying clients has proved difficult. She gives talks at health foods stores, supermarkets and senior centers. This has resulted in a few more clients for her nutrition sessions--but not enough. When she noticed more and more questions about weight reduction, Joan decided to try that direction. She devised weight reduction programs for adults and children which she promoted on her website and Facebook page. When she scheduled these new seminars, they quickly filled up. Some of the attendees at the seminars became regular clients and referred others to Joan's programs. She has now partnered with a chiropractor to hold demonstrations and events. By re-packaging her nutrition programs as weight reduction and healthy eating programs, Joan has tapped into a market trend that will support her business.
Your job in managing your small business is to find the market trends that will help you sail into the future you deserve. Sometimes, it's a matter of re-structuring your own thinking to better align your business with trends in the marketplace. Other times, it's a matter of taking off in another direction.
Market trends are never static. What works today will more than likely not work tomorrow. It takes constant attention to stay on top of what works in the marketplace. Now, where did I put that white shirt?
Monday, May 11, 2015
Expand your market
Free daily tips, information, advice and ideas
to help you better manage your small business.
Building on what you already do is an easy way to expand. Sometimes, it only takes a change in attitude to attract clients in a completely new way. Other times, a new market develops in an area you already serve.
Example: Joe runs a small independent pest control company. He has experienced difficulty "breaking out" ahead of his competition. When the town was suddenly invaded by stink bugs, Joe saw a way to enliven his marketing message. He took dozens of pictures of the bugs on sidewalks, porches, steps and patios--posting them every other day on Facebook. The calls came in. He offered to give short talks at meetings. More calls came in. Many of these new callers became regular clients coping with fleas, ticks, mice, ants, spiders and more. The stink bugs were a marketing gift.
Example: Dawn is a certified therapist specializing in helping clients through stress, grief and related issues. She noticed that many of her clients had gone through drug and alcohol drug addiction rehab programs, but large numbers of them were still coping with their old habits. Dawn extended her practice to this area, helping rehab "graduates" cope with their on-going problems. They represent a well-defined market--people needing specific help. Dawn is developing several programs for post-rehab people. It builds on what she was already doing, but it structures programs in an entirely different and new way.
Example: Judy runs a local recycling operation. She takes in all types of metals. The market for metals goes through ups and downs--prices rise and decline according to forces well beyond Judy's control. When a storm came through her area, Judy saw an opportunity. She put the word out that she would take the wood--no payment, just a convenient place for people to get rid of downed trees. Soon Judy's back lot was filled with a jumble of tree trunks, limbs and stumps. Again, Judy put the word out--this time to artisans, woodworkers, and businesses offering mulch and firewood. She had expanded into another market with little effort. Two or three storms per season keeps the back lot full.
Everything changes. Technology, weather, markets, your client base and their needs--all change. Be alert to changes that can affect your business
Some changes affect you negatively. Others can be opportunities.
Expanding your market and growing your business can be as easy as recognizing everything the world throws at you as opportunities. In every dark cloud there is that silver lining. Find the silver and run with it.
to help you better manage your small business.
Building on what you already do is an easy way to expand. Sometimes, it only takes a change in attitude to attract clients in a completely new way. Other times, a new market develops in an area you already serve.
Example: Joe runs a small independent pest control company. He has experienced difficulty "breaking out" ahead of his competition. When the town was suddenly invaded by stink bugs, Joe saw a way to enliven his marketing message. He took dozens of pictures of the bugs on sidewalks, porches, steps and patios--posting them every other day on Facebook. The calls came in. He offered to give short talks at meetings. More calls came in. Many of these new callers became regular clients coping with fleas, ticks, mice, ants, spiders and more. The stink bugs were a marketing gift.
Example: Dawn is a certified therapist specializing in helping clients through stress, grief and related issues. She noticed that many of her clients had gone through drug and alcohol drug addiction rehab programs, but large numbers of them were still coping with their old habits. Dawn extended her practice to this area, helping rehab "graduates" cope with their on-going problems. They represent a well-defined market--people needing specific help. Dawn is developing several programs for post-rehab people. It builds on what she was already doing, but it structures programs in an entirely different and new way.
Example: Judy runs a local recycling operation. She takes in all types of metals. The market for metals goes through ups and downs--prices rise and decline according to forces well beyond Judy's control. When a storm came through her area, Judy saw an opportunity. She put the word out that she would take the wood--no payment, just a convenient place for people to get rid of downed trees. Soon Judy's back lot was filled with a jumble of tree trunks, limbs and stumps. Again, Judy put the word out--this time to artisans, woodworkers, and businesses offering mulch and firewood. She had expanded into another market with little effort. Two or three storms per season keeps the back lot full.
Everything changes. Technology, weather, markets, your client base and their needs--all change. Be alert to changes that can affect your business
Some changes affect you negatively. Others can be opportunities.
Expanding your market and growing your business can be as easy as recognizing everything the world throws at you as opportunities. In every dark cloud there is that silver lining. Find the silver and run with it.
Friday, May 8, 2015
Business friends
Free daily tips, information, advice, and ideas
to help you better manage your small business.
In previous write-ups, I've talked about the difference between personal friends and business friends. It pays to know which is which and treat them accordingly.
Personal friends can be casual or close. Everyone has both casual and close personal friends.
A business friend is a completely different animal. Business friends are the customers and clients you attract to your business. These people come to you for the product or service you provide, and they return again and again. You might never invite them to dinner at your home, but you make them feel welcome and relaxed in your dealings with them. You might never give them a birthday party, but they know that they can count on you to be there when they need you.
You and your business friends are in a mutually dependent relationship. It is symbiotic. Each contributes to the well-being of the other. Both parties get what they need.
Example: Elaine promotes her fashionable shop for women using social media. Once or twice each week, Elaine posts pictures of new designs and items in the shop. Twice each year, she mounts a live fashion show with models wearing the designs carried in the shop. Models mingle with the friends of this business showing off shoes, handbags, and accessories along with gowns and casual wear. Before and after the show, Elaine posts pictures on social media. In addition, she sends out invitations to private showings, and she sends a Thank You card to people following purchases. Elaine is careful through all this activity to position herself as the "go-to" adviser for clothing and accessories. Her business friends know that they can trust Elaine's advice and judgement when they have questions. Elaine's is not just a place to buy stuff. It is a resource for the business friends who represent the customer base.
To develop and grow your business friend base, concentrate on their interests, their concerns, their needs. Listen to your customers and clients, and they will show you the way forward. And then they will happily refer others to you.
Building your base of business friends takes attention, listening, transparency, honesty and going the extra mile. Social media is a convenient vehicle to make all this happen.
to help you better manage your small business.
In previous write-ups, I've talked about the difference between personal friends and business friends. It pays to know which is which and treat them accordingly.
Personal friends can be casual or close. Everyone has both casual and close personal friends.
A business friend is a completely different animal. Business friends are the customers and clients you attract to your business. These people come to you for the product or service you provide, and they return again and again. You might never invite them to dinner at your home, but you make them feel welcome and relaxed in your dealings with them. You might never give them a birthday party, but they know that they can count on you to be there when they need you.
You and your business friends are in a mutually dependent relationship. It is symbiotic. Each contributes to the well-being of the other. Both parties get what they need.
Example: Elaine promotes her fashionable shop for women using social media. Once or twice each week, Elaine posts pictures of new designs and items in the shop. Twice each year, she mounts a live fashion show with models wearing the designs carried in the shop. Models mingle with the friends of this business showing off shoes, handbags, and accessories along with gowns and casual wear. Before and after the show, Elaine posts pictures on social media. In addition, she sends out invitations to private showings, and she sends a Thank You card to people following purchases. Elaine is careful through all this activity to position herself as the "go-to" adviser for clothing and accessories. Her business friends know that they can trust Elaine's advice and judgement when they have questions. Elaine's is not just a place to buy stuff. It is a resource for the business friends who represent the customer base.
To develop and grow your business friend base, concentrate on their interests, their concerns, their needs. Listen to your customers and clients, and they will show you the way forward. And then they will happily refer others to you.
Building your base of business friends takes attention, listening, transparency, honesty and going the extra mile. Social media is a convenient vehicle to make all this happen.
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