I never really thought I’d agree with Donald Trump, then I stumbled onto this comment he made: “I was relentless, even in the face of total lack of encouragement, because much more often than you’d think, sheer persistence is the difference between success and failure.”
What were you doing eight years ago? On the campus of Harvard University a few students huddled in a dorm room to create a social media platform site which became known as Facebook. From those humble beginnings the site has soared to success making founder Mark Zuckerberg possibly the youngest billionaire in the country. And that’s just the beginning of the story. Recently, Facebook filed for an initial public offering that could put the value of the social media site between $75 and $100 billion –one the biggest U.S. stock-market debuts in history.
Successful selling begins with good preparation. Before you make a sales call, take time to do o your research. Know a little history about the company and your prospect. Visit their web site. Do an Internet search using one of the main search engines such as Yahoo or Google. Look for recent press releases or other pertinent information. Pay attention to the company’s advertisements and marketing strategies. And don’t forget to check out their competition.
The lost art of listening. A morning news program featured a segment on how desensitized the human race has become to noise. There is so much noise in our society that as a means of survival we’ve learned to tune it out. For those of us who want to succeed in business, it’s time to hone our listening skills. Like our hunting and gathering ancestors, keen hearing can help us attract and retain new customers. Good listening is one of the most powerful skills you can have in business.
An entrepreneur tends to bite off a little more than he can chew, hoping he’ll quickly learn how to chew it — Roy Ash, co-founder Litton Industries.
Does this sound like the way you run your business? It’s kind of like flying by the seat of your pants. Why not start off the new year with smarter strategies for growth? Who are the people who could help you build your business? Make a list of the kinds of experience and expertise you need to take your business to the next level. Then start talking. Reach out to people who can advise you on how to chew the right way, before you take that big bite. Even the best advice won’t prevent you from making mistakes, but it can certainly help minimize your risk.