6 Ways to Supercharge Sales & Growth Now

Question: I'm optimistic about prospects for my new small business. Most of the pieces are in place, but I could use some energizing ideas to help make things happen. How can we solidify our position, grab new customers and connect with those we have?

Answer: High-tech tools such as cell phones, e-mail and Web conferencing have made it easier for business owners to connect with customers and prospects instantly. But at the same time, they've made it harder to connect with them personally.

In our quest to provide more, faster and better information we forget that people are people, not computers. Emotions, not data, are often what drive deals.

"Even the most well-written business e-mail can't touch that part of a person that feels pride when their son or daughter scores in a game, or when they achieve some other personal accomplishment," says sales consultant Richard Abraham, who calls himself "Mr. Schmooze."

Abraham argues that business owners can best spark growth by building personal relationships. "Schmoozing is all about interacting with people in a way that creates feelings of goodwill," says Abraham. And when you do that, people will want to do business with you.

Here are some ways to build stronger bonds with customers and prospects, and to cement your growth.

1. Probe for passions. Find out what prospects or clients are passionate about- away from work - and feed those passions whenever possible. Say you notice a photo of an unusual dog on a client's desk. You ask about it and find it is a pet special. Abraham suggests you mentally file that information and use it later to send a book on that breed of dog, or perhaps a helpful Web link. If you take time to find out what really matters to prospects, you will often find it has nothing to do with business.
   
   
2. Touch key customers at least monthly. "There is always a reason to get in touch," says Abraham. "If you can't think of a business reason to visit, call or e-mail, then come up with a fun or personal one." Thank clients personally for the positive impact they are having on you and your business. Ask what else your business can do to make them happy.
   
   
3. Build your referrals. Over-the-transom (non-qualified) leads translate into sales about 10 percent of the time. But referral leads pan out at a 60 percent rate. Faisal Qureshi, founder of Tell-A-Pal, an online referral company, recommends developing a system that makes it easy for people to refer business to you. The system must help attract and process referrals, and include a way to reward successful ones.
   
   
4. Practice the art of elevation. At every "touch point," try to elevate the customer or prospect's experience to a memorable level. For example, don't just send a birthday card, says Abraham. Show up at their office with a birthday cake and enough plates to share with co-workers.
   
   
5. Keep it weird. Wes Moss, author of Starting From Scratch, suggests looking for ways to breathe life into the same-old same-old. Steve Bercu was a 50-something lawyer when he invested in BookPeople, a struggling independent bookstore in Austin, TX. When he discovered the city was about to give tax breaks to a chain bookstore moving in nearby, he joined with a local music store to launch a "Keep Austin Weird" campaign. He printed thousands of bumper stickers and become a local celebrity. A year later, the big box store withdrew.
   
   
6. Everyone matters. Don't limit prospecting to "people who matter." Abraham schmoozes everyone, not just potential clients or people with money, handing out big tips to bartenders, expensive cigars to carhops and fancy gifts to hostesses. "You can't build goodwill with too many people," he says.

Check out these additional resources:

• Tell-A-Pal is an online referral system that helps small businesses and professionals reward customers for referring new business. Visit www.tellapal.com.
  
  
• Put these books on your reading list: Mr. Schmooze: The Art and Science of Selling Through Relationships by Richard Abraham; Starting From Scratch: Secrets from 21 Ordinary People Who Made the Entrepreneurial Leap by Wes Moss; and The Must-Have Customer: Seven Steps to Winning the Customer You Haven't Got by Robert Gordman.