Business Goal Setting For 2017

Business Goals 2017. A very successful man once said that “a bad strategy will fail no matter how good your information is, and lame execution will stymie a good strategy”. The name Bill Gates may perhaps ring a bell, as he is a remarkably successful, world renown business man; and a wise one at that.
Your talent, ambition, and skills are only as useful as your method to deploy them. That is why planning and setting yourself goals is so crucial to your business. And with the New Year already underway, what a better time then now to set them? Here are 5 tips on how to set yourself productive goals for the year.

Set realistic and attainable goals for the year.
Giving yourself goals that you know that, deep down, cannot simply be achieved within your given time frame will only set you up for failure and disappointment. Start the year off with small goals, and make the challenges slightly greater as you complete each one.

Allow yourself to adjust your goals as needed.
Life happens. There will be times when things get in the way of your goals. Whether those things be family issues, financial problems, or simply just bumps in the road... so you must to allow yourself a little bit of wiggle room. Let your goals be adjusted if and when you need them. Perhaps a time extension, or maybe a lightening the load a little bit can make all the difference between letting a goal fizzle out, and taking a step closer to achieving it.

Set yourself measurable goals.

Although not all goals need to be tracked with numbers and statistics, they sure do help. Make yourself goals that can be analyzed, and allow you to see on a clear scale how your business strategies have been measuring up. This way, adjusting your plan for success becomes a lot more organized and straightforward.

Make your goals descriptive and detailed.

If you are setting goals that are vague and lack direction or specificity, you’re really just setting yourself up for failure. Without detailed guidelines on where you’re planning on going or what you’re planning on doing, you allow yourself far too much room for things to fall between the cracks and lay either forgotten or only halfway achieved. Or, even worse, these things end up being completed with poor quality and a poor work ethic. Keep yourself on track by making sure things are mapped out specific and accordingly!

There is nothing quite like a fresh start to a brand new year. Follow these tips on setting business goals for the year, and you will be sure to wrap up 2017 with outstanding success and achievements.

3 Tips To Turn Potential Client Into Confident Customer

Tips for a Successful First Meeting with a New Client

You spent the money, you put in the hours, and finally, all of your marketing efforts paying off. The list of new potential clients is growing! So, how do you seal the deal? Here are 3 tips on how to turn that potential client into a faithful customer.

The early bird gets the worm. Don’t be late!
This first one seems pretty obvious, but you’d be surprised at how often it happens. From time to time, emergencies come up or kids need to be picked up from school and, out of nowhere, you’re late for your own meeting. Nothing speaks louder about your company than the way that you present yourself, and if you can’t manage to be on time, then what can you do? The best way to sidestep the unpredictable setbacks is to make sure that you are overly prepared for your meeting as early as possible.

Don't forget to plan your meetings earlier in the day. Meeting before mid day means you are meeting with someone who is fresh and free of the days trials and tribulations. Meeting with someone who is not weighed down with the days work is much more open minded than that of someone who is at the end of a long business day.

Do your research
You’ve spoken with this client a time or two on the phone, and you have a general idea about what kind of service that they’re looking for. Instead of giving them the same old routine sales pitch, it’s always beneficial to do as much as you can to cater to exactly what they’re looking for. Do your research. See if there are any ways that you can adjust your services to fit their needs perfectly! The client will appreciate you going out of your way for them, and they will trust that you have their best interests in mind.

Never promise more than you can give.
The meeting is going well! Closing statements are coming up quick and you’re hoping to get that deal-sealing handshake. The most tempting thing to do at this point is to sell them by any means possible. Resist the temptation! Although it is extremely enticing to close the agreement by tacking on an inviting offer, the backlash of that decision can be harmful. By promising something to a client that you either can’t give, or won’t be able to provide them further in the future, you are compromising the relationship with them. It’s best to stick with the plan and maintain the reliable reputation you’ve worked so hard to build.