As homeowner, like many of you, I often find my 'project list' to be seemingly endless.  It occurred to me today that I have no less than four calls in to local contractors that have never been returned.   For those of us who spend countless hours working to "make the phone ring", it is hard to comprehend a business that does not return phone calls, yet it happens countless times every day at businesses across America!  As I was thinking about the phone calls never returned, two questions came to mind:

   1.  Is business SO GOOD that they don't need MY BUSINESS?

   2.  Do I have any customers or potential customers who have experienced a failed follow-up from on my part?

I would rather not answer the second question on the grounds that it may incriminate me!!

For me, thankfully BUSINESS IS GREAT!  Perhaps for some of the contractors mentioned above, BUSINESS IS GOOD OR GREAT.  This brings up an interesting complication.  When business is GOOD or GREAT, we have less time to spend building more business.  Very few businesses experience even volumes throughout their sales calendar.  What goes up must eventually or at least temporarily at some point come down.  If we do not build business in the good times, the bad times will be even worse!

Take a moment today to take stock of your business building activities.  Are you over-promising and under-delivering or under-promising and over-delivering.  The first can ruin a businesses reputation, while the latter can line the profit coffers.  Schedule time in your slow months or weeks to make a customer contact and customer follow-up  plan for the hectic weeks or months.  Take advantage of the slow months or weeks and realize that they are an excellent time to reconnect with past customers and determine future needs.

 If business is good, you may have to SCHEDULE time to make sure it becomes and stays GREAT!

Teresa Allen works with sales organizations who wish to grow relationships with current clients and discover new ways to connect with new clients.  A nationally recognized speaker, author and trainer, Teresa will customize a dynamic program for your sales staff sure to bring results.  For further information on programs, call 800-797-1580 or send e-mail to tallen@AllenSpeaks.com