Are you sleeping in your business?

Posted on 03. Oct, 2007 by admin in Practical Marketing Tips for Entrepreneurs

Are you sleeping in your business?

Just back from a crazy week, first in Los Angeles, then to Washington D.C.  I was a guest speaker for the Los Angeles Black Business Expo. 

I was kinda disappointed because it was not the turn out they had hoped but it is always fun to be around business people who need some extra marketing tips.    In true expo fashion, I was shocked to see people sitting down in their booths.  I asked one woman who was actually sleeping.  Sleeping?  Why invest $750+ in an expo and then fall asleep?

Is this happening in your business too?  At least figuratively?  One of my private clients was telling me that they hate having to take payments from their clients.  You know Richelle, it just continues to interrupt our day.  So, they hired a customer service rep to handle all payments.  During a visit to their office, I noticed that the clients were taking a long time making a payment.  So I asked the customer service rep, why?  She told me - they like to talk to me.  You know the last client who left, just got a married and wanted to change his policy. 

I looked at my clients (they are 3 insurance agents) and they looked back at me with a baffled look in their eyes.  I said, does that not make your ears perk up?  Make you salavate?  They said no - WHY?  Oh my, I said, don’t you realize that a change in marital status is a major reason to sell additional insurance.  You should be able to add the wife’s car, is there any other property?  What about life insurance now?  Now, they have someone they want to protect.  This could have been a major BINGO for them.  That’s what I mean by - are you sleeping in your business too?  Be on the look out for opportunities in your business.  You should be excited anytime a client comes in - especially if he is coming in to make a payment.  By the way - just think of the alternative if they were not coming to pay!