1.      Because 80% of business comes from 20% of your customers, keep in touch with that 20% as often as possible. Do what you promise and more than expected when possible. Nurture that 20%. These are your loyal customers and “sales force” because they send you qualified referrals—their friends and colleagues. Follow up with all referrals and don’t forget to thank the customers, friends and colleagues who gave you referrals. Also, a key strategy is to refer a client you can’t help to another business owner who can. This is a  Win-Win-Win strategy.  It costs nothing but pays handsomely in good will and future business. Remember: it’s not about you, it’s always about solving your customer’s problem.

2.      It is much easier to keep a customer than to generate a new one. As a health and wellness business owner, you need to make sure your customers feel served and they can count on you to deliver. This is why it is critical to handle a dissatisfied customer diplomatically and solve their problem effectively and quickly. Dissatisfied customers tell more people about their experiences, so turn a dissatisfied customer into a loyal customer who is happy to refer you. Being in business means working with all types of people, and successful business people are those who master the art of being appropriate, sincere, caring  and accountable. Remember: Since others have similar products/services to yours, your primary product is actually how well and how consistently you reward a customer’s confidence in you.

3.      Build, maintain, and nurture a professional network of colleagues and contacts. This is a gold mine that fills the pipeline for new customers. —Your network provides you with qualified leads. These are folks who want to meet you, and you want to meet them because you have a trusted friend or colleague in common. Even those that don’t sign up with you are willing to refer you to friends and colleagues. These referrals have a 50 to 90% close rate and cost very little! Why does this work so well? Because you are not only talking about your business and how you can solve their problem but you are listening to them about their business and how you can help them with their business issues. Tip: If you don’t have a solid network now start building one by joining your professional organization, a local business group, or a leads group at your Chamber of Commerce.

4.      Know your target market intimately –their characteristics, needs, and habits. Figure out the potential number of total customers and the top 15 – 20 customers or client companies who are likely to buy your product or service. Then, put your marketing and sales efforts squarely in front of those top 15 – 20 customers and begin realizing sales without spreading yourself too thin or spending too much. A key building block for business meetings is a well-prepared 2-minute introduction or presentation that succinctly gets across what you have to offer. Customize your introduction to fit your prospect. Whatever you are selling, benefits are what your customers are buying. What benefits do your customers get from you? Business owners often make the mistake of selling features rather than benefits. In a market where many companies sell similar products or services, the customer wants to know what benefits you offer.
Remember: Use the personal touch. Don't only use email, pick up the telephone or meet in person. It is important to meet your customers personally and build relationships.

5.      One of the easiest things to do is to lower prices, but this does not always make good business sense. If price is your only competitive edge, it is easy for your competitors to lower their prices. However, customers are looking for ways to stretch their dollars and for value. So here are some ideas for offerings that are affordable yet profitable. Give free information that is valuable to your customers. A notebook in a weight loss center to keep track of customer’s progress. It also serves as a marketing tool for your company as it has your business contact information and could also include a coupon for a friend or additional product/service. Offer a limited time offer of a 2 for 1. For example, a massage, spa treatment, personal trainer session, a coaching session, etc. Offer a class that brings current and new customers into your business and is informative and affordable. In this economy, people are more likely to pay $50 for a group class than $150 for a private session. Remember: This is the time to get creative and find new ways to attract and maintain clients.

Susan Urquhart-Brown, owner of Career Steps 123 in Oakland, CA,  is a  Business Success Coach and author of, The Accidental Entrepreneur: 50 Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me About Starting A Business , who has helped hundreds of clients build successful businesses. She is also a former columnist for the SF Chronicle and has recently appeared on The View from the Bay, abcTV san Francisco and The Fanny Keifer Show, Shaw TV, Vancouver, Canada as well as numerous radio shows nationally. www.careersteps123.com

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On September 2nd I appeared on ABC 7 News  'View From the Bay'.

Watch the video on ABC 7 News were I discuss successful business techniques that will help you run your household.  

Five smart reasons to run your home like a business:
Inspired by the "Your Business from A to Z" section in "The Accidental Entrepreneur: 50 things I wish someone had told me about starting a business."

1. Let your budget dictate your needs and not your wants. Part of running a successful business is being flexible, but one of the most successful ingredients is being resourceful with your money. Let's call it your investment. Being flexible within a variable budget and not spending beyond your means is the key to success.

2. Build a strong team. In business there are competitors, but when it comes to running the home, your friends are not your competitors, but part of your team. It's like managing a project team. Enroll your family and friends to assist you. You do not need to do it all alone! Talk to one another and share ideas for cutting costs and getting jobs in the household done more effectively. Structure a different venue each week where you meet at someone's house to take time out, kick back and share! A problem aired is a problem solved. Make it your task each week to come to the table with one solution for saving money whether it is a coupon, a bulk buying scheme or hot deal! Like a business leads group, that way the other people in the group are also doing the work for you!

3. Plan and implement daily with periodic cost saving strategies. Every top CEO has a specific business plan and the "to do" list fits that plan, whether it be on their blackberry or on their calendars at work. Make your own and if needs be, make them daily. Consider renaming your to do list to "play list." That way it is much more interesting when you wake up in the morning and think, "What's on my play list today?" Having a to do list when you go to the grocery store for example, saves on money, economically adds to food stuffs you already have in the house (no throwing food out!) and even saves on gas. Also chunk your errands that are in close proximity to each other so that you go one time. By planning ahead and being organized you save on gas by not repeating trips to the stores. You also make sure you use those coupons within their expire dates! All good business people learn over time how to cut financial corners as well. Here's a good one for going green: Don't buy cleaning products. All you need is lemon juice, bicarbonate of soda and vinegar! Another idea for cutting costs is to review how many services you pay automatically by credit card monthly. Perhaps you really aren't using some services to full capacity. Cancel the automatic payment on those!

4. Believe in yourself to make it happen, but at the same time know when to get help. Knowledge is power and information is essential. Sometimes, surfing the Internet can help, reading a book, or just sharing a household problem. There are also professionals out there who are good at steering you towards taking the principles you've learned to an even higher level, where you can make money from a home based business.

5. Make sure to reward your own CEO as well. Sleep peacefully at night knowing you have done the best job possible in these economically challenging times.

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