“In Business” by Roland Millward

All of us find ourselves having an idea. These can happen at any moment. There is a danger that just as soon as we have thought of it we get busy and the thought disappears.

Great entrepreneurs, writers, scientists and inventors make sure that they always carry a notebook and pen. Once that idea comes they write it down so that as soon as possible they can look at it more carefully and then if its good – act on it.

Get in the habit of carrying that little notebook and make sure that you write everything down that can help you in your business. It’s a great shame to have an idea and then forget it. Don’t become a victim of lost opportunity for the sake of a pen and paper!

When you are selling a product there are many techniques that a salesperson can use. In fact there is no one single way to sell and you need to learn all the techniques that you can to be successful.

One way that I would like to write about today is the ‘puppy dog’ method.

Let me describe a situation. Let’s say you have kids and someone asks you to take a puppy home for a few days to look after it. The kids (and probably you too) fall in love with this little bundle of fun. Why he’s so cute!

Now what happens when after a few days you have to hand this bundle of joy back? Can you imagine the devatation in your household. How can you let this little fella go?

Now apply this technique to a product. Perhaps you sell large Plasma TV’s. Imagine you let someone have one on trial for a weekend. How would they feel when you came to collect it? Maybe they would decide there and then that no way are you taking this away … they want it …. why they need it!

Yes a short trial can be enough to convince the most hardened purchaser that they should buy this item. Remember the ‘puppy dog’ technique you could see those sales rise!

For years people have said, “It’s not what you know but who you know that counts!”.

This statement is very true in business. If you want to develop your business it will pay dividends if you have a core of people that can help you achieve your goals. This could be the people who you use to help you with accounts, advertising, web design, marketing store design and layout and the list goes on.

There is also another way that ‘who you know’ is important and that is in knowing those who can give you business by introducing you to others. For example if you are a builder wouldn’t it be great if you had a number of estate agents (realtors in US) who when selling homes in need of buidling work you would be recommended?

Such relationships need not happen by accident. There are many ways to develop these through what has become known as networking. Opportunities for networking can be through organized networking events. Groups have been set up that often have breafast meetings that give an opportunity for all there to talk to each other and set up arrangements. For example 4networking have regular meetings across the U.K. and are well worth attending.

In addition you could try and set up arrangements by contacting companies that could have a mutual relationship with each other.

So if you are not networking now make plans to do so today!

My desire in writing this blog is to pass on experience I have gained in business over many years. I hope that it will help both those who are new in business and those who are well established.

There are many skills required to run a business and of course many businesses require their own unique set of skills. I wish to concentrate on areas that are more universal and my blogs will apply to virtually every business around the world.