As professionals with aggressive growth goals, we always seek new ideas. Yet, most of the time, we haven’t put the most basic ideas into practice.
Believe it or not, we’re already a month into the new year. As you were planning for a successful growth year, there was likely a temptation to ask, "What can I do this year that I haven't done before?" Maybe that's the right question, or maybe it isn't.
Even if it is the right question, it isn’t the only one to ask—or even the first. The first question should be, “What are the simple ideas that I know work that I need to be doing more consistently?"
They may not be sexy, bright-and-shiny new ideas, but here are a few reminders of tried-and-true growth activities.
Wheels that don’t need to be reinvented
Growth reminder 1 | Schedule your growth time
As a sales organization, we have two primary goals; to keep the clients we have and to get the ones we don't. This means we have two types of work: sales and service. And, to predictably achieve both goals, we must schedule (yes, on the calendar) time for both.
Growth action – Determine how many hours per week you should dedicate to growth/sales-related activities and block out the time on your calendar. Be sure to plan what you will work on during each growth session.
Growth reminder 2 | Identify client needs
Your prospects and clients aren’t different people who value different things; they are the same people who value the same things. You’re simply meeting them at different stages of a relationship. As an organization, what prospects/clients value above all else is meeting their most challenging needs.
Growth action – Set up a team conversation to discuss and brainstorm client needs and how you can address those needs.
Growth reminder 3 | Know your value proposition
Your value proposition (VP) answers the question of what your clients get from working with you. Your VP must be extremely clear to everyone on your team and be discussed regularly. If not, you will never be able to deliver on it successfully.
Beyond that, if you can’t clearly and concisely describe your value proposition, your prospects will never take the time to figure it out on their own.
For example, here’s the VP of Q4intelligence – We help our clients create more targeted opportunities, close more deals, and operate more efficiently around the resulting clients.
Growth action – Ask each team member what they believe to be your VP. Work on a common definition that clearly describes a clear, compelling, and quantifiable impact you will make for your clients.
Growth reminder 4 | Build an online presence
In today's online world, buyers are between 60% and 90% of the way to a buying decision before meeting with a salesperson. What they learn about that salesperson during their online research will largely influence whether a face-to-face meeting occurs.
It takes time and consistent effort to build an effective online brand. Spend a little time each week to expand your brand presence in a compelling way to your target audience, and you'll be standing out from your competition in no time.
Growth action – On your social media of choice, commit to doing the following at least once a week: find an article to share, comment on an article/post, or share an original idea.
Social media is about being social, not lurking.
Growth reminder 5 | Focus on the most important
We all know what we need to do to be more successful; the struggle is in the execution, in taking that first step. However, once we break through with the first step, the next becomes easier, and the one after that is even easier.
Growth action – If you could only have one growth accomplishment this year, what would it be? Now, write down the simplest first step to move you forward and put it on your calendar. Next, share this commitment with an accountability partner, and your likelihood of success will increase exponentially.
What drives our success isn't rocket science, guys; it's simply about the consistent execution of the obvious.
Keep yourself on the right path to growth and learn about five ways you can grow your benefits business by downloading the ebook below.
Content provided by Q4intelligence
Photo by boy8888
