Whether you’re thinking it’s Spring Cleaning Time or time for an annual checkup, your business wants to undergo a checkup each year.  No matter how large or small your enterprise is, you cannot gauge the effectiveness of any changes you’ve made with out analyzing the rewards and bottom line.
Here are ten concerns to get you started:
•    How do your year-to-date sales compare towards the last couple of years? Don’t be satisfied if you managed to match them simply because if sales stayed exactly the same then you’ve accomplished zero development.  With inflation, this flat growth line is a warning sign for much more trouble down the road.
•    What percentage of your company is from repeat buyers? This is essential to know because if it’s too low, then it requirements to be improved.  The estimated cost of acquiring a brand new client versus retaining an existing one can be as considerably as 5 to one when it comes to dollars spent.  Keeping consumers is more cost-effective than constantly looking for new ones.
•    How extended has it been because you supplied a new product or service?  Loyal buyers like to determine you changing and progressing with the occasions.  If you’re stuck for an notion, ask your customers what they require.
•    Do you consider advertising and advertising expenses or investments?  How you appear in the funds spent in these areas impacts your willingness to spend funds at all.  Would you look at prescriptions as a waste of cash?  Advertising is truly investing in you, your vision, and your firm.  The old adage that you simply should invest cash to make dollars is correct, but you have to spend it wisely.  Devote it on advertisements which might be pulling responses and orders, and if they’re not perhaps you need to change publications.
•    Do you understand what PR is and tips on how to use it to positively position your organization in the media?  I’ll bet that at least 1 of one’s competitors does.  Almost every mention of a organization or organization within the newspapers and magazines is a direct outcome of publicity efforts.  Being quoted or featured in an article speaks volumes to your customers and readers who’re your possible prospects.  A great PR consultant can do that for you and show you methods to extend the shelf life of that article beyond its publication.
•    Are you listed within the yellow pages?  In the event you only have a line listing, consider which includes a modest ad in the yellow pages.  If you can afford it, it’s going to pay dividends throughout the year.
•    Do you teat your normal consumers much better than your drop-ins?  You should.  If your consumers don’t feel special when coming to you for products of services, why need to they remain loyal to you?  Have a customer appreciation day or a special invitation only sale for your regulars.  Produce a mailing list of the regulars.  Send occasional post cards or greeting cards for particular events or just to keep in touch.  Learn to recognize them on sight and greet them by name once they check out you.
•    How extended has it been because you truly talked to 1 of the consumers?  Just as you appreciate when your Physician takes time to speak to you, your customers will appreciate you should you take an interest in their desires.  If you have a service company, have lunch or coffee periodically with some regulars – even if they only contact you as soon as or twice a year.  The individual touch in an impersonal world will probably be remembered.
•    How is your enterprise doing compared to your competitors?  Each organization, no matter what the size, has competitors – even home-based businesses.  Is their enterprise growing or downsizing? Is their pricing or service far better than yours?  If so, what can you inform prospective consumers about the value difference?  Take into consideration how it is possible to improve your service to meet or exceed your customer’s expectations.
•    Are your employees pleased?  Don’t ask them directly, but observe them throughout the day.  Watch, listen and find out.  Employees who like their jobs don’t watch the clock for quitting time, aren’t habitually late, don’t have poor physique language, do not invest time on personal phone calls, and don’t appear like they never smiled.  Observe how they interact with customers.  Not every person is a match for direct contact with the public, so be sure you don’t have an employee who is driving business away.
I can keep in mind when I was working at my quite 1st job out of school.  It was a service business with just the owner and me at work.  There was direct get in touch with with the customers, and there was never ever an issue with smiling when talking face to face with them.  I was given the very best organization tip of my life by that employer, when he pointed out to me that when talking to customers on the telephone I really should smile too.  For some unexplainable reason, once you smile as you talk on the telephone, the exchange using the client becomes much more pleasant and far more productive.  It’s as if that smile went proper by means of the telephone wires towards the person to whom you are talking.