Attracting New Business

by Edward Gomillion

Attracting new business can be frustrating, time consuming, emotionally draining, and sometimes expensive. But does it have to be? I don't believe it dose. While there is no getting around the fact that anything we do takes time, how much time is always relative.

Consider what we do in the course of any given day. Potentially, everywhere we go and everyone we meet is a source for new business. Either as a client directly or as a center of influence for referrals. A long time ago when a company came up with buttons that said "lose weight now, ask me how" you would see them all over and people would ask. I asked what company is doing that. Well, several years later and the buttons were still around. I wanted to test the response on a buttion idea I had. I went and had buttons made that said "ask me why I'm wearing this stupid button." I got a lot of response from that button. Some said the button was negative, some just lauhghed, others were just curious. The point is this. Weather you liked or disliked the button was irrelevant. People responded and it opened them up for conversation. A logo on a shirt, name tag, etc gives information but does not open people up for conversation. We need to be looking for ways to engage peope with open ended questions.

What's been working for you? What's your ideas? I would like to know.