I was cleaning out files last week and ran across a list of questions one of my roundtable  members shared three years ago.  They are as relevant today as they were then.   

Lisa (not her real name) worked on these straight-to-the-point questions every day for a year without fail.  Despite a crippling economy, focusing on these areas improved her business more than anything else she’d tried.

I hope you find them as helpful.

Question 1: How have I improved the value of what I sell?
This refers to stepping back from your product or service and taking a good hard look at what you’re doing and how you’re doing it.

• Can you package your products or services differently?
• Can you improve the look of your paperwork?
• Are the instructions for your product easy to read?
• Have you called your customers lately to ask if they have any suggestions on things you could improve?   Don’t just call the buyer, call the accounting department and the shipping and receiving department.
• Dig a little – there are always things you can do better.

Question 2: How many more people learned about my product today than yesterday?

• What are you doing to recruit new customers?
• Have you tried new and different ways to promote your product or service?
• How are your competitors promoting their products?  (You don’t have to re-invent the wheel.)
• Promote your company and your products where your customers hang out.  Keep your name in front of them.  If you don’t know where they hang out, ask them.
• Have you tried creative ways to get your customer’s attention?  Send out cards celebrating unique or wacky holidays.One thing that worked for Lisa was purchasing bargain business books (new, but on the close-out table) for her customers.  The topic of the book wasn’t as important as the personal note she enclosed: “Hoping this book helps you take your business to new levels.”

  There are many unique and positive ways to get your customers attention if you spend a little time thinking about it or bouncing it off your advisory board.

Question 3: Have I improved my sales by improving my selling skills?

• Is there a different way to describe your product or service to buyers?
• Have you looked into relationship selling?
• Have you called current customers to ask what traits they admire most in the people who call on them?

Question 4: How much more have I sold today than yesterday?

This is where the “The rubber hits the road.”  If you can sell a little more every day than you did the day before, you’ll be amazed at how quickly small sales increases snowball into big results for your bottom line.  Check out the book The Compound Effect to learn more.

Lisa had a chart and recorded what she did in each area every day.  Having a visible record of her activity and corresponding improvement gave her the motivation she needed to keep working her system.

Building and running a successful business doesn’t have to be complex.  It can be as simple as consistently working on four questions:

1. How have I improved the value of what I sell?
2. How many more people learned about my product today than yesterday?
3. Have I improved my sales by improving my selling skills?
4. How much more have I sold today than yesterday?

Here’s to your business’ success by tracking daily answers to those critical sales questions.