Yesterday (this post), I wrote about the imporance of blocking out time to focus ON your business and the things that make it grow. Mostly, I’m writing this with contractors in mind. So, the question is, “What are the things that matter for my business?”
One thing I’ve learned being self-employed is that I have to do it all. I’m not only the worker, but I’m the accountant, marketer, web designer, office manager, estimator and more. There are many important duties that come with each of these roles and most of these will get done because they have to.
The bank deposit will be made because I need to buy materials. The estimate will get done because that prospective client is expecting it. The contract will get filed so I can find it later. These things will happen.
What I want to focus on are the things that are mandatory to my business growing, but yet they are not urgent today.
Stephen Covey calls these things the ‘important, but not urgent’ tasks. We spend our time putting out fires and watching over the details of a project, yet fail to spend any time contacting new clients or staying in touch with old ones.
So what are the all-important, but not-at-all urgent tasks that are the key to bringing us more business?
Start with lead generation. My old mentor used to say things like, “This wouldn’t be a problem if you had a page of leads waiting on you, would it?” If you have more leads than you can handle you can then start to hire other people to do some of that ‘busy work’ while you continue to pile up more leads and more business.
So, I would argue that the ‘things that matter’ for our contracting business stem out of lead generation. These would be tasks like:
- Maintain a database of past clients and acquaintences that may refer me business
- Staiy in touch with these people (personal note, christmas card, email newsletter, phone call, etc)
- Develop & send marketing materials
- Networking opportunities (chamber of commerce, clubs, hobby groups, BNI, even church groups, etc)
- Blogging or publishing articles regarding your trade to attract business and display your expertise.
Your list will surely have others and portions of these. The main thing to remember is that you have to let people know what you’re up to or they won’t know to send you those golden referrals.
I would suggest picking out a couple different lead generation activities that you’re comfortable with and committing to that. Do something consistently. Get in a rhythm, a habit.
This is one habit that may pay off handsome dividends..
-Peter
