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“Business is slow!” “The economy is terrible.” “The political structure is creating a fear of spending.” Which one of these “stories” have you told yourself? Have you noticed that some people are doing great while others continue to tell themselves how bad business is? It’s based on the stories. Stories either move us forward or stop us dead in our tracks. For those who convince themselves business is slow, they likely won’t do everything they can to generate revenue. Those who find opportunity, regardless of outward appearances, in just about any situation, are likely taking massive action to generate cash. Fastest Path to Cash One of the fastest paths to cash is by picking up the phone as part of your follow up strategy. Follow up by phone seems to be a very lost art. Recently, I was going through a shelf in my office that is the “collector” shelf. You know the one. You get something in the mail and plan on getting to it … someday. Recently, I came across a package someone sent me quite a while ago. When I received it, I had a lot going on and never felt an urgency to open it. The package contained samples of oils, creams, and other such items that likely cost a fair amount to send to me. The woman who sent it never followed up. Not once. Well, maybe she followed up with an email, but if she did, I never saw it. What a waste of money. In her mind, she probably thought she was being productive by mailing me the package. She would have been a heck of a lot more productive if she would have followed up by picking up the phone to make sure I got their package. Chances are, I would have tried the samples quite some time ago. Who knows, I may have turned into a customer. Emails are NOT the Best Choice Yesterday, I got an email from someone asking what to do if someone hasn’t responded to his emails for over two months. I asked, “Did you pick up the phone and call them? You never know… they may not have gotten your emails.” He had not thought of picking up the phone. He assumed the person was blowing him off. You cannot rely solely on email as a tool for communication. There are far too many things that can happen such as your email being flagged as spam. No Magic Bullet Why is it that people are so hesitant to pick up the phone? It’s as if the phone weights a ton and they will hurt themselves. The phone is your friend. The phone makes you money. The phone is a great tool to use in your day to day business practices. You may be shocked at how much business you’re losing because you are relying on what could be a very unreliable source of communication. Recently, I hosted an event in Portland, Oregon. 40 entrepreneurs attended Passion for Thriving. I took one day after the event to regroup, organize my call list and begin the calling. Over the next couple of days, I called at least 90% of those who attended. Not only did I enroll private clients as a result, I sold an information product to a couple of attendees and showed, by example, that picking up the phone is a very good thing. If you feel business is slow, get out of your own way and pick up the phone. Set a goal of a minimum number of calls you will make each day. The bottom line is this; your business success is not based on some secret or magic formula. It’s based on consistently doing what works. Phone calls work. Simple as that. Author's Bio: Kathleen Gage, known as the “no-nonsense, common sense” marketing and promotions strategist, has owned and operated her business for 25 years. She has spoken around the globe to various size groups, authored several books and information products, been interviewed hundreds of times and worked with thousands of entrepreneurs and companies. Outside of business, Kathleen can be found training for a marathon, rescuing animals, walking her dogs, working in her many flower gardens, feeding her horses or playing a fierce game of cards. http://www.oneonamazon.com
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