Books for Building and Growing Successful Businesses

Books for Building and Growing Successful Businesses

• The E-Myth Revisited – Michael Gerber (Business strategy)
• 7 Habits of Highly Effective People – Steven Covey (Sales/Management)
• The Game of Work – Chuck Coonradt (Sales Management)
• The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team – Pat Lencioni (Leadership)
• How to Become a Great Boss: The Rules for Getting and Keeping the Best Employees – Jeffery Fox (Management, Leadership)
• Everyone’s A Coach – Don Shula & Ken Blanchard (Sales Management, Leadership)
• Execution – Larry Bossidy & Ram Charan (Leadership)
• How to Win Friends and Influence People – Dale Carnegie (Sales, Leadership)
• Guerrilla Marketing Excellence – Jay Conrad Levinson (Marketing)
• 21 Things I Wish My Broker had Told Me: Practical Advice for New Real Estate
• Professionals – Frank Cook (General Real Estate)
• The Millionaire Real Estate Agent – Gary Keller (General Real Estate)

Effective Client Business Reviews

Business Reviews

Strategic objective - It is OK to tell your client what your objective is...if you want to insulate them, tell them, if you want a bigger share of their pie, tell them... this will help you:

• Insulating Your Best Clients from Competitors
• Growing Your Share of a Low Revenue Client

Tactics and guidelines
Do client business reveiws no less than annually, but ask your best clients if they would like them more often; make it a scheduled meeting or call, not part of a file update or routine visit
Seek to understand their business and their goals, ask how you can help.

Service review - Ask and understand their perception of your company’s and your customer service (this information helps you sell to new clients)

Include 5 simple questions

1. What are your goals this year and how do see me helping you to achieve them?
2. What one thing can I improve or refine? (Probe for an answer if they decline; once you get one, makes sure to ask “is there anything else?”)
3. How much of your current directable business would you say you send my way? Is there a way for me to earn a larger percent this year?
4. Would you be willing to help me grow my business this year? (When they say yes, and they will, tell them that you would like at least 1 referral per month; someone who is either experienced in the business or a seriously promising newcomer. Tell them exactly what you want.)
5. Can I count on you to talk to me first, if you ever consider taking your business somewhere else?

Business reviews have been extremely powerful rention and sales tools in my sales and marketing career and would love to hear how you're using them to deepen your relationships with your clients.

Happy Selling!