by Terry L. Brock, MBA, CSP

How can you do more with less? How can you, as a small business owner or mobile professional, leverage what you have and compete more effectively and more astutely with larger and more well-heeled competitors?

I’ve always felt that we small businesses have a real advantage over the big businesses. We are nimble and quick. We don’t have all the politics they have. We don’t have to run decisions through bunches of committees to get something done. You know, they really are at a disadvantage to us in a fast-changing, gotta’ have it yesterday world.

Today it seems that everybody is talking about increasing ROI. Well, that Return On Investment can be increased with the right intelligence and the right use of the right tools at the right time. Here are some time-honored principles that can wallop your slow sales right in the head and help you achieve the goals you want:

1. Think Force Multiplier Effect. This is a military term. Ever since the days of Sun Tzu, through Carl von Clauswitz and to General Tommy Franks, we’ve seen the importance of doing more with less. A small force can defeat a larger force with superior technology, planning and attitude. Sending a mass e-mail is nice, and just a few years ago it was a strong competitive edge. In today’s spam-sensitive world, you need to couple that e-mail with a follow-up letter (yes, snail mail), a postcard (hard to throw it away without reading it) and a phone call (we still want that personal connection).

And don’t ever forget the power of being there with a personal, “I’m really here in the flesh” visit. The right combination is the key, or as Nido Qubein says, “The magic is in the mix.” Since it usually takes seven favorable exposures for someone to buy from you, think creatively and come up with at least seven positive benefits and communicate these to your clients.

2. Educate Your Customers (and Staff!). You are not only in the customer-satisfying business; you’re in the “making customers die-hard fans” business. You have to communicate clearly the value that you provide to accomplish this. Often you do lots of things and your customers don’t know what efforts you took to make it work just right for them. You need to let them know the efforts you are making behind the scenes to help them make the right decision. Show them the difference why your service will go far beyond what the competitors are doing. Anyone can drop the price.

It takes a real sales pro to educate patiently and in vivid detail the enormous benefits that your product or service has over the competitors. I believe that every service professional should have articles and special reports on specific problems that customers face. These can be given away for free to customers to help educate them. Also, consider putting together an audio CD explaining what you do for clients and how you help them. A great format to use is an interview where someone asks questions that you’ve given them and conducts a friendly, professional conversation. This audio CD will stand out and help potential customers and clients understand the benefits you can offer them. Post it in audio to your website also. This is cost-effective and can favorably impress potential customers and clients. And yes, your staff also needs to know why you are decisively better. This requires continual education and training.

3. Offer an Alert Service. I got this one from marketing genius Jay Abraham. My buddy Paul Evangelist invited me to see Jay the other day here in Orlando. Jay suggested that service professionals should have an early warning alert service about what is happening in the industry that customers and clients need to know. You should be the resource they turn to when new products or services are available. You should be the one to alert them of new laws that can affect their business. This is where your e-zine comes in (Don’t have an e-zine? Shame upon on! Click to get your Free E-mail Marketing Report. The more you can strengthen that umbilical cord between you and the customer, the more your business will secure its future. Make the customer dependent on you to find out what is happening in today’s uncertain world.

4. Leverage Technology. Some of the recent developments in Wi-Fi, or wireless computing, offer mobile professionals the ability to check and send e-mail from coffee shops, airports and many other places. AT&T, Sprint and Verizon are offering wireless networks from most major cities in the U.S. that give you the ability to stay in touch regardless of time or location. A customer-oriented mobile professional, equipped with a Wi-Fi enabled Palm, Pocket PC or laptop can get the job done, find information faster and connect with customers much faster than the most well-meaning, but technology deprived competitor. Get technology like this and leverage it to serve customers more. Your sales will reflect the possibilities.

5. Focus on what is best for you at any given moment. It is good to always think, “Is this the most productive and best thing I can do right now?” as you go through your day. Sometimes that means you should push for the extra phone call or sales call rather than taking off early. Other times it will mean spending time with family as the best use of your time. Judgment and thinking are required.

You know, I actually feel sorry for those larger, less-nimble companies. I really do. We small business owners and mobile professionals have the chance to out-gun the competition and make a key difference in the lives of our customers as we leverage what we have. It’s about brain power, superior attitudes and technology vs. politics, inertia and “We’ve always done it that way before.” Hey, we’ve got it pretty good today!

This is all part of what my buddy Alf Nucifora calls Shoestring Marketing. Think about how you leverage your abilities more. Focus on the long-term strategy more than the quick tactics of the moment.

The payoff will be enormous!

Terry Brock is a marketing coach who helps business owners market more effectively leveraging technology. He shows busy professionals how to squeeze more out of their busy days using the right rules and tools. He can be reached at 407-363-0505, by e-mail at terry@terrybrock.com or through his website at www.terrybrock.com.

Copyright © 2004, Terry Brock, All Rights Reserved Internationally. No portion may be reprinted or used in any way without prior written permission. Permission granted to Biz Journals to use in regular publications.

Free Marketing & Personal Development Tips Get the resources you need for a competitive advantage by signing up for Achievement Update! Name: Email:

• The Power of "Anywhere Marketing" For You
• How to Get Yourself Moving Again
• Tools and Rules For Success Today
• Publish or Perish For Your Business
• Whacking Your Business Plan Upside the Head
• The Power of Ezine Marketing
• Leverage the Daylights Out of What You're Doing

• ACT! and Mail Merge    Watch Video of ACT! and learn how to do an e-mail Mail Merge with this program.