Secrets of Super Successful Entrepreneurs

Submitted by: , President American Institute of Small Business

There is one secret reason, one secret formula that can make your small business a true success, faster and bigger than your current dreams. But rarely does anyone talk about this one factor that separates successful small businesses from the struggling others. It is not taught in undergraduate or master’s entrepreneurship programs. The Small Business Administration doesn’t mention it. Big business isn’t using it except in rare cases. Bankers don’t understand it. It is the most valuable asset a business can own, even though it is not on any financial statement.

Owners that know and understand the power of this one secret can generate money whenever they need or want it, can get clients to spend more with them on command, and can provide customer service way beyond their customer’s expectations.

This one asset is something that allows any business to keep running even though the business may have burned down, been ruined by hurricane or in any economic environment.

But what is it that creates a successful business?

The secret to small business success is… YOUR CLIENT LIST. The main job of a business owner is to get more customers to try their product or service and to get the customers to come back to buy more. So how do you do that? There are really only 3 ways to build your business through your customer list.

ONLY Three Easy Ways to Make Money Quickly
So many people make business harder than what it really is. We all know to increase the bottom line, we need to increase sales or decrease expenses. It isn’t rocket science.

But how do you increase sales? In reality, people will tell you there are thousands of ways to increase your sales, when the truth is there are only three ways.

1. Sell more of your product to your customer list
2. Sell someone else’s product to your customer list
3. Sell your product to someone else’s customer list

There are really only three ways. So let’s break each one down so you can put them into play in your business right now.

Sell More of Your Product to Your Customer List
The fastest way to increase the money in your pocket is to sell more of your product to your own customer list. These customers know what products you have. They like you. They trust you. These customers will respond to a mailing ten times more often than a customer list who has no connection with you. If your customers do not need any more of your product, then go to the next option: selling someone else’s product to your customer list.

Sell Someone Else’s Product to Your Customer List
This is the second fastest way to generate money when you need it. Take a quick survey of your customers and find the products that they need, but you don’t currently supply. Then you can find a reputable supplier of those products and offer them to your customers. Your customers need/want those other products, they trust you and many times they will buy from this company with your recommendation. The supplier must come through you to your customer list. Never give you customer list to anyone. The supplier must work with you and in exchange for introducing their product to your customers you get a cut of the sales. There are endless numbers of products you could be offering your customers and therefore plumping up your wallet.

Sell Your Product to Someone Else’s Customer List
The final way to make money quickly is to sell your product to someone else’s list. To start out make a list of other companies who market to the same customer you are targeting. Next contact them to see if they would like to work together to meet their customer’s needs/wants with your product. Since many businesses are not using this tactic, you will need to convince the other company the reasons they should do business with you. Some joint ventures share the sales like in the example above and some joint ventures do not. Sharing a portion of the sales is based on the desired outcome for each organization.

Although many business owners tend to complicate their businesses, it really gets down to building your customer list. Imagine if your customer list were ten times bigger than where it is today. Every time you send this bigger list an offer a certain percentage would take advantage of it. Having a bigger customer list allows you to print money whenever you want or need it. And what a fun picture to envision.

Kris Solie-Johnson, President of the American Institute of Small Business, best-selling author, educator, speaker and mother of three is an energetic and passionate entrepreneur. Her books are in public libraries, high schools, colleges and military bases both nationally and internationally. In addition, to speaking to over 2,000 high school students, she works closely with the Small Business Administration and SCORE counselors locally.

Kris has developed an innovative approach to helping potential and current small business owners. This program will dramatically change the way small business success is taught across the country.

Kris has an MBA in Venture Management from the University of St. Thomas and over 19 years of experience helping entrepreneurs reach their goals quickly through joint venture partnerships, creative marketing programs and innovative financial options. Kris is dedicated to motivating and inspiring owners to achieve beyond their dreams.

American Institute of Small Business
952-545-7001