If you were my client I’d say to you:

The old ways are not as dead as you think. Connect with real people.

You’re neglecting your interiors woefully.

Keeping your business cards in a box to save money costs you thousands of dollars in new business each year. Get happy with them.

I don’t know why I’ve got to have what you sell. And I’m trying harder than your customer will.

This place is filthy—anyplace your staff thinks you won’t look.

50% of your staff have you 100% psyched out. Don’t be so trusting.

Functional beats “pretty” every time. But looks still count, a lot more than you think.

You’re making it too hard for me to buy from you.

The old ways are twice as dead as you think. Get on the web.

Nobody stops here because you’ve gone green.

You don’t know your competition as well as they know you.

Your biggest competition is Doing Nothing. Get to know him first.

You will nearly always miss the macroeconomic boat. So forget about The State of the World and shake hands with your neighbors.

Your employees don’t know what you really want from them.

Your customers don’t believe they come first.

Whining never sold anything. Keep it positive.

Your staff needs more freedom or they won’t stick around.

Half of them would leave right now if they could. So would half of your customers. Loyalty is almost dead.

I can’t figure out your website, and even though you’re paying me money I don’t care anymore.

Your staff are rude.

Yes, they are.

Signage—parking lot—entry. You can lose a ton of business before you’ve had a chance to show off your product or service.

Lordy, you’re stubborn. That’s great—it keeps you in business—and bad—it keeps you from seizing growth opportunities.

New customers are dying for you to solve their problem. Do you know what it is?

Someone else is already more convenient, cheaper, and faster than all the rest. So stop trying to be those things, and concentrate on not being all the rest. Be wildly, remarkably different.

You never make me want to jump up and down and throw my money at you. BUT YOU COULD.

 

Grow and be well,

Kelly Erickson

 

P.S. If you’d like me to say such nice things about your business, email me: kellye (at) visionpoints (dot) net. If you were my client, I’d tell you VisionPoints is rooting for you all the way. I owe you the truth!

Post to Twitter Tweet This!