Make time to clear out the clutter and remember to clean up your databases too. Engaging with the wrong people will waste a lot of your precious time, and we know that time it money.
Spring Cleaning
Isn’t it interesting how quickly spaces can get cluttered with non-essential items, not to mention how paperwork can pile up on your desk?
Spring is in the air and it is time to clear the clutter. Something to consider adding to your ‘to-do’ list of things that need to be up to date and cleaned out is your database of contacts.
Would I be right in assuming that you have a massive database of contacts?
As entrepreneurs, we feel that we want to reach out to as many people as possible and we often believe that our product or service is something that anybody or any business can use. If your answer is “everybody” when you get asked who your clients are, then the next part is specifically for you.
Not everybody is right for you. Let’s face it, there are clients and projects that you enjoy a lot more than others.
Have a look at your client list, current and past, and do a quick analysis of who you really enjoyed working with. Determine which projects were most profitable, which the energy drainers were, and which took way too long and was least cost effective. The aim is to find those projects and people that you resonate with the most. This is definitely one of the things that I should’ve, could’ve done a lot sooner on my own entrepreneurial journey. I’ve spent way too many hours on projects that were not quite aligned to our core service, which took away a lot of valuable time from pursuing the ones we really enjoy working on. Once we identified who exactly our target was and as we continue to refine it, it is as if those puzzle pieces fall so much quicker and easier into place.
Work through your contacts on LinkedIn and see whether all of those connections are truly beneficial.
If you don’t use a Customer Relationship Management System, invest in one. Business is about forming relationships, and keeping track of these relationships are key to building your business. Personally, I like a programme called OnePage, which enables us to keep track of all our engagements with leads and clients. Make sure that the names and surnames are spelled correctly, their position, contact numbers are correct and that you have their correct email address.
This is important for when you share marketing material; if you are going to personally address them and you don’t spell their name correctly it won’t be the greatest first impression that you are making.
Having an updated contact database is also crucial from a crisis communication and management perspective. Let’s say there is a crisis; are you in a position to contact emergency services, employees, suppliers, partners, and the media at the drop of a hat? What if it is over the weekend? Does everyone know who to contact? Not communicating quickly enough, especially during a crisis, to the right people can have a massive reputational risk for you and your business.
Keen to continue the reputation management conversation? Join Regine on Twitter @ReputationIsKey or Facebook www.facebook.com/yourreputationmatters.
Do you have a reputation management question? Send your query through to Regine on: regine@reputationmatters.co.za
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