As a kid, I used to love the classic toy “Magic 8 Ball”. I’d quickly grab it and ask all those childhood oh-so-important questions like: “Will I get an A+ on the test?” or “Are we going to have a snow day tomorrow?” or “Will I be rich when I grow up?” I’d shake that thing like there was no tomorrow and slowly turn it over opening one eye at a time to reveal the magical answer. Ok, I’ll admit it…if I didn’t get the answer I wanted, I’d shake it even harder and try again! Now as an adult and busy business owner I wish I had a Magic 8 Ball that could provide detailed specific answers to my questions: “What should I cook for dinner tonight?” “What clothes should I part with in my closet?” “What do I need to do to make a lot more money?” If you asked it, “What can I do to be more effective in my business?” I would venture to say it would share the following practical advice:

• Have your Website “Sell” your services for you. Be sure the design, copywriting, and structure of your website highlight your expertise and credibility. Be sure to include a direct link to your consultation schedule.
• Maintain your pipeline of potential clients, and don’t allow customer service to fall through the cracks.
• Keep to your commitments; send proposals and other ‘promised’ paperwork, and be sure to follow up.
• Design and implement systems and structures to support continuous business growth.
• Rather than spin your wheels trying every new “marketing flavor of the month”, develop a Social Media marketing plan you can count on, bringing more exposure to your business and connecting you with more potential clients within your target market.
• Educate yourself on exactly which marketing methods will get your ideal client chasing YOU, and provide a continuous stream of relevant information to your loyal followers. Social Media has to be routinely and methodically managed, updated, and utilized, to be of real value.
• Develop Procedures, Templates, and Scripts and document them in a Business Operations Manual.
• Develop and Document a standard Pre-Consultation and Follow-Up Strategy and include it in your Operations Manual.
• Initiate a Questionnaire or Needs Assessment Form right on your website so prospects can pre-qualify themselves and disclose their specific needs. This way you can be prepared in advance by having your proposal formatted and ready to send following their Consultation with you.
• Make it simple for your prospects and clients to schedule a mutually convenient time to speak with you based on your time parameters and availability.
• Map out a Social Media Plan which feeds your prospects with your original content as well as repurposes previously published information.
• Implement an Advisory Committee, people who have a genuine interest in your business as well as a strong desire to help you succeed.

If you put into action most of the above recommendations, your business will be streamlined and more effective. And the next time you shake a Magic 8 Ball and ask it, “Will I have a successful business?” the answer will be a resounding YES!