Is Your Focus Hurting Your Business?

When was the last time you sat back and asked if what you are focusing on providing was actually hurting your business? What might you, your team, or your products be doing that is, in reality, wasting resources or killing sales? If you are focusing on what’s important to you instead of what your targeted customers want and need, you may be working really hard…and hurting your business in the process.

If you’re not regularly listening to your customers about the challenges they are experiencing with their customers or industry, and then adjusting your offerings to support your customers, you’re missing opportunities for growth and you’re hurting your business. If you’re doing what you know how to do instead of adapting to what your targeted customers need from you, you might be killing your business.

Are you doing what matters most to your Tier 1 and Tier 2 customers?

Your Tier 1 customers trust you. You’ve partnered successfully with them on various projects in the past and you’ve made their lives easier, more productive, and more profitable. Because of that, they now ask you to do things they know you’ve never done before. Your Tier 1 customers trust you more than they trust others who may do what they’re asking of you. Because of this trust in you, they’re not looking for perfection. They’re looking for you to be honest with them in your assessment of the issues, the problems, the costs, the timeframes, the outcomes, and the challenges ahead. They trust you to BE there with them to partner with them through their next project or evolution of growth. They trust you to have their backs. Your Tier 1 customers don’t want perfection. They want partners they can trust.

Your Tier 2 customers love you. They love your current products and services. You provide them with products and services that fit their needs and resonate with them. When they need you, you’re there. Your Tier 2 customers don’t ask for much customization. They’re pretty happy with what you have and they pay without pushback. They value what you provide. They’re not looking for perfection. They’re looking for you to continue to have the solutions your products and services provide them.

Are you focusing on what’s most pressing for your customers?

Though they may seem insurmountable, daunting, or at times petty, the issues most time consuming for your Tier 1 and Tier 2 customers now are their most pressing issues. Until those issues are resolved, your customers’ focus won’t easily shift to you and what you want to provide. So instead of pushing what you want them to buy (and appearing uninformed or insensitive), let them know you understand their current situation. Tell them to focus their energies on their immediate challenges. You’ll partner with them again when they get past their current hurdles.

Focus on helping them, not on making a sale.

Are you directing your resources for maximum impact?

If you’ve got your focus right (i.e., on your customers), you’ll direct your staff towards supporting your customers too. When you direct your own focus and then your team’s on your customers, you enable your team to learn more about your customers, deepen their relationships with the customers, and deepen their appreciation of your organization’s customer relationships. You’ll reduce the times your team views your customers as interruptions or problems. You’ll help your team view your customers as partners that help your organization to grow.

What are you focusing on?

Copyright MMXVI - Liz Weber, CMC, CSP - Weber Business Services, LLC – www.WBSLLC.com +1.717.597.8890

Liz and her team work with leaders to create focused plans for their organizations' future. Then they teach leaders how to make their plans a reality.

Liz has authored nine leadership books including:

• Stop So You Can Get the Results You Want (4 eBook Set)
• Something Needs to Change Around Here-The Five Stages to Leveraging Your Leadership.
• Leading from the Manager's Corner

Liz Suggests These Additional Articles and Resources:

1. Business Topics & Seminars
2. Are You Working Your Sales Process?
3. How to Market & PR Your Message? MP3 Audio Session
4. Who Do I Want As My Customers?