ENERGISING BUSINESS: Time to walk the talk

THE period from the latter part of 2008 has tested the business models, and their underlying assumptions, of most businesses.
For some the testing continues and is typically conveyed in the stark reality of "our phones have stopped ringing" or "we don't get as many calls". Perhaps the answer is simple - customers don't know if you are still in business.
So you need to create and deliver the energy to tell them: "We are still here, let's talk."
In my line of work, I get to see many small business profit and loss statements. Most make depressing reading.
The businesses that picked up faster after the doldrums of the past two years are the ones which laid the energising foundations before the economic crisis. But it can still be done.
 From December 2003 to September 2008, New Zealand's GDP economy looked healthy. The highest GDP quarter change was 4.7 per cent in June 2004.
Although quarterly GDP growth declined from then on to September 2008, the quarterly GDP growth managed a healthy 2.6 per cent.
Many new businesses were formed to chase the feelgood factor that economic growth brings. Times were good in construction, agricultural, finance and retail.
Businesses in and servicing these sectors were doing great, as well. The phones rang and in-bound activity tended to prevail. The market literally came to them.
Now the tide has turned.
Businesses need to be outbound, to re-establish their business values, and to get real personal with their markets.
Prioritised customers need to be wooed and new emerging customer segments need to be identified and prioritised.
Businesses literally need to shout to their customers or to be "in their faces". That brings to the fore the whole question of social marketing.
If you want to be more in the face of current and prospective customers try Facebook, Friend feed, Google Buzz, YouTube, Flickr to engage in more outbound activities.
Tony Gardner, the chairman of the Digital Leadership group, believes small businesses can use their size to sound more personal with customers.
But the take up by small business has been very low based on some random sampling I did with 20 small businesses. These might gain some real benefits from social marketing.
The NZ Business Magazine recently reported the example of a small IT company called FFF Managed Technology.
 It is believed to be the first Twitter-based IT support desk to develop its business and to keep in contact with current and prospective customers.
It pumps out regular snippets of information, advice, news and links on trends.
What are some of the other ways that companies can re-energise their outbound activities if social marketing is a bit too "edgy"?
The key is use the hours in the day most effectively. I believe the business owner needs to spend at least three hours every day developing the business.
This means attending networking functions, making personal presentations to key customers, developing the website, re-appraising suppliers and visiting new ones.
You may be wondering why I have not mentioned advertising and Yellow Pages.
The point is these are static mediums that don't allow personalisation. Once you have got out and talked to your customers, then is the time to review you more static communication options.
But it is not just about the hours spent on outbound business development, it is the quality of those hours. Get out and talk to your customers and find out what's changed.
If your business has a predominantly consumer market, go back to all those leads you had and talk to a random 20 per cent. Find out what's changed in their world. If their world has changed, then your business needs to change to.
It really annoys me when some businesses fail to acknowledge how appreciative they are of your business.
New World in Brookfield is just superb at making their customers feel valued. It recently celebrated its 25th birthday.
All customers were recognised and valued with a menu of freebies from extra Fly Buys to cash for Christmas. What's stopping your business doing this?
One final point. Business developers need to have a polished personal presentation to customers.
You need to have a top list of five to 10 really good open-ended questions to get customers loosened up and relaxed and want to have a conversation with you. I always remember the car salesperson who asked the question: "How is your current car going?" That gets you talking and opens up the possibility of product benefits and getting a sale.
So the need to re-energise the business is paramount through outbound customer engagement. Yes, you may have the better mousetrap, but if your market does not know this, then why should they beat a path to your door?
Go and tell them and never stop even if the economic good times come again, which we all hope. Then the phones might just start ringing again.
Cliff Osborne and Associates is based in Tauranga. View: www.cliffosborne.com or you can email him: cosborne@watchdog.net.nz