What’s your niche?

 I’m sure in the course of your entrepreneurial life someone has come up to you and asked what your niche was. And you probably looked at them a bit bewildered. 

     Niche? 

     What niche? 

     I thought that way too! 

     When I first started my cleaning business 16 years ago, I was after any customer that breathed. I just wanted someone to call me. I was gung-ho, ready and willing. 

     As the years progressed, I grew frustrated at certain segments of my customer base…I’ll call them the “no-money” group. 

     I would spend countless hours chasing after customers who I knew couldn’t afford me, yet I performed the service anyway and then complained when they didn’t pay up, pay on time, or even pay at all. 

     It was a vicious cycle.

      So after many losing battles, countless uncollectible invoices and vowing I would never do that crap again…I fired all the problem accounts. 

     Then I got serious! 

     I knew what I didn’t want in a customer. 

     I just wasn’t sure who my ideal customer was. 

     Like a ton of bricks, it hit me! 

     What type of customer would allow me to have evenings & weekends off? 

     What type of customer is worth “X” amount to me in a year? 

     How many of those customers do I need to make “X” in a year? 

     I had created this company to fund my personal life and have more freedoms, not be a slave to a job. 

     I knew what I wanted and what must be done. 

     But I also knew that I needed to “up the ante” on my fun days, holidays, time off with the kids and personal me days. 

     So I figured I only had about 185 productive work days a year. 

     Would $1000 a day in sales work? How about $2000 or $3000 a day? 

     How many niched clients would I need to make a Million in sales?   

     Well if I did $5500 in sales a day I could easily break the million mark. 

     Yeah, it’s a lofty goal! 

     You see, that’s the true power of focusing on a niche that I really never caught on to when I first started my service company. By focusing on a niche you can easily charge more, work less and focus on a select type of client. 

     A buddy of mine took over his dad’s furniture restoration business about the same time I was starting my cleaning biz…we struggled together.

     Then he did something that truly impressed me! 

      He went after just one type of client. Churches! 

      He figured that’s where the money was and where all his work could be. It turned out it was the biggest money bet of his life. Churches from far and wide called his company to restore their pews and chairs. He had more work than he could handle. 

      Learn to niche your product and service and watch your business grow and prosper.                               

  Until Next Time,                        

  “Live with Passion!” 

   Rob Anspach   

 

Rob Anspach is a “brilliantly savvy” entrepreneur who helps frustrated business owners regain the passion they once had by showing them how to be more effective in the marketplace, how to dramatically improve their business so they enjoy coming to work again and how to win over customers regardless of price. Discover how easy it is to make money in your online or offline marketing, to attract and retain clientele and profit from your passions… visit http://www.robanspach.com  today!

 

Generating leads just got easier!

  Back a few months ago I interviewed John Spangler for my Success Secrets TV show and what grew out of that was a fantastic friendship that incidentally is spawning a brand new service.

         You see, during one of our many brainstorming sessions, we started talking about lead generation. And, how businesses are being bamboozled with so much techno-jargon that they are swindled out of their hard earned dollars chasing after so-called leads.

         Not to pick on any names, but one does come to mind, and if you’ve used their system before, you just might figure the name out. Their whole premise, is charge by the lead! Which, in and by itself, could be a valuable thing. However, when you are being charged for a lead that 5 other companies could be getting too, then it’s value is grossly overstated.

          This was the major complaint we found with most lead generation systems. No exclusivity! You were being charged $13-$20 or more per lead regardless of the quality of the lead. Then, fighting as fast as humanly possible to call that lead, to secure the sale, before your competitor snatched them from you.     

           The lead generation company was making all the money! 

          The other complaint that most contractors had using their flawed system, well, they boiled down to quality of leads. If consumers were just browsing the system, window shopping so-to-speak and filled in the form…BLAM! The contractor just got clipped a fee. The consumer would end up getting hounded by various contractors all drooling over the prospect in hopes of making a sale…only to realize it was a bogus lead.

           So, John and I started coming up with ideas. And then more ideas. After many late night calls, gallons of high-octane java, volumes of note taking and many sleepless days…we did it!

           Well, almost! I’ll get to that!

           We developed “Local Leads R Us“!

           A lead generation service, designed to match consumers with professionals without all the hassles.

           It’s still in beta-testing. We’re still working all the bugs out of the website!

           But here’s the skinny! And, why I know you’ll love it!

           No individual lead fees! No fighting over leads! No competition what so ever!

           Nope, none of that!

           Just a straightforward way to capture clients without all the hassles.

           I can tell you want to know more, right?

           How to join? What it costs? All the nitty-gritty stuff!

           To join, simply fill out the form on the website, or reply to this email with your name, contact information and a brief description of what it is that you do.

           The initial cost… $299 to join and $299 a month. Which we’ve been told is an absolute steal for the generation of qualified, unlimited, exclusive leads.

           For a limited time… (and yes, I know “limited time offers” are so over done, but what I’m about to say…and knowing full well, that this system can help you and that everyone will want it soon…we have to limit the amount of “newbies” joining up).

           It’s not that we don’t want a ton of new clients using this system, oh, we do, trust me! It’s that we are still working out all the kinks and cleaning up the site. It’s still a work in progress.

           So we need 27 anxious entrepreneurs to help us!

           In return, you’ll receive all the benefits of using the system for just $99 down and $99 a month.  

           Yeah, it’s a whopping savings! But, it also helps us out. We need to hammer out all the glitchs, and yes, there are a few left. Hey, I have to be honest. 

           If it was 100% finished and ready to go…you’d better believe I would charging the full amount. By working with 27 brilliant entrepreneurs and getting them to give us feedback on what’s working and what’s not, we can make incremental changes that will make the system complete.

       Capturing clients can be a daunting task, but if you do it right, the return on investment can be huge!

  Until Next Time,   

   “Live with Passion!”

     Rob Anspach   

 P.S.   If you peruse the site you’ll notice a few mistakes and I believe somewhere it asks what type of lead you are looking for and when you click it and shows “roofing”, yeah, that gave me a chuckle too! Just disregard that, John was hopped-up on way too much coffee that night and just put something in that field. If you’re a roofer then it’s great, but if not just disregard it. It’ll be changed anyway.

 P.P.S.  If you are definately interested in trying the system out and want to be one of the first 27, shoot me an email (rob@robanspach.com )and say YES, SIGN ME UP! 

I’m a non-conformist! How about you?

Yesterday I received an email that took me by surprise, yet provided some awesome content for todays post.It’s a hotly debated subject…One that most likely won’t be resolved in this post or in my lifetime. The email read… “Hey, here’s some constructive advice for you. Dress for success. You do not look professional in your videos at all. If you’re trying to sell yourself as a professional, dress the part. Have a great day!” My first reaction was, WTF! (short for what the fudge) Then I thought okay, he’s trying to be helpful. So I replied,     “Thanks for watching! I do wear a nice dress shirt or sweater in my videos, but I’ve found that people want me to be real and not overly dressed. I use the videos as a way to educate not to sell. A suit and tie would diminish the personal feel and defeat the whole non-selling attribute of the video. Even when I do one-on-one consulting or seminars I usually wear something non-intimidating. This puts the client at ease and they are more receptive to my ideas.”       Well, after several exchanges back and forth on the why proper attire helps or hurts the sale… I finally realized that neither one of us would win this game. Here’s what I know… Your image, the way your portray yourself, is your brand! It’s not how you dress, it’s how you act and how you come across to others. Corporate America has been programmed to wear suits and ties, to dress professionally and those that buck the system get labled as non-conformers. Is not wearing a suit and tie wrong? Nope! Steve Jobs, the CEO of Apple, never wears a suit and tie…is he wrong? Doubt it! Most marketers that I know, rarely wear a suit and tie…are they wrong? Again, doubtful! Like I said, this whole suit & tie debate could go and on. I’m sure both sides have adequate data to support their respective claims. It comes down to personal choice. I believe there is a time and place for suits and ties, and one has to know when to wear such things. Have I lost a few sales because I wasn’t wearing a suit & tie? Probably. I will tell you that in 16 years as being an entrepreneur, I have made more money when the tie comes off and suit is left in the car, then I have with them on. But, hey, that’s just me. I have fun doing what I do! Sure, I’m a non-conformist! But it works for me! Until Next Time,     “Live with Passion!”        Rob Anspach         P.S. What’s your take on the whole “dress for success” debate? Are you for or against wearing a suit and tie? Do people perceive you differently when you wear a suit and tie? Is the information you give out somehow different when you wear a suit or tie?

Contact Information ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Email: rob@robanspach.com                                   Phone: (717)330-7947 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Rob Anspach is a “brilliantly savvy” entrepreneur who helps frustrated business owners regain the passion they once had by showing them how to be more effective in the marketplace, how to dramatically improve their business so they enjoy coming to work again and how to win over customers regardless of price. Discover how easy it is to make money in your online or offline marketing, to attract and retain clientele and profit from your passions… visit http://www.robanspach.com  today! Rob is also the creator & dynamic force behind Success Secrets TV, the new online show dedicated to helping entrepreneurs stay successful… check it out by going to… http://www.SuccessSecrets.TV

Focused!

Over the last month, I’ve contemplated what my business stands for, who my client base is and why I do what I do. Maybe, you’ve played that game before too? Being an entrepreneur is not an easy thing. It’s not like going to a job, performing certain duties, getting a weekly paycheck, maybe a pat on the back or an ”atta boy”… no way, it’s nothing like that. Most entrepreneurs I’ve known, worked with or for, know how grueling life can be as the quintessential business owner. Long hours, sacrifice, waiting for money, advertising, employees, accountants, lawyers…doesn’t seem worth does it! An entrepreneur becomes not just a master of his field, but needs to know how to market themselves, how to socialize, and where to look for opportunities that others might have overlooked. So, back to my contemplations… What do I stand for? Well, for starters…Fairness! Freedom! Opportunity! I love having the ability to work or not to work, to create my own opportunities and share them with others and to be fair to people I hire or work with. Who is my client? This is a question every entrepreneur needs to know. What defines a client? What makes them appealing to you? Well, to be honest and somewhat forthright… my ideal client is someone that desperately wants my help and can afford my service. A client that understands the value of my service and is grateful for all that I do. One that follows my advice and gets excited when I present new ideas. Why I do what I do? It’s challenging! It’s fun! It’s a bit frustrating! It’s rewarding! I help right the mistakes entrepreneurs make in their business. I help them cut through the crap of their everyday business struggles and guide them back to the path of prosperity. So, that being said… I’m making changes in my own business structure. Some prices are going up! Some services eliminated! Some projects are being explored and some are being tossed. In the end, I’m doing some much needed housecleaning and putting my business back on track. Focused! Until Next Time,     “Live with Passion!”      Rob Anspach     P.S. Are you focused? Do you know what defines your business? If you’re ready…I’m just an email or phone call away!

Contact Information ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Email: rob@robanspach.com                                   Phone: (717)330-7947 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Rob Anspach is a “brilliantly savvy” entrepreneur who helps frustrated business owners regain the passion they once had by showing them how to be more effective in the marketplace, how to dramatically improve their business so they enjoy coming to work again and how to win over customers regardless of price. Discover how easy it is to make money in your online or offline marketing, to attract and retain clientele and profit from your passions… visit http://www.robanspach.com  today! Rob is also the creator & dynamic force behind Success Secrets TV, the new online show dedicated to helping entrepreneurs stay successful… check it out by going to… http://www.SuccessSecrets.TV

The 7 words you never want to hear!

Jerry, a service contractor from PA, called me the other day with a dilemma!  He was somewhat disturbed by the words his customer shared with him, but at the same time he was glad for the work. You see, he had just scheduled one of his clients and was blatantly told… “You’re cheap, that’s why we use you!” Wow, don’t you hate those seven words? It’s like being patted on the back and stabbed in the heart all at the same time. How much loyalty does that customer show? None, what so ever! The moment Jerry raises his prices that customer will feel slighted and ditch Jerry’s services for the next cheapest contractor. Doesn’t seem fair, right? Well, here’s what I told him. “If customers keep telling you that your prices are low, well, believe them.” And, yes, the moment you raise those prices, be prepared for a backlash of complaints, cancellations and defections. But, Rob, I can’t afford to lose customers, I’m already teetering on the verge of collapse. I need all the sales I can get right now to pay bills and fix equipment. Exactly my point Jerry! Live by price, die by price! Offering a cheap service doesn’t allow you any wiggle room, you are slowly going broke, by not charging enough. “Rob, I want to make my service affordable, so that I get more customers!” Ugh! No you don’t! Look at your competitors, which one’s have the most trucks on the road? The cheapest or the more expensive? The cheapest ones are in the same boat you are Jerry, and each one is fighting to kick the other out. I shifted gears and asked Jerry when the last time he took a vacation. Not one of those day trips, or even a weekend getaway…but a real 7 day escape to some far off exotic place. His response… “since owning this business, never!” Don’t you think you deserve one? But, Rob, how can I? I don’t make enough to take a great vacation and run a business. BINGO! Finally, you get it! Now go apply it! Stop attracting low price, non-loyal customers and start going after clients who respect your work, pay your price and give you the business you dream about. Until Next Time, “Live with Passion!” Rob Anspach P.S. If your business isn’t moving in the direction you would like it to be, let’s talk! Just send me an email and tell me a little bit about yourself and your company. Tell me why you think your sales aren’t where they should be, tell me what you’ve tried and why you think it didn’t work. The more I know about your situation, the better equipped I can be to help you improve and make money. P.P.S. I’ll be teaching the social media, newsletter and QR marketing aspects of Jeff Cross’ Totally Booked University ‘Mini-Clinic’ on Thursday August 28th (6pm-9pm) in Langhorne PA. Although it’s designed around the carpet cleaning industry…any service business will benefit. This is real world advice that is guaranteed to get that phone to ring and put money in your pocket. Click the link to learn more. http://cleaningprofessor.com/philadelphia-cleaning-marketing.html

Contact Information  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Email: rob@robanspach.com Phone: (717)330-7947 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Rob Anspach is a “brilliantly savvy” entrepreneur who helps frustrated business owners regain the passion they once had by showing them how to be more effective in the marketplace, how to dramatically improve their business so they enjoy coming to work again and how to win over customers regardless of price. Discover how easy it is to make money in your online or offline marketing, to attract and retain clientele and profit from your passions… visit http://www.robanspach.com today! Rob is also the creator & dynamic force behind Success Secrets TV, the new online show dedicated to helping entrepreneurs stay successful… check it out by going to… http://www.SuccessSecrets.TV

Is that really the angle you’re going with?

Maybe I told this story to you before, if I did, forgive me!  I believe it’s an important story that needs to be repeated as often as possible! Back in 1995, when I started my service business, my pricing was, well, very low! I figured I could win over mass amounts of accounts by being the “cheap” guy on the block. During my first year in business I must’ve gained 200 clients. I thought I was onto something. I ended up joining one of those local networking chapters and one of the members aked me about my business and how I was able to grow as fast as I was. I told him, it was my honest to goodness affordable pricing. So you’re using the cheap angle, huh? I being a bit cocky and a some what know-it-all, I shrugged my shoulders and said yep, that’s my angle. It wasn’t until I listened to an interview with Lawrence Steinmetz, Ph.D, did I realize I was all wrong. Everything Larry said, hit me like a ton of bricks. By being a “cheap” service I was actually putting my business in peril. Whenever the need arose to capture an account and I was up against a competitor my angle was the price card, which I pulled out frequently. Then they would counter attack with a lower price and a price war would ensue. I was being killed by my own ambitions of being cheap. Something had to give! And Larry’s words were the answers I needed. In his book, “How to sell at prices higher than your competitors”, Lawrence Steinmetz reveals why price is virtually never the primary reason someone buys something. “Price makes a statement; a credible statement. Just as people will believe you when you tell them you are cheaper (and they will believe that in every sense of the word — in your price, your quality and your value), they will also believe you when you say you are higher priced (again in every way — price, quality and value). Sales people who sell at high price know that you use a high price to make a credibility statement about your product being better – example, if it costs more, it probably is worth more. And they know that by acknowledging that your price is higher than your competitor’s prices, you trigger a “the hell you say” response in your customers which creates the most receptive, responsive atmosphere in which to sell your product.” That statement was my wake up call! The day I read that… I raised my prices 30%! Sure, I lost a few customers, but the one’s who stuck with me, valued my service, not my price. Was I upset that I lost a few customers? Well, to be honest, yes I was! But I soon realized those customers that didn’t stick with me, only accounted for about 20% of my revenue. And since I was raising my prices, it wasn’t going to negatively affect me. In fact, those that left were the biggest time wasting, cheapest of the cheap, pains in the butt, non-loyal customers ever. What happened next, astonished me! The higher I priced my services, the busier I got! People equated high prices to awesome work. And, I was the “go-to” guy! When my prices were low, all I attracted was low paying clients. But now that my prices were high, I was a magnet to a higher caliber clientele. I found my new angle and I was sticking with it! Until Next Time, “Live with Passion!” Rob Anspach P.S. If your business isn’t moving in the direction you would like it to be, let’s talk! Just send me an email and tell me a little bit about yourself and your company. Tell me why you think your sales aren’t where they should be, tell me what you’ve tried and why you think it didn’t work. The more I know about your situation, the better equipped I can be to help you improve and make money.

Contact Information  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Email: rob@robanspach.com Phone: (717)330-7947 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter! Rob Anspach is a “brilliantly savvy” entrepreneur who helps frustrated business owners regain the passion they once had by showing them how to be more effective in the marketplace, how to dramatically improve their business so they enjoy coming to work again and how to win over customers regardless of price. Discover how easy it is to make money in your online or offline marketing, to attract and retain clientele and profit from your passions… visit http://www.robanspach.com today! Rob is also the creator & dynamic force behind Success Secrets TV, the new online show dedicated to helping entrepreneurs stay successful… check it out by going to… http://www.SuccessSecrets.TV

Don’t Give Up!

You’re tired!

Maybe depressed!

Your business isn’t moving in the direction you had hoped!

The thought of giving up has crossed your mind many times!

The passion you once had is slowly being zapped from your being!

Everything you do seems to backfire! The phone isn’t ringing! Money is being spent faster than it’s earned.

You keep thinking one more, just one more great ad, just one more big sale, just one more press release and everything will be fine…then it happens…

…something goes wrong!

Now, you’re scrambling to fix it…with money you don’t have and patience that’s not there. You’re at your wit’s end.

Hey, I’ve been there! I know how it feels! Not knowing when the next sale will be and if it will be enough to pay the bills! It’s frustrating!

Don’t give up!

Back in 1998 after struggling for three years to figure out how to turn my business around, I finally asked for help. It was almost too late. I had maxed out my credit cards and my debt was huge. I honestly didn’t believe that anyone could help me. I was desperate and willing to do whatever it took to get my business in the black again.

Yes, I was reluctant and yes, I questioned everything. Some of the advice I was given went against everything my competitors were doing and seemed counterproductive to my own success.

Yet, it worked!

I would like to share with you three things you can do right now, to turbo boost your business, to help re-energize your passion and get the phones to ring.

First, and foremost… raise your prices! A low rate may be attractive to some people and you might gain some new clients, but higher rates bring in affluent clients that will help build your business and keep you profitable.

You see, in my service business when I advertised low rates, all I got were cheap clients. These cheap clients wasted my time, didn’t appreciate my work, took forever to pay me, told their friends how cheap I was then didn’t stay loyal. Yet, when I raised my prices and focused on higher end clientele, a funny thing happened…not only did I make more money, but the work actually seemed easier, these clients appreciated my service, praised my work, referred me to others just like them and stayed loyal to me.

Next, always, always ask for referrals! I can’t stress this enough! The single best way to build a profitable business is with a referral program. Truth be told, a referral will spend more money with you than a customer who came to you through an advertisement. Referrals have been told about your service by existing clientele and are already prepped into what to expect from you, making the sale easier and more rewarding.

Finally, offer an iron-clad guarantee of some sort! Show the customer that not only to you care about them, but you are willing to put your own butt on the line to protect them. This alone, can help convince a potential client to use you over your competitors. A guarantee is the single most powerful reason customers will use to decide to hire someone. So, make your guarantee a big part of your marketing. Show your customers that they have absolutely zero risk in using your service.

I was a bit skeptical on this one too! A guarantee! No way! People will rip me off! But, I did need a way to show people that I could do what they were hiring me for and why they were paying me a higher rate than my competitors. So, I established a 100% no-risk money back guarantee. And, to my surprise people weren’t trying to take advantage of me, in fact they hired me because they wanted the best service. They hired my service because they knew that if for any reason they weren’t happy I would refund their money, but they were confident enough to know I would try my best to make them happy.

So, if you’re tired of struggling, frustrated at not making enough money in your business and yearn to get that passion back, don’t give up, fight back, start by raising those prices, asking for referrals and guaranteeing your work.

Until Next Time,

“Live with Passion!”

Rob Anspach

P.S. If your business isn’t moving in the direction you would like it to be, let’s talk! I have room in my schedule for a few more clients. Just send me an email ( rob@robanspach.com ) and tell me a little bit about yourself and your company. Tell me why you think your sales aren’t where they should be, tell me what you’ve tried and why you think it didn’t work. The more I know about your situation, the better equiped I can be to help you improve and make money.

You’re fired…or are you?

You’re worried! You’re anxious! You know it’s coming!

Those 2 words you dread the most… you’re fired!

Yeah, you messed up!

And, it’s going to cost you BIG time!

I’ve been there, done that! I blamed the customer. They blamed me! It wasn’t pretty! I proved my point and won! Yet, I still lost a $50,000 a year account.

Wow, was I stupid!

That was 10 years ago!

Let me backpeddle…it may cost you BIG time…but then again, it may not!

Pride, stubbornness and lack of empathy will always work against you.

Being right doesn’t equate to keeping a customer happy!

Sure, it’s your business and you can run it anyway you’d like, but a little diplomacy will go a long way in changing upset customers into raving fans again.

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, a happy customer tells one or two friends about you, but an unhappy customer will tell fifteen to twenty people about you.

Even if they don’t tell anyone about you…if you mess up, or make them unhappy, uncomfortable or offend them in any way, they will never call you back. So, basically firing you, without you ever knowing.

Let’s say you do screw up, then what? Well, for starters…apologize and make it right! Ignoring the problem won’t make it go away and in fact, it will most likely make it far worse.

Next, create sytems to follow up with each sale or service to your customer. An email, a letter, or even a phone call asking your customers how they felt using your service.

React quickly to each and every complaint. If you don’t have an immediate answer, inform the customer that their concerns will be handled in the utmost importance and that you value their time and honesty.

Like I stated above, there is no room for pride, stubbornness or lack of empathy!

Empathy is a powerful tool to have! It allows you to recognize the feelings of others. You are being aware of their concerns and sensitive to their needs.

Make being fired a thing of the past!

Until Next Time,

“Live with Passion!”

Rob Anspach

P.S. Regardless of your industry, listen to my interview with Ivan Turner (of AeroDry Restoration Services) and discover how he uses empathy in his business. Here’s the link…

http://robanspach.com/cleanfaxfreebie.html It’s FREE!

P.P.S. If your business isn’t moving in the direction you would like it to be, let’s talk! I have room in my schedule for a few more clients. Just send an email to rob@robanspach.com and tell me a little bit about yourself and your company. Tell me why you think your sales aren’t where they should be, tell me what you’ve tried and why you think it didn’t work. The more I know about your situation, the better equiped I can be to help you improve and make money.

Are You Flexing Those Muscles?

I recently started working out!

Yeah, I was getting a bit flabby around the waistline!

So, I joined the “Y”!  (That’s the YMCA)

I have to admit, that first workout kicked my butt! The second one did too!

It’s been awhile since I put my body though such a physical workout.

I feel sore all over!

As I was talking to one of the trainers at the Y – she mentioned that a good percentage of new members quit coming back because the workouts are too physically grueling and they just don’t see the BIG picture.

The BIG picture being increase muscle tone, loss of the flabby middle, feeling healthy, and being able to flex and stretch better.

Hmm, have you flexed lately? Or maybe worked out?

Our bodies get used to the same routines and slowly start to get bored with what we are doing. Sounds crazy, but it’s true!

It’s not just our bodies!

It’s your business as well!

Yep, your company needs a workout! It needs to be able to flex those muscles!

Yeah, okay, you got me! Your business can’t lift weights and it doesn’t have physical muscles (per se)…but it can be toned, it can shed weight and can be healthy!

It needs a workout!

Instead of dumbells, treadmills, and aerobic exercise… think marketing, employee training and client retention.

These are 3 critical areas in your business that could use a bit of flexing.

Marketing gets the phones to ring. Employees capture the sale. Clients need to be happy so you can keep the process going.

If one of those areas is allowed to get flabby…well, guess what happens!

No sales, no happy clients and no more employees!

In order to keep you business healthy, it needs to work out!

It needs to constantly improve! It needs to cut the flab and flex the muscles!

Change things up in your business! Increase the marketing!

Get your employees to interact more with your clientele!

Do something different!

Remember, the same old routines equals boing which equals flab!

Now, it’s time to flex your business muscles and get toned!

Until Next Time,

“Live with Passion!”

Rob Anspach

P.S. A consultant is like a trainer for business, the right one can have your company flexing those muscles, feeling healthy, fit and toned. A fit and healthy business means more dollars in your pocket!

Define Your Market!

This economy is wreaking havoc on how intelligent entrepreneurs define not only themselves but the market they’re targeting.

They are throwing their hands up in dispair and waiving the white flag of defeat!

They’ve lost faith in their own abilities!

They’ve become victims…allowing others to define who they are.

Yes, it’s true! But, it doesn’t have to be this way!

In fact, there are some entrepreneurs who will never fall for the excuses, will never allow someone else to define them and will never waive that white flag in defeat.

To them, not running the show the way they want is complete madness!

Yet, there are those stuggling!

I was one of those, years ago!

Let’s take a trip back to 1998, I was three years into my cleaning business.

Sales were down, bills were piling up, and my spirit was slowly being broken!

I cut prices in hopes to make it up in volume. I started offering phone quotes because well it seemed easier. I performed service in places that nobody would dare send crews to…just for a few dollars. And, I was killing myself working long, grueling hours.

I was losing my identity and my business all at the same time.

Luckily, I saw the writing on the wall!

I redefined who my market was! I eliminated all low paying jobs right off the top. No more rentals, no more restuarants, no more hotels and no more undersirable locations where half my equipment goes missing 5 minutes after arrival.

I raised my prices and strictly marketed my services to the affluent neighborhoods! In six months my average sale went from $99 to $425. I was working less hours and making more money. Way more money.

My clients appreciated me! My competitors envied me!

Sadly, most entrepreneurs don’t get it! They believe you are defined by the market, by what your customers demand and how your competitors advertise…nothing could be further from the truth.

You define your own market!

You educate your clients so they hire you, regardless of price!

You lead the pack, not follow it.

Until Next Time,

“Live with Passion!”

Rob Anspach

P.S. If you’re ready to waive that white flag, if you’re tired of being pushed on by over demanding, under paying clients, if your competitors are forcing you to change…well, it’s time you defined who you are and what you expect from the market you’re serving. It’s time to get tough! It’s time to get out of the trenches and start winning the war. It’s your game, play to win to it!