New Year’s Resolutions for Better Revenue

The past year has certainly had a profound effect on nearly everyone. Revenue may have slipped, cutbacks were made, and clients were lost, but there’s no better time to start fresh than the New Year. Steve Fretzin, President of Sales Results, Inc., says to use this time of the year as an extra motivation to make new goals and new efforts to better your business. From networking to selling to social media, Fretzin offers resolutions to increase revenue in 2010.

1. Attend at least three networking events a month: Networking is absolutely necessary to grow business. Look for events or groups that are relevant to your area of expertise. Meeting like-minded professionals can open the doors to otherwise unexpected new business.

2. Become a better networker: Take steps to practice networking and make sure your efforts are worth your time. Vow to get over any anxiety and take the bull by the horns; introduce yourself to new people and ask them about their profession. Remember to follow up with people you meet and try to make at least 10 lasting connections each month.

3. Become a better listener: Fretzin emphasizes the importance of shutting up and listening in your professional life. When meeting with a potential client, you should be listening 80% of the time and asking questions during the 20% that you are speaking. “You need to learn about the prospect’s weaknesses so you can tailor your approach to fit their needs,” says Fretzin.

4. Change the way you sell: Become a “soft” seller; Fretzin calls his approach “the art of selling without selling.” Rather than practice traditional methods of hard selling, try a different technique. Focus on building relationships and listening. Turn cold prospecting into warm referrals, convincing into asking, closing into qualifying and selling into partnering.

5. Become a LinkedIn pro: Make it your goal to get your LinkedIn profile to 100% in a timely matter. This means completing all background info, getting quality introductions and asking for recommendations. “If you have not had time or the desire to delve into social media, skip Facebook and Twitter and focus on LinkedIn as it offers the most for businesses.”