To Build A Business You Must Have Customers...

In order to make any business thrive you must have customers. What most people don’t realize is that in most instances, customers will not just walk through your door. You have to understand, there are basic principals that you must follow to get customers and the most basic of all of the principals is prospecting.

Prospecting is the act of searching out leads or potential customers. Through practice you will find that prospecting or getting news customers will become much easier for you. If you learn the basics you will find that overall it will help you to become more effective in your business because the reality is you will always need to prospect. However keep in mind that your success will not be instant. You will be challenged; and fall down and get scrapes and bruises. You might even wimp out before you even start! If you do, then you have lost! So try not to get too intimidated in this process of asking others for their business.

If you are truly serious about building your business (and I hope that you are) you must make a commitment to yourself and your business to learn these basics of prospecting and implement them in your action plan (you do have an action plan don't you?).

Prospecting or gathering customers can be fun. When prospecting becomes fun, you become an effective business person. But if you make it a task you don't want to do, procrastination will take over your mind and you will find yourself frustrated because your business will not be growing.

Regardless of the type of business you have, all businesses are based on sales and in order to make money you will have to make sales. Part of the selling process is prospecting. In fact, prospecting or gathering customers is the most important step you must take in the sales cycle. Without prospecting, you will not have any customers. Without customers, you will not make any sales. With no one to sell your product or service to you have no business and therefore you will make no money! I guess you see my point or at least I hope you do!

Remember - Prospecting is your first step toward building your business.

Prospecting is an important element to any and all businesses because it’s where you get your business. I know, prospecting sucks! I don’t know anyone who loves to do. I personally hate prospecting. But let me ask you a question:

If you don't prospect for your business, who will?

- Your friends?

- Your family?

- Your kids?

Face the facts! Those people will never build your business for you. You must take a proactive approach to building your business and that proactive approach begins with prospecting. Effective prospecting does take time, effort, and a bit of patience. Always remember, you are in business for the long haul so if you learn this important step you business is guaranteed to prosper for years to come!

I look forward to helping you strive to reach your goals and dreams. It is my hope that the information I've provided will help you to get there!

To Your Health, Wealth & Happiness!

Pam Lawhorne

Pam Lawhorne is a serial entrepreneur, small business expert and creative marketing consultant, who provides advice, guidance, and encouragement to aspiring CEO's around the nation in her popular seminars and publications. She is the Chief Empowerment Officer of Empower U, Incorporated, a training and consulting firm that specializes in interactive workshops, seminars and coaching programs.

Ms. Lawhorne is the author of “From Minimum Wage To Getting Paid! - How To Become A Successful Entrepreneur With No Money, Education Or Experience!" and she is also a syndicated columnist who writes articles on empowerment, entrepreneurship, personal development, creative marketing and real estate investing. Her articles appear nationally in newspapers, magazines, and on numerous business websites and on-line publications. For additional information please visit her website: www.PamLawhorne.com.

The above article is copyright 2003-2008 by Pam Lawhorne. Permission to repost is freely granted so long as the text is not altered in any way, and the copyright and links are included.