Each day our schedules seem to fill up more and more but the days do not get any longer. How can you possibly find the time to make real connections, to go the extra mile to secure that new lead and grow your business? Our Blackberry and iPhones keep us working continuously but not always as wisely as possible. How do you keep your personal life in balance with work and pay proper attention to both? Below are some helpful tips to get your work/ life balance in order and maximize the time you do have to work the best for you. Remember, it is never too late to put into practice the steps below to best utilize your time and enjoy life a little more.
Send current clients and potential leads something to keep you remembered. For some this is your newsletter or it can be an article you found helpful and want to pass along. It may seem like a little gesture, but the old adage “it is the thought that counts” truly does go a very long way. It is very nice to know you are thought of by others, especially when nothing is asked of in return. So just send along a little something to be helpful, it will be appreciated.
Try to set work hours. It is easier said than done. Missed calls or emails you could lose you a client which is lost income. None the less, even if the hours are long, the work day has to have an end time. Maybe it is only from 10 pm to 5 am, which is undeniably short, it can be ok as long as you truly do not work then. Setting boundaries is a healthy step in reclaiming your life. A healthy balance can lead to a happy and productive life.
Fully focusing for 8 or even 10 hours a day can be more beneficial than constantly interrupting your private life with work and not giving 100% to either. Surely someone has asked you to “put that thing away” refe rencing the smart phone constantly in your hand. Take that advice and put the person in front of you first once and a while and vice versa. Give your all to growing your business when it is the middle of your work day but when you are out with friends or enjoying family time fully put your focus there too..
Try maximizing the time you do have to connect with current or potential clients. While you may want to go sit and have coffee with a really great client you currently have or spend the extra time with a client you are working to earn, time just simply does not always allow it. Try a tele-coffee. Set aside 20 minutes to have a relaxing phone chat. Just as you would focus on the client/ lead in front of you at the coffee shop it is just as important to block out distractions when speaking over the phone. You save yourself all of the time wasted on commuting but you gain all the benefits of connecting with the client.
Try to be patient. Following up is good, but with the ability for so many things in business to happen almost instantly, it is important to realize that a client is cultivated and grown over time. Several points of contact typically need to occur prior to a sale, so be patient, but do not completely wait for it to come to you. Follow-ups, newsletters, blog posts all help keep the client reminded about your services so keep those flowing and sales will come.
Many of the tips seem more about being a conscientious person rather than wise in business, but the reality is we are all so very busy that the extra bit of attention that you can give your client or lead may keep them with you or be the last bit of encouragement to gain their trust and earn them as a customer. Time is what is lacking yet taking time to show effort can go a very long way to keep your business growing, prospering and moving forward.
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