By Mark Mikelat

You need to be in a mode of answer-readiness. As a small business leader it is critical that you are answer-ready. Your clients and customers will have questions and you need to have answers. Being answer-ready is a great way to grow your small business.

Sometimes huge ideas come out of nowhere. You need to have answers ready to take advantage of these new ideas. Let me provide you an example. A colleague of mine a short time ago presented an idea to the school board of a major city. His goal was to implement a great new and creative curriculum that the school sorely needed.

The school board loved the idea and they wanted to implement the program in the entire state. This innovator’s idea was so good that his opportunities grew by 10 fold in just a few moments. The school board leaders started asking questions about implementation time frames and costs and a rollout schedule.

This man was unprepared to answer. He did the best that he could, but the magnitude of the opportunity was beyond his thinking. He did not have the answers that the school board was seeking. It is one year later and the program is not yet implemented. His clients were engaged, excited and ready for him to succeed. They just needed some basic answers. These answers didn’t come and the excitement died.

How can you be ready? Brainstorm answers. What are some questions that your customers could possibly ask you about your products and services? Ask your suppliers, ask your vendors, ask your staff, and ask your customers. Ask everybody. Create powerful and customer-centric answers to all of these questions. With an inventory of answers, you’ll be ready as new opportunities arise.

Be answer-ready. Being able to answer of all your clients’ questions on the spot is a great way to grow your small business.

Could you use more tips like this to accelerate the growth of your small business? Achievement thinking is a powerful concept that Mark Mikelat, the founder of Building Aspirations uses to coach his small business clients to double or even triple the size of their businesses. You can learn more and take advantage of a free strategic analysis at http://www.buildingaspirations.com/

Also, you can view his books on Amazon.com.

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Tags:  Client Relations Mark Mikelat Revenue Sales Growth Small Business Growth