What Does Valentine’s Day Have to Do with Your Business?
With February 14th just a few days away, most of us are focused on loved ones in our lives. We make plans with our spouse and purchase cards, chocolates, or presents, as we think fondly of what we cherish about them.
We remember to make special time for our children, no matter how old they are, and express unconditional love to them.
If we are fortunate enough to still have parents with us, we take this opportunity to treasure them by checking in, making sure they have what they need, and expressing gratitude for all they have given us.
We might even use Cupid’s holiday as a reason to remind friends how much we care about them, with a little gift, an unexpected visit, or a dinner out to celebrate your years of friendship.
All of that said, the message of the importance and universality of love that embodies Valentine’s Day spreads beyond our loved ones. After all, it’s important to honor ALL the loves in your life.
I encourage you to take this week and honor three other loves in your life…
1. Your Team
Make sure that your employees or contractors feel the love on Valentine’s Day and indeed everyday. If you’re an entrepreneur, you know that a team allows you to accomplish more than you ever could on your own.
- Acknowledge their efforts. In our hectic fast-paced world, it’s easy to take your employees for granted without intending to. When they do good work, acknowledge them. Words of recognition can make people feel more positive about contributing. By recognizing them, you motivate them to produce even greater results. This gratitude is not just for one day in February; it should be part of your daily routine.
- Seek their feedback. One of the best ways to make employees feel valued is by asking for their input and ideas. When you welcome their opinions, not only will they feel valued, but you’ll benefit from the feedback of people who play a hands-on role in your business. They can share a different perspective on how to drive sales, improve client relations, or increase efficiencies.
- Learn to let go. It’s your job to make sure you have the right experts on your team. Once you’ve entrusted someone with a job, let them own it. Some entrepreneurs struggle to give up control and wind up doing everything themselves. However, it’s important to show your team that you trust them and value what they bring to the table. In the long run, you’ll all be happier when you give them the gift of your trust.
2. Your Clients
Without customers or clients, you have no business. Although you should show your clients love and appreciation year around, this is a great opportunity to actively remind them. They most likely won’t expect it, which will make it all that much more meaningful.
- Serve them well. When people give you their business, you show them how much it means to you in the way you treat them. If you don’t put much value on them, it will show. On the other hand, when you value them greatly, you give them the best possible service. Remember that clients are your best source of referral business, and they can always choose to take their business elsewhere.
- Express appreciation. Do you have a way you express gratitude to clients? For some entrepreneurs, it’s sending a small box of chocolates to each new client. For others, it’s an annual holiday gift. (Why not an annual Valentine’s present?) For still others, it’s a token of appreciation when the client reaches a milestone. Whatever it may be for you, make sure you’re actively letting clients know how much you appreciate them.
- Honor commitments. One aspect of love is committing to another person. When you promise something to a client or customer, keep your promise above all else. Under-promise, over-deliver, and always show up with integrity.
3. Your Business
The only way to succeed is to be passionate about what you do. Otherwise, you’ll find it is nearly impossible to stay on track. To grow your business and achieve greater sales, you need to be committed to implementing strategies consistently – day in and day out.
- Do what you do best. When you’re bogged down by trying to juggle a myriad of responsibilities, you wind up doing less and less of what you do best. If you’re a rock star salesperson, the bulk of your time should be spent in sales. If you’re an effective coach, you should spend most of your week coaching. In order to allocate your time this way, you need to build a team of experts around you to keep the other aspects of your business running smoothly.
- Have a clear plan. If you love your business and want it to succeed, you owe it to yourself to give it a fighting chance. As we’ve been talking about the past few weeks, without a clear, measurable action plan, your business will never achieve sustained growth. Set monthly and annual goals, and identify the tasks you need to complete each and every day to Double Plus your income.
- Work with an accountability partner. If you love you business and are committed to growing it, you need someone to hold your feet to the fire as you execute your action plan. At Celeste Giordano Coaching, I work closely with clients to make sure they have the accountability necessary to stay on track to reach their goals.
Let Valentine’s Day be a reminder that love and commitment are powerful forces in both your personal and professional life. Show passion and compassion for the people and things that matter most to you and you’ll build a more fulfilling, prosperous life for yourself and your loved ones.
May your life be filled with love, prosperity, and blessing in all that you do.
I’m thrilled to share with you our latest edition of The Blueprint Magazine. This month’s theme is “Unlocking Your Full Potential!”
A few articles in this month’s issue dive further into this topic:
- “New Year’s Resolutions: Make Them Simple and Easy to Accomplish” by Becca Tebon on page 7
- “Why Small Businesses Outsource IT Support and Services” by Jason Rush on page 8
- “Why 4D Communication is the Better Way of Selling” by Brigitta Hoeferle on page 15″
- Small Simple Changes Make All the Difference” by Joan Williams on page 19″
- Moving from Comfort with Courage” by Pauline Duncan-Thrasher on page 20
Celeste Giordano’s mission is to help business owners develop the skills, knowledge and attitude necessary to “double-plus” their income and become effective and inspirational leaders in their fields. Whether it’s taking your successful business to the next level or starting a new venture, she will teach you the exact skills and strategies you need to enroll more quality prospects, build a rock-solid team, and break through obstacles to achieve real profit and lasting success. Celeste is a professional business growth specialist, a master sales strategist, and dynamic speaker with 40 years experience in direct sales and managing high-performing teams.
To learn more about Celeste, click here.
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