It’s the Little Things

October 30, 2009 at 11:36 am | Posted in Adrian Miller Sales Training, Adrian's Network, Networking, sales, Sales Training, small business | Leave a comment

Having loads of contacts, a degree from a top-notch university, and a resume that speaks volumes about your experience can undoubtedly communicate to others that you’re at the top of your game. However, they’re not the only things you need to succeed. Sometimes, it’s those little details that really shout what your personal brand is truly all about.

Far too many high-achieving professionals get clouded by their achievements and egos and forget that common courtesies still matter. In fact, when you’re successful, they matter even more. The stakes are higher and more eyes are watching. If you’re guilty of being rough around the edges with the individuals you’re doing business with, it’s time to polish your personal brand. You don’t want to be the one who loses a major account because your manners are atrocious. No, you have to be an Emily Post clone, but you do need to pay attention to these following basics:

Be Timely and Accountable

Everyone forgets to make a call every now and again. But, if you repeatedly tell others that you’re going to call them and don’t, you’ll quickly develop a reputation as someone who doesn’t follow through. If you’re having difficulty remembering who you promised to call and why, start taking notes. Send yourself reminders and make it a priority to follow up in a timely manner.

Say Thank You

In a fast-paced environment, it can be easy to neglect to say thank you to those who provide you leads, support your efforts, or give your business. Make it a point to be generous with your appreciation for others. Regardless if it’s a hand-written note, a thoughtful gift, or simply a warm “thank you” to someone who helped you, just do it and do it often!

Write Properly

Poor grammar and typos in an email, letter, proposal, sales presentation, or invoice don’t just look unprofessional, they directly reflect on your level of competency. Hey, if you can’t write a decent sentence, who is going to have the confidence that you can answer a technical question or understand the complex needs of a customer? It’s a slippery slope that you don’t want to head down. Pay attention to all of your writing. It matters! If you’ve managed to get to this level without being able to write properly, you’d be smart to invest in a class or two on business writing. You’ll be glad that you did!

Polish Your Company’s Paperwork

When you started your business, it might have been ok to write up an order on a piece of notepaper. Hopefully, your business has grown from this point, and if you haven’t already, it’s time to revamp the documents that you’re providing your prospects, vendors, and clients. Whether it’s an invoice, purchase order, or contract, your recipients will take them and you more seriously if they look professional. With the wide array of software options out there to help businesses, there simply isn’t any excuse for invoicing your customer on a piece of scratch paper.

Keep the Others in the Office in Check

While you’re responsible for your own personal brand, others can affect it, too – especially those in your office who can make or break an encounter with your business. Develop standards for how everyone deals with your contacts. Without this consistency, you’re opening up the door for someone to seriously sabotage how others view not just your office, but you, too!

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