Small Business Matters

Connection Calendar

PRESENTED BY

June 29

By The Numbers

Want more information and resources on this week's topics, ideas and events? Go to www.cose.org/smallbizmatters.i

SOURCE: AGENCY FOR HEALTHCARE RESEARCH AND QUALITY, CENTER FOR FINANCING, ACCESS AND COST TRENDS. 2013 MEDICAL EXPENDITURE PANEL SURVEY –

INSURANCE COMPONENT.

COCKTAILS & CONNECTONS AT AZURE SUN LOUNGE

Join COSE for cocktails and make connections at Azure Sun Lounge, Cleveland’s only sun deck and

lounge, perched 150 feet above the city streets.JULY 9

5:30-8 PMAzure Sun Lounge, Cleveland

Cost: $20 for COSE Members and Non-Members

Register today at www.cose.org/events.

COSE WEBED SERIES: HOW TO JUMPSTART SALES IN 90 DAYS

Every business is a sales organization, whether it’s a one-person consultancy or a manufacturing plant.

Sales guru Marvin Montgomery will share actionable steps to revitalize sales and help you connect your

audience to the value of your off ering. JULY 28

11 AM – NOON

Cost: FreeRegister at www.cose.org/events.

Mark your

calendar now!

Check out www.cose.org/events for all the latest happenings.CONTENT PROVIDED AND PAID FOR BY THE COUNCIL OF SMALLER ENTERPRISES

33% of Small Employers (less than 25

employees) off er health Insurance.

Communication is the lifeblood of any business/client relationship, and poor com-munication of any type is a surefi re way to damage that connection. No matter what type of business you are in, healthy communication skills are key to keeping clients happy.

William Beachy, president of GoMedia, a full-service web, logo and graphic design studio located in Cleveland understands the importance of quality engagement with clients. “We communicate with many our clients on a daily basis,” says Beachy. “We want to make sure we are consistently com-municating in ways that strengthen the rela-tionship and provide value to the client.”

Establish the details. Be sure to accu-rately gather project details and specifi cs, including deadlines, project scope and de-liverables and payment terms. Although this seems elementary, many professional ser-vice providers don’t do a thorough enough job collecting all the details of a job. Err on

the side of asking too many questions. Manage expectations. Clients appreciate

punctuality. Take the lead in setting a sched-ule and be sure to honor the deadlines – no excuses. When you hit your deadlines you’re as good as gold to your clients. If you make a schedule only to miss all the deadlines you’ve set, you’ll only punctuate your failures.

Keep it professional. Today, instead of picking up the phone or scheduling an

in-person meeting, client communication often takes place via a quick email. The convenience of this type of communication does not diminish the importance of keep-ing communications clear, professional and client-focused.

Repost feedback. When responding to client feedback, include their original com-ments along with your responses to show them that you are listening and following direction.

Over deliver. Along with delivering what you’ve promised, off er a little something ex-tra. It may be something as simple as advice or counsel at no extra charge.

Make them laugh, or at least smile. If you can make a client smile or laugh, you’ve absolutely endeared yourself to them.

Say thank you often. We’re all busy, but don’t forget to take the time to let your cli-ents know you appreciate their business. Nothing is more powerful than a well-timed and sincere thank you.

52 TIPS FOR YOUR BUSINESS

#26 – Flawless Communication Leads to Happy Clients

William Beachy,GoMedia

GALLUP’S ENTREPRENEURIAL 10 ASSESSMENT

Todd Johnson is the Global Channel Leader of Entrepreneurship and Job Creation with Gallup. As

one of the leaders of Gallup’s Entrepreneurial Strengths Finder, Johnson has explored the diff erent strengths that come along with being a successful entrepreneur. With a great knowledge of the research and the assessment tool, Johnson will take you through the assessment,and

explain how to identify and engage your highest potential entrepreneurial talents to take your business to

the next level. AUGUST 13NOON - 2 PM

100th Bomb Group, Cleveland

Cost: COSE Members $30, Non-Members $40Register at www.cose.org/EP10.

Passion and ideas are not enough to grow a successful business. Entrepreneurs or start-up teams need to possess key characteristics that give them a stronger ability to launch and suc-ceed. Understanding who you are and where you stand as an entrepreneur can help you tap your talents to become successful. Gallup Strengths Center explored this concept, result-ing in a book, Entrepreneurial StrengthsFinder by Jim Clifton and Sangeet Bharadwaj Badal.

“We studied successful entrepreneurs and fi gured out how to scientifi cally measure quali-ties that individuals inherently have that drive them to be successful in this role,” says Badal. The last four years, Gallup has been intensely studying successful entrepreneurs, identifying entrepreneurship as a strategy for economic growth. “We realize that even though there are so many diff erent reasons why someone would start a business and why some businesses are more successful than others, one of the diff er-entiators was the role of the entrepreneur who is at the center of the activity,” Badal says. Now, there is science that explains why entrepre-neurs are diff erent, and this can help us hone

natural talents and provide tools to drive suc-cessful entrepreneurial ventures.

“The demands of the entrepreneurial role are so complex that any one predictor of success is not possible,” Badal says, prefacing the 10 talents of successful entrepreneurs she lays out in Entrepreneurial StrengthsFinder. “You can’t have one or two characteristics that make you magically successful. In a role this complex, you need a complete set of talents.” Badal identifi es those talents as: business focus, con-fi dence, creative thinker, delegator, determina-tion, independent, knowledge seeker, promoter, relationship-builder and risk-taker.

Have your StrengthsFinder results analyzed as COSE features Gallup Expert Todd Johnson on August 13.(See calendar listing on this page.)

Entrepreneurial StrengthsFinderDiscover How to Use Your Natural Talents to Be a Successful Entrepreneur

WHAT’S HOT

Identify the intensity of the 10 natural talents of an entrepreneur in you by taking the Entrepreneurial Profile 10 assessment at www.gallupstrengthcenter.com.

i

OWNER EXCHANGE

Mistake: “Entering into a business partner-ship too quickly and not taking the time to learn more about the other entrepreneur fi rst.”

What I learned: “We set out to launch a program that would harness each of our strengths, but it quickly became apparent that our work styles did not match. We didn’t know how the other person worked or handled certain situations and people. There was an uneven work distribution, we were unable to work together eff ectively, and the result was a relationship that was not a true partnership.

Ultimately we were unable to get traction with our idea and ended the relationship. I learned that there is incredible value in taking time to vet anyone you are considering working with before you pull the trigger.”

DIANE HELBIG, Owner

Seize This Day Coaching

The Worst Decision I Made in My Business

Diane Helbig, Owner,Seize This Day Coaching

Want more expert advice? Check out Linktunity (www.linktunity.com), an online forum connecting business owners with creative solutions to the tough questions they face every day.

i