What do all of our various home-based businesses have in common (other than being based in our homes, of course)? We are all trying to fill a niche and provide valuable products or services to our clients and customers. This is the point we need to get across—instead of making people feel like we are trying to “sell” them something, we need to let them know that we are really about offering solutions to their problems…
Think about it—we make most of our purchases because we are trying to get solutions? We buy laundry soap so we can get our clothes clean, and we buy new sheets so we have something soft and nice to sleep on. We see a lawyer when we need legal help and advice and we go to the car wash when our car is dirty. Do you see where I am going with all this? Whatever it is that you do in your small home business (products, services, sales, etc.); you are in the position to solve someone’s problems or offer up solutions to some situation that a customer or client is dealing with.
Even if you are a bookkeeper or a consultant—you are there to solve problems. By putting yourself forward as a solution, people will be more likely to respond to you and reach out when they have problems that need solving. If you just put yourself out there as someone who is trying to sell something or someone who is just in business to make money, people will probably not warm up to you or your business. They have problems and you hold the key to solving those problems. You may think that business is really all about the bottom line, but the most successful businesses are about offering solutions.
Also: Strategic Thinking and Planning
What’s the Big Deal About Customer Service?
With a Home Business, We Have to Give Good Customer Service