Show notes
Show me a business that has no secrets and I'll show you a business that has no value.
Over the years, I've taken some heat for our brand Topsecrets.com and for my belief that it's our business secrets that create the most value in our organizations.
Still, there are people who say, "there are no secrets in business." Some just state it as fact with no attempt to explain or justify it. Others claim the only secret to business success is "hard work." Wow. I really hate that one! Still others say there are no secrets because everything you need to know is already out there.
Fair enough. But even if all the secrets to business success are really "out there" -- and I don't believe for a moment they are -- if you don't know them, they're still a secret... at least from you.
Business Secrets
I think it's ridiculous to believe there are no secrets in business.
Some of the most obvious examples of secrets that create value would be Google's search algorithm, the formula for Coca-Cola or the recipe for Kentucky Fried Chicken.
In each of these cases, the secret itself is responsible for much of the value of the business. Lots of restaurants offer fried chicken, but only KFC can offer the Colonel's famous recipe.
The most important business secrets are often protected legally as "intellectual property." This means that even if the secrets themselves were divulged, they would still be protected legally from unauthorized use by others.
So what do business secrets have to do with selling or small business ownership?
I think it has everything to do with that.
What's the secret sauce behind your business? What's the thing or two that sets you apart and allows you to achieve results your competitors could never achieve?
Do you have a proven system in place for creating awareness of yourself, your brand and your business among the very best prospects in your market for the products and services you offer?
Are you able to consistently create sequences of clear, compelling communication that make prospective clients actually want to initiate contact with you, interact with you, and do business with you?
Do you have a process in place that allows you to disqualify poor quality prospects quickly, so you're not wasting time on those with no need, no desire, no money, no budget, no willingness to spend with you?
Do you have a tested, proven procedure in place for bringing new customers through the door like clockwork?
If not, how much do you think secrets like that could be worth to the success of your business?
Some people squander months or years trying to figure it all out for themselves. They hemorrhage tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands or even more in wasted time and botched opportunity cost. And since they're not even aware of the clients and sales they're missing out on, they have absolutely no idea what operating without these secrets is really costing them!
Can you do business without learning these secrets and putting them into practice in your organization?
Sure you can. It's likely you've done so to date.
But are you leaving enormous amounts of sales, profits and good old fashioned cashola on the table, if you keep doing business without these things? I'm going to say "yes." Big time.
But of course, that's just my opinion.
If you'd like to have a candid, one-on-one conversation about if or how any of this applies directly to your business, give us a call, toll-free, at 1-800-494-2721.
I've set aside some time in the next 48 hours to speak with you personally, to help you get really clear on the realistic growth potential of your current business over the next twelve months, the type of prospects and clients you'd need to have to get there, and what you'd have to do better and differently to make it happen.
If you're a serious business professional willing to do what it takes to create the results you want in your business, give us a call at 800-494-2721 or schedule a time that works for you at topsecrets.com/call. That's topsecrets.com/call.
Whenever you’re ready… here are the five primary ways we help promotional product distributors:
Just Getting Started? If you (or someone on your team) is just getting started in promotional products sales, learn how we can help.
Need Clients Now? If you’re already grounded in the essentials of promotional product sales and just need to get clients now, click here.
Want EQP/Preferential Pricing? Are you an established industry veteran doing a significant volume of sales? If so, click here to get End Quantity Pricing from many of the top supplier lines in the promo industry.
Time to Hire Salespeople? If you want to grow your promo sales by hiring others, click here.
Ready to Dominate Your Market? If you’re serious about creating top-of-mind-awareness with the very best prospects in your market, schedule a one-on-one Strategy Session here.