It’s no wonder people want to know what I do day-in and day-out in my business; mine is a story that definitely gets attention. In just shy of six years in business, we have seen earning growth of more than 200% each year, and 6 months into 2014, we’ve seen 500% growth.
Now, if you know anything about me, you know I don’t share that to brag. Far from it. I share it to say that success leaves clues — and those who are successful, if you watch them, can show you how to achieve the same if you’re willing to do the work.
Having worked since the age of 13 (yes, back in the day with working papers you could get a job at the young and tender age of 13), I’m no stranger to hard work. But as I have aged and grown in my expertise, I have learned a little something about systems that make success predictable.
It was a system that took me from representative to VP in 3 years. It was an update to that same system that awarded me a Pink Cadillac from Mary Kay Cosmetics just 5 months after quitting my job, and yes, it is a system that I employ daily that helps me to build my business and change the lives of others. That’s why Felicia’s question kind of made the sides of my mouth turn up…
“Hi Darnyelle. I’m really excited that I found you and Incredible Factor TV. I’m really enjoying watching your episodes and learning from you from afar and I look forward to being able to attend your events and learn from you face to face. Until then, I’m a little curious… What does your day look like as far marketing activities go?”
Watch my response to Felicia’s question in this week’s episode of Incredible Factor TV:
As I share in the video, I personally start each day with a minimum of 90 minutes of business development activity. Business development is a broad term that tends to get people a little confused so I break it down like this: There’s client attraction and there’s business development, but there’s also revenue generation and awareness generation.
Client Attraction: Your use of awareness generation activity that “pulls” your ideal prospects into your customer and sales funnel. When clients self-select, they tend to become clients at an accelerated pace.
Business Development: Your use of direct prospecting activity to identify opportunities and create a need for someone to invest in your services that may not have heard of you prior to your request for their time.
Revenue Generation: Activities that lead to financial transactions at the end of them. Some examples include: speaking engagements, discovery sessions, sales calls, networking, prospecting.
Awareness Generation: Activities that increase your awareness and bring more people into your customer and sales funnel but seldom lead to a direct sale. They build up your 30% that are aware of you for the future when they may have the need you solve. Some examples include: blogging, videos, social media, PR (need I say more?)
To be successful, your business must have both client attraction strategies and business development strategies. And to be successful at business development, you’ll need awareness generation and revenue generation activity, BUT you must focus on activities that will generate revenue first.
By creating a system around each, you can begin to make success predictable so that your efforts go rewarded with new business. Similarly, I recommend that you spend a minimum of 90 minutes each day on business development that leads to revenue. Your blog is great and posting to social media, yeah that’s great too. But picking up the phone and pursuing opportunities, that is what generates revenue.
If you’re designating a full 8 hour day to a business development each week, let me be clear that you STILL need to spend 90 minutes each day. Your first 90 minutes should be spent following up with prospects and calling or target emailing new ones. The rest of the time on the day you designate could be used for:
- Writing your blog
- Developing content
- Connecting with your Centers of Influence for updates and referrals
- Making a video
- Setting up a new strategy
Now I want to hear from you, what’s your two cents?:
What does a day in the life of your business look like? Is there anything that you’ve done that will add value to Felicia’s inquiry? Share your two cents below.
©2014 by Darnyelle A. Jervey. All Rights Reserved. Darnyelle A. Jervey, MBA, The Incredible Factor Speaker, Business Coach and Marketing Mentor, is the founder of Incredible One Enterprises.com, Incredible Factor University® and the Leverage Your Incredible Factor System®, a proven step-by-step program for more clients, more income and more leverage in your business. For more information and a FREE audio CD “7 Critical Mistakes Entrepreneurs Must Avoid When Unleashing Your Incredible Factor So You Attract More Clients, Make More Money and Gain More Leverage” just fill out the form below.
