Getting More Customers – Fast! (part 1)

Often business owners contact me because they need more customers – and more cashflow – today!

So how do we achieve this goal for our clients? The answer : We start with our Kinetic Media & Marketing ‘INSTANT CASHFLOW’ checklist!

One item on the checklist is the break-down of sales process into two components : The enquiry (lead, store browser) and the conversion of that lead into a paying customer. Often most businesses get enough enquiries, but it’s their sales and follow-up processes that are lacking. It’s easy to work out which area is the problem – we ask the business owner (and staff) to record how many enquires turned into sales. This becomes a percentage – sales conversion.

Funnily enough most business owners think their conversion is around 70-80%, but when we measure it, it’s often only around 10-40%.

It’s common for us to review the sales and follow-up systems for a business and make changes to improve sales conversion. I’ll give you an example :

A building material manufacturing company we worked with had a conversion from inbound calls to sales of only 18%. By reviewing ‘what’ they said to potential customers on the phone and then improving their telephone script, the sales conversion increased to 27%. The increase in percentage doesn’t sound like much but when you apply it to a half million dollar ($500,000) turn-over business – it equates to a massive $251,000 increase in sales.

Would you say it was worth it for this business to hire our consulting services? Hmmm, dumb question.

Summary

Improving sales conversion by examining inbound phone calls is one good marketing strategy to get more customers fast. In part two I’ll reveal another – watch this space…

27 Questions You Should Ask Before Buying A Business

I met the husband and wife owners of a small retail shop recently. The business was running at a $65,000 (approx) annual loss.They had purchased the business over 12 months ago and had been steadily losing money. I looked briefly at their books and realised they had paid too much for the business. On top of that, both of them had no retail business experience and they had decided to cut out all of the advertising that the previous business owner had been running – due to cost reasons only.

I asked them how much research and due diligence had they conducted before buying the business. I was shocked by their response…

“We asked the solicitor who was performing the business settlement service if the business was a good buy.”

Talk about flushing $$$ down the toilet. Needless to say, they no longer have any available capital to invest in marketing or anything else. The outcome will be to close up shop and accept the loss, and the lesson.

So how do you actually avoid this type of business disaster?

Ask yourself these questions…

1. Why am I going into this business?

• For lifestyle (to work fewer than 40 hours per week, with the freedom to go on holidays whenever you choose)
• To make a profit by building the business up (increasing sales)
• To generate more cash-flow than than a 9-to-5 job.

If your reasons are not listed above – don’t buy the business. If you want to be involved in what the business does (manufacturing, retail, services, etc) out of personal interest, it’s much less stress and safer to be an employee.

2. What do I want from being in business?

3. What will be my exit strategy to get out of the business?

• Sell the business for a profit
• Sell the business to a major shareholder(s) and become a silent partner
• Pass the business down to a family member
• Franchise

4. What skills do I have that will make me successful in this business?

Please don’t think that all that is required to ‘improve’ the business is cosmetic – by changing some of the products, re-designing the store interior, etc. These ‘improvements’ won’t double sales.

Only very good marketing, a good sales team and good systems will increase sales significantly. Think MARKETING, SALES, DELIVERY of the product or service (using systems).

5. What skills will I have to “hire in”?

6. What cash flow do I need?

7. How much working capital do I have access to?

8. Will this business suit me i.e. hours, type of operation?

To ask the vendor who is selling the business…

9. How long has the business been operating?

10. How long has the current owner had the business?

11. Why is the current owner selling?

• Worn out from working long hours for little money?
• Couldn’t make the business work (perhaps in it’s current location)?
• Actual legitimate reasons such as retiring, moving to another state or country, or looking for another challenge in another business?

12. What is the Cash flow and Profit (Gross and Net) for the business?

13. What is the business owner paying him/herself?

14. What do the last 3 years of financial accounts show?

15. How has the business been valued?

16. Who are the key customers, suppliers, staff?

17. What are the terms and length of any leases?

18. Will the current owner stay on and assist for a period of time?

Ask them to put this period in WRITING!

19. What areas of the business are systemised?

20. Is there a business plan?

21. How many hours a week does the current owner work in the business?

22. When was the last time the current owner took a holiday?

23. What is the marketing systems like? Do they make money for the business?

Review all advertising material, the customer database, the POS systems (if applicable), any loyalty programs, special promotional material, etc.

24. What facts support the "story" of the business?

25. How secure is future income i.e. contracts with customers and suppliers?

26. How dependent is the business on the current owner?

27. What will it take to grow the business so I can sell it for a profit?

Before you make an offer

1. Get your accountant to check the financial accounts

Obtain actual lodged tax returns with the government, not the business owner’s printout or handwritten bookkeeping summary.

Your accountant will ensure that the business has cashflow and is not over-capalised.

2. Hire a solicitor who is experienced in buying businesses like the one you are looking at.

Your solicitor will ensure that the contracts with suppliers, the landlord, etc don’t have any surprises.

3. If you are spending over $250,000 on the business, or even if you want to be extra careful, pay for a business valuation.

Pay a licenced valuer to come in and audit the business. Even if you have to spend $7,000 for the valuation, it’s still much better than paying $50,000, $100,000 or more than you should have to buy the business.

You may even be able to ‘use’ the valuation to negotiate a better price.

The lesson

Homework always pays off in business. Taking shortcuts and buying a business on emotion often lead to regrets. Don’t let this happen to you.