“My most precious tip for growing a business is to follow RAPPORT“, says Claire Boscq-Scott, a director of The Busy Queen Bee, a customer service catalyst, using mystery shoppers.
R – Relationship
Everything in life is a relationship. This begins with our relationship with ourselves. To live a peaceful, conscious life, we must begin within ourselves. Being content, fulfilled, feeling good about ourselves; our life has a major impact on our business and how we deal with people and relationships every day.
The average business loses around twenty percent of its customers annually, simply by failing to attend to customer relationships.
Powerful relationships don’t just happen from one-time meetings at networking events, relationship marketing involves building deep networks strongly rooted in a bond or connection developed over time.
A – Authenticity
Authenticity means the truthfulness of origins, attributes, commitments, sincerity, devotion and intentions. Authenticity like a state of being, is to know yourself, being honest with yourself (and others), feeling comfortable in your own skin, and showing parts of yourself that are appropriate to the situation. When we align with our values on a daily basis, we have more energy and feel more fulfilled because we are leading from what’s important to us. When we don’t align with our values, we feel less authentic and become demotivated about our daily lives, which reflects in our leadership.
P – Profit
Being passionate about what you do, doesn’t always mean you are making money out of it. Ultimately we are all in business to make some money, otherwise we would just be doing voluntary work and living on fresh air and love. But the reality is that we have bills to pay, families to feed, employees who are depending on us to make a profit. So getting the figures right is so important for the success or failure of your business.
Every product you buy, every store you visit, every media message you receive, every choice you make in our consumer society has been shaped by the forces of marketing. The marketing process is central to the business performance because it addresses the most important aspects of the competitive marketplace.
Profit maximisation through customer relationship marketing is invaluable to understand, measure and implement.
P – Passion
I know it is not easy every day, but work is about more than the thing you’re doing. It offers nourishment in a number of different ways. So, when you think about finding work you’ll enjoy and that, hopefully, can be truly nourishing, think about the entire experience.
Being proud of what you do and who you work for will enhance your performance. You will be more engaged with your external and internal customers, you will tend to work more quickly and efficiently, and you will be more driven to try and promote your organisation and to develop your products and services to offer something with real value for the end user.
O – Organised
Being organised and maintaining an organised office, shop, desk, business will help you in innumerable ways, such as:
* Increasing effectiveness, efficiency and productivity
* Enhancing discipline, creativity and success
* Improving mental clarity and focus
* Reducing stress and helping you to feel more relaxed and peaceful
* Giving space for new projects and creative endeavours to flourish
R – Radiant
People will do business with you if you are sending out the right energy. That first impression you are giving of yourself needs to be one of radiance and warmth. You want to be a radiator…
The radiators…
Have a positive attitude; they inspire us, encourage us, support us and help us to overcome obstacles. They are those we want to be around, those we feel good with. Why is that? One of the reasons is because they know how to listen. We feel good about ourselves and about the world when we’re in the company of radiators. Who are the radiators in your world? You’ll recognise them instantly because each time you spend time in their company you come away feeling great about yourself and the world.
The drains…
Are those people who seem to have the ability to drag us down; and suck the life out of us, the “mood suckers.” We all know people in each group! Those who literally drain us of our energy. Toxic people are often negative about everything. We feel worse about the world and the people within it after spending time in their company. These are the people who don’t listen, who talk and talk and talk without drawing breath. Through their eyes the world is a bad place filled with bad people who are out to get you…so ‘best get them before they get you’ is their motto.
Being radiant is about feeling good about yourself. It is about being proud of who you work for. If you are sensational, you will take people with you, because positive behaviour breeds positive behaviour. So not only will you be sensational but others around you will be sensational too.
T – Trust
People buy people. Whatever you do, people will buy your product or service and do business with you because they like you, trust you and know you are going to do what is right for them. When trust emerges, magic happens.
Trust is about having the right people around you, yes, but trust is also within you. Self-trust can be summed up as the assured reliance on your own character, ability, strength, and authenticity.
Use R-A-P-P-O-R-T every day and see how you can become a Thriving business #ThrivewiththeHive.
Would you like your business and hard work to be recognised? Then apply or nominate someone for one of our prestigious National Women in Business awards, so we can celebrate your success and inspire other women to do the same. There’s nothing we love more than promoting incredible women in business! Apply/Nominate HERE.