Have a few big accounts, or customers slipped through your fingers?  Have you simply dropped the ball on something you regret?  Well, take advantage of the Christmas season to reconnect with some of the years past mistakes.

 While watching the “Christmas Carol”, I reflected on some pretty dumb things I had allowed myself to miss out on.  Don’t let your past mistakes ruin your future, use the present to reconnect.  You can do this easily with a Christmas Card and of course a personal, handwritten message. There is nothing wrong with this kind of communication.   However, I would suggest that this is best done with a face-to-face meeting, quit possibly a lunch meeting or even video conferencing.  There is no quicker way to build a stronger bond than face-to-face communication.  We quickly build a bond that sets the foundation for trust and a lasting business relationship.  Allow this opportunity to be a time of open honesty thanking them for the business relationship.

Once this meeting has taken place remember YOUR MONEY IS IN THE FOLLOW THROUGH!  Last December, Helen wrote a great article about the benefits of a handwritten note.  Make sure you are never losing an opportunity to write a note of thank you,  everyone loves the extra time and effort taken on your behalf.  The time it takes to set yourself apart from just another email, will be worth it!

Are you finding yourself asking  “How can I grow or have more cash in my business?  It’s an easy question to ask, and it’s easy to blame the economy.  Yet our economy cannot be to blame when people are still lining up for the newest iphone.  Consumers are still spending money, the question is how to get them spending money with your business.  I recently spoke with a small business owner who said he will always follow up with anyone.

He told a story of a large “guaranteed” account he landed, all he needed to do was follow up with them.  Feeling secure about the newly acquired account, he blew the call. Showed up a few days later, only to find he had lost the account.  Losing this large account was a huge landslide that affected his business for years to follow.   This business owner learned  that follow up was just as important as the product you are offering.  Follow up may sound easy, yet is often a pitfall for many great businesses and can account for either a successful business or one that is ready to close the doors.  In Helen’s book, she shares with you just how to follow up successfully and finding more cash in your business.