Building Your Business, Side by Side

I went to see the Sondheim musical “Company” for the second time, a while ago. Not only did I love it the first time as it inspired my last column, but this time my daughter was a last-minute replacement in the cast, so I had to go! She was wonderful, but I won’t elaborate on her performance, but instead will focus on one of the songs, “Side by Side,” that speaks to the need for company.

The whole show explores our dependence on and desire to have relationships. We are simply wired to interact with each other; and since we are in sales, I think for us, it is even a deeper part of who we are.

There are actually two perspectives I took from this song. First is the need to have others involved in your business. No matter how many strengths you have, you will be more successful if you can work in tandem with someone else that will allow you to do what you are exceptional at.

Do you love the client conversations, but dread the paperwork? Then find an assistant to do the paperwork while you do what you do best (side by side). Consider building up a moral support group that will encourage, motivate, and challenge you (side by side). You should build strong relationships with your primary suppliers so that you can market and sell with confidence (side by side). Or better yet, build up all of these relationships so as the years go by you can sing:

Isn’t it warm? Isn’t it rosy?
Side by side!
Ports in a storm, comfy and cozy,
Side by side!
Everything shines, how sweet,
Side by side!
Parallel lines, who meet,
Side by side!
Year after year, older and older,
Side by side!
Sharing a tear, and lending a shoulder,
Side by side!

The second perspective on this song is the result of a proactive approach to the first perspective. In other words, when you build the network and partnerships in your business, the ultimate result is extraordinary relationships with your customers.

I often ask travel agents what the ultimate goal is for their business. In most cases, the answer I am provided is a desired annual sales figure such as “a million dollars in sales.” While certainly an important part of goal-setting, it is not a goal that addresses the creation of those sales. The brilliant management consultant, Peter Drucker, said that the sole purpose of any business is “to find and keep customers.” If you do that well, then a million dollars in sales is just a measly by-product on your way to true success!

Finding and keeping customers is both an art and a science, but if you are proficient at it, then the end result is loyal, lifetime clients. In fact, ultimate success may be defined as the point in which you no longer need to spend any effort on the finding part because you are so good at the keeping part. I will suggest that when that occurs, it is time to hire someone else and help them follow your same path. Your plate will be full because you will have clients singing the same song as above that also includes the following lyrics:

What would we do without you?
How would we ever get–
How would we ever get–
How would we ever get–
How would we ever get–through?
What would we do without you?

When your customers feel they truly would not know what to do without you, then you have established your value without question. So, go find a team to work with (side by side), so that you and your clients can build on a relationship (side by side), so that the number of clients you have and the extraordinary sales they generate will multiply beyond your wildest dreams (side by side).