A client attractive business is one that draws or pulls others towards you, rather than you chasing or pursuing them. You get a response by your ability to appeal to or interest your clients in who you are and what you offer.

Many business owners I speak to much prefer this approach to developing their businesses. It requires less effort and struggle and more ease and grace. But none of us can afford to sit in our offices waiting for the ‘phone to ring! So what steps can you take to become a centre of attraction, in addition to marketing and promoting what you do?

1. Who are you being?

If you are a small business owner your business will be a natural reflection of who you are. Which means it’s important to not only be passionate and positive about your products and services, but also to have high levels of self-esteem and confidence in your capabilities.

Business is all about relationships and often what is going on internally will show up externally. Any worry, negativity and self-doubt will affect how you communicate and relate with others and what actions you take… no matter how hard any of us might try to hide it!

Be proud of who you are and what you have created. It takes a lot of courage and determination to succeed in business, so keep reminding yourself of all that you have achieved.

I like to have a notebook close at hand to capture any successes or thank you notes received during the day. By focusing on what is working in my life it encourages me to continue to seek ways to add value and be of service to my clients.

2. Pay attention to your whole image

Are you an example for your clients of what they can have or achieve? If you are a nutritionist are you glowing with health and vitality? If you are a dentist are your teeth white and shiny? This might sound obvious but I have come across examples where this is not the case. As people buy from people you do need to be a ‘walking demonstration model’!

Everything, from what you wear to how you behave, sends signals about what others can expect from you. Aim to be, for example, consistently and authentically successful, friendly, approachable, glamorous, elegant, trustworthy (depending on what you want to project), in all that you do and say. Then notice what a difference this makes to not only how you feel but how others respond to you.

Every action you take is communicating something. Make sure that it is in line with the image you want to portray.

3. Keep improving the quality of your services or products

In order to continue to attract and retain business it’s important to offer high quality services and demonstrate the value of what you provide. This might mean tweaks to existing products, keeping up to date with the latest developments, introducing new services based on client demand. Many customers are hungry for the latest developments (just watch the demand for the latest mobile phones).

Susan Tomlinson provides bepoke solutions to help coaches, consultants and solo entrepreneurs attract clients and grow their business. Get her latest report ‘Boost Your Business Success’ at
http://www.realcoachingsolutions.co.uk/newsletter