Women Business Owners Lose Big Money
WOMEN BUSINESS OWNERS LOSE BIG MONEY, THANKS TO TECHNOLOGY
By Cynthia Renee Frazier
Everyday I work with Women Business Owners who have big goals for their small company. They want to generate more revenue. They want more clients. They want a larger presence in the marketplace. Yet, these same Women Business Owners lose thousands of potential sales revenue by not taking advantage of available technology and other business tools. Take my client Rima McDonald, owner of the BusinessResourcesPodcastDirectory.com. Before we met, she and her partner lost $140,000 in their event management business because they were unaware of new technology and how to utilize it to save money on staff, travel, and phone bills.
So why do so many smart, successful Women Business Owners step over money to make money? In a word…..assumptions. Many Women Business Owners continue to make incorrect assumptions about technology and the role it can play in their business. Here are three assumptions I hear over and over.
1. Technology is complicated to learn.
Yes, some of the higher level technology applications may be a challenge. However, that is why you hire someone who is an expert in their field. But what about lower level applications like the telephone? There are phone technologies available that are simple to use such as voice recording for dictating a book, and teleconferencing for delivering workshops. These are simple applications that have a big payout.
2. The Internet is too impersonal for quality relationships.
This couldn’t be further from the truth. Social media websites called Web 2.0 have literally let the cat out of the bag so to speak. The Internet is exploding with intelligent, kind, wonderful people. People just like you. People who are forming joint ventures, closing deals, quality networking, and exchanging millions of business dollars, right from the comfort of their home or vacation spot.
3. In order to provide quality service to my clients, it has to be face to face.
Not so! Emotions come through. A smile is a smile whether you are with someone in person or they are reading your email or discussion board post. Moreover, online conference rooms provide for real time face to face contact. Something else to consider: clients have full lives as well. They too are multi-tasking and using technology to the fullest.
The bottom line is this. Today’s business model is about added value to customers. Incorporating technology into the way you deliver products or services can add value to clients and increase your revenue without having to take on more work. Plus, it enhances your image as a business woman who is savvy and up to date. Let go of outdated assumptions and meet your customers where they are.
Cynthia Renee Frazier is the Author of 101+ Proven Growth Strategies for Small Business Entrepreneurs, and proud sponsor of Walk the Walk for Financial Freedom www.BusinessWomensGrowthSummit.com. Visit her blog to learn more about business growth strategies. Share your growth dilemmas at www.EnergyTourCafe.com.
