You Do Have Control Over Your Business…No, Really.

posted on Apr 29 by Tim Conley in the Uncategorized category

I had forgotten that most people who have their own business don’t take control over how they do business. I was reminded of this today in a conversation where a guy asked how I could do business without a phone number on my business card.

I told him I use the Internet and all the available types of communication that comes with it. I don’t want people calling me willy-nilly. Calls are reserved for scheduled appointments, close friends and family. All others can contact me by email, facebook or twitter. Then I can respond on my time.

I’m thinking of adding text messages as an acceptable way of contacting me, though no voicemail. I know a guy who runs his $50 mil business with email and text messages. He deletes all voicemail without listening to it.

It’s crazy to try to have a life and run a business when you give prospects tons of ways of getting in touch with you. My clients can talk to me with an appointment (some of my clients are friends so I’ll take their call), but prospects don’t get to take my time.

Even as my new consulting service expands, I may not have a number for prospects to call. Customer service number yes; marketing number maybe not.

The moral of this story is if you don’t take control of your business to design your life others not interested in your life will take control. I don’t know about you, but I want to live my life, which includes my business, the way I want not the way others want me to live.

[edit] I just want to be clear–I’m not suggesting that you shouldn’t have a phone number for prospects to call.  It is entirely up to the marketing strategies you put into place.  I am actually good at customer service, but it isn’t my best and most useful ability that clients hire me for.  I need to limit the amount of time that others can distract me.

If I expand the consulting services beyond me, then my marketing strategies would change to bring in more calls for my sales team to field.  I would still have very limited phone access to keep my life the way I want it.  That make sense?

~ Tim

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.