Top 5 issues affecting Niagara business

A report for Niagara’s business community

As prepared by

Neil Thornton

triggerstrategies.ca

Neil Thornton

Interviewed 50 Niagara owners.

What are they doing to thrive?

Here are their top 5 strategies….

1. Finding and keeping the right people

2. Business development

3. Customer retention

4. Sustainability

5. Accountability

Report

What we heard…

The owners we spoke with said:

• I’m facing more competition than ever before.

• I’m being forced to compete more and more on price.

• My marketing and advertising are not providing consistent returns.

• It’s harder to stand out and get someone’s attention.

• I don’t know what’s working and what isn’t. There are too many choices –

which one’s are the right one’s.

• My phone has stopped ringing and my order takers need to learn how to

sell.

So the question becomes, what made them stand out?

Actions you can take

starting tomorrow to

compete…

Action:

Get the Vision off the

office wall and in

language and actions.

Action:

Clear expectations

and aligned goals.

Get everyone

involved.

Action:

People understand

contribution and

impact on customers

Action:

Stop talking about

your products and

services, and start

selling value.

Action Step:

Determine how you show up in

your customer’s mind?

How are you perceived vs. your

competitors?

Action Step:

What can you deliver to your

customers better than anyone

else?

Action Step:

Starting today, make a

conscious decision to re-

connect with as many of

your customers as you

can.

How can you become invaluable

to your customers?

Action Step

Client Focus Meeting

1. Why do business with us?

2. Why stay?

3. How can we be better?

Action Step

Everyone writes out a

learning and

development plan for

the next 12 months…a

Vision.

Action Step:

Develop accountability

and stop allowing

excuses.

So what do you do now?

It’s all about getting into action.

A high number of the owners we spoke with

regretted waiting to make critical decisions

about growth and people.

They felt that this caused significant harm to

the speed of their recovery from the

recession.

So what do you do now?

1. Begin to involve everyone in your organization in

dialogue around commitment, action and accountability.

2. Stop talking about products and services and start selling

value.

3. Re-connect with your existing customers today

4. Identify the leaders within your organization and give

them clear roles

5. Create a culture of accountability and follow-up

Reports for free….

triggerstrategies.ca

Top 5 Issues Facing Ontario Businesses

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Finding & Keeping the Best People by Design – an 8 Step Process

The New Reality of Sales

Marketing for Small-Medium Size Businesses

How Small-Medium Size Companies are Using Social Media

Thank You

triggerstrategies.ca