CEOs, presidents and owners are so busy each business day.  It’s easy to forget three basic important points that are essential to your company’s success.

1)      Keep the customer happy.  There is a saying that it is ten times harder to find a new customer than it is to keep a current customer.  After we deal with customers for a long period of time, we can tend to take them for granted.  Some companies focus so much on attracting new customers that they forget to maintain the customer relationships they already have.  This creates a revolving door of customers without any solid base of consistent, repeat customers.  After a period of time, established customers feel neglected and eventually become a new customer someplace else, for example, at your competitor.  So always be thinking about how to make it a better customer experience for your loyal customers.  And don’t forget to sometimes, just for no reason at all, thank them for their business.  Always have an open door policy for customer feedback.

2)      The second point is also about customers.  Whatever business you are in you need to understand that your company is a sales organization.  If you are not constantly selling, before you know it the sales volume will fall and your company will be losing money.  Even with your best efforts you will lose customers just through the natural process of attrition.  They may go out of business, they may be bought by another company, or the person making the buying decisions may suddenly decide to buy from other sources or vendors.  Always be looking for the next sale.  Don’t wait until you need the business.  Be proactive.

3)      Finally, remember you are in business to make a profit.  It’s what keeps you in business.  Gives employees raises.  Provides for funding when you need it.  Allows you to be more flexible in the marketplace.

No matter what the economy, these three points will always bring you business success.