Alex Walchli

If you plan on starting a business you better be prepared to display all of the above, or don’t plan on staying in business very long. Perseverance is one of the main reasons I am still, and just about any other business, is still around. When MN3 started out it was just myself picking up small clients while working for big name retailers. The next thing that happened was either through what some would say luck, or what I would say, was through pure persistency in my pursuit to build my business. I eventually made some great hits and has ever sinced created an ever growing snowball. It’s just like sales calls. If you go through a small list of people you are going to build a small amount of business, if any at all. If you make a huge list and give up halfway through it because no one is buying, then you’ve also failed. Who knows, that last guy on the list could be your big sale that rolls into many more.

Keep a very clear vision of where you want to be in the next five to ten years. Tape pictures of your future Ferrari and beach house to the refrigerator. Do something to make those goals permantely embedded into your everyday thought process and you will get there. Oh yeah, don’t forget to have some fun along the way.

American Psychological Association (APA):

No, I am not here to talk to you about girlfriends, boyfriends, and marriage. I’m here to talk about building business relationships.

I have been developing my network of customers, middle men, and mentors for only a year now. So you may say what the heck does this guy know about long term relationships? Well I can say I know enough to say that they are extremely important in business, and I knew this from the beginning.

My first big lead was a guy named Brian who owned a steel contracting company. I met him while working at an Apple store. Fortunately for me this apple store was located in an upscale city near Chicago, Illinois where many business owners resided. It was time to capitalize on that. Yes, I was double dipping while working for Apple, I would sell business owners their Macs and Printers and then BRIEFLY ask if they’re looking for any graphic or website work. Some would say that is extremely unethical, I say it was extremely slick. Anyway, I was a week too late with Brian on doing things for his website as his business partner already had another company working for them. He did mention there was other work he had, which didn’t turn out to be much.

Fast forward a year. I talk to Brian at least three times a week and meet up with him for a beer at the local Apple Bees a couple times a month. What the heck does a web designer and a steel contractor have in common? We both own businesses and know many people that also do. Brian hooked us up with our biggest client thus far, Dave Trautwein of Professional Baseball Instruction, another big client shortly, and turned me onto email marketing where I have definitely seen some cash. He doesn’t ask for a thing in return except that when we meet up I help him with his site and any tech related problems, sweet deal huh?

Moral of the story, spend the extra effort and time talking with people, don’t nickel and dime, don’t be an ass, and the cash will find its way to you.

I absolutely love when leads show their beautiful faces through emails, phone calls, texts, etc. Every time one comes around, and lately it has been almost everyday, its a rush of excitement. Immediately after finding out about one I start to match their needs and wants with the services my company provides.

This is one of the many things entrepreneurs live for.

Realism then sets in.  For this lead to mean anything they need to be converted into a paying client.  Before that can even happen they need to be qualified as a potential customer. You don’t want to waste your precious time, do you? One easy way to qualify a lead is to setup a meeting. Even if they are asking you for something, a price, a full quote, a proposal, you need to ask them for something. That something is their time to engage with you face to face. This helps prove if this lead is worth looking into and builds a better relationship with them.

Well I’ve finally given in. Could be because I got laid off last week and finally have nothing but time on my hands to pursue my entrepreneurial endeavors (until my funds run dry and I become another kid in their parents’ basement). Could be because I got a spontaneous itch to express my feelings to the usually overly critical and unforgiving world (yeah, right).

No, none of the above reasons are why I’ve done this.  After reading numerous articles about starting a business and expanding your network, I have discovered that they all, for the most part, tell me to do the same things. Jump on the social networking bandwagon, grab a Facebook, grab a blog, and start making new mutual connections.

So simply put, that’s what I did. I have become utterly infatuated with the power of social networking and the absolute bottom line is that its free.

As for a clarification of my intentions, I am not on here to make sales pitches, spam you to death, and hopefully not bore you to death. I am here because I want to share what I do, my experiences as a young entrepreneur (good or bad), and look to others for input and criticism. You know, keep it real. In return I will offer the same and will enjoy this new experience.

If you are anywhere near on the same boat as I am, a business owner,  I highly suggest this website to keep your sails flapping in the wind. It was sent to me by my ex-boss (and somewhat of a mentor I would almost say). www.sitepronews.com. This website has been part of the catalysts for some of things I am doing to ensure my business’s expansion and success.  I’ve spent the last couple hours reading its highly informative articles.  One piece of reading that grabbed my eye was “7 Things You Can Do Now To Cash in on Social Networking”.

Here’s the link, http://www.sitepronews.com/archives/2009/mar/13.html.