by Jim Cathcart, President, Cathcart Institute

Notice more. Grow your awareness (of money, needs, expenses, what’s coming, what’s working, where gaps are…). Know where you stand.

Give more than you have to. Practice up-serving not just "up-selling," (exceed your customer’s expectations). Grow your impact on customers. The quickest way to get a raise is to give your customers and your company a raise through your performance.

Grow your profit per sale/account. Provide more value to the customer at an even lower cost to your company. Customers are assets, invest in them constantly.

Grow your ability to deliver value. Increase your possibilities (available credit, experts, investors, colleagues, partners, advisors, connections and ways to connect). Grow your technology. The better your tools, the better your results. Seek resources which can speed or refine your ability to deliver value.

Grow your freedom and flexibility (low inventory of materials, high availability to deliver, high inventory of sales to come). Stay financially light on your feet. Grow your savings and investments.

Grow your existing markets. Do more business with current customers and further penetrate each market.

Grow your image and market presence. Gain more share of mind. Improve and enhance your reputation as a true professional.

Grow your pipeline. Build a larger and better reservoir of future customers. Do next year’s prospecting now. Identify more qualified buyers.

Grow your inner circle (your closest contacts). Take extra good care of the primary people in your career. Help them grow. Acknowledge them often. They’ll become even better resources for you.

Grow your virtual work force. Find talent that can expand your capabilities without increasing your payroll expenses. Form strategic alliances and connect with expert vendors and colleagues.

Grow new markets. Get outside your usual channels. Ask, "who else could benefit from what we do?" Expand your thinking.

Let others sell for you. Grow your referrals. Seek new testimonials and endorsements. Capture examples of how others have benefited from what you do.

Serve your community. Be a responsible citizen. Make the places where you live and work better because you and your business are there.

Grow your industry. Advance the craft in what you do. Join your industry association. Write articles, teach others, and support your profession.

Grow your caring, compassion and sensitivity. Become known as someone who genuinely cares about making a difference. If you don’t care about others why should they care about or listen to you?

©1999 Jim Cathcart, La Jolla, CA

With 21 years experience, La Jolla, CA-based Jim Cathcart, CSP, CPAE is recognized as one of the worlds’ best speakers. As a psychological researcher and business consultant he has helped organizations grow their sales and improve their performance in virtually every type of industry. He is the author of Relationship Selling (the key to getting and keeping customers), newly published The Acorn Principle™ (discover, explore and grow the seeds of your greatest potential), and many other powerful learning tools. His works are published by the world’s top publishers: Putnam-Berkeley, Prentice Hall, and Nightingale Conant. For a free laminated reminder card with 15 Ways to Grow your Business contact the Cathcart Institute (800-222-4883, www.cathcart.com or e-mail Info@Cathcart.com).