How Does Your Business Grow?

When you hear the word “growth,” what comes to mind?  Perhaps you envision a lush green garden full of blooming flowers or that summer as a preteen when you shot up three inches.  Merriam-Webster defines this term as a stage in the process of growing; progressive evolution; development.

Auqeo! is Latin for to grow; to expand.  Like a seedling sprouting out of soil turns into a strong plant, we do the same for your business.  We can grow your business with our sales services and strategic solutions.  Our custom-created plans result in your long-term profitability.

In the business-to business sales world, growth is contingent upon the continual addition of new and repeat customers.  With that in mind, we build and grow client relationships, taking them through a caterpillar-to-butterfly metamorphosis, maintaining them through communication and regular follow-up.

The late Indian leader and freedom fighter Mahatma Gandhi’s words echo our sentiments.  “A customer is the most important visitor on our premises.  He is not dependent on us; we are dependent on him.  He is not an interruption in our work; he is the purpose of it.  He is not an outsider in our business; he is part of it.  We are not doing him a favor by serving him.  He is doing us a favor by giving us an opportunity to do so.”

There are many effective ways to grow a company, from forming an alliance with a similar business partner to expanding your product line and uncovering additional markets.  When an organization joins forces with us, we deploy a methodical sales-focused strategy, with emphasis on team building, executive development and collaboration.

We enable our partners to achieve growth through tactical execution in marketing, sales and executive development.  Our collaborative approach helps entrepreneurs, mid-stage companies and divisions achieve their goals and become successful.  Visit us at www.auqeo.net today to find out how we can take your business to the next level—going up!

Change is in the Air

Nothing is certain but death and taxes. If author Daniel Defoe was alive today, he’d likely be amazed at the staying power of his proverb. Change is necessary to grow and learn, but rarely is it willingly embraced. When things are going well, why rock the boat unnecessarily? Sometimes there isn’t a choice, like when the employees at Marie Callender’s in Elk Grove showed up for work on a Monday morning in June 2011, only to find the doors locked and the restaurant dark. Memphis-based Perkins & Marie Callender’s, Inc., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, closing 13 of its California locations the day before, even ousting some customers mid-meal! Imagine suddenly losing your job in an already shaky economy–not a happy prospect in the least.

On the flip side, change doesn’t always mean something negative. A recent story comes to mind about a dear friend who threw her hat in the ring for a seemingly impossible-to-obtain upper-level position. After sweating out the panel interview and many a restless night awaiting the committee’s decision, she magically got the job! Already in management, she went from manager to regional leader, and snagged a massive raise, merrily announcing the good news to family and close friends. Even when the odds are stacked against us, we have but to think of stories like this which show that we can make things happen for ourselves. We are not at the mercy of where the wind blows us.

Like a caterpillar turns into a butterfly, everything eventually goes through a metamorphosis, whether of its own volition or due to external forces. In the business world, it’s important to evolve with the times. Strategic thinking and planning lead to a company’s longevity. What worked last year might be old hat 12 months later. By being aware of the latest trends, we can mold our organizations accordingly to stay current and ready for whatever changes come our way.

Speech, Speech!

Some people are born talkers. You know the type. These folks are always the first ones to volunteer for karaoke, tell a story around the water cooler or yap with that stranger on the plane.For these Chatty Cathys, the spotlight feels at home; a natural place to shine.Woe be to you if you’re more of a wallflower than sunflower, and have to talk in front of others.It’s no wonder speech class is a college graduation requirement.I still remember a young man from my class who mispronounced an ingredient during his recipe presentation:While he turned beet red, his friends exploded with laughter and the ribbing went on for days.The poor guy was never the same.

Luckily,there are organizations aplenty geared to help those of us like Recipe Boy feel more comfortable during that PowerPoint demonstration.Toastmasters is one such group.You’ll be too busy thinking on your feet to be nervous when they pick a random topic and you turn it into an impromptu speech.

Having the gift of gab has its advantages, especially when you are in the world of sales, where public speaking is practically a requirement, both in person and over the phone.The best way to improve this skill is through practice.In many offices, it is commonplace to be an audience member during a coworker’s presentation.We listen, ask questions and give feedback; the speaker learns how to relate to his/her audience and uses that knowledge on the next call.Everyone benefits from the process.Practice makes perfect—now that’s worth talking about.

Appearances Are Everything

We’ve all seen it:  businesses closing left and right for a myriad of reasons. Yet there are always a couple of places which thrive regardless of economic climate.  Chipotle and Walmart are as busy as ever, seemingly immune to hard times. What are they doing right?  One of the keys to a successful business is effective presentation.  Create a product or service with mass appeal, and show it in a way that will garner interest.

A friend recently told me a fascinating rags-to-riches story about Under Armour, the athletic clothing and gear manufacturer.  According to said-friend, the company was on the verge of going down–until a famous football player was spotted wearing an Under Armour garment.  That’s all it took for word to spread.  Practically overnight, Under Armour was resuscitated and became one of the hottest brands in sports apparel today–talk about effective presentation!

While we can’t all obtain a celebrity product endorsement, there are other ways to get noticed.  Say you’ve come up with the next Big Thing, but aren’t sure how to promote it to your target audience.  Where do you go from here?  If you don’t have a large budget, it’s key to look for companies which will help bring your product to market.  Auqeo! offers these services to the right customer.  Your great idea plus a dream team and sprinkling of clever marketing strategies equals success for all.