The definition of adding value is increasing the worth of your business. There are four easy ways to add value: sell more, raise prices, improve the quality of your product or service, or cut costs. In order to add value to your company, you must first understand how your company creates value for its customers. The closer you are to the customer, the easier it is for you to develop ways to add value because you will have access to the people that make or break your business: your customers. People who add value make more money as a direct result of their talent for growing a business and teaching others how to add value.
1. Know your customer – You can’t expect to generate more sales if you don’t deeply understand what matters to the people that are buying your products or services. In order to maximize your value, you need some sort of customer relationship management software (or excellent and detailed use of your daily planner). It is a great idea to retain an information sheet on each key customer. You should write down and update information on each of your key customers including hobbies, interests they are passionate about, names of immediate family, how they use your product, and what they like and dislike about it. You can find a widely known version of this on Google called the Mackay 66. One of the benefits of being a woman in business is that oftentimes people will be more open with you about their families and personal lives than they may initially be with a male counterpart.
2. Demonstrate ownership – Once you’ve determined and prioritized what is important to growing your business and to your boss, take ownership of driving results. Follow up on all aspects of each project and strategize and execute a way to get it done. Many people will fail to execute then blame an unresponsive team member or give another reason for not completing the project. Some women can let their dislike of confrontation override their need to address people that are blocking their progress on a project. The key to adding value is to deliver. Show ownership and an unrelenting drive to achieve your objective and deliver.
3. Welcome feedback, even when it’s uncomfortable – Whenever anyone offers any feedback on your performance, good or bad, always thank them for the feedback and promise to think about it. You do not need to agree with their feedback, just accept their thoughts and commit to think about it. Valuable businesspeople are always open to feedback provided with good intentions. Try to look past how the message was delivered to the core of what was said. When you get defensive, people stop offering feedback and you will stop growing and becoming more valuable.
4. Commit to constant improvement – Toyota is onto something with their devotion to constant improvement. When you stop growing your competition will bypass you. Take some time to invest in yourself, growing your skills and knowledge. Remember the last tip and if you’ve received feedback from a few people on an area they each think you should work on, work on it! Read a book, read a summary, or work with a person who excels in an area you’d like to learn more about. Never stop growing and developing. This tip will help you add the most value as you teach and train others skills you develop.
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Tags : productivity, add value, women in business, business women, development, career skills
