Assumption to this post: … that you know what ‘net worth‘ means. (If you don’t, here’s a description, and a net worth calculator to help you). A simple explanation is that when you add all expenses and liabilities (things you owe), and comparing them to your income, what you have left is “what you have”. For example, you may be making $250k a year, and have expenses and commitments that almost outweigh that, including existing overhead and debts that essentially amount to a ‘negative’ number in your finances. Credit cards, business loans, personal loans and more will diminish and wipe out your net worth.

When somebody says – “I’m cool, I make a million dollars a year”. Ask them, what is your ‘net worth’. You’d be surprised. (it may be negative)

“More than 2/3 of Americans saw their net worth decline during the recession, suffering a median drop of 18%” – Federal Reserve Study, March 2011

It’s not been fun out there lately. However, as a small business owner, contributing to the economy and society, what can you do?
Clearly, this post warrants a much longer entry.

But, to change your net worth – you don’t have to apply massive changes. And, keep in mind, it’s not over-night. Smart, directed steps can change the course of your life and business in incremental steps. That’s what I wanted to get to here.

“The shocks to household wealth associated with the most recent recession were extraordinary by any measure” – Federal Reserve Governor Elizabeth Duke

Outside of hiring a proficient financial planner in your life and business (you should), and managing your money and cash-flow better (you must) — you ought to consider the steps and tips below.

This post is about increasing your client and business revenue without spending more. It’s fairly simple, right? (The below is intended for professional business owners).

We want to review and implement activities around marketing. Here are the things you should look at. Increasing the numbers and making sure it gets done will be key to your (new) success. Your net worth WILL increase.

Here is your checklist: (and, make sure you recognize that it’s all towards a great goal – ie. wellness for yourself, and people around you):

STEP 1:

How many direct mail pieces are you getting out monthly right now? What could you increase it to? (Question: do you know your conversion rates from postcard mailers, for example?)

STEP 2:

What are you getting in terms of web traffic from you SEO (search engine optimization)? What can you do to increase it? (question: if you have 1,000 visitors now, how do you get 2,000?) How about PPC?

STEP 3:

Are you doing any radio or TV advertising? If not, consider looking into Google TV and SpotRunner.com

STEP 4:

What newspaper ads are you running now? Are you testing to see what works, or just running it because a business friend said that “it’s good”?

STEP 5:

What referral system are you using now? Do you have one in place (incentives)? What can you implement now to make your referrals work better? (To help get more referrals, make sure to showcase your testimonials. Try testimonialdirector.com)

STEP 6:

How many clients do you have now? (of course you know, right?) How many new clients are you planning to on-board for in the next 90 days, and then per month thereafter? How are you planning to keep in touch with prospects that don’t turn into clients right away? (ongoing, follow-up & relationship marketing)

STEP 7:

Are you sending out informational, helpful newsletters now? How many times are you sending it? Can you increase the frequency? (question: could you add a blog to the mix?)

STEP 8:

Are you doing any advertising online (PPC,  Banners, etc)? What other websites, directories and online media outlets might you consider that you haven’t already?

Finally, a word of caution: these tactics are only part of changing your net worth. You must have good money management in place. And, you should revisit your existing numbers (baselines) for everything you are doing in your business.  Then, set new goals for the month, quarter, etc – and % increases in new client acquisitions and conversions over the next 3, 6, 12, 18 months.  And, most importantly — get your staff and team involved. Share your goals (and dreams). This is not a One-Man Show.

What do you think?

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Entrepreneur Magazine says Jon Rognerud is one of the most sought-after Digital Marketing Experts. His clients extend from high-end brands and middle-tier businesses in both B2B and B2C. His SEO website optimization book, "The Ultimate Guide to Optimizing Your Website" from Entrepreneur Press is in bookstores now.