7 questions to create connections in your business

Recently, Examiner Perry Perkins wrote about transforming writing careers in Creating a readership list. Even though the article targets writers, Perry's advice is applicable to anyone looking to grow their business - meaning every entrepreneur out there!  Just take a look at his quotes below and think about replacing the word "writers," with "entrepreneurs."

The vast majority of writers are spending way too much time ruminating over their prose and zero time building their list.

If you don't have a list, start building one now. Give it some thought, because this four letter word (LIST) is the cornerstone of your writing career.

Perry identifies six great marketing questions that every entrepreneur should be asking. I took those questions and added my own special spin plus one more, thus seven questions to create connections in your business. They are: 

1. What groups of people benefit most from my message? My products? My service? Who are you trying to reach?
2. How and why exactly do they benefit?
3. Where do I find these people? Where do these people hang out?
4. How can I engage these people in dialogue? How can I get on their radar screen?
5. What would cause them to want to share their name and contact information with me?
6. What would cause them them to want to buy the value I offer?
7. How can I responsibly care for that trust and that information?

You'll get the answers to these questions and more in future articles.

What questions would you add? How would you respond to these questions?

Also on the subject of writing, check out the Northern Colorado Writers group, supporting and encouraging writers since 2007 and led by director Kerrie Flanagan. Author, speaker, entrepreneur, publisher, and Mr. 50 Interviews himself, sir Brian Schwartz recently paid a visit. If you're writing anything (who isn't really?), this is a great group to tune your skills. And, not just your writing skills, but your marketing skills too.

Photo credit: photokayaker