Take stock of the market

The new financial year is here and while you are no doubt ready to fire up your own sales efforts, it’s probably worth spending just a little bit of time taking the pulse of the market.

Here’s what I will be doing:

• Calling suppliers and getting a feel for what their other customers are doing. I don’t need specifics, but I am looking to gauge the general confidence of the wider market.
• Hold a mini industry roundtable – invite two or three people from within the industry to lunch and talk to them about the year ahead. You’ll get plenty of gossip if nothing else!
• Spend some time looking at the latest stock market announcements of any listed companies in your sector.
• Go visit three customers for a coffee. Don’t try to sell them anything (look, it if happens, it happens!) but do try and get a sense of how they see their market.
• Go to a networking event. Talk to as many people as you can about the year ahead.

In these difficult times, keeping one ear to the ground is crucial. These five steps can be repeated as regularly as you like – at least once a quarter is advisable.

Get it done – today!