The goal of successful marketing is to create long lasting relationships with your prospects by marketing your business with passion. When you’re not excited about what you’re doing, no one else will be either. Our passion for what we do in business is communicated through our attitude. Our attitude comes shining through in a variety of ways. How can you create an attitude that paves the way to success for you and your business?

1. You are what you speak. The words we use say everything about who we are and what we are about. Our spoken words are probably one of the most obvious ways we communicate our attitude to others. Think about what you say before you speak. Will it serve to build connection, community or relationship with others? If not, consider saying something else or even saying nothing. There’s a lot of wisdom in the words …”if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”

2. Dress for success. How you dress and the colors you wear communicate a lot about who you are. Find clothing that accents your best features. Make sure your clothes are properly tailored, neat, and wrinkle-free. If necessary, work with a personal shopper who can help you select apparel that is stylish and fits for the image that you wish to communicate. Consider how different colors look on you and how they make you feel. Wear clothes that you enjoy so you’ll come across in a more powerful way with potential customers or clients. While “clothes don’t make the man or woman”, they certainly speak volumes about what we think about ourselves and what we wish to project.

3. Be punctual. Thomas C. Haliburton said, “Punctuality is the soul of business.” Arriving on time for customer meetings, speaking engagements, meetings with vendors, or anything else you do in your business, shows that you respect others. Respect is the foundation for creating great long-term relationships with your clients. Showing up and on time is one of the best ways to show someone that you care about them. By keeping your commitments to others, you are acknowledging them and their needs. Caring about your customers must be your number one priority since it is through your relationships that you build your business. No one knows how much you care until you show them… by showing up.

4. Respond to emails several times each day. Nowadays, email is the most frequently used method of communication. Make it a goal to answer emails within eight hours. If you cannot answer emails during that timeframe, at least send back a reply that you have received the person’s email and that you will respond by a certain date and time. Never leave people wondering about whether you’ve received their email or not. If you don’t answer promptly, you are perceived as not being on top of things, that you aren’t detail oriented or, worse, that you don’t care about your customers. Don’t hesitate when it comes to communications. Set aside a couple times per day when you will concentrate solely on reading and replying to your email.

5. Return calls within hours. Time is of the essence when it comes to doing business. The difference between getting a new client can hinge on returning a phone call in a timely manner. You never know when you might be missing a time critical opportunity. A prompt response communicates an attitude that you value serving others and that you respect their time and their deadlines. In today’s competitive environment, if people don’t get the prompt attention they desire, it’s easy for them to seek out your competitor. Avoid missing opportunities to grow your business; plan two to three times each day to return calls.

6. Take responsibility. We communicate our attitude through the responsibilities we take upon ourselves. People can sense when we take full responsibility for our actions and the resulting outcomes. We communicate an aura of strength, confidence and leadership, which makes us even more attractive to the people with whom we do business. Think about how you can step up and take even more responsibility for your business and the results you achieve.

7. Take action. Successful business owners are people in action. They don’t wait for life to happen, they make life happen. Taking action communicates an attitude of excitement and accomplishment, which others find extremely attractive. Action tells others that you are a leader, that you move things forward, that you can make things happen, and most important, that you are confident doing what needs to be done. Just as people watch things that move, they watch people that move.

8. Body language. Along with the words that we speak, our bodies are probably the next most obvious way that we communicate our attitude to others. It’s as if we are walking billboards. Everything from your facial gestures to the way you sit and position your arms and legs, communicates volumes about who you are and your attitude towards others. Observe people who exhibit positive, open, and welcoming body language and try to emulate them. Read about body language and create a new way of being that represents what you most want to convey. One book I recommend is I Know What You’re Thinking by Dr. Lillian Glass.

9. Change your thinking; change your attitude. We all know that thoughts influence how we feel. They also influence the words we speak as well as our body language. Our thoughts become the filters through which we perceive the world. By changing our thoughts, we’ll automatically change our attitude. We wear our thoughts everywhere we go. Make sure you’re showing your best self at all times.

10. Smile. A smile is the universal sign of welcome and friendship. Nothing warms the heart of another, melts the tension of a situation, or endears people to us, than delivering a smile with sincerity. Practice smiling at everyone and everything. Incorporate it as a healthy habit. Not only does a smile affect others, it has an automatic effect on how you perceive everything around you. People are attracted to people who make them feel good. Start attracting people to you and your business by wearing a smile.

© Copyright 2004 by Alicia Smith

Alicia Smith is a Coach and Trainer whose specialty is helping coaches to Make Money Now. This article is derived from just one of the 90 lessons contained in her e-course, 90-Day Marketing Marathon. To learn more about that course and her other products and services, please visit the following sites. (You also can email her at alicia@aliciasmith.com.) http://www.90DayMarketingMarathon.com http://www.discninja.com http://www.InternetAssessments.com