Is Candor the Best Approach?

• tamelarich
• January 27th, 2010

A woman I know owns a food preparation business in NC. The kind of place that does all the shopping, cutting and cooking so that customers simply come to her kitchen to assemble meals, which they then reheat at home.

In November she sent an email to her list laying her cards on the table: business was off and she was struggling, but determined to make a go for another six weeks. She then went on to outline exactly what she'd done to drum up more business and what promotions she was considering trying in the future. She asked if everyone on her list would please give her other ideas or critique what she'd already tried.

She also asked if people would invite her into their homes do a cooking demonstration for their friends and neighbors. She said she was convinced that if people knew how good the food was they would give her service a try. Ah, a specific action request. Good move.

I checked in with her a month later and she said business was better but she hadn't found a silver bullet yet. She said she was heartened by the number of people who gave her feedback and invited her over to do demo cooking. I asked if she had extended her runway past six weeks and she said that she had -- thanks to the enthusiastic response to her candid email.

What about it, small business people? Have you ever been this candid with your clients? How did you overcome your fear of appearing vulnerable to competitors? Let's share best practices here.

Tamela's here for small business owners who are watching their dreams and livelihoods go up in flames. With the credibility of someone who's been there, too, she writes about dealing with creditors, the IRS, family members and your own inner demons. She now earns her keep as a business ghostwriter. http://TamelaRich.com

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