Great questions to ask yourself about your business

What is my unique selling proposition or USP? (Why do my clients buy from me—what is it about my product and/or service that distinguishes me from my competition? Do I have more than one USP for different product/service lines or segments of my business?)

Is my USP a consistent theme in all of my marketing and sales efforts? If yes, how, and if no, why not?

Briefly describe my marketing program or marketing mix (all the different types of marketing I use and how they interrelate—i.e., sales letters, direct mail, direct sales, personal networking inside, outside my company, industry, marketplace, Yellow Pages, spot advertisements, etc.).

What do my clients really want (be specific, don’t just answer “a quality product or service”)? How do I know?

Do clients buy from me exclusively or do they also patronize my competitors? What steps can I take to get the main portion of their business (preempt and dominate)?

What’s my market potential (universe) and my current share of that market? 30. What does it cost me to get a new client? (If I ran an advertisement that cost $1,000 and I obtained two new clients, my cost would be $500.) Translate this to whatever your acquisition cost is.

What is my biggest and best source of new business, and am I doing everything possible to secure this business?

What has been my biggest marketing success to date (defined as a specific promotion, advertising campaign, sales letter, etc.)?

Getting Everything You Can Out of All You've Got: 21 Ways You Can Out-Think, Out-Perform, and Out-Earn the Competition by Jay Abraham