When Constitution was adopted, leaders like Washington and Jefferson knew that job of building a nation had just begun -- much of what would become United States was still a wilderness. When you are a tiny, start-up company in an enormous economy, often facing larger competitors, you travel through a perpetual wilderness.

But somewhere, in wilderness lies opportunity.

Decide which offer on your list is most powerful and use it in your sales material and/or your selling presentation.

IMPORTANT: A special offer providing obvious value always increases your sales volume. It's a proven way to overcome buyer resistance and procrastination. A special offer also provides a logical reason in buyer's mind to justify what may actually be an impulsive decision to buy now.

STEP 4: Decide How To Publicize Your Business

How will you introduce yourself to prospects in this market? Will you use classified or display ads in print publications or on Internet? Will you use direct mail? Is broadcast media such as radio or TV appropriate and cost-effective? What networking can you participate in locally or on Internet to draw attention to your business? What other methods of promotion can you use?

Prioritize each method on your list and develop an action plan with deadlines for implementing them.

STEP 5: Establish A Plan To Promote Customer Loyalty

Decide what you will do to cultivate customers so they continue to do business with you and give you referrals. For example, write or call your customers or clients immediately after a transaction and thank them for their business. Ask them if they're pleased with what they received. Most will express their satisfaction. That's ideal time for you to follow up with a request for referrals.

Don't be afraid to uncover an unhappy customer. When you do, take whatever action you must to leave them feeling good about you, even if your only recourse is issuing a prompt refund. Most dissatisfied customers won't take trouble to contact you about their problem. They'll just take their business elsewhere and tell other people about their negative experience with you. That will cost you a lot of future business.

I've used this 5 step process successfully many times. It reduces risk by replacing guesswork with a proven strategy that gets results. You can follow this system to successfully launch a new enterprise or to revive an existing business that isn't growing.