My wife, a 5th grade school teacher, taught me about Mrs. Fine a number of years ago.  There are always a number of kids in her class that, when asked how they are, always say "fine."  It does not matter the day, week or month or if they just had an incredible day.  It's always the same... "fine." 

Jump forward to any business networking, cocktail party or other event and, when the usual "how's business" question is asked, think about how often the answer is "fine" or something that is just as meaningless. If you tell yourself that business is "fine" long enough, you can be sure it will stay that way. Forever. 

Rarely is anything just fine and it is never always fine.  Business is good, bad, difficult, challenging, rewarding and amazing. And if you want the trend to move heavily towards amazing then fine is not your friend.  To change that you need to be willing to tell that person why you think business is the way it is and what would change it for the better or make it even better than it may be.

Every networking book talks about what you are supposed to say and do when you meet a potential prospect.  It is always about a strategy related to you extracting something from someone else.  Maybe a deeper connection, a chance to pitch your wares or a way to see how you can help them.  But nobody talks about what YOU can do when approached by that eager networker who asks "How's business?"     

If you want to escape the clutches of Mrs. Fine you are going to need to tell the truth about how your business really is.  That is the only way anybody that asks about it can learn the right information so they can actually become someone that can help you.  

"Fine, but I really would like to find a way to have a few more clients that ___________________." or "They are going well, and if we can launch this new product we are working on things will be great." are totally different answers.  

More importantly, in these extraordinarily difficult times, "Business is very rough right now. I need to find a way to figure out what makes my company unique and get my costs down. And fast." is a response that allows people to relate to you as a person. And business is personal. It is human. Fine is the answer a robot would give.  

Ironically, answering with that level of honesty allows the person asking you to feel free to open up and be honest with you in return. The typical facade of these interactions gets destroyed. And that is the best possible outcome. Getting their business card is not.

So... how's business?

Two of my favorite sayings:

"Big hat, big boots... No cattle" and the similar...  "All smoke...No roast"

It occurs to me that too many businesses suffer from my own variation:

"All Gas... No brakes"

The hurry to reach what realistically should be their 5-7 year goal/vision in 2 years (or less) has, among other ills, caused business owners to let their sales and marketing initiatives get so far ahead of their operational capabilities that they drown under their own new business success.

As military history proves, the speed at which an army can sustain an effective advance is directly related to the speed at which supply/support forces can follow up behind them.

While you spend a lot of time driving your sales and marketing efforts forward... Do you have a plan in place on how you are going to provide the exceptional service to the new clients that you expect to gain this month, quarter or year? How much time, energy and money do you spend on THAT vs. your sales and marketing efforts?

Applying some brakes to your sales efforts to allow your business to take on new clients with care and attention will yield a superior first impression, promote consistently positive word of mouth and a sales force that can go out with greater confidence that they can absolutely deliver on the promises they are selling.

It also provides you with the time to hire at your own pace, train your team properly and make sure your existing clients do not suffer from your growth.

What's more, slowing things down to a speed that can be managed with great control and care, ironically, creates a steady increase of speed that still allows you to enjoy the scenery along the way.