Hello, this is James Fleming, Fleming Financial Solutions with a message that hopefully doesn’t bring back painful memories for anybody…else!)

As I was growing up and going to elementary school and junior high, there were not a lot of kids who wore eyeglasses. At least that’s the way it seemed to me because I felt I was the only one or one of few being picked on.

In school, being different in any way brought on unwanted or undeserved attention. There were attempts to take my eyeglasses; there were requests to try the glasses on, there was name calling (and some fighting).

Probably the worse though was a phrase that stuck with me a long time…4 eyes and can’t see! That one really bothered me for some reason. It meant that even with my own eyes and a pair of glasses, I still couldn’t see. Boy that bothered me!

Well, fast forward a few years and as a business owner and marketer, that phrase – 4 eyes and can’t C – has taken on a new meaning.

The four (4) i’s are –

Invisible – incapable of being seen.

Intangible – not touchable or touching

Immaterial – of no substantial consequence: unimportant

Inconsequential – lacking weight, position, or influence

If your business is suffering from these 4 I’s then you definitely can’t C – can’t get a customer or client.

Let’s see if we can make this clearer.

• Invisible – are you not being seen? Are you present in your community, industry or market? When was the last time you attended a networking meeting or community event. If you haven’t recently, then its quite possible you are invisible.

• Intangible – who have you touched or been touched by lately. Are you reaching out and making contacts with both current and potential clients; with potential joint venture and business partners. If you haven’t recently, then its quite possible you are intangible.

• Immaterial – are you a positive influence or any influence in the market place? Are you important – a thought leader. Do people seek you out for your opinion? If not, then its quite possible you’ve become immaterial.

• Inconsequential – are you helping clients and prospects? are you educating the market and provding solutions? Are you being a positive force for change in people’s lives. If not, then its quite possible you’ve become inconsequential.

If you’ve found yourself in this situation, then you definitely can’t C. You can’t get a customer or client. You’re not earning any money for your family, your employees or your business. If you are going to survive in business, you’ve got to turn this around – NOW!

So get out there in the market place and be visible – go meet some people; be tangible – go touch some people where they live; be material – let it be known that you have an opinion or voice that’s worth listening to and lastly, be consequential – make a difference in people’s lives, be a problem solver. Do all this and you’ll not only get customers and clients, you’ll get another C – that’s Confidence!

This is James Fleming, Fleming Financial Solutions. If I can be of service to you, please feel free to give me a call at 240-356-5050 or email me at james@flemingfinancialsolutions.com.

I look forward to hearing from you.