Should you focus on the process or the outcome?

If the economic doldrums still have you down, take action with these quick, simple, yet very effective "kick in the pants" steps for a fast turnaround.

It's no secret that you must have a process for continually bringing qualified leads into your sales funnel. This is the lifeblood of your business.

Some things are out of your control. Businesses close, move, and change ownership. Any of these could lead to the loss of a client you thought would never leave. To prepare for these moments, you must have processes in place to bring in new prospects to replace the ones you lose.

Preparing for client turnover is something you control. Whether you have an existing process, need to dust off an old one, or are creating a brand new procedure from scratch, your client-generation plan must have goals.

Base your goals on the process, not just the outcome. What does this mean? Simply put, you can't control how many leads will end up hiring you, but you can control how many of these prospects you reach.

Commit to a plan that will help you uncover prospects well-suited for the products and services you sell. Don't rely on any one single platform or marketing tool to spread your message. Instead, use multiple channels, including print, email, social media, and the Internet, to bolster your communication and lead funnel process. If you commit to the process, the outcomes will take care of themselves.

Be encouraged. Take action. Businesses are waiting for the kinds of solutions you offer. You just need to let them know that yours are the ones they're after.