Have you noticed how trying to conduct business now is almost impossible? I had a meeting today and the person didn't show up. Not because they were being rude but because they were focused on the North Pole ... Christmas, shopping, making sure everything was perfect for their family. Ugh...
Keep up the fight! Although some of you may be distracted by the same theme, don't forget to use this 'in between' time to catch up on your list of follow-up items, letters that need to be written and your game plan for 2011 and how you're going to get the business, grow your business and make sure you are clear and concise in how you sell your product or service.
It's a time for you to build momentum by knowing that you are poised and ready to go for the new year. Remember, next week won't be any better because people have New Years on their minds and the potential parties they may attend. It's just two weeks of no serious business that provides all of us self-employed, business builders with free time to re-group, revise and put together new strategies.
Use this time wisely and productively and don't forget to assess how your efforts turned into business. That's an important part of being a good business owner. You always evaluate, get feedback and make the necessary changes as you move forward.
Happy Holidays to All !!
Showing posts with label Building your Business. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Building your Business. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Thursday, December 9, 2010
No one cares as much as you do -
If you've been working hard, trying to make contacts, networking like there is no tomorrow and expect that others are going to care as much as you do about building your success, stop now...NO ONE cares as much as you and probably no one is thinking about you or your business like you are.
I've joined a networking group and have met some great people who have very successful businesses. They're established and doing well, even in these economic times. One in particular has more business than expected in a time that is usually quiet. She is a wonderful individual who has built a very successful business. But she cares the most about it's success. Another man has the same thing going for himself. He's a wonderful person who has worked hard to build a successful business. Like the other, he values his customers and employees and both know it but no one cares as much as he does about the success of his business.
Networking is an art and process that almost takes on a life of it's own. In some respects it's another 'job' that people do in order to get customers. It's really about building relationships that may, over time, MAY result in a business connection but it's not necessarily the way you're going to build you business base.
In my recent experience I've not gotten any referrals but I've met many wonderful and qualified professionals. This is always a good thing but on a few things that I've asked for help on, the responses didn't come. How many times do you follow up and remind people before it becomes a futile attempt? This is what I mean about 'No one cares as much as you do.'
People are well intentioned but busy. Everyone is trying to focus their energy on keeping the business they have and building from that so they are not thinking outside their box - they are focused in their box so they can sustain themselves through these rough times. However I do get disappointed and you will too but you can't let these experiences shade or taint your own optimism about what it is you want to accomplish. In fact, I'm believing that it may be a sign that the 'fit' just isn't right for getting the business that I want.
Those of us in service businesses are competing against equally qualified people who (also like us) are trying to make ends meet. It is your job to distinguish yourself from the others and set out to sell that which is unique about you to your potential clients. For me, although I do bookkeeping, it actually is a small part of the overall services I provide for my clients and that part is what I need to get better at when I'm talking about what I do.
Remember that no one cares as much as you do about your success ... so, start each day with that idea and work towards developing the personal strength to make your business happen!
I've joined a networking group and have met some great people who have very successful businesses. They're established and doing well, even in these economic times. One in particular has more business than expected in a time that is usually quiet. She is a wonderful individual who has built a very successful business. But she cares the most about it's success. Another man has the same thing going for himself. He's a wonderful person who has worked hard to build a successful business. Like the other, he values his customers and employees and both know it but no one cares as much as he does about the success of his business.
Networking is an art and process that almost takes on a life of it's own. In some respects it's another 'job' that people do in order to get customers. It's really about building relationships that may, over time, MAY result in a business connection but it's not necessarily the way you're going to build you business base.
In my recent experience I've not gotten any referrals but I've met many wonderful and qualified professionals. This is always a good thing but on a few things that I've asked for help on, the responses didn't come. How many times do you follow up and remind people before it becomes a futile attempt? This is what I mean about 'No one cares as much as you do.'
People are well intentioned but busy. Everyone is trying to focus their energy on keeping the business they have and building from that so they are not thinking outside their box - they are focused in their box so they can sustain themselves through these rough times. However I do get disappointed and you will too but you can't let these experiences shade or taint your own optimism about what it is you want to accomplish. In fact, I'm believing that it may be a sign that the 'fit' just isn't right for getting the business that I want.
Those of us in service businesses are competing against equally qualified people who (also like us) are trying to make ends meet. It is your job to distinguish yourself from the others and set out to sell that which is unique about you to your potential clients. For me, although I do bookkeeping, it actually is a small part of the overall services I provide for my clients and that part is what I need to get better at when I'm talking about what I do.
Remember that no one cares as much as you do about your success ... so, start each day with that idea and work towards developing the personal strength to make your business happen!
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Should you hang a "hazard" sign around your neck?
A behavior that I've observed in many small business owners is their inability to get out of their own way. By that I mean, sometimes they are not the best person to do the job, run the business, market the business or simply grow the business. They become the bottleneck...as I've heard it described. Anyone who has worked with this type of individual will know immediately what I am talking about.
He or she has a difficult time being open to feedback. They believe that they know the 'best' way to do things or execute things; they react negatively to employees who offering alternative solutions by seeing why those suggestions won't work and they usually end up with employees who have no voice in making things better in their own working environment. In the pre-economic crash time these businesses also had a higher turnover of their valuable employees.
If any of you have had the opportunity to work for a really great manager you instantly know the difference and that difference shows up in employees who are committed to the success of the business or their department or their team. They know their opinions and suggestions are valued and want to be heard so these employees become the businesses own 'think tanks'; what a great thing to have...people who's creative juices have been turned on because their boss / manager / leader has instilled in them his/her need to always be evaluating and thinking of new ways to minimize costs, process time etc while maximizing results.
Some business owners are the exception and they realize (sooner or later) that if their business is successful that they need strong and talented people around them to grow it to the next level and they cannot do it alone. A recent example I read about this morning was the founder of Twitter, Evan Williams finally made such a decision and the article about it shows you how these things evolve. Not everyone is born that great leader. Time, experience, failures mold you into that which you desire to be...if you are open and willing to go there.
Read the article and you'll get a sense of this guy's history and then be able to watch what happens with Twitter and where it goes from here. Why Twitter's CEO Demoted Himself
Have a great day!
He or she has a difficult time being open to feedback. They believe that they know the 'best' way to do things or execute things; they react negatively to employees who offering alternative solutions by seeing why those suggestions won't work and they usually end up with employees who have no voice in making things better in their own working environment. In the pre-economic crash time these businesses also had a higher turnover of their valuable employees.
If any of you have had the opportunity to work for a really great manager you instantly know the difference and that difference shows up in employees who are committed to the success of the business or their department or their team. They know their opinions and suggestions are valued and want to be heard so these employees become the businesses own 'think tanks'; what a great thing to have...people who's creative juices have been turned on because their boss / manager / leader has instilled in them his/her need to always be evaluating and thinking of new ways to minimize costs, process time etc while maximizing results.
Some business owners are the exception and they realize (sooner or later) that if their business is successful that they need strong and talented people around them to grow it to the next level and they cannot do it alone. A recent example I read about this morning was the founder of Twitter, Evan Williams finally made such a decision and the article about it shows you how these things evolve. Not everyone is born that great leader. Time, experience, failures mold you into that which you desire to be...if you are open and willing to go there.
Read the article and you'll get a sense of this guy's history and then be able to watch what happens with Twitter and where it goes from here. Why Twitter's CEO Demoted Himself
Have a great day!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)