It IS Your Business "My business is my business" and there are many levels to think about your business - personal business, others' business and of course what I want to talk about is your business or your career because it is yours.
One of the beauties of owning a business is it is a reflection of your personality and what you value. If it isn't feeding your soul, then a makeover may be needed. Now, don't confuse a makeover with just changing your marketing materials - that is like "putting lipstick on a pig" as Charles Lummis said in 1926 - "it is still a pig!" A makeover is stripping your business down to its bare-bones, identifying your key markets, setting timely, results oriented goals and then making it happen.
Actually, this really sounds like a PLAN - Vision---Mission---Core Values---Goals---Projects - Your dream for Your business.
Many small businesses stay in the reactive world and end up living the life identified in the E-Myth as "they've created a job for themselves, not a business". You will hear them ask for help and follow it up with "I've tried that", "That will never work with my employees", "I can't do that", "I can't afford that", "That won't work." Well, guess what - they are right.
At any moment in time you can change the plot line of your business. Yes, it does take some work, maybe even some hard work, but you will be rewarded with the business of your dreams. Start with a plan and hold yourself accountable to meet those goals. If accountability is an issue, hire a coach or consultant - remember, even the best sports stars rely on coaches - it is a sign of growth!
Copyright 2010 Linda Lucas Fayerweather MBA EA
http://www.changinglanes.biz/
What are you doing right now to reach your goals?
Call Linda for getting your plan aligned with your dreams. 419-897-0528
linda@changinglanes.biz
One Page Business Planning Classes are forming - available from your desk! Oh, yes - coaching is included!
Want Stratospheric Succes? Learn the Five Laws.
Reading "The Go-Giver" over the weekend has solidified my belief that business as we’ve known it for the last two decades (or more, your mileage may vary) is so antiquated that to continue “as it’s always been” is maybe the most deadly thing you can do to your business. If your business has stagnated, if it’s slowed down to “just getting by”, or if you have serious concerns if you’ll be in business a year from now you can cheer up! Follow these “Five Laws of Stratospheric Success”.
The first Law, The Law of Value states; “Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value that you take in payment”.
You may have heard the phrase giving value misused by the Internet Marketing Gurus telling you to give away your secrets to entice your prospects. This misses the mark in two ways. 1) As used here, giving does not mean giving away - as in free. It simply means to present something, in this case value. 2) value in this context means the relative worth or desirability of a thing to the end user. More to the point it's about asking yourself the question; “What can I offer that will set me apart – and I mean WAAAAY apart – from my competition and will allow people to want me as the person they choose to do business with?
Near and dear to my heart is appreciation. This is one of the things that cost little or nothing and leaves a lasting impression. Say please and thank you (and mean it). Send Nice to meet you notes - not emails - in a greeting card in your own handwriting. Remember birthdays and, you guessed, it send a card that says Happy Birthday! (If you don’t have a system for sending notes and greeting cards head over to my site and discover a great way to do it right from your computer)
Here’s a good place to mention one of the most important keys to making this law work, and it may be a deal breaker if you can’t commit to it, it’s that you have to give without any emotional attachment to the outcome. Now I know that’s going to sound really wacky to you but that’s how it works… because there is an outcome every time.
Visit Amazon.com and get the book. Take this journey with me and let me know how you give value to your product or service.
Copyright 2010 Todd Pillars helps business owners and sales professionals generate endless referrals easier and faster than they ever thought possible. Please contact him today at 419-855-2273 or email him at todd@toddpillars.com . You can also find out more information about his Endless Referrals workshops at http://www.burgintl.com/toddpillars .
