I have the great honor of speaking on this topic at an upcoming meeting for Profit Partners in Hampton, VA. I’m looking so forward to equipping business owners with 10 bold ways they can make their own business immune to outside assaults, circumstances and even economies.
But, since you may not be able to join me LIVE, I’m posting the highlights here. With no B.S. No gloss. Just solid, practical strategies to make YOUR business less immune to industry and economic shifts, to help you make more money with less headache and hassle, to take NEW ground instead of spinning your wheels. With no further ado, and listed in no particular order, here you go:
1) Have a plan for sales.
Let’s not sugar coat things. You get paid when — and only when — something is sold. So, as Zig Ziglar said, “go out there and sell something.” Do not leave sales to chance. Have a plan. Where will your market first encounter you? what will that exchange look like? what will you offer them? How will you choreograph the sales conversation? How will you follow up? Script your sales process.
2) Get Specific mentors.
Who is advising you? And on what? Chances are you are amazing at what you do… but perhaps NOT so great at describing what you do in writing… or perhaps not amazing at taking pictures of your product…. or sub-par at selling what you do. Get specific mentors to support you in areas that are most important.
3) Develop a ruthless intolerance for wasted time.
I won’t belabor this point now, as I’m heading into a full month about Time Hacking for Entrepreneurs. But, how you plan, protect and spend your time is INTRICATELY linked to how successful you are in business. First step: begin to resent — no, aBHOR — time wasters.
4) Have a certain FAITH and Confidence.
Every entrepreneur should have a thick skin and an unshakeable confidence. For me, this is not only a business asset, but my thick skin and confidence is also intimately linked to my faith. For all of us, it’s mandatory that we’re not only thick-skinned, but also wildly confident in who we are, what we do, and the difference we make in our market.
5) Develop Outside Advocates.
Who else is serving your target market, already successful, but not competing with you? These businesses — if they don’t compete with you — have clients you could be serving. They have content needs you could be filling. And vice versa. Spend some time choosing, brainstorming and nurturing these outside advocates. And then, be loyal to them.
6) Get Inside Support.
You can not reach your goals ALONE. Start now and get some help with SOMETHING. Your time is your most valuable asset, so ideally — and one day — you are only doing that which ONLY you can do. Until then, get support with something. Start small if you need to… but do start outsourcing some of what’s on your plate. This HABIT of delegation is CRITICAL for your ultimate success.
7) Nurture Core Clients.
Do you have a handful of clients or patients who absolutely love you? These core clients should KNOW they are your favorites. They should KNOW that they are absolutely woven into the fabric of your company… and that you love them back!
8) Carve out a Personal Sanctuary.
Business is tough… much of the time. And, even though we love it… and even though we chose it… it’s important to have some regularly scheduled “time off” to take care of the boss. Otherwise, burnout will be your constant companion. And, let’s face it, none of us are at our best when fizzling out.
9) Develop an unrelenting commitment to business development.
Women Who WOW was developed to meet this need for a regular focus on business development. (It also fulfills strategies 1, 2, 5 and 10… but perhaps I’m a bit biased.) Without a concerted effort to grow, you will begin to shrink back. Your business is in a constant state of flex… it’s important to be growing it deliberately.
10) Create a culture of measurement.
Finally, always measure what matters. When you MEASURE what matters — leads in, dollars collected, new clients signed, etc. — accountability becomes your business partner and immediately numbers get better.
So, there you have it. A thumbnail sketch of 10 specific ways to make YOUR business bullet proof. what did I leave out? What would you add?
