I have never met a business that hasn’t gone through a tough time at some stage. It might be a tough time financially, it might be a tough time because of uncertainty about the future due to a personal reason or it might be a tough time simply because the business owner has lost their mojo.
Regardless of the problem, we have to do something about it, but it is never that easy right? We think we can hide what we are feeling, our fears, our trepidation and our concerns, working through them at our own pace with no one else realising what is going on. But I don’t think this ever is the case. I think that we project exactly what is going on inside our business to the entire world and if we are projecting the wrong thing, it can spell disaster.
I can walk into any business and within about a minute I can reasonably accurately tell how the business is travelling simply by the look on the faces of the people serving, the physical appearance of the business, the overall cleanliness, the attention to detail and the general feel of the business and the people involved. And I am betting you can too.
The reality is that whatever is going on inside a business, both good and bad, is reflected externally. Our customers (and our potential customers) are highly attuned to sensing this so we need to make sure we are projecting the right messages.
A great example of this is a run down restaurant, with no customers, and a menu that reeks of food poisoning. We peek in the door, look at the menu and run for it. We do an “on the spot” risk evaluation, normally subconsciously, and if we don’t like what we see and feel, wild horses wouldn’t get us in there. Every business type, including online businesses, reflect what is happening internally, so managing the messages we send it vital.
This means that if you are having issues with cash flow, hiding behind your desk, terrified that anyone coming in the door will be chasing money, or screening phone calls, is not going to help and in fact, it will make matters worse on every level.
A much better approach is to let your ego take a break, accept that all businesses go through cash flow issues, and get proactive, commit to doing something about your cash flow problems. Step up, chase business, talk to suppliers, and make things better. This creates a much more positive energy and sends a more constructive message to everyone.
Now I know that this is not easy, but if you don’t, things will only get worse. Regardless of the issue you may face in your business, rest assured it is being reflected externally and this reflection may end up being worse than the actual problem. It certainly won’t help.
My advice is to think about any issues you might be experiencing in your business right now, and ask yourself how are they being projected outwards to your customers and what impact could this be having on your business now and what impact can it have in the future?
Who doesn’t want 7 powerful strategies to get more done, save more time and make more money?
When it comes to doing business we are all looking for better ways to do what we. We need to get smarter, we need to embrace technology and we need to get much more productive. But it is easier said than done. There is plenty of information, in fact way too much information, which can lead to a sense of overwhelm.
So it is time to cut through the clutter and get some straightforward, street smart advice designed to help small business owners do what they do better. Mr Timbo Reid (the man behind the hugely successful Small Business Big Marketing Podcast series) is my special guest on this webinar where we will be covering the following:
Strategy 1 – Identify where you leak time and money – you’ve got to know the problems to fix them.
Strategy 2 – Invest time in the process of getting smarter.
Strategy 3 – Use 5 minute increments incredibly well.
Strategy 4 – Make it easier to get paid.
Strategy 5 – Streamline communication.
Strategy 6 – Use these 5 game changing apps
Strategy 7 – Using technology to make you more money
So regardless of the kind of small business you have, from tradespeople to retailers and everything in between, this webinar must not be missed. Thursday 20th of March at 11am AEDT. To register follow this link – REGISTER HERE and if you are interested, but can’t attend, register anyway and we will send you the recording.
Love to have you join us for this webinar, I promise it will be fun, smart and well worth the investment of one hour of your time. The ideas that Timbo and I share are bound to pack a punch!
THE BUSINESS OF BEING A PROFESSIONAL SPEAKER
I recently ran this workshop in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane – and the feedback has been fantastic to say the least. There is a lot of demand out there for people wanting to become professional speakers, or at least add this offering to their existing services. I will be releasing dates for the next series shortly, this time I am going to include Perth, Canberra and Cairns. Watch this space.
KPI LAUNCHES IN SINGAPORE JUNE 2014
For those subscribers living in or close to Singapore, I am very pleased to announce that we are launching the “Key Person of Influence” 40 week programme in Singapore, starting with a Brand Accelerator Day on June 13th 2014. I am going to be delivering the publishing unit of the programme in Singapore – so I look forward to meeting a whole new market of potential authors. WATCH THIS SPACE.
THINKING OF STARTING A BUSINESS?
A couple of weeks back I did a session on the ABC’s Nightlife with Tony Delroy – about starting a small business. It has a lot of practical advice around this topic, and for some it might be a bit dry, but worth a listen for anyone who might be contemplating starting their own venture. Here is how the show was billed:
“Have you ever thought of starting your own business? Most of us have been struck with that lightening bolt and inspired to open our own restaurant or organic jam store at one point or another. But, how do you go from a great idea to a viable money earner?
In this Nightlife podcast we’re looking at what you need to know if you’re thinking of taking the leap into the world of small business. Joining Tony in the studio with all the hints and tips is small business consultant Mathew Dickerson and the author of ‘The Big Book of Small Business’, Andrew Griffiths”
To listen to a podcast of the show, simply visit this link and scroll down to the STARTING A SMALL BUSINESS recording – LISTEN HERE
MY BOOK RECOMMENDATION FOR THIS MONTH IS………
You simply have to read “The ONE Thing”. Smart, simple and very powerful. Everyone I know who has read this book agrees, its simplicity hides its power. Here is a description of what this book is all about –
“What’s the ONE Thing you can do such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary? In the number one Wall Street Journal bestseller, Gary Keller has identified that behind every successful person is their ONE Thing. No matter how success is measured, personal or professional, only the ability to dismiss distractions and concentrate on your ONE Thing stands between you and your goals. The ONE Thing is about getting extraordinary results in every situation”.
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