10 Tips for Business Success

10 Tips for Business Success

Running a business and a home can be complex, with so many people and government agencies pulling at you from 50 different directions. With endless duties, it’s amazing that anyone is actually able to get work done, to produce a product, finish a project and raise a family. Yet, we do, don’t we? And we do it well.

In a workshop conducted for executive women, the universal complaint was their days were so full of interruptions that these women couldn’t get their own work done. By the end of the workshop, they had come to realize – the interruptions are the job. To manage interruptions and make your life less taxing, here are some guidelines.

1. Know what you want. Whether in life or business, have a goal. Have you ever seen people who seem to always get what they want? When the opportunity presents itself, they know what to ask for – and don’t hesitate to ask.
2. Have a plan. When outlining the steps to reach your goal, you’ll actually take those steps. It feels good to cross off each step as you go along. Besides, business plans can really save you when you get audited.
3. Care. Care about the people you live with, you work with, supply you and pay you. When you treat people well; when you listen to them; when you make each person feel they have 100% of your attention when it matters – you’ll have earned powerful loyalty, respect and love.
4. Know things. Learn the things you need to know to reach your goals, while limiting reliance on others as much as possible. On deadline, you can step in to do the task, or quickly train someone to do it.
5. Delegate. Once you know the things you must know to run your business or project, hire the right people to do the things requiring expertise. If you have any doubts before hiring them – keep looking.
6. Market yourself with finesse – not aggressiveness. Whatever you do, you’re always selling – whether it’s yourself, your company, your product, your services, or your ideas and passions. Don’t be overly modest. Learn to express your ideas or pitches succinctly and effectively.
7. Go to the top. Start with the president, CEO, or the person with the decision-making authority, at the company you want to pitch. To get past their executive assistants, just tell the assistant what you want to accomplish. Make the assistants your allies. They not only have the ear of the top boss – but also influence all the executives’ assistants. Let the boss and his/her aide introduce you to their operations executives or managers.
8. Don’t waste your advertising budget on big ticket, splashy ads unless you have unlimited funds. Those are good for the moment only. Use your budget and your customers’ word-of-mouth to establish a constant, visible presence.
9. Keep great records and comply with all government requirements – on all levels. Not only will this make audits easier, but give you information to keep your costs under control, good records reduce your taxes,
10. Have no competitors. Everyone in your industry does something just a little differently. So when someone else is a better choice for your customer or client – refer them. In fact, make the introduction. You’ll generate good will all around.

BONUS – Number 11. Don't "cut corners" or scrimp on quality. Make each product or project as important the 100th time as it was the first time. Doing a good job is the best form of marketing.