Join me in welcoming my guest author, Andrea Feinberg. If you are searching, hoping, needing a better faster easier way. . . this article is a good place to begin! Be sure to post a comment.
6 Ways to Shift From Gloom to Vroooom!
I’m a big believer in looking for the opportunity in every situation; given the choice to be flattened by circumstance or look for the gold, I’ll always choose the best possible outcome available in any situation. I’ve found there’s absolutely no percentage in approaching life or business any other way, no matter how disastrous things may initially seem.
One of the ways I’m finding opportunity in this recession is its absolute requirement that we re-invent our business with an open-mind and willingness to change. Clinging on to what was will never let you enjoy what’s going to be. Personally, I believe we’re about to enter the greatest period of growth and re-invention this country has seen since WW II. Yet it’s hard to see opportunities in the current chaos if all we see is chaos.
I’m challenging you: change what you think is the best way to get through this recession and come out stronger on its other side. I’m asking you to reconsider ‘the way you’ve always done things’ and discover a healthier way to reply to current conditions.
Here are 6 suggestions to get you thinking.
1. Get over the panic and accept the reality of the current, crappy economy and its continuously shifting rules.
How do you do that? Improve everything and be prepared to let go of old beliefs and routines; beliefs that may limit the possible success available to you.
2. Change the way you function in the business.
Clear the mental clutter so you can be more creative and efficient with what you’ve got. I absolutely believe you have a treasure of under-used assets in your business that are not contributing their full potential because you’re so accustomed to using them in a routine, habitual way. Again, it’s that ‘we’ve always done it this way’ approach to business. Look at everything in your business: your employees’ massively under-used skills and ideas, your relationships, alliances, vendors, processes, your location, products and services.
This would be a great time to focus on personal development. If you want different results than what you’re experiencing right now you gotta shake things up; change the way you approach what you have, what’s confronting you, what you want and how you’ll get it. Choose the right mentors or support system of trusted advisers. Consciously and unconsciously we model our behavior after the people we admire and respect.
Join a peer advisory group, a mastermind group, develop your own board of advisers or work with a coach – choose to learn from those who have handled what you’re handling yet whose perspective differs from your own and you’ll expand the range of options ahead of you. Don’t surround yourself with people who always endorse your thinking.
Change your environment. Our behaviors are always a reflection of our environment. Make sure your working environment is one that supports your creativity, supports your desire to actually be at your place of business and your pride in your business.
3. Reflect on what is working and what’s not working in your business model; be willing to let go of that which just doesn’t help or support you anymore.
Rather than see your business as a single, intertwined entity, break it down as a series of modules and examine each piece separately: marketing, product development customer service, policies, fixed costs, information technology, strategy, budgeting, sales, employee policies – all of it. If you cut costs this way, you’ll make an impact yet won’t do real damage to the business by starving it of funds it needs to survive.
4. Shift and revise your product mix to find more business opportunities.
Use the variety of new media to find lower cost ways to deliver your product or reduce your prices. Give your customers a break. Just like you, your customers are struggling to make ends meet and there’s no benefit to you if they go out of business; you both need each other and if you’re willing to be flexible they won’t forget it and you’ll be on the top of their buy-from list when times get better.
5. Don’t cut back on marketing.
Focus on getting more from your current customers and don’t waste time on prospects who aren’t going to buy. Improve customer service – this is a low cost, effective marketing tool. Good relationships will beat out price and contracts every time!
6. Continue to be pro-active and responsive, not reactive.
Don’t think in terms of ‘right now’; instead, make choices that will continue to be smart ones, long term. Keep your spirits high. Put some motivational material on your cd’s or iPod. Nothing makes selling more difficult than a doom-and-gloom attitude. A positive attitude has a lot to do with your continued ability to be creative, aggressive and persistent. And it’ll be a great habit to maintain when things get easier again – and they will!
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Andrea Feinberg, M.B.A., Certified Professional Behavioral Analyst and Certified Strategic Business Leadership Coach is a small business marketing coach. Andrea helps small business owners make more money by day and sleep better at night by maximizing the untapped potential they have in their business right now. For a free gift, “The #1 Marketing Tip” please click here: http://www.coachinginsight.com/free_gift.html
