Owning a small business can be so draining. But it can also be SO amazing! Read on for practical tips to get you back on track…
If owning your small business right now kinda sucks, you are not alone. We are getting hit HARD by Covid, quarantines, shut-downs, employee issues, etc. Many small businesses will have to shut their doors for good. My heart seriously breaks every time I hear of a small business that will not be re-opening after shut-downs. For others, they might be hanging on, but have lost all motivation and/or energy to run their business. If you are feeling off about your business, here are some practical, easy-to-do-tips to help you get Back to Basics:
- When is the last time you got clear around WHY you are in business? Put pen to paper and answer the following:
- WHY are you in business? (vision/mission). Create your story. It is so true that you should be able to tell people about your business in the time it takes for an elevator to switch floors. Clarity is motivating.
- What problem are you solving for your customers? How are you enhancing their world?
- Plan your ‘attack’:
- Don’t think of it as ‘selling’, think of it as ‘problem solving’.
- Find out what your competition is doing. Why would someone want your product, service, etc. vs any other product/service out there? Literally write the list. If you can’t think of anything, dig deeper. Go back to WHY you are in business in the first place. This might give you an avenue to follow of why you are different/better.
- Where can you find some of your very own influencers? People that love your product/service and would be super happy to let others know. Maybe you give them free product. Maybe you give them a free coaching appointment. Maybe you give them $$. Give them the pickle! (super cute book you must read).
- Perform a simple study: Are you easy to do business with? If the answer is “I think so”, or “Ummmm…”, you more than likely have opportunities to wow your customer. Find the areas that could irritate and smooth them out.
- Take Responsibility
- If you are constantly saying “I don’t have enough time!”, or “I feel like I am getting nothing accomplished!”, commit to researching and implementing 1-2 time management strategies that will work for YOU. There are SO many great tools out there that are simple and super effective. When (not if ????) you free up some time, INTENTIONALLY fill it with something that will help you succeed. Otherwise it will fill up all on its own.
- Really understand your financials. It is ok to not know things. Enlist help from friends, peers and google. It is not ok to ‘fly by the seat of your pants’ with your money. Someone, someday, somehow will swat that fly and it will hurt. A lot.
- Have some fun. If you hate it, do something different! Owning your own business is hard enough without putting the added “I am hating life” pressure on it. You own your world! Make that world somewhere that you look forward to going to everyday ????