3 Keys to Growing Your Business
The challenge for most small business owners today isn’t time itself, but priorities. Most small business owners mistakenly focus on what is easy, what is immediate and what other people want. They spend their day taking care of e-mails, answering questions, paying bills, and immediate problem-solving when someone asks them for help or they are running errands, ordering supplies, or answering the phone. These activities keep small business owners really busy. Business owners think they are doing the right thing when they're actually “spending” their time rather than “investing” their time, according to Debra J. Cunningham, President & Principal of Evergreen Business Strategies, Inc. www.evergreen-business-strategies.com.
“Most entrepreneurs think that to make it all work, they have to work longer and harder. They say, ‘I just need to get up earlier and get more done today. I need to try to cram more things into my day and to work more hours.’ I am here to tell you that this is not the solution to create more income for your business or to reduce your stress. If anything, it is going to reduce your income and increase your stress,” Ms. Cunningham emphasized.
“I want to share with you the three most important things to focus on as a small business owner or entrepreneur.
1. FOCUS on what connects you to potential clients;
2. FOCUS on what connects you to current clients; and
3. FOCUS on what moves your business towards your annual goals.
The reason these three things work so well for small business owners is because most small business owners mistakenly focus on the business they have instead of the business that they want. By focusing on the right things to build your business, you are going to find yourself happier and calmer. That ‘old stress’ will go away because you know you're doing the right thing,” she said.
“As I stated earlier, answering e-mails, paying bills, running errands, and putting out fires are not the types of activities that are connecting you to prospective clients or helping you move your business towards your year-end goals. Instead, you must invest your time in activities such as speaking, creating joint venture relationships, networking, creating or finding new products and services to offer, marketing your services, and following up with prospective clients to find out what their needs and wants are now and what they are going to need and want in the future.”
“At first you are going to feel really excited about being given permission to stop doing the routine tasks mentioned earlier, but beware, there is also a part of you that will ask: Who's going to be doing these things? I need to get my next client or get my next sale– how can I make this work?” As Certified Money, Marketing, and Soul Consultant I offer you one of the most important mind shifts you can ever make to grow your business. And, here’s the mindset tip: No matter what size your business is right now, you want to think like the business owner you want to be in the future. By focusing your time and attention on the right priorities you will be talking and acting like the successful business owner you want to be,” she explained.
If you are a small business owner or an entrepreneur, can you answer these questions? What am I supposed to do on a daily basis? Within my day, what am I supposed to do first thing in the day? What do I save for the last thing of the day? What do I do on a weekly basis that's going to help me move my business forward? What should I be doing on a monthly basis to make sure I'm on track?”
“Believe me successful business owners have mastered several things. One of the things they've mastered is controlling their time”, she said.
If you would like to learn more about how to become more productive in your business and develop a successful business mindset, there are very simple planning tools that will help you organize your tasks and to get clear about to take action on and what to delegate or eliminate. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness, but is actually a sign of strength and growth. Coaching and mentoring can provide you with the ability to think and become a successful business owner. The quicker you change your mindset and adopt these three money-making rules the quicker you can find financial success in your business and still have time in your life to spend with your family and do other things you love.
Debra J. Cunningham is a “Wealth-Building Partner” and is 1of 35 Certified Money, Marketing and Soul consultants in the world. She is focused on the new economy specializing in creating successful thriving businesses.
