Speaking with long time business owners can sound repetitive. They tell you they have tried to maintain their interest; have kept lists of goals and spend time on marketing in new and more efficient ways.
But their focus is gone. Whether through lack of interest and boredom with what they are doing or flagging motivation, it all amounts to the same thing. The excitement for their business is gone, not just for the products they are selling but the whole idea of running a business at all.
Is there a way to bring that back? Is it possible to stay focused on your business in the long term?
The word focus has several definitions, both as a noun and as a verb but the two most prevalent are being able to “pay particular attention to” and “the center of interest or activity”. Back when your business was shiny and new both of these were easy. Dreams of success and a perfect future filled with everything you could possibly want filled your days and helped you along. You had a new product that you wanted to tell everyone about and one day ran into another as your business grew.
But years afterward, what once was exciting can begin to look a little tarnished and stale. Same old products, the same old business chatter, nothing changes much. How can you turn that around?
The ability to focus is an actual quality. It doesn’t come easily to most. There are actual studies done which show that men’s brains are able to focus more intently on one thing at a time than women’s. However, women are better at collaborating so in the long run, both men and women are wired to run businesses extremely well in their own way.
Being able to focus is something you can practice and through time become better at. It’s a discipline just like other talents and while some are born with a greater ability to focus well on projects, the rest of us can learn to focus through determination and repetition. Don’t feel that you are unsuccessful because your focus on your business is declining. Look into other reasons for your lack of interest. Could it be time to change your business, whether through the types of products or services you sell or the way you sell them? Could it be that you need to slow your pace and spend more time on outside interests? Quite often a lack of recreational time leads to a lack of focus on any type of work, including business ownership.
If you have literally fallen totally out of love with the idea of being a business owner, then it’s time to put your focus elsewhere – on where you interests lay now. Sometimes that’s all that’s needed to give you that motivational push that you need.
Business ownership is a process just like any other. It doesn’t stay stagnant any more than you do. Maybe it’s time for a change, one that you’ll feel excited about focusing on.
© Chris Draper, DemGen Inc. 2014
image courtesy of jrbriggs
Unethical business practices can run the gamut from behavior that is damaging to both business owners and their customers, all the way to what is considered borderline illegal. What looks like a bad decision on one business owner’s part can turn out to violate the unwritten code of fair practices.
A good example would be Wal-Mart’s long standing practice of making those companies who provide their products dependent upon them. They do this by forcing them to charge extremely low prices or find another outlet for their sales.
Dishonesty is one of the most common unethical behaviors we come across in business. False advertising is seen quite often in order to boost sales and profitability. Business owners and their employees take credit for the work of others and huge corporations are responsible for faulty items and machinery that quite often damage our environment and can lead to huge accidents that affect a large part of the population.
On a smaller scale, many businesses provide lousy customer service or none at all, fail to live up to their promises and treat people in a manner that while not illegal, is still not worthy of a business owner.
On the other hand, for the majority of business owners, integrity is everything. They have gained the trust of their customers and do whatever they can to maintain good business practices. Their employees and co-workers are treated with courtesy and their financial dealings are honest.
Many businesses have a code of ethics in place or a code of conduct which outlines the responsibilities and guidelines for all those who are connected with the business. A good example is Kraft, which has a code of ethical behavior with only 10 rules, but they manage to cover the most important values to guide their employee’s actions. Loyalty, honesty and value figure largely in their code.
The key components of the majority of business ethics emphasize:
1. Values which involve all day to day dealings.
2. Personal responsibility with information regarding legal and moral consequences if the code is violated.
3. Principles, of all types including environmental and operational.
There are many other components which make up the whole of what are called business ethics and they are very similar to what we consider ethical in our daily lives. A business is only as profitable as its least ethical employee or member and standards of behavior count just as much in business as they do in everyday life. Surrounding yourself with ethical employees is the same as spending your personal life with honest, trustworthy people. It makes your company one which can be trusted and also one which customers like to do business with.
© Chris Draper, DemGen Inc. 2014
image courtesy of mindspotresearch
Tweak your product or service. Innovation can help your business stand out, especially if you are able to keep up with the trends. It helps your name become known in your industry as the one to go to when customers are looking for the latest. When you are looking for a way to improve your business and make it stand out, remember that people love anything that solves their problems. Become their problem solver by adding additional features to your original offers.
Be different. In a great way, not in a way that causes your customers to look at you with raised eyebrows as they run out the door. Unique advertising can be one way of standing out. Try using a by-line that’s interesting and memorable. It will give you the opportunity to grab the attention of new customers and have them remember you. Let your business showcase your personal style. Focus on making your products more aesthetically pleasing and have your services reflect your good taste.
Make reliability your image. Customers prefer a business owner whose products they can count on. They know if there is a problem, they can contact you immediately and not have any delays with replacements or repairs. This makes your business synonymous with quality, which will in the long run make it easier for you to ask higher prices than your competition. A service program in conjunction with your products is also a good idea.
Your customer service is the best. Your employees are trained in how to speak with the public, react appropriately and deal with any imaginable issue that could arise. They know how to use the telephone, email etiquette is stressed and they have in-depth knowledge on all of your business offers. They make things easier for your customers to buy from you and act as consultants for your business. They realize that they are the first point of contact for most of your customers and the reputation of your business relies on them.
All in all, there are many ways you can make your business stand out from the rest. Each business is unique and if you think of your business as an extension of yourself and your way of living, you can come up with ideas that will also be attractive to your customers.
© Chris Draper, DemGen Inc. 2014
Successful people seem to have an aura about them. We look at them differently, wonder what is it they have that we don’t and they come up in our conversations frequently. What is it that they do differently?
They have the ability to handle their emotions and stay calm. The best performers, including business owners, rate high in emotional intelligence. Their self worth comes from what they think of themselves and they don’t allow themselves to react in a negative way to what other people think of their actions. They are able to filter out the judgements of those who may be envious of their success and rely on their own business sense and push toward accomplishing their goals.
They put frustrations in their place. Successful people know that not every day will be perfect. They’ve been in business long enough to know that “this too shall pass” and are able to keep going even when it gets tough. They aren’t bothered by the minute details and tiny risks that are part of running their business and keeping it on a steady path. Planning is a huge part of their life but they don’t let their to- do list run every minute of their day. Sometimes it’s best to step away from the essentials and take a chance.
They don’t allow themselves be controlled by the uncontrollable. Outside circumstances may not be perfect but successful people know that not only is perfection a facade but it is boring. Allowing your imperfections to show as a business owner but not in your business practices makes you more human and approachable to your customers and they appreciate being able to meet with you on an equal level.
They have learned to say no. As difficult as it is, you can’t say yes to everyone and everything. Prioritize your business commitments and say yes to only the most important. Those who are successful know how important relaxation and time away from their business is to their general welfare. It’s what makes them succeed in their business and at the same time, enjoy their personal time.
They don’t make excuses and always take responsibility for their actions. Successful people know that you have to be mature and take ownership for the outcome of your business. Making excuses is not an option. Sometimes failing is part of any business venture and opportunities don’t always work out the way we wish they would.
Those who succeed realize that the most important things in life are a combination of work and play, business and family, knowledge and learning. Their lives and their businesses reflect this and they’ve learned that the road to success has to be enjoyed to be worth it.
© Chris Draper, DemGen Inc. 2014
image courtesy of techwyse