Many business owners feel they are overworked, don’t have the time for things that are important to them and always feel they are getting further behind, while at the same time they are putting off the things they would really like to do.
Yes, part of this is due to the many aspects of running a business but the other part is quite often due to the way they think, most of their thoughts centered around reaching the next goal on their list. But what if you quit thinking that way? What would happen if you spent more time concentrating on the things you can control right now and let those things that you can accomplish lead you to the outcome that is the result of focusing instead of feeling frazzled?
An important part of your business is not only knowing what your customers want but also knowing what you want. So many business owners seem to be afraid; afraid of missing out on the newest thing, afraid of not keeping up; afraid of not looking like they are in tune with everyone else. Do your customers care? I doubt it. What they want is good service and quality products. Running a business from a state of anxiety and worry will not help you get ahead. Focus on your main points, do what you have to do to accomplish them and take your mind off your work for awhile.
So now you’re asking, how do I accomplish what I need to without complicating things? How do I keep it simple, run my business and still keep up?
That’s what technology is for. If you don’t feel you can organize things online, hire virtual support, hand over the responsibility of those tasks to them, and continue with your strategy. Schedule everything you can, keep to your schedule and keep moving. Be smart and use your website creatively; to advertise, to update information on your complete list of products, including all prices and ordering information. Discount any items that aren’t selling and then discontinue them. It doesn’t make sense to put effort into services or products that aren’t popular. Include an RSS feed. If you don’t feel comfortable blogging, hire someone for that too.
Complexity doesn’t have to be the result of running a successful business. The choices you make are what cause your business to become a mess, usually due to too many marketing strategies, expanded product and service offerings and a desire for fast growth. Remember, time is your most important asset. Use time wisely by simplifying where you can and getting help. Quit squandering your most precious commodity on non-essentials and you’ll find you have more time for the other important things in your life.
© Chris Draper, DemGen Inc. 2014
