by Josh Whedon
Everyone is looking for the quick fix in business. The one thing that’s going to skyrocket them to success. We hear stories of the overnight success which came out of seemingly nowhere and is now the latest craze. Sadly what most people don’t realize is that the “overnight” success takes years to accomplish.
The overnight success is created by years of staying consistent and doing things in your business well. If you’re wondering what you can do to take your business to the next level that will slowly bring snowball into more and more success, look no further than here. Whether you want to launch an in home massage practice or a graphic design side hustle, check these tips out!
FIRE BAD EMPLOYEES:
Any employee that isn’t an A player needs to be let go immediately. It’s impossible to fire a bad employee fast enough. If you hire B players that’s what you’ll always get in return – B level success. It doesn’t matter who the employee is or how long they have worked for you. A bad employee, even a janitor, will limit how successful your business can be. This is especially true for any small business or startup.
THEN REWARD THE STARS:
Those in your business who are A players need to know their A players and be treated like it. Work with them to support their intrinsic motivations, bring in coffee or gift cards for them, provide them time off when they request it and promote them. Keep those employees around as long as possible so they never leave.
When your employee feels appreciated and taken care of, they’ll never have a reason to leave. The more A players you have, the more you’ll attract and the more success you’ll find.
ALWAYS LISTEN TO YOUR CUSTOMERS:
This one sounds dead simple, but hardly anyone really does this. Make it easy for your employees to reach out to you. Start an e-mail list and encourage them to send in messages about their services. Hell, even reward them for sending you an e-mail by turning it into a fun prize giveaway.
Another key aspect of listening to your customers is surveying them. Offer people a chance to win a gift card, or better yet, offer everyone who takes the survey a free coffee in partnership with a local coffee shop. They may surprise you with your next great business idea or change in how you run things.
LAUNCH A BLOG:
What I love about the blog is that it’s one of the most effective ways to connect with your customers. It creates a fun dialogue for you to share the latest information and advice that relate to your products and customers can participate in the comment section. Another aspect that I love about the blog is that it helps to establish you as an expert in your field.
When you create a blog and produce amazing content you’ll be able to attract more people to your site through sitemapping, social media sharing, and an e-mail list. This will result in increased sales and clientele. Stay consistent with publishing on your blog and make sure the information is helpful to your customers.
DON’T INTERMIX PERSONAL AND BUSINESS EXPENSES:
This is a horrible idea that too many business owners do. You should never mix up your personal and business credit cards for purchases. This leads to messy finances come tax time and will influence how you run your business. Keep your business away from all personal dealings.
DON’T BE AFRAID TO OUTSOURCE:
I’m not telling you to cut corners, but don’t be afraid of outsourcing. Outsourcing can be awesome for helping you to design things such as marketing campaigns to create rich graphics which draw in attention. Outsourcing is a great way to save money and keep your business as lean as possible, so you’re not wasting your cash on employees who aren’t really needed.
CHASE YOUR PASSIONS:
The most successful businesses are often those which people feel a passion for. If you’re just starting a business, don’t go into something you think will make you rich that you don’t care for. You need to want to live and breath your service or product. If there’s something you’d love to expand your business into, then assess the risk and go for it.
DON’T TAKE THINGS PERSONALLY:
It can be difficult to not take things personally when they happen to you, but business is business. Part of this is to never back down from something. If you’re struggling to secure a loan or find a business who is willing to partner with yours, know that when it comes to money people are out for their best interest. But that doesn’t mean you should ever be turned away easily. Fight for what you want and you’ll get much father than someone who walks away.
Running a successful business is all about doing things consistently, even if they don’t feel as if they’re getting you where you want to be quick enough. Use these tips to help to take your business to the next level.
