With the economy the way it is these days (yes, I know it’s supposed to be getting better, but …), many people have found themselves needing to find extra income to support themselves and their families. People have lost their jobs, have taken a cut in pay, have found themselves in foreclosure and much more. They are desperate to find ways of generating income. So, what do they do? They turn to what they know best and open their own businesses.
I repeat, they do what they do best and open their own businesses. However, I’m betting what they know best is NOT how to run a business, but how to make the widget, or balance the checkbook, or cook a wonderful meal. Yet, sadly, this is not the stuff a business is made of. What a business is made of is marketing, advertising, customer service, branding, finance, employee management, and so on and so forth. Making that widget is great, but it’s not going to get people in the door buying. There’s a whole other world out there that needs to be considered before you open your door. The factors which are involved in starting and running a business are multi-faceted; but the number one question that comes to mind is “Can I deliver?”
It’s not only about the ability to run a business, though. Something I’ve seen a lot of lately is a belief that when you go into business for yourself, you become the “boss”. You set the hours – there’ll be lots of free time, you only answer to yourself – no more bosses yelling at you to get things done, or watching over your shoulder to see that you do it right. You can set your own pay check, giving yourself a raise. But, I’m sorry to say, that’s just not the case. Many entrepreneurs have never worked so hard in their lives. They are up at the crack of dawn and fall in bed in the deep, dark hours of the night. Unlike an employee where you work a certain number of hours and at the end of a set time period get a paycheck, small business people work and work and work and pray and hope to get a financial reward SOMETIME in the FUTURE. A person who starts his or her own business needs to be aware that they are going to work very, very hard without seeing any sort of income for quite awhile.
I often run into people who, once they’ve started that business, think that if they open the doors, others will come. I recently opened a storefront in a new town where there had been a long-established business prior to me. The store is also in the middle of a block where there are other operational stores and so, yes indeed. I have people walking into my space all day long. “Oh, isn’t this XYZ Store?” “Where’s ABC store? Aren’t they here any longer?” But after being open 2 weeks, I’ve only had a handful of customers come in, actually looking for me. It takes time to build a reputation, to create a bond with your potential customers, and to show them they need what it is you’re offering.
A friend of mine, who is quite a successful small business person, was talking with me the other day and I asked her how she had gotten to that space. She sells a product/service in the technology field and it is definitely one of those areas that people are reluctant to buy until they know you. She told me that for the first year she never focused on her sales. Instead, she spent her time writing blog posts, and newspaper articles, press releases and showing up in chat groups on Facebook and LinkedIn – she was showing herself as the specialist that she is. She didn’t make a dollar that first year (well, not in any grand sense of the word). But, after people started to recognize her name and think of her as someone who they could trust and rely on to provide them with proper technology, she started gaining supporters/followers and now she has a very successful enterprise.
What I’m getting at here folks, is that if you want a business, not just a hobby, you have to work at it – with patience and determination. Don’t think that a 9 to 5 job is where it’s at. Go to networking meetings, get out there and talk with others in your area, put off that lunch with your best friend (or yes, even think twice about a family outing, at least this time). Realize that you should probably check out the local business Meetups or referral groups. Don’t think that you know everything there is to know about running a business: there’s always some new or different way to think about things, or run business projects. Get involved in the community. Plan for lots of HARD WORK and then, maybe, just maybe, down the road, you’ll have a successful business like my friend.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Do You Have a Passion For Your Success?
I've just opened a store in a "new" town -- the town's not new, but I am new to the town. I'm trying to get to know the other merchants, so I took a walk around the main street the other day, talking to some of the business owners. It was an interesting experience. Right away a picture started to emerge: there were those that were serious entrepreneurs and then there were those that were ... no so much shall we say.
One store I visited started out the conversation by telling me how much they hated the downtown and that they had security cameras everywhere due to a "dangerous element". Another store informed me that I had no right to park on the city street -- that was for HER customers. Okay. Where do my customers park I asked. She simply shrugged. Many of the stores are only open part-time: by appointment only, and catch me when you can.
Then, I found several other businesses who "get it". They are open 7 days a week, from early in the morning until well past 5 pm. They give other merchants discounts to keep them coming back to the downtown area instead of going out on the highway to the big box stores. They get to know you, calling you by name when you walk by. They are active in the merchant's association and plan events and activities throughout the year. The Chamber works with these businesses and helps promote their events, their sales, whatever is needed. It's a good group. I hope I can be part of that group.
All too often I see business people that don't really seem to want new, or repeat, business. Seems they just like to have someplace to go or something to do when they get up in the morning. I story about customer service -- bad customer service -- that I often tell happened to me several years ago when I was still in big city world (versus small town country). I went into a sign shop to order vinyl banners for my storefront. I ordered black banners with yellow lettering. I placed the order 3 weeks before my grand opening and was told that they would be ready a week before I needed them. On the assigned day, I went to pick up my order; I was really excited because this was my first storefront. I had been homebased prior to this. When I got there, the banners were yellow, with black lettering. I was devastated. I must have let out an involuntary groan of "oh no!" -- and immediately realized I had to duck as a pair of vinyl cutting shears (with very long, and very sharp blades) went flying past me, the owner of the company screaming that I had no right to question her choices. I had already paid a great deal of money for these (and there was NO return coming my way), so I wound up taking the signs and going. Do you think I went back there again? NO WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
More recently I have been consulting and training small business people on marketing, customer service, creating value in their businesses and growth for their companies. Most people have told me that what they learn has helped them and they are grateful for the services. However, I also have come across a few who say things like, I've been doing this for over 20 years. I don't need anyone to tell me what I should do -- I've done it all already. But when I ask them what they are looking for for their businesses, they reply "More customers." OR "more money". My response then is, but you're doing everything the right way? Guess nobody wants what you have to offer. I"m sure if they've been doing this for 20 years, and making money at it, someone has wanted what they offered. But perhaps they need to look at new ways and new technologies to "grow with the flow". You think maybe?
Entrepreneur Magazine a few months ago had a discussion about the difference between an entrepreneur and a small business. It was interesting to read what they had to say: a true entrepreneur has passion for what they are doing and the willingness to see it through (http://www.entrepreneur.com/startingabusiness/startupbasics/article190986.html). A small business person, however, is someone that perhaps is not a risktaker, or someone who is more prone to consider themselves a worker (http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/83764).
I think that for someone to truly succeed, they need to have the characteristics discussed above and be willing to "be in it for the long-haul." I plan on being there -- what about you?
One store I visited started out the conversation by telling me how much they hated the downtown and that they had security cameras everywhere due to a "dangerous element". Another store informed me that I had no right to park on the city street -- that was for HER customers. Okay. Where do my customers park I asked. She simply shrugged. Many of the stores are only open part-time: by appointment only, and catch me when you can.
Then, I found several other businesses who "get it". They are open 7 days a week, from early in the morning until well past 5 pm. They give other merchants discounts to keep them coming back to the downtown area instead of going out on the highway to the big box stores. They get to know you, calling you by name when you walk by. They are active in the merchant's association and plan events and activities throughout the year. The Chamber works with these businesses and helps promote their events, their sales, whatever is needed. It's a good group. I hope I can be part of that group.
All too often I see business people that don't really seem to want new, or repeat, business. Seems they just like to have someplace to go or something to do when they get up in the morning. I story about customer service -- bad customer service -- that I often tell happened to me several years ago when I was still in big city world (versus small town country). I went into a sign shop to order vinyl banners for my storefront. I ordered black banners with yellow lettering. I placed the order 3 weeks before my grand opening and was told that they would be ready a week before I needed them. On the assigned day, I went to pick up my order; I was really excited because this was my first storefront. I had been homebased prior to this. When I got there, the banners were yellow, with black lettering. I was devastated. I must have let out an involuntary groan of "oh no!" -- and immediately realized I had to duck as a pair of vinyl cutting shears (with very long, and very sharp blades) went flying past me, the owner of the company screaming that I had no right to question her choices. I had already paid a great deal of money for these (and there was NO return coming my way), so I wound up taking the signs and going. Do you think I went back there again? NO WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
More recently I have been consulting and training small business people on marketing, customer service, creating value in their businesses and growth for their companies. Most people have told me that what they learn has helped them and they are grateful for the services. However, I also have come across a few who say things like, I've been doing this for over 20 years. I don't need anyone to tell me what I should do -- I've done it all already. But when I ask them what they are looking for for their businesses, they reply "More customers." OR "more money". My response then is, but you're doing everything the right way? Guess nobody wants what you have to offer. I"m sure if they've been doing this for 20 years, and making money at it, someone has wanted what they offered. But perhaps they need to look at new ways and new technologies to "grow with the flow". You think maybe?
Entrepreneur Magazine a few months ago had a discussion about the difference between an entrepreneur and a small business. It was interesting to read what they had to say: a true entrepreneur has passion for what they are doing and the willingness to see it through (http://www.entrepreneur.com/startingabusiness/startupbasics/article190986.html). A small business person, however, is someone that perhaps is not a risktaker, or someone who is more prone to consider themselves a worker (http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/83764).
I think that for someone to truly succeed, they need to have the characteristics discussed above and be willing to "be in it for the long-haul." I plan on being there -- what about you?
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Walk A Mile in Someone Else's Shoes
The world is a crazy busy place isn't it? There just aren't enough hours in the day to get everything done that we want to accomplish. As entrepreneurs we work around the clock. If we have families, we want to spend time with them too. Then, what about cleaning the house, making repairs to the house or household items, mowing the lawn -- the list goes on and on. At the end of the day -- whoosh we finally sit down and aren't quite sure we can get back up again. Of course the next day comes and we start all over again.
I get it. I'm right there with you. Running 3 new businesses, taking care of an aging mom and dad, spending time with my fiance and trying to plan a wedding, as well as being disabled and feeling sick and/or hurting much of the time, I have a hard time getting up in the morning (at 4:15 am too, thank you very much). But, most days I'm up with the crowing of that darn rooster, and on the road by 5:15. How do I squeeze one more thing into my schedule? So, I really do get how busy we all are. But I have a question for you. One that requires you to stop and think for a minute. And I really would like an answer because I just can't quite figure it out.
As entrepreneurs and small business people, what is our most important need? Money, or business, most of us I think would answer. Okay. The next question -- how do you get the business or the money? Again, I would think the answer might be people buying my product or service. Makes sense so far? This of course leads to still another question. How do you get those people buying your product or service? Word of mouth, marketing, advertising...these are all good answers. But what it boils down to is, someone has to know what you offer and want what you offer. You get people interested by telling them who and what your business is all about. This all makes sense yes?
Okay. Now, here's my dilemma. We all want people coming to our stores, or our websites or doing something that forms an interaction -- a relationship -- with us. When we need something, or want something, we go to the yellow pages, or ask a friend, or wander the streets in town looking for somewhere to buy that "something". But, unless there's an "urgent" need, people don't look to the future to see what might become a necessity down the line. They think, well, I don't need it now, so I won't spend time on it.
My next question -- you have gone to all the trouble, let's say, of putting on an open house. You've planned for live music, catered food, decorations, and more. You're new to the city and have a perfect downtown spot. You've advertised, you've spread the word. You've done everything you can think of to let people know that there's a fun evening ahead -- no sales involved, just fun and networking. Wouldn't you want (and expect) people to come? What do you do if no one shows up? How frustrating would that be?
As entrepreneurs we are "built to work around the snags and hiccups of starting a new business" yet it can still be disheartening to think that with all that work, no one came. We all want the attention, we all think that what we have to offer is good, important and maybe even necessary. But what we don't take the time to think about is that others think that too. It is important that we try to work together to make all our businesses more successful. Try to squeeze out a bit of time for some of the other companies in your area. Maybe, just maybe, you'll find that you can use their services and products and that they might be able to use yours as well.
I get it. I'm right there with you. Running 3 new businesses, taking care of an aging mom and dad, spending time with my fiance and trying to plan a wedding, as well as being disabled and feeling sick and/or hurting much of the time, I have a hard time getting up in the morning (at 4:15 am too, thank you very much). But, most days I'm up with the crowing of that darn rooster, and on the road by 5:15. How do I squeeze one more thing into my schedule? So, I really do get how busy we all are. But I have a question for you. One that requires you to stop and think for a minute. And I really would like an answer because I just can't quite figure it out.
As entrepreneurs and small business people, what is our most important need? Money, or business, most of us I think would answer. Okay. The next question -- how do you get the business or the money? Again, I would think the answer might be people buying my product or service. Makes sense so far? This of course leads to still another question. How do you get those people buying your product or service? Word of mouth, marketing, advertising...these are all good answers. But what it boils down to is, someone has to know what you offer and want what you offer. You get people interested by telling them who and what your business is all about. This all makes sense yes?
Okay. Now, here's my dilemma. We all want people coming to our stores, or our websites or doing something that forms an interaction -- a relationship -- with us. When we need something, or want something, we go to the yellow pages, or ask a friend, or wander the streets in town looking for somewhere to buy that "something". But, unless there's an "urgent" need, people don't look to the future to see what might become a necessity down the line. They think, well, I don't need it now, so I won't spend time on it.
My next question -- you have gone to all the trouble, let's say, of putting on an open house. You've planned for live music, catered food, decorations, and more. You're new to the city and have a perfect downtown spot. You've advertised, you've spread the word. You've done everything you can think of to let people know that there's a fun evening ahead -- no sales involved, just fun and networking. Wouldn't you want (and expect) people to come? What do you do if no one shows up? How frustrating would that be?
As entrepreneurs we are "built to work around the snags and hiccups of starting a new business" yet it can still be disheartening to think that with all that work, no one came. We all want the attention, we all think that what we have to offer is good, important and maybe even necessary. But what we don't take the time to think about is that others think that too. It is important that we try to work together to make all our businesses more successful. Try to squeeze out a bit of time for some of the other companies in your area. Maybe, just maybe, you'll find that you can use their services and products and that they might be able to use yours as well.
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