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.
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