*Note, this article was created life during a 40 min. presentation at the Vancouver Small Office Home Office Conference (SOHO). Its purpose was to prove that good content is easy to create on-the-fly if you have a good system and you use Dragon NaturallySpeaking.
Sometimes it seems to me to see the small business start is in startup mode for more than five years. It literally makes me sad when I see businesses make several mistakes in the startup phase. So what I decided to do is take a small amount of time and write an article I can really help the small business start up.
Here are the three things to keep in mind if you are a small business start up;
- Personally I think the number one mistake that early business owners make is they don’t have the right mindset. In fact the mindset that they do have is usually one which which I call the Canadian way.Here’s what we do in Canada we set the bar really really low so that no matter what happens when disaster strikes, at least were not disappointed. Where is their focus? Are on “not being disappointed” when they should set the bar really high and I guarantee you’ll be 1000% further than if you never set the bar high in the first place.
- Marketing. There’s only one way to do marketing. Most people do what I call the trial and error method. They really don’t have a lot of money at the start up phase so they do is they buy consultations and they buy contractors and within their same tax bracket. And because they don’t know enough to ask the right questions here’s why; when you hire somebody in the same tax bracket you may get different information but you always move sideways. Here’s my advice in terms of marketing if you want to learn from a marketer make sure you learn from one that walks they’re talk and it is in a completely different tax bracket. Because if you take advice from somebody in the same tax bracket you’ll still be in the same place you are five years from now.
- What is the number one thing that you need to do to be successful in business? Sell. In fact if you’re not selling it’s not a business it’s a hobby.(Note: during the seminar I said: “And yes of course there will be spelling mistakes but no matter how fast or slow I can type I guarantee you this is way quicker, thank you.)
I constantly remind people in their marketing to deliver value to other people which gains trust, credibility and respect. In fact if you try to sell, people are inherently skeptical about anything you try to sell.
I of course, wish you the best with your small business start up and trust that no matter what you decide to do, you do what you love. If you love what you do, you’ll never work again your life. Now that’s a business I would love to have. “Oh, I actually already have that, never mind.”