It’s undeniable that the way we run our small businesses keeps changes at an amazing and sometimes alarming rate, especially on the internet. I often find myself groaning at the thought of yet another new tool or technique to learn about. But aren’t we lucky to be living in an age when we can literally start up a business in a matter of a few hours?
I recently caught part of the first episode of a television series where people were challenged to run a shop using only those tools, methods and goods which were available in a different time period. The episode I saw was based on Victorian times, and one of the biggest differences that struck me was how every single thing the ‘shop keepers’ did was so labour intensive. They had to work such long hours and, although shocking by today’s standards, they used to ‘doctor’ their stock in order to turn a decent profit. Although, thinking about it, some things don’t change that much, do they?
Anyhow, to come to the point of this post, there are so many different ways to communicate with our clients and prospects now, in 2010, and yet some business owners are still trapped in the past and trying to struggle on using outdated messages and tools. Their lives - and their businesses - would be so much easier - and they’d see better results more quickly, if they only embraced change and started trying out some of the new-fangled technology.
What’s been the biggest change you’ve embraced recently that has made a positive impact on your business?
When I changed my business name to Simply Business Coaching a few months ago, it was because I felt everything had become so unnecessarily complicated and also I wanted people to better understand what I do!
As I was explaining to my dad the other day, I thought I was being so clever when I came up with FrontLine Results as a company name 5 years ago. To me, it represented the brave business owners and sales people who were in direct contact with customers (in the frontline - geddit?). Unfortunately not many other people ‘got it’. Perhaps I should have twigged after the umpteenth phone call inviting me to advertise on an armed forces calendar.... but I soldiered on (pun intended) and made the best of a badly chosen name, until earlier this year when I decided to go back to being self employed. There were other reasons behind my decision, which I covered in an earlier post.
So, now it’s about keeping things simple - like a business name that actually gives a clue to what I do. No more trying to be clever - I don’t think anyone was even remotely impressed.
To me, keeping business simple also means breaking complex processes down into fewer steps that are easy to understand, straightforward to put into action and quick to see results from.
Here’s what I mean by keeping processes simple:
Getting Clear on what kind of business I’m really in. This includes asking searching questions about what I most want to achieve with my business.
Having a Strategy written down. Knowing what to do and when, so that marketing and sales systems easily and consistently attract new prospects and convert them into paying clients.
Sorting out any ‘Mindset’ Issues. Finding out what motivates me,what could be getting in the way of success, and how to overcome the terrible twins of Procrastination and Perfectionism.
Managing my Time. Organising what I need to do each day so that I can work on the most important activities - those that will bring in business and make money!
Growing the Business. This means being able to taking a step back occasionally from the day to day busyness so I can identify and plan my move to the next stage.
I can already see that some of these processes will take longer to work through than others, so they may need breaking down into even smaller steps - but that’s OK with me.
And if I can find a simpler way to do this for my business, I’ll be able to share it with you too. Nothing fancy, no magic tricks and definitely no more clever names!
What does keeping business simple mean to you?
Building this new type of business model requires careful planning to ensure new income streams are relevant and integrate well with your business’s overall purpose and vision.
Are you building a portfolio business? Would you like to? Do share in the comments below - and please share this post if you found it helpful!
What I suggest you do is ask 2 or 3 people who know you quite well (colleagues, fellow networkers, or clients) for some input. Ask what words they would use to describe you, and what strengths they observe in you. The results are often illuminating. Another good tip is to have a look at testimonials you've received - and I mean really look at what's been said. You may well find, as I did, the same phrases cropping up again and again - showing you just what makes you stand out from the crowd.
I'd love to hear how you found your hidden difference. And if you enjoyed reading this post, please re-tweet so others can read it too!
Earlier this week I was invited to attend a Business Link event as a 'local expert' (their term, not mine!) in social media marketing. It was an interesting format, there were 6 large round tables, each with their own 'expert host' in a different marketing area (PR, Customer Relationship Marketing, Word of Mouth Marketing, Pricing for Profit, Online Marketing as well as Social Media Marketing).
I remained (thankfully) seated at 'my' table and was joined by 8-10 business owners for 30 minutes, followed by a 10 minute break. Then everyone moved around to the next table & topic of their choice - this took place 4 times in all. I was gratified the seats at my table quickly filled up each time :)
