Business Continuity Audit » Personal Life

Small Business Start Up – How To Work On Your Business

admin — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 04:36:06 +0000

Working On your business involves strategic planning versus tactical implementation. That means reflecting on what’s happening outside your business and its effects on you, as opposed to running the day to day operation. The result is reaching your goals by evaluating your processes and developing your own skills. Working In your business involves such daily activities as prospecting, serving customers, administration, and the “feel-good” activity of making bank deposits.

These daily activities will consume all your time and energy and take control of your business if you let them, preventing you from seeing the big picture, anticipating change, and responding to opportunities.

Steps for Working On Your Business

Step One: Plan the Work Weekly

The Harvard Business School completed a study of their graduates to determine what factors contributed to post graduate success. The number one factor was goal setting. The graduates that set goals, either formally or informally, were more likely to be successful in their careers and personal lives. Success was defined as a combination of compensation, career satisfaction, personal and professional achievements, and personal life satisfaction.

Planning the Work begins with goal setting. Know where you want your business to be in a year, in 5 years, and what your exit strategy for the business will be in ten years. Sometimes it is easier to set these goals starting with your exit strategy. Then ask yourself what intermediate steps do I need to do now to be in a position to achieve the goal in the future. This process sets the course of your business from where it is now to its planned destination.

Planning the work requires some time away from the business to determine if you are ‘on-course,’ plan any course corrections, and come back with a work plan that serves your goals.

Step Two: Work the Plan

Each planned goal should have a work plan for success; e.g. If one of your goals for the year is to grow sales by 20% the work plan will outline the activities necessary to achieve the goal.

Step Three: Evaluate Progress on a monthly basis and Make Necessary Course Corrections

Develop reports that provide timely, accurate information related to the weekly work plans and previously set goals. Remember, activity precedes results. Tracking activity will help to interpret the results you are getting. Monitor customer feedback and integrate the information into employee training, product/service innovation, and course corrections. Monitor your direct and indirect competition. Allocate your resources to insure your company’s next stage of development.

Tips for Working On Your Business

Set aside a time (2-3 hours) each week to get away from interruptions; e.g. go to a favorite deli, park, take a walk (use a recorder), etc.

Create your agenda for your time as the week progresses. Add items as they come up.

Meet once a month with someone or a group to go over your ideas. Banker, CPA, lawyer, etc. are also candidates.

Take in some business training workshops for fresh perspectives on issues your tackling.

Your investment of time in this activity will pay you back in generous dividends; e.g. cost savings, increased and better customer prospects, more sane moments, and a shorter distance to success.

By: Bruce D Hunter

Why Business Etiquette Matters

admin — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:10:27 +0000

Today, most people pay little attention to social or business etiquette. While some elements of traditional etiquette may seem dates and pre-”high tech”, they are worth reviewing – and incorporating into your daily business life.

Telephone calls.

With the exception of “cold calls”, all calls received should be returned within no more than twenty-four hours. This applies to “internal” and “external” calls. Of course, calls to customers – current and potential – should be returned first.

Office Visits

When visiting someone’s office, whether a customer, boss or “internal” customer, take no more time than is absolutely necessary. Treat other’s time as if it were your own.

Bids

When you bid on a job, follow-up directly with the potential client or customer. When you are in receipt of a bid, follow-up with the vendor or consultant whether they win it or not. If the bid is delayed, communicate this fact to the vendor or consultant.

Resumes

When you post a job opening and you interview someone by telephone (screening) or face-to-face, follow-up the interview with either a call or e-mail. When you have selected a candidate, let those you interviewed who did not get the job know that you selected someone else.

Meetings

Schedule no more meetings than absolutely necessary. Make your meetings brief and to the point with an agenda and a time limit.

Conference Calls

Schedule conference calls when they are most convenient for all participants. If you have participants globally, schedule them at different times to share the inconvenience among all participants. Send out an agenda and time limit in advance. Make sure all participants are on time and remain for the entire call.

Customers

The customer is first in all things. Ahead of the boss. Ahead of subordinates. Ahead of suppliers. Even ahead of your family and personal life. They pay the bills. Do not ever inconvenience a customer.

Email

E-mail is both a blessing and a curse. Those who worked prior to e-mail remember regular mail drops and office couriers. Respond to all customer e-mails within no more than twenty-four hours. Respond to all other e-mail sent directly to you (excluding “spam” and mass group e-mailings) within forty-eight hours. Only address emails to those who absolutely need the information (response, request or whatever) within them.

Time

Respect the time of others. If you are going to be late, call them to let them know. If you must leave a meeting early, let the “owner” of the meeting know in advance. And if an appointment or meeting must be cancelled, let the participants know as far in advance as possible so they can rearrange their schedules.

Business etiquette may seem basic but increasingly, business people think of themselves and not others. Not their clients or customers. Not their employees. And not their vendors or suppliers. Business etiquette is often rewarded by others behaving in a similar manner. Take the first step by making an example through your actions and those of your team.

By: George F Franks III

Business Etiquette – A Primer on Your Business and Social Dynamics

admin — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 10:22:56 +0000

Managing your behaviors in a positive way – good manners or “etiquette” if you will – will serve you well in your business and personal life. The term “business etiquette” refers particularly to those behaviors in the business world that can impact your career favorably. But what is it exactly? The dictionary defines etiquette as “the conduct or procedure required by good breeding or prescribed by authority to be observed in social or official life.” Now, here’s the problem with that definition: it conjures up images of people drinking tea out of delicate china cups with their pinkie fingers extended. For that reason, I don’t like the term “etiquette.”

Emily Post once said, “Etiquette is the science of living.” Ah, now that’s better. Given that it’s all about our behaviors and attitudes, I choose to call this concept “Business and Social Dynamics,” since we’re talking about the dynamics of your interactions in your business and social life. There are other terms I like, as well: presence, professionalism, emotional intelligence. Why is this concept so important? When our behaviors are positive and professional, we have a powerful, positive presence – we’re noticed and taken seriously. When we practice these skills, we’re more likeable. And when we’re more likeable, our interactions are more productive, our environment is more pleasant, and our desired outcomes are usually more successful.

Here are some of these dynamics or behaviors — little things that mean a lot:
Show interest in others. Nothing – and I mean nothing – is a stronger likeability factor. Be a good listener. Pay attention when others are talking, hear what they’re saying, and let them know you’ve heard them by responding appropriately. Don’t interrupt someone who is talking. Resist trying to top another person’s story. Practice basic good manners: say “please,” “thank you,” and “excuse me” when appropriate. Step up, take initiative, volunteer – it’s extremely memorable. Learn to make proper introductions. Here’s a tip: whenever possible, you say the name of the more important person first. Strive to learn and remember people’s names. Repeating the name, asking for its spelling, committing to remembering it, and making word associations will help. Return phone calls and emails promptly. Mind your dining manners. Don’t talk with your mouth full, learn place settings so you know which glass is yours (everything you drink from is on the right), choose your utensils from the outside in, put your napkin on your lap when you sit down at the table, and leave it there until you rise to leave. Compliment good ideas and good work. Be a team player. Not everyone can be the captain. Don’t engage in malicious gossip or spread rumors. Don’t whine and complain to others about things that can’t be fixed. Make your Facebook and other social media profiles clean and professional – something you’ll have no regrets about. Write a note – to say thank you, congratulations, best wishes, I’m sorry, etc. Strive to make others feel comfortable – whether it’s a newcomer, a customer, a guest, a junior associate. Show enthusiasm and energy in everything you do.

By: Barbara Busey

Become A Better Business Person

admin — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:59:50 +0000

Let me ask you this… What makes a successful business owner?

Well for me, a successful business owner is someone that earns well into six figures or more each year from their business, working around 3 to 4 days (or less) per week.

I call this ‘successful’ because if they can make a few hundred thousand a year from their business, and only work a few days per week – they have to have a lot of great things in place…

Not just in their business – but in their personal life.

It tells me that in their business they have fabulous systems and staff members that are willing and able to work even when the owner isn’t there.

And the business would have great information systems so that the business owner would know everything that’s going on (even though they’re not there) – so they can still ‘control’ the business.

They’d have excellent marketing and sales systems that day in day out draw in ‘ideal’ customers that willingly buy from the business, at full price.

Plus because of the level of service and quality in the business the customers are loyal and enthusiastically refer other people to the business.

The business owner would also have a high level of trust in their staff to run the business – which shows me a couple of things.

Number 1, they’d have excellent staff recruitment and training programs to build their staff into competent team members.

And Number 2 – They’d have a high level emotional maturity to allow this to happen.

In their personal life, I’d consider these business owners successful because they would have enough free time during the week to spend on their own doing exercise or their favourite hobbies.

This recharges their ‘batteries’ and keeps them fresh. Thus they always seem to be ‘on-the-ball’.

Plus, they spend good quality time with their partner at home and their family.

And that’s crucial.

Just ask anyone whose business has caused a marriage break up, and/or illness through stress.

You see, growing a business that overtakes your life – is very, very easy. Most business owners achieve this within the first couple of weeks of starting!

Growing a business that also enhances your lifestyle – is a lot more difficult.

But it is possible.

And that’s what I do with the business owners I work with.

We create profitable business growth – that enhance their lifestyles

For me it’s about – Business and Life Harmony.

So what’s the underlying secret to achieving it?

Commit to becoming a better business person.

Every successful business owner will tell you this…

It’s not one single thing that will make the difference to your business growth.

It’s a lot of things.

You see most business owners are waiting for the ‘one big’ order or the ‘one great year’ or the ‘one great staff member’ that will make all the difference.

The successful business owners know differently.

The successful business owners know that to have an extraordinary business – they must be an extraordinary business person.

They know that if they want to grow to $2 Million… they have to learn how to become a $2 Million business owner. And this requires improving their business skills.

There are many skills to learn.

You’ve got to know how to make the product or deliver the service.
You’ve got to know how to market your business
How to sell, how to find suppliers, how to negotiate, how to hire people, how to train people, how to read and understand financial statements the list goes on and on.

Yet – it can be, and is simple… when you learn how to do it simply.

And that’s my role with you.

You see as a business coach my skill is making your business growth predictable, controllable and a hell of a lot easier.

All of my clients will tell you that.

So back to you.

If you want to grow your business – you may realize that you need to learn some new information and skills.

And that’s what Super successful business owners have done before you.

They realize that to really grow their business – they MUST become a better business person.

Most ‘unsuccessful’ business owners believe that the way to grow their business is by making a better product, or providing a better service.

They feel that if they have the ‘best’ product – the market will come to them.

Well the product or service is only one part of your business. It’s not enough.

Super successful business owners initially build their business on a good product or service. Then when it comes time to grow… they focus on areas that will grow their business.

Super successful business owners focus on areas that most unsuccessful business owner’s neglect or are too busy to focus on.

Areas like…

• Creating Vision, Mission and Values Statements

• Marketing

• Sales

• Customer Care

• Operations

• People

• Team building

• Financial statement

• Financial analysis

• Taxation

• Law

• Technology

• Key Performance Indicators

• Business/life balance

• And building their wealth through

All of these areas sound separate yet they are extremely interconnected and dependant on each other. And as we travel through each session you’ll hear how each topic is linked to, and how much each topic relies on the other topics for its success.

That’s what makes a great business person – using all the areas.

It may seem like a long list. If it does or doesn’t don’t worry. It’s a list that I’m absolutely passionate about helping you with.

Because that’s the first step to growing your business.

Become a better business person by working on your business, rather than just working in it.

It’s what I do with clients that I work with one-on-one over a couple of years in my Business Coaching Program.

Copyright © 2006 by Casey Gollan. All Rights Reserved

By: Casey Gollan