Monday Motivation – January 23, 2009

It takes vision and courage to create — it takes faith and courage to prove.
—Owen D. Young

The traits of a successful business owners vary across the board. But common to all are vision, courage, and faith.

It takes vision to see the possibilities before you. To sense an opportunity where some may only see a ‘problem’… to take an idea that may seem ethereal and understand what it will take to make it real.

Proving out your ideas takes faith. Too many entrepreneurs fail because they give up too soon. They underestimate the sacrifice in the early years and they forget why they signed up for this gig in the first place. What else would you call the act of marching forward when the road seems so long, the challenges seem so daunting? That, my friends, is an act of faith.

You need courage to put your shackle up and go it alone in the first place. It takes audacity to walk away from a steady paycheck and a 401k plan. You need the wherewithal to hang on when others may have given up.

Not everyone can do it. This is your unique challenge.

Good luck and have a great week.

Staying Sane: Being Productive, Even in the Slow Times

So you just submitted a big proposal to a prospective client who could really make a difference for your business. If this one comes through, it could make your year – or at least it could cover your payroll for the next few months. You are naturally patient, understanding that it will take time for your prospective client to consider your proposal and potentially review competitors’ proposals.

Rather than waste this “waiting time” with busy work, why not make the most of it? Avoid going stir crazy – by making your time as productive as possible, you’ll feel better and you’ll likely be moving your business forward by acquiring new leads or cultivating existing ones.

Tips for Tapping into Time

We’ve outlined some key tasks that will not only make you feel productive, they will actually produce results. From contacting prospects to getting your business organized, the following tips are all key investments in your business and future.

Schedule a minimum of two hours a day for phone calling

Make your phone calls in the morning while you are your referrals are both fresh and alert, treating this time as you would any important appointment. Your objective for your calls is to create interst, gather data and make an appointment. You’ll feel good when you can get those parts completed.

Call your best customers

When’s the last time you talked to them? They are your best business asset, so invest time into them. A simple phone call is always appreciated. See how they’re doing, what’s new and if there’s anything you can do for them (and don’t forget to record new information into a customer profile!)

Go to industry or association events

Usually, networking activities are the first thing to go when we get busy. Now that you have some space, get up and get out. Talking to people – whether colleagues or potential clients – is not only good business relationship management, but a welcome social outlet.

Work on your customer database

Now is the time to start recording all of the interactions, phone calls and lists that have been either stored in your mind or on disparate pieces of paper. Taking the time to organize in a database (Microsoft Excel or Access are completely sufficient) will pay off in the long run.

So, did you get the call back? If it’s a good answer, great! If not, don’t take rejection personally. It is to be anticipated and is a natural part of the selling process. Learn from it by using it as a valuable feedback tool and keep persevering!

Plan Your Work, Work Your Plan

The Small Business Owners Daily Work Plan

We all have emergencies that enter into our world. But if we let ourselves be driven by the latest & loudest, we never make progress towards our long term goals.

If we’re going to ‘advance the ball’, we need to Plan Our Work & Work Our Plan.

Successful business owners wake up each morning, assess their progress towards our goals, and make darn sure they take one step – as small as it may be — towards that goal.

Each day builds on the success of the previous day.

Unfortunately, most of us start our days just by picking up what’s left over from yesterday. We scan our emails, we pick up the latest emergency, and we let ourselves be victims to all the stuff coming at us.

If our work has no context – no meaning – we end up feeling overwhelmed. Worse, we don’t advance the most critical projects to our success and happiness.

It’s what Stephen Covey called putting the ‘Big Rocks First.’

In a famous example from his book, First Things First, Covey tells the story of a teacher in front of a class with a wide-mouth gallon jar. Next to the jar is a pile of fist-sized rocks.

After filling the jar to the top with the rocks, the teacher asks the class if the milk jug is full. The class answers, ‘Yes.’

The teacher then takes out a box of tiny pebbles underneath his desk and then places them into the container, topping it off.

The teacher asks again if the container is full? Tentatively, they answer ‘Yes’ again.

The teacher then takes out a bag of sand and pours it into the container filling it to the top. Then he takes water and pours it into the container.

He says ‘Ok, NOW it’s full?’

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BizCamp is Firming Up!

Taking a break from the day-to-day and being exposed to the ideas and experiences of your peers stimulates the mind, rejuvinates the entrepreneurial spirit, and puts a fire in your ability to you get back to work with renewed vigor.