I hear business owners say things like this all the time: "I had a horrible year because of the downturn," "My franchise failed to support me enough," "There's too much competition in the area I work within," "I'm too new in the business to make a bunch of money." Enough! Do you make excuses too? It's a common illness in the business world distinguished by frequent and habitual usage of excuses.
When you use excuses like these, you are spinning an illusion of limiting convictions. We hear them each day from smart and gifted entrepreneurs who ought to know better - and we know the truth too. If you're not where you would like to be in your business building, it is very likely because of your own doing.
Be warned, because I am going to share a little hard love with you. Here's a series of questions for entrepreneurs who've excuses.
Are you doing the things you've got to do?
This could seem like a "duh" question, but I'm continually amazed by how many clever and inspired folks are just not implementing lead generating systems into their business. What they are doing is sporadic, I-do-it-when-I-run-out-of-business systems. Put simply, they attempt to play catch up after a year of customer neglect. Getting the right system in place is the hardest part.
Are you doing things you don't need to do?
If you're spending much of your time planning your own website, you are taking valuable time off from developing your own experience in your field of business. Unless your business is web-design and you are a web-design expert, hire one. Let the pros do their job. If you are in the office late at night sorting documents, perhaps that time would be used more wisely if you had systems in place that naturally take care of your paperwork as you go along through the day. Ask, "Where am I frittering away time in my business?" Then, take action to set aright your task list.
Do you have the tools you need to do the job?
I am not talking about the most recent software program or fruity machine. I am talking about the basics - solid promoting materials, engaging advertising, robust lead generation systems. I see so many entrepreneurs who have one or two of these, but who are waiting for more sales before taking care of the rest. Don't put the cart before the horse. The way to earn money is to do what you must do to get everything critical set up as soon as possible in order that it's there when you need it.
Have you done your research?
Do you really know your market? Are you able to immediately quote the pricing of your competitors? If inventory is important to your industry, do you actually know what level it is at? Do you know the average salary of your target client? Be aware of other prosperous companies in your field and discover what they are doing differently. Success leaves clues.
Are you consistent?
Maybe you do everything you should be doing for one week, or two, and then you slack off. Perhaps you send out one ad and then wait half a year before you schedule another. Consistency is king! If you're not getting a response, it often can be traced back to a lack of consistency.
Are you worn out?
It's also possible that you're just burned out. When was the last time you took a holiday? I mean a real holiday without a mobile phone and the briefcase locked away. No peeking in emails. If you aren't getting enough time to enjoy life then consider a need to step back from your business and give yourself some time to be separated from it in order that you can come back to it refreshed, powered up, and able to approach your problems with an objective point of view.
Do you have enough education?
One of the most effective ways to take control of your excuses is to get out and participate in a class from a teacher that you respect. Find a teacher who can push you and provide you with a trustworthy outside viewpoint. That means that if you are a cook, you find a chef's school; if you're a real estate agent, you find somebody experienced who can offer you real estate coaching. All the most successful people I know in business got there, in part, because they sought coaching by other successful people.
So take a good hard look at your excuses. We've all got them. We wrap ourselves in them to protect our egos from failure, but in the end we're only fooling ourselves. For each excuse, ask yourself, "Is this valid or is there a solution to it?" Whatever your excuses are, they can be cleared up with proper analysis, revision and implementation.
When you use excuses like these, you are spinning an illusion of limiting convictions. We hear them each day from smart and gifted entrepreneurs who ought to know better - and we know the truth too. If you're not where you would like to be in your business building, it is very likely because of your own doing.
Be warned, because I am going to share a little hard love with you. Here's a series of questions for entrepreneurs who've excuses.
Are you doing the things you've got to do?
This could seem like a "duh" question, but I'm continually amazed by how many clever and inspired folks are just not implementing lead generating systems into their business. What they are doing is sporadic, I-do-it-when-I-run-out-of-business systems. Put simply, they attempt to play catch up after a year of customer neglect. Getting the right system in place is the hardest part.
Are you doing things you don't need to do?
If you're spending much of your time planning your own website, you are taking valuable time off from developing your own experience in your field of business. Unless your business is web-design and you are a web-design expert, hire one. Let the pros do their job. If you are in the office late at night sorting documents, perhaps that time would be used more wisely if you had systems in place that naturally take care of your paperwork as you go along through the day. Ask, "Where am I frittering away time in my business?" Then, take action to set aright your task list.
Do you have the tools you need to do the job?
I am not talking about the most recent software program or fruity machine. I am talking about the basics - solid promoting materials, engaging advertising, robust lead generation systems. I see so many entrepreneurs who have one or two of these, but who are waiting for more sales before taking care of the rest. Don't put the cart before the horse. The way to earn money is to do what you must do to get everything critical set up as soon as possible in order that it's there when you need it.
Have you done your research?
Do you really know your market? Are you able to immediately quote the pricing of your competitors? If inventory is important to your industry, do you actually know what level it is at? Do you know the average salary of your target client? Be aware of other prosperous companies in your field and discover what they are doing differently. Success leaves clues.
Are you consistent?
Maybe you do everything you should be doing for one week, or two, and then you slack off. Perhaps you send out one ad and then wait half a year before you schedule another. Consistency is king! If you're not getting a response, it often can be traced back to a lack of consistency.
Are you worn out?
It's also possible that you're just burned out. When was the last time you took a holiday? I mean a real holiday without a mobile phone and the briefcase locked away. No peeking in emails. If you aren't getting enough time to enjoy life then consider a need to step back from your business and give yourself some time to be separated from it in order that you can come back to it refreshed, powered up, and able to approach your problems with an objective point of view.
Do you have enough education?
One of the most effective ways to take control of your excuses is to get out and participate in a class from a teacher that you respect. Find a teacher who can push you and provide you with a trustworthy outside viewpoint. That means that if you are a cook, you find a chef's school; if you're a real estate agent, you find somebody experienced who can offer you real estate coaching. All the most successful people I know in business got there, in part, because they sought coaching by other successful people.
So take a good hard look at your excuses. We've all got them. We wrap ourselves in them to protect our egos from failure, but in the end we're only fooling ourselves. For each excuse, ask yourself, "Is this valid or is there a solution to it?" Whatever your excuses are, they can be cleared up with proper analysis, revision and implementation.
About the Author:
The founding partner of The Lones Group, Denise Lones brings over twenty years of experience in the real estate industry. With expertise in strategic marketing, business analysis, real estate branding and training for real estate agents , Denise is nationally recognized as the go-to for all things "real estate."
No comments:
Post a Comment