Business success strategies - 5 Things I Did Right in 2005
by Michele PW
Published on this site: February 11th, 2006 - See
more articles from this month
All in all, I'm pretty happy with how 2005 turned out.My business
is taking off. I've built a solid foundation to support even
more growth (which I forecast for 2006) and I've even managed
to take some time off.
I'd like other entrepreneurs and business owners to feel
as good about their business as I do about mine, so I thought
I'd take a moment to share 5 things I attribute to my successful
2005.
- Attended seminars. This one is Huge. Nothing beats
getting out of your office and away from your computer and
actually meeting people face to face. I've come away from
these events with clients, joint venture partners, and more.
(And that doesn't even include the great information I absorbed
and was able to put to use in both my business and my clients'
businesses.) If you only put one of my 5 tips to use, this
would be the one to do - that's how valuable I've discovered
attending seminars to be.
- Hired a coach. Again, this was another tough decision
to make, but I'm really glad I did. It's difficult to see
your business objectively, so having a neutral observer
on your team is extremely valuable. Coaches help you get
out of your own way (and believe me, that's a biggie for
us entrepreneurs.) They can help you with both your inner
game (your habits and mindset) and your outer game (your
skills and business structure).
- Started systemizing my business. Unless you want
to be chained to your business night and day, you have got
to start systemizing your business. Yes, all businesses
should have systems in place, even if you don't have anyone
else working for you and you primarily sell services. The
best part is when you do have systems in place, your business
suddenly starts running a lot more efficiently and effectively
(and you can start sleeping better at night and relaxing
on vacation).
- Outsourced. For all you control freaks out there,
this one is for you. If you don't start hiring some help,
I guarantee you'll never be able to grow your business because
you'll be constantly doing tasks you have no business doing.
Do yourself a favor and get some help...now. I've just hired
a project manager/director of client services, plus I have
2 backup writers and 2 virtual assistants.Building a team has been a big stress reliever
for me.
- Focused on my inner game. Shifting my mindset
away from "freelancer" to "business owner"
was another big piece of the puzzle. As soon as I made that
shift, all the other four techniques fell into place because
it suddenly made them easier to do.
It's tough to change your inner game on your own - hiring
a coach is probably the fastest way to do this. But there
are some good resources out there if you want to begin dabbling
in it first. Do a search and see what comes up, I started
my journey with free ezines and articles.
Creativity Exercise - Make 2006 the best year ever
Go back and reread my list. Now get out a piece of paper
and start brainstorming ways you can integrate my tips into
your business. Which one do you think will bring the quickest
results? Which one will be more difficult for you to start
doing? Which is the one you should be doing?
Have fun with this exercise, really play around and see what
comes up. Don't censor yourself, just write down the answers
that bubble up even if it doesn't seem right. You might discover
something important about yourself and your business that
might be the key to launching you forward faster than you
ever dreamed possible.
Michele PW (Michele Pariza Wacek) owns Creative
Concepts and Copywriting LLC, a copywriting, marketing communications
and creativity agency. She helps people become more successfull
at attracting new clients, selling products and services and
boosting business. To find out how she can help you take your
business to the next level, visit her site at http://www.writingusa.com
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