You’re super keen to build your biz, right?
OF COURSE! That’s the name of the game for small business owners.
In fact, I’ve never met a committed + engaged business owner who wasn’t striving to grow, expand their reach, and aim for loftier goals.
And I applaud that! Mostly because I’m in the same camp myself ;–)
But What Happens When Your Biz Descends Into the Doldrums?
It happens to everyone, right? You sail into a lull … You hit a roadblock … Or just lose focus. And then suddenly… Things. Grind. To. A. Halt. Which leaves you fretting…
“How do I get my biz back on track?”
In business in general, and marketing in particular, the old adage goes: It’s 1% inspiration + 99% perspiration. Which is completely true.
But don’t forget, without that 1% of inspiration, there’s 0% perspiration.
So if your biz needs a kick in the proverbial patooty, here are three strategies that have helped me, and loads of other small business owners, get back in the game…
Knowledge is POWER
Find yourself scrabbling for inspiration + pining for motivation?
Well, I’ll let you in on a little secret… The #1 key to success in marketing, business and life in general is: Lifelong learning.
Knowledge truly is power – because the more you know, the more capable you are of improving your marketing, your business and your life as a whole.
But remember, it’s not all book learnin’… The trick is to keep your eyes, ears and consciousness open and receptive at all times – potentially beneficial knowledge is EVERYWHERE.
On the book learnin’ front, however – thanks to the endless proliferation of business-oriented books (print, ebook + audio), blogs, podcasts and even YouTube channels – there’s more ready access to business-boosting educational content than ever before.
Failure is Opportunity By Another Name
When your biz stagnates, sometimes you just gotta take some risks…
But that’s a mighty tough path to trot down, because risk involves the possibility of F-A-I-L-U-R-E… And NOBODY likes to fall flat on their face.
But everybody DOES. It’s inevitable. And as bad as it feels to fail, in the end it’s not the failure that matters… It’s how you react.
When things don’t go your way, do you crumble and wallow in the agony of defeat?
Or do you take stock, catalog the lessons learned, and pick yourself up in preparation for the next challenge?
Grasping This Concept is M-I-S-S-I-O-N C-R-I-T-T-C-A-L When it Comes To Your Marketing…
Some marketing campaigns are BOUND to fail. It’s simply the Law of Averages.
Even promotions built upon most well-conceived ideas + the best laid plans misfire. It could be… unfortunate timing … ill-conceived targeting … or flawed assumptions. It could be lots of things.
The point is not to “throw in the towel” and give up on marketing, especially when you’re trying to reignite your biz. Instead, evaluate your approach, zero in on your misstep(s), and adjust accordingly in future campaigns.
Positivity is TWO-WAY Street
When you biz starts to slump, often times your attitude is behind the slow-down…
Ever heard the phrase “garbage in – garbage out?”
It’s a common term in the software trade. Software-makers are always under the gun to SHIP their next product. So they run their programmers totally ragged with impossibly short, completely unrealistic deadlines.
The result? Shoddy programing code that produces buggy software. Which winds up frustrating users far more than helping them. (And now you know why EVERYONE hates Microsoft;–)
Believe it or not, it works the same way with the attitude and energy you project. Got a bad attitude? Projecting low-wattage, negative energy? Well that’s EXACTLY the kind of attitude + energy you’re going to receive in return… Garbage in – Garbage out.
And that “garbage” drags your business down into the doldrums.
But on the flipside, if you project a positive attitude, filled with glowing with bright, high-wattage energy, that’s what you’ll get back – in spades!
Think of it like this…
Project bad vibes, and you get… Skeptical, standoffish prospects + hostile, sullen clients.
On the other hand, project good vibes and you get… Intrigued, inquisitive prospects + upbeat, satisfied clients.
And with the positively flowing, you biz is bound to rebound.
What Inspires You?
Potential biz boosting inspiration is everywhere + anywhere! A magazine article, a quick chat with a friend, or even just walking down the street can spark the fire.
When your biz has been sputtering, what are some of your most or unexpected moments of inspiration? Drop by my Google+ page and share some of your most inspirational idea viruses.