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Home » Business And Finance Articles » You Dont Have To Be Sick To Get Better

You Don't have to be sick to get better

Hi there,

I'm always amazed at how disorganised most businesses are. The huge amount of opportunities that fall by the wayside due to poor management. Let me tell you what happened to me recently.

The Car Dealership

I stopped off at my local dealership as I was interested in updating my current vehicle. This dealership is very well-known and spend a fortune on advertising trying to attract more buyers.

I walked in to the new car division and was greeted by a saleswoman. I made some general enquiries and at the end of our conversation decided it wasn't worthwhile purchasing a new vehicle at that time. The salesperson didn't know what questions to ask me and relied on me asking all the questions. She obviously hadn't been trained in selling. When I left she didn't even ask me for my contact details.

I then walked over to the Used Car division. There were two salesmen filling in the afternoon, chatting about the cricket. I had to interrupt their very important conversation to get some assistance. I then asked all the relevant questions (remember I'm the buyer here, not the seller...it should have been the other way around) and I looked at a couple of different cars. Not once did the salesman try to point out the benefits of the cars. All he did was watch me. When I said "thanks very much for your time", he said "have a great day".

Again, there was an opportunity to sell me and he did nothing!

The Real Estate Agent

I went to a seminar and heard a well-known agent speak about how they have successfully built their business and how much they really look after their clients.

A couple of weeks later, I rang one of his agents as I was interested in a particular development. I left a message and mentioned that I was seriously looking and to call me back. I had to ring three days later as the call was never returned. The saleswoman gave no apology and was in fact very unfriendly. (Possibly because it was a Sunday). I asked her a few questions and it turned out there wasn't a suitable apartment in the block that would fit my scenario. Instead of asking for all my contact details, she just hung up!

What Should Have Happened?

First of all the owners of these businesses should have their people undertake regular training on selling and communicating. Not only that... and this is a big one, they need to learn how to follow up. These 'salespeople' should have asked for my contact details and had a system to stay in contact with me. At some stage the right product to suit my needs could become available and all they had to do was call an already 'hot prospect'.

What Can You Do To Increase Your Profits?

Train your people...constantly. You can't be an expert in everything, send your people out to conferences, seminars and workshops so they can gain valuable skills and utilise them in your business. Make sure you go as well.

At many of my public workshops on "How to Have Less Mess, Less Stress and More Success", quite often business owners and managers send their staff along. Their people gain great benefit from attending, although without a doubt, the staff's biggest challenge is management. It's the management who need to attend the most as they can influence change.

You Don't Have To Be Sick To Be Better

Two weeks ago I attended a Bob Proctor Seminar entitled "You Were Born Rich". A key statement that I picked up on was "You don't have to be sick to be better".

I interpreted that statement as you need to be proactive. Don't wait until your business, your health or your personal life is falling apart, always look at ways of improving even when life is going well.

3 Key Ways To Get Better

Learn how to get organised and manage your time. Business owners are generally too busy being reactive and don't spend time developing themselves and their people which in turn will develop their business and ultimately make them more money. They'll also discover how to have more work/life balance.

Invest in the services of a business coach. A good coach will have 'the rungs on the board' and should also be a good role model of what they do. They'll show you how to work smarter, not harder. Before signing any agreement, check them out. Speak to other people they've worked with.

Don't be afraid to invest money in this area. If you can learn how to develop your business so that it runs effectively and is more profitable...why wouldn't you do so?

A business coach takes a holistic approach to help you develop your business. They'll show you how to have more time, more money and more life. The benefits you gain will far outweigh the investment you make.

Get fit and healthy. You'll feel good, look good and be more productive.

The Final Word

What are you going to do differently this year so that you can be better? What actions have you taken so far? And if you haven't done anything yet... what are you waiting for?

The results you achieve in your life whether at work or home are directly down to you. So take charge of your life now. Time flies by so quickly...and before you know it, Easter will be here.

Have a great week!

Lorraine

And here is another random article you might be interested in...

Minimize Your Office And Equipment Start-Up Costs

When you set up your office area you have to consider clients, suppliers, family, neighbors and yourself. The balance is easy to achieve when you keep in mind the double function your home has from now on: a home and an office. Below I outline the baby-steps that will help you to achieve this balance.

Define your work area

This is the first step on your path to success. If you don't have a defined work area, a place that says to you "While You Are Here, You Are At Work!", then you will probably stumble in a lot of distractions and by the end of the day you will be surprised with how little you have done. You should not limit your idea of work area to space only. Consider time dimensions, too. Your coach could be your office, if your family knows that you are working and not sleeping, petting the cat or watching TV.

You should always keep in mind your cost. If defining your area means drywall, purchasing that awesome coach and a new carpet, then you'd better reconsider. Your business will be pretty slow for the first few months, so you'd better save that money for promotion and to secure your basic expenses.

Equip it

Equipment is always a two-sided issue—you have to keep your costs at a minimum and at the same time you have to be professional and not to look "cheap".

The first place to start cutting your costs is furniture. Think classic, think second-hand, and think professional use! Don't fall for that brand-new filling cabinet for "home use"—it is likely to become outdated very soon and fall apart just when you need it. You will be better off with a comfortable second-hand chair, table and filling cabinet that were actually used and proved to be sturdy enough.

Now, let's look at the "tools". In most of the cases they constitute of your computer, keyboard, mouse, printer and your website. It is my personal observation that the most sensitive pieces of equipment are the mouse and the keyboard, so I would recommend that you consider the best quality for these two. Your monitor is also very important, but I've found that you don't need Sony in order to feel comfortable and keep your eyes healthy. A good alternative is CTX.

Finally, let's look at your website. Your website is your store- front and here, you'll have to go an extra mile in order to create a good first impression. If you can afford it, I would recommend that you hire a professional web designer. However, if money is tight, there are various alternatives that will help you to create a professional image. One of my favorites is BigStep ( http://www.bigstep.com ) that will help you to create your site in several easy steps. Another good source is Working Solo ( http://www.workingsolo.com ) and the SCORE program ( http://www.score.org ) that offers free consulting for over 500 categories. Once you have your website ready to be published, you should think about finding a host for it and securing your own domain name. InterNIC lists the major ISP providers here (http://www.internic.net/alpha.html ). There are some very good solutions: http://service.bfast.com/bfast/click? bfmid=12768212&siteid=37618938&bfpage=home offers 200 MB of web space for $200 upfront without Any Monthly Fees. This is a good deal, especially if you plan to keep in business for at least a year. Here: http://www.namezero.com you can secure your business name for free (the free service comes with a navigation bar) or upgrade to the deluxe version.

Think about safety

This section includes anything that may jeopardize your business— from word of mouth that a customer tripped in a toy and broke her neck to a costly lawsuit for damages. Don't dismiss any of these possibilities and research carefully how to insure and protect your business.

Finally, I wish you success with your newborn business!