How safe is your business if the U.S. experiences a
recession this year? Will it do well, continuing along its
productivity and growth projectory with little more than a
slight re-focusing and tightening of the belt? Or will it
dissolve into ruin, going belly-up as consumers hunker down
by reducing spending?
On Tuesday, January 8, 2008, President Bush gave his State
of the Union address to Congress, televised for all to see.
In it, he stated:
"Our first goal is clear: We must have an economy that
grows fast enough to employ every man and woman who seeks a
job. After recession, terrorist attacks, corporate scandals
and stock market declines, our economy is recovering
— yet it's not growing fast enough, or strongly
enough. With unemployment rising, our nation needs more
small businesses to open, more companies to invest and
expand, more employers to put up the sign that says, 'Help
Wanted'."
Some small business owners listening to the broadcast
buried their heads in the sand, thinking a recession isn't
going to occur. Some mistakenly believe that the U.S.
government will take care of them if there is a recession.
For others, the cloud of impending gloom has already begun
to cast its shadow.
Earlier this week it was reported that the U.S. economy is
primed to slump into a three-quarter recession. What will
you do? What action will you take to recession-proof your
small business this year . . . or any year, for that matter?
What if there were a simple, effective solution to ensure
your business productivity and growth, no matter what the
economy does? Would you want to learn more? What if I told
you there are ways to increase productivity no matter what
the economic climate — not just by a little, but by
20 percent? Would you be interested?
Seven Sure-fire Ways to Boost Productivity
1. Be known for delivering great products and services.
Now, more than ever, this oft repeated maxim is true. Your
products and services are a reflection of you, are the
frontline calling card for your business, and are the
number one way to make your customers trip all over
themselves referring others to you.
2. Stand out by offering an astonishing guarantee, one so
amazing that others in your industry would balk at offering
it. Delivering on your astonishing guarantee distinguishes
you and gets your business noticed.
3. Add value, not price. Continuously adding value to your
products and services makes you look rich and attractive to
your customers and prospects. Adding price without value
makes you look cheap.
4. Cultivate business with customers who have similar
beliefs and interests. This eliminates having to work with
jerks.
5. Connect to give; don't connect to get. Cultivate
mutually beneficial win-win relationships with emphasis on
the "give" part. Ask not what your customer can do for you,
but what you can do for your customer. Then deliver.
6. Command time and space this year and create what you see
for yourself, not what someone else sees for you. Meet your
own sales goals, provide your own growth incentives, and
keep abreast of the markets so you can remain on the
cutting edge, rather than waiting for someone else to do
these things for you.
7. Forget about last year. Whether you did well or not,
forget about it. Create a new voice. In the words of T. S.
Eliot, "Last year's words belong to last year's language,
and next year's words await another voice."
What makes these seven steps so special? How will they
recession-proof your business? These seven steps focus
exclusively on strengthening your business from the inside,
at its core. They are not dependent upon outside sources or
resources to function or sustain them. They focus on
actions you can easily and effectively take now. No
long-term planning is required to implement them. They are
things that everyone — from solopreneur to company of
20 — can do right now.
Do yourself a favor. Don't stand idly by with a
wait-and-see mindset. Recession-proof your business to
ensure increased productivity and growth this year. Take
these seven steps now. Make 2008 your best year ever.
You'll be glad you did!
----------------------------------------------------
Dr. Susan L. Reid is a business coach and consultant for
entrepreneurial women starting up businesses. She is the
author of "Discovering Your Inner Samurai: The
Entrepreneurial Woman's Journey to Business Success". Susan
provides intuitive small business solutions, powerful
attraction marketing tools, inspiration, and direction.
Visit http://www.SuccessfulSmallBizOwners.com and download
your copy of her latest free business success article.
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