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Carver Communications - Index

Carver Communications - 3.15.09 - Index

Vol.XXVII, No.6 © Carver Communications, Inc. March15, 2009
Awaken the Slumbering Power of ... YOU!
By Chuck Bowen
In early 2008 I predicted that we would
look back years from now on 2009-2010 and
see that it was the best time in our country's
history to start-up a small business. Of
course, that remains to be seen -- and many
will question my mental stability -- but, you
can still think of me fondly decades from now
when you realize you and I were right.
Scores of people are being pushed off
the sinking ships of corporate America.
Throngs of others are choosing to leap off
grabbing severance packages as they plunge
into the choppy waters of small business.
Meanwhile, millions of current small biz owners
(the Small Business Administration tells us
that 81% of all businesses have less than 100
employees, while 52% are home-based) are
holding their breath and hoping THEIR business
is minimally affected.
So, what can we do other than simply
hoping? Can we do anything to control the
rudder of our success? Absolutely! Here are
a few ...
Re-visit and refine your gameplan, if
you have one ...
"It's hard to change a tire at 100 miles-
P.O. Box 33862
San Antonio, Texas 78265
per-hour" ~ Unknown
Now is the time to determine if you're
going in the right direction. Sure, your current
strategy seemed the best thing to do at the time,
but times are always changing. The big question
is "Is it the BEST thing for my business at
this moment?". Or, perhaps it's the only thing
you know so it MUST be the best one .... right?
Here are a few thought-provokers:
Is there something you'd do differently
if you were starting out fresh?
What is the biggest opportunity in your
market? What need is arising that wasn't there
a year ago?
What are bigger businesses beginning
to outsource? What problem can you solve
for them or need fulfill?
Is there a new audience now for your
product or service? What will it take for you
to pursue it?
As T. Boone Pickens says, "A fool with
a plan can outsmart a genius with no plan any
day". Imagine what you could do with your
smarts and a roadmap ...
Learn to recognize your ideal customer.
PRSRT STD
U.S. Postage
PAID
San Antonio, Texas
Paid Permit #1957
So many times ... we (as entrpreneurs)
simply cast our nets far too broadly in the market
place. We quickly begin looking like
everyone else because we're afraid to alienate
ANY living, breathing POTENTIAL customer.
Ah, here within lies the myth.
Everyone is not our potential customer. The
truth is that the majority of our prospects are
actually suspects. A suspect is someone who
may hear about you. A prospect is one that
truly has a need that you can uniquely fill and
is an authentic reflection of you and your business.
In other words, you are made for each
other.
Think on these:
What are the specific characteristics of
those you find ideal to work with?
With whom do you do your best work?
Just like the filter on your sink at home,
what are your filters you use to separate your
ideal clients from the contaminants?
What is the marketing message(s) you
use to attract the business you desire?
What kinds of suspects should not be
your customer?
When you are fully and authentically
expressing your values and mission, you will
naturally attract those with whom your business
is designed to best work -- while pushing
away those who are not. Prune your vine.
Refine your message. Magnetize your business!
Prepare your mind for action ...
In challenging business times, even
moderate movement forward in the right
direction can make you appear as if you're at
light speed when your competitors are
"caught in the headlights". One of the keys
to succeed as a small biz owner is that you
must be willing to take prudent risks and act!
Victor Kiam offered that
"Procrastination is opportunity's assassin".
Don't ruin good with perfect. My motto has
always been that if I can't decide between two
or three seemingly equal options, the most difficult
one is likely the right one. Absolutely,
you need to be a prudent risk-taker. The problem
is, far too many of you are highlighting the
merits of thinking (or hoping?) and not enough
doing.
A few years ago, I read a survey of
highly successful CEOs targeting their keys to
success. When asked the question "Looking
back, what one thing would you have done differently
in your career?", the predominant
answer was "Exactly what I ended up doing,
but much sooner". Sometimes, action is the
only preventative for failure.
Where are you not acting today where
you could ... or should?
What can you do to build enough confidence
to get out of your "Ready ... Ready ...
Ready" mode? What don't you know?
Who or what could help you with that?
Every human mind is a great slumbering
power until awakened by a keen desire and
a definite resolution to do.
~ Edgar F. Roberts Be encouraged!
Chuck Bowen Coaching, LLC www.chuckbowen.net,
coach@chuckbowen.net, 210-200-
8520