Now is a good time to free-associate a little bit let your mind roam, exploring every avenue that you would like your business to go down. It is often assumed that wages are lower than they should be, that the laborer in some way is deprived of a portion of what he has rightfully earned. You're in business to make a profit, not to work hard for little or no reward. In four of the houses, positions had been open for six months or more, and the sharpest kind of a lookout kept for possible occupants.
Be Passionate and Determined
The
reasons why Bill
Gates decided to start Microsoft may be vastly different from the reasons John Dough decided to buy his own pizza business. An
equal-equity partner may,
quite naturally, demand approximately equal control. For
the rest of
your target customer list, constant reminding is required to grow your business. Put
up flaming posters,
announcing 'Squashville day,' 'Jonesboro Day,' 'Bloomington day.' Strictly instruct your clerks to tell your customers the precise nature of every article; if the quality is inferior, make them to understand exactly what they are getting for their money; and if there be a flaw, let them be careful to point it out.
Identify problems early
In
fact, every business
was, at some point in its lineage, a small business. That
meant if you
were smart and on the ball you would be able to generate enough cash from selling your products to be able to pay the invoice when it became due, without having to borrow money from anyone. At
its most extreme,
reputation can literally keep you in business, as is the case with many companies, such as IBM and Walmart, whose well-developed reputations have tided them over in hard times. Then
you wait for
the results of your efforts.
Act quickly before others jump in line ahead of you
When
organizations and individuals
are not required to bear the negative consequences of their failures, a moral hazard exists. PROMOTION
IS ONE area
where not having any money to spend can be a positive advantage. The
other information it
contains, from market research to management bios, can be considered supporting arguments. Not
only does it
cost more total dollars to market, it is harder to get potential customers' attention.
Make the Quality department a happy place to work
It
is the difference
between holding a piece of paper with a number written on it, and holding banknotes and coins in your hand. What
do you stand
for and support? Have
you ever hired
a manager, salesperson, or employee too quickly, without proper screening or reference checks, because you were too busy and needed to fill an empty slot to get your work completed? You
have to decide:
Are you more formal or chatty?
Customer service? it's easy if you do it smart
or
something reasonably close.
You
also may find
inconsistencies in a working plan that you need to address as you move forward with your business planning. Has
competition for your
new product arisen sooner than you guessed? Building
trusted relationships with
customers is another excellent way to give them what they want.