How To Run A Successful Small Business

Let's face it, it's not easy being a small business owner or a professional only. In addition to creating effective marketing plans and marketing strategies that will have customers who pay through the door, we need to be above all other important aspects of running a business.

With only 24 hours in a day, a brain and two hands with which they take care of everything, we must find ways to work smarter, not harder, if we want to build successful businesses without sacrificing our sanity in the process.

There are a number of ways to leverage your time so you can maximize profits. Here are my top 10:

1. Get moving, deleting the procrastinator's best friend: the ". Messy desk / Office Syndrome" If this is something that is plagued with you, you will kill the beast so much easier if you take the approach that I call "The 3 D System "for the organization that directs that you look at what's on your desk or what is cluttering your office and is discharging, deal with it or delegate it.

2. Outsource everything that is not the best use of your time. Watch where you make your money, and if it is bookkeeping, maintenance of the Web site or marketing materials for writing, for example, cultivate those tasks to someone who can make them much more quickly and efficiently than you can .

3. Take things from your list of "do's" and block the actual times to work on specific items. For example, 10-10:30 AM might be to return phone calls; 1-2:00 AM to work on an article, 2-3:00 PM may have to update the marketing plan or to search for events networking business. You will be amazed at how much more you do when you assign specific times for doing things.

4. Resist the temptation to answer the phone every time it rings like a new conversation will not only distract from what you are doing, but can lead to quit farming all together as you become drawn in solving other issues. If you work alone, pretending to have a secretary and that you told him or her to "hold all calls." Then return your calls when you have clear ideas and time to address them.

5. Take care of your e-mail: do not let them take care of you. Resist the temptation and commit to check your in-box only twice a day: first thing in the morning and around 3:00 PM.

6. The specific objectives, realistic goals, with a calendar and commit to taking at least two phases of action every day.

7. Avoid being overwhelmed by chunking down into manageable chunks each activity. Not only do more, you'll feel great as you realize what you have achieved.

8. Addressing the first things that I hate. As a dentist, you'll feel a lot better when that phone call you feared and avoided is over.

9. Building accountability in all that is difficult or important to you. No matter if it is crafting your marketing message, write press releases, or put together a media kit, you will get much more done if you are responsible to someone for completing your actions. If you are not working with a business coach, find a neutral party to help you stay on track.

10. Stop spinning your wheels and start making more money by making a well-defined niche in which they direct all your marketing efforts. Make sure your target market is one that a) has a need for your services, b) is underserved, and c) can afford the fees. Be as specific as possible when determining your niche and create marketing materials that respond to their needs and that the location is the solution to your target market was looking for.

Bottom Line: Efficiency is the key to productivity and productivity is the key to increased revenue.

Copyright (c) 2006 Leni Chauvin ......