The Eight to Be Great First Year Rules… Looking ahead a year from now can seem a bit daunting, especially when you start to think about all the little details and hurdles (big and small) you’ll have to overcome in these first 12 months. There is so much you have to accomplish in the first year of starting your business. Here are eight great tips to keep in mind as you begin your journey. This tip holds true not just for your first year but for all years after!
one. Become an expert in your field. Read at least 30 minutes every day from a book or industry literature (magazines, e-zines, and newsletters) on a topic related to your business. If you own an office cleaning business and can’t find books on your specific specialty, look for books on customer service, time management, and organizational skills. Read about green cleaning products, read marketing magazines, listen to training CDs in your car to and from your client meetings. Sacrifice TV time for your education. Even after you’ve established yourself, continuing education will be important to keeping your business relevant.
2. Let the whole world know your business. Tell all your friends and family, co-workers (if you’ve started your part-time business alongside your 9-5 job). keep it short and simple. Express your excitement about your new endeavors and your sincere desire to offer your service to anyone who might know you. The purpose of this is not to do business with your relative, but if they know someone who needs your services, they can refer you. Word of mouth is the most powerful and economical type of advertising that exists.
3. Keep and organize every contact you make. Whether it’s Sally’s dad she met at her son’s soccer game, Steve the plumber, or her local librarian, get her contact information. It may not seem relevant to you at the time; but all these people can be an asset to you in the future. They may even be a competitor, but you never know how you can help each other along the way. Start keeping track of the business cards you collect. Don’t let them accumulate on the console of your car. Launch a “Contacts” filing system, either an old Rolodex or computer software like Microsoft Outlook. On each Rolodex card (virtual or real), write a quick note about how you met and what line of business you are in.
Four. Don’t quit your day job. If your schedule allows, keep your day job until you have enough income to support you and your family. If you have the additional income, you’ll be less likely to throw in the towel when things get tough with the business, because you’ll have financial leeway.
5. Network, Network, Network…..I cannot stress this enough. It’s not about belonging to a professional club, or just networking with people in your industry, or joining a social networking website. Join the chamber of commerce, volunteer at the local animal shelter or food bank. When you drop your child off at soccer or baseball practice, get out there and meet the parents and the coach. Go to story time at the library with your child. Go to PTA meetings. Make eye contact at the grocery store and be nicer at the post office. Chat with the pharmacist when you are waiting for your prescription. People will remember you when you get close to them. We live in a world that is in such a hurry, people rush without taking the time to be nice or even courteous. You’ll stand out if you try a little. Make people feel important while you run your errands, but be sincere when you do it; there is nothing worse than insincere flattery. When the time is right, get that person’s contact information and let them know what he does for a living.
6. Become a better you. In any business you need to “watch your mind.” There’s a reason the self-help industry was worth over $9 billion last year. Whether you call it self-help or personal development, when you start your own business, you need it. Much of our success and achievements depend on maintaining a positive mindset. And you don’t just wake up one day and find yourself in the right frame of mind; you have to work on it every day, sometimes all day long. As cheesy as it sounds, surround yourself with positive self-motivational sayings and quotes from people you admire. Listen to self-help CDs and train yourself to ignore negative comments from friends, family, and even yourself at times. When you feel like your business is slacking off a bit, take inventory of how much personal development you’ve done that week or month. You will most likely find that you have been lacking in your positive personal development. Picture yourself and your business where you want it to be in 1 year, 5 years and 10 years. Focus on that outcome so you can get through the tough times.
7. Set weekly, monthly, and yearly goals. If you don’t know where you’re going, you can’t plan the proper route. Write these goals down and review them weekly, people who write down their goals are 80% more likely to achieve them than if they never wrote them down. Have a realistic goal and crazy dream goal: Shoot for the crazy dream, but be happy when you achieve your realistic goal.
8. Develop a “No Matter What” MindsetThings are going to be tough at times, whether it’s early on trying to build momentum and a customer base or 6 months into your journey when the novelty of “new” wears off for new customers and even supportive friends and family. to help you get started. Don’t give up – all businesses have their ups and downs, many are cyclical and it can take you over a year to recognize your ups and downs. Make up your mind at the beginning and have a “No matter what!” mentality- no matter what I’m going to make this business work. No matter what it costs!