A good source of business advice

As the doom and gloom seems to show no sign of lifting advice on how to build maintain or even stay in business becomes even more valuable. Of course there is a mass of business input on the web but all too often it is lightweight, not practical or contains masses of marketing hype. I came across smallbusinesspro the other day and found it really refreshing. Maybe because so much of the advice reflects what as a business coach I tell my clients every day. I seldom recommend sites on my blog but here are some guys who have a positive contribution to make in the current hard times – check them out.

Strike up the band!

I was reading the BBC news site about the downturn reported by Chamber of Commerce members this morning.  Everywhere you look it is doom and gloom.  Radio 3 was on and Mrs K was in the bath.  Suddenly they played Land of hope and glory – fantastic.  That rousing music from another age really lifted my energies on a cold, wet, dark morning.  Why not find some music which gets you going and pop it on when things are looking a bit down?  The Elgar certainly cheered me up.

 

Maybe you are right Mr Customer?

I was renewing a domain through my web hosting company the other day and I just could not seem to get past the first screen which asked me to review my details.  I clicked and clicked away but no progress.  I am sure you have had similar experiences.   So I sent a help me message to their contact email stating my problem.  As it was in their interests to get my cash I did expect a reply which indeed I got in rapid quick time.  However I was not expecting them to tell me that maybe the log in was not actually that intuitive and they would look at improving it.  How refreshing to have a business say we have looked at this and perhaps we could improve things. Well done http://www.rapidhost.co.uk/ In an age when the customer is usually wrong it is heart warming to see a company listening and responding in such a way, especially a technical one.  What can others learn from this?

Changing times – changing messages

If ever we needed an example of how far the retail sector has to plan ahead and how quickly the credit crunch has hit, one only has to look at Selfridges in Oxford Street.  On the doors, the famous store invites us to ‘indulge ourselves’ and every window announces ‘The more the merrier’.   How times have changed. Have you changed the messages you are putting out to your audiences to reflect their current mindset?

There is no angst in action

It always amazes me how many people run their business from fear rather than courage. Worry is not a process therefore when in the fearful state nothing moves forward.
When clients talk to me about their fears I just say ‘do something – anything’. Make a decision, get into action, now, not tomorrow – do not delay. If someone shouts fire you evacuate the building without a thought. I can honestly say that n my business I spent very little time worrying as I was far too busy doing. My doing produced results and there was nothing to worry about. Simple eh?

Consistency is key

In business consistency is vital as people find lack of consistency really confusing.  Nowhere is this more pertinent than in your marketing materials.  The more you repeat the same thing in the same way, the more likely it will have a lasting impact on your target audience.  Take proposals for example.  When checking the ones my staff wrote I invariably found the same thing referred to in different ways.  For example, the use of project, programme, campaign or using different words to describe them like company, business, enterprise, operation and so on.  The same applies to web sites and in fact anywhere you are writing copy which you want your reader to understand without a pause or raised eyebrow.   Why not check some of your copy now and see if it is consistent or confusing.   

Profit from a quick night and day check in.

I was at Tate Britain bright and early last Friday for the fantastic Holbein exhibition. There was Henry VIII and some of his wives and pals staring out from the walls just like they were around today. But it was not the great artist which fascinated me most but one of the staff walking around with a binder full of photos. He was checking every masterpiece with its photographic equivalent to ensure that they were all there. He said he did it every morning and every evening.

As employers I was wondering how regularly we check out our investment in human resources – the people who work for us every day. Are they well prepared to start their day? Are there any problems or uncertainties which need to be resolved? What were their successes at the end of the day? If you have set targets how well have they achieved them? In the engagement process remember to regularly recognize their contributions too. Most people quit their jobs because they feel unacknowledged and undervalued. Your staff are just as valuable as any painting on a wall. Do you check they are all present and correct as regularly as you should?