Eight Tips You Should Take NOW To Grow And Be Profitable

by Richard Avdoian

During this challenging time, smart businesses and corporations have decided not to participate in the recession. They would rather take the time to do a thorough internal audit of the efficiency of their operations, survey recent customers, provide employee training, evaluate product/services and review and revise policies and procedures.

To begin your audit you must be willing to invest time and commit to be realistic and maintain clarity. For your business to continue to thrive and be successful, you need to acknowledge and address the blocks and obstacles while keeping focused on those things the company does well and able to execute.

1. Take off the rosy glasses. Acknowledge your business as it truly is not as you think or desire it to be. Surround yourself with individuals that will keep you focused, challenge your integrity and candidly keep you planted in reality.

2. Take ownership of the choices you have made and those you plan to make. Enough already, stop looking for reasons why things happened it is a waste of time and energy. Blaming others gets you nowhere and can jeopardize team dynamics. Own your truth and how you participated in the good, bad and ugly related to where the business is at the moment.

3. Be open to innovative new products, practices and clients. Routinely review and assess present products and services. Consider retiring products and services that are no longer in demand or profitable. Listen to what customers are asking for and ask a few key questions. Ask staff to think outside the box to continually explore new products and services to sustain company’s brand of being fresh, progressive and profitable.

4. Accept life and circumstances as they actually are at the moment. Look at your business, employees, products and services as they are, not as you wish they were. Surround yourself with people who will give you regular reality checks.

5. Make a decision to take action. Take decisive action. Stop thinking, analyzing and re-thinking. Stop getting ready to be ready to do something. Ask for what you need - seek out resources and experts necessary to make the shift from want - tos to willing - tos and make it happen.

6. Commit to exploring and trying new techniques to run your business and enhance your life. First and foremost treat it like a business. Invest the time and energy to develop a business plan, review and revise yearly. Be current. Develop or revise your policies and procedures and share with your employees.

7. Make time to read, read and read.  Learn all that you can. Request newsletters from industry leaders. Take time daily to read industry journals, publications, books etc. Write articles for your own website and submit to other publications.

8. Make the time to network in all facets of your life. Connect to colleagues, competitors, clients and prospects through LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.  Join professional networking groups, chamber of commerce, professional associations.

Let us all take the lead from smart businesses and refuse to participate in the recession by making smart business decisions and not retreating into survival mode. When many businesses are being seduced into the survival mode others are in the mode to be innovative and thieve.

After all, what is the point of simply surviving when your competitors are working hard to raise the bar? It is far better to embrace the situation, be creative and thrive today then to stay in survival mode and watch your competitors pass you by.

Richard Avdoian is president of Voyage to Success, a business consulting group.  He works with corporations, businesses and associations committed to training and retaining highly motivated, productive employees and businesses committed to providing exemplary customer service and increasing productivity and profitability. For information about training and seminars, visit www.VoyagetoSuccess.com or contact Avdoian personally at Richard@RichardAvdoian.com or 618-972-8588.