The Secrets to Small Business Success
Okay, let’s be straight from the get-go. The “secrets” to small business success aren’t really all that secret. They’re like radio host Jim Rome’s instructions to his would-callers: “Have a take, don’t suck.” In the case of small business owners, it’s “have a quality product or service, and don’t suck at taking care of your customers.”
There is, however, some level of debate as to the best ways to go about “not sucking” as a small business. Here are some of our ideas about what makes a small business successful:
1. Have a vision, don’t deviate from it. For the small business owner, there’s no shortage of distractions that can short-circuit your dreams. From listening to naysayers to getting caught up comparing yourself to competitors, it's easy to lose sight of the vision you set for yourself when you started out. Put together a solid business plan that outlines who you want to be with a workable strategy on how you’re going to get there…and then work that plan!
2. Hire good people, don’t settle for less. You might start out on your own, but with any success at all, you’re going to need help. That means hiring. When you’re doing that, it’s easy to get caught up in flashy skills like late Oakland Raiders’ owner Al Davis did with players who ran blazing 40-yard dash times at the NFL combine. He ended up with a lot of very fast players who didn’t necessarily play football very well or fit in with the organization. When you’re ready to expand your organization, aim to find candidates with these qualities, ranked in order of importance: 1)integrity 2)adaptability 3)talent
You’ll find that you can teach just about anyone with the first two qualities the necessary skills to get the job done. You can’t teach people how to have integrity or to have the personality that allows them to change and grow as the demands of your business change and grow.
And when you find those people, take care of them and they’ll take care of you.
3. Measure your progress, don’t drift. What keeps a lot of small business owners from succeeding is they never ever really define success. Even a GPS won’t take you to a destination that you don’t put into the system.
This goes along with the advice in the first point about making a sound plan, but it also involves establishing realistic reporting data to help you on your way. I’d advise you to stay away from big, but nebulous goals like becoming the number one widget provider in your zip code. There are too many variables present that can distort that kind of goal.
Instead, break it down into parts. If you were to become the number one widget provider in your zip code, what kinds of things would you have to accomplish on a daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly basis? If you come up with a list of those goals and evaluate your progress, then you’ll have a very good idea of the areas in which your business plan is succeeding and what areas might need some adjustment.
4. Resolve problems, don’t let them linger. Your road to small business success won’t be littered with rose petals. No, you’re going to run over potholes, encounter detours and “road closed” signs. These can be employee problems, product defects, customer service issues, logistical breakdowns, you name it. What’s important is that you’re ready to deal with these decisively when they happen. They won’t go away, and if you try to pretend they’re not there, they’ll likely get bigger and harder to solve.
5. Market yourself every day. Don’t stop. You know you have a great product or service. Those who were early adopters know that, too. What’s your plan for telling the rest of the world? Are you counting on those satisfied initial customers spreading the word? That’s great, but it’s not likely going to sustain your success. Who do you want to tell and how do you want to get the message to them?
This is the only area where there might still be a little bit of mystery left. It’s not easy to successfully market your small business. It takes time, good strategy and some skill. Unless you have an excess of those three to invest (and most SBOs don’t) then you’d be wise to consult with some marketing professionals to help you in this area.
Who better to help you market your small business than another small business who knows exactly what your needs are and can offer you the same kind of quality service you give to your customers? That’s why Knuckleball Digital is the perfect digital marketing agency for small businesses.
We’re not too busy for you. Your small business won’t be a small client to us. Now Knuckleball Digital might not offer you a free latte at their downtown loft/office space while you await your $100 and hour initial consultation. What they will offer, however, is high quality, individualized services and plans that exactly fit your needs without all the high-priced overhead. We’ll meet with you at a local coffee shop (and we’ll buy the coffee!) and offer you a FREE analysis of your marketing needs and a breakdown of our services.
The success of your small business isn’t a matter of chance and it’s not exactly brain surgery. It’s a lot of hard work, a lot of intentional planning, and a little bit of help from small business marketing experts like Knuckleball Digital. Contact us today for your free small business marketing analysis.