I’ve noticed that a lot of you are struggling to juggle the surge in new business while still putting in place lasting marketing initiatives and strategy that will ensure your pipeline gets and stays full in the year ahead.
The challenge occurs when you sacrifice your long term profit for short term gains by shelving business development, new equipment, a new hire, and continuing to tackle all of it yourself. So here are my Do’s and Don’ts for business growth and success in 2011. I learned the hard way so you don’t have to!
Do stay focused on profit activities every day.
Don’t get stuck in the details.
Do delegate tasks that are repetitive and not profit centered.
Don’t say you can’t afford it, you will get far more done when someone else does the things you aren’t good at and don’t enjoy.
Do make time to further your business education.
Don’t make the mistake of remaining stuck in old school ways, when new school is here to stay.
Do learn to leverage the power of social networking.
Don’t just throw up a profile and expect results; it requires consistent and persistent interaction.
Do include live networking in your marketing mix.
Don’t think you can retreat to life in your bunny slippers and fail to get out face to face.
Do invest in new technology and equipment (hardware and software) to grow you business.
Don’t forget you’ll have a learning curve, be prepared or you will tear your hair out.
Do create a plan, day by day, week by week, month by month and work it.
Don’t give up when you hit a hurdle, go around it, through it, over it, under it or redirect.
Do make time for yourself, your family, and your friends.
Don’t become a workaholic; it is an unhealthy addiction that can ruin your life.
Do take time for your health.
Don’t ignore those 5-10 lbs (or more) you packed on last year.
Do embrace life, all of it.
Don’t wait for tomorrow because the present is the gift in today.
What do YOU do to get ahead? Leave your ideas in the comments below!
