Some Thoughts On Business

In talking with a number of people and watching the sales numbers, I've come to learn a few things about moving forward in a down economy that really, apply to any economy. Here are some ideas and thoughts to ponder:

• Avoid, as if it were the plague, complaining people. They are contagious! Keep away from them. Do not listen except for a few moments of polite listening, then run quickly away. If possible inject something positive to them; however, most of the time, they will reject it. If you hear yourself start to complain about anything, shut up immediately and say something positive and uplifting no matter what it may be. Let there be zero tolerance for complaints and complainers. You will be amazed what this will do for you immediately.
• Don't believe all the news. Matter of fact, make up your own news the way you want it. That's pretty much what they are doing because in the news you are almost always hearing bad news. Heck with that! I stopped reading the newspaper and watching the TV news about 5 years ago. I don't need any negativity regardless of how important the news people think it may be.
• Now that we have the negativity under control, let's move out toward moving the needle to increase business. First up: visualize success, think success, feel success. Picture yourself moving units out the door, people being given new tools to do a better job in their businesses. Expect to hear yes instead of no. Ignore no's. Find a way to create yes's. Start it in your head.
• Try new things. Be open to inspirations. When you are thinking and visualizing positive things, you will get inspirations. Pay attention to them. They will bring you answers you've been looking for.
• Do the best you can with what you have where you are now. Don't be concerned about what you don't have or who is not helping you, etc. Just do the best job you can possibly do where you are now. Focus on quality work.
• Create networks. Think creatively instead of competitively. Find ways to encourage partnerships and find new ways to network with others. Join the Chamber of Commerce and attend the mixers regularly. Consistency will get you a lot of business. You might want to join surrounding community Chambers as well. It may not pay off immediately, but will in the longer term very well. Network with other businesses. Create some joint promotions, offsite displays, etc. How can you help someone else and have the net effect of helping you at the same time. Focus on helping them and it will come.
• Find some joy, fun and laughter every day. Watch an inspiring, uplifting movie or video. Laugh out loud. Decide you will have joy in your life.
• Keep moving. Keep your marketing moving. Keep your prospecting moving. Keep your networking moving. If you're not making sales, you're making friends and building in influence.
• Keep learning. Learn from the best. I am always reading, studying and listening and watching to learn something new or something old stated in a new way that helps me move forward. I am becoming more. That is more important than anything else. To get more, you must become more--and you must give more. See what happens when you focus on giving others to be of service--especially when there may not appear to be anything in it for you immediately.
• Keep expanding. A business is either growing or dying. It is impossible for it to remain static. I've heard a couple of our website prospects say that they have all the business they want and they do not want any more business. That isn't a business. A business is always expanding in one way or another. It may not be expanding in sales, but it needs to be expanding somewhere. A business can expand its influence in a number of ways and only one of those would be sales.

To summarize, stop listening to all the negative things regardless of what they are and focus on the good things no matter what they are. See what you want and focus on it. Do the best you can do with what you have to work with, where you are right now with no concerns about what you do not have. Experience joy and laughter. Keep learning and keep moving and keep expanding.