Blog

With the New Year upon us, it’s once again time to look back and learn from the trials and tribulations of year past. Can you recall the goals you set this time last year? Do you feel confident that you accomplished what you set out to do? Is your team amped up for a successful new year?

No matter what size your company is, chances are, you have felt the recession in one way or another. Consumer confidence is low, spending is weak, and there is no shortage of bad news being reported by the media. Although history has shown that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel, it seems as though there is no end in sight. Your goal, as a business owner, is to remain profitable now and be ahead of the pack when the economy turns the corner.

Do you ever wish you could clone your favorite client? You know the one that I mean…the one who allows enough time for their projects… who understands that the laws of physics don’t make exceptions... who pays their bills on time and in full… who says “please” and “thank you”…

Although we can’t replicate our favorite clients, we can do a better job of finding more of these sweet-spot customers.

Have you ever a googled “customer service, recession”? If so, you know that there’s an old-fashioned truism which is getting more airtime these days…one which can have a measurable effect on your bottom line, profitability, and longevity.

What is this winning adage? Customer service matters.

Assuming you haven’t been living in a biodome for the past two years with no access to the outside world, you know that the world’s economy is going through a rough patch. Okay, maybe “rough patch” is a bit too mild…maybe it’s more like a soccer field covered in steel wool, but you know what I mean.

In fact, you probably know people who have been laid off, downsized or transitioned in some way. And of those who are still working, many are now doing jobs for two or three people (with no increase in pay) due to the aforementioned layoffs, downsizing, etc.

In a perfect world, businesses grow in a smooth, upward trajectory that is both predictable and deliberate. There are no slow times...no staff upheavals...no sleepless nights...

Clearly, I'm living in the wrong place.

In my world, business grows the same way that Elaine Benes (from Seinfeld) dances: everything looks perfectly normal, but then the music starts and suddenly we're witnessing a herky-jerky motion with very little rhyme and sometimes no reason. Sooner or later, someone's going to lose an eye.

Now that we've identified the strengths of your small business (February) and discussed how to create a game plan that makes the most of those strengths (March), it's time to put that game plan into action.

Step 3. Execute and evolve that plan, and continue to build momentum.

Your game plan will be unique to your business, industry and personality type. Whether you're playing Monopoly, chess or LIFE (see March column), your plan can succeed only if it's actually carried out.

Last month, we talked about the first step in growing your business: identifying both your strengths and your opportunities. This month, we'll move on to the next step:

Step 2. Create a game plan that builds on those strengths and takes advantage of those opportunities.

Now that you know what elements of your business work for you and what objections your prospects may have about working with a small company, it's time to develop a profile of your company. Here's where we figure out if you're playing Monopoly, chess, or LIFE.

Factoid #1: According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2006, there were about 13.6 million companies nationwide, employing almost 120 million Americans.

Factoid #2: More than five million of those companies have fewer than 20 workers each and -- all told -- these five million firms employ 21 million people.