1. Create a Great Culture -
Whether you are a Fortune 500 company or five person company it's never
too early to decide the kind of culture you want to create and
determine what your culture stands for. For example, even when Apple was
just a two person company consisting of the two Steves it was clear
their company culture challenged the status quo and as they grew they
attracted and hired those that fit their culture. While it's difficult
to quantify the benefits of a strong culture, we can all agree that
there is something about culture that speaks volumes to the marketplace.
When you focus on your culture you create a strong foundation of
values, beliefs, expectations and habits that cause you to stand out in
the marketplace and ultimately grow your business.
2. Lead with Optimism -
Now, more than ever, optimism is a competitive advantage. Bob Iger, the
CEO of Disney, was asked the most important characteristic of a leader
and he said "Optimism." After all, it's not the pessimists who will grow
this economy. It's the optimists who believe in a brighter future that
will take the actions necessary to create it. Optimism will also help
you navigate the set-backs, challenges, naysayers and Energy Vampires as
you seek to grow your business. You have a choice. You can believe
success is impossible or you can believe that with faith, hard work and
an optimistic attitude all things are possible. To grow your business,
choose the latter.
3. Show your Customers you Care -
I am convinced that the most successful companies find unique ways to
show their customers they care about them. Les Schwab Tire Center
employees run outside to greet their customers when they pull up in
their cars. Zappos offers free shipping and free return shipping. My
local cleaner replaces buttons on my suit if they notice they are
missing and provides free pick-up and delivery service. I can't tell you how you should stand out without knowing more
about your business but I can tell you, if you want to stand out and
grow you must create your own signature way to show your customers that
you care about them. When you show your customers you care they will
talk about you to everyone (even write about you) and you’ll stand out
in a crowded and competitive marketplace.
4. Pursue Excellence -
They can blame the economy, the market and the competition all they
want but these are not the reasons people and businesses are
unsuccessful. These factors merely expose those with weak business
models, bad cultures, poor leadership, toxic work environments,
apathetic sales forces and mediocre products and services. On the
contrary those who pursue excellence are thriving. From the carpenter
who is in demand because everyone knows he's on time, works hard and
always satisfies the customer to the graphic designer who strives to
make each project her masterpiece, to the realtor who is passionate
about helping her customers find the right home, to Apple iPads and
iPhones, to restaurants that are jam packed... it's clear that those who
passionately pursue excellence will stand out and grow high above the
competition. The economy no longer will support mediocrity but if you
can find your niche, share your passion and work hard to be great then
growth will be inevitable.
Hope you found value from this post. Please feel free to share it with your team. If I can help you with anything in your business, please feel free to call or text me at 612-208-9434.
Have a beautiful day~
To your success~
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