I’ve owned my own business for four years now. Here are the lessons I’d like to pass along.
I’ve gotten tons of advice along the way and learned some things on my own, too. Here are the lessons I’d like to pass along.
1) Don’t panic. Bad stuff will happen. Just face it, deal with it and move on. Panicking can make you freeze up, and that can be deadly if it lasts too long.
2) Starting a business requires lots of hard work for little or no reward. If you’re expecting to get a big return on your investment quickly, you’ll probably be disappointed.
3) It takes MORE than you think to start and run a business. More money. More time. More energy. More patience. (See #2 above.)
4) Persistent, consistent marketing is essential. Visibility is a key to success, and it takes persistence to be visible. Avoid the mistake many start-up businesses make. They expect immediate results and give up on marketing strategies before they have time to work.
5) Write your own rules.
Don’t be afraid to try lots of different marketing and sales tactics. Try things and look at results. Figure out what works for you.
6) Believe in yourself. Confidence will get you through tough times.
7) The best defense is a good offence. Clients leave. You won’t win every pitch. The best things you can do are to stay visible and keep selling. (There’s no rest for the business owner.) So chin up. Owning your own business is not the easiest path, but it’s YOURS! ©2006 Copyright Clairvoyant Communications, Inc.
Remember what your mother told you (Repetition WORKS!)
If you want your audience to absorb your message, repeat it. And I don’t mean two or three times, either. Current wisdom says it can take nine or more repetitions for a message to sink in.Being visible on a budget
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