I did a really great training this weekend and I want to pass on some of the goodness. It’s right on time since it is the beginning of the year which is, as everyone knows, goal-setting time!
Here is a visioning exercise that follows a different process for goal setting that I want to pass along to you. After you read this, take some time, not more than 5 minutes, and go through this exercise.
Take a minute and picture yourself on 12/31/2022. It’s the end of the year and you’re extremely happy. 2022 has been good to you. You are in a great place personally and professionally. You are giving a recap of what your year has been like. Your conversation starts off with “This was a great year because….”
Close your eyes and picture that conversation.
Where are you having this conversation? Someplace new? Your usual favorite place?
What will that conversation sound like? What does your year in review look like to you? What were the positive changes in your life? What did you do differently?
As you’re describing your year in review to those around you, what are you saying? Who are you talking to and what is the look on their faces as you talk? Are they surprised? Happy for you? Encouraged?
As you talk about what changed, think about what you had to start doing to get to that happy place at the end of the year. What did you have to stop doing? What did you have to do more of? What did you have to do less of?
Open your eyes and think about your year. To get to that happy place, what are 2-3 things that you absolutely have to get done to get there? Those are your 2022 goals. Let’s crush them!!
People ask me all the time why DiSC is one of my favorite products. My answers are simple. It works and it doesn’t put people into a box. It is more about learning how to communicate with people who give and receive information in a different way than you. For example, I am fairly direct and to the point. Long, meandering stories lose my attention quickly. At work, when someone had a request or if they wanted something from me, I would often find myself becoming quite annoyed and uninterested. We all know that annoyed and uninterested are not how you want people to feel about you at work. There were some people that I dreaded talking to, I knew that it would be a drawn-out conversation that would irritate me and probably put me in bad mood for the rest of the afternoon. I really didn’t understand why I could have perfectly productive conversations with some people and others, I just wanted to walk away mid-sentence.
I did all kinds of leadership training, personality profiles, you name it. I knew that I was direct. I knew that I liked when people got to the point quickly. I already knew what those workshops were presenting as new information. When I discovered DiSC, I was ready to write it off, yeah yeah, this is how I am… But the unique thing about DiSC was that it wasn’t just about me. It was about how other people viewed me, what they needed from my communication and how I could have truly meaningful conversations that moved the needle with people that I previously avoided at all cost. I never really thought about the fact that they were probably just as annoyed with me as I was with them.
I know that it sounds simple, but for me a tool that gave me clarity in terms of communicating with the people that I needed to help and needed help from me was priceless. It’s also a tool that I continue to use to this day, using the People Reading tool to help me have better conversations with people who don’t have a DiSC profile that I can compare mine with. By planning out conversations, I have found that things go much smoother and we both walk away feeling better, rather than irritated. From my perspective, that’s priceless.
If you want to know if DiSC can help you, let’s talk!
Every company wants to do its best to extend its sales from year-to-year. This much is obvious. However, some business owners just don’t understand why they aren’t seeing any difference in their profits. If you are looking to expand your sales record, you need to be more creative with your strategies.
Upsell and Cross-sell
Upselling and cross-selling can help you generate a steady flow of income with better planning and advertising. When you upsell, you are giving customers the chance to buy a newer version of your product that makes it even more convenient to use. Apple does this frequently with their smartphones. Never get too comfortable with your current product. Always innovate.
Cross-selling is a little different, but also helpful. When people buy your products, you may want to make some additional suggestions to help their product. For example, if someone is buying a new phone, they may want a phone case or screen protector. Look for these opportunities to sell multiple things at the same time to the same customer.
A lead is a customer that has shown interest in your product but just hasn’t committed to the purchase. As a company owner, generating new leads at all times is a great way to keep your audience engaged and excited.
You should let customers reach you through the channels they’re most comfortable with to make sure you retain leads. This makes it easy for customers to buy your product. Having more options is always a better thing for the customer, making it more likely you will see the profits roll in. New leads also give you something to work toward, which is always nice.
Since phones have become the main way people view content and advertisements, making engaging and hilarious content has become a priority for most businesses. Fun advertisements are less likely to annoy the viewer and may change the way they see your company.
But not all advertisements have to be funny. Some of them can be intriguing or enticing in a different way. Add a little mystery to your advertisement. Make it musical. If you don’t have a good hook, it is likely your advertisements will not get through to your intended audience very easily.
These three different strategies are great ways to expand your sales next year. Some of these solutions are based in marketing, others are advertising, and some are just common sense. With these and other strategies, you will find additional success.
When you come up with a great idea for a startup, you need funding to make your idea come to life. Regardless of your entrepreneurship experience, it’s important that you refresh yourself on the kinds of funding available. Here are a few sources you should look at when figuring out how to fund your dream startup idea.
Attract Investors
Getting investors is an important part of making your startup come to life. According to W3 Business Minds, there are lots of things that you can do to bring in those investors. You must be clear on how the investment will work for your company before having those investors sign on. The better you can explain the benefits of your products and services, the more you will be able to bring in potential investors. Providing strong market research can also make investors more willing to invest in your startup idea. When you understand those two things, you can build a strong pitch and help your investors to see your vision so that they will give you the funding you need.
Take Out Loans
There are many kinds of loans available to startups and taking advantage of them can help you to get the extra funding you need. One great option is an SBA loan, which is a government-backed loan for small businesses. According to Franchise Gator, you may be eligible for an SBA loan even if you have a poor credit history. If you don’t qualify for an SBA loan right now, you may qualify a little further down the road. There are also other small business loans you can get from banks and private lenders without government backing which are also a great fit for small businesses.
Get Lines of Credit
In addition to the larger amounts of funding you should get through loans and investors, it is a good idea to open at least one line of credit. This will be useful for the kinds of things you will need to buy for your business that you can pay off in a short amount of time. From office supplies to other small business expenses, according to Bank of America, a line of credit can help you to take care of the day-to-day tasks of your business.
Starting a business can be a daunting process. There are so many things to take care of, but funding is one of the most important. Taking care of the funding of your startup idea is the first step you need to take to make your dream a reality.
There is no amount of naps, or cookies in the breakroom, or other perks which can offset the current amount of workplace stress that is facing the modern American worker. Even with a compassionate leader, team members are under more stress than usual. The usual stress prior to pandemic was difficult enough! How can you help your team be more capable of being both high performers for you and healthy, happy people at home?
Don’t Overburden Employees
Everybody is scrambling to do all possible to work efficiently, especially during lockdowns. Employees being able to complete goals is essential at this time. Don’t overburden employees with work they cannot complete on their own. Make it possible for them to have the tools they need to be able to succeed. Having realistic expectations, especially now, is crucial to your employees’ mental health.
Create a Safe Work Environment
Your workers need a safe environment, both physically and mentally, in order to succeed at their jobs. Being able to communicate concerns about safety is critical. Your teams need to know that they are safe physically in order to be safe mentally and emotionally. A high rate of workplace incidents can lead to other negative consequences. The higher stress leads to additional physical danger, as concentration can be diminished. That breaks down loyalty among teams, as workers leave unsafe job locations. Don’t encourage employees come to work when they are sick and provide paid sick time so that people can get well.
Establish a Crisis Strategy
No matter how intelligent, capable, or strong they are, these unprecedented situations have been wearing upon the emotional and psychological health of your employees. Your individual plan needs to involve information as to what to do and where to go if they have a physical or mental health emergency. Even if you are working to reduce information overload and support mental health, being able to have an emergency process in place, with having counselors and therapists available, is a critical part of team leading.
There are a great deal of overworked, stressed, overwhelmed workers in America, and you want to make sure there are fewer on your team. This doesn’t start with culling the workers you have, but with supporting your team so they can be the workers you need. Knowing their physical and emotional safety is critical to you at this time will foment both loyalty and team cohesion. Your team will be able to weather the storms, and you will come out a stronger leader with a stronger team.
Regardless of the type of business you run, there are risks involved. You could be faced with anything from accidents to lawsuits to financial trouble. Keep the following in mind as you take measures to avoid risk in your business.
Don’t Go Underinsured
Life is unpredictable and preparation is vital to handling any potential disasters. The first step is buying insurance for your business. The type of insurance you purchase is dependent on your type of business, but a few places to start would be insurance against death, disaster, or any general liability. If something unexpected comes up, you can put your mind at ease knowing you’re protected.
Avoid Lawsuits
It may seem like a daunting task to avoid lawsuits. In many businesses they’re inevitable, but there are still precautions you can take. For example, you can write out your company policies, make employees aware of them, and enforce them. It’s also important to keep accurate and consistent records. These could include records of when contracts were agreed upon, when regulations were given to employees, etc. If you have accurate records, they can help you make your case during a lawsuit. Additionally, you can limit the risk of lawsuits by hiring employees certified in your field. This ensures that they are qualified and will meet the professional standards and regulations.
Save Money
While insurance can be good protection against the unpredictable, it’s still smart to be saving. If there’s an accident, insurance has you covered, but one hard truth is that sometimes businesses aren’t successful. There’s no predicting it and often there’s no stopping it. Because of this, you should try to have a nice cushion of money in case your business starts to go under.
If you have a large sum of money saved, then perhaps you could even revive your business. You could hire a business consultant or invest in new methods. Having money saved is always a smart choice and it can give you more options if things start to go south. Aside from helping if your business fails, a savings account can have many other benefits.
Preparation is the key to succeeding in your business. Plan for any outcome and then take the necessary measures to avoid risk. Buying insurance, taking steps to avoid lawsuits, and saving money are only some of the best ways you can prepare for the unexpected.
