Is Your Business Standing Still?
Are you frustrated with the lack of progress in your business? Does your business feel like it hasn't moved forward over the last year? Are you doing the same things in your business each month but they are not making any difference? Are your sales and profits stagnating? If you answer yes to any of these questions then your business is probably standing still or going backwards.
So what can you do if your business is standing still?
Step out of the day to day, stand back and review your business. Take some time out of the day to day of your business, stand back and review all areas of your business. You may want to do this with a colleague, your management team or someone from outside of your business to gain a different perspective.
Be honest with yourself. It is very important to be honest about the current position of your business. If you are going to move your business forward you need to start from where the business actually is not from where you hope or think it is.
Ask for feedback. Ask for feedback from your customers, staff, suppliers and contacts to get another view on where your business currently is and ideas for changing it.
Find out what your competitors are doing. Look at all your competitors, both direct and indirect, to see what they are doing. Use this research to get ideas for moving your own business forward.
Consider new opportunities. What is happening in the market place? What new products and services can you introduce? What new trends are you seeing that you could take advantage of in your business?
Where do you want your business to be? Consider where you want your business to be in the short, medium and longer term. Understanding your aspirations for your business will enable you to decide how you are going to get there.
Do something different. If you carry on doing the same things in your business you are likely to get the same results and your business will not move forward. So what are you going to do differently?
Get creative. Moving your business forward will probably need fresh ideas so get creative and think outside the box. Brainstorm with your staff or get some outside help.
Seek advice and support. If you are struggling to decide how to move your business forward then you may want to get some advice and support from someone outside of your business e.g. a business mentor, a consultant, a marketing expert etc.
Try new things. Consider trying new things in your business to see how they work. Introducing new things however small may make a big difference but only take risks that are in proportion to your business.
Be radical. You may need to make big changes to enable your business to move forward so don't be afraid to transform your business.
Put together a plan of action. Once you have decided where you want your business to be and considered the different options for change, put together a prioritised plan of action.
Follow the plan, take action, focus and review progress. Once you have your plan then follow the plan, take action and focus. Regularly review progress and amend your plan accordingly.
If you feel that your business is standing still, reinvigorate your business with the above steps to move it forward to where you want it to be.
If your business is standing still and you would like support to move your business forward please call Liz Makin on 01780 765270 or email Liz@makinithappen.co.uk for a free no obligation consultation.
The articles below may also help you if your business is standing still:
Benefit your business by being more creative
How can you grow your business?
How to work 'on', not just 'in', your business?
You can also read other business and stress management tips articles that will help you in all areas of your business.
Author: Liz Makin
Published: July 2013
Makin It Happen has a range of personal development online courses to purchase, created by Liz Makin, including anxiety management, communication, resilience, soft skills, stress management, time management and coaching. Liz Makin also provides personalised business coaching, business mentoring and stress management services to business owners, directors, managers and professionals.
Please email Liz@makinithappen.co.uk to
arrange a
FREE consultation session to discuss our business coaching,
business
mentoring and stress management services for business owners, directors,
managers and professionals.