by Robert
Greenshields
http://www.PersuasiveMarketingPower.com
©
2008
If you're aiming to build a successful business, there is one thing
that will determine whether you achieve it.
It's not about
how good your product or service is.
It's not even about
how good your marketing is.
The real key to getting the
success that you want is developing the right business mindset.
The
problem is that many of us who set up businesses do so after successful careers
as employees, managers or directors working for someone else.
But
the reality is that you need to think and act differently as an entrepreneur or
independent professional than you do to build a high-flying career in other organizations.
And
that's a big reason why many people don't achieve the success with their own businesses
that they had in their earlier career.
So taking the right
steps from the start can make success much easier and more comfortable.
It
doesn't mean that you have to change your personality and it's not about whether
you are a 'born salesman'.
You just need to take a slightly
different approach to how you think, work and communicate with others.
Here
are 5 important steps:
1. Set a Clear Outcome
If
you go on a journey, the first thing you need to know is where you are headed.
Yet most businesses don't have a clear idea of where they're going, so it's not
surprising that so many fail.
Without clarity you lack direction;
it becomes hard to make decisions, and your results end up being average at best.
On
the other hand, clear objectives provide some certainty as a basis for good future
decisions.
So setting a clear vision can be worth a fortune
to your business.
2. Take Action
While
it's important to aim high in setting your vision, it's best to start with small
steps. Too many people fail to get anywhere with their plans for growing their
business because they fail to take the crucial first step.
Many
people fall victim to those profit thieves procrastination, where you put off
things you need to do, and perfectionism, where you wait until it's 100% right
before taking action.
The problem is it will never be 100%
right and nobody else will do it if you don't take action.
3.
Encourage and Respond to Feedback
Thomas Edison regarded
every one of his thousands of 'failed' attempts to make the light bulb viable
as being successful - because each one helped him move closer to his goal in some
way.
It's the same in business. Without taking that first
step, you will never get the feedback you need in order to be successful.
4.
Stay Focused on Your Goal
As you start moving towards your
goal, things will happen that might tempt you to drift off course and keep you
from achieving your objective.
Psychological studies suggest
that your mind works on bringing into reality whatever you are focused on. That's
why it's important to get clear about exactly what you are aiming for. But you
need to stay focused on what you want, rather than worrying about what you don't
want.
5. Take Responsibility for Your Results
Whenever
you set out to do something, you will always end up with either the result you
wanted or an excuse for why you haven't got it.
People who
come up with reasons or excuses for something not happening usually see themselves
as not having any control over the outcome. Successful people on the other hand
accept responsibility for whatever situation they are in and seek to change it.
Whether
you choose to be one of the people who gets results or one who has many excuses
for not getting them, you will always get what you want.
Of
course, the product also has to be right and the marketing needs to be effective.
But, when you are seeking success as an entrepreneur, the right mindset gives
you a great start.
