Tuesday, January 12, 2010
25 Common Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs
This article has been excerpted from the Ultimate Home Based Business Handbook, by James Stephenson, available from Entrepreneur Press.
Regardless of your definition of success, there are, oddly enough, a great number of common characteristics that are shared by successful businesspeople. You can place a check beside each characteristic that you feel that you possess. This way, you can see how you stack up. Even if you don't have all of these characteristics, don't fret. Most can be learned with practice and by developing a winning attitude, especially if you set goals and apply yourself, through strategic planning, to reach those goals in incremental and measurable stages.
The Home Business Musts
Like any activity you pursue, there are certain musts that are required to be successful in a chosen activity. To legally operate a vehicle on public roadways, one must have a driver's license; to excel in sports, one must train and practice; to retire comfortably, one must become an informed investor and actively invest for retirement. If your goal is success in business, then the formula is no different. There are certain musts that have to be fully developed, implemented and managed for your business to succeed. There are many business musts, but this article contains I believe to be some of the more important musts that are required to start, operate and grow a profitable home business.
1. Do what you enjoy.
What you get out of your business in the form of personal satisfaction, financial gain, stability and enjoyment will be the sum of what you put into your business. So if you don't enjoy what you're doing, in all likelihood it's safe to assume that will be reflected in the success of your business--or subsequent lack of success. In fact, if you don't enjoy what you're doing, chances are you won't succeed.
2. Take what you do seriously.
You cannot expect to be effective and successful in business unless you truly believe in your business and in the goods and services that you sell. Far too many home business owners fail to take their own businesses seriously enough, getting easily sidetracked and not staying motivated and keeping their noses to the grindstone. They also fall prey to naysayers who don't take them seriously because they don't work from an office building, office park, storefront, or factory. Little do these skeptics, who rain on the home business owner's parade, know is that the number of people working from home, and making very good annual incomes, has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years.
3. Plan everything.
Planning every aspect of your home business is not only a must, but also builds habits that every home business owner should develop, implement, and maintain. The act of business planning is so important because it requires you to analyze each business situation, research and compile data, and make conclusions based mainly on the facts as revealed through the research. Business planning also serves a second function, which is having your goals and how you will achieve them, on paper. You can use the plan that you create both as map to take you from point A to Z and as a yardstick to measure the success of each individual plan or segment within the plan.
4. Manage money wisely.
The lifeblood of any business enterprise is cash flow. You need it to buy inventory, pay for services, promote and market your business, repair and replace tools and equipment, and pay yourself so that you can continue to work. Therefore, all home business owners must become wise money managers to ensure that the cash keeps flowing and the bills get paid. There are two aspects to wise money management.
The money you receive from clients in exchange for your goods and services you provide (income)
The money you spend on inventory, supplies, wages and other items required to keep your business operating. (expenses)
5. Ask for the sale.
A home business entrepreneur must always remember that marketing, advertising, or promotional activities are completely worthless, regardless of how clever, expensive, or perfectly targeted they are, unless one simple thing is accomplished--ask for the sale. This is not to say that being a great salesperson, advertising copywriting whiz or a public relations specialist isn't a tremendous asset to your business. However, all of these skills will be for naught if you do not actively ask people to buy what you are selling.
6. Remember it's all about the customer.
Your home business is not about the products or services that you sell. Your home business is not about the prices that you charge for your goods and services. Your home business is not about your competition and how to beat them. Your business is all about your customers, or clients, period. After all, your customers are the people that will ultimately decide if your business goes boom or bust. Everything you do in business must be customer focused, including your policies, warranties, payment options, operating hours, presentations, advertising and promotional campaigns and website. In addition, you must know who your customers are inside out and upside down.
7. Become a shameless self-promoter (without becoming obnoxious).
One of the greatest myths about personal or business success is that eventually your business, personal abilities, products or services will get discovered and be embraced by the masses that will beat a path to your door to buy what you are selling. But how can this happen if no one knows who you are, what you sell and why they should be buying?
Self-promotion is one of the most beneficial, yet most underutilized, marketing tools that the majority of home business owners have at their immediate disposal.
8. Project a positive business image.
You have but a passing moment to make a positive and memorable impression on people with whom you intend to do business. Home business owners must go out of their way and make a conscious effort to always project the most professional business image possible. The majority of home business owners do not have the advantage of elaborate offices or elegant storefronts and showrooms to wow prospects and impress customers. Instead, they must rely on imagination, creativity and attention to the smallest detail when creating and maintaining a professional image for their home business.
9. Get to know your customers.
One of the biggest features and often the most significant competitive edge the home based entrepreneur has over the larger competitors is the he can offer personalized attention. Call it high-tech backlash if you will, but customers are sick and tired of hearing that their information is somewhere in the computer and must be retrieved, or told to push a dozen digits to finally get to the right department only to end up with voice mail--from which they never receive a return phone call.
The home business owner can actually answer phone calls, get to know customers, provide personal attention and win over repeat business by doing so. It's a researched fact that most business (80 percent) will come from repeat customers rather than new customers. Therefore, along with trying to draw newcomers, the more you can do to woo your regular customers, the better off you will be in the long run and personalized attention is very much appreciated and remembered in the modern high tech world.
10. Level the playing field with technology.
You should avoid getting overly caught up in the high-tech world, but you should also know how to take advantage of using it. One of the most amazing aspects of the internet is that a one or two person business operating from a basement can have a superior website to a $50 million company, and nobody knows the difference. Make sure you're keeping up with the high-tech world as it suits your needs.. The best technology is that which helps you, not that which impresses your neighbors.
11. Build a top-notch business team.
No one person can build a successful business alone. It's a task that requires a team that is as committed as you to the business and its success. Your business team may include family members, friends, suppliers, business alliances, employees, sub-contractors, industry and business associations, local government and the community. Of course the most important team members will be your customers or clients. Any or all may have a say in how your business will function and a stake in your business future.
12. Become known as an expert.
When you have a problem that needs to be solved, do you seek just anyone's advice or do you seek an expert in the field to help solve your particular problem? Obviously, you want the most accurate information and assistance that you can get. You naturally seek an expert to help solve your problem. You call a plumber when the hot water tank leaks, a real estate agent when it's time to sell your home or a dentist when you have a toothache. Therefore, it only stands to reason that the more you become known for your expertise in your business, the more people will seek you out to tap into your expertise, creating more selling and referral opportunities. In effect, becoming known as an expert is another style of prospecting for new business, just in reverse. Instead of finding new and qualified people to sell to, these people seek you out for your expertise.
13. Create a competitive advantage.
A home business must have a clearly defined unique selling proposition. This is nothing more than a fancy way of asking the vital question, "Why will people choose to do business with you or purchase your product or service instead of doing business with a competitor and buying his product or service?" In other words, what one aspect or combination of aspects is going to separate your business from your competition? Will it be better service, a longer warranty, better selection, longer business hours, more flexible payment options, lowest price, personalized service, better customer service, better return and exchange policies or a combination of several of these?
14. Invest in yourself.
Top entrepreneurs buy and read business and marketing books, magazines, reports, journals, newsletters, websites and industry publications, knowing that these resources will improve their understanding of business and marketing functions and skills. They join business associations and clubs, and they network with other skilled business people to learn their secrets of success and help define their own goals and objectives. Top entrepreneurs attend business and marketing seminars, workshops and training courses, even if they have already mastered the subject matter of the event. They do this because they know that education is an ongoing process. There are usually ways to do things better, in less time, with less effort. In short, top entrepreneurs never stop investing in the most powerful, effective and best business and marketing tool at their immediate disposal--themselves.
15. Be accessible.
We're living in a time when we all expect our fast food lunch at the drive-thru window to be ready in mere minutes, our dry cleaning to be ready for pick-up on the same day, our money to be available at the cash machine and our pizza delivered in 30 minutes or it's free. You see the pattern developing--you must make it as easy as you can for people to do business with you, regardless of the home business you operate.
You must remain cognizant of the fact that few people will work hard, go out of their way, or be inconvenienced just for the privilege of giving you their hard-earned money. The shoe is always on the other foot. Making it easy for people to do business with you means that you must be accessible and knowledgeable about your products and services. You must be able to provide customers with what they want, when they want it.
16. Build a rock-solid reputation.
A good reputation is unquestionably one of the home business owner's most tangible and marketable assets. You can't simply buy a good reputation; it's something that you earn by honoring your promises. If you promise to have the merchandise in the customer's hands by Wednesday, you have no excuse not to have it there. If you offer to repair something, you need to make good on your offer. Consistency in what you offer is the other key factor. If you cannot come through with the same level of service (and products) for clients on a regular basis, they have no reason to trust you . . . and without trust, you won't have a good reputation.
17. Sell benefits.
Pushing product features is for inexperienced or wannabe entrepreneurs. Selling the benefits associated with owning and using the products and services you carry is what sales professionals worldwide focus on to create buying excitement and to sell, sell more, and sell more frequently to their customers. Your advertising, sales presentations, printed marketing materials, product packaging, website, newsletters, trade show exhibit and signage are vital. Every time and every medium used to communicate with your target audience must always be selling the benefits associated with owning your product or using your service.
18. Get involved.
Always go out of your way to get involved in the community that supports your business. You can do this in many ways, such as pitching in to help local charities or the food bank, becoming involved in organizing community events, and getting involved in local politics. You can join associations and clubs that concentrate on programs and policies designed to improve the local community. It's a fact that people like to do business with people they know, like and respect, and with people who do things to help them as members of the community.
19. Grab attention.
Small-business owners cannot waste time, money and energy on promotional activities aimed at building awareness solely through long-term, repeated exposure. If you do, chances are you will go broke long before this goal is accomplished. Instead, every promotional activity you engage in, must put money back in your pocket so that you can continue to grab more attention and grow your business.
20. Master the art of negotiations.
The ability to negotiate effectively is unquestionably a skill that every home business owner must make every effort to master. It's perhaps second in importance only to asking for the sale in terms of home business musts. In business, negotiation skills are used daily. Always remember that mastering the art of negotiation means that your skills are so finely tuned that you can always orchestrate a win-win situation. These win-win arrangements mean that everyone involved feels they have won, which is really the basis for building long-term and profitable business relationships.
21. Design Your workspace for success.
Carefully plan and design your home office workspace to ensure maximum personal performance and productivity and, if necessary, to project professionalism for visiting clients. If at all possible, resist the temptation to turn a corner of the living room or your bedroom into your office. Ideally, you'll want a separate room with a door that closes to keep business activities in and family members out, at least during prime business and revenue generating hours of the day. A den, spare bedroom, basement or converted garage are all ideal candidates for your new home office. If this is not possible, you'll have to find a means of converting a room with a partition or simply find hours to do the bulk of your work when nobody else is home.
22. Get and stay organized.
The key to staying organized is not about which type of file you have or whether you keep a stack or two of papers on your desk, but it's about managing your business. It's about having systems in place to do things. Therefore, you wan to establish a routine by which you can accomplish as much as possible in a given workday, whether that's three hours for a part-time business or seven or nine hours as a full-timer. In fact, you should develop systems and routines for just about every single business activity. Small things such as creating a to-do list at the end of each business day, or for the week, will help keep you on top of important tasks to tackle. Creating a single calendar to work from, not multiple sets for individual tasks or jobs, will also ensure that jobs are completed on schedule and appointments kept. Incorporating family and personal activities into your work calendar is also critical so that you work and plan from a single calendar.
23. Take time off.
The temptation to work around the clock is very real for some home business owners. After all, you don't have a manager telling you it's time to go home because they can't afford the overtime pay. Every person working from home must take time to establish a regular work schedule that includes time to stretch your legs and take lunch breaks, plus some days off and scheduled vacations. Create the schedule as soon as you have made the commitment to start a home business. Of course, your schedule will have to be flexible. You should, therefore, not fill every possible hour in the day. Give yourself a backup hour or two. All work and no play makes you burn out very fast and grumpy customer service is not what people want.
24. Limit the number of hats you wear.
It's difficult for most business owners not to take a hands-on approach. They try to do as much as possible and tackle as many tasks as possible in their business. The ability to multitask, in fact, is a common trait shared by successful entrepreneurs. However, once in a while you have to stand back and look beyond today to determine what's in the best interest of your business and yourself over the long run. Most highly successful entrepreneurs will tell you that from the time they started out, they knew what they were good at and what tasks to delegate to others.
25. Follow-up constantly.
Constant contact, follow-up, and follow-through with customers, prospects, and business alliances should be the mantra of every home business owner, new or established. Constant and consistent follow-up enables you to turn prospects into customers, increase the value of each sale and buying frequency from existing customers, and build stronger business relationships with suppliers and your core business team. Follow-up is especially important with your existing customer base, as the real work begins after the sale. It's easy to sell one product or service, but it takes work to retain customers and keep them coming back.
James Stephenson is an experienced home based consultant with more than 15 years of business and marketing experience. He is the author of several popular books, including Entrepreneur magazine’s Ultimate Startup Directory and Ultimate Small Business Marketing Guide, both available from Entrepreneur Press.
Regardless of your definition of success, there are, oddly enough, a great number of common characteristics that are shared by successful businesspeople. You can place a check beside each characteristic that you feel that you possess. This way, you can see how you stack up. Even if you don't have all of these characteristics, don't fret. Most can be learned with practice and by developing a winning attitude, especially if you set goals and apply yourself, through strategic planning, to reach those goals in incremental and measurable stages.
The Home Business Musts
Like any activity you pursue, there are certain musts that are required to be successful in a chosen activity. To legally operate a vehicle on public roadways, one must have a driver's license; to excel in sports, one must train and practice; to retire comfortably, one must become an informed investor and actively invest for retirement. If your goal is success in business, then the formula is no different. There are certain musts that have to be fully developed, implemented and managed for your business to succeed. There are many business musts, but this article contains I believe to be some of the more important musts that are required to start, operate and grow a profitable home business.
1. Do what you enjoy.
What you get out of your business in the form of personal satisfaction, financial gain, stability and enjoyment will be the sum of what you put into your business. So if you don't enjoy what you're doing, in all likelihood it's safe to assume that will be reflected in the success of your business--or subsequent lack of success. In fact, if you don't enjoy what you're doing, chances are you won't succeed.
2. Take what you do seriously.
You cannot expect to be effective and successful in business unless you truly believe in your business and in the goods and services that you sell. Far too many home business owners fail to take their own businesses seriously enough, getting easily sidetracked and not staying motivated and keeping their noses to the grindstone. They also fall prey to naysayers who don't take them seriously because they don't work from an office building, office park, storefront, or factory. Little do these skeptics, who rain on the home business owner's parade, know is that the number of people working from home, and making very good annual incomes, has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years.
3. Plan everything.
Planning every aspect of your home business is not only a must, but also builds habits that every home business owner should develop, implement, and maintain. The act of business planning is so important because it requires you to analyze each business situation, research and compile data, and make conclusions based mainly on the facts as revealed through the research. Business planning also serves a second function, which is having your goals and how you will achieve them, on paper. You can use the plan that you create both as map to take you from point A to Z and as a yardstick to measure the success of each individual plan or segment within the plan.
4. Manage money wisely.
The lifeblood of any business enterprise is cash flow. You need it to buy inventory, pay for services, promote and market your business, repair and replace tools and equipment, and pay yourself so that you can continue to work. Therefore, all home business owners must become wise money managers to ensure that the cash keeps flowing and the bills get paid. There are two aspects to wise money management.
The money you receive from clients in exchange for your goods and services you provide (income)
The money you spend on inventory, supplies, wages and other items required to keep your business operating. (expenses)
5. Ask for the sale.
A home business entrepreneur must always remember that marketing, advertising, or promotional activities are completely worthless, regardless of how clever, expensive, or perfectly targeted they are, unless one simple thing is accomplished--ask for the sale. This is not to say that being a great salesperson, advertising copywriting whiz or a public relations specialist isn't a tremendous asset to your business. However, all of these skills will be for naught if you do not actively ask people to buy what you are selling.
6. Remember it's all about the customer.
Your home business is not about the products or services that you sell. Your home business is not about the prices that you charge for your goods and services. Your home business is not about your competition and how to beat them. Your business is all about your customers, or clients, period. After all, your customers are the people that will ultimately decide if your business goes boom or bust. Everything you do in business must be customer focused, including your policies, warranties, payment options, operating hours, presentations, advertising and promotional campaigns and website. In addition, you must know who your customers are inside out and upside down.
7. Become a shameless self-promoter (without becoming obnoxious).
One of the greatest myths about personal or business success is that eventually your business, personal abilities, products or services will get discovered and be embraced by the masses that will beat a path to your door to buy what you are selling. But how can this happen if no one knows who you are, what you sell and why they should be buying?
Self-promotion is one of the most beneficial, yet most underutilized, marketing tools that the majority of home business owners have at their immediate disposal.
8. Project a positive business image.
You have but a passing moment to make a positive and memorable impression on people with whom you intend to do business. Home business owners must go out of their way and make a conscious effort to always project the most professional business image possible. The majority of home business owners do not have the advantage of elaborate offices or elegant storefronts and showrooms to wow prospects and impress customers. Instead, they must rely on imagination, creativity and attention to the smallest detail when creating and maintaining a professional image for their home business.
9. Get to know your customers.
One of the biggest features and often the most significant competitive edge the home based entrepreneur has over the larger competitors is the he can offer personalized attention. Call it high-tech backlash if you will, but customers are sick and tired of hearing that their information is somewhere in the computer and must be retrieved, or told to push a dozen digits to finally get to the right department only to end up with voice mail--from which they never receive a return phone call.
The home business owner can actually answer phone calls, get to know customers, provide personal attention and win over repeat business by doing so. It's a researched fact that most business (80 percent) will come from repeat customers rather than new customers. Therefore, along with trying to draw newcomers, the more you can do to woo your regular customers, the better off you will be in the long run and personalized attention is very much appreciated and remembered in the modern high tech world.
10. Level the playing field with technology.
You should avoid getting overly caught up in the high-tech world, but you should also know how to take advantage of using it. One of the most amazing aspects of the internet is that a one or two person business operating from a basement can have a superior website to a $50 million company, and nobody knows the difference. Make sure you're keeping up with the high-tech world as it suits your needs.. The best technology is that which helps you, not that which impresses your neighbors.
11. Build a top-notch business team.
No one person can build a successful business alone. It's a task that requires a team that is as committed as you to the business and its success. Your business team may include family members, friends, suppliers, business alliances, employees, sub-contractors, industry and business associations, local government and the community. Of course the most important team members will be your customers or clients. Any or all may have a say in how your business will function and a stake in your business future.
12. Become known as an expert.
When you have a problem that needs to be solved, do you seek just anyone's advice or do you seek an expert in the field to help solve your particular problem? Obviously, you want the most accurate information and assistance that you can get. You naturally seek an expert to help solve your problem. You call a plumber when the hot water tank leaks, a real estate agent when it's time to sell your home or a dentist when you have a toothache. Therefore, it only stands to reason that the more you become known for your expertise in your business, the more people will seek you out to tap into your expertise, creating more selling and referral opportunities. In effect, becoming known as an expert is another style of prospecting for new business, just in reverse. Instead of finding new and qualified people to sell to, these people seek you out for your expertise.
13. Create a competitive advantage.
A home business must have a clearly defined unique selling proposition. This is nothing more than a fancy way of asking the vital question, "Why will people choose to do business with you or purchase your product or service instead of doing business with a competitor and buying his product or service?" In other words, what one aspect or combination of aspects is going to separate your business from your competition? Will it be better service, a longer warranty, better selection, longer business hours, more flexible payment options, lowest price, personalized service, better customer service, better return and exchange policies or a combination of several of these?
14. Invest in yourself.
Top entrepreneurs buy and read business and marketing books, magazines, reports, journals, newsletters, websites and industry publications, knowing that these resources will improve their understanding of business and marketing functions and skills. They join business associations and clubs, and they network with other skilled business people to learn their secrets of success and help define their own goals and objectives. Top entrepreneurs attend business and marketing seminars, workshops and training courses, even if they have already mastered the subject matter of the event. They do this because they know that education is an ongoing process. There are usually ways to do things better, in less time, with less effort. In short, top entrepreneurs never stop investing in the most powerful, effective and best business and marketing tool at their immediate disposal--themselves.
15. Be accessible.
We're living in a time when we all expect our fast food lunch at the drive-thru window to be ready in mere minutes, our dry cleaning to be ready for pick-up on the same day, our money to be available at the cash machine and our pizza delivered in 30 minutes or it's free. You see the pattern developing--you must make it as easy as you can for people to do business with you, regardless of the home business you operate.
You must remain cognizant of the fact that few people will work hard, go out of their way, or be inconvenienced just for the privilege of giving you their hard-earned money. The shoe is always on the other foot. Making it easy for people to do business with you means that you must be accessible and knowledgeable about your products and services. You must be able to provide customers with what they want, when they want it.
16. Build a rock-solid reputation.
A good reputation is unquestionably one of the home business owner's most tangible and marketable assets. You can't simply buy a good reputation; it's something that you earn by honoring your promises. If you promise to have the merchandise in the customer's hands by Wednesday, you have no excuse not to have it there. If you offer to repair something, you need to make good on your offer. Consistency in what you offer is the other key factor. If you cannot come through with the same level of service (and products) for clients on a regular basis, they have no reason to trust you . . . and without trust, you won't have a good reputation.
17. Sell benefits.
Pushing product features is for inexperienced or wannabe entrepreneurs. Selling the benefits associated with owning and using the products and services you carry is what sales professionals worldwide focus on to create buying excitement and to sell, sell more, and sell more frequently to their customers. Your advertising, sales presentations, printed marketing materials, product packaging, website, newsletters, trade show exhibit and signage are vital. Every time and every medium used to communicate with your target audience must always be selling the benefits associated with owning your product or using your service.
18. Get involved.
Always go out of your way to get involved in the community that supports your business. You can do this in many ways, such as pitching in to help local charities or the food bank, becoming involved in organizing community events, and getting involved in local politics. You can join associations and clubs that concentrate on programs and policies designed to improve the local community. It's a fact that people like to do business with people they know, like and respect, and with people who do things to help them as members of the community.
19. Grab attention.
Small-business owners cannot waste time, money and energy on promotional activities aimed at building awareness solely through long-term, repeated exposure. If you do, chances are you will go broke long before this goal is accomplished. Instead, every promotional activity you engage in, must put money back in your pocket so that you can continue to grab more attention and grow your business.
20. Master the art of negotiations.
The ability to negotiate effectively is unquestionably a skill that every home business owner must make every effort to master. It's perhaps second in importance only to asking for the sale in terms of home business musts. In business, negotiation skills are used daily. Always remember that mastering the art of negotiation means that your skills are so finely tuned that you can always orchestrate a win-win situation. These win-win arrangements mean that everyone involved feels they have won, which is really the basis for building long-term and profitable business relationships.
21. Design Your workspace for success.
Carefully plan and design your home office workspace to ensure maximum personal performance and productivity and, if necessary, to project professionalism for visiting clients. If at all possible, resist the temptation to turn a corner of the living room or your bedroom into your office. Ideally, you'll want a separate room with a door that closes to keep business activities in and family members out, at least during prime business and revenue generating hours of the day. A den, spare bedroom, basement or converted garage are all ideal candidates for your new home office. If this is not possible, you'll have to find a means of converting a room with a partition or simply find hours to do the bulk of your work when nobody else is home.
22. Get and stay organized.
The key to staying organized is not about which type of file you have or whether you keep a stack or two of papers on your desk, but it's about managing your business. It's about having systems in place to do things. Therefore, you wan to establish a routine by which you can accomplish as much as possible in a given workday, whether that's three hours for a part-time business or seven or nine hours as a full-timer. In fact, you should develop systems and routines for just about every single business activity. Small things such as creating a to-do list at the end of each business day, or for the week, will help keep you on top of important tasks to tackle. Creating a single calendar to work from, not multiple sets for individual tasks or jobs, will also ensure that jobs are completed on schedule and appointments kept. Incorporating family and personal activities into your work calendar is also critical so that you work and plan from a single calendar.
23. Take time off.
The temptation to work around the clock is very real for some home business owners. After all, you don't have a manager telling you it's time to go home because they can't afford the overtime pay. Every person working from home must take time to establish a regular work schedule that includes time to stretch your legs and take lunch breaks, plus some days off and scheduled vacations. Create the schedule as soon as you have made the commitment to start a home business. Of course, your schedule will have to be flexible. You should, therefore, not fill every possible hour in the day. Give yourself a backup hour or two. All work and no play makes you burn out very fast and grumpy customer service is not what people want.
24. Limit the number of hats you wear.
It's difficult for most business owners not to take a hands-on approach. They try to do as much as possible and tackle as many tasks as possible in their business. The ability to multitask, in fact, is a common trait shared by successful entrepreneurs. However, once in a while you have to stand back and look beyond today to determine what's in the best interest of your business and yourself over the long run. Most highly successful entrepreneurs will tell you that from the time they started out, they knew what they were good at and what tasks to delegate to others.
25. Follow-up constantly.
Constant contact, follow-up, and follow-through with customers, prospects, and business alliances should be the mantra of every home business owner, new or established. Constant and consistent follow-up enables you to turn prospects into customers, increase the value of each sale and buying frequency from existing customers, and build stronger business relationships with suppliers and your core business team. Follow-up is especially important with your existing customer base, as the real work begins after the sale. It's easy to sell one product or service, but it takes work to retain customers and keep them coming back.
James Stephenson is an experienced home based consultant with more than 15 years of business and marketing experience. He is the author of several popular books, including Entrepreneur magazine’s Ultimate Startup Directory and Ultimate Small Business Marketing Guide, both available from Entrepreneur Press.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
用演主角的态度去演配角 (成功的关键)
为了募捐, 主日学校准备排练一部叫<<圣诞前夕>>的短话片. 告示一贴出, 罗德尼的妹妹安杰拉便热情万丈地去报名当演员. 定完角色那天, 安杰拉拉着冰箱脸回到家.
原来, <<圣诞前夕>>只有4个人物: 父亲, 母亲, 女儿和儿子, 而安杰拉分到的角色是饰演狗.
出乎罗德尼预料的是, 安杰拉没有退出. 她积极参加每次排练, 罗德尼纳闷: 一只狗有什么可排练的? 但安杰拉却练得很投入, 还买了一副护膝. 据说这样她在台上爬时, 膝盖就不会疼了. 安杰拉告诉大家, 她的动物角色名叫"危险".
演出那天, 罗德尼翻开节目单, 找到妹妹的名字: 珍妮......危险(狗). 偷偷环视四周, 整个礼堂都坐满了, 其中有很多熟人和朋友, 他赶紧往座椅里缩了缩. 有个演狗的妹妹, 毕竟不是一件很有面子的事. 幸好, 灯光转暗, 话剧开始了.
先出场的是男主角"父亲", 他在正中的摇椅上坐下. 接着是"母亲"上场, 她面对观众坐下. 然后是"女儿" 和 "儿子", 他们分别跪坐在父亲两侧的地板上. 一家人正在聊天, 安杰拉穿着一套黄色的狗道具, 手脚并用地爬进场.
但罗德尼发觉这不是简单的爬, "危险"(安杰拉) 蹦蹦跳跳, 摇头摆尾地跑进客厅, 她先在小地毯上伸个懒腰, 然后才在壁炉前安顿下来, 开始呼呼大睡, 一连串的动作, 惟妙惟悄. 很多观众也注意到了, 四周传来轻轻的笑声.
接下来, 剧中的父亲开始给全家讲故事. 他刚说到: "圣诞前夕, 万籁倨寂, 就连老鼠......." "危险" 突然从梦中惊醒, 机警地四下张望, 神情和家犬一样.
男主角继续讲:"突然, 一声轻响从屋顶传来....."昏昏欲睡的"危险"又一次惊醒, 好像察觉到异样, 仰望屋顶, 喉咙里发出呜呜的低喉. 太逼真了! 安杰拉一定费尽心思. 很明显, 这时候的观众已不再注意主角们的对白, 几百只眼睛瞪着安杰拉. 接下来, 安杰拉幽默精湛的表演也没间断, 台下的笑声更是此起彼伏.
那晚, 安杰拉的角色没有一句台词, 却抢了整场戏. 原来, 让安杰拉改变态度的是她刚刚分到狗的角色垂头丧气回家之后爸爸的一句话:"如果你用演主角的态度去演一只狗, 狗也会成为主角!!"
鼓励 :
命运赐给我们不同角色, 如果我们只是不重要的小角色, 与其怨天尤人, 不如全力以赴. 只要你毫不松懈地认真对待, 再小的角色都可能变成主角.
原来, <<圣诞前夕>>只有4个人物: 父亲, 母亲, 女儿和儿子, 而安杰拉分到的角色是饰演狗.
出乎罗德尼预料的是, 安杰拉没有退出. 她积极参加每次排练, 罗德尼纳闷: 一只狗有什么可排练的? 但安杰拉却练得很投入, 还买了一副护膝. 据说这样她在台上爬时, 膝盖就不会疼了. 安杰拉告诉大家, 她的动物角色名叫"危险".
演出那天, 罗德尼翻开节目单, 找到妹妹的名字: 珍妮......危险(狗). 偷偷环视四周, 整个礼堂都坐满了, 其中有很多熟人和朋友, 他赶紧往座椅里缩了缩. 有个演狗的妹妹, 毕竟不是一件很有面子的事. 幸好, 灯光转暗, 话剧开始了.
先出场的是男主角"父亲", 他在正中的摇椅上坐下. 接着是"母亲"上场, 她面对观众坐下. 然后是"女儿" 和 "儿子", 他们分别跪坐在父亲两侧的地板上. 一家人正在聊天, 安杰拉穿着一套黄色的狗道具, 手脚并用地爬进场.
但罗德尼发觉这不是简单的爬, "危险"(安杰拉) 蹦蹦跳跳, 摇头摆尾地跑进客厅, 她先在小地毯上伸个懒腰, 然后才在壁炉前安顿下来, 开始呼呼大睡, 一连串的动作, 惟妙惟悄. 很多观众也注意到了, 四周传来轻轻的笑声.
接下来, 剧中的父亲开始给全家讲故事. 他刚说到: "圣诞前夕, 万籁倨寂, 就连老鼠......." "危险" 突然从梦中惊醒, 机警地四下张望, 神情和家犬一样.
男主角继续讲:"突然, 一声轻响从屋顶传来....."昏昏欲睡的"危险"又一次惊醒, 好像察觉到异样, 仰望屋顶, 喉咙里发出呜呜的低喉. 太逼真了! 安杰拉一定费尽心思. 很明显, 这时候的观众已不再注意主角们的对白, 几百只眼睛瞪着安杰拉. 接下来, 安杰拉幽默精湛的表演也没间断, 台下的笑声更是此起彼伏.
那晚, 安杰拉的角色没有一句台词, 却抢了整场戏. 原来, 让安杰拉改变态度的是她刚刚分到狗的角色垂头丧气回家之后爸爸的一句话:"如果你用演主角的态度去演一只狗, 狗也会成为主角!!"
鼓励 :
命运赐给我们不同角色, 如果我们只是不重要的小角色, 与其怨天尤人, 不如全力以赴. 只要你毫不松懈地认真对待, 再小的角色都可能变成主角.
断掌(相学）
什么是“断掌”？
智慧线和感情线相交，从手掌的一端至另一端，成一直线横越的相，成为“断掌”。
断掌特点：（一）利己心重，好贪小利，喜弄权势；（二）主观极强，不肯听取别人的意见；（三）适应能力和应变能力较差；（四）爱恶分明；（五）做事有责任感，不达成功不停止。
有此手相而手比较小的男性，个性强，对善恶均有强烈感，是个不见棺材不落泪的人，如误入歧途将会成为黑社会的主脑人物，如走上正道会是个大事业家；女性很难要求她持有女性化的魅力，为人心直口快，很重理智，公事公办，丝毫不偏私，不善调情，因此一旦恋爱，婚姻多半不幸福。
“断掌”之人为何婚姻常常不顺？
断掌的构成正是感情线和智慧线合二为一，感情线自然代表对感情上的思维，反映此人对感情的投入热诚与否；智慧线代表了智能、理智如何，反映此人对人对事的态度如何。现在二纹为一，表示感情与理智不会分割，于是断掌的人性格上显得坚强，自信心充足，处事极为理智，不易受感情或亲情所左右，自然独立性较强。不用再论其它因素，单从这性格上的分拆，便可理解古时面相学家，为何对拥有断掌的妇女，认为一生不利婚姻。不易妥协的性格，始终对婚姻较易产生波动，也是无可避免。
“断掌”与身体健康有关吗？
中国人较多断掌者，欧美人少见。从手相学来看，断掌人性格比一般人果决固执，经济观念浓厚，神经过敏容易与人争执，高龄产妇所生的婴儿发生唐氏症常并发断掌。
断掌的人这些性格特征与临床上所见的疾病可谓“相映成趣”。根据临床观察男人断掌者常见的疾病有:
【1】支气管炎或其他呼吸系统疾病
【2】神经过敏或神经衰弱
【3】高血压
【4】胆固醇或中性脂肪过高
【5】肝炎
【6】便秘或下痢
女性断掌者除了上述六种疾病外，还有月经痛，生殖系统发育不健全。尤其妇女双手断掌者，更容易造成严重的月经痛。 断掌的人依临床上统计约有百分八十以上都来自遗传，也就是说断掌的人百分之八十以上其父母必有一人以上是断掌。
传统相学如何解释“断掌”？
举身材为例，我们可以一眼就从一个人的“外表”，看出一个人的胖瘦。“手相”也是一样，只不过要做任何分析前，需要更细密的方法才能判断。
我们可以发现，一个人的运气好，他的气色就好，手的色泽看起来也一样比较健康；同样地，他的手相纹路看起来比较清晰，直观上就是一个思路清楚而理性的人；如果一个人的手相纹路很复杂，直观上就是一个思绪较复杂的人，而且事实上也正是如此。可见“以相取人”是很符合自然现象的，这就是“手相”预测的基本原理。
手相理论认为，有断掌纹的人个性都比较率性、积极、好强、性急，心神欠专一，脑部易遭受刺激，导致个性偏执，在情感路上不顺遂，但是这其实并非绝对，只要能够配合教育环境来导正心态，并在修养上多下功夫，就能修正不好的性格。
一般说来，有断掌纹的人做事积极，比较容易成功，缺点是性急，容易出错。如果二只手都有断掌纹，表示这个人虽然个性刚强，但会比较能够平衡；不过若仅有一手有断掌纹，则在人格发展上要多自我调适，避免太过偏执，如此就不会有不好的影响了。
智慧线和感情线相交，从手掌的一端至另一端，成一直线横越的相，成为“断掌”。
断掌特点：（一）利己心重，好贪小利，喜弄权势；（二）主观极强，不肯听取别人的意见；（三）适应能力和应变能力较差；（四）爱恶分明；（五）做事有责任感，不达成功不停止。
有此手相而手比较小的男性，个性强，对善恶均有强烈感，是个不见棺材不落泪的人，如误入歧途将会成为黑社会的主脑人物，如走上正道会是个大事业家；女性很难要求她持有女性化的魅力，为人心直口快，很重理智，公事公办，丝毫不偏私，不善调情，因此一旦恋爱，婚姻多半不幸福。
“断掌”之人为何婚姻常常不顺？
断掌的构成正是感情线和智慧线合二为一，感情线自然代表对感情上的思维，反映此人对感情的投入热诚与否；智慧线代表了智能、理智如何，反映此人对人对事的态度如何。现在二纹为一，表示感情与理智不会分割，于是断掌的人性格上显得坚强，自信心充足，处事极为理智，不易受感情或亲情所左右，自然独立性较强。不用再论其它因素，单从这性格上的分拆，便可理解古时面相学家，为何对拥有断掌的妇女，认为一生不利婚姻。不易妥协的性格，始终对婚姻较易产生波动，也是无可避免。
“断掌”与身体健康有关吗？
中国人较多断掌者，欧美人少见。从手相学来看，断掌人性格比一般人果决固执，经济观念浓厚，神经过敏容易与人争执，高龄产妇所生的婴儿发生唐氏症常并发断掌。
断掌的人这些性格特征与临床上所见的疾病可谓“相映成趣”。根据临床观察男人断掌者常见的疾病有:
【1】支气管炎或其他呼吸系统疾病
【2】神经过敏或神经衰弱
【3】高血压
【4】胆固醇或中性脂肪过高
【5】肝炎
【6】便秘或下痢
女性断掌者除了上述六种疾病外，还有月经痛，生殖系统发育不健全。尤其妇女双手断掌者，更容易造成严重的月经痛。 断掌的人依临床上统计约有百分八十以上都来自遗传，也就是说断掌的人百分之八十以上其父母必有一人以上是断掌。
传统相学如何解释“断掌”？
举身材为例，我们可以一眼就从一个人的“外表”，看出一个人的胖瘦。“手相”也是一样，只不过要做任何分析前，需要更细密的方法才能判断。
我们可以发现，一个人的运气好，他的气色就好，手的色泽看起来也一样比较健康；同样地，他的手相纹路看起来比较清晰，直观上就是一个思路清楚而理性的人；如果一个人的手相纹路很复杂，直观上就是一个思绪较复杂的人，而且事实上也正是如此。可见“以相取人”是很符合自然现象的，这就是“手相”预测的基本原理。
手相理论认为，有断掌纹的人个性都比较率性、积极、好强、性急，心神欠专一，脑部易遭受刺激，导致个性偏执，在情感路上不顺遂，但是这其实并非绝对，只要能够配合教育环境来导正心态，并在修养上多下功夫，就能修正不好的性格。
一般说来，有断掌纹的人做事积极，比较容易成功，缺点是性急，容易出错。如果二只手都有断掌纹，表示这个人虽然个性刚强，但会比较能够平衡；不过若仅有一手有断掌纹，则在人格发展上要多自我调适，避免太过偏执，如此就不会有不好的影响了。
向妒嫉說再見的七大妙訣
克服妒嫉方法之一：選擇擅長領域
「當你不能停止負面比較時，不妨想想以前在其它方面勝出的情景，以其它的成功經驗，來緩和妒嫉感。」心理教授沙勒威表示。
如果能找到自己表現突出的領域，便會積極強化你和這個圈子的連結。一位擅長馬術的女性，因技術優異而晉級到職業馬術賽。在對手面前雖然妒嫉心會油然而生，但同時也激發其在競技場上有更好的表現。找到自己的特長，自信也隨之提升。尋找擅長的領域，有時需要不斷嚐試錯誤。如能找到自我天賦，並在正確的地方發揮到極大值，你、我都可以是快樂天才！
克服妒嫉方法之二：改變參考群體
「如果厭煩了做這條街上最窮的人，那就搬到比較簡樸的社區吧!」經濟學家羅伯法蘭克表示。雖然我們不能壓抑自己的認知，但有絕對的自由選擇朋友、鄰居和同事。參考群體影響著我們妒嫉或羨慕的對象，控制自己與誰比較不失為一種變通的好方法。
雖然轉換參考群體需付出相當的代價，端看你如何來衡量。舉例來說，你願意在一小足球聯盟當頂尖四分衛球員？還是在達拉斯牛仔足球隊坐冷板凳？在達拉斯牛仔足球隊，你可能拿到酒會邀請函，到高級社交圈佔一個不起眼的位子，但只有明眼人才看的出來到底值不值得了!
克服妒嫉方法之三：在小眾文化圈中找到歸屬
即使不能輕易轉換工作或搬家，你也可以找到一些小眾文化圈，在其中尋找你的參考群體。紐約時報專欄作家大衛布魯克以美國為例，「美國並不是個階級觀念很重 的國家，更具體地說，她其實是各獨立群體的集合體，每個群體都有他們各自喜好的中心。」舉例來說，在這其中就可找到反全球化的激進份子、極限運動迷，或非 調性爵士樂迷等社群，在這些圈子裏突顯自己並不太困難。不論你在其內的權力地位如何，這些團體都將加強你的價值觀及歸屬感。
這些小團體與小團體之間的溝通也相當有限。一個權力的變動，對局內人來說可能是驚天動地，但對參考群體之外的人來說，就像打嗝一樣根本微不足道。就像是心理學家很喜歡別人用他的名字來命名人格測驗的方式，雖然很少有人會注意到這到底是誰的名字。
克服妒嫉方法之四：寧為雞首 勿為牛後
眼前有兩個選擇，一個是在鄉下當律師，社區裡的人都認識你，門口的破招牌上還嵌著你的名字；或是在一家大律師事務所當個默默無聞的合夥人，你會選擇哪一種生活？
不可諱言的，許多人常常在小圈子中更能得到發揮。羅伯‧法蘭克舉其友為例，雖然少年時表現並不突出，成績進不了有名的寄宿學校，只好被迫轉唸鄉下的公立學校。沒想到在鄉下學校他反而如魚得水，最後申請到一所優秀的大學。遠離大圈子後，若能以創意或逆向方式發展出屬於自己的出路，一生的命運或許真能從此改觀。
克服妒嫉方法之五：隨年紀增長而圓熟
認識到這一點很重要，它也是人們從心理上壓抑妒嫉的法則。根據研究，好比較的習慣，會隨著年齡的增長而逐漸減弱。「我媽年輕時，對這些女性朋友可是妒嫉的不得了。」莎拉‧席爾回憶道。直到有一天席爾60歲的母親透 露，她和這些老朋友間的友誼已愈來愈情同姐妹了，席爾才對母親的內心世界有進一步的瞭解。當女人過了精力旺盛的成熟期，對同儕妒嫉的傾向將會明顯減退。
克服妒嫉方法之六：營造真正的安全感
「把你的眼神由別人身上轉開，將掃瞄器放在你的內心好仔細去偵察，找出你裡面妒嫉的種子，清除老舊的聲音以及過去的經驗。集中你全部的心力好好營造你個人 以及情緒上的真正安全感吧！」珍妮佛‧詹姆斯在《心靈之旅》中說。當妒嫉心蠢蠢慾動時，想一想什麼對你才是真正重要的？什麼才是你自己的目標？你的能力和資源能夠為你達到什麼？它可以幫助你從心理上的競爭中解脫出來，昂首闊步邁向屬於自己的人生。
克服妒嫉方法之七：理解人生真諦
這是解決妒嫉的最高法則。人活在世上，有七情六慾，都本能地想過得更好，能夠更風光更體面地活著。正因為人有慾望，內心才會生出喜好、厭惡之情，這是產生妒嫉的原動力。如果一個人能夠認識到，人活在世上，目的其實不是為了過得更好、活得更風光體面，而是為了返本歸真，回溯人的先天本性。如果能夠認識到這一點，那麼物質上的得失和對七情六慾的滿足就顯得不是那麼重要了，因此也就能夠削弱直至杜絕產生妒嫉的原動力。當然通過理解人生真諦從而克服妒嫉的方法，並不是人人都能很容易做得到的，但是如果您真想下定決心克服妒嫉，那麼它不失是一種有效的方法，也是能夠解決妒嫉問題的最高法則。
(http://www.dajiyuan.com)
「當你不能停止負面比較時，不妨想想以前在其它方面勝出的情景，以其它的成功經驗，來緩和妒嫉感。」心理教授沙勒威表示。
如果能找到自己表現突出的領域，便會積極強化你和這個圈子的連結。一位擅長馬術的女性，因技術優異而晉級到職業馬術賽。在對手面前雖然妒嫉心會油然而生，但同時也激發其在競技場上有更好的表現。找到自己的特長，自信也隨之提升。尋找擅長的領域，有時需要不斷嚐試錯誤。如能找到自我天賦，並在正確的地方發揮到極大值，你、我都可以是快樂天才！
克服妒嫉方法之二：改變參考群體
「如果厭煩了做這條街上最窮的人，那就搬到比較簡樸的社區吧!」經濟學家羅伯法蘭克表示。雖然我們不能壓抑自己的認知，但有絕對的自由選擇朋友、鄰居和同事。參考群體影響著我們妒嫉或羨慕的對象，控制自己與誰比較不失為一種變通的好方法。
雖然轉換參考群體需付出相當的代價，端看你如何來衡量。舉例來說，你願意在一小足球聯盟當頂尖四分衛球員？還是在達拉斯牛仔足球隊坐冷板凳？在達拉斯牛仔足球隊，你可能拿到酒會邀請函，到高級社交圈佔一個不起眼的位子，但只有明眼人才看的出來到底值不值得了!
克服妒嫉方法之三：在小眾文化圈中找到歸屬
即使不能輕易轉換工作或搬家，你也可以找到一些小眾文化圈，在其中尋找你的參考群體。紐約時報專欄作家大衛布魯克以美國為例，「美國並不是個階級觀念很重 的國家，更具體地說，她其實是各獨立群體的集合體，每個群體都有他們各自喜好的中心。」舉例來說，在這其中就可找到反全球化的激進份子、極限運動迷，或非 調性爵士樂迷等社群，在這些圈子裏突顯自己並不太困難。不論你在其內的權力地位如何，這些團體都將加強你的價值觀及歸屬感。
這些小團體與小團體之間的溝通也相當有限。一個權力的變動，對局內人來說可能是驚天動地，但對參考群體之外的人來說，就像打嗝一樣根本微不足道。就像是心理學家很喜歡別人用他的名字來命名人格測驗的方式，雖然很少有人會注意到這到底是誰的名字。
克服妒嫉方法之四：寧為雞首 勿為牛後
眼前有兩個選擇，一個是在鄉下當律師，社區裡的人都認識你，門口的破招牌上還嵌著你的名字；或是在一家大律師事務所當個默默無聞的合夥人，你會選擇哪一種生活？
不可諱言的，許多人常常在小圈子中更能得到發揮。羅伯‧法蘭克舉其友為例，雖然少年時表現並不突出，成績進不了有名的寄宿學校，只好被迫轉唸鄉下的公立學校。沒想到在鄉下學校他反而如魚得水，最後申請到一所優秀的大學。遠離大圈子後，若能以創意或逆向方式發展出屬於自己的出路，一生的命運或許真能從此改觀。
克服妒嫉方法之五：隨年紀增長而圓熟
認識到這一點很重要，它也是人們從心理上壓抑妒嫉的法則。根據研究，好比較的習慣，會隨著年齡的增長而逐漸減弱。「我媽年輕時，對這些女性朋友可是妒嫉的不得了。」莎拉‧席爾回憶道。直到有一天席爾60歲的母親透 露，她和這些老朋友間的友誼已愈來愈情同姐妹了，席爾才對母親的內心世界有進一步的瞭解。當女人過了精力旺盛的成熟期，對同儕妒嫉的傾向將會明顯減退。
克服妒嫉方法之六：營造真正的安全感
「把你的眼神由別人身上轉開，將掃瞄器放在你的內心好仔細去偵察，找出你裡面妒嫉的種子，清除老舊的聲音以及過去的經驗。集中你全部的心力好好營造你個人 以及情緒上的真正安全感吧！」珍妮佛‧詹姆斯在《心靈之旅》中說。當妒嫉心蠢蠢慾動時，想一想什麼對你才是真正重要的？什麼才是你自己的目標？你的能力和資源能夠為你達到什麼？它可以幫助你從心理上的競爭中解脫出來，昂首闊步邁向屬於自己的人生。
克服妒嫉方法之七：理解人生真諦
這是解決妒嫉的最高法則。人活在世上，有七情六慾，都本能地想過得更好，能夠更風光更體面地活著。正因為人有慾望，內心才會生出喜好、厭惡之情，這是產生妒嫉的原動力。如果一個人能夠認識到，人活在世上，目的其實不是為了過得更好、活得更風光體面，而是為了返本歸真，回溯人的先天本性。如果能夠認識到這一點，那麼物質上的得失和對七情六慾的滿足就顯得不是那麼重要了，因此也就能夠削弱直至杜絕產生妒嫉的原動力。當然通過理解人生真諦從而克服妒嫉的方法，並不是人人都能很容易做得到的，但是如果您真想下定決心克服妒嫉，那麼它不失是一種有效的方法，也是能夠解決妒嫉問題的最高法則。
(http://www.dajiyuan.com)
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