e-piph-a-ny "A sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience."
Getting our business to grow bigger has been a process, not an event. It's has always been a matter of discovering what works then "tweaking" it to make it work better. Of course, the only way to KNOW if it is working better or not is to MEASURE the results! Most people I talk with about growing a business admire the results we've had, but don't understand the process.
The 7-Step Process is really simple. Let me lay this out for you...
1) Try something.
2) Measure the important results.
3) Try something different.
4) Measure the important results.
5) Keep doing those things that give better results.
6) Abandon those things that give worse results.
7) Keep doing this!
This makes total sense to everyone that reads it. And I have TOLD these steps to several people over the years. Yet I constantly see people messing up at every one of these steps. How so? Let me tell you the ways...
Mess Up #1: The person that never DOES anything. They are either afraid to try because they fear failure, or they just never get around to actually doing anything. The read about things, think about things, plan things, start things, but never finish anything.
Mess Up #2: The person that does something but doesn't measure whether or not what they did is working. Or the only thing they measure is the bottom line. (That's a whole 'nother series of articles!) Determine what the important results are and track those results for as long as you are in business. These are your business "metrics".
Mess Up #3: The person that understands what they are doing isn't working, but they keep doing the same thing anyway! If something isn't working, try a different approach!
Mess Up #4: The person that tries something different but doesn't measure to see if the new way works better than the old way. They just ass-u-me that it is better.
Mess Up #5: The person that finds a better way to do something but gives up on that better way and goes back to the original way... because it's easier!?
Mess Up #6: The person that keeps doing what doesn't work!
Mess Up #7: The person that doesn't continue to grow and tweak their stategy and tools.
Business growth is a process, not an event. Follow The Steps Up!
Larry - AWESOME ideas and great to see you posting your business ideas and thoughts. I will be a regular reader! Thanks
P.
Posted by: Perry Lawrence | October 17, 2006 at 02:42 PM