It’s the little things that can lead to success……

There are so many factors involved in achieving business success so when I was asked that questions last week, I had to stop and think of what is really important. The following is my list of what are the most important factors that don’t require a large investment.

• Improve your smile and smile more often. That includes whitening your teeth if necessary. Last week I told a potential client, after our second visit, that unless she was willing to take that frown off her face and smile she would never get anywhere.
• Contact 10 people a week and offer your services/products. This may require some thought and a prepared story to share, but it will work. Make sure that you ask permission to add them to your e-newsletter lists.
• Call a past customer every day without a business agenda. Ask about their family, wish them a happy birthday or anything except trying to make a sale.
•  Unless you are giving a lecture, spend twice as much time listening as you do speaking.
• Turn off the TV for an entire week, especially watching news.
• Dress well. There is something to wearing good clothes be they business casual or more formal. You don’t have to be like everyone else; stand out.
• Say thank you more often. Look for any excuse to thank someone for a kindness, however small.
• Listen when someone speaks to you. We all have a tendency to let our mind wander. Practice focusing on the speaker.
• If you have attended a seminar,  bought a “how to grow your business” book ,  read one of my blogs that challenged you with a good idea, or have/had a coach, take time to implement those suggestions.

Think back over your business life, how many opportunities were presented to you that you did not follow up on? “I wish I had” is one of the worst statements that a business owner can make. That tells me that you are still living off “what might have been” instead of “what could be.”

Change is the only constant in our business lives.

Nick J. Petra CFP      www.strategicduck.com        subscribe today to www.onebizcentral.com   it may be the best $60 investment you could make in your business.