29/08/2011 by Ann.

One of the things that freaks entrepreneurs out more than anything else is  competition.

It brings out all the ‘What if’ statements such as:

What if they are better than me?

What if there aren’t enough customers to go round?

What if my clients go to my competitors instead?

What if they are cheaper than me?

You get my drift!

So let’s bust all those myths once and for all:

1.      What if they are better than me?

How do you know and why do you care? Focus on your target market and do all the things you need to do to help you grow yourself and your business; attend training courses, get a coach, get business advice. Keep learning!

2.      What if there aren’t enough customers to go around?

I live in Alton, Hampshire.  When I first moved here many years ago we had no big supermarket then, eighteen years ago we got one. Now we have two new ones about to be built with other major supermarkets lining up to get into the town and, believe me, the population hasn’t grown very much in the past eighteen years.

Consider coffee shops: how many of those have sprung up near you in recent years? Did it stop at one of the major chains?  I thought not! Your ideal customers will stick with you if you are supplying what they want. I always go to my local Italian coffee shop as I love the staff and the atmosphere as well as the coffee (OK, I really mean the cakes!)

3. What if my clients go to my competitors instead?

Then all that means is that they are not the right clients for you! Focus on targeting people who you really want to work with and accept nothing less. Sure sometimes people move on, but this could be because they need something different from what you have to offer and that is fine; if you sell  Ford cars and your customer decides it is time to upgrade to an Aston Martin, then you are not the car supplier for them. People change all the time, so this frees up space for someone else to come into your life and give you their business.

4. What if they are cheaper than me?

What if they are? People who buy on price alone are always changing suppliers so they are not the kind of customers you want! They tend to be demanding and always asking you for a discount. Let someone else deal with them. Price your goods and services based on quality and value. Focus on people who value what you have to offer enough to pay you for it, because they can see the benefits they are going to get from coming to you.

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26/08/2011 by Ann.

I have spent seven months of this year with my right arm literally stuck to my side due to a frozen shoulder.

 This has made even the most basic of tasks difficult or impossible to do and frustration doesn’t even begin to describe how annoying it has been and the effect it has had upon my life.

But back on July 11^th I finally went into hospital to have it manipulated. I was told that the procedure might not be successful, as it was so severe. When I woke up I had more movement,  but probably only 20-40% of full movement. It was an improvement, but I have to admit I felt disappointed.

I started my physiotherapy on 15^th July and I knew from a friend who had the same procedure that it took three months to get most of the movement back.

But on 10^th August, after only four weeks, the physio signed me off! I had made great progress and had full movement vertically and to the side and it was only putting my hand up behind my back that still has a little way to go. So what caused me to make such rapid progress?

Simple: I did the work! Every exercise the physio asked me to do I did. Not just once but multiple times a day. No matter how much it hurt (and it did!) I carried on with my goal in sight. When I saw the physio I let her push me as hard as she could and again it hurt but, compared to the excruciating pain I had been in before the procedure, it was bearable.

I never stopped and never gave up. I did exactly what I was told by my physio as she is the expert, and I saw the results very quickly. In fact even she was amazed at my progress.

It is the same for your business: When you have a goal to reach make sure you get advice from the experts if it is not your area of expertise and do what they say! Don’t question what they tell you to do, just do it! There is no point in asking for help and then ignoring the advice you are given, but remember to work with people who know what they are doing so that you can emulate their success. After that you can start tweaking things. 

So are you ready to get started? Go to www.redcarpetwealth to book a free strategy session and build a business you love.

Ann

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