Your Big Picture is made up of many parts that need to make sense for you and your business and most importantly need to be working together.
We started with an Overall Review.
Next we look at the 6 key parts that need to be working together, like a well oiled machine.
These 6 parts should include:
- the current business environment-make sure you are up to date on everything that is going on in your industry, market and community. Now is not the time to be laying low or hanging back. Subscribe to some key newsletters, bookmark key websites and stay in touch with other people in your business in other parts of the country.
- the relevance of your skills and how you deliver your business-do you need to brush up on word, PowerPoint or integrate a new software or program to make your business and communications more effective and streamlined? There are online and local resources to do just that and some of them are FREE or very low cost. Never out a price tag on investing in your professional or business success, just make sure it is what you need and you use trusted vendors.
- the marketability and bank-ability of your product/service-is what you do and what you offer still as relevant now as it was? Make sure you ask your customers how you can best serve and deliver your products and services. There are numerous examples of very successful companies that hit a trend that played it’s course and didn’t proactively evolve or change to meet customers needs. Are your products and services still profitable and making money?
- your sales strategy and approach-’we’re all in sales’ today from the first entry point to the last. Investing in some simple sales training is a very good skill to invest in especially today. Serving is the new selling has become a popular mantra for today’s business. How do you like to be sold? Transactional or relational? Check out the ZapposInsights.com site to learn more about how their core values create their company culture and their ‘wow’ customer service and sales.
- your overall marketing plan-how are you attracting people to you, finding your best targeted customers and developing deeper, stronger relationships? This is a very tall order today but essential for sustaining business success. It starts with your brand and message, website, blog, vision, mission. Make sure that all your marketing materials are current and saying exactly what you want them to be saying.
Do People Know What You Do? Review, update, focus, change, adapt to the current conditions and see where the trends are pointing. Go there, don’t wait. Get some business counseling or coaching. Freshen up your logo, slogan, business card, website, rack card. - your online and offline networking-if you are not out there, sharing your smart, fun, authentic self both online and in person you can become ‘bottom of mind’ really fast. The new world of communication and work requires that you engage, connect, give, share. Get on one of the social platforms and if you are on, take it to the next level and start using it more. LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, chambers, Meet-ups, professional organizations, networking groups all are important and viable options. Make a plan to find your fit and commit. Here are 9 Ways to Become a Better Networker.
I have written a lot this year about the ‘entrepreneurial mindset” and “success mindset”. In today’s business world developing and refining this quality and skill really can set you apart and accelerate your progress.
Next up: the key skills and qualities that always contribute to the sustainability of my (and others) success mindset.
What are the key parts to your BIG Picture?
