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"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."
The BIG Question
Time To Pull Back The Curtains
So... Are You Ready To Begin?
Great… well the process of reflection for our purposes here is twofold. First take a clear snapshot of the current state of affairs of your small business and then second examine that snapshot in terms of what’s working and what’s not working.
Sounds easy enough, right?
Well hold on a minute, while the process of reflection is simple, it can pack a punch in terms of the reality it reveals.
Some questions to start this process are:
- Have you met or exceeded your revenue goals over the past month? Past quarter? Or, how about the past year?
- Which product or service lines are your top bread winners and why? Which are not meeting expectations and why?
- Have you built a significant and steady pipeline of prospects interested in what your business offers? If so, how did you do it?
- How many new clients have you picked up over the past month? Past quarter? Or, how about the past year?
- Which of your clients has been the best and most lucrative to work with? How can you attract more like them?
- Have you strengthened your credibility in the marketplace? How about your visibility?
- What marketing strategies and tactics did you use? Were they effective? Why or Why not?
Parting Notes
Now as things get clearer for you and you make your determinations, don’t allow yourself to get emotionally attached to any specific marketing strategy or marketing tactic, simply replace the things that are not working with others that might work. Additionally, know that it’s okay if things didn’t turn out exactly as planned – this is all part of the growing process.
If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always gotten... or worse!
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in December 2006 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.
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Thank you for the process of reflection! It is really helpful in running a business – small or big.