Buiness Is The Other Guy
Business isn't for you, it's for the other guy. You're not selling something to yourself, your selling to a, totally, different person. Fill this need, and you'll do well.
I see people go into business all the time. They have an idea of what to sell. They get poor to medium results. They think ths is ok. It is not.
Survival requires an increase. (Even a small increase is an increase.) If you're not increasing as a business, you're not going to survive.
Business is "trade". Think of it as, "What do I have to trade with Joe? What does he want that I have?"
To think you already know is conceited. (conceit-a fanciful idea) At best, it lacks humility. (The humble will inherit the Earth. It's not the meek, it's the humble.) You have to discover what's needed and wanted. Just listen to them. You can ask them, too. And then, do that.
Most marriages disolve because they don't listen to each other. Neither gets what they want, anymore, and it falls apart. Business is that way. It's a universal truth.
Most of your work will be to understand what customers want. They will tell you.
I'm not saying this to chop you up or asume you're doing it wrong. I'm just conveying a basic concept. I'm not sure how many people know about this. You have to be a servant. (A servant, not a slave.)
This isn't necessarily popular or convenient. And it, certainly, isn't easy. It simple. Why wrack your brain around trying to figure things out, when you can just ask? You don't even have to think. Just listen.
If you're sincere about running a business and servicing others, then, discover what they want. Then, give it to them. Make it easy to get. With this, you'll be successful.
Learning is key to success. Look at what you have, right now. Everything you have is by virtue of what you know. No more, no less. How do you increase this? By learning something new.
As a business owner, what is the most obvious avenue of learning? Your customer, of course. Imagine you're a landscaper. You're going to cut their lawn. Who would you ask, "How To Cut Your Lawn?' The customer of course. (Duh.)
You can read lots of books and take gobs of training on "how to", or you can just ask the customer how to make it the way they want. (Don't work, too, hard!)
This is the first order of business. I started when I was five. (Out of the mouths of babes.) You've heard the saying, "You must be as a child to enter the kindom of heaven." A wise man said this.
He was the greatest servant.
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I like how you interjected the marriage thing. I completely believe that it is not about being the perfect husband, or the perfect wife, it is about being "in" to each other. It's about the connection. Same in business - it is our job to "connect" with the customers.
~Matt
Yea, Matt. Marriage is an easy analogy. I see it all the time. People dis-ing each other and they wonder why they have no friends.
Great information, thanks for the post. You do need to listen to what the customers want and then execute a plan to make it happen. You will then find success in all you do.
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"you can just ask the customer how to make it the way they want" Absolutely love it, what a fantastic reminder.
Sometimes we want/need to overcomplicate things, if in doubt just ask.
Beautiful and thanks for sharing.
You're welcome, Heidi.