How to expand your entrepreneurial vision - bizjournals:

http://the-record-collector.com/newShippingandGuarantee.html
But changing is easier said than done. How do you acquirs a fresh perspective? How do you open your mind to newpossibilities ? You start by at least considerinv opportunities you would never have entertained in the past, by tryin g to approach problems from a different angle, by venturing outside your comfort zone and by takingt some carefully measured risks. If you keep asking yourseltf thesame questions, you’re going to keep getting the same answers. So, let’s tickler your brain and switch upthe Let’s view your business througb fresh eyes. Take a look at your products, sales Let’sa look at your saless upside down: What is it you aren’t selling ?
Think of all the recent sales you failedxto close. What were the reasons your would-be customers gave you? Are your customers asking for a producrt or service thatyou don’t offer? In that is it time to expand your portfolip to include something new? • Are customerw objecting to your prices? Should you re-evaluate your pricing methodology ? Provide less expensive version of currentf offerings? Expand payment terms to make purchasing more attractive? Are customers asking for smaller quantities than your currenr minimums allow? In a soft market, increasinvg throughput is smart. Can you adjust your work flow to make smalleforders profitable? Think back over the past year or so.
Is there anything different aboutyour customers? For one entrepreneur I know owns a martiapl arts studio. In the past, he’d require that studentzs register for six months of classes at a Back in the goodold days, customersz signed up without thinking Today, registrations are plummeting. Yet he’as still sticking to his six-month rule, because “u have to pay my rent.” The problejm is, customers are increasingly unwilling to committo six-month What if their kids lose interest ? What if a parent loses his or her job? His classew haven’t changed, but his customers Because of the tight economy, they’ve become commitment-shy.
If he wantws their business, he’ll find a way to accommodatr them. For example, he could offer month-to-montuh memberships. Or, he coulc take a cue from the auto industry and guarante e tuition refunds if someons losesa job. Yes, he has to pay the But getting the rent money one monthy at a time beats not getting itat all. He’s operating under an outdated assumption. Now, what about you? Are you operating by obsoletde “rules” that discourage customers from buying? Now, look at yourselfd During tough times, entrepreneurs have to stee l themselves to do things theyfind unpleasant. This is true.
if you’re brainstorming ways to strengthehnyour business, it helps to focus on thosr aspects you most enjoy. Chances are, these are your If you like what you’ree doing, you’re more likely to sticmk with it. So ask yourself, what is it you like best aboutgyour business? What strengths can you build on? What areasa can you grow? For are there related services you’ve thought aboutg offering your customers, but never have? Perhaps now is the time to act. Ray Silversteinj is president of PRO: President’s Resourcew Organization, a network of entrepreneurial peer advisory groups in Phoenixand Chicago.
He also is the author of “Th e Best Secrets of Greaft Small Businesses” and a columnist for Entrepreneur.com. You can reach him at 800-818-0150 or ray@propres.com.