It’s important to possess certain qualities as a business owner that help you to stand out and grow your business. It’s important that you love what you do, and show your customers that passion. It’s equally as important that you take your job seriously and treat your employees and customers with respect, helpfulness, patience and kindness.
Here are some simple guidelines to follow that will help you to become (or remain) a successful entrepreneur:
- Do what you love!
If you have always had a passion for owning a business and helping others, you are likely a great business owner. Keep in mind that your happiness is just as important as your customers’ happiness. Do what you love so that passion can be reflected in your business. If you are unhappy about what you are doing or you don’t enjoy it, customers will see that through your work. Loving your work will also increase your quality of work! - Take your work seriously!
Don’t cut corners or leave things unfinished when you complete a job. If you are taking your work seriously and you respect what you do, customers will see that. A customer will sense that you are serious about your work and about doing a good job, and they will be grateful for that. - Manage your money wisely.
Don’t spend extra money on unneeded products or goods. Creating a successful business has much to do with money management. If you need to take an online course or have someone who is good with money help you out, that could be a wise investment! Don’t forget to set money aside for advertising, as this could be your most valuable tool for success. - Remember the customer.
This is an obvious one but it’s also possibly the most important. Your customer is who is keeping you in business, and they are going to be your biggest promoters. Keep your customer your priority and make sure they are always satisfied with your work and your attitude! This includes being accessible for the customer when they need a service completed, or they have a question. Remembering the customer also means always following-up after a service or if you are asked to return a call or email. - Stay up-to-date with technology.
Giving out paper invoices is neither effective or practical anymore. Your customer would prefer an online receipt, and that is more useful for your business as well. Paper invoices can become lost or destroyed, while online invoices and information is easily accessible and organizable. It’s also important to utilize social media correctly for your business. Online reviews, social media and search engines are free to use and absolutely crucial for your business to survive. Take advantage of all the online resources you possibly can! - Be the expert.
Let your customer feel your knowledge on the topic at hand. Whether you are a house cleaner, electrician, handyman, appliance repair professional or anything else, be the best! Know what you are talking about so the customer knows they can trust you to do the job. Make sure your work reflects your knowledge, and make it obvious a professional did the job. Don’t wear too many hats, because you want to be an expert on everything you do. If you do too much, your knowledge becomes too thin spread across all different types of work.
Keeping these ideas in mind will help as you grow your business. Being a successful business owner is vital to having a successful business!
For more insights on marketing strategy that actually works for small business, subscribe to the FreshLime Newsletter here. Connect with Jay Bean, Founder of FreshLime and Small Business Marketing Expert on LinkedIn and Twitter. And last of all, if any of these tips have helped you or if you have anything to add please comment below. We’d love to hear from you!