As we near Valentine’s Day it is, of course, a good time to reflect on, and spend time with, those we love. It’s also a time, especially as a small business owner or a fledgling entrepreneur, to take a good hard look at your business plan. At your social media marketing. At your development strategies. Now is a time to determine if you truly love the path your business is taking, or, as we are still early in 2016, make the changes necessary to ensure growth and profitability. Ask yourself if you really do love what it is that you are doing… and if the answer is ‘No’ then my question is: “Why are you still doing it?” If you love your path and your business (granted, with all the bumps in the road that come with it), then continue everyday find more ways to love your work, and your customers, so that they, in turn, can love you back.
Famous businessman Thomas Watson, Sr. has a famous quote that we live by: “To be successful, you have to have your heart in your business and your business in your heart.” To be sure that you are adhering to these words, and finding ways to maintain the love that you and your customers have for your work, we offer these three reminders:
1) In business (and in life in general) you need to be direct with people to get to where you want to be. As the saying goes – unless you ask for something, the answer will always be ‘No.’ In meetings, correspondences, and your social media platforms… if you want something, you’ll need to ask for it. Build a relationship, engage, and communicate with the customers, then be direct. People would rather have it that way and have come to expect it – you have to LOVE that.
2) We’ve said many times that you have to put out a high quantity of high-quality content. What you have to learn, and then learn to LOVE, is that you do not have to be perfect. Your photo that you’re posting to Instagram doesn’t need stage lighting, your Youtube clip doesn’t need to be shot in HD, and your blog post doesn’t need to be absolutely pristine. Put in your best effort, then put the content out to the world. Something is better than nothing! By getting this content out, you’ll be working towards becoming the expert in your industry and the media ‘company’ of your field. People will then LOVE coming to you – for answers, for action, and for potential business.
3) Do not do something (in business or in your personal life) because someone else wants you too. People will have no problem telling you what they think is best for you… but they aren’t you. Filmmaker Casey Neistat said it best on an episode of #AskGaryVee – life will shrink or expand on your willingness to try new things. You need to LOVE yourself, and you need to learn to say ‘No’ to the outside world and ‘Yes’ to yourself – you only live once.
