Month: October 2020

No one is perfect, and no one has the perfect formula for running a perfect business. If you are a entrepreneur, you know that there will be times when things do not go as expected. You may even make a mistake or two that sets you back and leaves you frustrated. While you can’t expect perfection, you can do things that will help you avoid certain common business mistakes.

Business mistakes can lead to financial loss, frustration and other complications. The good news is that when you make a mistake, you can learn from it and come out better because of it. They don’t necessarily have to dictate the direction of the future of your business, as long as you choose to implement what you’ve learned. Some of the most common business mistakes include the following:

• You do not use social media as a tool for marketing, expansion and reaching your target audience.
• You have not drafted a complete and thorough business plan that gives you a blueprint as you make your way forward.
• You did not do the proper research on your market, and you are not getting your products and services to the right people.
• You underpriced yourself, and now you do not have enough of a profit margin for necessary expansion.
• You did not listen to advise or research, and things are not going as you hoped they would.

There are few mistakes so big you can’t recover from them. While missteps and mistakes are normal, it’s how you react after them that really matters. If you are making any of the above mistakes or are struggling with a choice that did not work out as you hoped, there is a way forward. Identify the problem, work on a solution and evaluate your actions – these are steps that can help you avoid repeating the same mistake.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC

Confidence is key no matter what you do for a living, but it is especially critical in some types of public-facing jobs. Even if you aren’t in sales, you need to be a confident person and feel good about your skills and knowledge. The problem is that you may not be a naturally confident person, and that’s okay. Thankfully, when you practice feeling more confident, you will eventually become a more confident person.

One thing that may help in boosting your confidence levels is to pay attention to what you are wearing. Wear things that make you feel strong and assured, and choose professional outfits that communicate you feel good about yourself. If you aren’t a naturally fashionable person, you may want to ask for help. The right clothes can go a long way toward changing how you feel.

Another thing you can do to boost your confidence is to do things that make you feel confident in your skills and capabilities. This doesn’t necessarily have to relate to your job, but it can be anything that makes you happy. Self-assurance in one area of your life can spill over into how you feel about your abilities in other areas.

Regular exercise can be a helpful step for someone who is looking to boost his or her self-confidence. This does not have anything to do with your weight or how you look, but it has to do with how you feel. Exercise releases certain hormones that make you feel good, and over time, you will feel better and stronger physically and mentally. Exercise is good for the body and mind.

You don’t have to be born with a significant amount of self-confidence to cultivate it. If you practice being more confident, you will find that over time, you will become that way. Do things that make you feel good and assured in yourself, and you will find that you will actually be a more self-confident individual.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC

If you spend a lot of your time complaining, chances are that people will probably not want to spend a lot of time with you. Negative people don’t attract other people, and eventually, you will drive others away if you spend much of your time complaining. In addition to the social implications of being a complainer, you may actually be risking your health as well. There is plenty of evidence to suggest that complaining can affect the way your brain and body works.

Complaining can feel good. In the moment, venting may be gratifying. A habit of complaining can actually cause the neurons in your brain to rewire. Over time, it can also cause damage to areas of the brain responsible for critical thought and problem solving. Expressing negative thoughts will lead to elevated levels of cortisol in your body, affecting everything from oxygen, blood and energy flow in the body

Cortisol can also weaken your immune system, making it more difficult to fight off sickness. You can also face an elevated chance of heart disease, high blood pressure and even stroke. Your body is not made to deal with excessive levels of cortisol for an extended amount of time. Being negative all the time is simply not worth it for many reasons – physically, mentally and emotionally.

Fortunately, you can do something about it if you have a habit of complaining. If you can rewire your brain toward negative thinking, you can do the opposite as well. It will take time and effort, but it is possible change your perspective. It starts with building new, better habits, such as practicing gratitude.

Do you complain too much? Do you see everything from a negative perspective? It may be time to think about how you can build better habits. Not only will you be more pleasant to be around, but you will be taking steps to protect your health as well.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC