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How The Word “No” Can Be Good For Your Business

No

If you own your own business, you know how difficult it is to juggle all of the things in your life. Sometimes, you may feel that your personal life is struggling because you are spending the majority of your time focusing on your business, while other times you may feel that your business is on the back burner because of things going on in your personal life. It may feel like it’s impossible to juggle everything — and that’s because it is. Many people think that in order to have it all, you must do it all, but that is simply not true. In fact, you may have more success when you start saying no to certain things.

It’s perfectly okay to say no to unnecessary complications, even if you feel guilty for doing so. You may not be able to spend time with your family, run your business, organize the school bake sale, cook dinner every night and still feel like a sane person. You must get to a point where you give yourself permission to say no to the things that you simply cannot commit the time to, and in doing so, you have to learn how to say no to any guilt you may be tempted to place on yourself.

As a business owner, any business is good business — or is it? Are there certain products or services you currently offer that are “time suckers” that don’t give you much back in return? It’s okay to say no to aspects of your own business, and instead, you can get back more of your time, sanity and purpose simply by delegating, hiring support staff or rethinking what you currently offer.

And finally, you may need to learn how to say no to the bad habits that are slowly stealing your time, money and perhaps your health. Whether you have been giving yourself excuses to avoid the gym, wasting too much time on social media or spending too much money eating out every meal, a simple evaluation of your current habits can help you see where to cut corners. Saying no isn’t always pleasant, and it may not always make others happy, but ultimately, this practice can help you restore some peace to your busy life.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC

Making Your Business Partnerships Work Better

partnerships

If you are one-half of a partnership, you know how difficult it can be to make this relationship work well long into the future. It is not easy to be the sole force behind a small business, and it can be quite complex to navigate the challenges that come with running a small business with one or more additional people. Many entrepreneurial ventures are partnerships, and it could be necessary for the success and longevity of your business to know how to make this critical relationship function well and remain beneficial for all involved.

Like all relationships in your life, clear communication is one of the essential principles behind making your partnership work well. Regularly communicating is critical for the smooth operation of all facets of your business. All communication between partners should be honest and open — negative feelings, dishonesty and manipulation are all things can can quickly derail your business. If there are issues between parties, communicating openly about an effective resolution will not only make your professional life less complicated, it can save the future of your small business.

Partnerships can quickly fall apart when parties do not see eye to eye. While it is natural and normal for there to be differences in opinions between partners, overall, your ultimate goals should align. Your business cannot go in two different directions at once, and it is prudent to ensure that all partners have similar objectives about the current trajectory you are on. Regular conversations about vision and future goals can help you all stay on track together.

Running a business is no easy task, and it certainly isn’t any easier when there are differences in opinions and approaches between partners. A partnership can be a delicate arrangement, and like all important relationships in your life, it is worthwhile to invest in it, work on problems as soon as they arise and do what is necessary to make it stronger.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC

Working To Earn Respect Is Good For Business

respect

When you think about the things that you need to do as an entrepreneur to succeed in business, earning respect may not necessarily make your list ahead of things such as online marketing, networking and more. True respect is something that is earned, and when it is something that you strive for as an business owner and employer, it can add tremendous value for you, your employees and your customers. If you can earn it from others, you have already won something you can’t put a price tag on.

Respect must be earned. It takes time and mindfulness. But your efforts to win over your team and clients is well worth the effort. You can can lay the groundwork for being a more respectful person and work to earn it in return by doing the following:

  • Be kind: Being kind is a great way to earn the respect of others — but it must be genuine. Fake niceties are a surefire way to turn people off. Don’t just reserve kindness for the “important people” in your life, but make the effort to do this for everyone in you encounter, from your family members to your waiter at lunch.
  • Be a good listener.Listening well is a conscious choice to make the other person feel heard, respected and valued. You do not have to agree with a person to be a good listener, and making others feel validated is a good way to earn the respect of others.
  • Be open to new ideas” Shutting yourself off from potentially valuable input is not helpful for anyone, but being willing to listen to others, adapt and make changes when necessary not only shows a willingness to learn, it can be a great way to earn respect from your employees and your customers.

Respect isn’t freely given, but a great way to begin your efforts to gain it is to simply treat others how you wish to be treated. If you want respect from your employees and your clients, you must first be willing to give it and work to earn it for yourself.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC

Why Should You Make Everyday Like Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a holiday that offers everyone the opportunity to reflect on the past year and express gratitude for blessings. No matter how you and your family choose to celebrate the holiday, you should take a moment to consider the many good things in  your life and acknowledge where you have experienced growth and positive change. This is a wonderful practice, but this is not something that you can only do on Thanksgiving Day. In fact, there is no reason why you cannot cultivate gratitude and practice thankfulness every day of the year.

Being thankful is one thing, but actually giving voice to your gratitude is not something that you should reserve for only one day a year. Thanksgiving is a good time start the habit of telling people they are appreciated. Don’t wait until November to tell your family, your friends, your customers and employees that they are important. Expressing gratitude as the opportunity arises throughout the year is not only good for the people you are thankful for — it’s good for you, too.

There is evidence that suggests that expressing gratitude is good for a person’s emotional well-being. On a professional level, expressing thanks and appreciation frequently can actually be good for your business. Being kind and appreciative can change attitudes, improve workplace morale and provide motivation. On a personal level, expressing thanks and appreciation frequently can be beneficial for your relationships with your friends and family.

Developing an attitude of gratitude is not something that happens overnight, and you don’t have to wait until Thanksgiving to start. Thankfulness can start today, and it can be something you practice everyday. Make it a habit to frequently think about the things you have to be thankful for, and don’t wait to tell people that they are appreciated. Making these two things a regular practice is the first step into becoming a more thankful and more positive person and business owner.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC

A Happier You Could Be Good For Business

Happier

No matter your job or the type of business you run, there will always be ups and downs. This is to be expected, but finding ways to be happy when things aren’t going as planned can not only help you keep your sanity, it can help you perform better. Having a positive attitude even when circumstances aren’t 100 percent as expected is better for you, better for your business and better for your employees. A happier version of you doesn’t miraculously happen overnight, but it can be cultivated with time, practice and implementing a few new habits.

One of the ways you can increase your personal happiness at work is to be realistic about your expectations for yourself. When you don’t overcommit, expect impossible results and run yourself into the ground, it’s easier to be a happier version of yourself. It’s okay to give yourself permission to undercommit and overproduce — it could be better for your mental health and overall attitude about your work.

Another way that you can be happier at work is to stop comparing yourself to the competition and to start actively working on ways to improve yourself and your business. Look at practical ways you can implement positive changes and generate more business, and stop worrying about what the business down the street is doing. Comparison can steal your joy, so spend your valuable mental energy on more productive things.

Confidence in yourself can help you be a happier person at work. When you feel secure in who you are and your abilities, you will make better decisions, stop second guessing yourself and find yourself able to keep your chin up, even when things are rough. Cultivating happiness doesn’t mean that you are immune to disappointment or blissfully ignorant of issues that should be addressed — it means that you have learned not to allow temporary circumstances to dictate your attitude and feelings.

Building habits of happiness is worthwhile, so give yourself the time and permission to work hard to protect your mental energy and attitude. A happier you is not only a better you, it can be better for business.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC

What Does Your Vision Of Success Look Like?

vision

If you own a business or have career goal in mind, you know that one of your main objectives is success both now and in the future. However, what success will actually mean for you depends on your individual situation. Many entrepreneurs know that they want success, but few of them know what accomplishing their goals in real life will actually look like. It can be helpful for you to have a vision of success — really think about what it will take to get there, and once you do, what success will mean to you in your daily life.

Many professional athletes practice the habit of visualizing their event or game. The exercise of sitting down, picturing what will happen and envisioning their performance can help with nerves, increase focus and improve performance. This same thing could work for you, even if your business has nothing to do with athletics. When you are able to picture your success and see where you are going, this vision can help drive you toward your goals. Having a vision of success can be particularly valuable — after all, if you can’t see where you are going, how will know when you get there?

The practice of visualization can be quite valuable, helping you clearly picture the path in front of you and keeping your goals in your sightline. It can help you center and truly focus on what you want. In order to have a more accurate vision of your future success, it can be helpful to ask yourself detailed questions about your short-term and long-term goals. Your individual and unique vision of success can even give you the courage needed to go after something big, something bold or something well outside of your comfort zone.

Visualization can be a powerful tool for entrepreneurs, especially when you feel adrift or in times when you start to lose your focus. When you have a clear vision for yourself and your company, it can help you keep your eyes on what truly matters.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC

Is Your Business Truly Customer Centered?

customer-centered

Despite the fact that business owners are completely aware that they cannot survive without customers, many fail to see the importance of having a customer-centered organization. The process of becoming truly customer centered is not necessarily an easy process, but it is worthwhile to shift your focus to the people your business needs more than anything or anyone else — your customers and clients.

Becoming customer centered involves seeing the operation of your business from the perspective of your customers. This could be difficult, as you may find that it requires a removal of intense scrutiny and sole focus on products, along with a shift toward to the customer experience. If you look at trends, customers are now looking for experiences and relationships with the companies from which they buy — not just solely the products themselves. This means that the customer experience could be what causes a consumer to patronize another business besides yours, even if you have a better selection or lower prices. A quality customer experience leads to repeat customers, which in turn leads to stronger relationships between your company and your customers.

It’s not easy to shift and change the mindset of your business. For years you may have been shaping product offerings and marketing strategies based off what upper leadership thinks your customers want. This trickle-down approach is not always effective, and over time, it could ultimately result in products that are actually out of touch with what your customer base is looking for.

An inside-out approach to doing business won’t necessarily thrive in today’s climate. You may have to adapt and adjust to better meet the expectations and needs of your customers, which may mean shifting to an outside-in, customer-centered perspective when developing products, launching new offerings and strategizing on new marketing plans. Don’t just work on the product side of your business, but work to improve the overall experience and relationship customers have with your business.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC

The Habits You Keep Can Make Or Break Your Success

Habits

The things you do day in and day out not only determine how you spend your time, but they can also determine your likelihood for long-term success. Many habits develop over time, but as an entrepreneur, business owner or someone with specific career-related goals in mind, you should be very intentional about the habits you keep. What you do on a daily basis has long-term significance, even though it may not necessarily feel like it. Your vision and enthusiasm will only carry you so far….it’s your habits that propel you toward success.

One of the habits that can further you on your path to success is the practice of learning and applying wisdom rather than complaining or making excuses. Whether your setback was the result of your own actions or circumstances beyond your control, you should have habits in place that allow you to deal with these challenges effectively. Never let a lesson go to waste — own it, learn from it and move on from it.

Another habit of highly successful entrepreneurs is the habit of pursuing solutions to various problems. This means thinking ahead and preparing well for challenges that could arise in the future. Make preparation and planning a habit, not just something you do when after a problem has already cropped up.

Finally, it’s useful to make a habit of self-care. Put protections for yourself in place by ensuring that you are taking appropriate care to nourish your emotional and mental well-being. Small, daily habits, such as a designated lunch break or exercise time, can help you keep your motivation and keep pushing toward your next goals.

Habits may seem like small things, but in reality, they can make a significant difference in your success. Evaluate your habits, get rid of the ones that may be holding you back and put the right ones in their place. What to do every single day matters, so make it count.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC