Staying Focused May 27, 2009
Posted by gsbusinessresources in Biz Resources.Tags: Biz Resources
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Do you need help finding your focus? Do you often find your attention distracted by too many thoughts – projects – ideas? Many people have trouble maintaining their focus, and I believe this is especially true of small and micro business owners.
Running a small or micro business often means taking on multiple roles. You may be very organized and plan your day in detail. But if you are trying to focus on one task and are interrupted by a ringing phone you must answer, your focus has been broken. Even more distracting can be all the thoughts running your head demanding your immediate attention. And let’s not even talk about personal issues that can pull your focus away from the work in front of you.
The good news is there is help! Check out this post from the Toilet Paper Entrepreneur blog! There are 63 tips listed to help you find ways to keep focused. Read through the list and see what works for you. (Be sure and check out tip #40 – contributed by me!) Bookmark the page so you can return to it when you find you are having trouble remaining focused. What may not work for you today could be great suggestion sometime in the future. Pass the link along to anyone you know who could use some help getting, and staying, focused.
Have any tips of your own for staying focused? Please post them here and on the Toilet Paper Entrepreneur blog.
Let’s help each other stay focused!
Unexpected Bonus May 11, 2009
Posted by gsbusinessresources in GS Business Resources.Tags: Clients
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I believe we all like to get a little something extra. It doesn’t have to be much, but receiving a little more than expected can make a big difference in how we view the person or business giving it. Even the after-dinner mint when you get your bill is a nice way to end the meal.
Last spring I wanted a flower garden, and since I live in an apartment, it was going to be in containers. I bought a selection of plants that would work in my climate, and since my budget was small, I selected mostly annuals. They thrived during the summer and well into the fall. As the temperature began getting cooler, they slowly began dying off. I hated to see that happen – it had been so nice to have the color on my patio – but it was what annuals do.
Some of the plants, however, did not die. While they no longer bloomed, the foliage continued to survive, so I set them in a sheltered area on my patio to see what happened. One by one, the foliage died off, except for one plant. I didn’t water or fertilize it; I just let it sit.
At the end of March I noticed this plant had buds on it. A week later, a couple of the buds opened and I had an unexpected burst of pink on my patio! I didn’t expect this plant to bloom this year, and I don’t know if it will survive until fall or not, but for now I am enjoying the unexpected bonus flowers.
This made me think about what unexpected bonuses I can offer my clients. Not something big, nor something they should expect such as good work or meeting deadlines. Something unexpected – an small extra service thrown in for free, a discount for each referral they send my way. I’m considering taking any mention of them and their business in print media, digitizing it and sending it to them, or taking a digital mention, printing it out and putting it in a frame for display.
I’m looking for other ideas as well. What is something extra that you could give to your clients, to put something pleasantly unexpected into their day?
