07 Nov Think INSIDE the Box
I had a dog when I was growing up, a little wiry haired, dachshund terrier. What she lacked in size she made up for in attitude! As lovely as she was, she could be nippy, aggressive and wasn’t shy to explore and wander outside of her territory. If you put her in a confined place, a small fenced area. Suddenly, her barriers were down. She was in her comfort zone.
I think that applies to us as well, a lot of the time. We want to be fenced in. We feel more comfortable when we know our surroundings and understand our territory allowing us to work more effectively and efficiently. In theory, as an entrepreneur we feel we shouldn’t be trapped, restricted and think outside the box when sometimes, we need to think inside it.
This isn’t to say we should put huge barrios around ourselves and never venture out of our fenced area, it’s a case of understanding the framework we’re in. We know that it is manageable space we can control with ease. Some people have mammoth sized mansions. Hard to maintain, a nightmare to keep track of every room and a lot of unused, dust gathering space. Often, people downsize because of the lack of manageability – why shouldn’t we do the same for our business?
Follow These Three Tips for Better Business
1. Comfort Zones are not a bad Place to be
Effective systems are essential when maintaining a well controlled work environment. As I’ve mentioned previously, when people do things repeatedly, it encourages empowerment and they become so good at it, it’s like second nature. At Taurus Wealth Developments, we have several standard operating procedures in place. This makes the team comfortable with their tasks, and clients more engaged when we have their favourite coffee ready and waiting for them when they visit. Simple procedures like this ensure we are in control of our time and surroundings. Our comfort zones are not a bad place to be. It’s a place we understand confidently where we are in control. Once the team has reached optimum comfort with their regular operations and have built a solid foundation, this allows them to explore outside of their comfort zone, naturally broadening their space without being forced out of it.
2. Fence Your Clients in!
Software for Client Relationship Management like Agile or Salesforce (or a simple spreadsheet for a small number of clients) is essential when it comes to understanding existing clients and potential future clients. It’s a simple yet effective tool allowing us to keep track of everyone we deal with. Not only will you have a high degree of understand of your clients and prospects, but so will your team. CRM’s enable you to build client lifetime value. Apple fence you in for life with iTunes, iClound and many other services they provide.We can do the same with our clients by dripping into them with regular contact over time. Clients like the security and familiarity of fences without the feeling of being fenced in! Check out my podcast, Creating Addiction for more tips on getting your clients hooked!
3. Think Inside the Box
We’re often told to “think outside the box” but how about thinking inside it? Sometimes, you need to think inside the box so you and your team obtain confident grasp as to what’s in it. Your company’s DNA, goals, objectives, your niche, target client, brand etc. Most of the time, brilliantly creative ideas and plans are built within the box because we have that clarity and understanding as to the way we want to portray our business. You can create goals relevant to your company’s DNA and clear systems ensuring you achieve them. It’s surprising how inspiration can be sparked so close to home!
Naturally, you, your business and your team will grow because strong foundations are where great things start. So, fence yourself in, stay inside your comfort zone and think inside the box! If you want to work on building solid foundations within your business, check out the Groundwork Package offering 1 on 1 work with B.D. Dalton preparing your business for today and the future.