Page 39 - 101 Ways to Market Your Business

101 WAYS TO MARKET YOUR BUSINESS

start to develop the feeling that they are failures at what
they do.

I would like to take this opportunity to have my say
on what makes a business successful.

First, the fact that a person is prepared to move out of
the comfort zone to take a risk and put their own neck on
the financial chopping block makes them a success. Having
a weekly pay packet would be the greatest feeling for most
business operators who tend to struggle from day to day.
I remember when I started my first business. I was 18 years
old and I had times when I didn’t have enough money to
put petrol in the car to get home so I slept in the
shop—sometimes for a week at a time. I am not trying to
be a martyr but I am showing the degree of dedication that
many business operators have.

Second, I am constantly impressed by the quality of
service and the products produced by small business. I am
certain that some people must think that small, one-person
companies couldn’t possibly make any products or offer any
services of world-class quality. I disagree completely and I
see evidence of this fact every day. There are some incred-
ibly talented and dedicated people out there who are
striving for excellence in ways that the world’s largest
corporations could never imagine.

Finally, the degree of perseverance that I see from many
small business operators constantly amazes me. I have had
people come to me who have lost everything at the age of
60 and they want some marketing advice on their next
venture. They smile, they are positive and they are wise.

Small business operators are often embarrassed to say
that they are having financial difficulties. I try to explain
that there wouldn’t be a business in the world that hasn’t
experienced cash flow problems at some time or another so
don’t beat yourself up because you are having a tough time.

There are many other ways to measure success apart
from purely monetary results. Success is achieved by having

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