Bloggy Business Today

If you’re starting your own business in 2008, chances are you’ll be spending a tremendous amount of time at the office. Unfortunately, burnout is as frequent as a cause for failure as lack of revenues. In fact, many entrepreneurs underestimate the amount of time and psychic energy involved in running a business. Business and marketing plans are great at taking into account fixed costs, revenue projections and marketing goals, … and not so great at gauging the amount of hard work (or “human capital”) that goes into a business endeavor.

For a new business owner, it is easy to see how running your own show can also quickly begin to run your life. Here are a few tips to avoid burnout and work-related exhaustion in 2008.

1. Join a gym – Your body is a temple. Treat it like one. Exercise will keep you mind tight, your thoughts focused and give you energy for the rest of the day.
2. Find a hobby – You need to think about something besides work during your “off” hours. Collect stamps. Be a photographer. Blog online. Find something that you like and create a separate bubble for your interests.
3. Take small breaks during the day – Take a walk around the office building. Treat yourself to a nice lunch. Buy yourself a new outfit. Call a friend. Go to a park and watch squirrels eat acorns. Do something to break up the monotony of a 12-hour workday.
4. Try to have a personal life – If you have a spouse or significant other in your personal life, don’t abdicate your responsibilities in your relationship. Your partner is with you because he/she loves you and wants to spend time with you. Make sure you leave enough time in your work week for those who are most important to you.
5. Don’t bring your work home – When you shut the door at your office after a long day’s work, leave the work there. Don’t bring any work home unless you absolutely have to, … or if your “work” is at home. Create some transparent barriers between your work life and your personal life.
6. Work with a business coach – When in doubt, work with a professional. A “life coach” can help you effectively manage your time and set your business and personal priorities. Many times, it is quite effective to seek out the advice of an unbiased third-party

[tags]starting_your_own_business, marketing_goals, psychic_energy, revenue_projections, marketing_plans, burnout, new_business, photographer[/tags]

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You’ve done all the hard work already. Your business plan has been edited and re-edited several times. All your t’s are crossed and i’s dotted. You’ve projected your revenues, bought your equipment and inventory, hired a few remployees, and officially opened your doors for business. The local newspaper did a nice write-up on your company and you just had a ribbon-cutting ceremony sponsored by your county’s chamber of commerce.

It’s now the end of January, though, and you’re wondering where all your customers are. Despite your exciting products and services, nobody is beating down your doors to do business with you. You’ve cultivated an excellent reputation for yourself in your community, but for some reason, that hasn’t translated into any revenue for your new business.

So what gives?

You need to market yourself better, that’s all. Don’t worry. It’s a mistake that many new business owners make when they first start out. Here are a few helpful, low-cost marketing techniques to spread the word about your new product or service.

Free is always good. — Consider giving away a sample of your product for free. If people like your product, they will come back for more

Do a podcast or a conference call — Invite your target market to join you on a 30-minute conference call. This forum provides an excellent opportunity to tell others all about your product or service in a laid-back low pressure environment.

Write a column for a local newspaper — Position yourself as the expert on what you do in your local community. Newspaper editors are always on the lookout for relevant material to fill space in their layouts.

Create a coupon for your product or service — People love to feel like they’re getting a great deal on something. Even when they really aren’t. Create a cadre of loyal customers with these easy incentive programs.

Ask for referrals from your existing networks — You know these people already. They know you’ve started a business. They want to see you do well. Bite the bullet and ask them to introduce you to others who might need your services. The worst they can say is “no.”

[tags]ribbon_cutting_ceremony, exciting_products, low_cost_marketing, new_business, business_owners, business_plan, chamber_of_commerce, reputation[/tags]