Lessons in Business 101

I've been in business now seven years, and I'm the CEO of 3L Publishing! Wow! Seven whole years! I've had some great years where the dump truck loaded with money pulled up and dumped away. I've had some lean years. And I've had some "so-what" years. The lessons I've learned have been tremendous. Want to know what they are? Sure you do! You're an avid reader of my blog, so naturally you're sitting on the edge of your seat, waiting with baited eagerness.

Never ever focus on the NOT. What does that mean? It's really simple. If you spend all of your energy and thoughts focused on what you DON'T have, you'll have more of that. A great example is money. If you don't have enough money, don't spend all your time saying how you don't have enough money. Instead put ALL of your attention on earning enough money -- and this means marketing and selling. The old saying, "We are what we think most about" is so true. Live and do business by this one simple rule and you will stay in business.

Market your way out of every predicament. Lost a client out of nowhere? Got an unexpected bill? Don't know where the money will come from? Simple. Market your way to success. This lesson will not only keep your business on the grid, so to speak, but it will grow your business. If you don't have the proper network and marketing tools then I suggest you grow one. Combine public relations and social media to expand your network and then market to that network. Use education-based marketing by using something like this blog, a newsletter or e-postcards and promotions. When in doubt, market it out!

Follow-up with your prospects. Heidi BK Sloss in the insightful book Fortune is in the Follow-Up teaches the golden rule of follow-up, which is basic and not terribly shocking -- just follow-up! Design a basic follow-up system or methodology to do outreach. Don't let your fortune slip through the cracks by forgetting to go back and essentially check in. Lack of follow-up is like flushing potential business right down the toilet. Why would you do that? And it's not hard. Make a phone call, send an email, send a text, but follow-up daily, weekly or monthly, and your sales will (without fail) increase.

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