Why CEOs Never Win the Lottery

Have you ever noticed that people who have achieved great success never win the lottery?

There is a very simple reason for that – they never buy lottery tickets. They do not leave their success, and its spoils, to chance. Playing the lottery is taking a blind chance, hoping for the big win. And that is not something big achievers ever really do; they plan and prepare.

There is a saying “Luck is preparedness meeting opportunity” and Jeff Olson, author of The Slight Edge basically decries that as hogwash. He says that “luck is preparedness. Period.” I would tend to agree with him – we make our own luck. We pave the way for success to come marching toward us. We PREPARE FOR SUCCESS. 

How do we do that?

3 Steps to Prepare for Success

1) First, we have to, as Stephen Covey of the The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People fame says, “Have the end in mind.” Know what the end-goal is, how it looks, and what it feels like when we successfully attain it. It might be greater sales, more profits, happier life, more free time, and financial freedom. Whatever it is for you, you have to know it, see it, and feel it. 

2) Next, we have to gather the tools and resources necessary to achieve the task(s). Perhaps that means an online program to collect names on a list, keep track of contacts and touches, or an email distribution system. AddressTwo works if that is your need. You might need processes to systematize the touches and communications with potential clients. You might need suppliers or manufacturers lined up and at the ready for increased production. 

3) Last, we must track our progress and measure outcomes. There has to be a yardstick – a ruler with benchmarks – to let us know two things: that we are staying focused, and that we are making progress toward our goal.

When a small business owner knows what he wants, puts all the pieces in place, and then measures progress, he can’t help but find success. That may be taking a risk, believing in what he can offer and do, but it’s not leaving it to chance and hope. There is no lottery involved, but there is preparedness.

To Your Success!

 

Jack Klemeyer, founder

Grow Your Business Coaching

Low-Cost Marketing for Small Businesses

So you’ve taken the leap and started your own business, congratulations! You know how fantastic your product or service is, your business partners and close friends know too, but how on earth do you spread the word to your target audience? We’ve developed this guide just for you so read on and start building your marketing game plan!

Why Choose You?

What you’re offering is special and unique, so let everyone know! The first step in setting up your first marketing campaign is to pinpoint exactly what makes your business stand out from all the others.

Are you creating a stir with a new twist in an established field?

Or blazing a brand new trail with your product?

Whatever it is, find it, label it, and shout it from the rooftops! Maybe not shout, but plaster it on your website, social media, business cards, and essentially anywhere your business is in the public eye. Whether it’s online or physical.

Assemble Your Tools

Once you have your professional schtick, it’s time to assemble your marketing tool belt, and your list of choices is ever increasing. This allows you to pick the cream of the crop for your business and most of these tools are very low-cost or completely free!

Social Media

*Image Credit via Flickr Creative Commons Sean M. TR Online Marketing

A go to marketing technique for many new businesses is to take to social media. Create an engaging Facebook page, up to date Twitter account, Instagram feed, and  keep your current or potential customers in the loop with the latest and greatest developments for your business. Remember to link your business website to these accounts!

Email List

A helpful tie-in to your online theater of operations is to create an email list. This will allow you to continually communicate with potential customers who are already interested in your offerings, without requiring them to visit your website directly. We won’t go into the nitty-gritty details of how to set up an email list here, but check out how I was able to add 500 subscribers to an email list in a week.

Quality Over Quantity

Remember! For an indestructible marketing campaign, quality over quantity are words to live by! It’s easy to create a fistfull of social media accounts and smother the web with news of your products, but if these small pokes about your company aren’t backed up with quality content then your target audience will slip right through your fingers.

Take the time to develop and publish in-depth articles about your new business. Remember that professional schtick you created earlier? Elaborate and explain what makes you unique!

●     Who are you?

●     What are you trying to achieve?

●     What what makes you different?

This is also the time and place to incorporate a little SEO (Search Engine Optimization) into your marketing campaign as most consumers will actively search for your product as opposed to stumbling into it on social media. For a few more tips and advice on balancing in-depth marketing with social media, take a look at this article from American Express Open Forum.

Shake Hands (In Real Life Networking)  

While it’s easy to be swept into the power and outreach that virtual marketing offers, don’t ignore the real-world theater of operations!

Attending networking events or conferences is an excellent tool to get your business brand out in the open.

Whether it’s investors or potential customers, they’re already interested in the field and that’s a foot in the door for you! So don’t ignore it!

When attending these events, keep your eyes on the ball and remember that you’re the first impression for your entire business, and you want to build lasting professional relationships.

Scribbling your business email or phone number on a napkin at a luncheon hardly screams ‘professional business owner’ to your target. So plan ahead!

Think about how you’d like to introduce your company, and stock up on business cards. 

Conclusion

We hope the options presented here set you on your way to developing a top-notch marketing strategy! While marketing is an important aspect to developing your business, there are several more levels to creating a well-rounded company, and becoming a successful business owner. You have the tools, now go out there and strengthen and grow your business!

Doug Cunnington is a small business owner and writes at Business Credit Workshop. He’s passionate about helping people make smart decisions on the path to get business credit.