I wanted to start off the week with a little Monday motivation for everyone. I know most of the recent posts have been motivational, but I think it is necessary for every business owner.
I was speaking with a spray tanner earlier (I won’t mention any names =D), and they said that their business was a bit slow and they were getting discouraged. In fact they said:
“I’m not feeling so confident today about the spray tan business”
The first question out of my mouth? Why not?
“This month is crickets- I posted last night in a ton of groups (Sunday night are by far my best nights) and got zero response. It is making me very nervous. I want this to be successful soooooooo bad”
Dig deeper
I thought back to one of my initial conversation I had with them, and that gave me some insight. They had admitted two things: one, that they had gotten a little “lax” because they were so busy, and secondly that they had raised their price by 50%.
I mentioned that I thought the price increase was a bit aggressive, and that I would roll it back 25%. This would be about a $5 increase, instead of $10.
Keep pressing forward
So why is it that when everything is good and well we stop pushing forward? Think about it, when business is good you don’t market as much. When the economy is good everyone is buying, buying, buying and not saving anything.
As soon as things take a turn, and they will, people are stuck with a more difficult challenge.
It’s simply human nature – that’s why.
My challenge to you is this – when times are good, keep working as hard as you have been working. You are there for a reason, and if you stop taking action you will revert back to where you were before.
This is easier said then done, but it must be done! If you want to be successful in life and business you have to always outwork everyone else. That’s the way it is.
It takes time
Anything in life worthwhile takes time. Building a business is no exception. I have a second challenge for you here.
I speak to a lot of people that have been working hard to get their business off the ground. Maybe they’ve put in a solid month of work, and business is still slow.
They are getting discouraged, much like the person I mentioned earlier in this article. But they must dig deeper. Do you think that you can work hard for a month and have a successful business? Do you really think that it is that easy?
I guarantee you if you speak to anyone that has had success in this industry, they will say it took them months and probably years to have a solid foundation for their business.
Chinese Bamboo Tree
I love using this example that relates to business:
“Like any plant, growth of the Chinese Bamboo Tree requires nurturing – water, fertile soil, sunshine. In its first year, we see no visible signs of activity. In the second year, again, no growth above the soil. The third, the fourth, still nothing. Our patience is tested and we begin to wonder if our efforts (caring, water, etc.) will ever be rewarded.
And finally in the fifth year – behold, a miracle! We experience growth. And what growth it is! The Chinese Bamboo Tree grows 80 feet in just six weeks!”
Starting and running a successful business takes time and A LOT of EFFORT. Do not get discouraged, do not give up. If you are feeling like you need a push, shoot me a message and I will do all I can to help you.
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