The business world today is what one would call a mixed bag at best. Dying yellow pages, devastated real estate markets, government turmoil, corporate restructuring, and a general sky-is-falling mentality has seemed to cloud what we know as business. It says a lot when even the stock market itself is for sale (to a country that we went to two world wars against not even 100 years ago no doubt). Times have changed. I just have one question. How do you know if you're business has changed?
In order to make in today's climate, an owner or manager must do one skill above all else in order to survive - Listen. Listening is the fundamental root of your business and it survives and thrives on how well you do it. Chances are you were listening and aware of an opportunity that got you your job or lead you to start a business altogether. Listening is what tells you are doing a good job at work of it there's something missing. Listening to what your data can vividly describe where you are making a fortune and bringing in more customers than you can possible imagine or if you are too caught up to hear what it was. A company that spends 5 to 10 grand a month in yellow pages and gets 1 customer worth a sliver of that isn't listening!
Listening is what makes or breaks successful companies within their 1st 5 years. The surviving companies and major corporate do it, while the unsuccessful companies don't. It's what separates the big fish from the small. Companies that listen - grow. So fundamental - yet so vital. Companies in today's corporate climate just don't do it and failing all over the place. Ready to learn how do the best companies listen? They ask.
Having the willingness to listen and the ability to ask can change your business for the better. It takes courage, its takes putting aside your pride, and it takes guts - but it's worth it. Asking develops rapport and lets the person you are speaking to know subtlety "I care about your opinion and I'm ready to listen to what you have to say". In a owner-client relationship this is pivotal. If you have the ability to ask a question, you have the potential to create a business. It puts your knowledge on hold and lets you leverage the brains, intellect, and the wisdom of those of different experience while saving you the time of going through it yourself. Once you've asked a question and were specific about it, listen to what they have to say. People will tell you what their problems are! Whenever you visit a doctor, the first thing they ask you is "Where does it hurt?" Doctors get paid because they have the knowledge in their industry to provide a solution and because they ask. If a doctor, who legally has to spend more time educating and learning more than any other profession, has to ask - couldn't you? Listening openly and honestly will base your business on relationships and will connect you with your customers in a deeper way leading to increased sales and referrals.
Once you have listened to your customers and gotten your feedback, it's up to you to take action. A lot of people get this information and either don't do anything with it, or just don't know how. These two problems are holding your business back! If you don't know how to deal with the feedback you've gotten then you yourself don't be afraid to ask. You are human and it's not a derogatory mark on you if you don't know an answer. People have more respect for a person that doesn't know an answer and asks, then someone whose stubborn and suffers in silence. There are times in our life where we all go through this phase (sometimes daily), but the important part is to recognize and phrase the question to yourself. There are consultants and groups of owners available and who deal with your question on a daily basis. If you specialize in once particular area, don't hold back from leveraging your relationships where you don't know - ASK. It will decrease your stress, allow you to focus on what's important to you, and give you your time back. The next time you get stuck and you feel get emotional about a particular issue, recognize you don't know the answer and be smart enough to ask a team member or someone who might know an answer. What if you could phone a friend on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" or "Cash Cab" - EVERY TIME. You can and you're business depends on it.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Josh_Tracy
In order to make in today's climate, an owner or manager must do one skill above all else in order to survive - Listen. Listening is the fundamental root of your business and it survives and thrives on how well you do it. Chances are you were listening and aware of an opportunity that got you your job or lead you to start a business altogether. Listening is what tells you are doing a good job at work of it there's something missing. Listening to what your data can vividly describe where you are making a fortune and bringing in more customers than you can possible imagine or if you are too caught up to hear what it was. A company that spends 5 to 10 grand a month in yellow pages and gets 1 customer worth a sliver of that isn't listening!
Listening is what makes or breaks successful companies within their 1st 5 years. The surviving companies and major corporate do it, while the unsuccessful companies don't. It's what separates the big fish from the small. Companies that listen - grow. So fundamental - yet so vital. Companies in today's corporate climate just don't do it and failing all over the place. Ready to learn how do the best companies listen? They ask.
Having the willingness to listen and the ability to ask can change your business for the better. It takes courage, its takes putting aside your pride, and it takes guts - but it's worth it. Asking develops rapport and lets the person you are speaking to know subtlety "I care about your opinion and I'm ready to listen to what you have to say". In a owner-client relationship this is pivotal. If you have the ability to ask a question, you have the potential to create a business. It puts your knowledge on hold and lets you leverage the brains, intellect, and the wisdom of those of different experience while saving you the time of going through it yourself. Once you've asked a question and were specific about it, listen to what they have to say. People will tell you what their problems are! Whenever you visit a doctor, the first thing they ask you is "Where does it hurt?" Doctors get paid because they have the knowledge in their industry to provide a solution and because they ask. If a doctor, who legally has to spend more time educating and learning more than any other profession, has to ask - couldn't you? Listening openly and honestly will base your business on relationships and will connect you with your customers in a deeper way leading to increased sales and referrals.
Once you have listened to your customers and gotten your feedback, it's up to you to take action. A lot of people get this information and either don't do anything with it, or just don't know how. These two problems are holding your business back! If you don't know how to deal with the feedback you've gotten then you yourself don't be afraid to ask. You are human and it's not a derogatory mark on you if you don't know an answer. People have more respect for a person that doesn't know an answer and asks, then someone whose stubborn and suffers in silence. There are times in our life where we all go through this phase (sometimes daily), but the important part is to recognize and phrase the question to yourself. There are consultants and groups of owners available and who deal with your question on a daily basis. If you specialize in once particular area, don't hold back from leveraging your relationships where you don't know - ASK. It will decrease your stress, allow you to focus on what's important to you, and give you your time back. The next time you get stuck and you feel get emotional about a particular issue, recognize you don't know the answer and be smart enough to ask a team member or someone who might know an answer. What if you could phone a friend on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" or "Cash Cab" - EVERY TIME. You can and you're business depends on it.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Josh_Tracy
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