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The marketplace is crowded and burdened, and the economy is sluggish and counterproductive. These days it is understandable why anyone would be afraid of starting their own business. Whether you want to open your own food stand selling shaved ice, or if you have something more profound in mind, there are a few simple things you can do to help prepare yourself for today’s economy. The first step is to find out what makes you different from everyone else. Focus on what you do better than anyone else and present it to your customers and prospects. If you consider yourself to be a jack of all trades, you need to look deep inside yourself and find that one unique quality that will be valuable and marketable right now. Perhaps you are a food vendor and you could sell anything, but what you do best is shaved ice with unique, never before tasted flavors. That is what will make you marketable, and where you can drive revenue to your customer’s bottom line. The economy is fragile right now, and people have this mindset that they need to hunker down, do the work, cut back on expense and try not to lose their jobs. This is actually the opposite of what you need to be doing if you own your own business. You need to stand up, stand out, and stand for something important, or your business will just like everybody else’s and won’t gain the attention you need to survive. The things that make you different are your strengths. Use them to make a difference with your customers. Networking is a huge part of being successful in this economy. In order to anchor yourself and keep your business stable, you need to build relationships with people who understand what you do and know how to keep it going. Stay connected to your customers through social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. Reward your customers for their loyalty. If you have the means, get on an airplane and go see them or take them out to lunch. Strong customer relationships are what will ensure the security of your company’s future. In the future, if you want your company to be something you recognize and represents your core values, stay true to your own beliefs. Pitching a new idea to any audience will always single you out as the fish out of water. Once your audience takes the bait, you need to learn how to become a part of their culture while still remaining true to who you are. If something about their culture doesn’t ring true to you, don’t buy into it. This will ensure that you company continues to grow in a way that you can be proud of. The businesses that have the best chance of making a difference in this world are those businesses that shine a light on what makes them different. Shy people don’t get anywhere by being shy. Get behind a cause and speak out; become a hero in your community. Volunteer, join a board, or make a major donation. Instead of feeling like you need to work work work every minute of every day to get ahead, take some time to give to others and see what you will receive in return. The way to distinguishing your company is not by conforming to the way everyone else in the industry does things. Stay ahead of the marketplace by reinventing yourself and your business, changing with the times and evolving your product into something your customers need. Updating your style, website or advertising is the fastest way to make it to the top, because every time you do, your product or service feels shiny brand new to customers. Have confidence in yourself and what your business stands for. Uncertainty will only make you question your personal values and beliefs. Raise your head and hands and make a difference. Use your unique qualities to make yourself indispensable to the market.
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