It’s tough – Really tough these days.
That’s one reason business people in Scarborough meet every second Wednesday for a Scarborough Business Association After 5 virtual event.
It’s a networking forum to help members of the business community make new contacts, business partners, and to pick up new business. Just as importantly it’s an opportunity to share experience and help each other through an uncertain economy.
Everyone is welcome. You don’t have to be a member of the SBA.
At a recent event, members came up with nine good ways to stay resilient during tough times and keep forward momentum for their businesses. Actually, participants came up with many more – but here’s a representative list.
- Focus – Focus on an aspect of your business you do really well or the one which has the most traction in the marketplace. Learn to do it even better and be a leader in your field. Reinvesting the time you spend on projects that don’t get you results, can pay big dividends.
- Be human first – Keep in touch with your clients not to sell but rather to make sure they are OK. Be a humanitarian first and strengthen that relationship. We all need support during difficult times.
- 3.) Be good to exiting clients – Your current clients have been good to you and you need them both now and when we return to a better economic situation. There’s never been a better time to show your loyalty, to help them through tough times and to let them know you are in this together.
- Go back to the business model canvas https://www.bmc.com/blogs/business-model-canvas/ – Many businesses got their start by thinking through their formation steps using the Business Model Canvas. If so, go back to the notes now and see if the assumptions made were correct, or if your model has changed during the practical implementation of your business. Revisit the canvas to see if you are still travelling the right road to success.
- Reach out every day – Connect with one contact each day. Offer to introduce them to someone else and in turn, ask for an introduction you would like to receive. You will have not only reaffirmed your connection to your contact, but you’ve made 20-plus more contacts. Little steps can turn into a giant leaps over time. And – every new contact provides positive momentum and potential opportunity,
- Manage webinar time wisely – In an online business world, we get an increasing number of requests to attend meetings and webinars. Choose wisely. We could spend all day networking or learning when we have daily work to do too. Choose your webinars and your online events wisely and make sure you derive benefit from the time invested.
- Determine priorities – We have tasks to accomplish large and small. Some are critical and others are nice to do. Give your tasks priority and make sure you polish off the most important ones. They provide the greatest benefits, not to mention satisfaction and momentum.
- Create lists – It’s such a simple thing, but do we do it? Not only does a list help keep you organized, it helps you assign priority to tasks. Let’s face it, It feels pretty great when you cross something off your list too. It’s positive. It’s momentum. It’s proof you are moving ahead and not stuck in a rut.
- Just plain start– for many, the hardest part of any project is taking that first step. Perhaps it’s the unknown, lack of confidence, or the fear of the time it’s going to take that keeps us from starting a task. Try this: Just commit to spending 15 minutes to at least get the ball rolling. You might find you get caught up in the joy of accomplishment. Before you know it, an hour may have passed and you are well on your way.
Here’s a bonus! The 10th tip to keep you resilient during tough times and keep your business moving forward – Attend the SBA Virtual After 5 sometime. It runs every second Wednesday, 6:30 – 8pm. You’ll meet a diverse group of both long-time business people as well as new entrepreneurs. It’s an opportunity to tell others about your business in a 20-second pitch. It’s a chance to network in a small group to make new partners, potential friends – and to pick up fresh ideas and tips for the continuing success of your business. Whether you sit back and listen and take it all in, or actively participate, you’re bound to come away with something valuable.
For more information and to register, please go to events at www.scarboroughbusinessassociation.com .