Any new business forces you to learn lots of new skills and attend to all kinds of activities. You are more than likely developing a few bad habits as you work to get through your days and learn everything that you need to learn. When you’ve been at it for a while, you start to feel more at ease with the daily grind. Just because a routine becomes comfortable, though, doesn’t mean that you couldn’t be making improvements in some areas. Now is the time to overcome any unproductive habits that might be holding you back before you get too used to them. Here are a few of the habits you’ve probably got right now that you need to change.
Starting an online business is something most people do without much help from anyone else. Remaining completely on your own, however, can hold you back in the long run. You can achieve a lot more with your business if you work at creating a network. Your network should be diverse, so you don’t have to restrict it to those who promote exactly the same things as your business. The best people to network with are often those whose businesses are different from yours but that overlap in some way. These are the ideal businesses to give and receive referrals from, as they aren’t your direct competitors.
A few entrepreneurs are guilty of being too proactive when it comes to following up with their clients. They call or email the client less than twenty four hours after delivering a product or service and ask how what they’ve delivered is working out. Then they will do the same thing a few days later. Amazingly, they will continue this madness. The business owner is not following up with his client at this point. This has turned into being annoying. The best way to follow up is to give your client at least 48 hours to look over your product or project. Then you can make a minimum of one call or one email. Let at least two weeks go by and call or email again. Then no more calling unless the client makes a move.
If your business keeps you in the house most of the time, you should seek to get out of this habit. Join some local business groups, even if the people there are in different industries from you. See what business or computer classes are offered in your area and take one. For one thing, it allows you to meet people in your area that you wouldn’t otherwise meet. It’s also healthy to get out of the house and see something different. It can also make you more focused when you do work on your own business at home. In order to have a profitable business, a lot of different little things must take place. In the beginning it is to toss these things aside and say that you will do them at another time. But if you want a profitable business, tend to the details first. The suggestions in this article are just the tip of the iceberg. As you keep working, you’ll see other areas in which you can improve.