Focus - the friend of time!

What a month! The time has rocketed by – its as if the slow lethargic start to the new year has now been totally forgotten! Everyone has leapt into overdrive and in common with many of my colleagues I too am swamped with business.

How hard it becomes to remember what the task is when so much is happening around you needing your attention NOW and stopping the real work happening. Which is why the real focus needs to be on the objective – what is the real direction to aim for?

If that is clearly set, then no amount of diversion will prevent that being achieved.

By setting a focus on the objective, then the steps will become apparent.

I have been working with an organisation within the legislatively driven Risk and Compliance market that has radically changed the way it operates when faced with needing professionally qualified Practitioners who are in very short supply. By focusing on making this attractive to professionals from other fields such as manufacturing, construction, management and marketing, the client has made a compelling and lucrative business case that can be worked alongside existing operation, or can be made a stand alone business.

The radical solution means that the right people get trained, and can form their own practice under the clients branding. They have income streams immediately on tap too. Within the previous model, when trained, the right people moved on to set up their own practice leaving the client with a skills gap. By embracing and working with this inescapable fact, and making the backup, support and brand an unbeatable offer, it has meant a better result or everyone.( It is a great offer and if you know anyone who is considering a new direction put them in touch!)

Today’s news is that the government is contemplating changing the voting system as the present one does not give it an advantage in the (please let it be very) shortly to be had election. I suppose its a timely reminder that if we are managing a business we can make the rules up to suit ourselves gaining the best advantage that we can. If we are suffering bad results – we can do something different. Analyse the process to see what its purpose is, develop what is needed, how it can be achieved in the best way and of course adapted to improve.

And of course, just change things to suit our purposes better!

Review, Refresh, Adapt.................survive and grow strong.

Refresh, Renew, Adapt

I cannot believe how quick the first week back from the break has gone. It has been a hard time – with the weather conditions affecting travelling throughout the UK and meaning that business has come pretty low in people’s priorities.

Looking out of my window, I see a barren white blanketed landscape. Snow is hanging from the trees, obliterating the grass, giving a brilliant but bleak view. Its only when I take a really close look do I see the signs of life – the tracks of the fox, the birds in the trees, the ducks struggling with the frozen canal and even the local neighbourhood cats!

This is how we have had it within the economy for the last couple of years – a really bleak landscape obliterating much of the activity. Just with the signs of life of the tough survivors, picking up snippets of business just to exist.

Natures way is to use these tough extreme conditions to ensure the healthy and strongest will survive. Refresh, renew, adapt. And just like the bleak winter landscape outside my window, the survivors will regroup, grow and prosper as the climate changes from our frigid winter to the gentle spring.

The strongest plan for survival and future prosperity with the changing conditions. Like the simple planning steps that I mentioned before the charismas break. For it is these simple steps that will make the difference, enabling the strong companies who adapt and design their strategies to suit the new conditions that will survive and will prosper.

1) Analyse the challenges you are now facing – what is the real geography of your situation?

2) Identify what you should keep and what is surplus to requirements

3) Find the trend for your market

4) Chase it - and adapt the strategies.

Being innovative is the start – being disciplined and looking for the best chance of survival will carry you through. Refresh, Renew, Adapt

And when the snow melts from the landscape, and the bitter sub zero temperatures start to raise, the shoots will come, and the natural life will multiply and prosper. Just like nature, I hope that you will plan to be there.

A happy and successful new year to everyone!

Chris Piggott

Simple no nonsense business solutions for sales, administration and systems

Chris Piggott - Business Networking on Ecademy

Chris Piggott - Business Networking on Ecademy

Now is the season to refresh……..

You don’t need me to remind you that the Christmas and New Year break are almost upon us. It is the time our natural surroundings change, preparing for the new season with heightened vigour - the renewal, rebirth and new cycle.

Its often the time of the year that company owners and managers actually get the chance to review the year’s performance, and to consider their plans for the coming year.

2009 has been especially difficult for many companies. The trading conditions and the tough market have caused all too hard cuts to be made to operations. In time, I am convinced this year will be recorded as the single worst year for our economy ever.

How can you prepare for the New Year?

Here are three “Christmas Kings” that will help you move your business forward.

1) King Customer

Take a look at your client list and see who has not brought form you recently. Why is that? What can you do to get them back to repeat purchase? Most important, ask them.

2) King Cash

What’s in your bank account right now ? What about next week? It always surprises me that many business owners have no concept of how much they have, how much they owe, and how much they are owed. Seriously.

3) King Service (or Product).

When was the last time you looked at the service you offer? Do your skills allow you to extend your range? Will this help in your market? Often, being innovative and simply extending your range into your existing clients you can see staggering increase in business.

There are hopeful signs from around the world that economies are reawakening. Of course there is a need to make the very best of the conditions. There are opportunities to be had even in these very tough times, whatever your business. There are always those that can and do, take advantage of any market conditions.

It is just the right time to take a fresh look at your business, to renew and refresh. Like some of the companies I have been working with this year

• We have been working with an organisation that has increased its output by a factor of 20 over the industry average!
• We have been working with a construction company helping it grow and weather the storms despite the market being 60% less that a year ago!
• We are working with a start up company to maximise their sales and penetration on a budget.
• We specialise in helping good business become great through our range of tailored services based on our extensive industry experience.