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What the Google Pixel 2 and iPhone X Actually have in Common

The Google Pixel 2 and iPhone X are certainly receiving a whole lot of media attention. It’s two creative titans battling it out, attempting to win more customers. But, these two companies have quite a bit in common. At least, in one aspect. And, it applies to you as an entrepreneur.

What the Google Pixel 2 and iPhone X Actually have in Common

What you might think as rivals vying for bigger sales numbers is actually an important business lesson. It’s all about momentum. Keep momentum going and it serves up great rewards. After all, the Google Pixel and Pixel XL were hits. And, we all know the iPhone revolutionized the tech, communications, and entertainment worlds. So, it’s great to take away a valuable lesson from this latest product introduction round.

As the momentum starts and objectives are met watch for a change in pace; just like an out-of-shape runner, the tendency for many will be to stop part way up the hill to pat themselves on the back and look at how much distance they’ve covered. Don’t let them stop! You are pushing a rock uphill, as the momentum starts and everyone sees progress you need to double your efforts to keep it moving. —Inc.com

You probably know there are many components to running a successful business. That’s certainly no secret. But, specific actions can work wonders. For instance, giving up bad habits and other hangups are prime examples. Another strategy is to get in front of people personally. However, you need momentum to stay on track.

How to Keep Momentum Going

That’s what the announcement and release of the Google Pixel 2 teaches us. It’s a follow-up, designed to entice consumers. And, it’s generated a whole lot of media buzz. Now, every single thing about it will certainly be poured over by tech lovers. You can apply this lesson to your business. Keep momentum going and reap the rewards by doing the following:

Set new goals and objectives. As you hit milestones, dedicate yourself to setting new goals and objectives. Planning ahead means moving forward and that’s a great way to keep momentum working for you.
Automate where it is possible. Use automation to your advantage to maximize productivity. Don’t get bogged down where and when it isn’t necessary. You can set content marketing and social media marketing on a schedule, as two examples.
Always keep inspiration nearby. Research from Harvard and MIT reveals books are a great source of inspiration. Engaging your brain in something you love breathes inspiration. And, it also increases your knowledge, so it’s two-for-one.
Schedule time off and actually use it. Another way to keep momentum going is to take time off. That sounds strange at first but makes a lot of sense when you consider the benefits of rest and relaxation.

What ways do you keep momentum going? How do you stay motivated? What methods work best for pushing forward you’ve done? Please share your thoughts and experiences by leaving a comment!

Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.

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Best Ways to Practice Self-Promotion

February 28, 2018 No Comments

Social media is a great way to promote your business. But, it alone certainly isn’t enough. You have to practice self-promotion and do it right to make it really pay off. Sure, you can effectively use social media to increase brand awareness. However, it does lack a personal touch. That’s why you need to get out and represent your company. The problem with this is, most people just don’t know where to start. Others make the mistake of over doing it. Still a few more tepidly practice self-promotion but only with great restraint because they don’t want to give off the wrong impression. Self-Promotion and Selfishness Make no mistake about it, self-promotion is paramount to growing your business. What you need to avoid is confusing it with being selfish. You see, self-promotion isn’t really about being selfish. (Unless you’re totally selling for your own benefit alone.) In other words, you shouldn’t feel guilty about promoting your brand because it has something of value to offer. That’s the whole purpose of being in business — to fulfill a need. Marketing is a lot like fishing—some companies cast a wide net to scoop up whatever they can get, while others use bait and wait it out until the right customer takes a nibble. To be successful, you need a combination of both techniques to not only grab a large number of new customers at once, but to also allow new business to continuously trickle in through referrals, word of mouth, and general curiosity. —Forbes.com So, don’t make the big mistake of thinking it’s all about you. Keep in mind that your customers get something valuable in return. And, both of you benefit from each transaction. This means that it’s a win-win scenario. You just have to see it for what it truly is and not fall prey to thinking it’s wrong to make a profit. Only when you don’t deliver on your promises is it unethical (and probably illegal). Best Ways to Practice Self-Promotion Now, let’s get to the most effective ways to practice self-promotion. You should know how to behave because your actions will definitely speak louder than words. Here are some helpful tips for how to practice self-promotion: Practice awareness. You can’t network in a vacuum. If you’re promoting your business, there is more than one person in the room. Keep this fact in mind. You need to read the other person or group and interact accordingly. If you fly blind, you’ll inevitably hit a wall. Always be gracious. Remember that polite manners go a long way. But just because someone gives you an opening to talk about your business doesn’t mean they are asking for a shameless sales pitch. Keep it short, succinct, and kind. Offer something interesting. Sometimes, it’s very tempting to rattle off numbers. Or, go into details. But remember it’s important that what you share is interesting. Otherwise, you’re not only boring the other person, you’re undermining your own efforts. Never be dishonest. Of course, you should always be honest about what you have done and can deliver. Don’t embellish or exaggerate because it will come back to bite you. Besides, if you mislead someone, the relationship begins with a lie. And, that’s never good for business. How do you promote your business? What self-promotion tactics work best for you? Please share your thoughts and experiences by commenting! Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.

Waiting for Perfection is a Perfect Recipe for Failure

May 16, 2017 No Comments

We see it all the time–especially in the technology sector–companies pushing out products that aren’t perfect. Bugs, hang-ups, you name it, they exist right inside, and it’s usually weeks, even months, before the fixes come. It happened when Disney first opened its parks, when Apple rolled-out a smartphone with a proprietary map, when this or that company introduced a product with this or that problem. With so much money at-stake, and, the sheer number of consumers waiting with baited breath to get their hands on the latest, it’s little wonder why companies push-out products that aren’t quite ready. The question is about these instances is just why that is a reality? Why is it that mega-corporations, with some of the best talent on the planet, putting out products with bugs? The answer might lie in the quality control, or, it could be just a matter of human limitation–that is, not knowing everything about the product and/or not being able to foresee the future. Waiting for Perfection is a Perfect Recipe for Failure Though large organizations do introduce products that have problems, these are usually minor. However annoying the faults might be, they are not typically too big a deal. It does boggle the mind how it happens, but, it gives us a very good lesson about business: waiting for perfection is a perfect recipe for failure. Chasing perfection can become an addiction that’s unlikely to help your peace of mind or your business. It seems counterintuitive to stop reaching for perfection, especially since we’re often told it’s the only way to achieve success. All the extra time and effort to ensure every aspect of your business is perfect won’t move your company forward, and it’s very likely to drive you crazy. —Forbes Like the nearby quote states, it can be downright unhealthy to chase perfection. The larger lesson, though, is that nothing is ever finished if it isn’t started. We’re talking about ideas, new products and/or services, a new take on something old. Whatever it might be, entrepreneurs can’t wait to get it perfect because the longer it stays inside as a secret, the more opportunity there is for someone else with a similar idea to launch and chase their dream. While you’re waiting to get it 100 percent right, it’s costing you time, effort, and a lot of frustration. Instead of striving for perfection, here’s what you ought to be doing: Place value in feedback. You can always make changes and when people see that you’re not only willing to make them, but also to make other improvements, will come to trust your brand. Understand that you have limitations. Sure, you might be able to get it to work without a hiccup, but that comes at the cost of lost time and revenue. What’s more, you’re putting way too much pressure on yourself and team to demand it be exactly right. Launch in stages, if possible. If you are able to do so, release it in stages and fix along the way. Chances are if you can do it incrementally, you’ll see things that can be changed or improved for the next increment release. While you can wait to make it great, you shouldn’t rush to completion. Sometimes, companies give into the temptation to rush something out, even if it’s completed, just to get it out to sell. When you hurry, you make mistakes and don’t have the time for consideration. Perfection is admirable, but, it means you’ll fail if you keep waiting and waiting to launch. This type of Start up practice; don’t wait for perfection … has been formulated recently into what is called Lean Startup Methodology. Several of my colleagues and I met on this subject and we are planning a work shop for Entrepreneurs in October. As written by Steve Blank in the Harvard Business Review, “…recently an important countervailing force has emerged, one that can make the process of starting a company less risky. It’s a methodology called the “lean start-up,” and it favors experimentation over elaborate planning, customer feedback over intuition, and iterative design over traditional “big design up front” development. Although the methodology is just a few years old, its concepts—such as “minimum viable product” and “pivoting”— have quickly taken root in the start-up world, and business schools have already begun adapting their curricula to teach them.” Take your idea to market and test what the buyer says about it … today! [shareaholic app=”follow_buttons” id=”26833294″]

No, Your Customers Don’t Really Care (or Want to Hear) about Your Problems – So Stop Complaining

September 1, 2022 No Comments

The economy is in a recession. Interest rates are going up. Inflation is rising. There’s a labor shortage. (And, materials are still not readily available.) The list can go on and on and on. What’s even worse, is there are business owners actually do go on and on. They complain about this, that, and the other thing. Some even take it to the next level and complain about things that haven’t even happened yet. Then, although somewhat rare, there are entrepreneurs out there who go so far as to put their gripes and grievances on social media. This doesn’t paint a very positive picture and of course, it does absolutely nothing to correct what is perceived to be or is wrong. In reality, it does far more harm than it does through catharsis. So, if you’re guilty of this extremely unattractive behavior it’s time to stop, and here’s why. The Internet is Forever All right, very few business owners actually do complain over the internet but where it’s mostly found is social media. Regardless of the digital property, the internet is forever, meaning that once it is out there, it’s usually not possible to take it back. Even if you’re able to delete it, you’ve already left a negative impression. We sometimes deny that we’re complaining. Instead, we say that we’re just “being honest,” “venting” or “blowing off steam.” But don’t kid yourself: Whenever you insert negative feelings into a conversation without some sort of resolution, you’re complaining. It’s tempting because there is a lot about entrepreneurship to complain about —Entrepreneur.com Then, there’s something else to keep in mind. Business owners don’t need to be the ones writing complaints about this or that on the web. Dissatisfied customers will do that instead (and probably with good reason). In other words, if you complain to your customers or in front of them, there’s a good chance they’ll share that experience and that isn’t good for your business’s public reputation. Instead of Complaining, Do the Following Everyone is guilty and capable of letting their complaints be known. But for business owners, this is a very bad choice with no real upside. Whether you’re complaining about a problematic customer, an inhospitable vendor, or your bank charging petty nickel and dime fees, you’re still doing it with negative emotion. Sure, people will understand your frustration, but customers really don’t want to hear about it or even care. So, what should you do when something bothers you and you’re dealing with a customer at that time? Well, the first suggestion is to ignore or resist your instinct to interject complaints and bite your tongue. If you’re able to put it off for a little while, you’ll be able to vent to the right people in an appropriate setting. Should your personality be one that says it’s best to be honest with everyone and use that excuse as a justification, think twice before you start blurting out complaints. Ask yourself what would you think if you were the customer hearing this? Merely putting yourself in your customers’ shoes ought to be enough to dissuade you from griping. At the very least, it will give you pause to adjust your attitude. It’s also helpful to remember that complaining doesn’t solve anything. Yes, it does allow you to get something that’s bothering you off your chest, but that’s not usually worth the ultimate cost. Remember that it is not an attractive or trustworthy trait and you’ll do yourself a huge favor. What other advice would you give business owners who have a bad habit of complaining to customers? Please share your own thoughts and experiences so others can benefit from your input! Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.

What the Google Pixel 2 and iPhone X Actually have in Common