Last week we talked about small business owners (perhaps like you) forgetting to “sell”.

You see, what I’ve found when working with my business owner clients in Birmingham and beyond is that when you focus on something enough, it becomes “big” and crowds out room for the truly big issues.

The client service coordinator focuses on moving the paper, getting the phone answered … and maybe focusing just as much on the person in the next room she doesn’t like, the chair that squeaks … and on and on.

We all need to be brought back to what’s important in business. Over and over.

It adds purpose to what we do. It’s also the magic ingredient that separates the good from the great.

And I’m here today to remind you (and perhaps your staff, now!) of it…

Birmingham Small Business Accounting Expert On Refocusing Right-Thinking For You and Your Team
“Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character.” – Norman Schwarzkopf

What are the most important tasks in your business? Taking care of customers and growing revenue.

Add any trendy business philosophy you want on top of that, and it still gets down the same thing.

So … EVERYONE on your team should either be adding revenue or helping to control expenses. I suggest you (constantly) ask your staff — and yourself — what they can do to help:

1. Get more customers
2. Keep customers longer
3. Increase the amount of each transaction
4. Control expenses
5. Get more referrals
6. Get testimonials
7. Make operations more efficient

So, in that vein, here’s a discussion you can have at your next staff meeting:

* Review and discuss these 7 issues
* Ask everyone to write down the things that would help them do their job better (or obstacles that are in their way)
* Ask everyone to write down ideas for each of the 7 issues between now and the next staff meeting
* Review everyone’s first draft privately or as a group in your next staff meeting

Everyone in your business must be involved in growing revenue or controlling expenses. They must see their role in that part of the business. And YOU — the business owner — must keep that discussion alive and dynamic.

Good luck!

Again, I don’t pretend to be a “guru” … I just see what works, and I pass it on.

Feel very free forward this article to a Birmingham business associate or client you know who could benefit from our assistance — or simply send them our way? While these particular articles usually relate to business strategy, as you know, we specialize in tax preparation and planning for Birmingham families and business owners. And we always make room for referrals from trusted sources like you.

Warmly (and until next week),

Randall Hancock
(205) 715-4488