52 weekly strategies to take your business from where it is today to where you want it to be tomorrow.

BY BESTSELLING SMALL BUSINESS AUTHOR - ANDREW GRIFFITHS

There is no shortage of information or advice telling small business owners all the things they need to do to make their business successful. And this is fantastic.

The problem is that we can end up a little overwhelmed, albeit with really good information.

So we take in this great information, but we don’t implement it. It comes down to over-analysis paralysis.

In this presentation I am offering a years worth of business building ideas, broken into 52 weekly strategies that will take your business from where it is today to where you want it to be tomorrow.

This means all you have to do is focus on one particular week at a time, and I suggest you do. Master the strategy for that week and it might just become a habit that will stay with you for ever.

Good luckAndrew Griffiths

Australia’s #1 Small Business Author11 books now sold in over 50 countries

WEEK 1 - Be really clear about where your business is heading. Clarity and focus are vital to business success. Write down your goals, aspirations and your big picture vision.

WEEK 2 - Invest one hour a day (and make it your best hour) into building your business. This is a great investment, but it needs to be done every day to work (OK you can have the weekend off).

WEEK 3 - Back yourself 100%. Believe in yourself 100%. Be the best business you can possibly be. Commit to being exceptional in everything you do and you will always have a long line of customers knocking down the door.

WEEK 4 - Know exactly how much it costs you to operate your business on a daily basis. Once we are clear on our daily break even figure we can focus on making a profit.

WEEK 5 - Develop positive daily work habits. Take time for breaks, knock off at a realistic time, eat well, drink lots of water and breathe - a lot.

WEEK 6 - Every Friday ask yourself this question "how have I made my business better this week than it was last week?"

WEEK 7 - If there is a difficult decision that you have been procrastinating over, make it today. Indecision is more damaging than making a wrong decision. Why not go one step further and actually get all of your “incompletes” done and dusted.

WEEK 8 - Ask yourself this question - "why should someone buy from me?". If you can't answer this question perhaps potential customers can't either.

WHY?

WEEK 9 - Outsource the things that you don't like doing and that you don't very well. Spend your time doing what

you do well and enjoy, leave the rest to others.

WEEK 10 - Visit your competitors business (or website) and see what they do better than you. At the same time, see what you do better than them. We need to know our strengths and our weaknesses.

WEEK 11 - Become really good at standing on a soapbox and telling the world about your business. Be passionate about what you do and

how you tell people about it. Passion equals profit.

WEEK 12 - Get out more - hiding in the back office is not the way to grow your business. Meet with people, mix with people and tell people about your business.

WEEK 13 - Don't assume that your customers know exactly what you do or what you offer. It's your job to tell them, it's not their job to find

out. Update, educate and inform at every opportunity.

WEEK 14 - If business is slow, market even more. The marketing you do today will pay your bills tomorrow.

WEEK 15 - What are you doing to develop your own skills? Invest time, money and energy into your own self development and professional development.

WEEK 16 - Be brave enough to get out of your comfort zone and try news things - new ideas, new products, new services, new everything.

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WEEK 17 - Always carry a notebook to write down the ideas that come to you as flashes of inspiration. Become a detective and every time you buy something, think about the process and look for ideas that perhaps you could use in your business.

WEEK 18 - ALWAYS act with the highest levels of integrity. Build your reputation as an honest, fair and solid business in your community and in your industry.

WEEK 19 - Keep away from negative business owners. No matter how tough times are, moaning about it won't help. Surround yourself with positive, energetic and enthusiastic people.

WEEK 20 - Customers hate to wait. What could you do to speed up your service?

WEEK 21 - Make sure you always have your next holiday planned. This ensures that you always have something to look forward to during the year.

WEEK 22 - It is OK to sack a customer. If you can't meet their needs, if you don't enjoy working with them or if they don't pay, show them the door (nicely)

WEEK 23 - Be an exceptional corporate citizen. This means helping those in need, giving not just money but your time and expertise (and maybe even some blood).

WEEK 24 - Start your own success board by recording every success you have during the year. As the list grows, the hardest of days become much easier when you can look over at your list of successes and put whatever issue you may be facing into perspective.

WEEK 25 - Never stop having fun, playing and most importantly, celebrating your victories. Have fun with your staff, your customers, your suppliers - everyone.

WEEK 26 - Understand that it is OK to make mistakes. In fact the more mistakes you make the better, because it means that you are trying new things and that is how we stumble onto a million dollar idea....

WEEK 27 - Be sincerely appreciative of every customer who buys from your business. Remember they all have a choice and they have chosen you.

WEEK 28 - Many businesses don't charge enough - mainly due to a fear that they will lose customers. There is no room for a poverty mentality in a successful business. Charge what you are worth and look for the right kind of customers who want what you sell and who are prepared to pay for it.

WEEK 29 - Business owners often put themselves last - working crazy hours, paying themselves last, living in a state of constant stress. Change this. Run your business don't let it run you

WEEK 30 - Enter an award. Even if you don't win, it is a great exercise to take stock of your business, specifically where you have come from and where you are right now.

WEEK 31 - Practice being fully present with every person you meet this week. Stop what you are doing and focus on them. In this crazy world we are rarely fully present or fully engaged, but when we are, people notice.

WEEK 32 - It's easy to discount to try and get more business, but it's much better to value add. No one wins a price war (except the customer).

WEEK 33 - Spend time online researching your industry around the world. What are other businesses doing and what ideas could you adopt and use in your business?

WEEK 34 - Pay someone to do a mystery shop on your business. It can be a friend or ideally another small business owner. Even if you get just one suggestion for improving what you do, this will prove a very worthwhile exercise.

WEEK 35 - Make a list of every "moment of truth" where your business connects with your customers. Ask yourself “how can we make every interaction with our customers better?”

WEEK 36 - Spend one hour a day disconnected from email, social media and your mobile phone. Give your brain a rest and use this time to think clearly without all of the other clutter going on around you.

WEEK 37 - Be a generous business - this means being prepared to give to get. Mean businesses give nothing away, they charge for everything little thing and they feel stingy. Give, invest and be generous whenever you can.

WEEK 38 - Join a networking group and commit to it fully. This might be a Chamber of Commerce, an industry group, a Small Business networking club like BNI. And don’t just take from the group, contribute - you have a lot to share.

WEEK 39 - Every business starts to look tired over time. Does your business needs some tender loving care? A coat of paint, some new furniture or new uniforms will reinvigorate your business.

WEEK 40 - Write a press release (go to ehow.com to find out how) and get your business in the news. Remember the media needs good news stories and successful business stories are newsworthy (on radio, television, newspapers, magazines and online).

WEEK 41 - If you want people to refer your business, you need to be a great referrer yourself. Who can you refer today?

WEEK 42 - Whenever you are faced with a really difficult customer, stop and put yourself in their shoes. Empathy is a powerful resource for business owners.

WEEK 43 - Marketing is not about how much you spend it is about how much effort you put in. If you don't have a lot money, you have to hit the streets.

WEEK 44 - Never miss an opportunity to say "thank you" to a customer. Be sincere, be appreciative and remember, every customer has a world of choice and they chose you.

WEEK 45 - Do you make it really easy for people to buy from you? What could you do to make it easier? Remove any obstacles that get in the way of your customers giving you money.

WEEK 46 - Get really comfortable at asking your customers to recommend your business to their family, friends and colleagues. Let them know you are passionate and excited about your business and you want more wonderful customers just like them.

WEEK 47 - How well do you sell? Why not do a sales training course - even just a one day or online course? Imagine how your bottom line would improve if you increased sales by just 10%?

WEEK 48 - Become an exceptional communicator. One of the biggest complaints that consumers have is that most businesses really stink at communication. Return calls quickly and you are already better than the rest.

WEEK 49 - Websites are never finished, they are a constant work in progress. Is yours up to date, accurate and inviting?If you don't have a website, Mama Mia - get one started today.

WEEK 50 - Don't wait for necessity to find new markets for your products or services - go out and find them now. Be brave.

NOTE - No stunt tortoises were harmed in the making of this slideshow...

WEEK 51 - Go somewhere nice, where you can’t be contacted too easily, and review the year that was and plan the year ahead. Even if you are a sole operator, do you own retreat - and enjoy every minute.

WEEK 52 - Help out other small business owners. Share your experiences, become a mentor (yes you have a lot to share) and lend a helping hand wherever you can. As Zig Ziglar said - "the best form of exercise is to reach down and pull someone up"

ANDREW GRIFFITHS

www.andrewgriffiths.com.au