Business focus

If you master these seven areas of business focus, you can beat the odds of small business failure.  In each section we discuss the topic, provide resources for further reading, take related assessments and, in some cases, have some handouts, charts and spreadsheets that make sense of it all.

These 7 areas of business focus are laid down in a logical order for a reason.  You need to have a plan first and foremost before you can do anything.  Mastering leadership and team building is a must before you can expect to grow your organization and deal with all that comes with growth.  Great, specific, targeted marketing can better lead to increased sales.  Once you have customers, you must know how to keep them and the rest is all about the money (finances).

Business Planning - Business plans, strategic plans, goals and action steps.  Your business growth starts with a simple business plan.

Leadership - Getting your people to follow the leader is what makes a business run in a forward, positive, growing direction.

Team Building - It's important to have the right team working with you and to lead them to accomplish your company goals.  This section will offer some practical team building guidelines.

Marketing - You can have the greatest product or service on earth and if nobody knows about you, you will not sell any of it.

Sales - Is sales merely a numbers game?  Are there any really "superstar" sales people working in small business.  Check in this section for some ideas, incentives, sales procedures and business growth strategies.

Customer Service - Getting customers through sales & marketing is only half the battle.  Learn how to handle customers so that they come back again and again.

Financial Management - Do you have sales but no profit? Are your expense controls so tight that they choke off your revenue growth.  The power of financial business knowledge will help you attain your ultimate goals.