Six Issues Every Business Faces

When we boil down the real issues facing businesses, it starts to look extremely familiar, no matter where your business is located, or in what field you do business.

1. We have to become sales organizations. It does not matter how great you are at repairing cars – we will have to sell some things before we ever get a chance to show that we even have any technical talent. Nothing happens until the sale is made.

2. We have to learn to manage a sales team. This is not like managing technicians. It is not about utilization, nor is it rocket science. But for many it is very unfamiliar and uncomfortable territory that must be conquered.

3. We have to learn how to market. Sales people only take us so far. Good ones require a solid marketing plan driving potential customers to your shop. That means we need to spend time and money on reaching out to new prospects.

4. We have to learn to build repeatable processes. When we have processes, procedures, and discipline, we are able to take on more customers and grow our businesses.

5. We have to build leadership. The days of one person leading an entire company to success are coming to a close. This will require teamwork, leadership training, and delegation. They don’t magically appear – we have to train and build them.

6. We have to build relationships. With vendors, with customers, with employees, etc – the truly successful will have this one nailed. It will be the differentiation that will separate the winners from the rest of the pack.

Business challenges are the same no matter where people are doing business or what sort of business they are in. What stage are you at in tackling these issues?