You should have already made the necessary downsize adjustments, now what?

Yes, we are involved in a very deep recession, some call it a depression, many view this as a business and economic disaster…and for many it is just that. Irrespective of what we call it, its a time of change and therefor an opportunity to gain ground.

Any surviving small business owner is daily, no make that hourly fretting over what to do to reverse this calamity. How to navigate the reduced revenues which then lead to problem solving discussions.

While this is the first priority of survival,  I am hopeful that you have already downsized, reduced overhead, worked out your debt and performed the many tasks required to respond effectively and appropriately to these issues. Good, now lets move on.

Its time to change our mind set to success analysis. You need a new context. It is time to get profitable…again

What are the reasons for the success of your businesses, your services provided and your products you are marketing?

Not the obvious reasons but the deep seated intrinsic reasons people buy  what you offer.

The good side of our business, the successful side, the reason you are in business and have customers, the reason for repeat business. This analysis will lead us to what we should be doing more of as opposed to what we should be doing less of.

Is it style, quality, selection, service, what are the benefits people are identifying when doing business with you.

This is what we should now be thinking about, as within this catastrophic economic meltdown, there remains opportunity, if only we would look for it, discover it and implement strategies to develop this further.

Its time to accept the reality that we are in a long term economic funk, and now do something positive about it.

Some say re-invent yourself, in fact I say this, but now perhaps the mantra should be, deploy your best hand and do it the best you can.

Amplify the reasons you are successful and deliver more of this…

Define the issue not as  a problem to be solved but as success nurturing….then amplify the success equation…

If we are locked into problem solving you are reacting to a set of external variables, if you look within and rediscover what makes you successful, valuable, desired you can lead the way to greater success. Get in front of the train, and avoid getting run over by it.

It is a mind set, it’s an attitude, it is your context, it’s a plan of action that will bring growth as opposed to solving the problem by just reducing your overhead.

Simple fact, while reduction of overhead is a good thing and must be done, the game will be won on the playing field competing for consumer dollars. Is time to put your best team on the field and win the game despite the awful conditions you are playing in. Remember everyone has the same circumstances, thus we are all dealing with the same issues, but someone has to win and someone has to lose.

Be the winner, start having meetings dedicated to what good you are doing and then do more of it.

Enough of the disaster planning, is time to plan for success.