1          Give people what they want

If you lose sight of your target market and what your customers want your business will suffer. Make sure you know what they want and give it to them.

            2          Value for Money

This doesn’t mean cut your prices. If you continue to provide an excellent service your customers will feel they are getting their money’s worth and will be happy to part with it, and will keep coming back for more.

3          Stay in control of your own destiny

Banks and credit may be a necessary evil but don’t bite off more than you can chew. Don’t let them talk you into borrowing more than is absolutely necessary. Know your limits.

            4          Team Work

Your workforce spend half their waking hours working for you, so you’ve got to ensure you are all playing for the same side. Two-way communication is an absolute must. Happy workers make happy customers.

            5          Don’t be complacent

No matter how successful you and your business are there’s always something on which you can improve. Don’t stand still. A change is as good as a rest. Yes, it’s a cliché, but there must be truth in the statement or it never would have become a cliché.

            6          Don’t be afraid to try new things

If you do the same things as everyone else you’ll never stand out from the crowd. You might plod along and scrape a living but is that why you went into business? One of our favourite mottos; Don’t Stand Out – Be Outstanding.

            7          Communication

You need to know what’s going on in your business on every level to ensure you don’t miss a trick. The slightest problem or oversight could be the undoing of your business.

            8          Keep it Simple

Don’t complicate things. If you confuse your customers they won’t know exactly what they are getting for their money. If you confuse your workforce, their productivity will be significantly decreased. The more complicated things get the greater the chance that something can go wrong. What is it your mother always says? “Never buy a washer/dryer. If you lose one you’ve lost the other.”

            9          Don’t be afraid to ask

Part of being successful in business is the ability to negotiate a better deal.  Never pay the asking price if you can help it. If you don’t ask, you don’t get.

            10         Don’t let others be your downfall

Good credit control is absolutely vital. Many viable businesses come unstuck because their creditors rack up huge bills and then can’t pay.