If you’re feeling somewhat discouraged about your business and don’t feel that you’re getting anywhere, now is a great time of the year to take stock and review your accomplishments.
Operating your own business can be a roller coaster ride. There are the highs of a really good day and the lowest of lows during quiet times, or a great client prospect falls through. Often when you’re feeling down on yourself it’s really not warranted. Try these morale booster tips to make yourself feel better:
1. Monthly, or even weekly if you have time, record your progress for that time period. At the end of the year, you’ll be able to look back and see how much you really have accomplished. Jot down the following:
- all the contacts you’ve made in person;
- all the one-on-one email contacts you’ve made;
- any networking events, lunches, meetings you’ve attended;
- press releases published or any free publicity you’ve received;
- any classes you’ve taken to further your business;
- any recognition, award or nomination you’ve received;
- new clients you’ve signed on;
- volunteer projects you’ve taken on;
- potential clients who’ve shown an interest in you;
- creation of your web site, business cards and other marketing materials.
2. Join a Success Team. These weekly group meetings with other entrepreneurs are great for sharing ideas and the agenda often requires participants to report what they’ve done the past week and set a new goal for the following week. This is great incentive to do what you said you would.
3. Ask a client for feedback on the work you’ve done for them.
4. Keep an e-mail folder where you keep any positive feedback you’ve received for something you’ve done. Go back and read it when you’ve feeling down.
5. Call up a friend, networking buddy or another entrepreneur and go for coffee. Getting out of the office and sharing similar concerns with a like-minded person is a great morale booster.
Tana Woodward is the recipient of the 2003 Northern British Columbia Business and Industry "E-Business" Award. Tana Woodward and Associates operate Virtual Office Services. Call 1-866-970-0015 or visit www.virtualofficeservices.ca
