Good Growth vs Bad Growth

To SME Owners.

Yes well all want good growth, we have heard it before, lets have the RIGHT GROWTH.

Growth in most forms increases sales, but it must be cost effective, it must be at the right margin.
Right growth is sustainable, the right type of clients, the good paying clients.

Growth should come more from ORGANIC and DIFFERENTIATED approach. Some businesses grow due to their clients growing, ie if you supply a retail outlet/ group and they open 10 new stores your sales will grow, simple enough.

Growing by price discounting is a very very short route, it works for sum, not all, it will be interesting to see how Cell C (here in SA) wins business with their new offer.

The right growth comes from continuously looking at your product range, new products, product improvement, but also which is a key factor is your all round service levels.

Cool go take time out to check how your business is growing, watch the type of business your reps bring to the table.

Till next time may the Force be with you.

How is your business Strategy.

To Sme Owners,

Always good to review your strategy in this changing world, change and more change, it is key that your staff understand that they may have to change direction overnight.

Here are a few pointers, for a Hold Strategy.
- segment your market and clients.
- upgrade packaging.
- look at ways to add more value.
- have very tight control on every thing in the business, (yep control freaks will enjoy this)

A Build Strategy
- new product development, innovate!
- aggressive pricing
- focus your business units on speed.


So go look at what you need to change/ adjust, it will refocus your mind.

Till next time may the Force be with You. Blog by Kyle Daines
Thank you to those who view my blogs, from, UK, USA, France, Hong Kong, China, Russia, Romania, Germany. South Africa.

Review your sales and marketing material

To SME Owners

When last did you layout your BRANDED material on your desk, boardroom table, and review it.

Building your business brand can be quicker than you think, plus brand building is an ongoing focus.

How does your opposition material stand up to your material, good to do this review once a year.
You do not have to spend big bucks, go to your local quick print shop, like Minute Man Press.

Has your material, got emotion, storytelling in the content, these are very powerful factors,
have you a common thread that focuses your prospective clients on how you will solve their problems.

Does your sales team understand what is being communicated and why, do they believe.

Go review your stuff now, it is an interesting project.

Till next time my the Force be with you. Blog by Kyle Daines

The Mind of the STRATEGIST

To SME Owners

Always important to be comfortable with how you think about strategy, your strategic views of the industry you are in, your level of understanding what is strategy.

This is more important for those owners that have got through the first THREE years of trading.
Why, by now you will have a feel for the playing field, know your key competitors, and hopefully are working more on your business than in.

So to give you some input, look strategically,

- your status of your market,
- the status of your staff,
- the status of your opposition,

From here identify three key strategic opportunities.
Then ask your self will these make me sustainable sales stream.

Sure nice and simple.
Till next time my the Force be with you.Blog by Kyle Daines.

Where are your Priorities

To SME Owners

Always good to refresh what should be your PRIORITIES, gives you focus if you list them down.
I have a client that I met with every Wednesday, on this desk he has his "P" list, that we go through.

Have you listed these priorities,

-each day review sales numbers,
-check how many new clients your business has taken on,
- relook your pricing strategy, you can have more than one pricing approach,
-review any expense over R5k,
-are you delegating,
-have you been to visit clients, what is the market feedback,
-what equipment needs up grading.

The TRICK is to have a list and work it day in day out 365 days a year.

Till next time may the Force be with you. Blog by Kyle Daines

Your Business Model

To SME Owners.

Here is a fancy few words , been used in business for about the last 8 years.

What does your BUSINESS MODEL look like.

Here are some guide lines.

- Your model should show you HOW you are going to make money.
- What people, financial, and equipment you need to invest in.
- Your Target market.

Too name a few blocks that make up your model, after that you develop and implement your strategy, and then put in place action plans.

Till next time may the Force be with you. Blog by Kyle Daines

Your Business EXPANSION

TO SME Owners

Yes we all want to expand our businesses, locally or per region, or into the GLOBAL JUNGLE.

Here are some key essentials.

- Commitment--- you know what this means
- Knowledge------very very important
- Adaptability
- Financial strength
- The RIGHT PEOPLE, yep people make it work or mess it up
- Effective communication
- Capacity of the business and the Management
- Time and Patience
PLUS INNOVATION,

All simple stuff, nothing new, nope, this info is from my library a book I bought in 1995, by P S Orsino
the point keep it simple, do not get too fancy with the latest buz words.

Till next time may the Force be with You.

You are running a FAMILY business

To SME Owners,

Firstly let me say to you, well done, it takes big -------, to have family to rely on.

Watch out for these common mistakes,

-Blood and business usually do not mix( yes there are always exceptions!)
-Make family members ACCOUNTABLE, by getting them to do weekly reports to you, brings structure to them,
-Hard to FIRE a family member.
- Family members need to work 8 to 5, not when they feel like it, OH but I worked till 2pm
went to collect the kids and worked at home till 8pm????

Business is Business family members must be treated like any other staff member, WHY, you Know
why.

Till next time may the Force be with YOU. Blog by Kyle Daines

Beware of introducing new Products or Services.

To SME Owners,

Yes we hear at every turn, innovate, and we must to be in the business game, BUT,
be very careful about experimenting with new P or S, ensure that your core business is very sound, otherwise you could lose FOCUS.

I knew of a business that within 3years added TWO new businesses, with supposed complementing Services, only 2owners, who now had to run three businesses, their core business was not doing well, so they ending up shooting themselves in the foot.

Keep your business emotions in check, go back and ask yourself, "why did to start this particular business"

Emotional IQ is the killer of most sme businesses.

Till next time may the Force be with You. Blog by Kyle Daines

Work does not stop on a FRIDAY afternoon

TO SME Owners

For most of us we eat, sleep,and dream about our businesses 24/7 this is half the way in being successful, those sme owners who stop work on Friday afternoons, will come to face harsh realities.

Use your time effectively, thinking about your business over a weekend and making notes will give you focus for the new week. I  know of many successful owners who always have a pen and paper handy, or a Tablet for notes.

This is working on your business.

When you started your business, you signed up for hardwork, even harder work than you had in the corporate world when you had a boss.

So take action, move with speed.

Till next time may the Force be with you. Blog by Kyle Daines