If you're running a business, things are likely going to take less of a predictable route at some point. You may have an unexpected, one-off expense, such as a legal case or a staff dispute to deal with. You might be dealing with an economic downturn that's affecting your market. Or you might be facing a slump in orders and not sure why.
You were in the middle of your best month ever and then a slight dip in sales or a non-renewal of a contract had you wondering if that month was the beginning of the end. So what do you do?
First off, don't panic. This is a business and there are opportunities if you can calm down and see clearly. Take inventory of your current situation. What contracts expire soon? What can you do to make them renew? Is it time to pitch new business? Maybe you already have new leads from an event or your website.
One of the things we often see entrepreneurs do when the business hits a rough patch is to try and change their values.
There's an old saying that it's easy to find a scapegoat but never a hero. Sometimes, we don't realize what is going on around us or what our customers are thinking (or not thinking) until we get hurt. So when something doesn't go according to plan, we look for someone to blame, to shift the focus away from ourselves.
But that's not how you fix your business. It's time to stand up, look around you, and put on some big boy pants!
The first step towards improvement is admitting that there is a problem. After that, you have to ask yourself what is wrong. Changing values will only fix the symptoms, it won't address the issue.
If you are having trouble finding leads, find out why so you can fix it before it's too late. Maybe your prices are too high or you aren't in front of the right customers.
It's just like a marketing campaign; you have to test different strategies to see what works and what doesn't. With a little perseverance, you can get through any tough times.
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