Lets me now share with you 10 fundamental business and life
lessons I learnt from the forums I attended in March 2012. They were a great
learning resource, great platforms for networking and events that kept me focused
as a student, entrepreneur and as an employee.
1. 1.Learn new skills to get remain relevant.
Each one of the speakers that spoke shared a story of how
he/she worked smarter to get to the next level. It’s so fundamental and basic; so
important .If you are stuck at the same level in your career, only learning new
skills can propel your career. If you are already into business, to take your
biashara to the next level you need more skills. To impress the clients you
already have you need to offer them more; this calls for more skills. The
beauty of this you don’t need to spend a fortune to learn each new skill as there
are countless free forums that you can attend and various professional self
help groups that you could be part of .YouTube has several how to do it
tutorials, Download and listen.
2. 2.Seek the right clients:
I know this sounds rather weird; but we all know of those
difficult clients, people who send you work last minute and expect it done in
two days, guys or companies that don’t pay you on time and such. These clients
don’t deserve to be in your portfolio. We are at times so desperate to take in
anybody who seeks our services and as a small business owner you want to grab
it! Well I before I learnt how to selectively pick clients I would run up and
down Nairobi from one meeting to another, I was misused, just because someone
calls you in an urgent need of some service doesn’t mean you should leave all
you were doing to attend them. Learn to differentiate between what’s important
and urgent. PRIORITISE. I know of
guys that select brands they’ll work with. It has to be a motivated market
that’s ready to pay for your services; not clients who pay peanuts and demand
amazing work. Deal with guys who see the value in what you do!
3. 3. Hype doesn’t pay bills.
With Social Media here with us, some of us really do make so
much noise. Well it’s good to brand yourself as the expert in something.
Everyone has now joined the Social Media bandwagon but tweeting daily doesn’t
bring food to the table. Some of us are lucky to get media coverage for PR; well
great. However being visible doesn’t pay bills. So take the next step and seek
business. Ask for it. If you spot
somebody who could benefit from what you do…Take a bold step, pitch and ask for
a deal. Specify clearly what they are doing wrong, problems they are facing, give
them solutions and give recommendations. This will earn you money.
4. 4.Seek Advice.
A good number of graduates and business owners feel very
sharp. We have all made terrible mistakes simply because we didn’t seek an
honest opinion or advice from someone who has done it. We get so passionate
about what we do but then we forget it’s not about what we can do, it’s about
what the clients need. For advice I don’t mean engaging the services of the
expensive consultants, get someone within your range of affordability. You also
don’t have to go this way, if you invite me for coffee or lunch, I’ll
definitely share a lot of what I know on Social Media, branding and how to seek
jobs wisely. We overlook this a lot. However whenever I need help I simply ask
to meet an expert. Could be as simple as a booking an informal appointment. Fortunately
almost everyone wants to help; it doesn’t have to a well known guy who is very
busy. Approach people who see value in also spending time with you. For it to
be mutual both parties have to benefit. Mentors too help here a lot.
5 Keep a
resourceful network.
For me to know about all these opportunities and what’s
happening where and when I keep a very resource network. Could be as simple as
following someone on twitter; they post events, vacancies or opportunities
available. That’s how I manage to be on the loop.
The friends you also hang out with determine what we get to
know, so hang out with the right people. Befriend the well connected friends. Remember
for guys to send you these; they got to know clearly who you are, aspirations
and this is where personal branding comes in. Finally the relationship has to
be mutual; if you also come interesting events or opportunities share them with
others. Invite your pals too to some of the free events you come across.
6. Apologize &
Deliver.
While in business, workplace or even in school, we don’t
always deliver. Once in a while you submit shoddy work late at work; you don’t
pay your suppliers on time or deliver on your promise all through.
If you anticipate it’s going to happen, please commit well
in time and apologize. This helps build trust. Remember for guys to do business
or work well with you they got to trust you, so be honest with your clients. Admit
when you cannot solve a certain problem or deliver as promised.
7. Maintain a Keep
In touch System
These are communication points. How do people reach you? If
you are on Social Media; check your accounts regularly, respond to emails, return
calls you miss. This is very crucial for any successful business owner, job
seeker or student. If guys regularly seek your help you have to respond on
time.
Research shows that before someone makes a purchase, he or
she needs 12 touch points. When an inquiry comes in , you should respond on
time and when the client goes quiet please do a follow up. Don’t be nagging. If
you send proposals call to check whether the recipient got them. Most of us
lose deals because we didn’t do enough to pursue the chance. People buy when
they are ready; I have been on several pitches where the client went quiet for
months only to call back after a few months.
8. Be easily
understood.
Once in a while we write emails or proposals in a technical
language. You may do it to sound qualified, but remember the client’s needs solutions,
so please communicate in an easy language that people understand. Be clear; stipulate
what you are offering and how it helps them. Communication is key, so are other
soft business skills such as presentation skills, public speaking skills or
dressing.
Make the right impressions.
9. Don’t be
greedy!
At this level; please don’t quote prices depending on how
your clients look or from what companies they come from. Leave that to hawkers!
The same applies to business men who want to supply everything; stick to what
you can perfectly do. Once in a while people do ask me help them fill certain
vacancies or help them get suppliers for something. I don’t take up everything,
so please don’t be that hustler who does everything! Do you have that friend
that you can’t tell clearly what they do? We all use them to help us seek
cheaper options or alternatives. They might be well connected but rarely will
you use such a person to provide certain important services. People want to
work with experts. So position yourself as one in a certain area. Don’t be the
proverbial jack of all trades but a master of none!
10. Think Biggest!
Each and one of the speakers spoke about he or she started
small and worked his way up! Most of us don’t have a vision of what we want to
be. If you want to be big, there has to be a plan. Other times we feel like the
successful people are special in a way, we also don’t believe that we can do
it. It’s very sad, I have huge dreams and aspirations and I am not afraid of
sharing some of my big dreams with the right people because I have already
conceived the idea and believed in it. Just make sure you don’t become a
procrastinator, work towards your goals, and break them down into smaller
pieces. Take the leap of faith and go for it. Seek to be the best in what you
do, become irreplaceable, don’t worry about cheaper competitors who don’t
deliver. They will not be open for long, yes they’ll get one off business deals
but by the nature of what they deliver, their business doesn’t have repeat
clients. No referrals or good testimonials. For you to be the “Go to Person”
when people seek help you got to give people value for their money!
nice stuff
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