Doing small things well pays off big!
Having spent a majority of my career in marketing roles, I can attest to the critical importance of sweating the details of doing small things well. For starters, you have to select the right audience for your product and service offerings, and define in minute detail who these people are.
Once you define your ideal target customers that you plan on selling your stuff to, you have to research the things that motivate these people, in order to craft compelling messages that engage your prospects emotionally.
You have to figure when and where they are when they are MOST likely to receive and listen to your messages. As if all this sweating the small stuff wasn’t enough, you also have to measure the results in detail to determine the ROI for each and every campaign. Then, you have to keep tweaking your efforts to see what continues to work when it comes to special promotional offers, messages, and target segments.
“If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.” – Napoleon Hill
Now as a business coach and management consultant, I see first-hand and get to directly influence how organizations either do or don’t pay attention to the details.
Most specifically, the attention to detail of focusing on doing the small things well begins with an organization’s business plan and strategic planning. How do you as a business owner focus on the fundamental building blocks of your business to perfect the needed small things? Conduct a top-down business audit. Investigate the operational imperatives, those things that are mission critical to operate your organization on a high level.
Other strategies you can implement to ensure you are focusing on building a solid foundation include delegating, empowering your workers, creating strategic partnerships with vendors, suppliers, and customers, and constantly gathering feedback from those folks that have a direct impact, and stake in, the ultimate success of your business.
From the first time you greet a potential customer to how your treat your employees, to your store’s physical layout, to your website design all of the small things your business chooses to focus on will have a direct and pronounced effect on your performance.
“Great things are not done by impulse, but a series of small things brought together.” – George Elliot
Consider the following questions:
* How do you capture all of your contact information in one place?
* Do you set out of office greetings/messages on your email and voice mail?
* Do you have written standards for how and when you respond to leads?
* Is your brand messaging consistent across all mediums including online and offline?
* Does your website contact us form work? Do you know how visitors engage your website? How do you interact with people on your website, and customize messaging to each visitor?
* Do you have a written vision and mission statement? If so is it prominently displayed in your office, on your website, included in your job postings?
* Do you train your employees to treat each and every visitor that enters your establishment pleasantly, professionally, and identically?
* Do you have a formal written return policy?
The devil they say is in the details.
For some inspiration check out the book entitled: “The Power of a Lot of Little Things Done Well” about John Wooden, UCLA’s revered basketball coach.
And finally, remember:
“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” – Vincent Van Gogh
Here’s to your success doing the small things that lead to your continued success in 2014!
Ethan Chazin, The Compassionate Executive Coach, Management Consultant, Business Coach
> Plan > Launch > Grow Your Business.
