10 Habits That Keep Your Business Going by Samantha Hartley

This article is originally published in Samantha’s Ezine which you can subscribe to here.

“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.”

I was moved to share with you this quote I saw on Twitter. I’ve seen many entrepreneurs rush off, motivated, ready to implement new ideas, marketing plans and behaviors. But soon, they get fried and fall back into old habits.
Habit is the default setting, which you do automatically and, sometimes, unconsciously. We so often think of bad habits, such as smoking, biting nails, gossiping or watching TV.

But what about good habits, like eating raw fruits and vegetables, saying “thank you” and saving money? Those can be difficult to start but, once they’re the default, easy to continue.

More motivation is not what we need; it’s more good habits.
Imagine how you’d feel if, instead of the cycle of fired-up-motivation and run-down-dejection, you found a few new behaviors and made them habits. You might see enough improvement to get – and stay – truly motivated.

In case you’re wondering what those habits might be, here are 10 suggestions:

1. Create content. Whether you write, record on audio or video, or present to live audiences, information is what drives today’s marketing. Allot time weekly to content development.

2. Systematize, automate and outsource. If you do it the same way more than once, you can turn those steps into a system. If it can be done with software, automate it. If someone else can do it more effectively or efficiently, outsource it.

3. Respect your revenue flow. Revenue-generating activities need to top your priorities list. If you have a proposal to get to an interested client, do it now. Same with invoices, follow-up and anything else that results in money flowing into your business. Do it now. And if any of those can be … well, see #2.

4. Get in front of new audiences. Seek ways to share your brand beyond your usual crowd. You can do this by visiting a new networking group, commenting on a blog or asking readers to forward your ezine.

Speaking of which, would you mind sharing this with a colleague? Just click “forward,” please. Thank you!

5. Stay in touch with past clients. Those who’ve invested with you before are more likely to do so again or to refer you to others. You can also learn a lot about the lasting effects of your work.

6. Connect with your referral partners. It’s best to stay top-of-mind with those who refer business to you. Exchange news, tips and ideas. Propose collaborations. Send thank you notes.

7. Try something new. If there’s a new marketing technique or message you’ve wanted to try, give it a shot. What’s the worst that can happen – failure? That’s a good thing. You’ll never know what won’t work until you try it. If you can’t think of anything new to try, do one of my 24 proven techniques for attracting clients.

8. Update your website. At least weekly, ideally daily. Your website should be the center of your marketing efforts … interactive … as alive and dynamic as you are! Anything less is a wasted asset.

9. Check your stats. You should be measuring your performance on an ongoing basis. How much revenue have you earned year-to-date? How are you doing against your goals? How many visitors to your website? Is the number growing or declining? Why did we get that big spike last week? Who refers the most clients to us?

10. Recharge your batteries. What’s the most energizing thing for you? Working one-on-one with a client, taking a 4-mile run or listening to an inspiring podcast? Whatever it is, weave it into your day so the habit fuels your motivation engine.
It’s easy to create healthy habits for your business

You know that fuzzy feeling you get if you go too many hours without brushing your teeth? Or the sluggish feeling from lack of exercise? If you add one or two of these habits to your business routine today, you’ll soon find it hard to live without them.

© 2010 Enlightened Marketing

“By Samantha Hartley of Enlightened Marketing. For effective marketing strategies that align with your values visit http://www.enlightenedmarketing.com/.”