Success might seem like a combination of good fortune and long hours at work, but it’s not true. You can be just as successful as anyone else. If you are smart about how you set things up, you can be more successful with less work. Are your green industry business desires and your personal desires the same? Do you have to accomplish one to have the other?
A few tips might be all that’s required to make the leap from mediocrity to superstar status. The differences between great business success and average results are real, but smaller than you might think.
Here are 9 ways to achieve the green industry business you desire. These are general, but are a good place to start. After tackling these you can drill down to more specific steps and systems.
1 Have a Crystal Clear Goal
Having a goal requires making a decision and a commitment. A clear goal increases your odds of success dramatically. You have to know where you want to end up. When do you want to reach your goal? Like they say, a goal without a timeline is just a dream. Working backwards from your goal can be helpful to make your roadmap. How many customers, how many of each service are customers buying, what will your profit margin be. Set your goal, then timeline and projections.
2 Get As Much Help As You Need
You don’t have to do it alone. It’s your responsibility, but that doesn’t mean you must take on the world alone. Get the help you need. You might need a mentor or a helping hand from time-to-time. I spent many years as a lawn care business coach and know that a coach, even using one for a short while, can turbo charge a business. So many green industry business owners are working in their business and not on their business. A review from an outside party that will make a plan for you can be invaluable. At least try to make friends with other owners in similar businesses. They have learned the lessons and will often help a smaller new business owner as long as you don't threaten their business.
3 Eliminate Limiting Beliefs
Your goals and excitement propel you forward. Your limiting beliefs are like the wind in your face. They’ll stop you dead in your tracks if you allow them to.
Avoid underestimating the power of negative beliefs to hold you back.
I know a fertilization and weed control business owner that starts and sells business about every 3 years in different towns. He starts them, builds them up to thousands of customers, then sells them. Then starts all over. I have heard so many excuses about why someone can't put on new customers and I think about this owner. He believes he can do it and he does it over and over. He has a successful system and applies it over and over. That is the difference. If he can do it, you can do it. You just have to have a system and believe,
4 Visualize Your Success
It’s common to focus on the drudgery that lies ahead. That makes it hard to keep your enthusiasm high. Visualize your success each day. You’ll maintain your enthusiasm and increase the odds of success. Your visualizations should be detailed and thought completely through. Do this over and over until it seems like it has already happened and you are just remembering it. Where are you, when is it, who is there congratulating you?
5 Eliminate Distractions
Distractions can take many forms. It might be social media, a messy warehouse, the television, or the internet. You have to check your business email to stay on top of customers and employees but personal email can be checked twice a day. Focus is the key to reaching your goals. Find a place as free of distractions as possible. If you have a good system in place you will not find yourself wondering where the day went.
6 Push Through Failure
It isn't easy running a business. You have to focus on the end goal to keep going when things don't go smoothly. Achieving anything significant will involve at least a couple of setbacks. Your first plan might be misguided. Your second attempt might involve a little bad luck. Expect that you’ll face a struggle or two. You’ll enjoy your eventual success that much more. If you are failing you just don't have the information and systems you need to follow to succeed.
7 Be Consistent
Spend time each day on your objective. Consistency is the key to progress. Avoid putting forth too much effort for a short period and then taking too much time off. You don’t have to work extremely hard if you’re consistent. Consistency is key for employees to do a good job and to keep customers happy.
8 Enjoy the Process
Big goals can take a lot of time and effort to achieve. If you’re not enjoying the process, you’re not making the most of your life. If you can’t enjoy the process of achieving your goal, perhaps you have the wrong goal.
9 Re-Evaluate the Quality of your Processes
Imagine your goal is to gain 150 new customers this season. It’s easy to become too obsessed with the number of customers. Instead, focus on following your employee sales training and marketing plan. Assuming your plan is a good one, your compliance is all that matters. Your compliance drives your results.
You can be as successful as you want to be. Anything you desire is at your fingertips, but you must be willing to change your approach if you find problems in your process.
You don’t need to rely on luck or an idyllic past for success. You already have everything you need. Enhance your approach to achievement, and the rewards are sure to follow.