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Are Your Goals SMART?

Research has shown that the most successful people are those who regularly set goals. Most people would not start out on a trip without some kind of a map or GPS navigational system on board, yet many people run their businesses with very little directional assistance. This can cause a lot of wasted time and energy, sometimes going in circles or going in a direction that becomes a dead end. You'll end up somewhere, but will it be where you want to end up?

Leadership According to Napoleon Hill

When you became a business owner, you also became a leader (whether you intended to or not). In your business, you are charged with leading your team -- your employees, contractors, consultants, and business partners -- to achieve results. Though leadership is often a challenging trait to describe, Napoleon Hill (in his famous 1937 book, Think and Grow Rich) does a fantastic job explaining the attributes of an effective leader.

Are you Prepared to Sell?

Before you can have an effective sales conversation with a prospect (where you begin a relationship that will ultimately lead to sales), there are several items that you need to have prepared and be ready to effectively communicate. Though it seems obvious, you need to understand (know inside and out) the basics of your business: what your business is, what you offer, and why you offer it. The clearer you are about what your business does, the easier it is to have the sales conversation. To get clear about your business, consider these questions:

Six Steps to an Effective Business Proposal

For many businesses, especially service based businesses, a proposal is necessary to communicate the price of the service to the client. It becomes the formal document that describes what the service provider will be doing for the client and it also sets the client's expectations for the project. Though the proposal is only one of many steps contained within the sales process, it is an important decision-making point for the client to ultimately decide whether to buy from you or not.

Business Networking - Old vs New Paradigm

The old paradigm of networking is to show up at a community mixer or professional meeting with your business cards, shake some hands, aggressively pass out your business cards to everyone in sight, collect business cards along the way, and pontificate about your wonderful products or services. The goal of the old paradigm was to get in front of as many people as possible because, eventually, someone would realize that they need your product or service.

A Smooth (Business) Operation

Every business has its operations, whether they are highly organized, in disarray, or somewhere in between. Your business operations are HOW you design, produce, deliver, support, and maintain the products and services your business offers. The purpose of having business operations is to document, manage, and improve repeatable processes and systems that make your business sustainable, efficient, and profitable.

The Art of Effective Communication in the Small Business World

As with any profession, effective communication is essential to the success of small business. Whether you are meeting with a client, emailing an employee or phoning a vendor, you need to give great care to the quality of your communications to ensure that all parties comprehend the intended message. Below are two points to consider in the back of your mind with all of your communications.

How to close the deal with an effective Sales Conversation

Sales are a key component to building a thriving business. However, many people who start businesses are not natural sales people. If you find yourself in this category, try following the below step-by-step sales process. Though you'll need to adjust it for your particular business, it will provide you with a framework to closing more sales.

Money Mindset for the Small Business Owner

Making money is probably a big part of why you are in business. In business, as in life, money matters. With it, you can make a difference; without it, youâ€™re limited in what you can do.

Taking Aim with your Business

At the start of a new year, it's a good idea to take stock of your business by reviewing your Vision, Mission, and your Main Business Goals.

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About the Author: Edward Abel

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Ed Abel has invested more than three decades learning how to build a successful, thriving business. At age 24 with a $5,000 loan and the energy and passion of a young entrepreneur, Ed was ready to take on the world. And he did, only to emerge seven years later at the top of a $36 million organization with 585 employees. Inspired by the challenges that led him to success, Ed went on to build other multi-million dollar businesses, yet he missed the passion he experienced "in the trenches" of his formative years.
Determined to find a way to educate and advise others in the construction and sustainability of a vital business, he founded ABEL Business Institute. Over the course of this process, he developed The SkillPreneur Business System, a systematic approach to the construction, maintenance, and growth of a business's--an approach that has become the philosophy and methodology of ABEL Business Institute.

Ed is an adjunct professor of entrepreneurial studies at New York University (NYU) as well as the Director of the business division at the world class Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC). At iPEC, Ed directs the business division that is responsible for supporting the graduate coaches in their business development process.

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More from Edward Abel
Six Steps to an Effective Business Proposal
Money Mindset for the Small Business Owner
Are you Prepared to Sell
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