Make Your Business Small Business

Today I wanted to tag onto Albert's post from yesterday about the importance of hiring people who have small business experience if you want them to understand and sell to small business owners.

Small business owners know and appreciate it when you speak the same language as them - you need to make your business small business.

This was recently highlighted in an Indystar.com article about National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) lobbyist Kevin Hughes. Kevin did not run a business but learned the ropes by working for 4 years for a senator who owned a series of gas stations in Cleveland. Small business issues quickly rose to the top of the agenda which forced Kevin to better understand the industry.

"I gained a pretty good understanding and appreciation for what small-business owners go through . . . and was able to see how that very closely interacted and intertwined with politics," he said.

With small business education being at a premium, Kevin was able to take his knowledge and went to work for the NFIB to continue supporting entrepreneurs.

When you hire people who can speak the same language as your customers everybody wins. You get more clients and your clients finally can buy from a company that understands their needs and wants.