Take My Commitment (to Your Biz) Quiz!

Starting and managing a successful small business takes time, energy, money and a HUGE commitment. But the payoff can also be HUGE, in terms of personal accomplishment, satisfaction, happiness, and M0NEY! So just how committed are you?

Here's 10 questions to help you find out:

(1) Have you taken the time to create a business plan?

A business plan ensures you have a well-thought-out plan for your business. It doesn't have to be a big, formal document. But it should outline your budget, your goals, and how you plan to achieve those goals. This way you have focus.

(2) Have you taken the time to create a marketing plan?

If you don't have a marketing plan chances are you'll spend more money trying to get clients AND you'll achieve fewer results. Taking the time to create a marketing plan, even if it's only a one-page document, will enable you to be laser-focused so you'll get better results.

The 10stepmarketing System makes it easy to create one plan that serves as BOTH your business and marketing plans. To learn more visit www.10stepmarketing.com.

(3) Have you committed enough financial resources to operate and market your business for at least one year?

You have to invest in your business if you want it to succeed. It doesn't have to be a big sum of money, but it's got to be enough to accomplish the goals you've set in your business and marketing plans.

(4) Are you willing to invest in yourself?

To grow yourself and your business you must always be learning. Take seminars. Buy books and CDs. As one of my teachers Brian Tracy says, turn your car into a "University on Wheels."

Education to help you grow your business is a business expense and is tax deductible. Let Uncle Sam finance your growth!

(5) Are you willing to spend time to learn how to better operate and market your business?

If you don't know everything you need to know to successfully operate and market your business (and who does?!?) commit the TIME to learn.

Not only should you be willing to invest money in courses, books, CDs, coaches or whatever it takes, you have to be willing to spend the TIME.

(6) Do you seek advice from those are already successfully doing what you're trying to do?

Have you identified other businesses or individuals who have already accomplished what you're trying to accomplish? If not, find them. Learn as much as you can about their businesses. Model them. Get advice from them.

I just paid a big chunk-of-change for a one-hour consultation with someone who has successfully done what I want to do. Was it worth the money to get her advice and recommendations? You bet! It's definitely faster and easier than trying to figure it out on my own.

(7) Do you have a team?

If you're still trying to do everything on your own, you should ask yourself how serious you are about building a business. For years, I worked alone. But I now realize I was making a living not building a business.

If you're serious about building a business, get the proper team in place to ensure your success. You should be spending your time doing what you do best, and find others to help you with everything else.

(8) Have you created systems in your business?

All successful businesses have systems in place that allow routine activities to be repeated over and over again, to ensure the same results. This also ensures your business does not rely solely on you for its success.

(9) Do you track everything you do?

The only way to truly know if what you're doing is working, is to track. While it takes a bit more time and planning upfront, it can definitely save you time and money in the long run.

Every time you make a change in how you run your business, track it so you know if that change is making your business more successful, or not. Track every marketing activity so you know what's bringing you business and what's not.

(10) Are you willing to take a good, hard look at what you're doing, and make changes if it's not working?

Sometimes we have so much time, money or energy invested in doing something a certain way we have a hard time changing our approach if it isn't producing success. That would be admitting failure, right? WRONG!

It would be a failure to NOT make a change! Being in business is a learning experience and one that requires constant fine-tuning.

Try this formula: Plan, take action, evaluate, fine-tune. And repeat as often as necessary until you find what works for you.

So, how'd you do? Don't worry if you didn't pass my commitment quiz. Your business is a work-in-progress. Your goal should be to work toward having all 10 of these pieces in place.

If you do, your business will have a much greater chance of success AND you'll be a whole lot happier!

(C) Copyright 2005 Debbie LaChusa

20-year marketing veteran Debbie LaChusa created The 10stepmarketing System to help small business owners and solo-preneurs successfully market their business, themselves without spending a fortune on marketing. To learn more about this simple, step-by-step program and to sign up for her FREE audio class and FREE weekly ezine featuring how-to articles, tips and advice, visit http://www.10stepmarketing.com

---

What Is Multi-Level And How Should It Be Worked

Multi-level marketing is really a partnership. You go into... Read More

Assumption Based Marketing Vs. Fact Based Marketing

One of the most common mistakes in marketing is making... Read More

Networking: The Cost of a Connection

"Networking is a waste of time," said JoAnne, owner of... Read More

How to Start a Big Mail Service

A BIG MAIL SHOULD CONTAIN:At least three to four Mail... Read More

The Day I Learned to Start Saying No

It was the fall of 1998 when I had just... Read More

Mortgage Marketing and Advertising ? The Magical Ingredient

Do you offer superior service, consistently close loans on time... Read More

4 Steps to Successful Offline Drawings

There are many different ways to market offline, each important... Read More

Cave Paintings, Baseball and Connecting

There's no such thing as a captive audience--any of us... Read More

How To Get Celebrities To Endorse YOUR Product

How would you like celebrities to endorse your product?Perhaps that... Read More

5 Reasons Your Marketing Communication is Falling Flat

One of my associates sent me a promotional email she'd... Read More

Want To Impress Customers, Win Clients and Influence People?

Remember the baseball cards kids traded while... Read More

The Magic of Using Booklets for Tradeshow Giveaways

Candy, squeeze balls, pens, and key chains -- these provide... Read More

How to Set Up & Organize Your Customer Mailing List For Optimum Results

Your list of customers who have previously bought from you... Read More

Online Mentorship Programs: Cash in on Your Expertise

Whether you're a former retail store owner known for your... Read More

The Biggest Needle In The Haystack

Hello everyone! Have you ever been curious about something, and... Read More

Creating Customer Value

The purpose of business is to create and retain a... Read More

The Process of Change in Marketing Approaches

In a world economy that is in constant flux and... Read More

How to Handle Jargon at Your Web Site - and Why

If you sell a technical product or service, you probably... Read More

The Marketing Secret Every Child Knows

Little Kids Ask Until They Get What They Want.Mom, Mom,... Read More

Knock, knock. Whos There? Your Target Market, Are You Listening?

Have you ever had a conversation with a person who... Read More

Rising Postal Rates? Don?t Cut Down the Direct Mail

The United States Post Office in the past had some... Read More

Blowing Your Own Horn

Opportunity Assistance Business Resource Center At first you must think... Read More

Build your Trade Show - Virtually

Virtual trade shows are gaining momentum as a way to... Read More

Creating a Marketing Plan for Your Website

Have you created a marketing plan for your Website? If... Read More

Turbo-Charge Your Viral Marketing- Five Easy Ways

The world of marketing has changed. With increasingly better educated... Read More

The First Rule of CRM for Financial Services

Things have to change. Cross selling is not going to... Read More

Devious and Deceptive Packaging

Have you read anything in the news lately about childhood... Read More

Eight No Cost Ways to Market Your Business

Are you trying to promote your business with a tiny... Read More

A Forgotten Marketing Tool ? The Postcard

The postcard can be a very powerful marketing tool. Many... Read More

Marketing is More Important Than Expertise

Being a master of your craft, skill, or talent doesn't... Read More

Translation and Your International E-Commerce Strategy

Most businesses realize that they are simply a click away... Read More

Mark Twain?s Great Marketing Idea

To tell you the truth (and about 53% of this... Read More

The Dare-To-Be-Different In Marketing Checklist

There is a big payoff in being different. When you... Read More