Breaking Barriers

KISS – Keep It Simple and Sensible

GEORGE, an executive business Coach, author and speaker lives in Arusha.
Make your next conference, meeting and convention a success by writing
to book George. He is here to help your winning team
succeed with a boom!
E-mail: coach@successboom.net OR  olowoye@hotmail.com
Tel: 0784-240838 (24hrs) Website:http://www.successboom.net

Several years ago, a young Harvard law and business graduate decided to start his own business. With the help of his grandfather, a successful American investor, he thought he would build his own beverage company. After a couple of weeks in business, the two men met for lunch. The grandfather asked the graduate how many customers he had. The grandson replied, “None yet. I’ve been very busy hunting the proper computer system.” “Son, until you have customers, you don’t need a computer system. You don’t even need an office or a desk. You need customers.” Listening to the advice of his successful mentor, the graduate put aside the lessons in “strategic marketing and dynamic positioning” he’d learned in the university and went out in search of those customers that will be laying for him the golden eggs. Today, his business is a true American success story. His beverages are sold across the nation. To this day, he has no office or desk. When asked why, he replies, “Because you can’t sell anything to a desk.”

I learnt this lesson in my attempt to do business way back when I started in 1993. I wanted out of the regular employment and liked to do my own business badly enough. After cruising all the roads of our big city I eventually got an investor who was willing to take a risk on me without having to visit my office or knowing how many people were on my board. That encounter turned me into an instant millionaire and it has helped greatly to toughen my resolve to succeed and to this day I have little respect for office or desk like that Harvard law graduate. Remember, you can’t sell anything to a desk! Don’t let your respect for modern technology replace the fundamentals of what will make your business a success. You have to keep it simple and sensible enough by focusing on what generates income, and put your time and effort in this area.

To carry on successfully in business, you’ve got to always know when to take action. Sitting down in a chair all day, trying to analyze what is wrong with your business or with the economy of Tanzania will definitely get you nowhere. You’ll never generate any income that way. Many of you businessmen ought to get out there and begin to do more activities to promote your business than sitting down in your office. I mean the plain old you going out there - no telephone calls, no advertisements, no business cards or postcards, no brochures – to talk to fifty people everyday about your business. Activity is the key to saving your business whether it is in sales or in any business. You have to take action today.

Another way to keep it simple and get you motivated to great success is by creating your own little successes. What do I mean by that? No matter how big a goal you have set for yourself in business, it’s good to break it down into more bite-size achievable parts. You will soon discover that by doing one tangible and positive thing a day, your confidence increases tremendously and you quickly learn to eliminate some of the fear of failure lurking in the back of your mind.

Only too recently I was doing a coaching work for a business executive and I realized how much time he seemed to be loosing in paperwork. Folks, nothing will get you into more trouble in your business life than if you take your eye off the ball, that is, your ultimate goal no matter how daunting your task may be. And paperwork can be a real killer, especially in the tough times when you really don’t want to go out there and do the plain hard work necessary to win over your competitors. You might as well get some good administrative help right away so you won’t get bogged down in messy paperwork. A good leader and businessman bogged down with administrative work will not have enough time to see enough customers and clients where the real money lies. Keep it simple. You’re trying to save money the wrong way and in the wrong area. Your time is worth so much more. Get someone to do your administrative work and you’ll happier for it.
 

Finally, you need to always simplify your plans in business. Many people override the value of simplicity whether in personal life or in business decisions. For them, if it’s not complicated enough, then it won’t work. How wrong a hypothesis. Try to keep your products and services simple for anyone to use and understand and see how your incomes soar beyond your imaginations. Don’t complicate the picture for the consumer and that makes it better for him to refer others to your business. Whether you’re trying to make a decision about how many items to offer on your restaurant menu, keep it simple. Or trying to boost sales in your retail shop, keep it simple. Williams said, “Whatever your business is, look at it from the standpoint of how you can reduce something complicated down to something simple.” This you can do by being brief and straight to the point. Communicate the essence because the shorter your message, the greater the effect. Some of the most revolutionary products have been the simplest and in your own case, don’t ever underestimate the value of simplicity. I know winning is tough, but that doesn’t mean it has to be complicated. Use your human touch, creative intelligence, belief enough in yourself and what you have to offer, dream big - but keep it simple. Here is a kiss to your success!
 

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