From Ordinary to Extraordinary

INTRODUCTION

I will start with an unusual approach by asking you to only read this book if you are serious about your business and you are prepared to take definitive action!

If you own a Small to Medium Sized Business, and you are ready to take action, I can help, if you plan to make the following happen…

1. You want to grow your business

2. You want to change yourself and/or your business and take simple steps towards making a massive difference to the growth and profitability of your company

3. You want to learn any new ideas

4. You are ready to embrace change

5. You are aware ways that you have “always done it” may not be right so you want to explore new ideas

OK, I accept this is this is a slightly unusual way to start a marketing book, but if you do not want to make a difference to your business then please don’t waste your time or money in buying and reading this book.

I am sure we have all met people (or recognise a trait in ourselves), where we say we want to take action but the reality is we never really do it. This book is all about implementing some simple techniques that will work as they are proven. If you are the type of person who is open to trying something different, then I hope you enjoy this book.

We have faced an incredibly tough economic climate in recent years which has affected many businesses of all sizes and we are still not out of the woods yet. So, we have to stand out from the crowd, think and act differently to how we have done before. If you are prepared to take this approach there is huge opportunity to thrive and grow your business and as our economy recovers and grows you will be in a position to maximise the potential of your business.

I’m a firm believer that you are totally accountable for your life. Take a grip of it and make a difference which can start just one step at a time, as long as those steps are positive and going in the right direction.

So I guess if you’ve read this far, the above factors do not apply to you. Well, if that’s the case, welcome to the club of business owners who are trying to take positive action by learning and implementing new ideas to their business.

Maybe you are looking to start a business and want to go about it the right way. If that is true, well hats off to you and if you start as you mean to go on, I wish you well.

I will show you some simple techniques and actions any business owner can use to help grow their business quickly and how to continually drive new enquiries to their business.

I found something really exciting when I first learned these skills and tried and tested all of them and more myself. The techniques I show you in this book are relevant to any business and transferrable from industry to industry. Isn’t that fantastic? I am not saying every single skill and technique is totally relevant to every business, but overwhelmingly the principles are relevant in some form or another and many are being applied to successful business often without real awareness of why and how they are working. So if we can analyse this and focus on the points that really can be successful, then it can have a massive impact. Well, I’m sure you will be the judge of that by the time you’ve read this book!

Ultimately, what sets successful business owners apart from others is their ability to confront difficulty and take action and get things done. If you can be brave enough to not make excuses, not wait for the exact right moment to start a business or to change your own business, there is no such thing as a perfect time and you make it happen, then you deserve to enjoy success as many before and after you will not have the courage to do it!

I set out to transform my business from just another ordinary business into something extraordinary. Why settle for mediocrity when you can aim for the stars?!

It seems to me that so many business owners come in two categories. The first is those who either don’t know what to do, have limited ambition or just simply can’t be bothered to put the effort in. There are always some people, sadly quite a large majority who seem content with struggling by and always having an excuse or a reason as to why things aren’t quite happening for them.

It’s often the economy, their competitors, suppliers and raw materials are too expensive, it’s quiet because it’s too hot, it’s too cold, it’s holiday season… you know what I’m getting at and the type of excuses that are given.

The second type are those who strive for success, are totally driven and are hungry for knowledge and never want to stop learning and investing in themselves.

To me, if you are taking the time to read this book, you are the latter. I personally would like to say I too am in that category.

My wife thinks I’m some kind of business book worm!

I am always buying new business books, reading websites and blogs, watching videos.

I try and absorb as much as possible and learn everything I can from those who have been there and done it.

It’s great to get a whole range of ideas and really think about what you agree with, what is relevant to you and your market and to actually implement them.

Owning a business is a fantastic journey of highs and lows and you can never sit on your laurels and think you’ve made it.

The world changes, technology changes and as business owners we have to make sure we strive to stay one step ahead. If you think about all the successful businesses you have known within your network, how many have you seen come and go?

I have seen dozens!

Then think about technologies that come along, people make fortunes and then something new overtakes it and they are left behind.

The music industry is a classic case and think how that market place has dramatically been affected. Not only the stores that sold CD’s but I knew a number of highly successful CD production companies who are either gone or significantly smaller than they were only a few years ago.

So it is vital you learn, take nothing for granted, develop and evolve to ensure you and your business ride the crest of new and developing markets and not dying ones!