Becoming A Business Person

Business is an entity usually called company, set up to perform a job or sell a product in order to earn profit. Some businesses are very large while others are run by just one person.

A businessperson is someone who is involved in the management (at any level) of a company. Have you ever considered why some businesses are doing poorly and the business next door is attracting a lot of customers and very successful. It is easy to blame the poor performance on environmental factors.

I want you to know that if a business succeeds, it is because someone is doing something right. If the business fails, someone has done something wrong. It is not because of bad weather, the time of the year or the economy of the country. Someone is always buying something from somebody. Then think, on how you can make people buy your products.

It is more difficult to market intangible products (Product you cannot see with your physical eyes) like insurance policies, still people are succeeding in the insurance businesses, then it should be easier to convince people to buy that food, phone, cloths that you are selling if only you know how to package it and make people see reason why they need the products.

Let’s consider this analogy, put a baby of about one year old in a room where you also have about ten adult. You would realize that baby will naturally choose to follow someone. What is it that attract the baby to the fellow?. The baby must have seen something that you do not see or  imagine, though those things may not be issues to consider but relevant to the baby. This also works for businesses; customer will always prefer one product over the other or a service over the other. But the question is how can I make the customer take preference in my product.

Today our focus is not on the institutionalize company but that ‘one’ man business, the barbing saloon, the caterer service by the corner, the fashion designer shop, the electronic stores etc. These are mostly run by one business person. You must succeed because others have succeeded doing what you are doing that seems unachievable.

Let us now considers some of the factors that make a successful business person,

1. Self Confidence.

First of all, you need self confidence to be able to make a good business person, no matter what others are doing or saying, you must be able to assess yourself and be confident that you can succeed in that business. This can only be achieved when you have a clear goal and knowledge of the products you are selling.

If you can’t convince yourself that your product is sellable, how then will you convince someone to purchase the product.  If you are not confident that you can prepare a good menu as a caterer, a good dress as a fashion designer etc. how will you market your product to a prospective customer?.  A self defeated person can never succeed in any endeavour. See yourself as an achiever, it is then you can achieve.

2. Constantly set a higher but achievable Goal.

In our last discussion, we defined goal as the general purpose of the business. At the start of the business, you must be able to determine the purpose of setting up the business, which I believe for many, is to be able to make profit. You can set a target for yourself and make sure this target is what you can achieve.

For example, for a hair dressing saloon owner who is just starting the business. He or she could set a target of been able to recover his or her investment within the 1st year of the business bearing in mind the amount invested.

This goal will constantly be the driving force to his or her success in the business.

3. Never Accept a ‘Comfort Zone’

Successful business person never have a comfort zone. To them, standing still is like going backward. As one level of achievement is made, another target is set to be met and worked towards. No wonder we had some small businesses in yester years turning to multinational today because the owners refused to be satisfied with their level of performance at a point in time.

Do you know that the founder of Michelin tyre was once a vulcanizer. He moved from one level of achievement to the next and today Michelin is a big multinational company.

4. Be driven by accomplishment and not money.

Most successful business person today are not driven by money, but by accomplishment, They have joy in breaking targets set by themselves rather than the money they earn. If you are driven by achievement, you will easily make money but if you are driven by money you will soon become complacent and gradually begin to lose the money.

5. Be Coordinated, Open and Positive.

Being coordinated shows how rapidly you attend to issues and how effectively you carry out your promises.

Openness is about saying the truth always. Be ready to accept mistakes. Apologize for errors made. Never try to cover reality with lies or any unguided action. Face your fears rather than running away from it. Never display arrogance nature.

Being positive is the ability to see opportunity in the mist of challenges. When others see trouble, your imagination penetrates into the trouble spot to see the opportunities in it. Optimists avoid gossip, dispute notions and they see a promising future always.

6. Be Accessible.

Always make yourself accessible, be generous with your time and advice to your customers. Let your customers see you as a problem solver. Take time to absorb what is being said by your customers and try to discover solution even if it gives you additional work  to do. People will always remember you for your selflessness and certainly they will love to repay you with their loyalty.

7. Be Sensitive.

Pay attention to every minute need of your customers, be quiet during discussion and be ready to listen, never interrupt during discussion. Try to think back what you’ve heard and ask some key questions to take the conversation to a greater height and for better understanding. In case you feel you have all the answers, by listening more profoundly you will be given your customers much more and you will be forming a deeper relationship.

8. Develop your brand.

You need to be clear on your brand. Make your product unique, either by packaging, services or otherwise.

Thank you.
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By Taiwo Olanrewaju [ACA]
Email:o_olabiodun@yahoo.co.uk