You're Not in the Business You Think You're In

What does your business do?

Do you offer professional services such as accounting?

Do you have a house cleaning business?

Are you in network marketing?

Believe it or not, you are not in any of those businesses.

You are in the business of solving problems.

Too often, we lose sight of this fact. People don't want products and services. They want solutions to their problems. They don't want an accountant, they want their books done properly. They don't want a cleaning service, they want a clean house. People don't want to join a network marketing company, they want a better lifestlye.

So next time you offer your goods or services, don't try to sell them something. Find out what problems they have that you can solve.

Now you might say, that's obvious or that doesn't apply to me. For example, if you might say, "I clean houses, pure and simple."

But there is much more to a cleaning service than cleaning the carpets and the bathrooms. People want someone they can trust in their home, who won't steal or break things, or invade their privacy. They want someone who will show up when they say they will. They want someone that will do a good job at a fair price.

When you talk to a prospect for your cleaning business, don't just quote them a price per room. Find out what is important to the customer. It's not always price. Ask them what they want in a cleaning service, what their concerns are.

Then show them how you can solve those issues (problems) for them.

If you decide that you are in the problem-solving business, you're business will grow faster and last longer. And you will prosper.

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Do You Really Have a Good Idea for a Business?

Are you thinking about starting a business? Perhaps you have already started one.

Either way, it's important to think about whether or not you have a profitable idea.

I remember a Saturday Night Live sketch with John Candy from many years ago. He and his partner (Dan Adkroyd?) opened a store in a mall that sold one product - Scotch tape. All the walls were filled with that one product.

On opening day, Candy and his partner were elated. They knew they were going to clean up. But of course they didn't.

There were several reasons for their failure. First, mall rents are expensive and tape sells for a pittance. They would have had to sell tens of thousands of tape dispensers every month just to break even, let alone make a profit.

The second reason for their failure is that the product lasts a long time in most homes and businesses. If you sell cars for $30,000 that's not a problem. But most retail stores need repeat customers who buy frequently.

The third reason the business was doomed was that you can buy tape in so many places -- in the grocery store, the drug store, the big box store and so on. There was no reason for people to go out of their way to buy tape in that one store when they could get in other stores while shopping for other products.

So keep this lesson in mind when considering a new business, or before you invest too much time, money, sweat and emotion in one that may not be viable.

Here are a few question to ask yourself before taking the plunge or going to deep once you've started:

Does your business have a clearly defined audience?

Will your business fill a need that is not already being met?

Can you sell your product or service with enough profit margin to make it worthwhile?

Do you have a competetive advantage?

And finally, do you have enough capital to start and sustain the business in the early stages?

Once you have answered these questions, you will see whether or not you truly have a good idea for a business.

What? Another Business Blog?

The purpose of this blog is to give you expert advice on every aspect of turing your small business or home business dream into big profits.

So who am I to write this blog?

I am a business journalist and author. I've published hundreds of articles in about 75 newspapers and magazines and in dozens of business web sites. I've also co-authored the book, "Power Persuasion: Using Hypnotic Influence to Win in Life, Love and Business" (David R. Barron and Danek S. Kaus).

My next book, a solo project called "You Can Be Famous: Insider Secrets to Get Free Publicity for Yourself, Your Business or Your Organization," will be released later this year.

What will make this blog unique is that it will feature advice from experts in various aspects of running a business, such as raising capital, marketing, advertising, free publicity and much more.

Because you're busy running your business and still have a life, I'll get started with the information.

So here goes. And thanks for dropping by.

Danek S. Kaus dkaus@sbcglobal.net