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Guest column

Right attitude a large part of running a business

By BILL FULLER
Published December 27, 2005

Yogi Berra once said, "Baseball is ninety percent mental. The other half is physical."

You may chuckle, but you know what he meant.

You may have mastered all of the fundamentals of operating your business, but without a positive attitude, the job of growing your customer base will be progressively tougher. Anything that can help you gain a fair and honest advantage over your competitors is worth considering.

There are a number of factors that comprise your attitude. Some of them are strengths that you have developed over time, but others may need fine-tuning.

The first of these is internal motivation. If you know what needs to be done, and do it without prompting and prodding of others, you are already on your way to developing a successful business. A longtime friend has a sign over his desk that bears only two-letter words. It reads, "If it is to be, it is up to me." Each of us can benefit from this kind of thinking.

Drive is an extremely important component of a successful attitude. A single-minded focus, plus the determination to put forth as much effort as necessary to accomplish your goals, is essential to building a strong company. Let me add a word of warning: Don't ignore the reasons why you decided to become your own boss in the first place. All the money in the world is not important enough to sacrifice valuable time with family and friends.

Self-confidence is paramount to success! Whether wearing a new suit or an old pair of jeans, exude confidence. Holding your head high and wearing a smile lets your customers know that you are confident in your ability to serve them.

Some salespeople who work from home never make their first call to a prospect until they are dressed for business and are smiling. They know that even over the phone, that smile can be "seen."

The last component that will be mentioned in this column is focus. Think positively, visualize success and think "in the moment." Looking ahead to the next appointment or the next customer who will walk through the door will take your mind off the business at hand. Focus only on the customer or client you're working with and it will help you make the sale and build a long-term relationship.

In closing, you may find it interesting that much of this information was derived from a training program for baseball players who, like business men and women, really benefit from high quality coaching.

That coaching is available here in Citrus County from SCORE, Counselors to America's Small Business. The counseling is both free and confidential, as well as coming from people who have proven track records in the business world.

A call to 621-0775 will get the ball rolling. We'll supply the guidance. You supply the attitude.

If you're new to Citrus County and would like to share your business experience with people who are building and growing their own small businesses, call Bob Radcliff at 382-3656. Bob will meet with you to discuss how you can put your talents to positive use.

--This column is one of a series of monthly columns by Bill Fuller that provides information supplied by the Citrus County SCORE Chapter 646. SCORE, Counselors to America's Small Business, offers free, confidential counseling services to new and existing businesses in the county. For assistance or workshop information, call 621-0775 or visit its Web site, www.scorecitrus.org

[Last modified December 27, 2005, 02:30:20]