Every single person who’s ever started a business of any kind has done so with a common goal: to be successful. But what does it take to achieve that goal? Why do some businesses knock it out of the park, while others never quite make it off the ground? We believe it’s all about establishing values that define the way you run your business. And we’ve rounded up three top values for you to adopt now that will help your business grow and thrive well into the future!
Provide quality service.
Even if you have the most incredible products and services in the world, it’ll be tough to sell them if your business isn’t focused on taking good care of your customers. That’s why it’s so important to make providing great service your #1 priority.
How can I lead with a "people-first" mentality?
- Respond to customers quickly (research shows that you should respond to customer emails within an hour of receiving them).
- Did a customer give you feedback? Awesome! Look at it as an opportunity to make positive changes to the way you conduct your business.
- Become a master problem-solver (tips here!).
- Make it personal! Write down customer birthdays, hobbies and interests, and find ways to make them laugh! This little bit of extra effort goes a long way … and it might just help you gain a customer for life.
Strive to evolve.
Anyone out there still using the original Apple™ computer (if you don’t remember what it looks like, this post should jog your memory)? No, of course you’re not—or, at least, we really hope you’re not. Like most people, you’ve probably upgraded over the years to newer, more developed versions of Apple’s products … maybe even ones that can fit in your pocket or on your wrist.
Apple is an example of a company that’s withstood the test of time by realizing the importance of constantly evolving. After all, even though your customer needs one thing today, chances are, they’ll need something completely different tomorrow. Your challenge is to find ways to satisfy those needs before your customers even know they have them.
Stay humble.
This one is important whether you’ve been in business for years or you’re just getting started. Staying humble means knowing that it’s not all about you. It’s about staying grounded, making space for others to shine, and knowing there’s always more to learn. Here’s what humility looks like in a business sense:
- Give others the opportunity to share their ideas.
- Learn all you can from those with more knowledge and experience than you.
- Celebrate others’ accomplishments.
- Don’t be afraid to delegate tasks and allow someone else to try their hand at something new (learn all about how to do this effectively, here).
- Be kind. Always.
You’ve heard all our words of wisdom; all that’s left for you to do is get out there and get to work! Feel free to take our list of values, add to them, change them … whatever you need to do to make them work for your unique business. The important thing to remember is that while there are tons of super fancy business-building tactics to try, it all starts with a strong foundation of values, implemented day in and day out.
