Working Your Way Out of
a Home-Based Business Slump
By Tara Crooks
Posted Dec. 28, 2004
When something is new
it’s always easy to be motivated. It’s
new. It’s exciting. But what happens when
your business becomes ‘hum drum” to
you? It happens to the best of us. A slump. A
rut. Downtime. Low productivity. We all experience
these low periods where our energy wanes and our
motivation weakens. We look at the work before
us and think, "Why bother? What's the point?"
We can't get moving. We procrastinate. Days, weeks,
and perhaps even months go by, and we seem to
accomplish very little.
Unfortunately, most work
at home business owners choose to move on to the
next new and exciting thing. When the right thing
to do is to stick with what you’ve got.
Sure, even the best network marketers, the best
salespeople all hit down time. The secret is they
know how to make it through a slump and get right
back up on the horse. How do they do it? Here’s
a few suggestions related specifically to work
at home business owners to help us get out of
our home-based business slump.
First and foremost, realize
that slumps will inevitably come. They are just
part of life. They are as dependable as the sun
rising and setting. Also know that following every
slump will come the days of feasting.
Second, realize that you
are the one in control of this situation. Feelings
of despair and disappointment are often common
in a slump. Re-evaluate the situation and come
up with a plan to ‘re-energize” your
business. Find the root of your slump. Did you
have a slow month? Was your focus centered elsewhere
not on your business? Are you having problems
dealing with a certain person in your organization?
Realizing the root of your dissatisfaction is
half the battle. Once you’ve pinpointed
the problem, develop a strategy for coping with
or solving the problem.
Speaking of roots. Get back
to them. Write down the reasons for why you chose
to become a work at home business owner. Why did
you choose the business that you’re working?
What was your original motivation? Write down
the pros & cons of your choice. Sometimes
we lose sight of why we are doing what we are
doing and it’s easy to get off course. Identifying
our roots may help us get focused.
Develop a schedule. One
reason some of us get in a slump is that we tend
to lose track of our schedule. We get bogged down
with extra work or too many things to do at once
and shut down. Others, like myself, turn slow
time into a time to do “nothing” because
when it’s not pressing it isn’t important.
Re-evaluate your schedule and your daily to-do
list. Make sure you are really doing what you
need to be doing when you need to be doing it.
Set new goals. The goals
you had last week, last month or last year may
not be applicable to the time at hand. Set new
and exciting goals for your business. What would
you like to accomplish in the next week, month
or year. Set long term and short term goals. Then
spend time inventing new ways to accomplish those
goals.
Give your website a facelift.
Have new graphics designed, create new pages,
and write new and exciting articles. Develop a
new product. Have new business cards made. Develop
a new ad campaign strategy.
Get an education. Is there
something you’ve always wanted to learn
or know how to do? Research how to take an online
class and learn a new facet of your business.
Take a motivational course, a course on team building,
or a web-design course. Read a motivational book.
Anything that will help you with your business
will also be tax-deductible. Education is exciting
and will get you re-energized by giving you something
new on which to focus your mind.
Develop a personal fitness
program. At a certain level your personal outlook
affects your business. If you’re not happy
with yourself develop a plan on how to better
yourself personally. It all works together to
achieve your main motivational goal. Developing
a strategy for personal wellness will enhance
your mood therefore making you have more energy
for your business endeavors.
Search out inspiration.
Find an inspiring quote that you enjoy and develop
a plan to live by it. Create a goal poster or
motivational message to yourself that you will
see everyday. Start a journal and keep track of
your goals. Seek out a mentor. Find someone that
is good at what you want to be good at and follow
his or her example. Feed off of their energy during
your low points.
Reward yourself. Start a
special savings account, maybe a percentage of
your sales or all sales from “x” month
go to the reward. Keep a picture of your reward
in front of you so that you know why you’re
working so hard. At the end of the time, be sure
to award yourself appropriately.
Think outside the box. Was
your original problem simply a “stale”
business? Find new clients. Find a way to gain
new and different clients. Think outside of what
you have always done and find new venues to market
your goods. New clients, and new marketing techniques
can always re-energize a business.
Whatever your reason for
being in your slump there is always a solution
as to how to get out of it. Sometimes it’s
as simple as just doing something.
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Tara Crooks is the site owner and editor of http://www.AdvertisingMoms.com.
Tara’s journey with WAHM Advertising began
with the launch of her first site in June 2001.
Since, she has earned a profitable living by building
a great WAHM advertising resource & network
in Advertising Moms. She is a PROUD Army Wife
and WAHM!
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