The,entrepreneur,amp,#39,survi marketing The entrepreneur's survival list

Automation technologies represent a fundamental aspect of any modern industry. The major types of industrial automation solutions, such as DCS, PLC, SCADA, and MES, are used on a large-scale in process and discrete industries.DCS technologie Awhile ago, I got an email from one of the "gurus" I follow and it shocked me. The gist of it was this person wanted to trade services for a household item.To say it floored me would be an understatement.What was worse was a few days later t

Small business owners and entrepreneurs are quicklybecoming the dominant business species. Small businesses create thousands of new jobs each year,while floundering large companies lay off scoresof people. Starting a new business venture can be an excitingyet risky project. Our survival guide details the steps to take to ensure your business not onlysurvives but indeed thrives.1. Determination - "ARE YOU INSANE?"Implement your plans with total commitment. Don't give up even when obstacles seem overwhelming. Starting your business will instantly make you an outcast. People whom you love will openly questionyour sanity. The anticipated competition will be the least of your worries, you'll be fighting your friendsand family to get your business going. They will sitand wait expecting you to fail. Now that doesn't meanthey don't love you, but there's no way to preventthis, it just happens. So be forewarned. 2. Devotion -"THE LOVE AFFAIR"Your business should be something that you love todo, It's this love that will sustain you when thegoing gets tough. And it's the love of your productor service that will make you effective at selling it.Don't attempt to become an affiliate or sell a product that you have not used or assessed for its merits. Atbest you will be unable to answer legitimate concernsof purchasers and the worse case scenario is that youwill appear to be a fraud.Now this does not discount the fact that the onlybusiness idea that will ever succeed is one thatfulfills a need...preferably a *considerable* need.Therefore if no one wants your product your businesswill never get off the ground.3. Dollars- "OOOOH SWEET MONEY" Getting rich should NOT be your PRIME motivatingfactor. Persons who have that mindset will inevitablymake short term decisions for immediate financialgain at the expense of the long term health of theirventure. You will also have a difficulty motivatingemployees who don't stand to profit as much as you do.Invest all that you can in your business, but be frugalwith what you have at your disposal. Keep in mind thatyour business could either triple in size or go bellyup within six months. So it would REALLY be wise toavoid that TEN year lease you've been considering.If you are running an Internet based business you mayeven dispense with expending money on office space.Several online businesses are operated successfullyfrom a spare room or basement. 4. Dedication- "100 HOUR WEEKS?"You will have to make some adjustments to your lifewhen starting up your business. You'll need to worktirelessly just to keep up with the competition.Twelve hour days and seven day work weeks are not uncommon when an entrepreneur is striving to get abusiness off the ground. 5. Doers- "THE BIG MISCONCEPTION"Perhaps the biggest misconception about an idea for a new business is that the idea must be unique. Chances are that almost any ideas you can think of also occurred to others. When Einstein was developing his theory of relativity, another scientist, Poincare'formulated a similar theory around the same time. History is full of examples like these.It's not the idea which is important, they are really a dime a dozen. What is important is the ability to take the idea, implement it and build a successful it.Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin by chancebut never developed it as a useful drug. TEN years later, two scientists unearthed Flemings*mold* , SAW ITS POTENTIAL, and started treatingpatients in wartime England. This was a dramaticmedical advancement and saved thousands of lives. So don't wait around trying to develop a unique IDEA.Instead you should identify a Unique Selling Position (USP) in order to distinguish your product from yourcompetitors. 6. Critical Mass - "SIZE MATTERS"For online businesses which operate from your basementor from a motor home, it certainly helps to look biggerthan you really are. There's a certain comfort indealing with a business that seems established.You should try to establish 24 hour customer service.Even if it means answering the phone at your favoritewatering hole. Just try to get away from thebackground noise. Having a separate business line is critical. Attemptto inform your family that if the business line ringsit should be answered in a professional manner.You really don't want your loved one picking up theline in the middle of closing a deal to remind youto take out the garbage.Have a logo developed for your business, there areseveral sites available that will create a logo foryou. Or find a student from a good graphic designschool to create one. Use your logo consistently,on all your stationery, packaging and othercorporate communications.Take advantage of any local business incubators,these operations offer affordable, flexible leasesfor start ups. They will provide anything fromoffice furniture and equipment to business plans and high speed Internet access. Historicallybusinesses in an incubator stand significantlyhigher chances of surviving.You can get free publicity for your business by contacting local news media and selling your companyas a human interest story. There are manyperiodicals looking for businesses to profile.Get your name on TV. We have all seen those morningshows with live outside feeds. A poster board you holdup in front of the camera may get you more publicitythan a 30 second commercial.And finally, if you have a web site, ensure you have the ability to process credit cards. Most Internet transactions use credit cards to complete a purchase.CONCLUSIONThe preceding list just scratches the surface ofan entrepreneurs "to do list". The Internet is awashwith information and you can drown yourself in web sites, magazines and secret membership sites, and stillnot learn anything. Why? The Internet is a new and ever changing phenomenon. Advice that seems fundamentallysound today can be completely wrong the next day. However, you can learn from both the successes andfailures of others and be guided by their experiences.Remember that no matter what you do, you will neverachieve much success unless you have happy customers,happy workers and happy suppliers. That means you must have a company that is perceived as friendly, especiallyin the area of customer service.