Session Handout

Welcome to today’s seminar…
10 Secrets to Small Business
Success & Profitability
Presented by
Cliff Quicksell, MAS+
Founder & President
Cliff Quicksell Associates
[email protected]
301-717-0615
“10 Secrets to Small Business Success & Profitability”© 2015 – Cliff Quicksell Associates
Introduction and Industry Dynamics
Cliff Quicksell, MAS+
• Consultant, Speaker, Trainer, Author & Coach
• Past: Distributor, Supplier
• Issues: wasn’t qualified, not prepared, ego focused
• What I learned and what I should have done – reflection!
Industry Dynamics
• Made up of many smaller businesses
• Owners where most if not all of the hats
• Sales focused primarily, not marketing focused
• Unfortunately very commoditized, price oriented
• Clients have most of the control
“10 Secrets to Small Business Success & Profitability”© 2015 – Cliff Quicksell Associates
Attendee Take-a-ways
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Some dynamics of running a small business enterprise
How to successfully compete in an ever-changing market-space
Importance of planning & knowing when to ask for help
Power of education, trust, reinventing, integrity
Effective Time and Growth Management
Running lean and fit
Embracing Fear
Giving back
“10 Secrets to Small Business Success & Profitability”© 2015 – Cliff Quicksell Associates
Have a Specific Plan
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Where are you headed, know your destination;
Know your clients, define your markets;
Know your competition;
Rid yourself of time suckers;
Stay on track and focused;
Revise your plan, regularly;
“10 Secrets to Small Business Success & Profitability”© 2015 – Cliff Quicksell Associates
Educate Yourself Regularly
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• Look for new solutions
• Be open to experimentation
• Remember questions are key
• Vendors
• Clients
• Peers
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They may surprise you with
what they can share
“10 Secrets to Small Business Success & Profitability”© 2015 – Cliff Quicksell Associates
Define & Reinvent Yourself
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• Be open to change
• The way you go to market
• The way you engage you clients & prospects
• Create your unique differentiator
• Avoid mediocrity, keep your brand
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Alive
Fresh
Vibrant
Current
“10 Secrets to Small Business Success & Profitability”© 2015 – Cliff Quicksell Associates
Believe In What You Do…
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• Act with Integrity – Warren Buffet quote
• You have one reputation, protect it!
• Your focus should be on helping the client
not on your commissions
• Know that you are helping clients
“It takes 20 Years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it!”
Warren Buffet
“10 Secrets to Small Business Success & Profitability”© 2015 – Cliff Quicksell Associates
Manage Your Growth
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• Focus on Profits
• Keep the Sales pipeline full at all times
• Market consistently
• Reevaluate and purge
• Build and maintain cash reserves
• Bad Luck
• Mistakes
“Sales Feed Egos and Profits Feed Families”
“10 Secrets to Small Business Success & Profitability”© 2015 – Cliff Quicksell Associates
Have Effective Time Management Skills
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• Evaluate evolving technologies
• E.commerce
• Video, MyEngagePage
• Don’t become shackled to email
• Banker Jim Carter’s Plan
• Practice Kaizen
• Be in a state of constant improvement
“10 Secrets to Small Business Success & Profitability”© 2015 – Cliff Quicksell Associates
Run a Fit Company
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• Fiscally Fit
• Measurement is imperative
• Reporting must be done
• Physically Fit
• Take care of yourself
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You First
Family
Friends
Job
“10 Secrets to Small Business Success & Profitability”© 2015 – Cliff Quicksell Associates
Embrace Failure as a Learning Tool
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• Be willing to take risks
• Think them through, be calculated
• Think creatively
• Sir Ken Robinson
• Be willing to fail
• Learn from the failures
• NEVER give up
“I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times,
I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life.
And that is why I succeed.” ~ Michael Jordan
“10 Secrets to Small Business Success & Profitability”© 2015 – Cliff Quicksell Associates
Get a Coach and be “Coachable”
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• Qualities to look for:
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Experience
Great Attitude
Willingness to Share
Expert in their field
Accessible
Holds you accountable
“10 Secrets to Small Business Success & Profitability”© 2015 – Cliff Quicksell Associates
Develop Great Habits…be Accountable
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Be careful not to make excuses
Complacency breeds mediocrity
Look inward first,
Expect great things of yourself
Habits can make or break you
Good Qualities:
• Honest, Reliable,
• Innovative, Creative
Trust your gut instincts
Don’t blame others
Learn from past experiences
Give yourself a healthy pat-on-the-back
“10 Secrets to Small Business Success & Profitability”© 2015 – Cliff Quicksell Associates
Final Thoughts with Q & A
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Business is ever evolving;
Change is inevitable
Be coachable
Appreciate where you’ve come from
Be open to possibilities
Take care of yourself
Have fun, enjoy the ride
“10 Secrets to Small Business Success & Profitability”© 2015 – Cliff Quicksell Associates
Thank you for attending today’s seminar…
10 Secrets to Small Business
Success & Profitability
Presented by
Cliff Quicksell, MAS+
Founder & President
Cliff Quicksell Associates
[email protected]
301-717-0615
“10 Secrets to Small Business Success & Profitability”© 2015 – Cliff Quicksell Associates