The Game’s Afoot, Watson!

Imagine with me a foggy London Street in total darkness. You blink trying to see into the shadows for Moriarty. Suspenseful music in the background is setting the stage for a drama-filled conclusion. While running a business is not a foggy, dark night, if you don’t evolve with your business, you are setting yourself up for a dramatic fall into darkness. Ok, maybe not a dramatic fall, but as a business owner or author, you’ve got many processes and procedures in place. This could include lots of outward-facing marketing items, like your LinkedIn profile, social media, and your web site.

Over time, it’s easy to look at them, without really seeing them, you know, kind of like the foggy nights in London. That can be a problem, particularly as your business evolves. With that in mind, here are three ways I keep a fresh eye on my work:

1. Audit past decisions. Audit is such a scary word unless it’s your decisions. The way we did something 3 or 5 years ago may no longer apply today. Better software solutions are invented all the time, for business and for writers. Maybe your focus has shifted. Or, maybe, there is an easier, less expensive solution available now.
    
2. Look closely at the parts of your business that are right in front of you. The other day, I noticed a typo in my email newsletter that had literally been there for months – how could that happen?

   To avoid this, do a scan of the parts of your business you may be taking for granted (like looking behind furniture when spring cleaning). If you’re about to give a presentation you’ve given many times already, review it closely one more time. Look at your website – every page – and make sure all the buttons and links your potential clients might be clicking are working as they should. 
    

3. The buck stops with you. I’ve heard many times from business owners and writers: “I don’t know how that works; my friend set it up for me.” (Truth be told, I say this all the time about my website. Thank God for tech gurus!) Totally understandable; but it is critical to check the work you outsource and make sure you understand what is supposed to happen. Then document it, so you can look back later and check again!

It’s easy to fall into a comfortable groove when running your own business. That can be a good thing; just make sure your eyes remain wide open!

Have any questions? Anything putting a hitch in your business giddy-up? I’m here to help, just reach out by email, Dana@atyourvirtualservice.com, or connect with me via my website at www.atyourvirtualservice.com.