Even when entrepreneurs DO have real world experience, they may neglect to do basic stuff. I was talking with a business owner this week that was going on an appointment to show samples and give prices and wanted some tips on what to do. I asked, "How come they called you?"...I don't know. I asked, "Who else are they looking at?"...I don't know. I asked, "What samples did they ask to see?"...They didn't. "How do you know which ones to bring?"...I just reached in and grabbed an assortment. I advised to ask these questions at the start of the meeting and to call me after the meeting. When I asked how the meeting went, the response was, "Really well!" As it turns out, the prospect was referred by one of the owner's best customers. They weren't looking at anyone else. They didn't need to see samples. They just wanted to do business!

Asking good questions is usually a good place to start.

posted on Thursday, December 06, 2007 at 12:31 PM by Rick

Dave, I hope you don't mind another comment, but these two real live issues were too different to put in the same post. I talked to an entrepreneur this week that told me that he hates sales, salespeople and hates being sold. Talk about head trash. How strong a sales manager am I gonna have to recruit for this guy? Another issue that entrepreneurs have to constantly check on is, "Am I assuming that everyone in the world believes what I believe, thinks what I think, reacts the way I react?" The fact is that they don't, so it's important that entrepreneurs constantly ask themselves, "Where is that belief coming from, facts or head trash?"

posted on Thursday, December 06, 2007 at 12:41 PM by Rick

Great comments Rick. To a certain degree, all small business start as entrepreneurial entities and not all entrepreneurs have a background in business or selling. Some just decide to profitably pursue their hobbies! That said, many don't understand what it takes to make the business grow and not having the cash to hire a team of people who know more than they do, they set out and do everything themselves - some of it pretty good, most of it pretty bad. We have a tendancy to judge them and question why they don't get it when, in reality, they haven't been in business long enough to have a clue about what they're doing wrong. Tthey don't have the cash to hire anyone who can tell them what they're doing wrong. And most don't have the stomachs to be told what they're doing wrong. In time, the good entrepreneurial start-ups become companies, attract better managmenet and get the help they need while the less effective businesses remain very entrepreneurial and not much changes.

posted on Sunday, December 09, 2007 at 8:35 AM by Dave Kurlan