Guest post by Katrina Sawa
You’ve heard this phrase, but do you really pay attention to this when it comes to investing in yourself or your business? Many entrepreneurs do not. I know this because I talk with hundreds of women entrepreneurs every month. They are continuously trying to find ways to cut costs, get stuff for free, find someone to trade for services or find a reason why they “can’t afford it” or shouldn’t invest.
Yes, it’s fine and very important to cut costs when you can in your life, business, and in any economic market. However, when it comes to necessary things in the running and marketing of your business or making sales, why would you risk it? Here are some areas where you do not want to skimp or be cheap:
1. The design, maintenance, functionality and updates of your website and entire web presence (blog, social sites, membership profiles, etc.)
2. Hiring assistants and support staff
3. Making a good first impression with whatever that is — your attire, having proper materials and set up at your live events, etc.
4. Your follow-up marketing set-up and processes
5. Technology and software to make things look more professional, run smoother and make it easier for people to buy and connect
6. Coaching, mentors and ongoing learning
Doing so in these areas of your business could result in the following consequences:
• Decreased credibility or worse, developing a bad reputation
• Lack of learning and outdated knowledge
• Lack of the right systems to automate your business and save you time
• Delay in getting stuff done
• Delay in generating more sales
• Missed sales in lack of preparedness, marketing and functionality
• And so much more!
So, hopefully you’re being smart in your decisions and not just watching your pocketbook. This is an awesome time to be in business and do good things. But you have to take your business seriously, not treat it like a part time job or hobby; then you’ll see bigger results!
Katrina Sawa is known as The JumpStart Your Biz Coach who uses online and offline strategies to leverage your resources, contacts and your expertise. Katrina is an author, speaker and coach, has been featured on the Oprah and Friends XMRadioNetwork, and is a regular Business Expert on News 10 in Sacramento. Get her Free Entrepreneur’s Success Kit.
This is so true. People take you seriously as a business and want to work with you if you look and sound credible. It isn’t enough to be really good at what you do!
I’m working on it!
It’s definitely a challenge for a lot of us.