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Last week, I explored the concept of how fear can hinder your success. Because of fear, we limit God in moving on our behalf which limits our success. Sometimes we don’t believe in the vision He’s given us and we place a cap on what can or can not happen in our lives. Well, today, I want to present proof that there really is NO excuse for any of us to NOT become successful in the thing God has called us to do.

Watch the video below and tell me if you’re not inspired!

If Ephren can make a million dollars at age 16 there really is no excuse for any of us to not make our own dreams come true. So, are you limiting your success? What’s holding you back from achieving all that God placed on your heart to accomplish? Sound off in the comments below.

About the Author Rod is the editor-in-chief of The Success Center, Producer of "Inside the Success," and a Success Coach. For more information, tips, and advice on being a successful Christian-preneur subscribe to Rod's "Success Tips!" weekly newsletter.

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Once upon a time I had plenty of time to update my blog 5 days a week, interview guests for my podcast twice a month, shoot an episode for my video podcast once a month, work a full-time job as a flight attendant, and live a [somewhat] regular life. Now-a-days, I can barely spend time with myself or afford to keep in touch with close friends.

My Secret Weapon to Being an Over-achiever

People asked me all the time, “Rod, where do you find the time to do all that you do?!” My reply would be, “you just gotta make time and go with what you’re passionate about.” However, I had a secret weapon that allowed me to eat, sleep, and work every waking moment on my business. . . I was single.

No kids, no girlfriend, no wife, no family to tend to . . . totally free to give all my time to being an entrepreneur.

Now?

Not so much.

A Snap Shot of the Real World

Presently, I’m in a relationship with someone pretty awesome, I’m flying more than I’ve ever been, and I still have a blog/business to run. When I’m with my girlfriend I don’t handle business, get online, or anything. I give her my undivided attention and at work I haven’t had much downtime. Lately, I feel as if I’ve been neglecting my entrepreneurial duties.

I asked God, “How do I find the right balance of time to spend in my relationship, with family, friends, and business?” I’m going to share exactly what He told me in Wednesday’s post, but for now, here are a few things that work for me and will help you maximize your time.

Become an Early Riser

I didn’t become an early bird until I became a flight attendant. When I’m off I’m usually up by 8 in the morning and earlier than that when I’m on duty. Working in the morning time is a great strategy to deploy since you don’t have as many distractions and you’ll have the rest of the day to relax. Just get ready for early bedtimes!

Become a Night Owl

Some people prefer the night-time to get things done. You’re more awake, alert, and active at night than early risers. The still, peace, and quiet of the night makes it ideal for people who stay up late and enjoy burning the midnight oil. The only down thing is, if you’re not used to staying up late, prepare to get really sleepy really fast!

Unplug from the Matrix

When I had the time I would spend hours on end online checking news, reading blogs, on Facebook, Twitter, etc. It’s still important that you engage wherever your market is online, however, it’s not important to do it at all times. Instead, choose strategic times to work offline and engage online. If you know you’ll be distracted at night with Twitter and Facebook then get off early and get some work done. Be smart and play your cards right.

Check Email Once a Day

I used to be email crazy, checking it more than a few times a day. And then things got really “convenient” with my Blackberry delivering emails to my phone. However, stopping to check it from the phone or even a computer only wastes time you could be using for something else. Instead, check all your mail at the beginning or end of your day. Sure, they’ll be waiting for you in a big stinking pile, but you’ll be focused and ready for it.

Note: Gmail is my webmail client of choice. I love the ability to “star” messages which saves important emails for later. You can do the same by setting up special filters and folders for important emails. Sort them in the morning time and respond to them at night.

Get ahead of Your Work Days

I would consider this to be a power tip so pay attention! I’ve started to write blog posts a day or two before my due dates [I used to write each on the day it was meant to be published]. Not only does this save time, but it frees time up for me to focus on other things. Beyond time, it’s a great feeling to know that you accomplished something off your to-do list a day early.

Work out of the Office

Many entrepreneurs and small business owners work out of a home office. Unfortunately, many times you can’t get any work done because of family needs, lack of quiet, or other unique home distractions. Pack up the office [aka, your laptop] and head to your nearest coffee shop, library, or bookstore. You’ll find the atmosphere more tranquil, peaceful, and enables you to concentrate more.

No matter where you are in your life you’ll have to find that perfect balance between business and other obligations. I hope I’ve shared a few useful tips to make it a little bit easier for you. Of course, I don’t have all the answers. How do you maximize your time and get more done when working on your business? Share your best tips, practices, and advice in the comments below.

About the Author Rod is the editor-in-chief of The Success Center, Producer of "Inside the Success," and a Success Coach. For more information, tips, and advice on being a successful Christian-preneur subscribe to Rod's "Success Tips!" weekly newsletter.

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I’ve always enjoyed reading about great leaders (especially business leaders). I love reading about their triumphs, failures, strengths, weaknesses, wisdom, folly, and their overall contradictions. That’s why I loved reading Carnegie by Peter Krass. It’s an excellent biography of Andrew Carnegie, the man who created his fortune in the steel industry and gave it all away at the end of his life.

Admittedly, though he had good business practices he had questionable ones too:

1. He made his first fortune through insider trading
2. He saw his workers as costs to be managed
3. He was known to “influence” a politician or two

And etc…

“So what exactly could he teach Christian entrepreneurs?!”

Well remember: he also “had good business practices.”  His garden had both wheat and tare. We can learn from the wheat.

• He always practiced his ABC’s–ABC is an old sales acronym: Always Be Closing. Carnegie was a consummate salesman. He was always out looking for business, he never waited for it to come it him. He knew this: if something was to happen it was up to him to make it happen! Know this: “A dream comes with much business.” (Ecclesiastes 5:3 English Standard Version) Nothing happens unless you make it happen; and nothing happens without a sale. If your dream is to become reality it’s going to take a lot of business to make it reality.

• He surrounded himself with the best– Carnegie had a knack for attracting and retaining the most talented and competent people. Many historians believe Carnegie was a management guru–but many of the management innovations he’s famous for were thought of by his lieutenants. He always tried to find the best partners, best managers, best workers…he always looked for the best! Saul and David had that same characteristic: to find and recruit the best people. Saul’s problem was that while he wanted the best he was intimidated by the best. David, on the other hand, was comfortable with having Mighty Men around him. To become the best, you have to find the best, and get the best out of them.

• He found his greatest success through focus not diversity–Early on he had holdings in oil, sleeping cars, railroad, iron bridges, bonds, and telegraphy. But he was wearing himself thin (and he knew it) so he focused all his efforts on one industry: steel. Diversity has its merits– “Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight; you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.” (Ecclesiates 11:2 Today’s New International Version)–but true success will be found in focusing your efforts on one thing that has the greatest rate of return. Warren Buffet once said, “Diversity is protection against ignorance. It makes very little sense for those who know what they’re doing.” In other words, “If you don’t know what you’re doing: diversify; if you do: don’t.”

• He was rabid about costs–He instituted revolutionary accounting methods that detailed the cost of every item–even small nails. He accounted for every single expense and then found ways to reduce them. One exasperated partner said, “Carnegie never wanted to know about profits. He always wanted to know the costs!” This cost cutting practice gave him immense power to set prices and gain new market share. He knew that if he took care of the costs the profits would take care of themselves.

• He was willing to sacrifice short term profit for long term gain– He constantly reinvested: in new machinery, the latest technology, in improved practices, and etc. In fact, sometimes he would find it “exceedingly difficult” to convince his partners to fore go the short term gain. They wanted their money now, he wanted more money later. Unlike a wise man that reinvests“…a foolish man devours all he has.” (Proverbs 21:20 New International Version) When it came to money Carnegie was no fool!

• He saw the end first–Carnegie started out with this end in mind: be the best steel company in the world. All resources, capital, labor, intellect, time, and etc were geared toward that goal (and the smaller goals leading up to it). Vision is a necessity for business leaders. The Bible says, “A wise man thinks ahead; a fool doesn’t and even brags about it.”(Proverbs 13:16 The Living Bible)  In other words, a fool brags about not having goals!! Carnegie saw greater and therefore pushed his company to greater heights.

While Andrew Carnegie  was not a “saint” in his initial business practices there still is a lot we can learn from him. List a few business moguls that you’ve learned from in the past. Who are your favorites? What do you think about Andrew Carnegie? I’d love to know your thoughts in the comments below.

About the Author

Mike Holmes is the author of I Shall Raise Thee Up: Ancient Principles for Lasting Greatness. He’s also a blogger that writes on business and leadership development from a Biblical perspective. When he’s not writing blogs or speaking he can be found writing bios in the third person. Check out his website/blog here.

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According to Wikipedia there are around 38 specialized areas of marketing. They break it down by either the type of product you advertise or how you advertise your product. Today, I want to share with you the greatest marketing secret I learned a couple of years ago.

It’s called content creation marketing or the “give to get” model. Essentially you create content that educates, inspires, or empowers people and give it away for free in hopes of getting something in return. That could be information, sales leads, actual sales, or something else that’s valuable to your business.

This form of marketing is effective for the entrepreneur because it delivers value to the customer at the beginning of the relationship instead of at the end of a transaction. Social media marketing is only an extremely popular form of word-of-mouth advertising (idea being, if people like you they’ll eventually buy from you). Content creation marketing takes it a step further by giving people something to talk about.

How can you maximize this form of marketing for your business? Here are a few thoughts;

Start Writing: You can start a blog, write e-books, or create white papers (detailed studies). The key is to come up with something extremely valuable that you can give away. Out of all of these, blogging gives you the most return on investment. Sure, people can share an e-book or white paper once, but blog posts stay in a constant stream of sharing – especially if it’s good content. When it comes to blogging, the rule of thumb is, if you feel like you’re giving away too much . . . then you’re on the right track. Here’s my best advice on blogging;

• 8 Magazine Strategies that add Value to Your Blog

• 3 Magazine Advertising Strategies for Blogging Success

• How to Create an Editorial Calendar for Your Blog

• 5 Keys to Blogging Success

• How to Grow Your Blog’s Community in 3 Easy Steps

Start a Show: Youtube, Vimeo, and other video sites are absolutely huge right now. A video has more of a chance to “go viral” than almost any other form of content. Once you have someone’s attention and you’ve delivered something of value, you’ve earned the right to make an offer. Here are some ideas on what kind of videos to make;

• Interviews – set-up meetings with key people in your industry and ask them questions from a customer’s point of view.

• “How to’s” - show people “how to” use a specific product, service, or how to accomplish a task.

• Best Practices/Tips – I’m a big fan of learning how to do stuff better. Show people the best way to accomplish a goal or objective.

Video Blog: If you don’t have anything super important to share then share your everyday life. Video-blogging is still pretty engaging on a content level. People love to “go behind the scenes” of other people’s lives (that’s why reality TV is so popular). Want some advice on how to produce that A-list video blog? Here you go;

• Focus on a topic – No one wants to sit and watch you ramble on and on about nothing in particular. Gather your thoughts and drill down to the important stuff in your video.
• Spend a Little Money – I absolutely hate watching low quality videos on Youtube and so do you. If all you’re going to do is produce videos then spend a little money on a decent camera. You can get a Kodak Zi6 HD Pocket Video Camera (Amazon Aff link) for only $130 on Amazon right now. That’s what I use to produce my “Inside the Success” web show.
• Become a Production Engineer – Ok, not really. But, don’t forget the importance of good sound and lighting for your videos. Unfortunately, you won’t get the best audio from a Flip or Kodak pocket camera far away. But if you get right on your subject and stay in good light, your video will turn out awesome.

Get on the Radio: Before this whole internet thingy took off people used to listen to radio shows (come on, you know that’s funny). Why not start your own? I use Blogtalkradio to produce my “Inside the Success,” show. Here are a few suggestions on producing your best show;

• Plan Ahead – Don’t “jump in” the water without knowing which ocean you’re in. Get your solid show idea on paper first and plan for success.

• Pick a Niche – Don’t interview random people or discuss random topics. Just like blogging, choose an area of expertise that you can own, flesh out good topics, and choose guests based on those first.

• Have a Back-up Plan – Things don’t always go as planned, especially if you’re doing a live show. Have plan-b at the ready. That could be, having a second guest at your fingertips if your primary guest doesn’t call-in. Having a second phone to call-in with if your primary goes dead. Whatever you need to get the job done, just be prepared.

• Cancel Noise – I’ve done a couple of interviews where I was outside, in my car, and a firetruck drove by or my dog started barking because of a siren going off. Now, I run the show in-doors, put the dog up, turn off phone ringers, and etc. Do whatever it takes to make sure listeners can listen!

Content creation can be time consuming but it pays off in dividends! Unlike traditional marketing techniques you put the customer’s needs first instead of throwing them a sales pitch. If you don’t have their needs in-mind then your content will lack power and the influence you’ll need for them to eventually buy. Do you agree or disagree? How do you market your products and services? What works for you? Share your thoughts below.

Note: Enjoyed these tips? Subscribe to my Success Tips Newsletter 2.0 to explore marketing your business even more. I’ll be sending out the first issue for 2010 later today. Take a look at past issues in the Email Archive.

About the Author Rod is the editor-in-chief of The Success Center, Producer of "Inside the Success," and a Success Coach. For more information, tips, and advice on being a successful Christian-preneur subscribe to Rod's "Success Tips!" weekly newsletter.

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I love learning from people who are doing what I want to do in life. Don’t you?

Today I had the chance to chat with David Siteman Garland, who is definitely doing something I want to do. Entrepreneur and marketer David Siteman Garland is the Founder of The Rise To The Top, The #1 Non-Boring Resource For Building Your Business Smarter, Faster, Cheaper. He writes/hosts RISE, the daily online web show for entrepreneurs and marketers and The Rise To The Top TV show on ABC.

In this interview we chat about his show, business, and all things social media. You’ll learn;

• How to start your own TV show and not go into debt doing it
• How to be an efficient entrepreneur
• What social media really is
• Why social media is vital to your brand and business
• Why your blog or website doesn’t get you the results you want (and how to get them)
• David’s value proposition in regards to sponsors and what we can learn from it
• Why you might see David in a clown outfit . . .

Bonus: I also mentioned David in my article, “What’s Your Value Proposition?” so, yea, he’s a pretty big deal to me. . .

About the Author Rod is the editor-in-chief of The Success Center, Producer of "Inside the Success," and a Success Coach. For more information, tips, and advice on being a successful Christian-preneur subscribe to Rod's "Success Tips!" weekly newsletter.

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The new year brings about new resolutions, goals, and opportunities to take our businesses to the next level. However, it also brings about the tax season . . . a time notorious for causing many entrepreneurs new levels of stress. Today, I’m pulling all the stops when it comes to small business taxes and your business’s success.

I’m not a tax guru or anything so I decided to ask Ron Ratliff, a certified public accountant, a few questions about entrepreneurs and taxes. Ron has been a CPA for over 25 years with a career that spans both public and corporate accounting in a broad spectrum of businesses and industries. He’s also a certified Dave Ramsey counselor so he knows what he’s talking about.

There were 6 major things I took from our conversation;

• Define your company structure – you maybe a Blogger or a solo-preneur, but how is your business defined legally?

• Separate your business from your personal life – you may work from home, but you still need a separate bank account from your business.

• Organize and track income – keeping good records of where your money comes from is key to staying out of legal trouble.

• Prepare and organize your tax info – take the time out of the week to get yourself organized. It’s hard to do when you’re constantly “working” the business, but doing so will save you tons of time and money!

• If you get audited, don’t ignore, communicate immediately! – “nuff” said!

• Seek professional help when the business starts to grow – really, you should seek a trusted tax adviser throughout the life cycle of your business. It only helps you “get back to work.”

For more golden nuggets of tax wisdom for your business, listen to our full 30 minute conversation below. Show Ron a little love by visiting his website as well. As a bonus from Ron, check out his article, “4 Ways To Grow Your Business”

Here is a collection of resources that will help you survive tax season;

Videos

Home Office Deduction – find out everything you need to know when it comes to deducting that garage of yours you call an office.

Hobby or Business – do you know if your entrepreneurial activities are a hobby or a full fledged business? Do you know when you should start filing your taxes? Get the answers here!

Watch more small business tax videos straight from the IRS, here!

Articles

Top 10 Tax Tips for Small and Growing Businesses

14 Last-Minute Small-Business Tax Tips

Tax Tips for Bloggers and Freelancers

Other Resources

IRS Small Business and Self-Employed Tax Center

IRS – A-Z Index for Business

I hope this information is helpful to you as it has been for me. This tax season, be bold, courageous, and tackle it head on. Don’t wait to the last minute and be confident in filing your small business taxes. Did I miss anything? Do you know of any other resources that could help an entrepreneur out? Feel free to share them and your thoughts in the comments below.

About the Author Rod is the editor-in-chief of The Success Center, Producer of "Inside the Success," and a Success Coach. For more information, tips, and advice on being a successful Christian-preneur subscribe to Rod's "Success Tips!" weekly newsletter.

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Do you know what it really takes to succeed? Take a few wild guesses, go on, I’ll wait . . .

. . . more than likely some of the things you thought of were included in this short yet powerful video from Richard St.John. I absolutely loved this video and I know you will too. Let me know what you think by leaving a comment below.

Bonus: Want to get the 8 keys to success as a wallpaper for your phone, a poster, or even Twitter background? Visit Richard St. John’s blog for download instructions.

About the Author Rod is the editor-in-chief of The Success Center, Producer of "Inside the Success," and a Success Coach. For more information, tips, and advice on being a successful Christian-preneur subscribe to Rod's "Success Tips!" weekly newsletter.

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Guest Post by: Mike Holmes
Image Source: soxfirst.com

It’s amazing the amount of people that see business as bad. Even those in business or those wanting to start a business are stuck with the stigma of “business is evil.” But business at its core is not bad. How could it be? God created it.

Huh??!!

You heard me: business is not bad because God created it!

The Bible says, “For everything, absolutely everything…got started in Him and finds its purpose in Him.” [1] That “everything” also includes “business.” It may have been distorted by evil men but, at its core, it is not evil. Business began with Him, ends with Him, and finds its true purpose in Him–period!

Business minus God equals Big Problems

For instance, Entrepreneur Magazine recently had an article that spoke about the necessity of having a “moral compass.” AND how the problems we now face stem from a lack of that compass. Ironically, it wasn’t a lack of business that destroyed some businesses–but a lack of business character and questionable business practices.

One of the main reasons (if not the main reason) for the fall of our economy was a willingness to ignore or gloss over principles. By “principles” I mean those timeless, timely, immutable laws of God that endure from generation to generation. In fact, Stephen Covey in an interview with Success Magazine delved even deeper:

“Financial success—prestige, wealth, recognition, accomplishment—will always be secondary in greatness…Primary greatness is about character and contribution. Primary greatness asks, ‘What are you doing to make a difference in the world? Do you live truly by your values? Do you have total integrity in all of your relationships?’ And when correct principles are not followed or ignored, the result can be catastrophic as we have witnessed… in the financial markets.”

God needs businessmen…

But this stigma isn’t new.

R.G. LeTourneau founder of LeTourneau Technologies was a great industrialist and was often referred to as “God’s Businessman.” But in his early years he questioned if he could serve God being a businessman (those awful people). So one night, after weeks of praying and searching, he paid a visit to his pastor. And after another session of prayer, his pastor told him something that forever changed his life:

“God needs businessmen as well as preachers and missionaries.” [2]

And that’s the same thing I want to say to you!

Are you called to business? Good. Be diligent “to make your calling and election sure.” [3]

More than ever, we need a new generation of leaders with the insight to see the Biblical principles for business, the wisdom to use them, and the courage to tell others about them. The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few!

What do you think? Your thoughts…

Scripture References

1. Colossians 1:16 (The Message)

2. Christian Business Legends, p.37

3. 2 Peter 1:10 (King James Version)

About the Author

Mike Holmes is the author of I Shall Raise Thee Up: Ancient Principles for Lasting Greatness. He’s also a blogger that writes on business and leadership development from a Biblical perspective. When he’s not writing blogs or speaking he can be found writing bios in the third person. Check out his website/blog here.

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Earlier this year I spoke at a business book camp hosted at a local community college. I was a guest business coach and my job was to help these small groups of participants create a business plan in under 5 hours. One participant asked me a question that I still get asked pretty frequently,

“How will you know when it’s time to quit your job and start your business?”

The honest truth is, no one can tell you when it’s time to quit your job and pursue your passions. That’s between you, God, and how well prepared you are to step out on your own. Everything I do here at The Success Center, Inside the Success, and coaching is part-time. I work a full-time job and you better believe that I’m beyond ready to quit, but . . . in the right season. However, until that season arrives I’m still going to do my job to the best of my abilities no matter how bad I’m ready to give it up and take SBLS Media (the parent company to all of my media properties) full-time.

With that said, here are a few things that I’m going to make sure are in place before I quit my day job. (And, of course, I would suggest you do the same!)

1. Work your vision like a full-time job – That way, when it starts bringing in full-time money you can quit. Pretty simple right? But it’s really the key to getting your briefcase out of your bosses office and into your own. At my job I work around 8 or 8.5 hours and when I get home I dedicate at least 3 hours to everything you’re interacting with here. Three hours is the minimum, but I usually work up to six. It just depends on what I’m doing.

I work 7 days a week which includes work, writing articles, doing interviews, coaching, etc. So, if you’re really serious about taking your business full-time then be prepared to become a work-a-holic. Great if you’re already one like me, but don’t be scared if you’re not one yet. Your time is manageable and it’ll get better once you take it full-time.

Note: Make sure the business that you’re starting is something you’re really passionate about. I love sharing information in these articles, hosting the radio show, and other things that I do. It really keeps me going!

2. Quit on Good Terms – If you decide to quit make sure you don’t burn any bridges so you can easily go back to work if you have to. I’m not trying to jinx you or anything, but if something were to happen with the business you’re going to need a safety net. Let’s make sure you don’t turn that in when you quit your day job.

3. Save 3 months worth of salary - This is what financial planners will tell you when you’re saving an emergency fund. Wiser business people might tell you to save at least 6 months for a financial cushion during rough times. But, I think 3 months is good enough to start with for general expenses. Remember, if God gave you the vision, He’ll give you the tools (money, equipment, resources, etc.) to make it happen.

4. Prepare your Family – If you have a family, make sure they are prepared for the change. Not the change of seeing you at home more often, but the financial one. This means, you might have to cut back on certain expenses, eating out, going to the movies, etc. If you’re married, sit down with your spouse and go over the game plan which should include your business plan, marketing plan, and household budget.

5. Prepare Yourself – Taking a venture full-time really means that you’re in business to support the business and yourself. When times get a little rough you might have to decide whether to pay bills or eat. (Hate to sound so drastic, but I’ve been there.) Are you ready for that? Prepare yourself by living under your means for a month and see if you can handle it. Seriously, it’s a good test of perseverance. This will require strict budgeting, maximizing current resources, family, and friends.

6. Pray (Nuff Said!) – Before I make any life changing decisions I go to God and He leads me in the right direction, everytime. Being spiritually in-tune really makes these types of decisions easy. Just remember that making the decision is the easy part, trusting the decision, and following through really requires faith.

Let me hear from you. Do you currently run a business full-time? If so, how did you know when the right time to quit your day job was? If you’re feeling like me and ready to quit your job and take your vision full-time, what else do you think is necessary to “step out?” Sound off in the comments below!

Update: 1/12/2010: This article was originally published in August 2009 which, a month later God saw fit to move me into new territories as a full-time flight attendant. The move has allowed me to devote more time to growing this blog and to connect with entrepreneurs across the country. Watch this video explaining how God Repositioned Me for Success.

About the Author Rod is the editor-in-chief of The Success Center, Producer of "Inside the Success," and a Success Coach. For more information, tips, and advice on being a successful Christian-preneur subscribe to Rod's "Success Tips!" weekly newsletter.

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Most of you know that I’m a full-time flight attendant. I was on a plane ride back to Memphis yesterday and I noticed something the working flight attendant did that bothered me. In the course of a 2 hour flight she only served the cabin once. Can you imagine sitting on a plane and only getting one cup of water or soda, some pretzels, and nothing else the rest of the way there?

Maybe you’re used to that already, I don’t know. But, when I work a flight, I take care of my passengers. I don’t bend over backwards and give them everything they want (limited supplies), but I make sure they’re well taken care of. Depending on the flight time I typically do a general service with the beverage cart, go back through the cabin every 15 minutes with snacks, and offer water once the sodas are put up. Am I required to do this? Absolutely not, but it’s so rewarding when I’m told, “This was the best flight I’ve ever been on!” or “You were the best flight attendant I’ve ever had!” (And I get told that a lot!)

Yes, I’m gripping, but customer service is a big issue for me when I don’t receive the attention I deserve or when I see someone else not getting it either. Before flight attending I worked in retail for years so “mister customer service” was my middle name.

What does my experience on an airplane have to do with you or your business you may be wondering? EVERYTHING! If customers are the life-blood of your business then giving excellent customer service is the IV that continues to pump them into your business’s veins. Let’s explore this, shall we?

What Does Customer Service Really Mean?

It’s called customer “Serv-US” for a reason (Ironically, many southerners pronounce it just like that). As an entrepreneur if you want to keep your business going you’ll have to focus on who’s buying your products and services and not just selling them. When you feel yourself being too pushy or aggressive with trying to make the sale, take a step back and ask yourself, “how can I best deliver value to this person?”

Why Is it Important for Your Business?

There are a million reasons why customer service is important to your business. I’m going to share two really good ones with you;

Steve

Steve Borgman said, “It is invaluable as a means of making a personal connection with the customer, learning what her/his needs/thoughts/wants are…”

LG

LG Reilly said, “Customer services drives repeat business (if good) and dooms by word-of-mouth (if bad). Crucial to any business is gr8 CS.”

I love Steve’s comment because when you learn what your customer’s needs and wants are it puts money in your pocket. It makes it so easy to serve them, to deliver real value, and get a great return on your investment (investment of time of course).

How Can You Deliver Excellent Customer Service?

It’s not rocket science and you certainly don’t need to take a college course on it. But here are a few thoughts on how you can deliver excellent customer service;

• Be a good listener – How are you ever going to know what someone needs if you’re doing all the talking? Be quiet and let your client tell you exactly what he or she needs.
• Put yourself in your customer’s shoes – You know exactly how your client feels because you’ve been there before. That’s why you’re good at what you do, right? Now get out there and solve their problem!
• Pay attention to details – When I see someone, on my plane, with a short sleeved shirt on and they’re folding their arms to keep warm, I get them a blanket. I don’t ask them if they want one, I just do it. Pay attention for opportunities to serve and jump on them!
• Go the extra mile – Don’t you love it when someone goes above and beyond what they’re called to do for you? Do the same for someone else and deliver real value into their life.
• Anticipate Needs – A butler knows that the master of the house needs to take his medicine and has it prepared for him at the exact time he needs to take it. Anticipating customer’s needs builds a relationship that no competitor can ever break!

What Are the Rewards for Delivering Excellent Customer Service?

Sometimes when people board my plane, they’re upset because of the inconvenient security screening process, weather delays, or maybe because they’re not allowed to bring a bag on-board. But, when I deliver excellent customer service for the hour or two that they’re with me it all goes away.

Delivering excellent customer service will create a deeper relationship with your clientele and ensures repeat business for the future. It’s a guaranteed win for both parties and is highly rewarding.

Spiritual Connection

Did you know that humbling yourself and serving others is by far the quickest way to be promoted by God? Jesus is a prime example. He took the very nature of a servant and, according to Philippians 2: 1-11 (NIV),

“God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name.”

Can you imagine God taking you to the highest plateau of your life, career, or business and making your name great? That’s what delivering excellent customer service will do for you.

Is Customer Service Dead?

Despite the header for this blog post, I actually don’t think it’s dead. I just think a greater level of service lies dormant within us. One that can propel us to greater heights of humanity and business. What are your thoughts on customer service? What else can we do to deliver excellent customer service? What lessons have you learned from your past experiences. I really want to hear from you on this, leave a comment or two below.

Want More? Check out some related blog posts on the subject:

Attention Small Business Owners, Customer Service is Crucial

10 Ways to Build Relationships and Keep Clients for Life

About the Author Rod is the editor-in-chief of The Success Center, Producer of "Inside the Success," and a Success Coach. For more information, tips, and advice on being a successful Christian-preneur subscribe to Rod's "Success Tips!" weekly newsletter.

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