The 14 Principles for Success in Business October

This is the 12th instalment of my 14 Principles for Success in Business, adapted from my book, The Little Guide To Your Bigger Future™.

Previously I talked about making sure you have the right people in the right jobs. This time it’s all about persistency – how not to be put off your chosen course.

It’s simple isn’t it? If at first you don’t succeed then try again… and again, if necessary! To me, ‘No’ is just a delayed ‘Yes.’

Time for another real life illustration, then.

Many years ago, when our financial services company’s employee benefits proposition was in its infancy, we were asked to tender for the business of a very large, national company. In fact it was the largest enterprise that we had dealt with up to that date.

We were in a ‘beauty parade’ against 8 of our biggest competitors in the industry and succeeded in being shortlisted. I think it’s fair to say our nerves were frayed and we were on tenterhooks during the final presentation. I believed our proposition should have won the day and was disappointed when we did not secure the business. Sometimes big names win the prize, just because they are big names, I remember thinking at the time.

Not to be put off, I phoned the Financial Director of the company for which we’d tendered to find out why we had been unsuccessful. It transpired they simply couldn’t make up their minds and decided to start the tender process again!

I then dropped the bombshell – a fact we had included in our presentation but which they had failed to grasp, due, I guess, to fatigue from listening to so many presentations. Their CEO was some £450,000 under insured and I suggested that this oversight needed to be addressed immediately. Due to that fact I suppose that even ‘in defeat’ I had taken the trouble to reiterate this, the FD immediately asked me to get it sorted.

So, I had succeeded in initiating a relationship which eventually led to my company securing all the business. We still enjoy the partnership to this day.

And I’m pleased to say that my son appears to be following in my footsteps as far as persistency is concerned!

He works for a London-based company, having gained a Degree in Biology. To my amazement and delight he won a top salesman award of an all-expenses-paid, first class trip to Japan. I was immensely proud of course and asked him what he thought made the difference between him and the rest of the salesforce. He said, “I’m not really sure, but I followed up every lead I could and if the prospective client said, ‘No, not now, maybe see me later,’ I made sure I did just that.”

So, to finish this instalment, here are my Your Bigger Future™ 6 Top Persistency Strategy Tips™ that could help you achieve your goals – in business and in your personal life.

1. Believe in yourself and your abilities

Convince yourself that failure is not an option!

2. Identify what you want

Write down all the things you want to accomplish, no matter how impossible they may seem at the moment.

3. Recognise what motivates you

If you know exactly why you are doing what you are doing, or want to do, you’ll have more energy to keep moving forward and see it through.

4. Create an action plan

How else will you know what steps you’ll need to take to achieve your goals. And don’t forget, there is usually more than one way to get the result you seek.

5. Maintain a positive attitude

Not everything will go to plan. Do not become discouraged or entertain negative thoughts.

6. Surround yourself with a like-minded community

Encouragement from other positive thinkers is important to maintain or renew your energy and cast away doubts.

Source: Content adapted from The Little Guide To Your Bigger Future™ by Brian Morman. Please visit http://www.yourbiggerfuture.co.uk/ for further information.