Time wasting and fog

I believe we should always be at least fine-tuning our business models and especially our marketing of course. Whether the New Year is the time for a good clear-out or the business should have a good spring-clean it is necessary sometimes to think about what we are doing and especially what works for us.

Misty Nights

As I write this I am thinking about misty nights which have encouraged many car drivers to switch on their fog lamps. A few wisps should be hardly enough to make the fog lights necessary. Indeed they are no help at all unless the weather is very foggy, and actually can be dangerous to others dazzled by the unnecessary brightness. They are at best a distraction. I can’t remember when I last deemed it necessary to switch on my fog lights in anger.

Of course there are some drivers who think that they need fog lights on crystal-clear nights on the basis that they can say “Hey, I’m brighter than you”. We all know that they are not so bright as they think they are.

Fripperies

Many people allow themselves similar distractions from the real purpose of their business. They advertise in Yellow Pages even though there is no evidence that they get any return on investment. They may pay for expensive premises they don’t need. These are mere fripperies in business terms. They may not have reviewed their utilities or their telephone contracts and be paying more than they could. They may be paying for a whole raft of services which add nothing to their business offering and detract from the most important aspect; the bottom line. They may offer some products or services which are not much in demand so have a higher underlying cost and therefore a lower profit margin.

The road is clear

It is not failure to regroup, to review costs, or to stop selling something that makes no money. It is a positive step to look at what can be done to increase profit and be more successful.

If your business fog lights are on and you don’t need them, you know where the switch is, don’t you? You will be able to concentrate better on the important stuff and see better where you are going.