Why Many Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It

Why Many Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It

A heading borrowed from acclaimed author Michael Gerber and his excellent book ‘The E-Myth Revisited.’

It focuses on the mistaken belief that being good at a skill = being good at running a business. It’s what calls the ‘Entrepreneurial Myth’ (the E-Myth). Well worth a read (available on Amazon) and or listen (on Audible).

Most businesses are started by technicians (people who do the work) as part of 3 main phases:

• Technician – does the actual work
• Manager – organises systems, processes, and people
• Entrepreneur – thinks big picture, creates vision, strategy, and growth

We have all heard this phrase, ‘Don’t just work in your business, work on your business.’

All very interesting; the challenge for most of us is ‘The How’.

With regard to consistent sales growth, it follows a well-trusted and proven path; the order is open to your interpretation:

• Accurate data – quality not quantity
• Effective marketing – right messages to the right prospects
• Focused mindset – avoid other business distractions (and people)
• Effective sales processes – establish their wants and needs first

The Benefits of Collaborations

You combine different levels of expertise in your business – no business is strong at everything.

Specialisation + leverage = better results

Their expertise and experience can be applied to your business.

Every collaboration you undertake must be able to create its own return on investment as part of a measurable contribution to your sales growth.

How you think affects how you act.

Our good friend and trusted expert Jody MacMillan (Mind and Wellbeing Support) provides us with excellent insights and expertise into the mindset phase of the Mindset + Process = Sales Harmony journey.

Jody spent 20 years in corporate life helping start-ups grow across the UK and Europe. She fully understands the pressures of a busy, high-demand environment and the impacts they can have on our wellbeing.

Put simply, Jody helps professionals improve their results by working on how they think as well as what they do.

Many business owners are already driven, capable, and focused on performance but still find themselves overthinking, second-guessing decisions, or feeling like they’re not quite performing as consistently as they should.

It’s often not a lack of ability. It’s what’s happening internally while you are trying to perform a multitude of essential tasks.

The way you think under pressure, the habits you slip into when things get busy, and the internal conversations that run in the background all have a direct impact on how you show up. When those patterns aren’t working in your favour, even simple tasks can feel heavier than they should. When they are, everything becomes clearer, calmer, and more consistent.

This isn’t about quick motivation or surface-level fixes. It’s about noticing the patterns that are already there, building more useful habits around focus, and learning how to reset when your thinking starts to drift.

For people in fast-paced, client-facing environments, mindset is often the difference between feeling in control and feeling constantly reactive.
The aim is simple, build that foundation so everything else can follow more effectively.

To find out more from Jody, email to: jody@macmillanwellbeing.co.uk

Macmillan Hypnotherapy

Many thanks to Jody, from the team at The Sales Sensei. Our overthinking and second-guessing will be addressed!

Good Data v Bad Data

Our Data Expert Jamie Allan often reminds us of the proverb, ‘Act in haste, repent at leisure.’

Having customer and prospect data that is ‘fit for purpose’ is essential but sadly sometimes overlooked in the rush to get sales and marketing campaigns underway.

JA’s Top Tip #1: Poor data management can cause significant reputational damage and have the reverse effect when you contact a prospect.

Jamie has kindly shared these highlights of effective data management with us and will be delighted to elaborate on any or all of the points he makes:
Effective data is your business’s most valuable asset.

• It can be used to improve sales and marketing, streamline operations, and make better decisions.
• Poor data management can lead to a number of problems that could include fines.

Businesses should have an effective data management strategy in place:

• Identifying where data is currently stored.
• Auditing data to identify and correct errors.
• Profiling and analysing data to gain insights.
• Implementing a CRM system to manage customer data.
• Creating loyalty programmes to retain customers.
• Maintaining data in the CRM system.

The facts do not lie (all can be sourced):

• 21% of marketing budgets are wasted as a result of bad data.
• 5.7 million business details change every year.
• 91% of ‘stored’ data is incomplete.
• 37% of your business customer records will be out of date within a year.

Effective data works because:

• Reduced risk of errors.
• Increased efficiency and productivity from your marketing.
• Clean data is easier to analyse so that you can gain accurate insights.
• You comply with data protection laws and regulations.
• It helps you improve customer interactions.

JA’s Top Tip #2

• Set up data governance policies and procedures.
• Regularly audit your data for accuracy and completeness.
• Implement data validation tools and processes.
• Standardise your data formats.
• Train any and all of your staff on data cleaning best practices.
• Data management is an ongoing process.

Jamie has very kindly offered to provide you with a free Effective Data Audit to provide clarity and to achieve a clear sense of direction for you.

If you would like to have a ‘no obligation’ initial chat about your data or a free audit, call Jamie on 07786 228553 or email at ja@jamie-allan.com

From the team at The Sales Sensei, thank you, our good friend, and we will try to ‘act less in haste’.

Who are your ‘right’ people?

Our good friend Sam Osborough has provided us with an insightful and interesting look at marketing.

We have taken extracts from her words of wisdom for this post. Her full details are below as to who to get in touch with Sam and to request the full article; she will be delighted to let you have it.

The difference between marketing more and marketing to the right people.

When business is quiet, the instinct is often to do more marketing. Post more, email more, try more platforms and spend more time being visible.

But if those extra efforts still attract the wrong enquiries, the problem probably isn’t volume. It’s aim.

Marketing isn’t simply a tap you turn up. It’s a conversation, and that conversation works best when you’re speaking to the right person, about the right thing, at the right time.

Who are “the right people”?

Marketing to the right people means understanding who you do your best work with, the problem they have when they come to you, and what they’re really looking for from your service.

Most business owners know their clients but haven’t necessarily defined what makes their best clients such a good fit.

It’s also important to understand what clients are buying. A builder may offer loft conversions, but the client is buying more space for a growing family, the ability to remain in a home they love and reassurance that the work will be completed properly.

Your clients aren’t simply buying your service. They’re buying the result, relief or transformation it provides.

Without that clarity, businesses can spend valuable time creating content for people who will never become clients, attract unsuitable enquiries and dilute their message by trying to appeal to everyone. Likes, followers and reach can become distractions from what really matters: good-quality enquiries and conversions.

Contact Sam here

What happens when you get specific?

Your marketing becomes easier. Instead of writing for everyone, you can picture the person you want to reach and address their concerns.

Your message becomes stronger, and the quality of your enquiries can improve. You may even receive fewer enquiries overall, but a greater proportion will be from people who are genuinely suited to what you offer.

Targeted marketing also builds reputation over time. When the right people repeatedly see your business in the right context, you’re more likely to come to mind when they’re ready to act.

Start by thinking about your best recent clients. What did they have in common? Look at unsuccessful enquiries too. Then review your website, posts and emails: are you speaking to a specific person and problem, or could your words be aimed at anyone?

You don’t need to shout louder. You need to speak more clearly to fewer, better-matched people.

Ready to get clearer about who you’re marketing to?

Book a call with Sam Osborough at SO Marketing to find out how you can start creating content that connects.

Embrace Boredom

The Sales Sensi recommends a book called A World Without Email by Cal Newport. In essence the book explains why our minds can feel constantly busy, distracted, or overstimulated—and he then shows how to fix it.

It is based in 2 key parts: ‘The Case Against Email’ and ‘Principles for A World Without Email’.

We particularly resonate with the phrase “hyperactive” or “restless mind”; Cal calls this “attention fragmentation”. In that we often don’t stay with one thought long enough, our brain gets used to quick hits (scrolling, checking, reacting), and ‘deep’ thinking starts to feel uncomfortable.

N.B. That’s enough of a plug for the book to get your own copy; we feel in love with the Embrace Boredom mantra.

• Plan your day in blocks.
• Decide in advance what you’ll focus on.
• 30–60 mins of no distractions (no phone, no tablets).
• When your mind wants stimulation, don’t give it.
• Gently return to the task.

A World Without Email – Cal Newport

Stop – Start Sales Activity

Stop:

•  Just ‘doing sales’ when and if you can.
• Feeling that you cannot be successful at sales.

Start:

• To build a realistic, achievable and sustainable Sales Growth System.
• Measure What Matters (to you).
  • Leads per week
  • Conversion rate (%)
  • Average deal value
  • Other Key Metrics
• Shift your emphasis from Business Time Allocation to Sales Time Prioritisation

If you want to know more about ‘The How To’ with The Sales Sensei supporting you all the way, then call/text to 07747 270 775 or email to: thesalessenei53@gmail.com

Find out more about our Director / Owner Level Support 

Refer a business friend or colleague and receive your £50 Sales Growth Support voucher

We all need a boost with extending our ‘Know, Like & Trust’ Community. Do you have a contact that you would be prepared to share with us, to enable us to offer them expert, unbiased and confidential Sales Growth Support?

• Access to lots of free resources – for how and when they need it
• 100% confidential
• Non-compete with businesses from the same sector and geographical area
• £50 Sales Growth Support voucher (up to 2 hours of specific and relevant support)
• Testimonials and references available on request

If you (or they) want to know more about The Sales Sensei, then call/text to 07747 270 775 or email to: thesalessenei53@gmail.com

The Sales Sensei is part of the My Virtual Sales Director and Connect & Engage (Schools) sales growth support services. Providing relevant and focused support to your market sectors.