The British economy shrank by 0.7% between April and
June, sending everyone into a spin yet again. But according to an article in The
Argus, Sussex’s businesses are bucking the economic trend with confidence
surprisingly high.
Despite the gloom and doom, in Brighton and Hove we’re
fortunate enough to be experiencing steady economic growth. And we’re doing it
all on our own, without much help from those in power. Well done, us.
What can local
businesses do to take advantage of the situation?
The news is a serious shot in the arm for local
businesses like ours. So what can small business owners do to ride the wave?
Catching different
fish
If you haven’t done it already, get cracking and update
your prospect database. There’s plenty of fresh potential in town.
Most of our members operate business-to-business, so
think creatively about the kind of businesses that will benefit from your
services. If you’re not in the new media sector, it’s the hottest industry in
town – can you hook into it? Scour the Argus for inspiration, check the jobs
pages to see who’s recruiting (therefore growing).
Making sure you
look the part
Does your business look, feel and sound professional or
is your public face letting you down? If you’ve been putting it off because
you’re too busy, or too busy trying
to get busy, now’s the time to overhaul your online and printed collateral.
When you look and sound the part, you’ll attract more business.
Putting yourself
about
Are you networking yet?
There are loads of business networking events in Brighton
and Hove, all different. If you haven’t experienced a Curry Club event yet, sign
up for the next one. Alternatively, pick your weapons based on personal
research: choose your top six networks, going by what they say on their
websites, and sample them for real so you know for sure the winner (or winners)
tick the right boxes.
What about marketing? If you don’t do much, it’s time to
make your voice heard so the city’s exciting new prospects can find you. It’s a
bit like that film, Field of Dreams. You can’t just build a business and hope
customers will magically arrive. You need to tell them you’re here.
Altering your
mind-set
There’s a growing body of evidence proving that believing success is possible, better
still probable, helps you achieve it in real life. Positive thinking is a handy
business tool, and this week’s good news about the local economy gives everyone
a solid reason to perk up, gird their loins and take a fresh look at the
possibilities.
Don’t believe a
word of it? Here’s a fun experiment for you
First, think of something that annoyed you recently. Go
over it again and again, re-running it and remembering the feelings you had at
the time. Continue for ten minutes and notice how you feel worse as time
passes. By the end of the process you’ll probably be livid, fit to kill.
Second, think about something that made you feel really
happy. Ruminate, daydream and re-experience it for ten minutes and notice how
much happier you feel, and how much more positive you are about your working
day. Better?
You’re in control of how you feel, so let the good news
about Sussex’s lively economic landscape drive your attitude to business. You
might as well be optimistic, there’s nothing to lose!
What are you doing to make the most of Sussex’s thriving
business scene? Leave a comment and let us know.
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