Top 10 Characteristics of the Most Successful Entrepreneurs
1. Do what you enjoy. If you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, in all likelihood it’s safe to assume that will be reflected in the success of your business or subsequent lack of success.
2. Take what you do seriously. Far too many home business owners fail to take their own businesses seriously enough, getting easily sidetracked and not staying motivated and keeping their noses to the grindstone.
3. Plan everything about your business. Planning every aspect of your home business is not only a must, but also builds habits that every home business owner should develop, implement, and maintain. The act of business planning is so important because it requires you to analyze each business situation, research and compile data, and make conclusions based mainly on the facts as revealed through the research.
4. Manage money wisely. All home business owners must become wise money managers to ensure that the cash keeps flowing and the bills get paid.
5. Ask for the sale. A home business entrepreneur must always remember that marketing, advertising, or promotional activities are completely worthless, regardless of how clever, expensive, or perfectly targeted they are, unless one simple thing is accomplished. Ask for the sale.
6. Remember that it’s all about your clients. Your business is all about your customers, or clients, period. After all, your clients are the people that will ultimately decide if your business goes boom or bust.
7. Become a shameless self-promoter. Self-promotion is one of the most beneficial, yet most underutilized, marketing tools that the majority of home business owners have at their immediate disposal.
8. Project a positive, polished business image. The majority of home business owners do not have the advantage of elaborate offices or elegant storefronts and showrooms to wow prospects and impress customers. Instead, they must rely on imagination, creativity and attention to the smallest detail when creating and maintaining a professional image for their home business.
9. Get to know your clients. One of the biggest features and often the most significant competitive edge the home based entrepreneur has over the larger competitors is the he can offer personalized attention.
10. Level the playing field with technology. One of the most amazing aspects of the internet is that a one or two person business operating from a basement can have a superior website to a $50 million company, and nobody knows the difference.
Source: Entrepreneur.com