Returning to business in this slower economy provides us with a great opportunity to hone our tools for business growth. We can use this respite in the economy to strengthen our skills and knowledge base to survive and thrive in tough times. As I always say, you can’t build a castle on quicksand. Strengthening your base will help you make a MINT in this new economy. Here’s how you can make money in this new economy:

METERmentor – Find and work with a great mentor; someone who has been through tough times before, who can save you from making costly mistakes, and who is where you want to be. We are all in this together, and people are generously willing to help. Ask a mentor for guidance.

menspiration – Hang out with positive and motivating people who inspire you. Read stories of magnificent achievements and those who have beaten the odds, not doom and gloom news headlines. Fuel your mind to match your goals and mentally prepare yourself to be awesome, then take action. Mindset is everything!

NOnetwork – Go out (now a figure of speech) and build relationships. Listen twice as much as you talk, find out what people’s pain points are and tell them how you can benefit them with the service. We’re in a “service” economy right now, so instead of focusing on “selling,” focus on ways you can better serve people. You can still make money. Just look at the grocery stores…they are serving us differently, but they are not giving their food away. Your network is your ‘net worth’. Feed it now. People will appreciate how much you care by reaching out to them just to see how they’re doing and if there’s anything you can do to help them. I often say, if you’re not showing up, you’re disappearing. That is, in the minds of your customers and prospects, if you don’t keep in touch, they might assume you’ve gone out of business. Relationships are key to long-term customers.

Training – Continue your training and development. We must be constantly learning. Continue learning about customer service, dealing with people, relationship strategies, time management, and motivation. If we regularly learn and implement a new idea to get better at what we do; teach our people to be better employees; use this time to digest what we have learned; and implement the strategies required for success, we will be unstoppable and well polished for change in a more active economy. A busier economy means more time spent on business transactions, leaving less time for upskilling.

Find a Mentor (or be one), seek Inspiration by surrounding yourself with positive and successful people, Network to build your business opportunities and Get Trained, Trained, Trained.

Best wishes for earning your MINT, and if you can’t find your way, please contact me and we can dig deeper to build your biggest castle together.