Make things easy June 2, 2009

Trading Tuesday: Make things easy

As I was walking in IKEA with my little brother yesterday, I thought of a concept of ‘making things easy for people’. The concept that is applied very apparently in IKEA’s business.

IKEA made it easy for us to buy furniture by making them flat-packs. We can easily tucked in 4 flat-packed chairs in our car (yeah, that’s me). Can you imagine forcing 4 normal sized chairs in a car?

It inspires me to always exercise this concept in my business and also in my dealings with people. One of my mother’s word of wisdom - If you make things easy for people, people will make things easy for you.

Therefore, if you find difficulties in your business dealings, or even with your everyday encounters with people,  do check within yourself – do I have the tendency to make things difficult for other people too? Have I tried hard enough to make things easy, to simplify, to help as many people as possible?

Let us all work diligently to ‘make things easy for people’ to improve our business and our daily life experiences, insya-Allah

©Copyright Naziehah June 2009

Do and Wait January 6, 2009

Trading Tuesday: Do and Wait

In my experience and learning, I have come to understand that for everything that we do, there’s a ‘gestation‘ period. Which means, time for things and ideas to develop slowly but surely.

For example, our marketing campaign that we did today, does not necessarily provide results tomorrow. So, if we see nobody buying our products now, nobody coming to our store, or nobody ever heard of us yet – it’s just because it is still in gestation period. All we need to do is keep on doing, keep on doing, evaluating and improving our steps along the way, and wait.

The simple principle of ‘Do and Wait’.

I know it sounds crazy and almost impossible to us that lived in the fast lane with mobile phone attached to our hand 24-7, but this is the natural law, and the truth. Due to my rather impatient nature, I found this a rather difficult concept to accept at first until I experienced it myself.

The lack of understanding of this principle is also the factor that led people to succumb to so many scams and get-rick-quick schemes. Thinking that they will be able to get money quickly!

Seeds that we plant today will not bear fruit tomorrow. Babies took 10 months in their mother’s womb to be ready to face the world. Even the rain, the drought, the change of season – all has it’s time and it’s place.

It’s important for entrepreneurs to take note of this principle when planning to start a business, to expand or to apply a new strategy. It might not happen overnight, but if you keep on doing and persevering – it will happen, results will show. With today’s technology and internet connection,the ‘gestation’ period are much shorter. Do take full advantage of it, without losing sights of the principle.

Therefore, Do and Wait, and most importantly Have Faith.

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Image from here

Hijrah in business December 30, 2008

Trading Tuesday: Hijrah in Business

I am always thankful that I was brought up with this concept that people can always change or ‘hijrah‘ for the better. Due to the yearly Maal Hijrah nasheed and reminder, I am secure in knowing that whatever it is that I don’t like about myself; I can change. I can ‘hijrah‘ for the better.

When I started setting up my own businesses, I faced many challenges too. Running a business is similar with running your own life. You will always have weaknesses, you will always do mistakes – but you can also, always, always change it for the better.

For example, I am not really satisfied with my sales this year. I have planned a lot, but applied little. Hence, I think I only achieve 10% of my sales goal.

But I also know that I can change that! Therefore, in this 1430 and coming 2009, I aim to manage my sales better.

Using the formula taken from the excellent book ‘What Self-Made Millionaires Really Think, Know and Do’ by Richard Dobbins and Barrie O. Pettman-

no. of customers X average sale X frequency of purchase/visit = sales income

Also taken from the book, we can always think of 20 ways to improve on all factors above. 2o ways to increase customer base. 20 ways to increase average sale, and 20 ways to increase the frequency of order.

Combined all ways – 20 X 20 X 20 - we actually have 8000 routes to increase sales!

Exciting isn’t it?

Now is a good time to do a ‘business muhasabah‘ or a post-mortem of what we did right and what we did wrong this year. Let us all aim and work smarter to improve our businesses (or career, or life) with simple formula, and a mindset of ‘hijrah’!

Fill that gap December 23, 2008

Trading Tuesday: Fill that Gap

One of the true purposes of entrepreneur is to ‘fill that gap’. In a market there’s always an unfilled demand. No one consumer is alike so chances are there are many consumer’s need that are not fulfilled by the existing market. Especially now, when consumers are becoming more sophisticated, more discerning – the opportunities are opening left, right and everywhere!

For example, in my Elwarda Dance business, I am filling the gap of the need for fun and gentle exercise for women. Since Middle Eastern Dance/Belly Dancing is a low-impact exercise, women with low level of fitness and women of all ages can easily enjoy the acitivity. When I taught  in a gym/fitness centres before, I saw that  most of the classes were mainly geared to the young and fit. Therefore, by me offering a Middle Eastern Dance/Belly dancing class to women, I am fulfilling the need for fun and low impact exercise for women.

Another gap is the all-women class. Some women are shy to work out in a mixed-gender gym. Therefore, there’s a gap – a need to have an all women exercise class. I also filled that gap by teaching an all-women class only!

Another gap is the need for privacy and exclusivity. Some women learn best one-to-one, and they need a personal attention which they can’t get in a group class. Therefore, I started a Personal 1-1 session at my home to fulfill this need.

There’s actually a few more gaps that I filled in operating my Elwarda Dance business. But I am thinking you already get my drift

Whatever business that you are in, or if you feel like starting a business, but you do not have any idea what to do  – think about those gaps. And go fill them up!

Give the best November 11, 2008

Trading Tuesday: ‘Give the Best’

‘The bitterness of poor quality and service remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten’ – John Ruskin

True isn’t it?

Would you really be happy with a low price that you paid when you came back home with your new purchase all broken and wonky? When your massages felt like a torture session? When your ‘nasi lemak’ is just ‘nasi’ and no ‘lemak’?

It’s very important for any businesses, big or small, online or offline, direct or indirect to be giving their best to their customer all the time. Always put yourself in the customer’s shoes. And always, always exceed their expectation.

In a competitive world like today, it’s tempting to just focus on price and keep driving it down. However, for how long can you keep doing it? Focus on creating and building value for your customer, and your price and profit will take care of itself.

Most importantly, give your best always either in your trade or in your life in general. Make it a habit and you will never want to live another way!

And that’s Trading Tuesday with Naziehah

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Image is from here

Copyright © Naziehah 2008