We are days into 2019 and a lot has already happened. Such is life. For the Zimbabwean people there’s been little good news so far. The outlook for business is just as gloomy. But we have get on with life, regardless of what’s going on out there our responsibilities, goals and dreams still require our effort. The signs on the ground suggest 2019 is going to be tough. If things are going to get better they will certainly get worse before they do. With that in mind let’s look at tips to help your business survive and perhaps even thrive in 2019.

Go deeper

For existing businesses the way to grow is to go deeper (into your current customers pockets). Your existing customers are a great source of growth for your business and providing further value to them means more money for you. Provided you’ve been doing good business with them they are easy to sell on you as business person. And if you can’t think of what to sell them ask yourself two questions; where are they coming from and where are they going? Introducing new products that your customers already use with your product is the way to go.

Rationalize

Now if you’re operating in Zimbabwe I’m sure you’ve thinking we’ve already done this. Well do it again! New technology creeps up every day. New applications for old technology also pop up. So there’s a good chance that since the last time you rationalized your business operation new information or technology may have surfaced that could change the way you work or deliver your product. Also in tough situations it’s important to shorten your time horizon for review. So planning annually just doesn’t cut it. You should be reviewing your systems at least quarterly but at this point I recommend weekly.

Get out there

If you’re looking for a new business opportunity or have an idea that you think will work get it out there. For every piece of bad news we receive in Zimbabwe there is a start up launched. Sure not all of them succeed but the true test of the success of your idea is how the market feels about it. Same advice applies to existing businesses. Get out there and talk to more people. Network, explore new marketing channels, get online.

Do more

We are somehow programmed to avoid doing more but in 2019 more is the answer. There’ll be a lot of talk about what to cut out but there’s not enough talk about what to maximize on. Here’s the thing; life is about what you do, the sum of actions. Not your inaction. So you can stop doing ‘xyz’ but what counts is that you started doing ‘abc’ in its place. So if it works for you, do more of it. There’s no such as thing as too much.

These four tips fully applied will get your business working better. A business is a community and at the end of it all your value is determined by your ability to serve your community. While we all hope for a better year let us work to be better people.