Analyze Your Business

It's time to examine what is true about your business to get even better at prioritizing the areas that demand your attention. Here is a series of questions you can use as a starting point for identifying potential problem areas in your business. Please remember that this is not intended to be a full analysis, but rather a tool you can use to focus your attention. It may be helpful to print this page, and actually write down your responses. Take one question at a time and really think about your answers. This is not a test. There are no right or wrong answers. There are only responses that reflect your truthful objectivity about the state of your business.

1. What is your product or service, and what is the idea behind it? How do you make it a reality; how do you produce it? Can you draw a flow chart (a "box and arrow diagram") of the steps in your Production/Delivery process? Answering this question is good for those shows that require you to demonstrate, or for shows requiring "hand-made" only - Even better, for all those customers who ask, "how'd ya do that?"

2. Do you consistently and predictably keep your promises to your customers? Making mistakes is human and forgivable, but do you frequently make mistakes? How many customer complaints do you receive on a monthly basis? What is the average time it takes you to resolve those complaints? Do you experience a reoccurrence of the same kinds of complaints? I used to hand my business card to a potential customer and tell them to get in touch with me - then I realized that wasn't happening very often. So, now I get back in touch with them - more work? yes - but usually worth it.

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