By Tresaca Hamilton

Take a moment to reflect on current reality of your business. Is it everything you dreamed it would be or is it more like a nightmare?

Regardless of current reality, your business can always improve.

But how do you grow your business from its current reality to business of your dreams?

In order to take your business to new heights, you can't just take steps towards improvement... You have to take a leap!

Here are some tips to help you create business of your dreams:

1. Increase Your (Ideal) Client Base:

Take some time to create your ideal client profile.

Yes, your profile will include such attributes as: pays on time and easy to work with.

But dig much deeper than that.

Do you want a client who is respectful of your time? What about a client who values your services and what you have to offer -- and is willing to pay for that value?

And speaking of value, don't limit your ideal client attributes to someone who can afford to pay for your services.

Include such qualities as: passionate about their business, has integrity, and believes in treating people with respect.

Once you have created your ideal client profile, seek out prospects that fit that profile.

Increase your ideal client base by giving these prospects a special introductory offer. If you already have some clients that fit your ideal client profile, send them a thank you gift.

Letting your ideal prospects and clients know that you appreciate them will not only create goodwill -- it will also create new referrals for you.

Referrals that consist of your future ideal clients.

2. Increase Your Business Presence:

Now this may really involve taking a leap if only marketing you are currently doing is placing an ad in local paper and waiting patiently for a call from that ad.

The first step to increasing your business presence is to create awareness.

Once this is done it is important to keep your prospects' attention and eventually gain their trust. This means that instead of placing an ad and simply sitting back and hoping for a call, you create an ad that offers an informational pamphlet in headline.

If headline speaks directly to your target audience, they WILL call.

“If you want to increase initiative and innovation, you have to encourage and embrace failure. A culture that punishes less-than-ideal risk-related outcomes will stifle both initiative and innovation”.

Prevailing in face of intense competition requires companies to be nimble and innovative.

An innovative and high-initiative culture helps an organization respond better to market signals. It can better exploit opportunities, get new products and services to market more quickly and more often capture first-mover advantage.

I had an opportunity to conduct some proprietary research recently that sheds light on how to increase innovation and initiative-taking in organizations.

The Situation

I was retained by research and development operation of one of world’s largest consumer products companies. In past few years, they had acquired another consumer products company with some well known and highly regarded brands. The problem was that acquired company had a risk avoidance culture in stark contrast to acquiring company’s more risk inclined culture.

The talented scientist and engineers in R&D operation were a valued element of acquisition. But ingrained risk aversion within R&D staff was resulting in insufficient innovation.

My task was to help these high value team members expand their comfort zone and become more risk inclined.

The Research

Prior to time spent on-site at research labs, I conducted an anonymous on-line survey for R&D staff. The survey addressed following questions.

1. Organizational Culture – How, if at all, has risk culture changed in your organization in last few years?

2. Risk Hesitancy – What is your primary source of hesitation when it comes to taking work-related risks?

3. Risk Catalysts – What would make you more comfortable taking thoughtful, well-considered work-related risks?

Forty four people responded to survey. The results of survey yielded some fascinating insights.

Survey Result Highlights Risk Hesitancy - What is your primary source of hesitation when it comes to taking work-related risks?

The Implications of Failure – 59% Lack of Permission, Leadership, Support or Organizational Capability – 14% I Have No Hesitancy – 5% Risk Catalysts - What would make you more comfortable taking thoughtful, well-considered work-related risks?

Less-than-ideal outcomes being commended and not having a negative effect on career. – 49% Leadership Direction and Support – 31% Already Comfortable Taking Such Risks – 8% Note: Responses have been grouped by category. Respondents were provided an open ended essay format for their responses with no suggested answers provided.

Perceived Condition

The great majority (61%) of those responding said they were being encouraged to take more risks. The balance, in pretty much equal proportions, said there had been no significant change in last few years (21%) or they were being encouraged to take fewer risks (18%).

Clearly, leadership of organization had sent message that more risks needed to be taken.

Risk Hesitancy

When asked about their primary source of hesitation in taking work-related risks, almost six in ten (59%) said implications of failure.