CAPITALIZE on Your Strengths

Everyone has something they do well. Everyone has marketable talents and abilities that they can use to help others. The trick is to find those talents and decide how to use them in the best way. Even if you are currently operating a successful business, there still may be ways that you can improve upon what you are doing. To help you decide your strengths, ask yourself the following questions:

- What activities have been most responsible for my success so far?
- How did I get from where I was to where I am today?
- What talents and abilities seem to come easily for me?
- What things do I do well that seem difficult for other people?
- What things do I enjoy doing?
- What things do I find most naturally motivating?
- What things make me happy when I do them?

Notice the ingredients for success that you will discover from asking yourself these questions. First, these questions make you look at the past. What activities have brought you success? If something works, consider staying with it. Second, you will learn what motivates you and makes you happy. This makes working harder and more consistently easy to do. Third, you will discover what things you can do that are marketable. After all, who wants to pay you to do something anyone can do? You may enjoy watching TV. It may come easy for you. You could watch TV all day. But is it difficult for other people to watch TV? Is your skill or interest marketable?

Remember that success comes when you do what you are best suited to do. Successful people love
what they do, and they can hardly wait to get up and get started each morning. Once you find what you
like to do that fills a market need, you will be on the path to success.

Once you have found your marketable skills, you are ready to apply them to the marketplace. The following keys will help you on your way.

SPECIALIZATION

In today's fast-paced world, one must specialize in some area to be able to keep pace. It is true that you will need some general skills. In your own business, you will need to know how to keep books, market, and manage. On top of that, you must be excellent at whatever product or service you provide. That's a lot of hats for one person to wear at once. If you do not specialize in a particular area of endeavor, you will become the old cliche, *jack of ll trades and master of none.* You must stay focused on your market and their needs.

DIFFERENTIATION

No mtter what business you are in, you will always have competitors. Unless there is something that sets you apart from the rest, your business will not make it. You must decide what you will do that will make you not only different, but better than your competition. For example, in the computer training business, I had several competitors. Yet, I realized that I had to have something to make my business better than the others. I decided to add a personal touch. The other training companies taught people in classroom settings in cookie cutter classes. Conversely, I decided to offer individual and custom group training. I offered satisfaction guarantees and 90-day follow up phone support with all my training. I tried to make friends with my customers. People like having a friend to call when they have a problem.

In what ways can you differentiate your product or service from the rest? Can you offer faster delivery? More customer upport? Better training? Better products and services?

I hope to cover this in my blog - uncommoncash.blogspot.com

POSITIONING

Once you know your area of specialization and how you will set yourself apart, you must decide what customers, companies, and markets can best use your talents. Who is your target market? Which markets can offer you the most in terms of financial rewards and opportunities for the future?

Let the market guide your products and services. For example, if you were a computer consultant, your market would be people who have computers or who will be purchasing computers in the near future. Not only do these people need advice, but they may also need somewhere to buy their computers. They may need training manuals and training. They may need someone to set up and configure or repair their systems. The list could go on. You will have to decide which of these services you do best, and which ones will bring you the greatest return on your energy. After all, when you are a consultant, you are really selling your knowledge. You only have so much time to give.

Decide the products and services that can give you the greatest return on your time and energy. Let your
specialty and your market decide other creative products and services that you can provide that are not so time intensive.


COMMITMENT & CONCENTRATION

Once you decide your specialty and your market, commit yourself to a course of action. Concentrate your efforts on becoming excellent in that field of endeavor. Study and keep your skills current. Instead of using your knowledge and skills like a flash light, use them as a laser beam. Concentrate your talents, and you have power. The marketplace pays extraordinary rewards for extraordinary service.