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Move Beyond Perfection Paralysis

If you push through that feeling of being scared, that feeling of taking risk, really amazing things can happen – Marissa Mayer

We can be our own worst enemy, and when building a business many of us can fall victim to perfection paralysis. The Urban Dictionary defines perfection paralysis as, “The inability to start on a project, assignment, essay or any creative task due to the fear of not getting it perfectly right.” Sure, we want to wait until our idea is “perfect” to share it with the world, but that is not sustainable, especially if you intend to make a living. Nothing in life, and definitely nothing in business, is ever perfect. In fact, when you continue to rework and re-do, you often move right past the perfect spot and miss the magic.

You have to move forward with your ideas. As Amy Nelson, CEO & Founder of The Riveter, says, “Entrepreneurship requires you to jump in when something is 70 percent perfect and be willing to figure out the rest as you go. The difference between “good enough” and perfect could be the difference between success and missing the boat (or making money).”

Perfection paralysis is a widespread problem, and not limited to me, you, and three other random creatives. In fact, even Mel Robbins has written that she fell into perfection paralysis when writing The 5 Second Rule. While the process was perfect in her mind, there were days that the words wouldn’t come, and it wasn’t all rainbows and sunshine.

“When you strive for perfection, you are bound to fail,” she wrote. “By calling on the good-enough principle, you are giving yourself permission to fail. It is only when the pressure of perfection has been removed that you can tap into your inner genius and do your best work.”

“Good enough” has been an important lesson in my 20+ years as a freelancer, and by embracing it, I was able to beyond hobbyist status, and actually make a living. And moving beyond perfectionism isn’t just good for your productivity, it’s also good for your health. As Health.com reports, people who have perfectionist tendencies are sometimes more than just detail-oriented high achievers. They are often racked with anxiety, depression and fear.

So, the question is, how do you move from perfection paralysis to good enough? Perfectionism paralysis is defined by the inability to start, or sometimes to keep going. To combat that, you need to make a list, set goals, and get busy. If you have to have XYZ done by next Tuesday, you have your marching orders. If XYZ doesn’t have a deadline, make one and stick to it. Make sure your goals are realistic, while at the same time, moving you forward.

Lisa Guice writes in Forbes that she approaches her work with a recover and release mindset, meaning that once she completes her work and reviews for errors and realistic value, she releases it. “Once corrections are made, move into the release stage, where you let it go and are OK with what results from it. Your realistic view of its value will be the reminder you need to draw from to free yourself from continuing to overanalyze.”

It’s also okay to make mistakes. I know I do. I recently shared a workshop script with a client that I hadn’t done a final edit on, and told her there was a prize for the first typo she found. Remember, nothing is perfect, it’s just important that it be good enough.

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Help Wanted: Tips for Hiring Employees

Ideally, hiring employees should allow you to focus your time and talent on the areas of your business that require your attention.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work out that way. Small business owners often find themselves spending more time (and money) training, solving problems or correcting employee mistakes than when they were operating as a one-woman shop.

The process of hiring employees may sometimes seem like a gamble. But there are some steps you can take to tip the odds in your favor.

Know what you need

Employees will bring the most value to your business when they have clear direction on what their jobs are. You may know you need help, but take some time to think about exactly what kind of help you need. Create a formal job description for the position. It’s okay if it includes the line “Other tasks as assigned by…” Your employee needs to know what your expectations are. If he/she has a list of ongoing responsibilities, it will save you the time and frustration of constantly having to tell him/her what needs done.

Temps Vs. Hiring Employees

If you’re not sure you need a permanent part-time or full-time person, you might consider using a personnel services agency to hire a temporary worker for times when you need some extra help. The benefits of hiring a temp are that the agency has already screened the worker for you and the agency handles the wages and benefits for the employee. You simply pay the agency for the service provided. But don’t assume that “temp” equals cheap. There is a cost for this convenience. If you really do need someone on a more permanent basis, trying to bridge the gap with temps may end up being more expensive than hiring employees on your own.

Hire Smart

When you post a job opening, you will likely be inundated with applications. Some will be qualified for the position. Many will not be. Others may be overqualified and be at risk for jumping ship the moment a better offer comes their way. Sifting through a mountain of resumes can be overwhelming, and setting up a parade of interviews is time consuming.

You need to bring only the best people in to be interviewed—preferably the top three applicants with the qualifications that you need to fill the job. To whittle down your options, set some guidelines on the front end of the process to help you decide which candidates will make the cut. Only pull resumes of applicants that meet those standards that you have established.

At this point, your main focus is filling the position, but you should be looking toward the future as well. While interviewing, try to pick up on cues that would indicate what type of employee the applicant would be. Does she seem to be just interested in a job, or does it appear that she is motivated by a challenge? Does the candidate seem to have a particular interest in what your business does?

Ask the right questions and be careful to not ask the wrong ones. Avoid asking applicants illegal or inappropriate questions during the interview.

If your schedule and responsibilities don’t allow for you to take the time you should to hire the best person for the position, you might consider contracting an HR consultant to help. Many solo HR consultants are willing to take on the task of hiring employees, and can even help you onboard and train your new employees.

Five Subtle Business Blunders

We all make mistakes, but when you are running a business, mistakes can cost you money. While you may approach big decisions with care to avoid a costly error, sometimes it’s the little things that really count. Here’s my list of the top subtle business blunders. I have witnessed all of them, maybe even committed a few myself. If you have employees, the list is worth sharing.

“Celling” it short. I recently had a life insurance agent visit me on a sales call. I had scheduled to give him 30 minutes of my valuable time. As he began his presentation, his cell phone rang. When he reached for it, I assumed he was going to hit the switch to send the call directly to voicemail. Instead, he answered it. Rather than politely tell the person on the other end of the call that he was in a meeting with a client, he engaged in the phone conversation as if I weren’t in the room. From my end, it didn’t appear to be urgent. He was on the phone for about five minutes—five minutes of my 30 minutes that I had graciously provided to him. He didn’t apologize when he hung up, just picked up where he left off. Needless to say, he didn’t make the sale. In that single mindless action, he made me feel as if I was not a priority. Why would I purchase from him? What could I expect from him in customer service if this is the way he treated me in the sales process? If you’re in a meeting with a real, living, breathing person, turn the cell phone off. If for some life/death reason, you must take a call, at least let your client know in advance that there is a possibility of an interruption and sincerely apologize for the potential inconvenience.

Driving Ms. Crazy. If your company car has your company logo on it, don’t do anything in it that you wouldn’t want your granny to witness. Don’t cut people off in traffic or provide a “middle finger salute” to those that cut you off. Don’t park in a handicapped space if you are not legally able to do so and don’t text while driving. You get the idea. The same rules (and many others) apply when you are wearing your business’ logo on your clothing.

No cards left behind. This one still gets me once in awhile. Obviously, it is important to always have a good inventory of your business cards with you at business functions, but a valuable networking connection can happen anywhere. Don’t let an opportunity slip through your hands because you weren’t prepared.

Follow-up failure. If you make an offer or a promise to a new networking connection or an established contact, deliver on it. If you don’t, you may be leaving money on the table. So many opportunities are missed because the follow-up didn’t happen.

All the world is a stage. And we can see the plots play out via social media outlets on a daily basis. You’ve probably heard the news stories of people getting fired from their jobs for bashing their employers on Facebook, Twitter, etc. I recently heard the story of a business that lost a huge account because an employee was posting some pretty hateful banter on a social media site about one of the business’ clients. You know how it ends. The client found out and decided to do their very hefty chunk of business elsewhere. The employee got fired, but it will take a very long time for the business to recover the revenue lost and rebuild its reputation with the lost client and others.

Building a positive reputation for your business takes time and effort. And while one small misstep may not destroy your business’ reputation, over time, subtle shortcomings can chip away at what you are working so hard to build.

Know When To Outsource

As a small business owner, you likely take on multiple roles in your organization. From staff bookkeeper to social media manager, you may find yourself doing a little bit of everything. But you’re only one person. Of course, you need to be aware of everything that’s going on in your business. But, that doesn’t mean you need to or should be doing it all. It pays to know when to outsource.

We’ve sought a lot of feedback from women who are running businesses or planning startups to help develop relevant content for Wobizzle.com. A few of those sources offered cautionary tales of lessons learned the hard way because they applied the DIY method in areas of their businesses where they really didn’t have expertise.

It’s tough when you are working with a very limited budget (or no budget at all) to allocate funds to something that you think you might be able to do yourself. But you need to consider whether doing the job yourself will truly save you money. Here are a few questions to ask to help you decide whether to roll up your sleeves or call in a pro.

How To Decide When To Outsource

Do You Have the Money to Spend?

Of course, this is the first question that needs answered. If you don’t have the money to spend, then you may need to take on the task yourself. But before you jump in, ask yourself how important the project is to your business right now. If it’s mission critical, you may want to proceed on your own. If it’s something that is not an immediate priority, consider putting it on hold until you have the resources to get it done right.

Don’t have the cash flow? Consider trade. Some freelancers or other small business owners might be open to trading services. For example, my hair stylist has a standing line of trade with a massage therapist. Their hourly rates are compatible, so she trades a haircut for a massage on a regular basis. Always approach a trade proposal on the front end. Make sure the service provider is open to the idea. Also, you may want to get the agreement in writing so both of you know what to expect.

Do You Have the Skills?

If you’re operating on a shoestring budget, but have a knack for bookkeeping, it might be a good decision to do that yourself until you have the cash flow to hire it out. But, if numbers aren’t your thing, you will be much better off if you call in a professional. The same goes for tech tasks like IT and website development, and creative services like graphic design, copywriting, etc.

Freelancers can often be a more affordable option than hiring the services of a larger organization. Put an appeal out within your network to find quality freelancers in the areas where you need help. Websites like Upwork and Fiverr can also help connect you with freelance professionals.

What’s Your Time Worth?

Knowing the value of your time is critical. Consider how much time it will take you to complete the task or project and what that equals in lost revenue. Run those numbers, and you’ll know when to outsource. If you could be generating revenue for your business instead, or if your time/talent could be better spent doing something else to grow your business, then it’s worth the investment to outsource the job to a professional.

Making good choices about where you spend your money and your time are critical to the ongoing success of your business. Knowing when to outsource is part of that. Keep in mind, if you choose to go the DIY route on tasks or projects where you lack expertise, you may end up having to pay a professional to clean up your mess later, which could cost you more than it would have to have them do it in the first place.

Social Media Marketing: Care & Feeding of Friends & Followers

There are certain people that just aren’t any fun to talk to. I can think of a few. They are the people who only call you they need a favor, or salespeople who call constantly, trying to sell you something after you’ve told them “no” repeatedly. And then there are the people at networking events who can only seem to talk about themselves. I’ve got news for you. If you are using social media marketing purely for business promotion, you may be one of those people.

Yes, social media marketing is a great way to promote your business and boost sales. But, the real strength of social media marketing for a small business is in its ability to build and engage a community around your brand. It can help you to create a small army of raging, loyal fans of your business. And who doesn’t want that?

Like anything else, it takes time, but if you remember a few simple rules, you will be on your way.

Give people a reason to follow you.

Think about what it is about your closest friends that makes you enjoy spending time with them. Maybe they are funny or they have a special way of making you feel good about yourself. Maybe they always seem to have something interesting or exciting to talk about. Those same qualities can be found in the people and businesses that are doing it right in the realm of social media.

Post useful content.

Use your social media accounts to deliver timely, interesting and useful information for your fan base. Develop and post content that generates conversation among your followers. For example, if your business sells baby products, post a link to the list of this year’s hottest baby names, stay updated and let your fans know about the latest baby product recalls, and link to articles about hot topics for expectant moms. If you’re an expert in your field, share your expertise and knowledge to the benefit of your followers.

Get your fans involved.

Post a survey. Hold a contest. Ask them for feedback. Give them a reason to get engaged in the conversation.

Make them feel special.

If you want to build a loyal online community, make your fans and followers feel valued. Offer special coupons or discounts or share some insider information about something exciting happening in your business. Interact with your fans and followers whenever possible. Get back with customers quickly if they post a question or even a complaint. Provide the same level of customer service that they would expect if they walked into your store.

Follow an 80/20 rule for social media marketing.

Too much promotion can be a turn off. Use an 80-20 formula: 80 percent useful, non-promotional content, 20 percent business promotion.

Research best practices.

One of the best ways to get better at social media marketing is to watch what other successful businesses are doing and apply some of those best practices to your efforts. Do some research. Look at the social media marketing efforts some of your favorite brands and local businesses are putting out there. Check out your competition. Find best practices and start putting them to work for you.