STOP whining, start doing.

I hear it time and time again and quite frankly I wish I could just wave my magic wand and help you, but I can’t.

You have to do it yourself – or pay for someone to do it for you.

So many business owners come to me, asking for the answer to their failing business, or the fledgling business they can’t get off the ground.

I have solutions; some of them consist of marketing ideas or customer service ideas, other times it really is quite simple: just stop whining and start doing.

You know when you sit down, after a pretty boring and lacklustre afternoon, trying to grow your business, doing, well, nothing… maybe sending a few tweets and scheduling facebook updates, and you start to feel sorry for yourself, and the state that your businesses is in.

You wonder how other businesses are thriving and yours is not, and you start to complain about the state of the economic climate, or that it is the wrong time of year for your business and people just aren’t buying.

I hear you; I have heard you many times before, not just you but every other small business owner who makes sure they have ‘me’ time every evening, or have that lie-in on a Saturday morning.

And my answer will always be the same: stop whining and start doing.

Back in the early 90s I used to watch a program called Why Don’t You?, it was for children, and its aim was to encourage you to ‘switch off your television set and go out and do something less boring instead’.

Well guess what? The same applies now you are an adult.

Unless your business is so utterly awful, your customer service is terrible or you bring no value to your potential customer, one of the major factors why your business is failing is because you say it is, and you don’t do anything about it.

I have given numerous talks in Wiltshire as to why you need to use social media properly.

It works; I know it does because most of my clients come through social media.

I have spoken about blogging; again you need to be a thought leader for people to want to buy from you, so start blogging, and do it properly. And yes, you do have the time – make the time!

Pay to get the right advice, or, instead of moaning that business is rough, start learning how to turn it around.

Buy a marketing book, or if money is tight, Google the answers.

I promise you, a positive attitude, a sound marketing plan (and actioning it) and a good product or service will ensure your business thrives.

So turn off that TV, stop whining about the economic climate, and get out and do something less boring instead, like growing your company.