How Christmas effects business - It's not always good!

Regards 'enjoyment' i'm now on my 110th straight day at work on my Shopping Centre stall... No day off, no lunch break, no helper...just me on my lonesome for 110 straight days.

In general i still enjoy it, i don't enjoy it when i'm not taking any money but the enjoyment of doing my own thing outweighs pretty much everything else.

I hope it's a long time and ultimately never, that i have to work for someone else again, i just wish i'd get sales through my website and Facebook page to add to the stall...i'd love to moan one day about being too busy...that would pretty much be a goal of mine!

Wow Barney...

It certainly sounds busy there mate! 

I was going to suggest AutoAttendants and virtual receptionists, but it looks like you've got that squared.

How about changing module slightly, and with all this incoming business having several competitors you get on with, and sub contract to them? (Or sell them the job).

Just thinking out loud. Getting Pounds, Shillings, and Pence is all that counts (Whilst keeping people happy!)

It will come mate. I so know the feeling of never having a day off, or lunch, or a break. I can really relate to that. Perseverance pays off - it really does. And tweaking stuff until it's all right.

I don't enjoy it when I don't take money either. Like today - there is nothing happening - there are no courses - nowt. So, No money is being earned. And perhaps I won't get a call this close to Christmas, so, no money is banked.

But, I'm here, and I'm by the phone, because that's the way we run stuff....

The way I keep sane, is I split my result down on paper to weekly, and monthly. Then I look for trends.

I never ever look at the day's figures. The mad thing is, is that the results on weekly and monthly are predictable, and after a while, you can then do stuff to alter the prediction. I.e., First Week in Jan is poop for turnover, so we stick a sale on, or a special offer. We hammer advertising directed at that week etc etc.

An no - never ever ever work for someone else ever again. To come this far says a lot about you. To just start a business is a success story in itself.

Website Sales is all about having the products people want, and being at the top of the search results I think. If you sell Sweets, and you come on Page 20000 for that, but, you hit #1 P1 for Haddock... you won't sell sweets.

I'm forever using this little tool: http://smallseotools.com/keyword-position/ to check my position, and then tweaking to make sure I am where I want to be.

One day you'll be rushed off your feet, I'm sure of it! 

It sounds like you need to take on a business partner and share the risk, stress, pressure etc.

A lot easier said than done as finding the right business partner is a minefield in its own right. They don't have to be an equal partner if you are worried about control issues and want to keep a firm hand on direction. Maybe someone that is more interested in the administration side, man management which means they don't have to be necessarily in the plumbing field. This then gives you a wider net to think of possible suitable partners.

Can't be any fun dealing with all the stress and workload yourself, and certainly not good for you. Must have a big black book of local business contacts you can work through, or maybe even approach a small but established firm who may be glad of a lot more work and make a proposition to join them as a partner? 

It is odd how business tend to go in unexpected directions due to outside forces or based on a work for particular clients. I think it's this aspect I love, you may think you know your 5 year strategy, but in reality it rarely works out how you thought it would!