This weekend my husband & I attended a wedding  on Orcas Island. The ferry was packed, so we decided to walk on the ferry and then get a taxi  to where we were staying. The driver was at the ferry terminal waiting for us, and was a very chatty guy. As we were talking on the 20 minute drive, he mentioned that with the seasonal tourism economy he had to figure out how to make the most bang for his buck during the high season.

He started telling a story of how he was inspired by NASCAR to sell advertising on his van that’s driving all over the island. He went around to the hotels, restaurants and tourist destinations on the island and started selling space on his van AND on his website. BRILLIANT.

When times are tight it’s easy to complain about it, OR you can be pro-active and come up with creative ways to grow your business while helping others out. I rarely find inspiration in NASCAR but if it works for you, go for it!

I use to answer the phone all the time. Then I worked at a company that said “if you’re not feeling it, send your call to voicemail.”

That advice changed the way I do business. It seems so simple, but it’s a helpful reminder- you run your business, your inbox, voicemail and social media do NOT. You’re in control. If you’re having a bad day, or a busy day, or just need to focus on a specific project, put the phone on silent (and I find it helpful to turn it over so I can’t see the popups of texts, calls, etc. showing up). Get your work done first.

I know this is hard in a sales position, where the next call could be the next big deal for you. But if you’re cranky, or focused on something else, send it to voicemail. What’s the worst that can happen? You’ll get the sale at the END of the day instead of first thing? I promise you, it’ll be OK. I have yet to lose business from this method. AND if they’re really that desperate right off the bat do you think they’ll be a good client in the long run?