The Major League Baseball postseason is in full swing, and according to the article “10 business tips you can learn from baseball” by contributor Graeme Haase on www.hardwareretailing.com, there’s quite a bit you can take from the strategy of baseball and apply to your own business practices:
- Even if you strike out, take a swing. Perhaps a recent service or product offering didn’t pan out as well as you had hoped, but that’s okay. You can’t be afraid taking a swing and striking out, because if you don’t swing, there’s no chance of hitting a home run instead.
- Get the fans hyped up. It takes only one great game to make a lifelong fan; similarly, it takes only one great experience to earn a lifelong customer. Focus on making everything from your customer greetings to the cleanliness of the site as positive as possible to enhance that experience.
- Anticipate the next pitch. Just as batters try to figure out what type of pitch will be coming their way, business owners try to imagine what the next hot trends on which to capitalize will be. Sometimes you’ll guess correctly, and sometimes you won’t. To help you in this endeavor, attend trade shows and industry events, and do some research. In addition, talk with other carwash owners about their thoughts on the trends.
- Train your batting eye. Just as baseball players have to eye 90-mph fastballs and determine whether they’re in the strike zone or outside it and whether to swing or hold back, you too must train your eye to discern when it’s time to launch a new service, invest in expansion or hire someone new and when to hold off and wait for the next pitch.
- Scout for the right players. Just as scouters look for the right players to fit in with the team, you must scout out the right employees for your business. Don’t just consider the applications they send; consider the people as well, and figure out if they would mesh with your company culture.
- Focus on training the team. While star players inevitably shine, at the end of the season, the team is what determines how many wins there are. Invest not only in training but in the proper equipment they need, so that everyone can stay on the same track and head towards the same company goals.
- Put your team members in the right positions. A baseball team has 25 players on its roster, and each one has a different set of skills that the club manager identifies in order to best position them. You need to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of your employees in order to put them in the best possible positions and make a winning team.
- Don’t worry if you fall in a slump. With 162 games to play per season, many baseball teams may fall into a slump at some point. The same could be true for your business as well. Perhaps you have a slow season or you lose a key employee. Whatever the case, don’t let it get to you; good players always bounce back from a slump.
- Take a seventh-inning stretch. During a game or even a season, players are likely to get tired out. Recognize when you need to take a break. This time could even help you refocus and give you a new perspective on things, leading you to new ideas. You’ll come back from your break refreshed and ready to follow through to the ninth inning.
- Record your stats. Teams keep track of a player’s stats throughout the season, which can affect their positions or jobs for the next season. You also need to keep track of your numbers and make sure to address the issue if they don’t add up at some point.
Read the original article here.