Christopher Doran - www.christopherdoran.co.uk

Many times in a market down turn businesses cut their prices to win the work that is out there, before it gets taken up by the competition.

This is understandable. It is also dangerous. When the market goes down like a sinking ship, the very last thing you want to be doing is be taken down with it.

So how do you avoid this? Well, firstly stop doing what everyone else does! Most businesses do what do what other competing businesses do in their sector. They don’t want to do anything different. It’s obvious why of course. No one likes to change. We all want the security of what we know.

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Many businesses are obviously struggling in the current financial climate. Banks aren’t lending and order books are hard to finance as the ratio of ‘debtor days’ (the time it takes to get trade credit sales realised into vital cash) becomes extended.

Particularly hard product businesses suffer because they have had the expense of buying in materials first and desperately need the cash back in to keep the wheels of the operation turning.

What so often gets misunderstood is what is going on in a parallel fashion along side the main business activity.

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This is good - even great news!

Most business owners have very little idea about the real value of their business. Simply they are happy making things happen and keeping the boat afloat.

But think about it what are you in business for? You want to make money don’t you? No problem with that who doesn’t?

But the real money to be made - far more than from running a business - is by selling it. This is where the real money is.

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I want to showcase rapid business growth on television. Yes even in the dire state of world finance.

If you know any business wanting a makeover live please make contact.

The business must be an established one of five years plus. It needs to have an annual sales turnover from a minimum of £500,000 upwards. It needs to demonstate a real desire for substantial and quick growth.

It must be UK based business. Any industry sector will be considered.

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You can learn a lot from history. You can learn even more from military history. This is especially true when you consider the parallels with business.

Darius the Persian king was beaten by Alexander not by brute force. Indeed reports are that he faced an army six time bigger than his own. So how did he do it? Obviously history going back over a thousand years will be ‘woolly’ to say the least, however one theory for his success on the day was that he focused his formation of infantry to his front to chant “Kill Darius” over and over, before battle commenced.

He rode past the formation himself to give the direct order to keep shouting out this key objective. The roar was so loud that the Persians heard it. No doubt word reached Darius himself as the battle started and these troops, full of fervour, and more important with a specific definite mission to accomplish, moved forward against the opposing force.

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