As an owner of a communications firm, I habitually watch any newsworthy event and evaluate whether that event can be beneficial to any of my clients. I also look to see if there are any lessons to be learned for my own company\u2019s growth. The 2016 Summer Olympics are a prime example: With the final closing ceremony of the Rio Games now in our rearview mirror, we have much to be proud of about, and learn from, Team USA.
\nRelated:\u00a0
\nHere are five winning takeaways that business owners can use today.<\/p>\n
1. Don\u2019t fabricate the truth.
\nIt may seem obvious: Tell the truth and confront the issue.\u00a0Many businesses that\u00a0get in hot water\u00a0or come face-to-face with a crisis\u00a0often want to do the exact opposite and not respond.
\nIn today\u2019s age of instant communication and reporting, however, that simply doesn\u2019t work.\u00a0Just look at swimmer Ryan Lochte.
\n\u00a0initial story about an “armed robbery” was\u00a0a great example of why skirting the truth doesn’t work and how badly it can backfire. His storytelling not only brought negative media attention, it also hurt his pocketbook\u00a0when sponsors subsequently dropped him. Businesses that face a crisis should quickly establish a response strategy;\u00a0respond truthfully;\u00a0and let their customers know what they plan to do to fix the problem.
\n2. Women = power.
\nNo other group took home as many medals as the U.S. women’s Olympic athletes.\u00a0Now, more than ever, women in business and sports are demonstrating their strengths and being celebrated for them.
\n found that the average earnings of U.S.\u00a0companies owned by females increased 54 percent\u00a0year over year,\u00a0from 2012 to\u00a02013,\u00a0\u00a0in comparison to their male counterparts. The media is now following, and interested in, women stories.
\nAre you a woman in a male-dominated industry that has a story to tell?\u00a0Women in technology, for instance, has become a hot topic. Does your company\u00a0fit into this category? Would joining a networking group like the \u201c\u201d community Sheryl Sandberg started help grow your business? These are all good questions to explore, and ones that could open up new opportunities that you once overlooked.
\n3. Capitalize on the moment.
\n stole our hearts and inked some really impressive sponsorships while winning those gold medals. was also PR gold.
\nShe was able to capitalize on the moment and make headlines while growing her personal brand. Businesses need to be able to move that quickly, as well.
\nAs a business owner, you should\u00a0take the time to look and make sure your own business story is being told. Identify your voice, and build a program to promote your expertise and unique offerings as a way to grow your business.
\nRelated:\u00a0
\n4. Preparation matters.
\nIt takes hard work and dedication to be the best. This is never more evident than when you’re watching a great athlete do his or her thing.
\nThe lesson here is that each performance reminds us that constant preparation and practice yields better results.\u00a0Are you doing that in your own business?\u00a0Practice your sales pitch, and prep for different income scenarios and market changes.
\nAs a personal example, my own business of PR has changed so radically since I started out in the ’90s that I have had to prepare and then practice how to get press and media coverage in different ways from what worked in the past. This has meant embracing social media and different communication platforms,\u00a0like content placement — and getting\u00a0good at it. Prep is just as important for you as it is for your clients.
\n5. America is already great.
\nGive praise to your team members and notice their strengths. Don\u2019t pretend to be something you aren\u2019t or try to be\u00a0all things to all people.
\nRelated:\u00a0
\nKnow what you are good at, and stick with it. As already mentioned, practice and enhance what you are doing to provide better products or services. Also, congratulate those on your team and those\u00a0in your circle who are helping you get there. And, in this spirit, thanks to all the U.S. Olympians who made the so great.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
As an owner of a communications firm, I habitually watch any newsworthy event and evaluate whether that event can be beneficial to any of my clients. I also look to\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7576,7681,7691,7730,7680,7689,7687,7688,7685,7672,7693,1011,7649,7683,7690,7682,7692,7684,7729,7686],"tags":[7740,7732,7739,6849,2759,2760,7734,7737,7733,7738,7731,7736,7735],"class_list":["post-61503","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-custom-essay","category-dissertation-ideas","category-dissertation-topic","category-essay-example","category-essay-topics","category-free-essays","category-help-in-assignment","category-help-with-class","category-i-need-help","category-i-need-help-with-my-homework","category-i-need-help-writing-an-essay","category-in-a-word-essay","category-page-paper","category-research-paper-samples","category-term-paper","category-thesis-examples","category-thesis-writers","category-write","category-write-a-page-assignment","category-write-a-paper","tag-assignment-help-uk-cheap","tag-assignment-writing-service","tag-best-assignment-help-australia","tag-best-assignment-writing-service-uk","tag-best-essay-writing-service-uk","tag-cheap-essay-writing-service-uk","tag-essay-writing-ai-free","tag-heap-assignment-help-australia","tag-legitimate-essay-writing","tag-online-assignment-help-australia","tag-source-essay-writers","tag-uk-writers","tag-university-essay-writing-services"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.essaybishops.com\/essays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61503","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.essaybishops.com\/essays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.essaybishops.com\/essays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.essaybishops.com\/essays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.essaybishops.com\/essays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=61503"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.essaybishops.com\/essays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61503\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.essaybishops.com\/essays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=61503"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.essaybishops.com\/essays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=61503"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.essaybishops.com\/essays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=61503"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}