When you have a moment to take a step back from the business, it can help to imagine yourself trying to convince a new customer to sign up.  I read in one of the business books that you should ask yourself, if there was a competitor on the same street as your business, what would make a customer cross the road to choose you rather than them?

This question helps you to focus on the positive aspects of your business, whether that is free parking, long opening hours, high levels of customer service, a great product that can't be found elsewhere or experience in a really specialised field.

If you find that you can't find as many reasons for a customer to choose you over your competitors as you would like...All is not lost!

You can use this reflection to take a look at small changes that you could introduce to start to set your business apart in future.

Maybe you can have training sessions with your staff to make sure customer service is top priority from now?

Does your branding or website need to be updated, do all your marketing materials show the right logo/address/contact details?

Maybe you can bring forward the launch of that new product or service so that you have a new focus for your marketing materials?

Perhaps it is time to offer flexible working hours to your staff so that your business can be reached in the evening if that is what customers need.

No business owner has time to stop and reinvent everything from the ground up, but making one small change a month can start to build momentum so that in 12 months time you have more confidence in answering that all important questions - if there was a competitor on the same street as your business, what would make a customer cross the road to choose you?