Do:

1.Have a plan. How can you succeed in business without one? A clear detailed plan determines the actions you will take, and the resources you will need. It serves as a guide for the life of your business.

2.Know your goals. What would you like to accomplish with your business? Goals which are not written are just wishes. You must know what you would like to get or you will not get it.

3.Ask for and seek advice from others. There are many others out there who have been where you are and who are successful. What did they do which you can also do? Always be willing to learn and copy those who have gone before.

4.Analyze your options. You simply can't do everything. You must decide which marketing methods are worth pursuing and which ones are not. You also must choose which products to offer. No one can effectively offer his or her customers everything.

5.Do your research. Advice is everywhere, however, not everyone and everything has equal information to offer. Know how to evaluate the information you find.

6.Develop a positive image. This includes not only your physical presence but also your online presence. Never bash or criticize others. Would you buy from you based on your image and appearance?

7.Have a good attitude. This is essential. A good attitude will make the best of any situation and encourage others to patronize your business.

8.Take Inventory. It is absolutely essential that you stop on a regular basis and assess what is going right with your business and what needs to be changed. This will help breathe new life into your business and make it easier to make necessary changes in order to move your business and yourself forward.

9.Invest time into your business. Successful businesses are not made overnight. To be successful you should give your business at least 3 years. This can be difficult but it is necessary in order to get your name out there and to be sure you have tried every possible solution and pathway.

10.Know when to seek help. There may be times when you need help from others who are experts. Know when you can't do it alone.

Don't

1.Have a negative attitude. A negative attitude kills everything. It kills your customers interest, your marketing, and your motivation.

2.Ignore the opinions of others. In business the advice and opinions of others is important. However, you must weigh all advice and opinions first before taking action to determine if it is really valid.

3.Give Up. When you give up you say to yourself and others that your business isn't worth pursuing.

4.Dabble along or experiment in something and then say, I failed. You must persist for a long period of time in order to be successful.

5.Promote your business or yourself when you have a negative attitude or you are feeling down. Take action to improve your attitude first. You will only be successful when you are positive.

6.Rely on others to determine your success. You are ultimately the only one responsible.

7.Wait for others to respond to your invitations or to come to you. Go to them. They will be impressed and more likely to offer you their business.

8.Waste valuable time. Certain hours of the day are better for conducting business. Find out when they are and take advantage of them.

9.Apologize for your failures and weaknesses. Everyone has them and no one expects you to know everything or to be capable of doing everything for everyone all the time.

10.Ignore your plan. Your plan is the lifeblood of your business and you must use it and evaluate it on a daily basis.