Why does it seem that everybody today has a very negative attitude? We know that we are in a recession and eventually we will get out of it and have a bright and prosperous future, but why don’t people see the possibilities?

If you ask a business person “how is your business going?” They may tell you, “It was bad year, it’s bad today, and it will be bad next year.” You get a negative answer, negative this and negative that. It seems that we are surrounded by negative entrepreneurs, which is never good for building business.

Business people go to the bank for a loan, and the banks are not receptive in this economy unless the business has collateral. Due to this, many business people in 2009/2010 have tapped into their credit cards, relatives and friends to borrow money to stay afloat and pay for their business and personal bills. We also hear that unemployment is up, housing is down, gas prices are going through the ceiling, and the stock market is going south so we continue to talk, read and hear only negativity from the media.

The first six pages of the newspaper are negative and listening to the news on radio and television is negative. Many times I am afraid to ask someone how they feel, because I know I will have to listen to a negative reply. Being negative does not help your business, but it can destroy it.

According to Webster’s dictionary, the definition of negative is: “Containing, expressing or implying a denial or refusal that says “no’ (a negative reply), opposite to something regarded as positive, specific a) lacking in positive character or quality, lacking evidence, affirmation, etc. Having the effect of diminishing, depriving or denying” (a negative personality and so on).

When everybody feels negative reactions to most life events — be it in their business or personality — they should stop complaining and do something about it. There are many ways to find the answer because nothing is impossible. Go to the library or your favorite book store and search books showing you how to improve your business. Go online and search videos or articles about how to improve your business. Talk to successful business people in your field and outside your field. Read bios on successful people who have built their businesses and not only survived but thrived in challenging times, such as Bill Gates (Microsoft), Jeff Hayzlett (Eastman Kodak), Jack Welch (former chairman of General Electric), Michael Bloomberg (Bloomberg and mayor of New York City), Donny Deutch (Deutch Inc.) and many more.

If you have a budget for it, discuss with with business consultants that specialize in your field.
Author Jeffrey Gitomer stated, “Negative people are worse than negative occurrences. The argument is over in 10 minutes, the person may hang around for years.”

I would like my readers to try my 24-hour Getting Ahead test. Take one full day and:
•  Do not use any negative words in your vocabulary
•  Be positive with all your statements
•  Do not have a negative thought about yourself or someone else
•  Wake up happy and eager to go to work with smile
•  Go forward and look at the big picture.

We’ll look at more ways to stay positive in a recession in my column on June 9. In the meantime, please email my column to any negative friends, relatives, associates or acquaintances.

Milton J. Paris, is the President and Founder of Getting Ahead in Business,  business coaching and business consultancy in Monroe Twp. New Jersey. (973) 619-9203      http://www.gettingaheadinbusiness.com/

When designing a website for your business, keep in mind that the first thing visitors will see is your Home Page. It’s valuable real estate that will make or break a visitor’s impression of your site or your business. A favorable experience could lead to a sale and a long-term business relationship. A bad experience will result in a quick exit and a lost opportunity.  Make sure when you are designing your business website, you follow the 5 tips below to ensure you are getting the most out of your Home Page.

1. Who Am I?

Is your logo displayed prominently in the upper left corner in the header of your Home Page? Is your phone number listed in the header, footer, or main content area of your site? Can a visitor easily click on a link to contact you via email?  Don’t let you or your business be a big mystery to whoever visits.  Allow your name and your contact information to be easy to find. Don’t hide your information away on the Contact Us page, but place it in the face of anyone who visits your site. You never know who will be trying to contact you or find out about your business!

2. What Do I Do?

Your company’s mission statement and philosophy is great to see but a potential customer wants to know what you do.  It seems like a no-brainer, but you would be surprised at the number of businesses with vague feel good claptrap that takes up space on their site. What kind of products or services does your business offer? How can a consumer, vendor, or business partner do business with you? Be clear about what you offer and how you offer it.  A simple yet specific statement about your product, and who you target will clue a visitor in on your offering and whether it’s appropriate for them. Remember, you want to give visitors the gist right away so they know if they are at the right place.

3. How Do I Present Myself?

The days when businesses got a pass for simply having a basic website are over. In today’s web based world a professionally designed website with a consistent color scheme, web safe fonts is a must. If your site looks like something created during the Clinton Administration, your customers will either leave or think twice about leaving their contact information or credit card information. Invest in a professional web design company to create a modern website with a Home Page designed for 2010.

4. How Do My Visitors Get Around?

The Navigation Bar and its visual links to other areas of your site should be intuitive, logical and should simply help visitors find their way around your site. When a visitor views your businesses home page, there should be a navigation bar with links leading to your Products and Services page, your About Us page, your Contact Us page etc. Don’t send people on a wild goose chase once they land on your Homepage. If people can’t find the section they want right away, they will leave both your website and your business. Make sure you provide your designer with a simple outline of what pages you want, where you want them to go, and how they will link together.

5. Do I Need To Fix Anything?

There is nothing worse than visiting a website, only to click on a broken link that leads to a dreaded PAGE NOT FOUND error message. Much like a broken window, it makes the visitor think that whoever is running the site and business either doesn’t care about their business, or isn’t actively managing their company. This is just as bad as photos on your site that are so old, even you don’t recognize them! A product update from 2005 or the biography of the Manager you let go in 2006 Would not count as acceptable website content.  It is critical to monitor your Home Page’s content to make sure it is linking to active and current information, and that all links on your Home Page work, and lead the visitor.