1. Scrap the “Image” and work on an identity.
The first step to success is to get away from the idea of creating an image. In fact, the literal definition of image is an imitation or representation of a person or thing. Now that is exactly what you don't want to be… an imitation.

Identity on the other hand means is the condition of being the same in all qualities. It's based on truth and honest. And believe me, it only takes a millisecond for consumers to identify a fraud.

Consumers respect integrity, and feel comfortable depending on companies who have invested in their identity… invested in being real, and have lived up to their name.

2. Be Yourself
Copycats are a dime a dozen. Whenever a good idea comes to light, there will be a thousand and one imitators ready to cash in on the success of the idea.

I'm not talking about learning from the best, and using their success stories to guide you on your quest for success. We all need mentors and examples to follow at times.

True success lies in originality. What good would it do to copy your competitors advertising strategies and campaigns? Finding your own niche and capitalizing on it will go a lot further toward making you stand out from the crowd.

3. Be Consumer Friendly
Friendly service is winning service. Who can resist a heartfelt smile? Most business have this down to a science. They spend a great deal of time stressing friendliness and “the customer is always right” attitudes among their employees.

What about customer-friendly products and services? We all know that people should be friendly, but sometimes overlook the fact that the product itself should bring a smile to the consumers face.

Tents have to be right near the bottom of the list of customer-friendly products… though in the case of my family, it wasn't the tentmaker's fault. We always lost the instructions before we made it to the campsite, and Dad's attempt to assemble the darned thing without them had us kids running for the hills.

Do missing instructions or parts erase the smile from your customer's face? What about websites with hard-to-find contact information or fliers that leave out important details?

Be sure you've thought of everything that will make your customers experience A+ from start to finish, and they'll be back for more!

4. Have Guts
Trying something new often fills us with fear… especially when it involves hard earned money. Sometimes the only way to get out of a rut is to do exactly what we don't want to do – get out of our comfort zone and try something new.

Other emotions that keep us from jumping onto a new idea are:

Hesitancy – we want to play it safe
Discouragement – we're all set to lose before we even try
Pessimism – we focus more on the problem than the options

If you find yourself stuck in the doldrums remember that doing what you've always done will get you exactly what you've always got – and that's why you're where you're at right now. Don't be afraid to step out and get your feet wet!