Always Deliver More, in Business and Life, With These 3 Principles Make 'more' your mantra to wow your clients and delight your customers.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
There is one entrepreneurial golden rule that will take you further and faster than any other in your working day. It's gaining more and more popularity in the zeitgeist these days as our culture starts to recognize and speak more openly about the importance of value, honesty and transparency. What's that golden rule?
Always deliver more.
When you approach every project, every meeting and every opportunity in life with the passion and spirit of delivering more, you'll succeed.
Related: Say 'No' to Stale Thinking
Here are three areas for where to deliver more that will help you guide your startup and live the golden rule.
1. Time
You should never be late on your project deliverables. Never. In fact, if you don't deliver at least the day before, you're pretty much late already.
One thing that is incredibly valuable, priceless even, is other people's time. Don't waste it. If you promise a client a project on a due date, there are no excuses for them arriving at work on that day without the project in hand. Don't shortcut yourself and always deliver on time.
Another thing to remember is others' time in meetings and in person. Show up 10 to 15 minutes early to everything, all the time. Even your personal appointments. Don't make other people wait and watch how much that way of delivering more endears you to others.
Related: 6 Secrets to Being More Productive Each Day
2. Creativity
There is a shortage of creativity in this world. As an entrepreneur you have free reign in a sense to wow your clients, users and customers with some insanely good creativity.
When people encounter your product or service, will they way "oh" or "wow"? If it isn't "wow!" you need to go back to the drawing board with your team and keep working.
3. Ideas
One of my favorite ideas from writer James Altucher is being "an idea machine." He talks frequently in his books, on his blog and on his podcast about the idea that if you can be the source of creativity and ideas, and share those with the world, you'll always have work and success. I love that idea because it's true!
You can't approach your startup with a "what's in it for me" mindset. You have to approach everything you do with how you can provide more for your clients, customers, staff and others. When you're an idea machine, cranking out awesome, creative solutions and freely sharing those with others without strings attached, you'll find there are millions of invisible strings that connect you to the good things in life. You may not always see them at first but they're there and they'll tie you to new opportunities and chances to again deliver more.
