What To Do...When You Don't Know What To Do

While starting a new business or expanding an existing one, you may reach a fork in the road - that is, a point where you simply don't know what to do next. You may even feel that your next step will either be a breakdown or a breakthrough.

You have an end-goal in mind, but you simply don't know the next step to get there. Or maybe you do know the next step, but you are clueless on how to proceed in that direction.

Here are 3 things that you can always do when you don't know what to do next:

1) Buy a book.
It sounds simple, but this is exactly what many people don't do. Reading is fundamental and believe it or not, but there is a book or e-book or virtually any topic you can think of. If you have a question, there are likely to be hundreds of books available that can answer your question in multiple ways. If you hate reading, now is the time to learn to love it.

Don't be a stranger to your local library or bookstore, and remember that most online book retailers allow you to browse the entire book for free right from your computer.

2) Ask an expert.
Again, this is simple, but many fail to take advantage of this option as well. If you're not surrounded by experts in your industry, perhaps you can find one on Facebook and LinkedIn. After connecting with them, you will usually have access to their phone and email. If that doesn't work, try AnswerBag.com or JustAnswer.com - two web sites that allow you to post questions and pay for a detailed answer from a qualified expert.

3) Watch your competition.
This is something that you should automatically do anyways. Pay attention to your competition, and emulate them. Take their ideas and reinvent them to something better. All of the big companies do this. If AT&T does something, Verizon Wireless will match it with a different twist. If Toyota does something, Ford is right behind them with another version. Microsoft and Apple, Sony and Panasonic, Applebees and T.G.I. Friday's - I could go on and on.

By keeping an eye on your competitors, you'll always know what to do next.