You have 2 choices if you're a service business owner who needs to increase your income

... do more work or charge more for the work you do.

Either is viable, but focusing on doing more billable work can easily put you on a constant high pressure treadmill.

When you concentrate only on reaching a certain total sales goal, it becomes tempting to take work at prices lower than you should just so you can get one step closer to the income you need.

You end up working more for less, and then it becomes a downward spiral.

If you're taking any work that comes along, it costs you in 2 ways:

Have you ever taken the time to stop and think about what you're really good at? And what your employees' real strengths are? But let's not stop there. How about what you like?

It may sound like an extravagance, but these considerations are musts if you want to successfully develop your target market and service or product niche. Most businesses don't take the time to think about them, though.

It's hard enough to fit in everything you have to do just to get through the day, much less try to fit in something extra (believe me, I know this first hand). If you force yourself to take the time to explore the questions, though, you can see remarkable changes in your success. Knowing your strengths and interests will help you develop a niche that's both profitable and fulfilling.