Stop Complaining
“How’s business?” one attendee asked another at a networking event.
“This (fill in the blank – weather, economy, regulation, manufacturer inventory, flu) is killing us. We’ve got projects delayed right and left and trying to get prospects to close anything isn’t happening — things need to turn around fast.”
The person who asked, “How’s business?” very likely could have been a prospect. Ouch!
No one (repeated no one) wants to hear doom and gloom — especially not someone who might want to do business with you. 
Could there be anyone worse to share the misery with than a potential prospect? What they want to hear is that although times are challenging, you will prevail. They want to hear that you’re doing things to produce the results they pay you for. But the person who is most adversely impacted by this negative naysaying is you!
By even thinking negative thoughts, forget saying them, you put yourself in a mental state of failure. You subconsciously tell yourself the odds are against you, and you are doomed to fail. Both positive and negative energy are contagious. Your actions reflect your thoughts and people will consciously or unconsciously detect your outlook. 
Ask yourself would you rather buy from someone who acts desperately to close a contract or from someone who is convinced of the benefits of his product? From someone who complains about work events or from someone who makes any difficulties work for him and his clients?
People want to do business with winners. The average person takes great security in doing business with successful businesses. If you’ve ever purchased something from a person or company that has gone out of business, you know what a pain that can be. Minimally it’s going to cost you extra time calling or physically running around to find another service agent. Worse is when you find out that the product can’t be supported at all. There are two simple yet powerful ways that you communicate that you’re a winner or not that you’re thriving or struggling in this economy: verbally —your choice of words and nonverbally – your choice of dress.
So, better ways to answer, “How’s business?”:
“Our new product is really taking off” or “Our new product is bringing us lots of new customers.”
“We’re growing market share.”
“Even with rising costs, we’ve been able to maintain our current pricing.”
“Customers are raving about our preventive maintenance program.”
“Customers have been opting to select safety products (skylight covers/roof hatch rails) that decrease their safety risks to their employees and other specialty contractors (HVAC, electrical, plumbing).”
Why go through this bother? Because people are innate followers. Prospects are drawn to successful businesses and typically follow the positive experiences of others. Successful business people take responsibility for obtaining positive messages and passing them along.