Where to Start when Starting a Business
This is the fourth and final post in a series of 4 blogs centered on creating a business you love. First, we looked at Understanding the 5 Stages of Business, then we dove into why Less is More of Marketing when you’re starting out, and from there we covered the importance of Choosing the Right Business Model for You.
Hopefully by now you’ve had some valuable insights that are helping you to see that your business could be so much easier than you’ve been making it so far.
By now you might be thinking “well, this is all very useful, but on a practical level where do I actually start?”
If that’s you then this blog is for you. This is what I recommend most people do:
Start with your Message!
One of the first activities I have my clients doing is to get really clear on the message that will help them stand out, and to create what I call a Captivating Introduction to use when people come across you for the very first time (whether online or offline).
This is different to just a description of what you do – with a description people can “place” you, but they are less likely to see how what you do is relevant to them or the people they know.
Your Captivating Introduction
For example, if I went networking and told the people I met for the first time:
“I teach sales to small business owners”
Those people would feel they “know” what I do but probably wouldn’t relate that to themselves and the difference I can actually make to them – especially since my typical clients usually hate the idea of sales so might even run a mile!
But if I say:
“I work with heart-centred business owners who are struggling to get clients because they feel so uncomfortable about sales. I help them enrol clients in a way that feels authentic and comfortable so they can finally make the difference they’re here to make,”
– chances are they’ll say (or at least think to themselves)….
“OMG that’s me/my friend/my partner/my sister! How can I find out more?”
And if it’s not for them, then they’ll instantly know that too. And no-one wastes their time.
The language you use should reflect the type of language your ideal client would use, but here’s a formula that you can start to use:
I work with [target market] who have [problem/pain] and I help them to [result] in order that [higher emotional benefit]
You’ll know it’s working for you by the response you get when you introduce yourself to someone new, so I strongly recommend testing it offline to begin with, even if you plan to grow your business online.
Here are the key takeaways I’d love you to get from reading this series of blogs:
First I want to reassure you that the real reason you’ve been struggling:
- Is NOT because you are not cut out to be in business
- Is NOT because you’ll never be able to confidently sell and market what you do
- Is NOT because nobody will pay you for what you do
It’s probably because you’ve been doing:
- The wrong things for the stage of business you are at
- Juggling too many different things at once and as a result doing none of them well enough
- Not having clarity about your business model so lacking direction and focus
- Wearing yourself out with too much marketing activity without first being “Velcro” to your clients
In other words there are simply things you might need to learn, hone and work on to get your business really working for you.
Just like you wouldn’t enter a dance competition without taking dance lessons, or get in a car to set off to Cornwall without ever taking a driving lesson, you’ll find that your business works much more easily for you if you commit to filling those gaps in your knowledge around sales, marketing and business models – so you can finally create that business that you know is waiting for you.
Both for your sake, and all those people who you are here to help.
The Good News
I’d like to wrap up this series with is this piece of good news:
It all works!
All those marketing strategies you see people teaching, and all the different business models you come across? They all work!
And also none of them work… if they are not right for you.
So once you know where you’re going (your business model and financial goals), and know where you are now (your stage of business), and you understand your own strengths and weaknesses and your personality type, you can start creating a business around marketing strategies, sales and delivery that really work for who YOU are.
And that, my friend, is how you create a business you can fall in love with – and STAY in love with not just for the next 18 months until you burn out, but for many years to come.
