Today, I’ll take the www.sparkandhustle.com stage to share some strategies on RED SPOON Marketing, Marketing with MUSCLE (rather than MONEY) and Making it All Happen on MONDAY. (These sessions are part of EVERY S&H Tour location!) But, one of the top obstacles I see impeding the business success of far too many women is this issue of “other issues”… In other words, business – for them – has become muddled. Let me explain with a little “My MOMMA Said”-0logy. My Mom used to always warn me to be careful what you are willing to ACCEPT because that is exactly what you’ll get…
In the world of business, I see so many women forgetting what business is about – which is, of course, money. (Absolutely, there are many, many things to enjoy about business: the challenge, the ability to do WELL for yourself while doing GOOD for others, the ability to give back, support your favorite causes, and expand your own proverbial box – or demolish it… ) BUT, if you are not making money, it’s hardly a business… As the founder of Stella & Dot said yesterday at www.sparkandhustle.com,
“Businesses make money. Hobbies cost money.”
If we don’t get this little fact straight, we are very likely to ACCEPT all other forms of payment from our business. Payment like making new friends, being liked or admired, having your ego stroked, being someone’s hero or night in shining armor, gathering a great testimonial, getting our name “out there”…. Ultimately, if business owners ACCEPT these forms of payment, as my Momma says, that’s exactly what they’ll get. And, more often than not, nothing else.
I think the real key to this, for us, is LIVING in what I call your own “circle of confidence”. What are you CONFIDENT you can accomplish for your clients? What are you CONFIDENT your product will do? How CONFIDENT are you that what you have is of immense value to your target market?
When we start stepping out of this CONFIDENCE, we get “muddled” with those other issues…. We start trying to prove ourselves, win approval, get an “attagirl”, or whatever else we think we need or have decided we’ll accept. Other issues = Not good.
Make sure you are crystal clear about your purpose in business and what you’re doing here, and don’t accept anything else. I took this picture in the airport (SOMEWHERE… not sure where any more!) and thought it might INCREASE that circle of confidence for you. =)
YES – YES – YES! I have potential clients ask me all the time to “barter” our services with one another. My immediate response to them, as politely – yet firmly as I can, is…NO! It tells me a lot about how they view their services/goods and the lack of confidence they have in themselves. What’s funny, is that when I tell them no they seem relieved. Then we can get on with a business conversation and move forward – and yes, many of them end up doing business with me – paying for my services and I certainly reciprocate where applicable. Knock ’em dead in LA Michelle!
You nailed it in one word: CONFIDENCE. It is a state of being that drives your doing. If this is not something you are – ALL efforts, work, tasks, action items and anything else you can think of, will be done with resistance and way too much effort. I am passing this word and this message forward – starting now and again with my clients who are committed to success – and profit.