In business, I see business owners making gigantic-sized mistakes EVERY DAY in a futile determination to create their own shortcut.
Maybe its in our nature to look for a shortcut; a faster way from point A to point B. A quick route to fame. The fastest way to lose weight. The fast path to cash.
Maybe it’s human nature. But, it could also be the childlike rose-colored glasses we carry around as adults. Looking around, we look at everyone’s highlight reel. (Facebook, anyone?) Never questioning the validity of the post, just like the quote says, we compare their highlight reel with our own behind the scenes.
Then, with those rose-colored glasses firmly in place, we go looking for a shortcut. Who can help us create TODAY what “they” have? Never figuring out how the star of that highlight reel got from point A to point B or how long it took, we read the sales letters of those hoping to profit from our desire for a shortcut…. and decide WHICH shortcut we’ll buy and try. Who do we believe when they tell us the ONE thing we’re missing — that one ingredient that will turn everything around, and make us a millionaire while we sleep?
Maybe it’s MEDIA. I’ll invest in a PR agent or a spiffy tv commercial. Yeah, that’s it. I’ve got to get my name out there. I’ll try radio too.
Or maybe it’s a new website. SEO? Crap! I never thought about that — It MUST be the website. I’ll get a new one.
The last print ad didn’t work. I’m such a dummy, why didn’t I see it before? I need to buy a bigger ad. I need more attention. More eyes.
No, no… it must be a book. So and so wrote a book and look at them — they’re billionaires. I need a book. That’s what I’m missing.
Wait! I’m such a fool! All this time, I should have been “networking” with celebrities in my niche. So and so is offering an opportunity to get my picture taken with her. And, I can buy a chapter in her next anthology. That’ll do the trick! Once I tell them I’m So- and so- “certified” my clients will line up to work with me!
Did you hear? This guru is FINALLY going to share her “proprietary” system at this new event. So easy, he says, it’ll be like a cut and paste that makes the heavens open up and pour cash. Are you going?
Nothing inherently wrong with tv commercials, pr agents, writing a book, learning from a trusted advisor, participating in an anthology, getting a new site, SEO work or any of this… OF COURSE. But, let me set the record straight:
If you do not have a firm foundation in place for your business
(described in detail below) your business will NOT benefit from any of the above. In order to make LEAPS in your business, which is entirely possible, you MUST have certain unavoidable and “boring” foundations in place.
Recently, I extended a six month group program to NINE because those in the program did NOT yet have these foundations in place. NOTHING else they would have learned would have proven wildly profitable for them until the proper foundation was laid. So, we pushed pause. To put the horse before the cart.
Let’s not mince words. The following foundations for your business can not be replace or avoided. Get THESE things in place and you’ll thrive. Your business will start to amaze you. Miss ANY part of this foundation, and you’ll continue to WANT what “they” have. You’ll continue to deal with feast and famine. You’ll continue to waste money on “solutions” (like that tempting tv spot) that you haven’t even given a chance to succeed. Your shortcut will be deceptively long and expensive.
Here’s your foundational, so boring no one else is really discussing it, recipe for success:
- You need a MARKET that you know intimately, can reach easily, and has a need you can fill.
- You need DELIBERATE MESSAGING that resonates with how this market thinks, consumes information and buys.
- You need a BAIT offer that is designed to attract, speak to, and entice your chosen market to learn more from you.
- You need a system designed to “INDOCTRINATE” –or educate– the portion of your market that just accepted your bait offer.
- You need a willingness to sell AND a finely honed ability to sell. Essentially, a SALES FUNNEL. A plan. How will people find you, engage with you, decide they want you, and then pay you? Winging it won’t do.
- You need a REFERRAL process. Winging it won’t do.
Let me save you the suspense. This takes time. YOUR time. And it is work. I could try to dress it up and disguise it as a “branding party” or “diva excursion,” but it’s work.
Final thought: If you’re tempted to buy ANYTHING
other than something that helps you put THESE foundational items together
for your business, let it be elbow grease. Nothing else will do.
