Every day, I get several emails with questions from business owners. In most cases they are asking the WRONG questions about business success. Still, I’ll answer a handful of them here… roughly in descending order. Most commonly asked first.
I’ve been in business for X # of years, when can I expect to make some real money?
Never. Your business, nor the economy, nor your customers care how long you’ve been in business. Longevity in and of itself will not lead to increased income. Persistence is over-rated, when you’re persisting in something that is not profitable.
Bottom line: You can “expect” to make the exact income you are willing to create — for yourself — without excuse, timidity or hesitation. THAT is what you can expect — ONLY and EXACTLY what you are willing to create. No more and no less.
Expectation of ANYTHING other than what I create myself is a cancer of business. Trust me, because my bank account was rotten and stinky when I held the belief of expectation. Here was my belief: I’m a good person. A selfless person. I give and give and give. I put others before myself. And I work (and have always worked) harder than any of my peers. Don’t I deserve _______?????? When will “things” happen for me? When can I expect all of this to pay off??
Anyway, the answer is that you deserve and can expect what you are willing to create!
I have no money to spend, but my top problem is that I need to get my name out there. How can I do this for free?
You can get your name out there in any number of ways — for free and for a fee. You can stand on the corner holding a sign with your business name on it — during high traffic hours and at a high traffic intersection. That’ll get your name out there. You can keep pitching and hyping up facebook and twitter. That’ll get your name out there too. You can get a billboard, have your car wrapped in your business name and logo, or — if you’re woefully determined to waste time and effort — you can paper the town with your business card or flyers. All of these will get your name out there — technically.
Oh — but you’ve already done some of this? And it didn’t work you say? That’s because you’re asking the wrong question. You see, you don’t get paid for people to know your name. ALL of your efforts to make money must be “direct response” in nature — not exposure-based. The more direct answer is this: STOP trying to get your name out there. Instead, target smarter. Aim small, miss small. Pick a well defined niche and WEAVE yourself and your brand into their lives — somehow.
What should I do to find my next clients?
Admittedly, this is a BETTER question than the previous two. Still, it’s lacking. Where do I FIND my next clients implies the following: Where can I find a group of people that have their credit card in hand, waiting to pay me?
Better question: What can I do to create clients or customers? The best clients are CREATED through conversation. (Conversation can be leveraged… through blog posts, teleseminars, speaking gigs, etc.) So, ask what your product or service DOES and for WHOM? Be very specific about your WHOM. (Aim small, miss small.) Then, dig deeper. Where are your “whoms” already showing up, and how can you get into sales conversations with them?
Marketing and sales should be authentic, yes… BUT they should also be deliberately orchestrated. Choreographed to the nth degree. You should know WHO, WHY, and WHAT COMES NEXT. Always.
My personal favorite: What can I do while I wait for this economy to turn around? My industry’s been
pummeled and there’s just no opportunity right now.
This past weekend, my daughter took a picture of my sweaty legs — as we sat at an all-star tournament. YUCK! Everywhere you looked were adults and kids alike just winded and wilted from sweat and heat. The humidity was worse than the 95 degree heat. And, let’s face it… when your legs start pouring sweat and you’re just sitting there — you’re in for a long day.
YET — as I surveyed everyone around me… I saw this girl across the field who must have been about ten years old. WITH GUSTO, this girl was jumping rope. Everyone around her, wilted. But not her. Same location. Same humidity. Same heat. She was just jumping, while we complained bitterly and tried not to move too much.
The same is true in business — in Any AND EVERY industry. (Yes, yours too.) Even in industries hard hit by technological changes or economic factors… you’ll find LOTS of people sitting around complaining bitterly and a couple of others hustling and moving ahead regardless. Aim to be the latter.
Your business success and financial independence is determined by what you’re willing and ABLE to do apart from any other person, policy or circumstance. This utterly excuse-free self-reliance is a hard truth that many Americans are content to walk away from. But, be forewarned: with each area we trade in independence for a dole, we’re moving AWAY from the American way… and walking TOWARDS the same circumstances that had so many of our ancestors willing to lay down their lives for an American Revolution.
