OUR BLOG

As a business coach, my primary responsibility is to help people succeed … not only to reach their goals, but to attain that level of personal satisfaction and meaning that comes from fulfilling their mission.

In this series of articles, we’re exploring the qualities and attributes that set you apart as a small business owner … the ones you absolutely must have … or develop … if you want to succeed in business!

We’ve looked at the importance of having rigor and grit.

The third key I want to talk about is knowing where to focus your energies.

As a business coach, my primary responsibility is to help people succeed … not only to reach their goals, but to attain that level of personal satisfaction and meaning that comes from fulfilling their mission.

In this series of articles, we’re exploring the qualities and attributes that set you apart as a small business owner … the ones you absolutely must have … or develop … if you want to succeed in business!

Failure is an inevitable part of life. But, if it’s a given that we’ll all fail from time to time, what is it that separates the successful from the unsuccessful when the going gets rough?

In my fifteen years as a business coach, working with thousands of small business owners on their business development and marketing strategy, I’ve seen it all.

From businesses that continue to grow and thrive year in and year out, all the way to businesses that never seem to get off the ground!

So what makes the difference?

You know how to make yourself miserable?

Take on too much, take on things you think you “should” do instead of things that feel right … and then struggle to get through it all.

I got this in my mailbox recently. I’ve copied it verbatim.

“How To Easily, Quickly & Consistently Generate Enough Clients Every Month To Scale Your Coaching / Consulting Business From Zero To 6 & 7 Figures In 6 Weeks Or Less”

Really?   From zero to 6 & 7 figures or more in 6 weeks OR LESS!

7 figures is over a million dollars. 6 weeks is … well … 6 weeks.

Yeah, right.

Whoa. What’s this?

I looked at my list and realized I was actually caught up.

Stop the presses!

No big projects and deadlines looming.  Nothing weighing on me business-wise causing me undue stress.  I was just going along at a nice easy pace … enjoying the business coaching I was doing.

This is a most unusual experience for me.  All my life, I’ve been a Type A overachiever who prided myself on my productivity.

I’m the girl who was in charge of the largest outdoor street festival in the Southeast for several years in the 90’s.  

I’ve always been diligent.  I love my lists of priorities and I’m pretty darned good at managing them. But up till now, my tasks and projects have always been a bit overwhelming.

So what changed?  How did I get to this new and wonderful place where I’m not feeling overwhelmed and behind all the time?

What are you saying in response to what you’re getting out of life? Thank you … or … That’s not quite good enough?

How would you like to eavesdrop on a conversation between a veteran business coach and a bunch of savvy business women who are loaded with really compelling questions about their marketing strategies?

I’m doing a complimentary coaching session with a woman not too long ago, and what happens speaks volumes about how we limit ourselves and cut ourselves off from possibility … often without even realizing it.

We give everyone trying to market their professional services businesses the same essential message.

The key to success in marketing a personal service is making direct, in-person contact with the people who need you … lots of them.

You can accomplish this in three ways … speaking to groups, which is the most powerful strategy by far … forming strategic alliances with referral partners … and networking with your target market.

You should spend 80% of your time focused on one or two of these “high-touch” strategies.

That’s a message we repeat over and over again, because that’s what pays off in direct results more quickly and bountifully than any other approach.

But why? Why does it pay off?