OUR BLOG

People’s lives have been disrupted and they have concerns around money. Those concerns may keep them from using your services. As a service provider, you want to bend over backwards to help. I understand. AND, part of my job as a business coach and newsletter writer is to keep you from making mistakes.

It’s a trying time to be in business for yourself. This business coach understands that firsthand!

But what you do now … and what you don’t do … will make all the difference in the long term sustainability of your business.

So, what’s the biggest skill you need right now?

You Need to Reach Out. Don’t Withdraw!

Things are so uncertain right now. You may need to “stay home,” but that doesn’t mean you have to stop marketing your business.

I understand the tendency to pull back or slip into neutral when crises occur … to wait and see how things shake out before moving forward or at least looking forward.

It’s a good thing for all of us GE wasn’t thinking that way back during the panic of 1873 when they launched their business, or I might be writing this by candlelight.

HP got its start in 1939, during the Great Depression. Microsoft was founded in 1975, a year when the economy was deeply in the tank!

Don’t let worries about the pandemic and the economy stop you from marketing your services. Just adapt to the changing times and do it differently.

An insight from advertising man, Dave Chase:

“Those companies that not only survived but thrived during the Great Depression were those that continued to act as though there were nothing wrong and the public had money to spend.”

You got that new client. She looks like a great fit. You send off your welcome package and make the initial charge to her credit card as you agreed. Yea!

Later that day, she replies, “I’m not totally comfortable with that 6-month commitment to coaching we discussed. I’d be willing to contract for three months and then reevaluate.”

You know it doesn’t actually serve most clients to expect to see full results in less than six months, but you want to accommodate her needs, so you reply …

“I want you to feel comfortable with me and confident in the process. So, I’ve changed the paperwork to reflect a three-month commitment. We can reevaluate where you are then. I want you to feel delighted with our work together!”

A few hours later, you’re totally surprised to hear: “I’ve changed my mind and have decided not to pursue coaching. I’m not ready at this time. Please refund my fee.”

Wait! … What?

You’re in business to make a profit. So, as a business coach, I always look at what your numbers are telling you about how you’re doing and, more specifically, where you’re getting the most return on the time, money, and effort you’re investing.

Numbers?

Yeah, like …

There’s nothing wrong with using LinkedIn to connect with people who may eventually become customers or clients. That’s clearly a big part of the appeal.

But there’s a problem out there in LinkedIn land, and I don’t want you to fall into a common trap where you turn people off and end up hurting your reputation.

Last month, we talked about the biggest mistakes business owners make with their pricing and packages. This month, I want to share with you another mistake I see all the time as a business coach.

It’s a big mistake. It’s easy to make. And, ironically, it typically comes from wanting so badly to be of service.

“The Lord helps those who help themselves.”
Aesop’s Fables

Hmmm … as a business coach, I want to parse that statement to see if we can find a gold nugget in there for you business owners.

It’s a simple idea. If you expect to catch the blessings ready to be showered upon you … if you want to receive the gifts you’ve asked for … it’s a good idea to hold out your hands.

What’s that mean?

It means you need to set a clear intention for what you want … like getting new clients and/or expanding your business.

Engage fully and do the work … take action … follow through … show determination and grit … and stay the course.

You have to do “the work.”

But note … this is a two-way deal.

Too many of us, myself included, have a tendency to think that the outcomes we get in life are totally dependent on how hard we try and how much time, money, and effort we pour into making things happen. I approached life like that for years!

But there’s something I’ve come to appreciate more and more.

Don’t look now, but there goes 2018. That was quick. I don’t know about you, but the life of this business coach never really slowed down.

How well did you do with what you wanted to accomplish in your business this year?

If you came up short, don’t feel bad or beat yourself up about it. Most of us come up at least a little short much of the time, because we’re not perfect. We’re human.

And yet, this is a perfect time, during this holiday lull, to do some introspection and see where you might have undershot expectations, and more importantly, where you might make some fundamental changes that could seriously impact your performance in 2019.

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.