Have you questioned what’s important to you during the last few months? I know I have.
Lockdown presented time and space to allow minds to ponder the things that didn’t feel quite right and wonder if and how we might make changes for the better.
Who’d heard of Zoom at the beginning of the year!
Although strange at first, for those of us not used to networking, meeting and delivering online, it didn’t take long to get to grips with a new way or working.
But, maybe this period of change has presented signs to you that something doesn’t feel quite right about your business.
Because of working from home all the time, you might have found yourself easily distracted, not concentrating on the task at hand.
Perhaps you’ve procrastinated over the smallest things, resulting in very little being achieved.
When everything seems like a chore and your energy is low, you start to wonder where the hell your business mojo has disappeared to.
What’s that all about?
How do you identify what’s not quite right with your business?
I’d like to suggest three areas to think about that might help you put your finger on the problem.
- All about you
- All about your offer
- All about the money
All about YOU
I’ve already mentioned how YOU might be feeling:
- Easily distracted
- Lack of concentration
- Procrastinating
- Everything feels like a chore
- Lack of energy
When really you should be feeling:
- Excited by the day ahead
- Loving what you do so much that it doesn’t feel like work
All about your offer
When something’s not quite right about the services you provide:
- You’re not getting the number of enquiries you need and hope they don’t dry up altogether
- You’re finding it hard to articulate what you do
- Marketing frustrates you and selling is not your ‘cup of tea’
- Find yourself saying ‘yes’ to work that doesn’t really excite you
- …which means you’re not giving it your all and doing yourself an injustice
When really you should be feeling:
- Thrilled because your services, packages or programmes are selling themselves
- Proud of the value you are delivering and the results you’re getting for your clients
All about the money
When the money’s not rolling in:
- Your bank balance is going in the wrong direction
- You’re giving too much away for free
- Choosing the wrong projects that are less well paid
- … which usually means nightmare clients and you end up doing more for less
- You don’t want to look for a ‘proper job’. No way!
When really you should be:
- Being paid handsomely and fairly for doing a great job
- Celebrating the upward trajectory of the bank balance
Something’s out of alignment
To get your business moving forward and enjoying the success that is rightfully yours, all three areas mentioned need to work in harmony.
Perhaps you’ve noticed that one or two of them are not as sparky as they should be!
Here are some ideas to help you regain alignment and get your business buzzing again.
All about LOVING what you do
Look back at your past clients and list the top 20% that you enjoyed working with.
Read their testimonials and remind yourself how wonderful that felt.
Think about how you helped them. What area of your expertise and skills did you draw on?
What past experiences did you share with them that added a unique dimension to how you helped them?
What was the one specific problem that you helped them overcome?
What transformation did you help bring about that allowed them to elevate themselves or their business to the next level?
In addition, there may be other skills, interests and passions that you have that could be introduced into your working life. What might these be?
The answers to these questions, will help you identify what brings you great joy and huge satisfaction into your working day.
All about the VALUE you deliver
Now thinking about the same clients you loved working with, next identify the value you delivered.
What were the outcomes they gained?
What were the results you delivered?
What can they do now that they couldn’t do before? What difference has that made to their life, both personal and professional? How has this improved their finances?
What issues have you helped them leave behind or shed for good? How has that improved their personal relationships, health and ability to enjoy life?
Thinking about these very satisfied clients, what did your service consist of? Break it down into its elements including the things you did behind the scenes that your client wasn’t aware of.
You are probably providing extra value that you take for granted. You don’t mention it (or get paid for it) and your competitors aren’t doing it.
Don’t keep these gems a secret! They make choosing you a no brainer.
Having reviewed the stages or elements of your service, could you create a package or programme? This converts an intangible service into a tangible offer. It makes it easier for prospects to understand what they’re getting and the decision to purchase far easier.
Creating a signature programme differentiates you from the competition. It allows you to stand out, because no one else does it like you. This also makes it difficult to be compared to others.
All about the MONEY in your bank
Having identified characteristics of the ideal clients you really love working with and how your specialist service delivers huge value, you’re well on the way to identifying your niche.
As you become well known for your specialism and command your corner of your niche, so you can start to increase your prices. The value and results speak for themselves and price no longer becomes an objection.
In any case, no more discounting and no more giving time away for free (unless it’s for a worthy cause and aligned with you or your business and doesn’t take you away from moving your bank balance in the right direction).
When all three areas are aligned:
- You love what you do
- You resolve a specific problem, delivering huge value
- Your income reflects the value
You have the formula for success.
If this has got you thinking about gaining alignment in your business, it’s an important step in marketing planning and is covered in the Marketing – ACTION – PROFITS, 6 months online programme. Take a look and see if you’d like to take that journey with me. Have a questions? Then email me or call me on 07565 382803.
To your success.
