By Andrea J. Lee
I don’t know if you’ve heard the saying, but I’m starting to see rock-hard evidence of it all over:
“When a market matures (e.g. the online business market), it becomes easier and easier for the already successful to keep succeeding… While it becomes harder for those just starting out to gain their footing.”
Wherever you are in the life cycle of building your business, the time is now to lean into your strengths and resources, making the most of your momentum.
As we prepare for what promises to be an unprecedented 2013, I urge you to consider whether the following things are right for you:
In crowded, uncertain conditions where pricing, value, context, and the economy are in flux, here are a few things that are working, that any entrepreneur can add or do more of:
Show, don’t tell.
When words can be diluted or co-opted by anyone to represent anything (just think of the spectrum of meaning of one word such as ‘expert’ in 2012 versus 1970) the value of demonstration to build trust with customers? Priceless.
There are lots of ways this can be achieved, inexpensively if desired. Allow me to show you just one example here. http://businessasunusualbreakthrough.com
Advanced tip: Expand your vocabulary and use it purposefully. Even as we master showing versus telling, learning to tell better is still a worthy and profitable goal.
Don’t always be in a rush.
If you’ve been wishing (more) clients would find you more regularly, notice what you know about a suitor courting a particularly shy or distant maiden. When the initial flurry of flowers and poetry fails, settling in for the long haul is what works.
Is it one rose a day with words of love, over the course of a year, or equivalent?
What have you done in your life that has taken the longest time? (Raised a child, nursed a loved one, created a new habit, etc?) What’s made it worth it and in what way are you already really good at this in a way that translates to your business?
How might it be possible to settle into the ‘don’t rush’ business-building groove, instead of rush rush rushing and getting fast-food results?
Advanced tip: Join me at one of the ‘Business as Unusual Breakthrough’ workshops for a longer and deeper discussion of this and other things that are working extraordinarily well, as well as things that are definitely NOT working, PLUS what to expect in 2013, in your business. http://businessasunusualbreakthrough.com
The workshop is available only as my gift, with a refundable $97 deposit that reserves your seat.
Above all else, learn to repeat what’s worked for you, no matter how tiny or large.
If you will do this one thing, you will discover for yourself how it’s working really, really well. Lean into what you’ve already successfully done, and do it better, with fewer resources. Be nimble AND stay the course.
This is one of the most overlooked, underrated, and proven roads to steadily greater income and pride for a business owner creating a leading edge enterprise.
And please, a personal plea: do not lose heart.
Or rather, when your step falters, take heart. We all have those days.
Having chosen to build the slower, lasting businesses I’m proud to leave behind when the time comes, I know the loneliness, the pathos, the tender, bittersweet compromises, and the exalted moments of client breakthrough.
There is a way through to the success you seek… and if the things you’ve been doing haven’t been working in a way you’re happy with? May I suggest you try the unbeaten path.
Business as unusual is a continually morphing thing, and I’m humbled to be on the exploratory, evolutionary and exciting path with you.
One final note: I’ll be in Los Angeles, Dallas and New York City in less than 2 weeks, the better to show, not tell, go slowly, and teach the most current AHAs I’m sourcing from private coaching this season. The workshop is half a day, and will cover more of ‘what’s working, what’s not working and what to expect’ for YOUR business as unusual.
Click here to reserve one of the seats. http://businessasunusualbreakthrough.com