I often turn to freelancers or entrepreneurs who have invested everything in their business. When I say “everything” I am not only talking about money but also about time, energy, confidence, enthusiasm and many other things that, although intangible, are really important for a business to grow. Still, things don't work.
They have already tried everything (or at least that's what they suppose) and they can't find the way out to turn this situation around. They live dealing with some of these situations:
- Clients who do not meet their payment commitments Clients who are not willing to increase their rates If they want to have higher income, they must then work more and more hours to serve more clients If they want to serve more clients, they must look for more prospects (and with them, more and more rejections come)
Do you feel identified with these situations? If you live surrounded by these problems, you have exhausted your list of contacts, clients, acquaintances whom you have called without any result, if the "cold" calls are not working and you are tired of knocking on doors to let you sell what you have, I think it's time to make a change in your business.
3 steps to transform a business that doesn't work
Step 1 - Where do you want to go with your business?
One of the fundamental mistakes that an entrepreneur or owner of his own business can make is not knowing exactly what direction he wants to give his business. I usually like to use this vacation metaphor, because it is very clear and you will feel identified with it. So, if you are planning your next vacation, one of the first decisions you will make will be where you will go. Perhaps you may think that the place does not matter as much as what you will do there (for example, resting, disconnecting, spending time with the family, enjoying adventure tourism, etc.). In any case, you have a very specific objective that helps you decide all the rest of what you need for your vacation.
Exactly the same thing happens in your business. What you need is to know where you want to go, what type of business you want to have, what type of clients you will serve, what expectations you have for your business, etc. Defining all of this will help you set the course for your business and will also help you visualize inconsistencies when you have to make decisions.
Step 2 - Choose the right vehicle to reach your destination
Continuing with the vacation metaphor, it is clear that if you want to take a transatlantic trip, it is difficult for you to use your own car. In the same way, if you want to position yourself as an international expert and have a successful business selling your professional services, you cannot have a fan page (facebook company page) as the only promotion on the internet.
Understand me well, having a fan page is an excellent strategy and in fact, I recommend it to almost all my clients. But if you know exactly what to expect from her. Putting the wrong expectations in the wrong vehicle is like buying some beautiful running shoes, and going to the snow with them. If later you can't even take a step with them, it won't be the fault of the shoes, or the person who sold you the shoes, it's not even your fault because you couldn't make the shoes work. The problem is the wrong vehicle.
Step 3 - Ask for help and find an expert to guide you where you want to go
In a society in which it seems that we all have to be super powerful to be successful (and especially the women who hang the “wonder woman” poster and we have to do everything and fantastically well, the house, the children, the work, the social relations, the gym), it may seem that it is not well seen to ask for help. I believe the opposite, and I believe that this is precisely the basis not only of your own success but also that we are a professionally more expert community.
For example, how much time do you spend trying to meet your tax obligations? Do you know that you can hire someone to save money and pay taxes correctly? One of my clients is a business lawyer and is dedicated to helping small business owners and business owners save money (and certainly time and energy!) To better manage the tax and tax side of their business.
Another example, how much does it cost you not to know how to correctly advertise your services? How much money do you spend on advertising that you do not know if it was really effective or not? One of my clients is an advertiser and helps entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs find the right measure and the right way to make their advertising effective and profitable.
What could you achieve with the help of these types of professionals that you cannot achieve alone? And what could you achieve with my help, for example, if I offered to guide you so that your business finally takes off and stops dealing with clients who do not appreciate you, who do not pay your fees or who do not answer your calls? How would it be for you to accelerate your results and finally get out of the stagnation you are in?
