The 5 W’s to Getting Out of Your Own Way!

I often refer to marketing and sales as ‘the dating game’ for entrepreneurs. For those of you who are actively in the dating scene, you’ll understand what I mean by that. The rest of you – well, I’m sure you can remember what dating was all about as you keep reading. One of the challenges I often hear entrepreneurs speak about is where and how to find ideal clients. I recognize that this is a major problem for many – I also see that most entrepreneurs make this much more complicated than it needs to be. Let me simplify this for you by breaking it down to the 5 w’s in what I call the ‘entrepreneurial order of things’: 1) WHY. The ‘why’ must always come first. Why are you in business? Why do you do what you do? Once you get clear on this answer, moving forward is easy. Also, once you identify your WHY, it’s easier to get out of bed on ‘those’ days – you know the ones I mean! The life of an entrepreneur is not always a bed of roses. It can be hard. People will let you down. People will lie to you. People will disappoint you. Only when you are very clear and committed to your WHY, will it be easier to get up and do what you do each and every day. Get out of your own way by sitting down today – right now – and get clear on your WHY. 2) WHO. Who do you serve? I’ve heard so many entrepreneurs telling me that they serve everyone. That’s crazy talk. There’s no way you can serve everyone. First of all, not everyone needs what you have to offer. Secondly, it is impossible to focus and target in on a market with your messaging. You’ll be all over the place. Get clear on your target market – your niche – who needs you most. Start there and grow your business. Get out of your own way by identifying your specific target market: age, gender, demographic, what books they read, where they shop, what they read, what’s in their purse (!!), what movies they attend, what pain points they have. Make a list of 100 people who you know you can serve – and do that today. Reach out to them. Ask for the sale. 3) WHAT. That’s when the WHAT comes into play. What are you about? What solution do you provide? What transformation do you offer? The competition is stiff out there in the jungle of the business world. We are inundated with information, commercials, advertisements and so much more. It’s all at our fingertips - All.The.Time. Get clear on your messaging. Keep it simple. Keep it focused. Watch the difference. A confused mind will not buy. Get out of your own way by reviewing the pain points of your ideal audience: where are they hurting, what are they looking for specifically when it comes to change/growth/development/transformation? It’s not about YOU – it’s about them. What do they need and want? 4) WHERE. I’ll take a bit of a different approach here in that you can market anywhere, anytime to all anyone. Once you are clear on the points listed above, then, as a new entrepreneur, why not start right where you are. Look around you. Within a 10 mile radius, there are lots of opportunities to do business. You just haven’t looked under your own nose. Prospects are everywhere – and they have money. When you are clear about your Why, your What and your Who – then you will be able to market right where you are. Start there. Get out of your own way by listing 50 places where you can network and/or speak. Get out to these places. Connect with the organizers- find out if you can speak and make an offer. 5) WHEN. ALL. THE. TIME. That’s the answer to the question when do I market and/or advertise? All the time. You must be consistent in your marketing efforts. People have short memories. They will forget about you and your services in a nano-second. You want to be out and about, in person, at all the appropriate networking events. You want to have a presence on line too – especially while social media is free. The key to success is: CONSISTENCY! Both in person and on-line. Get out of your own way by creating a disciplined daily schedule and stick to it. Act like a business owner. Work in 15 or 30 minute segments. Ensure you start your day with a revenue-generating activity and stay focused. Be seen. Be consistent. Be professional. Have a clear message. Target your market. ASK FOR THE SALE. You, too, can have a thriving, successful, profitable business by following the 5 W’s of Growing Your Business and Getting Out of Your Own Way!