Season 6 – epiBLOG 10:
As part of the human experience, we create excuses that we oftentimes phrase as “reasons” why something isn’t working. As an entrepreneur, you can’t afford to create reasons why you are or aren’t taking actions that directly support your business. How often do we ignore bookkeeping because it feels too overwhelming or we feel we just aren’t good at math? How often do we get caught up in planning and setting goals without actually taking action on those plans in order to reach the targets we’ve set?
Today’s topic is on eliminating excuses that stop you from growing your business.
THE PLANNER
This type of entrepreneur looks really good on the outside. He or she looks like they have it all together because they’re organized. They are creating a website. They know the greatest funnel and social media tools available. They are “thinking” about getting clients, but aren’t actually going out to get them.
Planning and setting goals is an important part of any business. It provides tangible direction that allows you to take tangible steps. You do want to set annual goals, break them down into monthly, weekly, and daily goals in order to support the overall big goals for the year. And sometimes you need to regroup and reset a goal.
For those of us who love goal setting and creating elaborate plans, we can get stuck in this phase of our business without actually taking action that allows us to grow.
Your problem: You want to increase your revenue.
Your solution: Buy calendars, planners, and download planning and organizing PDFs. Brainstorm several potential goals that you would like to achieve. Get excited. Create a plan to achieve these goals, and then spend countless weeks, if not months, revising the plan, resetting goals that you feel are more realistic. Create a website. Create a logo. Create business cards. Read self-help books.
The issue: You’re in a constant state of “getting ready” and not doing anything that directly leads to you securing clients. Clients are the ones who financially support your business so that you can actually be in business. Don’t get me wrong. Please plan, set goals, build your website (or have someone build your website if you don’t know what you’re doing), hire a graphic designer to create your logo, order business cards, and read every self-help book you can get your hands on, but not in lieu of actions that can directly lead to you bringing in income.
Advice: Take a step back from pages upon pages of notes. Look at what you’re wanting (your goal), create a simple plan to reach that goal by being able to take tangible actions immediately, and take the actions immediately. Your actions should directly line up with getting you to the goal that you want to achieve right now.
THE PROCRASITNATOR
Everyone knows what a procrastinator is; someone who avoids the work that they know they have to do. These types of people don’t make the best entrepreneurs, as business owners have to take initiative to create opportunities for themselves. If you find yourself drawn to business, but battling procrastination, look inwardly to figure out the reasons behind why you procrastinate. Once the real reasons are eliminated, you should be able to move forward without these obstacles holding you back.
Your problem: You want the fancy lifestyle that other successful entrepreneurs have.
Your solution: Hang out with people who you believe to be successful. Watch movies with successful entrepreneurs as the main characters. Get excited about other people’s success.
The issue: You’re not doing anything to get the lifestyle that you want. You haven’t established your target demographic. You haven’t compiled your lists and created an efficient funnel to close qualified clients. You’re not actually building your business. You’re simply saying you’re in business when your actions say just the opposite.
Advice: Set a goal that coincides with the dreams that you have for the life that you seek. Create plans and take immediate action while you’re building your business one component at a time. Networking and building relationships with your potential clients is one of the most important priorities while you’re growing your business. You’re not going to have everything in perfect order – ever – but especially not when you’re first starting. You just tackle one task at a time while you’re building professional relationships. Don’t procrastinate; instead be proactive.
THE BIG PICTURE GUY
This type of guy… or gal loves to shake hands, rub elbows, and “kiss babies.” They are all about connecting with people and making things happen. While they’re doing this, they end up forgetting about all of the details, like creating an LLC, setting up a business bank account, or creating an efficient funnel for business contacts.
Your problem: You don’t keep track of all of the details in your business, like bookkeeping, marketing, and organizing client portfolios.
Your solution: Ignore these issues and continue to build relationships with potential clients because connecting with people is what you enjoy most about being in business for yourself.
The issue: You have no idea where your business stands. Because you don’t set goals, don’t keep track of projects and how long they take to complete, you have no way of measuring what’s working and what’s not working in order to be successful and effective as an entrepreneur.
Advice: If the details of business are things that you’re having trouble with, hire the people that you can trust to take care of the details for you. Hire an accountant. Hire a bookkeeper. Hire a graphic designer to do your logo and business cards. It doesn’t have to be done all at once, as I know these expenses can add up. If a tight budget is also part of your issue, then find people who you can barter/trade services and products with. But I caution you, if you decide to do something in trade, there should be a contractual agreement in place for what this trade agreement looks like so that no one feels taken advantage of. Figure out how to handle the details that you can somewhat tolerate in your business, and pull on the strengths of others to help you maneuver through the rest.
Today’s LESSON is to acknowledge your weaknesses, and look for solutions in order to move forward.
FUN ASSIGNMENT: For the Planner, take an action step this week that can directly lead to you closing at least one potential client. For the Procrastinator, set realistic goals, a simple plan to achieve them, and take one action step this week that moves you forward with that plan. For the Big Picture Guy, buy a notebook or download an app, and make a list of all of your existing clients and the projects that you completed for them. You need to see what your business looks like.
Nitara Osbourne owns The Infinite Writer Agency, LLC, which provides content to producers, publishers, and entrepreneurs seeking help with developing their life stories into nonfiction books and movie scripts. Ghostwriting and blogging services are provided for clients as well. If you’re an accomplished entrepreneur, and are looking to tell your story, contact Nitara Osbourne. InfiniteWriterAgency@gmail.com.
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