I get a daily newsletter from gaping void that shows Hugh Macleod’s cartoons. I think that they’re fun and often thought-provoking.
Today’s cartoon, entitled Successful grabbed me enough to go to the site and peak around. (Further testament that email marketing and sending newsletters works!)
While I was there I ran across this article: random thoughts on being an entrepreneur
I think everyone starting a business should print this out and refer to it at least once a week. It can help you get through the rough times and inspire you to keep going.
Some of these may not apply to you, but I would bet that at least half will. Perhaps you don’t have a product yet, you just coach one-on-one. You need a product, too! Find a way to make money while you’re not working directly with a client.
Follow this instruction! 15. Write the following on a piece of paper, have it framed, and stick it on your office wall: “Have you hugged your customer today?”
Be in contact with your clients outside of your normal schedule. Send a hand-written note for a birthday or holiday. Make a drop-in call that they didn’t request and create a deeper connection, or maybe send them a resource for something other than what you’re working on. (You know them enough to know what’s valuable to them.)
22. One successful entrepreneur I know well has a wonderful quality, namely that he never, ever compares himself to other people. He just does his own thing, which actually serves him rather well.
Sure, there are others with more clients, making more money, working from the beach… So what? You do the best you can for the people that you work with. That is all.
I’ve talked to many business folks that seem to understand this principle in many areas of their lives. They don’t compare themselves to their friends, to their own past career, or their contacts in other businesses. But in their business, somehow it sneaks in!
We surf the net and talk to others and that insidious little voice points out how much better those others are doing. How much money they’re making, how many products they’re selling, and look at all those nice testimonials!
They’re not better than you and it doesn’t matter anyway. Be great with the people that you serve and you will be as successful as anyone.
You are an entrepreneur and you’re running a business. If you’re not running it like a business, then you won’t be one of those “golden” 6&7-figure entrepreneurs. Get contracts, a business plan, marketing and financial plans. Get a coach!
I know you just want to get to the good stuff; working with people. But, if you skip the business parts, then you’ll have less opportunity to do so.
Read Hugh’s article and get back to me and tell me what the impact is on you. Thanks!
I think "be great with the people that you serve and you will be as successful as anyone" is second only to "I'm such a great coach, I simply rely on client attraction" in terms of limited thinking when it comes to building a real business as a coach in 2010!
Maybe that's why the majority of coaches make less than $30,000 a year (Stephen Fairly 2008)
Thanks for coming by and posting. I appreciate the dialogue.
Of course, you won't be a complete success JUST by being great with people. That was not my intended meaning. The main point of the post is that you definitely need to focus on marketing and running the business as a business.
AND… if you're not great with you people, as a person and as a coach, then you definitely won't succeed either.
It's a shame that most coaches don't earn what they could. And it's my experience it is because of just that thing that we're both pointing at. They don't do everything necessary to run a business. Most coaches just want to get to the coaching and hope all the rest just works out.
Cheers!
Toby
And…
The Law of Attraction mistake is that if you wish for it hard enough, it will just happen. I believe that the Law is merely a focusing of intention. And when you're focused on your goal, you do the things you need to do to get it. There is no magic in it.
Choose your target, be positive, go get it. Sadly, too many just do the first two and hope it will appear.
You gotta do the work, people!
(And change your perspective so that it's not a horrible thing that stops you. It's just some steps you have to take on the way to your success.)
Cheers!
Toby
Hi Toby. I agree with you whole-heartedly. I think the biggest problem is that Coaches are by nature people-lovers and tend to focus on that. The issue as you so rightly put it, is the balancing act between being good with people and being good in business.
We found that this is best if you know what your strengths and weaknesses are and associate with people that can compliment your weaknesses! Most of the time, both parties will benefit more by working together than working against each other.
Cheers!
Andries
Thanks, Andries!
Almost always, "both parties will benefit more by working together than working against each other"!
What really stops some coaches is that they play the whole business game by themselves and their weak parts become an impediment.
if you don't want to do accounting, get someone that can! Just letting it side will be your downfall.
Cheers!
Toby