Welcome to part 2 in the series on building a predictably profitable business whether you want $2k/month, $5K/month or $10k+++/month or just add another ZERO to your income!
Last week I shared the #1 tool I use to help business owners decrease overwhelm & stay focused – GPS Business Growth Checklist.
Over the next few weeks, I’m going to share Path to Predictable Profits, a 4-part series including:
- What to focus on first for business success?
- The #1 mistake that business owners make that keeps them stuck
- Closing the leak in your strategy to get more clients
- My ‘go-to strategy’ for predictably profitable marketing
Now if you haven’t read the previous post, then I highly suggest you follow the link above to ensure you’ve laid a solid foundation for growing your business.
Statistically, 80% of new businesses are going to fail within the first few years… so how do you make sure that you’re going to beat the odds and be successful?
How do you ensure that your business is going to go through the start-up phase and move into the other stages where you’ll finally make consistent revenue?
F O C U S
It’s another one of those 5-letter words! But in this blog, I’m going to share how you can get more focused so you can achieve your business goals.
IT ALL COMES DOWN TO SIMPLIFYING YOUR BUSINESS STRATEGY.
Here are 3 areas you should simplify:
1. Are you FOCUSED on attracting your dream client?
If you’re in stages 1 or 2, you need to be 100% focused on attracting ONE dream client – the client who has ONE particular problem or challenge that you can solve.
I can almost hear you saying … ”But Diana, I can help so many people. I can solve so many problems!”
The truth is, and especially in this new online world, it becomes really tough to STAND OUT, for people to understand what you do, and if you’re the right person to help them, if it looks like you offer everything for everyone.
WHEN YOU OFFER EVERYTHING TO EVERYONE,
You offer nothing to anyone & you’re perceived as a master of none!
An example is my client Marie de Villers, a bookkeeper who specializes in helping small and medium incorporated businesses, especially retailers! When you land on her website, it’s VERY clear that if you’re an incorporated retailer looking for a bookkeeper – she’s your gal! She’s a specialist – and we know that specialists are well paid!
I encourage each of you to start your business with ONE dream client in mind knowing that this may evolve over time!
FOCUS 1. Who are you serving?
- 2. What problem can you solve for them?
2. Are you FOCUSED on one Compelling Core Offer?
Sometimes called a flagship or signature offer – a compelling core offer is the 2nd focus to help you create a predictably profitable business.
Too often coaches and consultants make the mistake of offering TOO MANY products, programs or services. They become the jack of all trades and master of none. As someone once said to me, if your website reads like a long menu at a restaurant with a ton of options, your prospect doesn’t know where to start!
And the 2nd part of that problem is that if you have multiple offers, you’ll have to market and sell MULTIPLE programs, products or services! This can take a significant amount of time, money and energy – things that are often in short supply for a business owner.
If you watch the successful entrepreneurs, you’ll notice that they launch and relaunch and relaunch the same program over and over again. They build their reputation on that ONE program, product or service.
As opposed to others who are constantly re-launching new programs and never seem to get known for anything except launching first drafts!
Getting great results is about mastery – it’s about committing to making your offering the best it can be, so your clients see the kind of results they really want.
I’ve been applying this strategy in my business for several years. I launched The Achiever’s Club in 2015 and every year it was re-launched and upgraded. When COVID hit, I made the decision that coaches and consultants weren’t ready to commit to a 6-month program, so I created Marketing Roadmap Intensive – and have re-launched it 4 times since April. It’s now just a rinse and repeat system – predictably profitable!
FOCUS What is your Core Compelling Offer that you’re going to double down on to grow in 2021?
3. Are you FOCUSED on ONE core marketing strategy?
Myth buster – more marketing isn’t the answer to more sales!
I know…. You keep seeing social media feeds telling you that you need to be doing Facebook lives; writing newsletters; flogging; and a list of multiple other types of marketing.
More marketing can quickly become a distraction.
When it comes to marketing consistency (and clarity) are key to your predictably profitable strategy. But to be consistent in something, we generally have to LIKE doing it. Do you like writing? Do you like speaking? If you do, then you’re more likely to be consistent because you like doing it.
Part of your Entrepreneurial DNA is understanding your ‘content style’ – this is how your dream clients relate best to you!
Now although my content style is speaking/live/video, I have to tell you I wasn’t always great at it – I had to develop this natural gift! Even though I wasn’t great at speaking, at my first live event, I knew people resonated with me from the feedback (and the sales)!
Doubling down on your natural gift, your content style, is one of the smartest moves you can make in your business. Pick ONE content style and primary marketing channel for your business – decide how you’re going to show up on that channel!!!
In my business, formerly I held live events (you might have even participated in a ‘SHIFT’ live event). However, since last March, I’m showing up live on my Facebook channel with a live (free) marketing workshop week and live weekly trainings in my Facebook Group .
FOCUS What one marketing strategy are you going to FOCUS on – and then let go of others that are a distraction?
Are you making any of these mistakes?
- Not focusing on ONE particular dream client.
- Not focusing on ONE particular Compelling Core Offer.
- Not focusing on ONE core marketing strategy.
If you’ve answered YES to any of those things, I want you to make a commitment.
Make a commitment that you’re going to get focused and stay focused on the next 6 to 12 months.
If you stay focused for the next 6 to 12 months, and you don’t see results, then chances are, there are some other foundational issues you need to address in your business model (return to Business Growth Checklist, Stage 1).
But we can’t troubleshoot any foundational issues; we can’t help you figure out if your messaging is off; or if your sales strategy isn’t converting for some reason if you can’t stay focused on these three things!
If you’ve loved this series, then I know you’ll love CEO PLANNING DAY (December 15) where I’ll teach you how to stay focused for the next 6-12 months so you can double down on these 3 crucial ‘focus’ elements!!!
Tune in next for the next in this 4 part series… Is There a Leak in Your Predictable Profitable Strategy?
YOU CAN DO THIS
Diana
PS You’re invited to spend a day working ON your business; to double down on the things that are working in your business; to create a flexible plan for serving more people! Treat yourself – you deserve it and so do your prospects. Register today for CEO PLANNING DAY and save $100 until November 30 using discount code SAVE100.
