Recently I was talking to my other half about taking some time out over the school holidays and we got onto the subject of hobbies. He has two main hobbies, Kayaking and a serious love of Fishing.
Although I most definitely DO NOT share his love of fishing, I was intrigued by his passion and game plan/tactics to attract the fish he wants to catch! He wants a certain species, size and weight and is very clear about where they are located and how he can attract them (with bait) onto his hook!
This got me thinking about fishing and the lesson we can take into our business;
Here goes… The internet is massive and I want you to think of it as an Ocean of Fish with the fish as your ideal clients. There are hundreds of species and colours in different shapes and sizes. They are NOT all your fish: you can’t market to a whole ocean of fish, so you REALLY need to be clear on which fish (ideal clients) you want to attract before you can market successfully to them online! In order to be really successful online you need to establish who your ideal client is, where they are hanging out and how you can connect with them.
Don’t try to market to everyone as you will attract no one – or even worse – the wrong kind on client! It’s is also OK to say no when a client is not right for you!
I’m a BIG “yes” person. Like most entrepreneurs, I take chances. I say yes to opportunities that push me out of my comfort zone and expose me to the possibility of failure or rejection. It’s not always easy, in fact it’s sometimes downright terrifying, but striding out into the scary unknown is how I got to where I am today, and it’s an approach that helps us small business owners to continue to develop and grow.
BUT … saying yes to everything can be a dangerous strategy…..it’s important to accept that saying no is OK too…when something’s not right for you!
I know from personal experience how hard this can be; turning business down doesn’t come naturally, and it’s tempting to take on board all the work you can get, especially in the early days. I definitely made mistakes in the early days investing inordinate amounts of time trying to satisfy clients with requirements that were unrealistic, never-ending and constantly changing.
Yes, it’s extremely competitive out there: business can be hard to come by, especially when you’re just getting established and, in today’s economic climate, there’s increasing pressure to cut prices and deliver more just to stay in the game. These factors make it tough to say “no thanks”, but you need to protect and nurture your business by only working with clients that are right for you!
The key to long-term success is having clients that value your services, respect who you are and are prepared to pay what you’re worth. Those who haggle, barter and complain about you, your prices or your services will not have a positive impact on your business.
It’s important to think about who your ideal client is: remember that you should respect them too.
Asking yourself the following questions when an offer or opportunity arises may help to clarify if the business is right for you:
- Do I share their business ethos?
- Do I see the unique value in their products or services?
- Do their values match mine?
- Do I feel comfortable and confident entering into business with them?
- Is this work right for me?
- Do I trust them?
- Do I WANT to do business with them?
- Is this opportunity in alignment with my overall business goals?
Sometimes, even when things look great on the surface, we experience an uneasiness, nagging doubts, or even just a lack of enthusiasm. These can all be valuable signs that this is not the right client or business opportunity for you. Listen to your intuition, do some research, ask around and think things through before giving an answer.
To have the time and energy to say yes to the most important things, i.e. the clients that will positively impact on your business, you have to say no to some things too!
You’ve worked hard for your business, so remember how valuable it is; consider how precious your time is and think carefully about how you want to invest your energy. Respect yourself and your business enough to say no to offers that won’t serve you well, and focus instead on the wonderful clients who will help you to shine, develop and grow in the best ways possible.
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