When you work out your Thing, it’s very tempting to then run at 100 miles an hour and try and get everything done at once. You want the website, the Facebook followers, the big list, the speaking gigs, the PR, the online programme–the lot. But what you might spot missing from that list is clients (and therefore cash).
If you’re starting out, the FIRST thing you want to do is get paid. Because this is a business you’ve started and the point of a business is to make a profit (I know–it’s not just about the social media faffing and photoshoots!). You need to start selling. And while it’s helpful to have some of the ‘other things’ (the list, the speaking gigs, the shiny new website), you don’t need them. You can sell without any props...
Having said that, you need to be pretty confident to sell without any back-up or collateral, so get something simple that props you up. I get my clients to produce a simple PDF when they’re starting out that spells out their Thing, shares how it works, what the results are, is nicely designed and includes any social proof (testimonials) they have. This provides a nice all-in-one piece they can send, email, print out and share, and helps them stick to their message when having sales conversations.
Because that’s the other thing you’ll need to get good at–selling. Yes, you’ll want to master marketing, know how social media works, understand that having systems in your business makes it work better, etc. but first and foremost you need to be able to sell. If you do nothing else–get good at selling (it’s a lot easier to outsource everything else if you need to and if you can sell, you’ll be able to pay for that!).
Get clear on your Thing, get a simple prop that explains it (a nicely designed PDF is more than enough), then start having conversations. This way, you’re far more likely to make a success of your business than you will running fast to make it all ‘look good’.
Want to talk more about this?
I know what my Thing is but I’m still not sure how to generate an income from it.
This is a timely post as I have a list that I thought I needed to race through!
Making money from your Thing is the easy part… we probably need to talk. But one thing I will say is sometimes it’s simply a case of asking to be paid…
Brilliant yet simple advice. So true!
Yes sometimes simplicity can be the last thing we think of :)
Great post Lucy learnt this the hard way! Do you have any tips for getting good at selling?
Yes I do! To start, the best advice is to not think of it as ‘selling to’ – but instead ‘allowing people to buy’ (if it’s right for them) instead. This seemingly subtle shift means you’re not always ‘trying to sell’ but, instead, having structured conversations to see if what you have is right for who you are talking to. If it is right, then definitely say so (and if it’s not, say so too). Make sure you ask for the sale if you know what you have will help, and you’ll know that if you’ve listened to what the problem is enough in the conversation and can reflect back the points the person you’re talking to just made. Sometimes you do have to be direct, but if it’s from a place of service then that’s not selling, it’s being helpful :)