Jill of Virtual Assistants

Small Steps for Big Success

"If you think you’re too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito." – Anita Roddick

When it comes right down to it, there are only a few variables in business that dictate whether you are financially successful or not. The same goes with marketing.

@SherriGarrity is a genius not just in marketing but really understanding business and the many challenges and limitations you will encounter on the very exciting journey of run a successful business. The questions she asks are real and many times you will find yourself agreeing with quite a few of the answers. I hope you will enjoy this article as much as I always do and sign up to her blog as you will really gain valuable information, hints & tips from an expert in her field!

After getting to know hundreds of small business owners over the last few years, I’m convinced that one of the biggest obstacles we face is psychological…and that is our perspective on where we fit.

You may have heard the term limiting belief. It is tossed around like confetti these days, and generally means when your mind trips you up from taking the steps that are good for you based on a pattern of unhelpful thinking.

Of course, you might not recognize when your beliefs are limiting you, or be able to distinguish between a limiting belief, and a fact.

Here are some examples of unhelpful thinking I encounter with business owners all the time, particularly when they are new to business, or when they are second-guessing a business they’ve run and are considering if it’s time to do something new.

Mindset Trap #1: You have to appear big to be credible.
This is the tricky demon that causes us to use "we" instead of "I" or makes our business sound like a conglomerate instead of a one-person shop run from the home. One person I know even uses a false email in the name of an imaginary assistant. Trying to appear bigger undermines the single-focus, highly personal commitment to customer service and personal attention that is the advantage of a very small business.

Mindset Trap #2: You have to have a huge following.
Especially if you market your business online, you will be brainwashed into thinking that "the money is in the list." Yes, the money is in the list. But it’s what you do with "the list" that matters. It is far better to have a small list of devoted followers out there purchasing and recommending your services that 10,000 who mostly don’t open your email and can’t recall how they got on your list in the first place. And guess what? Internet and email marketing is only a tool. It’s not the business. In fact, you can still build a profitable business in 2010 without it. Really!

Mindset Trap #3: You have to Be Everything to your clients and prospects.
This is a biggie. Many of us assume we have to anticipate our clients’ every need and provide a comprehensive range of services for each one. We promote a laundry list of services and promise to throw everything in but the kitchen sink. What your ideal client wants from you is to solve that one burning problem that only you can solve. You might have a few choices that suit the various needs of a client, but it should be crystal clear what each choice is for. Most importantly, these choices need to make sense to your client, not to you.

Mindset Trap #4: You have to Be Somebody like Everybody Else.
A marketing colleague said this very succinctly. Instead of describing yourself as "I am a (insert – generally some bland, generic title like consultant or coach)" your goal is to be "I am the (insert – the person who solves X problem by doing Y so that people experience Z)". So often we worry so much about what "everyone else" in our industry is doing that we fail to focus on what we do that is truly unique. I am a firm believer that choosing your market, determining your services and marketing to your people is the way to achieve business nirvana – or as Barbara Winter calls it – creating a natural monopoly.

Mindset Trap #5: You have to do more to get more.
Once again, simplicity is key. The more pinpointed and focused your business and your marketing is, the more effective you will be. Having a very simple plan, and concentrating your efforts on those ideal clients and attracting more of them will take you further than a expending a bunch of frenetic energy. And remembering that it’s the tiniest of steps that you take each day that get you to your destination. Far too often, we expect quantum leaps and lament that we’re not getting anywhere, when the momentum is truly in the minutiae.

--------

Sherri Garrity is the Chief Corporate Fugitive and creator of the Five Keys Success System™ for ex-corporate employees and aspiring entrepreneurs who want to break free from the confines of their corporate experience and unlock their business potential for greater personal freedom and prosperity. The Corporate Fugitive system demystifies the business of setting up, managing, marketing and growing a successful entrepreneurial adventure. Visit www.corporatefugitive.com for free tips on how to unlock the business in you.