Being an expert simply means knowing more than most, and you’d be surprised at how little is actually involved in knowing more than most on any given subject. That’s why I don’t have to wonder, I know you’re an expert in your field. If you have all the supplies you need, know all the verbiage of the trade, and hone your skills every single day, your expertise matches the best in your field.
While I don’t doubt you’re an expert, I definitely question whether you treat yourself as the professional you’ve become, manage your business for optimal performance, and market your offer for maximum sales.
Let me ask you a question:
Are you—
- treating the business …
- marketing yourself …
- presenting your talents …
- respecting your skill set …
- nurturing your energy …
- commanding attention …
—as the expert that you are?
I liken my business to a doctor’s practice. Imagine an experienced physician—studied, trained, and skilled—answering her own phones, recording new patient information, monitoring each person’s blood pressure and temperature, taking her own notes and records, and doing the billing at the end of each appointment.
Would you respect her expertise more or less for it?
I treat my expertise with the utmost respect—as much respect as any good physician would treat her practice. I wouldn’t take an uninvited phone call during my workday any sooner than a doctor would answer her cell phone during patient rounds. I don’t do administration or household tasks that I can outsource. I surround myself with a supportive staff that are the best at what they do, so I can focus all of my energy on my top-rate talents.
Have you built your online presence around your expertise? Does your business afford you the time to do what it is you do best? Does your business enable you to rise above the static—the noise and empty distractions created by the less qualified competition in your industry?
Marketing Mindset
The following is an excerpt from my upcoming book, Marketing Playbook: How to Scale Your Online Business to Outrageous Success (April 4). Marketing is everything that involves the customer. It’s definition should be, “the act or instance of doing business.” Because if a thriving business is what you want to have, then marketing is what you need to do. Simply put, if your business isn’t exceeding your expectations, then marketing is the missing link.
The truth about online business is that it’s all a numbers game. Once you have a successful platform built, you can scale it however you like. If you make 1 sale, that’s a clear sign you can easily make 100 sales. If you make 100 sales, you can confidently project 1,000 in the coming future!
But if you’re not making sales or you’re unsure how to scale your business, you first need to know how to reliably and consistently find new customers, and then you need a system in place that helps new customers continue to find you.
Striving Versus Thriving
Now, when you think about all of the businesses online—the good, the bad, and the ugly—notice that they each fall into one of two categories:
Type 1: People that constantly struggle to get traffic, make sales, and profit online. If they do find a customer, it’s almost always the worst situation imaginable. The customer wants to barter, trade, get a discount, request a custom order (and never come back to actually pay for it), get a refund, and oh yeah, their package got lost in the mail.
Type 2: People whose products or services are flying off the virtual shelves. These people seem to have a raving crowd of fans at the ready and eager to buy. They mention a product on Instagram, and within minutes, it’s sold out! Customers are raving and showing off their purchases (thereby creating even more insatiable desire for the product).
Next, let’s imagine how both of these business owners feel about their clients/customers, and let’s be really honest with this exercise. I’m going to have you play the role for both parts.
Type 1: The Business that Constantly Struggles
You put your product online for sale, but you don’t trust your customer will find it, understand it, or be able to afford it. You’ve tried marketing, but nobody’s listening, so what’s the use?
You add more options and customizations, just in case it will add that “something special” your visitor hasn’t been able to find anywhere else.
If a customer inquires about a purchase, or actually makes one, you talk a lot. You send a lot of messages and extra confirmations. You’re secretly afraid they’ll change their mind or they won’t like the purchase. You don’t want a negative review, and you definitely can’t afford to send a refund. Your business needs every sale it can get!
(By the way, I have a successful business, and I can relate to almost every line I wrote above. I’ve felt all of it, at one time or another over the years. I don’t know an online entrepreneur who hasn’t experienced the same fears and doubts.)
Type 2: The Business that Constantly Thrives
You put your product online for sale, and you just know it’s going to be a huge hit. You set a (too big to admit out loud) sales goal and exceed that insanely glorious figure! When you share or post online, your message is received with warmth and excitement.
You trust your instincts, and that allows you to keep your operation simple. Customers are raving, referrals are pouring in, and people are proud to do business with you!
You know your ideal customer so well that it has allowed you to create a system that surprises and delights them time and time again. You tested the system; you can trust it to eliminate customer confusion and unnecessary conversations.
What Makes the Difference?
Sales always involve two parties: the seller and the buyer. That’s you and who’s ever on the other end of your sale, preferably your ideal customer.
That makes every angle of the sale dual-sided, and I love to shed light on both. You’ll have hesitations about making the ask. They’ll have hesitations about making the purchase. You’re waiting for them to show interest and find you online. They’re waiting for something, anything to interest them online. You’re afraid they won’t buy. They’re unsure about buying from you.
Today, we’ll need to explore both sides starting right here.
Treat Them Like They’re Rich
Sue Bryce is a photographer that teaches a mix of photography and business for CreativeLive. I love her. In a recent class, she discussed the attitude we bring to sales, value, and pricing.
To paraphrase her beautiful talk, she told a story about what it’s like to walk into a boutique where the sales clerk looks at you like you can’t afford the product versus what it’s like to walk into a boutique where the sales clerk treats you like you’re a very important person, or as my children say, “VIP – Very Important Peanuts.”
Think about how differently those two situations make you feel. One boutique scenario leaves you feeling utterly dejected, while the other leaves you feeling absolutely rich.
Next, let’s look back on our two types of business owners. This is so important: Which person trusts their customer? The one that sells, of course!
Which person is unknowingly rejecting their customer? The one that struggles, obviously. Therefore, never secretly worry that your customer can’t afford your product! Don’t do that!
Treat them like they’re rich. People are drawn to and want to purchase from business owners that trust them. Your customers are important and their time is valuable. Respect them as such to attract more of them to your business.
That’s how you fix their side of the equation. Next, let’s talk about you.
Starving Artist Versus Hungry Entrepreneur
Lately, I’ve been fixated on the mindset gap between a starving artist and a hungry entrepreneur. Let’s compare.
The starving artist mentality is one of sacrifice and suffering. They’re more likely starved mentally and spiritually rather than physically, unable to feed an insatiable craving for validation. They exist in a state of helpless desperation, too rejection-weary to persist. Starving artists convince themselves that success means selling out, but this is simply a justification used to excuse their lack of business-building efforts.
The hungry entrepreneur mentality is one of opportunity and determination. This is a person on the hunt for their next win. Starved for nothing, they seek a personal vision of success and take complete responsibility for its realization. Hungry entrepreneurs are on the build, primed for their next chance to create the results they desire.
See the difference?
Now, let me give you the choice. Which personality above do you want to buy from? The hungry entrepreneur, of course! You aren’t going to shop a weary excuse of an offer. You’re not attracted to needy desperation. You don’t want to give your money with an added tip of reassurance and validation. Nobody chooses to be drained by emotional vampires!
More importantly, which personality are you going to choose to be?
The starving artist mentality is the path of least resistance. It’s easy to make excuses and justifications for why you’re not achieving your desired results. Anyone can want and not change. Anyone can name their weakness and excuse it as incompetence. Most people do!
If you’re going to be a hungry entrepreneur, you have to be responsible for your results 100% of the time. Tony Robbins says, “If you want to take the island, you have to burn the boats.” Start showcasing your strengths and stop babying your weaknesses. When you avoid your pain points it only serves to prolong them.
I don’t care who you are, human beings are attracted to leaders and winners. They’re drawn to true performers who are willing to take the stage. In order for people to receive your business with warmth and excitement, you must believe in its success and your abilities long before you ask for a sale.
Marketing Playbook
This is just a *glimpse* of what’s inside Marketing Playbook: How to Scale Your Business to Outrageous Success. It’s the most comprehensive and most affordable training I’ve ever packaged, and I’m so excited to see the results YOU create with it.
>> Click here to learn more about Marketing Playbook <<<
Here’s to your most profitable year yet xx
Hi Lisa,
I love the analogy you use comparing your business to that of a doctor. I’m really giving this some thought and implement a doctor’s mentality into my business — constantly learning — adheres to a schedule — truly listen’s to their patients (customers) — good bedside manner (friendly and show my personality) — trusts his team and so forth.
Looking forward to your book!
Nancy