I simply can’t believe that in just a few days we will be starting a brand-new year! In today’s show, discuss setting your goals in motion for a successful new year.
“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.: –Walt Disney
There must have been something in the air a few weeks ago. Several of my clients and colleagues were feeling frustrated and overwhelmed. Each of them seemed to have clouded vision and questioned if any of their efforts were working. Some thought they should quit. After talking through their frustration and keeping consistent with their plan, their mindset and attitude began to change. Positive outcomes began to happen. And now, their outlook for the new year is much better.
Most of their frustration seemed to stem from things not happening fast enough to them. They weren’t getting as many new clients or selling as much as they wish they could.
One of the biggest things that people tell me is that they hate “selling.” I hate it too if you are talking about the perception of someone manipulating and pushing someone to buy something they don’t want, nor do they need. That’s not my style and not the style of most of the people I hang around with.
Allowing people to get to know you and building trust takes a great deal of planning, consistency, and implementing processes. When I’m approached to help others with their marketing, I’m good at chunking their things down. But when it comes to what I need to do for my business, I get overwhelmed. It’s natural to feel this way. That’s why it’s good to create systems to hold yourself accountable. I encourage my clients to create systems to hold themselves accountable. I do the same for myself.
We have great tools that are available to everyone. The tools are available to not just the big companies, but we as small business owners have the ability to affordably use technology and tools to scale our communication and connect with people like never before.
Through our websites, email, social media, and yes, old school follow-up with direct mail and phone calls, we all have the opportunity to serve and communicate with our customers on a personal level. But what I find when talking with my colleagues is that they are frustrated that business doesn’t come quick enough. They haven’t yet done the work to set in motion to build a platform to allow people to get to know them which will lead to strengthening relationships, which leads to referrals, which leads to increased business.
Many times, it’s a matter of them not knowing where to start. But even more practical of a problem is that they don’t know how to use the technology readily available to each of us.
The more I meet with people, I find myself helping those who are afraid of technology. For me, I just jump in and start poking buttons and learn new things. I love databases and visualize how they are put together and how different programs can talk to each other. I’ve been able to help many people through the bumps of their tech-phobia so they can make progress.
It’s time to help set goals in motion for the new year.
I’ve been working on the design and format of the Accomplish More Academy for quite some time now. It is designed for the entrepreneur that lets technology get in their way. They may say to themselves that they aren’t good with technology. They realize that whether they like it or not, that technology is here and there are ways that it can help propel their business. But they let their apprehension get in the way of their progress.
I have had numerous conversations with people who simply need a little guidance and hands-on training to get started. They read somewhere or listen to a podcast and feel like they should be active with things like social media or develop their website but feel lost. They don’t have a handle on where to get started, what their expectations should be, and figuring out how they can make the best of their time with their marketing.
It’s the not knowing that paralyzes them the most. Once we work together and I show them some basics to get started, then all their other coaching and reading makes sense.
There are more people than I realize that are challenged with technology. Those individuals who are very smart, but are embarrassed to admit that they need help in things that they feel they should already know. Things like how to create a Facebook page. They need someone who isn’t judgmental, and they feel has the patience to point them in the direction of getting started.
I am moving my coffee shop training into developing classes and a community where everyone who feels a little apprehensive and confused on how to use the technology and programs readily available to them to affordably market their business.
I’m excited about launching the Accomplish More Academy. I have been thinking and planning this launch for more than a year.
It’s time to be reminded of a quote from Walt Disney: “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.”
If you or someone you know feels stuck because they are afraid of the techy stuff that comes with today’s marketing, I encourage you to go to accomplishmoreacademy.com. As of the date of this recording, you’ll see a landing page where you can sign up for updates of the details of the academy offerings as the launch date in Feb 2018 draws closer. If you are listening much later than Feb 2018, do go visit accomplishmoreacademy.com for details. The website will develop and evolve as the academy is launched.
Are you ready to stop talking and start doing in 2018? What is one thing that you keep talking about but haven’t started? What’s stopping you? Drop me an email at podcast@scrivenersolutions.com.