For part 3 of the this series, I want to touch on something very important. It is very easy to read blogs, articles, and other content, and feel as though you are making progress in one way or another. Unfortunately, it’s often the case that all that stuff is just an escape from doing the things that you should be doing.
If you are in business for yourself, your top priorities should be closing sales and sending invoices. Through making sales you’ll learn what is valuable to your customer. No customer is the same, and in order to deliver a valuable product to them, you need to practice how to ask the right questions. Just like in weight training, the only way that you can get stronger at selling is to get out there and meet people! Even a failed sale is an investment.
When you invoice a client, you’ve solved their problem and gave them something valuable to their business. What that means is that you have concrete facts about the value of your service. If the client was hesitant to pay you, it’s probably because they didn’t find your product or service as valuable as you may think it is. If they happily pay you and also give you referrals or testimonials, it’s a pretty good sign that you’ve got a good thing going.
My point is (and I’m guilty of this), it is very easy to read about strategies and tactics and feel as though we are accomplishing something. Don’t get me wrong, learning how to be better at what you do is good, but getting out there and executing should be your primary concern.
Homework:
- Stay away from blogs and social media for a week.
- Talk to 3 potential clients and simply ask them about their business. Don’t sell them, just talk to them.
