How Confusion is Keeping You Small

Hands sweating, dreading the moment I stand up and introduce myself to a networking group.

It is my turn.

Have you ever experienced that? I have — way too many times to keep count.

Each time, I would rehearse my lines and repeat my “what you do” statement only to second guess myself the moment had to speak.

I avoided a networking event or any kind of situation where I would be forced to stand and speak up about my work. Each time, I deprived my business of the much-needed interaction and connection with potential clients, or connectors; the people that are always referring you to potential clients.

So how did I change that mindset?  It was 2016 when I stopped everything I was doing and asked myself ONE KEY QUESTION!

From answering that question, came the birth of one of my most successful programs, LAND YOUR STAGE PROGRAM! And so it began…

Once I started getting traction, I knew I’d cracked the code.

So what would that look like for you? How do you come up with the answer to the question, “What do you do?” Here are three steps to clarify your business and BEGIN TO PLAY BIG:

1. UNDERSTAND THE OUTCOME YOU PROVIDE & COMMUNICATE IT: We humans are walking around with little antennas on our head looking for a solution to our problems. These days, I read every post or article I can find about training a puppy… well, I’m the proud mum of a baby chocolate labrador. If the article is titled “train your puppy” or “get your puppy to stop chewing,” I will read it. My antennas are looking to solve that problem. 
2. DECIDE WHO YOU WANT TO WORK WITH & STATE IT: I know, I know… your programs or services could benefit so many different people… but the more you talk to everyone the more you talk to NO ONE. So commit to one market, one group of people. Define them. Who are these people? What do they dream of? Where do they hang out? What do they spend their money on? What books do they read? Magazines? Impulse? What keeps them up at night? Challenges they face? What are they tolerating? What kind of conversations are they attracted to?
3. STATE WHY YOU ARE DIFFERENT AND SAY IT: There is something unique about you and the work you do, EVEN If you are in an industry with thousands, if not millions of people doing the same work, there is a way that YOU do it that it’s different. Understand what that is and share THAT. It can be something you have experience with. For me, it is being a TEDx Organizer, or it can be that you speak multiple languages, or had to overcome a special challenge. Whatever it is, share it!

We can not grow our business if nobody knows about it and if people can’t easily refer their network with a clear, solution-based statement.

So go ahead, try it out, test the waters with a clear statement and trust me, the sweaty hands and feeling of dread will go away over time.

If you are saying to yourself… easier said than done, then go ahead, schedule a CLARITY CALL and let us help you figure out what it is that you actually do ;-).