12/08/2021
I have an important question for you:
What separates you from everyone else in your niche, offering the same thing you're offering?
The majority of business owners trap themselves in a box, by defining their business based on what they do, instead of what they're good at!
“I run a design firm,”, the graphic designer says.
Then, she builds everything around that model – from her website, web copy, social presence….
This box: “I run a design firm” is a trap.
It traps her into doing what other design firms do, saying what other design firms say, offer what other design firms offer.
It traps her into being the same, instead of finding ways to be different.
The important questions are....
What are you good at?
WHY are you in your business?
WHAT do you offer your clients?
Richard Boles, the author of What Color is Your Parachute, recommends that any entrepreneur who’s after differentiating their offering from everyone else, selling the same thing, should ask these questions.
Like a writer who has difficulty seeing the mistakes in his or her own work, we tend to have blind spots in our own skill sets.
If you find it difficult to figure out what you’re good at, or if you believe you’re good at too many things, and not sure which one is the right one to focus on -- then ask a few people who know you inside and out.
Ask them what they think your skills are?
You can also pay attention to the compliments you get from people you’ve worked with or have done work for.
We often overlook our own geniuses.
Also, pay attention to how you go about doing your work...
Are there things that come to you really easily?
Have you come up with your own way of doing certain things that makes your life and work easier?
All of those could very well be your unique way of doing things.
Ultimately, those are your differentiators!
In my opinion, these should be the very first things any business owner focus on:
1. What you excel at.
2. Why are you in business - Build your business message around your BIG WHY. Your passion.
If you look at any big corporation, Google, Facebook, Stripe, Amazon, etc. Each one started with a few people with a massive passion. a BIG WHY. So what is your big why?
3. Your offer. How do you make someone's life easier? Remember - People only buy a service/product if it will make their life easier.