Resources: Experience, BlogcastFM, Ramit Sethi’s Earn1k Course, 4 Hour Work Week Forums, Noah Kagan, Omnigraffle, Google Forms, Mixergy, Young Entrepreneur Forums, Craigslist, Mailchimp, WordPress
Despite writing about it for months, thinking I know better, and generally trying to skip over the “solve one specific need” argument when thinking about how to build a business…I finally gave in (sorta)…and it’s been amazing what’s happened since (sales, sense of progress, networking, and e-mail list growth to name a few things).
Today’s post will focus on recent progress surrounding entering a business mindset when you’re caught up trying to build “your stuff”, how to spur execution by lean startup methods via finding feedback, and managing influence once you’ve found feedback.
The One Solution Problem
Picture yourself pulling up to a building in a large truck where you have a big presentation. You’ve brought all your expertise, experience, past projects, and skills in the back of the truck. You gather up everything in your arms, it’s a bit cumbersome, you can barely see over the top as your carry your impressiveness, arms spread wide. As you cautiously walk toward the entrance you realize you can’t fit through the door, or even reach out to open it.
This is how I picture I’ve been operating, trying to bring everything to table. It’s taken over a year of hearing not to do this, thinking I’ve “slimmed” down what I’m showing up with, to realize I haven’t and how to really start addressing this. It’s not bad in general, it is bad for generating business though.
When you want a toothbrush, you want a toothbrush, there’s little if anything more to add at the start. Don’t bring in 12 types of mouth products.
You can’t get through the door with the truckload of value you can offer, you can however walk in with your best piece, and bring in the others later.
I’ve thought a lot on how to explain this, it’s as simple as it is complex. You can’t just mindmeld your “awesomeness” to your target market. You need to give them as big and shiny and obvious a target as possible. You’ve heard this before, are you really doing it? This is what it looks like.
This is particularly hard trying to sell consulting, or services, because it’s not a toothbrush. Your skill likely feels applicable to multiple problems. This is exactly where to correct course. It honestly doesn’t matter how applicable your “thing” is to various people and problems. Present a solution you can do amazingly well, to a specific problem, to a specific target. What is on the IT Arsenal home page right now is completely against my nature. It’s also bringing in business. It says one specific problem I can solve well enough and in a way that cuts the crap and makes clients happy, even still for some reason the back of my head screams, I can offer you the WORLD too!
How Did I Finally Change?
By partially tricking myself, I created a new model to operate around that helps stiffle those head screams. I’m position 1 and only 1 problem every 2 (give or take) months to provide solutions (1-2) for. When I did this, coupled with the lean startup tactics I’ve been listening to lately, magic happened. I started being more productive, sold 3 clients to services not even announced publicaly anywhere yet, grew my mailing list by 20 people, and got a ton (15+) feedback on validating the specific solutions and current “pitch”, which was the most important thing. It was obvious to continue this way…I may stick with one thing I offer, or lengthen the months, or if the model (2 month thing) gets popular, promote that more…it doesn’t matter…what does matter is I can finally fit in the door now.
Taking this Mindset Everywhere
This is as applicable on your homepage as it is everywhere else, in online interactions, in real meetings, and in the creation of landing pages. Don’t be two headed, but be obvious in what you want to provide. It’s a choice, make it. It’s all going to be in the realm of “things you do” I’m not saying lie, or be sneaky… but no one will take initial interested in you (or “enter the sales funnel”) if they don’t see something that looks made just for them. After they “know you” … tell them about all the other awesomeness. You’ve heard this before right? You have a brain tumor, do you want a “surgeon” or a “brain surgeon” ?
I’ve seen this demonstrated by those actually making income and leading others in their custom landing pages for “workshop” announcements or new products…it’s led me to consider my own presentation of services and product. I’ve noticed subdomains much more lately… http://awesomeservicefordoggroomers.yourwebsite.com … so in conversation, or a launch, or pre-launch for getting feedback, you can go to the places where dog groomers hangout, and send them there.
You obviously don’t have to do this, but I’ve been told enough times it’s just plain stupid not to present yourself as “one thing” when starting.
Feedback = Execution. Lean Startup Tactics
So, taking the “one thing” mindset to heart I was able to easily go to various places, describe a specific issue, and see if anyone cared, if so, trade some feedback for service, or tech help. I no longer was a consultant that does whatever, or a “tech guy” … it was clear, you either wanted to learn how or get someone to set your business website or you didn’t. My website homepage was as clear as I could think to make it (yet feedback still suggests I can do better) on one specific issue.
I purposely spent little time to gather this feedback, Google forms, a front page graphic, and two salespages. Validation should be quick. I had happened to create the actual products earlier in my ill conceived plans to launch 5-6 services with various solution sets earlier, but by all means, you could have nothing created and simply work with the individuals who respond to the feedback to craft the real iteration of what to provide.
It was then easy, obvious, almost self propelling to create forms to gather feedback, watch my analytics, treat their e-mail addresses and contact information as gold, entering them into mailing lists or address book groups to exchange info with.
Use this tactic now, go to Craigslist post something on your latest idea or next product, with a form to sign up to whatever your idea is (offer small incentive), call a few people…get feedback and validate using as little development time and resources as possible. The response will force you to execute.
Where did I post? (requirement: a very specific target market)
- Facebook Groups
- Online Forums
- Friends (not business related) who have blogs already
- Craigslist (NOTE: craigslist is like the end-all-be-all for lean start feedback tactics
- E-mail Lists from this website
Doing this led to 3 people buying the service, even though everywhere I described I would gladly trade training for some detailed feedback on the pitch process and website (contact me if you’re interested!). I now have forms filled out with feedback, detailed enough to make changes and re-launch publicly soon. The methods for gathering feedback invariably built my mailing list, and acted as pre-selling.
It fleshed out sales process kinks, provided visual website tweak suggestions, and more.
“EVERY successful company started with a NICHE. (Twitter, Google, Facebook, Amazon, Craigslist)” Noah Kagan
It’s so easy to see everyone doing everything and think that’s what to do. I guarantee that’s not how business and people got to where they are. It’s especially prevelant amongst consultants and bloggers. They all started somewhere, they didn’t start everywhere.
Influence
Now that there’s feedback, and targeted evaluation, the idea of managing influence needs to creep in. You got someones interest, now keep it.
- always ask…”what’s the next step” at the end of a post or page or somewhere you’ve brought someone.
- add…”as seen in” .. and put logo’s of other websites and companies to establish credit
- promote collaborations on those landing pages your target will recognize
- use scarcity, timed offers, ect. to create awareness
Tell me how you’re doing in the comments, Onward!
In light of the model change, my goals have also changed in regards to launching and products.
LDP/ITA March Goals
- 1. [COMPLETE/IN PROGRESS] validate first specific service/training/product with mini launches, surveys, trades for feedback
- be as lean as possible. google forms, ask friends, craigslist
- 2. [COMPLETE] revisit how my homepage can present a crystal clear message. (complete, new model! narrowed obviousness and focus)
- convey “I am your IT guy”. I train, troubleshoot and set you up.
- 3. choose 5 business books to read this year
- booked solid, 52 rules of thumb, art of non conformity, running lean, the lean startup, start over finish rich, the netwriting masters course
- 4. choose a convention to go to this year
- no clue, suggestions around philadelphia?
- 5. post re-launch announcement.
- 6. post free report with the launch of the WP trainer
- go to five places I like (websites, facebook groups, forums, networks, guest blog) and post free report
- 7. write a few backlog posts on first module (newer WordPress & Websites Setup Entrepreneurs)
- 8. [COMPLETE] complete wordpress and websites “build me one” proposal and agreement
- 9. make changes from feedback to visuals, and salespages
- 10. connect with 3 bloggers to provide value to their audience…see what comes from it
- 11. order business cards
- 12. launch, promote, and test out the first 2 month module!
- 13. [$600] earn 1K in online income