Two of the smartest business people I've ever known gave me advice over 20 years ago that I STILL live by it today, and recent advice that I will never do business without applying. Follow the ABCs, but it's not what you think...
photo credit Joy Rahat Branding
"You don't know what you don't know. But if you know that you don't know it- you grow professionally because you are open to learning from others."
Too often entrepreneurs go into business with the mindset that they have to come up with evvverything themselves or they aren't truly entrepreneurial... what a crock of CRAP. Who wants to waste time reinventing the wheel?
Take the wheel that someone else already created, add your own custom rims, and slap a badass car on top of them. The magic isn't in the wheel- EVERY car has those. The magic is the custom car that that turns heads and is beyond basic.
I know you're pickin' up what I'm puttin' down: the wheel is your business model, the rims are your special sauce, and the badass car is the products or services you offer. Instead of wasting time on reinventing the wheel, invest in the rims and customizations that make your vehicle special.
"But Renee- you ask- what's the roadmap to that secret sauce? How can my offer leave my competitors in the dust?" You need to find out what you don't know that you don't know, and apply it to win the race. I'm out of gas on car analogies (grooooannn, okay, okay- that's the last pun!) - the way to do this is as easy as ABC..
Always Be Curious
"Always Be Closing" is soooo 90's. As my FyreSavvy Coach, Dawnna St. Louis says- "It's "DUDE-ish" marketing that doesn't attract or serve your ideal clients and collaborators nearly as well as Curiosity."
How gross does it feel when as soon as you connect with someone on social, they slide into your DMs and sell sell sell without even asking about you, your business, your dog's name, nothing.
But when they are CURIOUS, a conversation can begin. To find out what you don't know that you don't know, ask the right people questions, and they can get you hip REAL quick!
Do you want to customize that car with tinted windows? If you aren't an expert at window tint, how do you know which one suits your needs- or even how many different types, shades and options exist?
YOU GET CURIOUS and ask an expert so you don't end up with Fast and Furious tint that's not street legal instead of the elegant tint you really want.
Are you starting a new business selling window tint for luxury cars? What do your ideal clients want from their tint- UV Ray protection, dark as the state will allow, entering in car shows, just wanna look cool and pick up chicks (see Fast and Furious above)...? What mistakes have been made that you should avoid?
YOU GET CURIOUS and connect with car enthusiasts in your market so they can tell YOU what messaging would resonate and what style matters to them. You check with the DMV and local after-market experts instead of trying to use google fu to figure it out on your own.
If you are in Always Be Closing mode, you show and throw up every kind of tint you offer, instead of sharing streamlined expertise that you learned about your market. You skip the yada yada yada and shortcut the sale process, PLUS- you end end with a badass ride that attracts the right attention.
Always Being Curious shows respect for your clients' needs, wants and time, builds your reputation as an expert, and is an EZ Pass to the top of their minds as the best choice in your industry. Yeah I lied, there was one more car pun in me. Deal with it.
PRO Tip: When you are curious, guess what ELSE happens? It opens the door to building relationships- so choose those who you want to do business with, and if you do it right, it'll become THEIR idea to collaborate with or buy from and refer you. Win, WIN.
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