A very ambitious and inspiring 16-year old wrote me yesterday. He is doing more to market his web-design business than many of my supposedly more mature and seasoned clients, and will no doubt be successful when he decides it is time to take his business to the next level.
However, he also disclosed a flaw in his thinking that is common to many professionals. This flaw is causing him to sabotage his marketing efforts, and limits the growth of his firm.
In his case, he thinks that because he is only 16, he is too young to pursue certain marketing tactics that other people can use.
Other people have other excuses for not taking action:
– Too new to the field
– Too little money
– Too old
– Doesn’t know enough
– From a country where the people have no budget to pay for services, and will take advantage of performance guarantees
– Too busy
– Too much competition
– Recession; no one will spend money
– Outsourcing
– You name it
The above could all be excellent reasons to give up.
So here is a challenge for you to think about this weekend:
1. What is your biggest weakness keeping you from getting more clients? Put another way: What is it that you think keeps you from getting work from prospects, or that is your reason for not marketing your business more aggressively? Put yet another way, in the words of Pee Wee Herman: “Everyone has a big BUT.” What is yours?
2. Is this weakness an absolute truth or a subjective perception?
3. What is the easiest way to instantly reframe this weakness?
I’ll give my answers to these questions in next blog….But post your own answers and responses before then.
Andrew Neitlich
