Suggestions that are bad for your business

A Learning Community member who had learned a new modality to add to their bag of tricks- they already had a business and plenty of training and skills- shared what the trainers at the new modality suggested.

They had suggested to her that she start low priced monthly groups to build community and start her practice, to draw people in who were interested in what she was now doing.

She wanted to know how best to go about that. My answer?

“Don’t do that.”

I told her the advice she was receiving was great to help spread word of that modality, but it’s not usually the best, to put it delicately, for helping her build an audience and add to her paying clients.

There are a lot of standard practices out there in different communities of practitioners, things like the monthly practice groups, the drop-in classes, or the full-on sample sessions. Nearly all of them are not effective ways to build your business.

These things became standard practices despite how ineffective they are, for a couple of reasons. The first reason is that early folks probably had some limited success with these approaches. But, no one was there to analyze why they had success.

Was it the actual thing itself? Or maybe that particular person had other things going for them? Maybe they were a natural connector, and everyone knows them and loves them for other reasons. Maybe they were particularly young, or attractive, or had some other privilege working for them. Maybe there was nothing else like that going on, and it filled a need in the local community.

Regardless, there’s no real understanding about why it might have been successful in a limited way. And the fact that many other practitioners struggle despite trying the same strategies hasn’t shifted the advice.

The second reason is that jumping into a strategy bypasses the work of figuring out who you’re actually trying to reach. Are you trying to reach people who are interested in a particular modality? Probably not.

More likely, you actually want to reach people who need help with something that the modality helps with.

It’s the difference between gathering people who are interested in chiropractic per se, versus reaching out to people who have chronic pain and mobility issues related to back problems.

The first group has an interest in the modality, but doesn’t necessarily need the services. They are coming for connection, for community, for curiosity, but not because they need help. The second group needs help, and is much more likely to become paying clients.

If a modality has to do with teaching healthy communication, for instance, do you want to draw people in who are interested in the topic of healthy communication? Or would it maybe be better to draw in those who are struggling in their relationships because they keep getting into arguments with people they love?

The first group might become a good book club. The second group will pay you money to get help.

It’s challenging. I get it.

Being proactive and naming an audience, an issue, finding that kind of clarity, it’s definitely not easy, at least not for everyone.

But it’s necessary. Without it, the vast majority of businesses will never gain traction.

Once you have that, will the strategies work then?

Maybe… maybe not. What most of our clients find is that once they get clear on their audience, who they are trying to reach, then there are strategies that make sense for them, based on the audience, their own personality and needs, and their business plans.

The key here is that strategies shouldn’t just be slapped on willy-nilly. That you need to understand why they might or might not work, and what else is needed to be effective.

At the heart of all of this is your own heart, and the heart of your business. Your authenticity, what you care about, what you love to do and have natural skills for are all part of the story.

I want your business to succeed, and the only way it can do that is if there’s a combination of your own authenticity and heart plus effective business strategies that best fit you.

I’m curious what your own experience has been with this topic. And if you have any pushback or questions?

With love,
Mark Silver, M.Div.
Heart of Business, Inc.
Every act of business can be an act of love.

p.s. Why the Learning Community isn’t quite open

We were going to open our Learning Community this week, but someone on our team had a family need arise, and so to make it easier on everyone, we pushed it back until next week. Because, why make it harder? We’re here to love and care for one another, right?

About our Learning Community. It’s a place of healing and love, as well as a place of learning strategy, and getting it done.

One of our members was talking about the work they’ve done to get clear on their audience, and how powerful and effective it was at getting clients.

And not just effective, but it was a great focus for prayer, intention, and love. It brought a sense of intimacy and care that was already in their work, but it brought it into their marketing as well.

Next week we can welcome you in! We’re in there with you, helping your business develop.
Take a look.

Click: Heart of Business Learning Community