Is it your Mindset or a Strategy Problem?
Today’s post is important to me for a few reasons. It’s one of those things that I struggled to figure out when I first started my business and one that my clients continually ask for support with during our one-on-one coaching sessions.
Whenever we’re faced with a major problem, I see so many people who approach it in the same way, with the exact same response.
Let’s say for example that you’re not sure why you didn’t have any new client inquiries last month. You figure that you have a website and are doing the basics on social media, so why is your inbox not filled to the brim?
You figure that it’s probably just a mindset thing. After all, the right clients who are meant for you will just sort of appear once you’re aligned and in the right vibration, right? Not exactly…
If you were to peel back the layers here, you might notice that the content you’re posting on social media never actually talks about your expertise and your services, so your people have no idea that you’re even an option for them.
You’re not linking anyone TO your website, so the chances of them stumbling upon your webpage are slim to none.
This is a perfect example of a time when you may think your problem is a mindset thing, but really, it’s a strategy problem (more specifically, a sales and marketing strategy problem).
If you’ve ever been stuck in this same scenario, here’s how to tell if you’re dealing with a mindset problem or a strategy problem:
Do You have the right business foundations in place?
This is easily the one I see show up with my clients in their businesses, especially if they are within the first two years of owning a business. So many times I see people looking for fast success, but here’s the truth: fast success is only possible when the right business foundations in place.
If you’re not sure if your business foundation is set up for success, here’s a quick list of the top pieces I recommend:
At least one offer with a clear ideal client profile and messaging
One or two marketing channels where you are consistently creating content and talking about your offer(s) i.e. Instagram, Facebook groups, TikTok
At least two conversations with potential clients, and a lead tracker, spreadsheet, or another method for keeping up with who you’re talking with
Don’t have any of these things setup? You’ve got a strategy problem, but the good news is that’s something I cover with my one-on-one coaching clients. You can learn more about that here.
Related: How to Jumpstart Your Virtual Assistant Business
Are you projecting because of something you saw on social media?
This is another one I see a lot, where my clients will talk about something they saw someone talking about on social media. Sometimes this shows up as them looking at people who are further along in their business journey.
But you might be surprised to know that this shows up a LOT more when comparing ourselves with our peers. If you have other business friends that you’ve connected with on social media, I find that a lot of people tend to project someone else’s success or process into their own. And this typically shows up in two ways…
The first is that someone sees someone they’re connected with trying out a new offer or service, and they will immediately try and replicate what the other person is doing. (This is more of a strategy problem.)
But other times, I see that people will actually pick up on what happened to a friend in THEIR business, and project it as something that will happen within their own (This is a mindset problem.)
For example, if your friend is having a hard time finding leads, it’s really easy to believe that if they’re having problems attracting in people, you will, too. This is especially true if your friend has a similar business type or ideal client that you do. And when it gets in your head like that, t’s almost like a form of self-sabotage.
This is one of those classic cases of “stay in your own lane,” that can easily come up around our mindset. It’s also one of my favorite topics to work with my coaching clients on.
