Each time I kick off a new mastermind cohort, I start with a round of one-on-one calls with members.
From my experience, this is a critical step that is often skipped – that’s been the case for the masterminds I’ve paid to join.
It’s through these conversations that I learn what members hope to experience while being in a community of like-minded entrepreneurs.
I also start to see patterns that will help me better facilitate the mastermind sessions.
It’s through these conversations that I started to get a better sense of who my ideal client is for these masterminds.
They tend to have really, really big ideas of what they want to accomplish with their businesses.
What they don’t have is a clear sense of how they are going to create and iterate new products or services with lots of input from their ideal customers.
There is usually a desire to figure it all out before sharing with the world what they had to offer.
By the end of that first coaching session, they are clear on two primary goals for the mastermind program.
One goal would help them build their platform and professional network so they could get the right referrals.
The second goal would be to identify new sources of revenue with help from their ideal customers and actually launch the new offering THIS year.
Not wait two years, tinkering with an idea in their heads and then spring it on the market.
Too often, when entrepreneurs have a good idea, we keep it to ourselves and try to perfect it.
The danger is spending months, or even years, building a product or service only to discover that no one’s interested because it doesn’t meet a clear need in the marketplace.
Don’t wait years to test out your theory.
Start with research calls and then launch a minimally viable product to gather feedback from participants.
Doing this takes time but it builds the runway that makes launching your new revenue stream so much easier.
It happens to also be a great way to strengthen connections with people in your network.
Your Challenge For This Week
Make a list of 12-15 likely prospects.
Reach out to ask them to have a 20-minute chat with you so you can learn about their experience with the problem you’re trying to solve.
Don’t give away tons of free advice and don’t pitch your grand plan.
Listen. Ask questions. Find out what their symptoms are and help them realize those symptoms are part of a bigger problem.
Position yourself as an advisor who likely knows the solution to this problem they suddenly realize they have.
Also, talk to 5-8 fellow experts for a better understanding of what is already being offered in the marketplace and what gaps need to be filled.
This is the step most expert entrepreneurs skip because they “know” the solution, but if their prospects aren’t even aware of the problem it will be very hard to sell the solution.
Try this and let me know how it goes!
Business Growth Strategist & Business Coach
As a relationship-based business growth strategist, I work directly with a limited number of self-employed professionals, aka solopreneurs.
WHO YOU ARE:
You want to have a greater impact and increased income. The problem is that there are so many options for how to build your business that you can feel stuck, overwhelmed, and like you’re running out of time.
The reason options are overwhelming is that you’re looking at them as a series of disconnected steps, when to make the most of your time, you need a strategy that connects only the most important and highest impact ones.
You know that if you try to do everything, you’ll accomplish nothing. This means, to achieve your goal, you have to invest in a strategy to put time on your side.
What’s Included:
As a relationship-based business growth strategist, I will work with you to design a year-long plan that consists of three 12-week sprints, each followed by 4 weeks of reflection/assessment, rejuvenation/vacation, and strategic planning. This will allow you to sequence your goals, create momentum, and leverage your limited time.
We can build your plan through a half-day strategy session, a coaching engagement, or a mastermind program.
These are not right for everyone; they’re personalized offerings and are priced accordingly.
What might you work on?
In my coaching work with entrepreneurs and solopreneurs, we focus on the areas where you’d like to grow, which may include:
- Creating a strong sales conversation framework
- Building your referral network
- Lead generation through a relationships
- Growing your visibility in your industry
- Increasing your ability to attract the right kind of clients
- Identifying and launching a minimally viable offer
- Breaking through whatever bottleneck is holding you back from getting the results you want and deserve
- Becoming a published author and marketing your book successfully
- Improving your virtual presentation skills
Learn more about the different ways we can work together – deep dive 3-hour session, private 1:1 coaching, and masterminds. I’m excited to support you in reaching or exceeding your goals.
Stay Connected:
- Connect with me on LinkedIn to see the content I share.
- New to my website? Start here
- Listen to my On the Schmooze podcast – weekly since July 2016.
