Our next Solopreneur Myth is “Build it, they will come”. For the last few months, I focused on marketing strategies, bringing to life the nine different vehicles I explore with you in Section 3 of Coaching Business Builder.
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With “build it, they will come” we can fall into the trap of thinking that once something exists it will be in high demand. In fact, the design and creation parts are usually only one part of the process. Much of the heavy lifting then begins with marketing and sales, and also program or product delivery!

Proactive marketing at all stages of your business, along with regular and consistent actions, can help ensure that you do build a thriving set of fans for your next offering.

Some key things to be doing to ensure that when you build, they will come:

• Ensure you are focusing on the things that people want.

• Ensure that you are focusing on the things that they value.
• Ensure that they are in the right format they want.
• Lean into your strengths and experience.
• Communicate, communicate, communicate – right to the end!
• Solicit feedback about your products and services.
• Get your customers/clients to share their story about what they like about your work and products.
• Demonstrate what you offer – show the world. This might be via a video, or at a speaking engagement. By hosting an evening demonstration or a webinar.

​What are the things you want to focus on?

Enjoy your conversations,
Jennifer

I opened my doors here at Potentials Realized on April 7, 2004. Having celebrated 15 years in business earlier this year, I continue to be thankful that the fruits of my labor continue to pay off.

While it is possible to build, and grow things quickly, building a sustainable business that will weather economic ups and downs (think 2008 economics, current flux, and…)  usually needs more than the initial meteoric rise.

This is where things like VISION, Systems and Business Foundations come in.
If you have a copy of the Coaching Business Builder OR PlanDoTrack, check out the different activities and reflections in Section #1.

It’s our work around creating clarity and alignment around our values and behaviors, clarifying our vision, and creating exceptional offerings which create a sustainable business.
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Questions to consider:

• What values is your business grounded in?
• How are your behaviors translated into action and behaviors?
• How clear is your vision?

Creating a sustainable business is also about you as the business owner. In the medium term, our own leadership and endurance may be what helps the business move to another inflection point.

Questions for you to consider:

• What’s going to help you be at your best?
• Grow or refine your skills?
• Develop the endurance needed to run a business?
• What fuels you?
• When do you work best?
• When do you need to take a break and/o renew?
• What else is important for you in the short term? Medium term? Long term?

Sustainable business is also about doing things for the long haul. What is the work you really love to do? How does it capitalize on your strengths? What taps into what you uniquely do well?

I hope that you will enjoy this week’s questions and exploration,
Jennifer

For the last few months I’ve been focusing on a series around marketing. If you didn’t catch the July and August 2019 posts, be sure to check them out here.

For the next couple of months, I am going to be rolling out a new series on Solopreneur Myths. You’ll be able to view them each Monday. They will focus on some of the more common things we hear in the landscape of building a coaching or virtual business at the moment. I’m framing them as myths given that they don’t necessarily hold true. Having worked with thousands of professionals in the last 15 years via my own business and also as a former business studies faculty member I am looking forward to debunking the myths and commonly voiced messages for solopreneurs.

We’re starting with the myth of Once is Enough. This holds true on so many different levels for us - from communicating something once, to sharing a link to a blog post only on one channel once, to running a program only once.

Only doing something once may lead to us short-changing ourselves!
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Part of the power of social media, and part of cutting through the noise, requires that we share our content more than once.  Take a look back at what you have created in the last few months and consider how you can share it more OR repurpose it. Sharing it might mean that you look to post it on other channels (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram). Repurposing may mean retooling content in a new way – so taking blog content and making it into a video (Think Lumen5) OR bundling blog posts to create a new article or white paper series.

If you are a program designer, you will know how important it is to consider recouping the design investment in running a program more than once. Many of my own public offerings have become quarterly or monthly favorites. Some have been around for a few years. One of my longest standing programs is the Group Coaching Essentials program which I’ve been offering on almost a monthly basis since it’s launch back in January of 2006. Consistency is key in making inroads into today’s VUCA worlds, and Word of Mouth and referrals can be a powerful business booster.

Where is it going to be useful to explore the myth of Once is Enough in your business?

Best wishes,
​Jennifer

This week marks what is often known as the Second New Year. It’s back to work and back to school for many of us.
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With a new year mindset, it’s a great time to pause and take stock of where you are at, what’s working, and what’s not.

Here are a few ideas of things you might want to do this week (or today if you are enjoying the holiday):
1. Set or review your goals for the next 4 months to the end of the year.

2. Make your goals visible – where can you view or review these?

3. Spend a few minutes going through a guided session -you can use the quarterly prompts I included in the Q1 reflection session. Grab a pen and your journal and earmark 30 minutes to go thorough this 30 minute quarterly planning session.

4. If you do consider September to be the start of your new year, check out the post on Creating an Annual To Do List .

5. Review your schedule for the fall. Have you included:

• Time to focus on the high impact, high importance projects?
• Time for renewal?
• Time for action/execution?
• Time for learning?
• Time for relationships?
• Time to TRACK your results? Consider joining me for the Month End Reflection Sessions.

6. Consider what habits are going to help you do the things you want. Habits allow us to do things consistently and efficiently, often without as much thought.

7. Consider what you want to say YES to this fall AND consider what you want to let go of and NOT do.  
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What are your goals this fall? What do you want to focus on?

Enjoy your first Monday of September AND some Labor Day magic!

Best wishes,
Jennifer

​Jennifer Britton, PCC, CPCC
Author multiple books including the Coaching Business Builder Workbook and Planner (2018), Effective Group Coaching (2010)
Potentials Realized
Phone: 416-996-8326
Check out the #90DaysPlanDoTrack series of daily prompts for your work and business over on  Instagram @CoachingBizBuilder.

As we step into September, it's time to share this month's 1BizStep a Day, a monthly series I've been hosting here at the Coaching Business Builder blog, and our Conversation Sparker Zone. The 1BizStepADay series includes a daily prompt to get you taking action on a different aspect of your business. Each month has a different theme. We've explored systems check (August), developing your signature program (June), relationships, and this month we turn our attention to major projects. Is there a major project you want to complete by the end of the year? This may be the focus you want to take as you follow-along with this month's daily prompts.

Part of the Coaching Business Builder and Plan Do Track workbook and planners include a 31 Day Challenge Template (check out the Content Creation Tools in the planner section towards the end of the books). You might want to use the Monthly Daily Trackers to capture your notes around the steps you undertake each day this month around your major project OR use the 31 Day Challenge template to capture your notes.

Tracking your results on a regular basis is valuable and can serve as a resource or process roadmap.
It can also help you isolate what exactly you did in sequence
It can also help capture lessons learned for next time.

Enjoy this month's Major Projects 1BizStepADay. You can download it here.

A reminder that the tagline for Coaching Business Builder and PlanDoTrack planners is:
Daily Steps + Consistent Action = Momentum

What are the daily steps you want to earmark time for this month? When are you going to get it done(first thing in the morning? Lunchtime? In the evening? (Think about what it might be like to get this crossed off your list every morning).

Enjoy your daily focus!

Best wishes,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton - Potentials Realized
Author of PlanDoTrack (2019),  Coaching Business Builder (2018), Effective Virtual Conversations (2017) and From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (2013). Pick up a copy of any of her books at Amazon
Book Jennifer for a coaching session to explore productivity, teamwork and business issues.
Contact her by phone at (416)996-8326
Join Jennifer for one of her ICF CCE approved coach training programs starting in September - Group Coaching Essentials (starts 9/6), Advanced Group and Team Coaching Practicum (starts 9/6) and the Virtual Facilitation Essentials (starts 9/16)
Follow the #90DaysPlanDoTrack series on Instagram

Over the last two months I’ve been spotlighting nine different marketing vehicles you might want to consider incorporating into your marketing strategy as a coach, solopreneur or virtual entrepreneur. They all are valuable in terms of enhancing your visibility and building connections with prospective clients. If you haven’t seen the past posts, be sure to check out those in podcasting, speaking and also product development.
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Today’s post takes us into the marketing landscape of conferences and trade shows. Depending on who you work with you might consider this one strategy or two.
Trade shows are still very common in larger urban centers and can provide a valuable way to “get out” in front of prospective clients and most importantly have conversations with those who could benefit from your skills.

Trade shows can be an expensive investment for larger events so you might want to consider partnering with others to show case your skills or thinking about another way to provide support. For example, could you sponsor a meal, insert something into tote bags, sponsor a lanyard.

Like other strategies, being clear on your intended purpose – to build brand awareness vs. have conversations with those who you serve - is key for choosing the right vehicle and strategy.

Related to trade shows is one of my favorite approaches – conferences. Conferences are an amazing way to connect with your clients and showcase what you have to offer if you enjoy speaking. Building in time to attend other sessions while you are there can also provide invaluable insights into what is truly important, topical and emerging for your client group.

If you are considering speaking at conferences, consider:

1. Where do you want to speak?  (Think: where do your clients attend)
2. What is the timeframe for submitting a proposal – not some proposals have a 9-12 month lead time?
3. What cost will be associated – consider travel and time out of office?
4. How many people attend? What is the average size of presentation room?
5. What would your clients want to learn about?
6. What do you want to showcase?

​Conferences can also provide the value of supporting your ongoing professional development. Consider how you might cover both off at the same time by attending, and speaking at, a couple of conferences in the next year.
 
As we round out this series, what are your next steps around marketing? What time have you earmarked for this?

Best,
Jennifer

​Jennifer Britton, PCC, CPCC
Author multiple books including the Coaching Business Builder Workbook and Planner (2018), Effective Group Coaching (2010)
Potentials Realized
Phone: 416-996-8326
Check out the #90DaysPlanDoTrack series of daily prompts for your work and business over on  Instagram @CoachingBizBuilder.

As we continue along our marketing voyage through section 3 of the Coaching Business Builder’s 9 promotional vehicles, this week we are going to explore lunch and learns, and associations.

Lunch and learns have the benefit of bringing an audience to you, without you having to bring them together yourself. Lunch and learns are usually short, 45 -60 minute lunch time (or breakfast) presentations delivered in organizations or associations on a range of topics. They can be a great opportunity to pilot or trial new content.
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Questions to consider:

• What is the content or program you’d like to bring out to a new audience but haven’t had the opportunity to pilot yet?
• What piece of a larger body of work could you deliver to an organization or association?
• What stand alone content do you have to deliver?

Lunch and learns are a great way to expand your repertoire and connect with new audiences (especially if you are delivering a session for an association). Be aware of the time it takes to develop and deliver. With an engagement in the middle of the day, what else can you schedule if you have to travel?

Associations and Professional Bodies
Associations and professional bodies are another great marketing source. From becoming a speaker at their annual conference, hosting a webinar or attending as a vendor at a trade show, associations are a ready-made community resource of professionals.

Activity:
What are the associations your clients/prospective clients belong to? What events do they offer throughout the year? How might you connect in and add value to their members? Take a look at what associations and organization around you are looking for speakers. What is their deadline for applications?  Pull together a list of possible topics which could be of interest to their audience.

What action steps do you want to take this week around lunch and learns and/or associations? Be sure to check out the relevant exercises in Section 3 of Coaching Business Builder.

Best wishes,
​Jennifer

​Jennifer Britton, PCC, CPCC
Author multiple books including the Coaching Business Builder Workbook and Planner (2018), Effective Group Coaching (2010)
Potentials Realized
Phone: 416-996-8326
Check out the #90DaysPlanDoTrack series of daily prompts for your work and business over on  Instagram @CoachingBizBuilder.

Each month I share a daily calendar of prompts to support you in reflecting and taking action on  your business.
The August 1BizStepaDay is focused on Systems Check. Systems help us replicate things, and scale. They also leave us time to focus on tasks that require more energy or new thinking. As i explore in Coaching Business Builder, and PlanDoTrack, we may want to develop systems in areas including Marketing, Clients/Customers, Communication, Programming and financial.

As with other months, I hope that you will take 15 minutes each day to review the prompts and get into action around your work.

Download this month's 1BizStepaDay here.

Check out past month's 1BizStepADay posts here


Enjoy the focus,
Jennifer
Jennifer Britton, PCC, CPCC
Author Coaching Business Builder Workbook and Planner (2018), Effective Group Coaching (2010), From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching,
Host of the Coaching Biz Growth Lab(TM)  - a coaching group for coaches
Potentials Realized
Phone: 416-996-8326
Check out the #90DaysPlanDoTrack series of daily prompts for your work and business over on  Instagram @CoachingBizBuilder.

Products can be a popular line of revenue in and of themselves. We’ll take a closer look at this in future months but take a look around at what other businesses similar to yours offer. This might include:

• Books
• Workbooks
• Online courses
• Live courses
• Video series

There are many different ways you can go with product development.
Do you want it to be:

• Digital or Something Tangible?
• Book? Course? Support?
• Low Price? High Price?
• Introduction to your work? A Standalone?

Questions to consider when  you think about products:

1. What are your clients asking for?
2. What do you wish you had and could provide for clients?
3. What processes and approaches have you developed that could be a stand alone?
4. What might provide a nice passive revenue for you?

​Best wishes,
​Jennifer

​Jennifer Britton, PCC, CPCC - Potentials Realized
Author of the Coaching Business Builder Workbook and Planner (2018), Effective Group Coaching (2010) and others
Join us at the Coaching Biz Growth Lab this fall to focus on your business consistently. We meet the 1st and 3rd Fridays of the month from 3 - 4 pm Eastern
Phone: 416-996-8326
Check out the #90DaysPlanDoTrack series of daily prompts for your work and business over on  Instagram @CoachingBizBuilder.

Another marketing vehicle many coaches may want to explore is that of article writing. Articles can come in all shapes and sizes – from 500 - 700 words to much longer. Articles can be posted on your own website, on collaborative article sites such as EzineArticles.com. You might also consider becoming a contributor to a larger publication.
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What can you repurpose? Part of marketing success is repurposing and when approaching article writing you may not have to start from scratch. What is the content you already have that may be leveraged? Have you done a recent speaking engagement? Is there anything from that, that can be used? Could you weave together a series of shorter blog posts into a longer article?

Who is the audience? Writing with the audience in mind is key for positioning and angling your message. What is it that you want to communicate? What will they find interesting around this topic?

What’s the message? What are the key points of the message? Writing from an initial outline helps to keep an article focused. What are the three to five main points you want to communicate in your article? How clearly are these laid out?

What is your call to action? After reading the article, what do you want people to do? What action steps? What research or dialogue do you want them to undertake?

What are the things people are searching for? Consider key words: It’s one thing to write an article, another thing for it to be found. In creating a title for your article, consider what terms people may be looking for. Are there key words. Is this a How to…. article or a Ways to …. article. Consider what terms people are searching for.

What’s the appropriate length? What’s the best length of article for the audience and publication? Do some research and/or review the submission guidelines. While you won’t submit the same article in different locations, it’s likely you can repurpose some and change the slant of the topic.

What do you want to spotlight in your bio? Articles usually are followed by a short bio. What do you want to highlight in that? What are the items you want to spotlight?

Article writing can be a valuable approach for marketing. As with any of the other marketing vehicles we have been exploring, consider what is going to be a strategic use of your time and energy.

As it relates to article writing, check out section 3 of the Coaching Business Builder for more questions and exercises to gain clarity around your core messaging.

Best wishes,
​Jennifer

​Jennifer Britton, PCC, CPCC
Author multiple books including the Coaching Business Builder Workbook and Planner (2018), Effective Group Coaching (2010)
Potentials Realized
Phone: 416-996-8326
Check out the #90DaysPlanDoTrack series of daily prompts for your work and business over on  Instagram @CoachingBizBuilder.