I hear this from business owners all too often:
“I’m just. So. Busy. I’m constantly at my laptop. My husband’s starting to complain about how I’m working all the time. But even with all the hours I’m clocking, I’m just not making any money.”
Now, from the outside, “busy” sounds like a good sign for a growing venture, right? When someone says they’ve got a lot to do, it sounds like they’re really getting things moving.
But here’s the kicker: These “busy” budding business owners (try saying that three times fast) are almost always focused on the wrong stuff.
Sure, they’re trying to attract their right people by constantly churning out Facebook and Twitter posts, blogging, and creating coaching packages faster than they’re getting new clients. The problem is that they’re most likely taking wild, random stabs in the promotional dark. And when the response is meager and cash doesn’t start flowing, they’re left feeling lost and confused.
“I’m so busy!” they think, yet their bank account doesn’t match their frantic action-taking.
Working your fingers to the bone but feeling like you’re just spinning your wheels can be a nightmare. And it happens because there’s something critical missing.
Sound familiar?
I was checking in with one of my favorite clients, recapping the work we’ve been doing for the past few months. She told me about how, before we started our work together, she was working her ass off trying to develop services and programs she thought her ideal clients would want. But, despite all her efforts, she was getting zero response.
In retrospect, she sees that she was all over the place. While she was active on social media, blogged regularly, and had good ideas for what to offer prospects, she didn’t have a solid foundation. She was trying to build a large business on top of toothpicks.
When she finally got clear on who she was serving, how she was helping them, and exactly the right way to get her message out, everything started to click into place. How her business is growing, and “busy” is no longer a dirty four-letter word!
So, what exactly did we create that helped her get on track?
A clear plan for building a solid business foundation.
It may sound a bit ho-hum, but I promise you that this is the key to making it all work.
5 Essential Tips for Building Your Budding Business
Tip #1: Learn about business and marketing
I can’t stress this one enough, and I know I say it over and over on this blog (after all, it is what I teach!). If you have little to no knowledge of business and marketing fundamentals, please learn them! You must give yourself this critical skill set, or your business just won’t grow.
Tip #2: Create a detailed strategy
Entrepreneurs waste a ton of time when they don’t have a specific plan of attack. Know where you’re going and exactly how you’re going to get there.
When I was first starting out, I set a goal of getting X coaching clients and filling Y group programs and said, “If I do this, I’ll be set!” But I never made a plan of how I was actually going to get those coaching clients or fill those group programs.
The little details of exactly how you’re going to get from Point A to Point B are essential for actually making it happen!
Tip #3: Know why you’re doing everything you’re doing
Don’t just take action for the sake of taking action or because someone told you “being on social media” was a good idea.
Are you updating Twitter 20 times a day because it’s a smart, strategic move and a part of your detailed strategy… or because someone, somewhere told you it’s something you have to do?
Are you posting to your blog three times a week because you’re strategically creating useful content, or because you read somewhere that it’s good for SEO?
When you’re assigning yourself tasks to grow your business, make sure what you’re doing fits into your detailed strategy (which should be based on business and marketing fundamentals). Also know why you’re doing what you’re doing and how it fits into the big, strategic plan for your business. Tweet that!
Tip #4: Get help
It’s quite possible you’re like many entrepreneurs I meet who think, “I don’t know how to make a strategic business plan. And I don’t really know how to get those 10 clients I’m aiming for.”
I hear you. It can be very frustrating. And this is where it can save you time, stress, and money (in the long run) to invest wisely in hiring help. Working with a coach or taking a training that can fill in those gaps is essential if you want to get from where you are to where you want to go in your business.
Tip #5: Follow through
And then, of course, you must follow through. Knowing business and marketing fundamentals, having a plan, and getting help are all fantastic, but nothing happens unless you take massive action. Gather the support you need, then follow through. That’s how you’ll make it all happen!
Your turn!
Now I want to hear from you!
Do you sometimes find yourself busy but not productive?
Where do you think you’re tripping up?
And what can you change TODAY to shift this in your business?
I look forward to reading your thoughts and stories in the comments below!
Hit me in the head with a hammer. You just read my mind. I spent so long without having time to do anything, that now I have time to do my work, I am busy doing ALL of it, without having a super specific plan, and I am totally wobbling around on toothpicks. The thing that tricks me is that I struggle keeping a track of the money I earn right now, even though it isn’t much, and I guess that until I figure that part out, I have no chance of building a good business, with proper money coming in.
Time to go through your 5 perfect points.
thank you
I’m smiling, Claire, because although I didn’t read your mind, I’ve seen this one a lot!! I did this when I was first starting out and most of my clients were like this before we started. I love that you see it in yourself and are ready to make a change. Woohoo!!
Seriously Jenny, it’s like you read my mind too. Great post, thank you! Lots of food for thought 🙂
I’m currently crazy busy, but I’m also very productive. I expect the busy-ness to decrease drastically once I’ve got some products and services to offer.
Sounds like “good busy” for you, Linda. That’s great!
The distractions-interruptions are constant. I find if I start to get “scatter brain”, I give myself a “time-out”, and re-stratgize/re-prioritize the day in a realistic manner. Also, I keep a sign posted at my desk that simply say’s “Begin Anywhere” quote courtesy of John Cage, composer. The time-out is more or less a mediation, an opportunity to catch my breath!
Yes, distractions are inevitable. Love your practice for staying focused!
Great post, Jenny!
I love it because I’ve been there and I know how much it sucks. But luckily I’m past it and haven’t looked back since 🙂
Here’s an example of how I stay productive (even though no one is perfect at it, including me!) – As a client attraction coach I am always looking to attract more clients myself, or learn and grow so I can bring the best strategies to my clients. So, with that in mind, whenever I’m doing something during my work hours I always think of it in two ways:
1. Is this going to help me and my business?
2. Is this going to help my clients?
If the answers are no, and no, then I move on and do something more productive with my time. But, if it’s a yes, for either or both, I know that I’m on-track and can keep on truckin’.
Thanks again for the great advice and the nice little pick-me-up!
Love that laser focus, Jenna! Those questions are fantastic examples of making sure we’re on track. So smart, and thank you for sharing!!
I’ve limited my time on facebook, and everywhere else, but yes — it’s still such a waste — it seems. As you said; data is data. The BIG kicker is that I’m not 100% clear on what I do. I’m just trying to do as much as possible — I like your approach (focus on me first). The more I write, the more I realize that I sound like your ideal client. 🙂 No money in that bucket for the money, so I’ll read your posts. I can do the strategic plan, but attracting a client? Absolutely no clue on that front. It’s been hit and miss. Some weeks I have 5; Some week I have 2; some none. The good news is that I have repeat business, so i must be doing something right. For my classes, the only thing that has worked is sharing 50% of my profits – and I found it to be too much (offered him less). There must be a better way to do this.
You definitely sound persistent, Nathalie, and that will definitely help in getting clients. Even if you don’t have as many as you want, it sounds like you’re doing pretty great with a few each week plus repeats. That’s fantastic!
I am a recovering busyholic myself and the 2 things I am implementing are
1) working a 4 day work week (the extra day is spent on learning, sleeping in and spending time with family and friends) which forces me to have less time and focus on the most important things. I think it was Parkinson law which say “you will take only as long as the time you have to take” or something like that, IE you work will fill all the space you allocate to it
2) Writing a list of only 5 things to complete each day and feeling productive when I have completed those 5 things, rather than deflated because I have not completed all the other things on my mental to do list.
These are only small new changes but they are working for me!
Love your approach, Amy. Yes, things do take the time we allot them, that’s for sure! And with focus like that, you must be getting yourself and your business right on track!
I’m also a busyaholic… Starting to recognise that needs to change! I think I am productive, but I find alot of what I do doesn’t actually bring in money. And this is where I need the solid foundation as you say. I find it hard to know what is a winning idea and what’s not (they all seem so great!). Even when my tribe have asked for something through research! Having that clariy and focus will be key. Thanks for another great article 🙂
Yes, busy doesn’t mean money 🙂 Not sure where to start or what’s a winning idea? This is what I tell every single one of my clients: experiment… because, as I say, “clarity comes from taking action!”
So pick something. Sell it. Get clients. Practice. And learn from that experience. Tweak your offer and do it again. Research can only get you so far, and action will get you further, faster (and more clearly). Go for it, Keri!
I keep my work hours TIGHT and LIGHT since having my baby. I’ve started to realize that some of the things I did and recommended over the first few years of business coaching were extra and unnecessary. (Doh!) But thankfully I’m past that – although still learning every day no matter the improvement or successes. Thanks for another great post Jenny!
P.S. I like to have only 1-2 MUST DO items on my list daily – and they MUST be high impact. If they’re not, they don’t make it to The List!
You’re impressive in that regard, Eva! (work hours, that is) I love how you slice it down to just a few to-do items. Again, you always impress!
Jenny, this post is gold! I’m launching my business right now, and I feel like I don’t have a free moment to breathe most days. And I’m not always confident that the activities I’m spending my time on are going to push me towards long-term success or if they’re simply distractions. It was important for me to read your blog today as a reminder that I need to sit down and create an actual strategic plan to get my business from where it is now to where it’s going. Thanks <3
Yes! When you know exactly what you’re doing, why you’re doing it, when you’re doing it, and how it fits into your big picture, everything changes. I’m excited to hear how this changes things for you in the best way possible!