When you’re first starting your biz, working with ANYTHING (with a pulse) will do.
When you’re first getting started, and working toward your first 10 awesome, high-paying clients, you’re in Phase 1 of your Empire. And in this delicate phase, practice makes perfect!
• You want to become savvy at discussing your programs.
• You want to get bold when talking about your talents.
• You want to stand tall when explaining the results you provide.
• And you want to become confident when it comes to discussing (and receiving) money.
But you can’t get confident in these key areas by plotting, preparing or or trying to study ahead of time.
Confidence is not “learned” — but rather, it is always EARNED.
It is earned by facing your biggest fears: talking to countless strangers about what you do, and how you do it. Over, and over, and over again. Until you are the ultimate expert on you and your Biz.
But I often hear women getting picky far before it’s a smart idea to do so — saying things like:
“But THAT person isn’t a good candidate…”
“This woman is DEFINITELY not my ideal client…”
“ That person would NEVER pay to work with me…”
While all those statements may very well be true, here’s what newbies across the land overlook every single day:
1. You don’t WANT ideal clients.
Not now, anyway. Not at this stage of the game.
When you’re first learning to talk about what you do, it’s actually the PERFECT time to have the most non-ideal folks show up at your doorstep.
Because then you get real-life Guinea Pigs. An audience of people for you to experiment, test the waters, craft your voice, and learn the ropes.
(Think about it: why in the world would you want to waste a perfectly ideal client on your total-beginner self, anyway?)
Trust me: get the learning-curve out of the way, and THEN let’s bring on your ideal mob-o-prospects!
2. “Seemingly” Non-Ideal Folks sometimes are IDEAL.
More times than I care to admit, I’ve written off someone in my mind – only to discover they were, in fact, the perfect, dream-client.
It’s dangerous in the beginning to make snap-judgements too soon. Often times, folks wrapped in a wonky package can make for the MOST exquisite gifts once you dig in and unwrap them.
Stay open. Talk to everyone. And let Source determine who’s meant to work with you, and who’s not. (At least at the get-go).
3. Non-Ideal Prospects know IDEAL ones.
Sure, most of the people you talk to in the beginning won’t pan out to be clients. But quite often a most unsuspecting encounter will lead to a spectacular referral or a 5-star recommendation.
You never know WHO other’s might know.
I’ve often been talking to someone about my business, or sharing a morsel of my expertise, only to realize that they were connected to the dreamiest of people or organizations.
Here’s the thing: You NEVER know.
So why limit yourself to only warm prospects and fresh blood? Why not test the somewhat-less-than-ideal-looking waters, too? Why not expand your base to anyone, everyone, and EVERYTHING around you?
Heck, even practicing your elevator speech on a stray goat or a frisky monkey will get you invaluable experience. No joke.
Priceless experience.
(And I promise, you’ll be better for it.)
So don’t get too snooty too soon… stay open to opportunities to practice, practice, practice! Shout your biz from the closest mountaintop… Tell your friends to spread the world. Start conversations with someone at the grocery store. Open your mouth in a room full of strangers…
The more you talk about what you do, the more you tell the Universe: “Ready or not, here I come!!!!”
And that’s when the MOST delicious miracles await.
So get your butt out there this week. Talk it up! Strut your stuff. Share your mojo. Spread the luv.
You’ll never get confident about your biz by staying at home, or hiding behind your gmail account. You get CONFIDENT by putting yourself out there. Big time. And tellin’ the world whatcha got.
Until next week — Happy trails, oh Unstoppable Entrepreneur!
© 2012 Stephanie McWilliams LLC
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