by Angie Weber | Featured Contributor
“With this _______ (fill in the blank) your business is going to double—no—triple its sales in the 90 days!”
You’ve been in a presentation and the speaker pitches you something that holds the promise of bringing your business to the next level. You decided this is exactly what you’ve been missing and this offer is one you can’t.live.without.
You’re sold. Where’s your wallet? You need to grab that company card!
Does this sound familiar? I have a feeling that you may have given in to this scenario once… or twice. #RaiseYourHand
Heck, I think most of us are guilty of this. Now before you think that I have my wallet on lock down + I’m a skeptic of all pitches, hear me out. There are some really great products/services out there that can help your biz grow like crazy. I know this because I’ve used some and they have grown the business.
Here is where the problem lies: too many entrepreneurs get hooked on every single pitch + start dishing out cash as quick as they can. #HookLineAndSinker
These presentations + promos are like QVC for entrepreneurs. Remember, the first step is admitting you have a problem.
The truth is, when you start buying everything, you have time for nothing.
Don’t think this is all smoke in mirrors, though. Entrepreneurs know these things work—they want them to work—they need them to work… but they don’t put the work in once they grab up the deal.
Here’s another way to look at it; if you want to build a house, you can go buy all the proper tools at Home Depot. But if you never learn how to use the tools or apply that knowledge, you’ll be left with nothing besides a big bill + a bunch of tools. (Well, and possibly a happy hubby.)
Of course, it doesn’t matter if you’re talking about a business or a house, the first thing you need is a solid foundation. #Biz101
The scary thing is, even without a foundation, I see entrepreneurs grabbing up the latest deals in the following areas…
Business coaches
Currently I am working with a coach and when I met her, she said something that everyone should know about hiring one of these: “I’m not here to give you all the answers, I’m here to shed light on the pieces of your business that need to be looked at.” Here’s what a lot of people don’t understand about coaches: the real magic doesn’t happen when you are on your weekly call, it’s what you do with the time in-between your sessions. No action = no results. So take a look and ask yourself »» are you willing to do the work in-between? Are you using a coach as an accountability partner? Heck, are you even coachable?
Online Courses
Ah yes, online courses. It’s all the craze I hear with entrepreneurs. At tena.cious we have a large document filled with usernames and passwords to course after course. But guess what? Most of the time they don’t get used. It’s not that they aren’t filled with amazing info—we know they are—we just didn’t push ourselves to follow along with every.single.lesson. #OurBad So there they sit with all this great information that can make a huge difference in the business. So we’ve made a pact—no more courses until we utilize the tools we already have. Do you have the same self-control?
Fancy Software
Ever heard of Infusionsoft? Or as we like to call it around the office on occasion, confusionsoft. This program is a-mazing, but it’s also large + takes a ton of knowledge. While I know enough to be dangerous, we have one person who is dedicated to this software in our office. We didn’t jump on the IFS train because it was the next big thing, we did it because it was the next step for our growth. But I have seen people jump into this software (and others) because they think it’s going to be the solution to all of their problems. Instead, they might as well be throwing money out the window because the truth is, they aren’t ready for it or they don’t have all of the facts. We’ve totally been guilty of this before—signing on with a program before knowing all the ins and outs. #SoreSubject
Now, let’s not beat ourselves up over the things we’ve bought on a whim and not used. #DontLookBack
This simply is my PSA for the entrepreneurs out there I know who want to grow their businesses, but are constantly trying to play catch up. I’ve seen too many business owners grab up each and every promo at events because they believe it is their saving grace. But what they don’t know is that a majority of the time they already have a tool box full of things that will help them achieve the next level of success, they just haven’t put them to use yet.
So, let’s take a look at the tools we have and see how far they can get us right now.
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After time spent searching for the perfect job and having no luck, Angie Weber was introduced to tena.cious. Not only did she find her passion for small business, she also discovered one very important thing about herself- she is a true intrapreneur. (You know, those people who act like entrepreneurs, but don’t have as much risk in the game?)
While she co-runs tena.cious and helps clients showcase their personalties online, she also spreads awareness about intrapreneurs- the good, the bad, and the ugly awesomeness. If you want to get an inside look on intrapreneurs, check out here podcast, The Intrapreneur Life.
