Starting over hurts, but never starting hurts even more.
Ever wondered why an idea you had never got wings? Or never got past the paper it was written on? Better yet, the idea took flight, had wings but no power to elevate above the storm.
In this series of Road Map to Success, we will dive into the ‘Where’ do I start. I think about all the good advice I was given as a teenager that I didn’t listen to and wished I had. Then I think about why didn’t my parents or an adult tell me… But then I heard the story of a now successful businessman that had a great family growing up, access to great schools and opportunities but still found himself on drugs and in prison. ‘Where’ did he start to shift the script?
He started with the question, ‘Where Do I Start?’. For him, he had to start with his ‘Why’. ‘Why’ he needed to stop deceiving himself and rationalizing why it wasn’t the right time to quit drugs. Which led to ‘Why’ he does not want to be addicted to drugs anymore? That answer led him to another, ‘Why?’ Then another, ‘Why?’. Why so many ‘Why’s?’ You see, for a decision or an idea to take flight, flourish and survive setbacks and storms, your ‘Why’ must be at a deep level, not surface level.
When you make a decision to change, to ‘Get Started’, you will be attacked from all sides- including family, trusted friends, and your own mind. Some may think you’re crazy. Stay steady! Even Jesus' mother called Him crazy. Look at all the great things He accomplished in His 3 ½ year ministry.
Today take these simple steps for ‘Where Do I Start’. You can use these steps in life and in business:
- Write a Personal Goal, Relationship Goal, Financial Goal, Career Goal, and Spiritual Goal.
- Beside each goal write your ‘Why’.
- Write your goal every day. (You may see it’s not what you really want)
- Write one action could you do daily/weekly towards each of your goals?
- Be kind to yourself in the process.
“If you base your life’s decisions on fear of others opinions, then you’ve already given away your dream.” - Cerenna Timphony
How does this apply to marketing?
Simple. The core of what you are marketing should start with several questions both internally and externally. Just like with any race, you have to know your destination, or else you’ll be running wild in the wrong direction.
Define your goals.
I know...three words that are easy to say, but really can be challenging to complete. Just like overcoming your personal challenges, this is one that you need to dig deep and create realistic expectations for yourself and your business. It’s a good idea to create multiple goals that are tiered so that you have small wins to motivate you to continue down the path of success.
When creating your goals it’s also important to understand your company, product, and offering from a deep level in order to communicate the benefits to consumers. Because after all, marketing is starting a line of communication, that essentially turns into a life-long relationship between you and your customer.
So ask yourself, why did I start this business? What problem does it solve? What makes my company/product different from my competitors. How does this difference benefit the consumers? Who are my customers and why do they choose to use my services? Is it because of location? Price? Is there something in common with all of my customers?
Try to picture your ideal customer and define that person. Disregard the customers that are a pain, and focus on attracting your ideal customer. Write all of this down and if you have team members, bring them into the conversation. In order to maximize your marketing, you should always start with targeting the right person, then starting the conversation becomes a whole lot easier.
