Client Magnets Blog

As a small business, and for those of us who are self-employed, it’s so easy to fall into the “Jack of All Trades” syndrome.  You know the old saying, “The Jack of all trades, master of none”?  If we’re flying solo in a business, we have to do it all – from A-Z we have to do it to keep our businesses running.  Or do we?

Are you hurting your business by offering too many services?  Many of us think that the more areas we can handle the more business we’re going to generate.  That’s not the case.  You’ll be spreading yourself too thin.

Finding Your Focus

This doesn’t have to be as difficult as you may think.  It’s about finding your specialty; it’s about narrowing down your business to a more manageable focus and taking your business to the next level with that focus.

You can find your focus by examining your work and career:

1. Review your resume. Is there a common expertise showing through your work history and background?
When I started out in training, I focused on NLP Sales.  That’s what I found interesting.  So I thought if I work hard at that, I’ll succeed in my business.  But there were so many other trainers offering that service.  I knew I had to offer something besides that general expertise.  That’s when I looked through my work history and skills and came up with cold calling.

2. Ask yourself “What do I have that no one else has?”
It’s easy to get lost in the shuffle if your expertise is too general.  You’re going to spend your time trying to climb your way to the top of the pile.

Consider how you view businesses in the telephone book.  You have a leaky faucet, you check the plumbing section.  Do you choose a plumber with an advertisement saying he’s the least expensive plumber in your area?  Or does the ad that says “we’re the leaky faucet experts” catch your eye.

3. Put yourself in the client’s shoes – determine the client’s problem and focus on the solution you can offer.
For example – managers don’t wake up saying I need training today.  They think about how to meet their sales goals, they worry about their numbers.  You need to offer them the quick solution to their problem.  That will create an urgent demand for your product.  In my case, I was selling specific training on cold calls, and I could offer strategies and tips that were going to show the quick results the manager needed.

4. Don’t take your skills for granted.
Just because a skill is easy for you, don’t assume that it’s easy for everyone.  Recognize the value of your skills and don’t underestimate them.  It’s easy to overlook talents that come naturally to you.  These skills could be your focus, your specialty and the next step to focusing your business.

Pick your area of specialism at a level where people can identify it to their needs and issues.  Once you accomplish this, you’ll be positioned to become the “Master” of your trade.