"You don't have to be everything to everyone, you just have to be something to someone"
Posted 03-18-2009 at 11:57 AM by Ness Lindsay
"You don't have to be everything to everyone; you just have to be something to someone." Don't you think this quote speaks volumes?
Seriously though, let's embrace this profound statement for a moment...
(Embracing)
So, here's the thing...I've quickly discovered as a business owner; I've strived to market myself to a large group of people, I also had a desire to "please" everyone.
Here's the problem:
I simply couldn't! I couldn't possibly please everyone, it's just not possible. When I created my marketing material with promises to my prospects that I was the best; and in turn prospects just had to do business with me, I was falsely advertising myself and my core values of my business. Why you ask? Because I couldn't possibly be everything to everyone!
Kicking it old school - Take it back to the basics
Instead, I should have been focusing my attention and my efforts on a being something to someone. I realized I had to take my efforts back to the basics. I told prospects that I would be myself, be honest, and promise to offer then only what I knew I was capable of fulfilling. Instead of owning Girl Friday and promising the "be-all"; I did some soul searching and found what I was truly passionate about. Who did I really want to help? What could I honestly offer them? With these answers, it was only a matter of time before I opened NessLindsay.com.
It was this outlook that allowed me to be me. I didn't have to pretend, I was fully confident in my abilities. I didn't need to try to re-invent the wheel. I was able to bring things back to the basics and wasn't afraid to offer personable services to my clients - services with all my quirkiness to boot!
Just be yourself
You don't need flashy technology or big empty promises to grab the attention of prospective clients. You just need to be you - narrow your market to the people who match who you are. Don't break yourself trying to be everything to everyone....just be something to someone! Clients will naturally gravitate towards you....with all your quirkiness too because they can relate...you quickly become human again. This feeling is pretty surreal. Since I have begun being something to someone, I have grown my business 10 ten-fold!
Best of luck to you and your business' success!
Vanessa Lindsay, REPA
Seriously though, let's embrace this profound statement for a moment...
(Embracing)
So, here's the thing...I've quickly discovered as a business owner; I've strived to market myself to a large group of people, I also had a desire to "please" everyone.
Here's the problem:
I simply couldn't! I couldn't possibly please everyone, it's just not possible. When I created my marketing material with promises to my prospects that I was the best; and in turn prospects just had to do business with me, I was falsely advertising myself and my core values of my business. Why you ask? Because I couldn't possibly be everything to everyone!
Kicking it old school - Take it back to the basics
Instead, I should have been focusing my attention and my efforts on a being something to someone. I realized I had to take my efforts back to the basics. I told prospects that I would be myself, be honest, and promise to offer then only what I knew I was capable of fulfilling. Instead of owning Girl Friday and promising the "be-all"; I did some soul searching and found what I was truly passionate about. Who did I really want to help? What could I honestly offer them? With these answers, it was only a matter of time before I opened NessLindsay.com.
It was this outlook that allowed me to be me. I didn't have to pretend, I was fully confident in my abilities. I didn't need to try to re-invent the wheel. I was able to bring things back to the basics and wasn't afraid to offer personable services to my clients - services with all my quirkiness to boot!
Just be yourself
You don't need flashy technology or big empty promises to grab the attention of prospective clients. You just need to be you - narrow your market to the people who match who you are. Don't break yourself trying to be everything to everyone....just be something to someone! Clients will naturally gravitate towards you....with all your quirkiness too because they can relate...you quickly become human again. This feeling is pretty surreal. Since I have begun being something to someone, I have grown my business 10 ten-fold!
Best of luck to you and your business' success!
Vanessa Lindsay, REPA
Total Comments 2
Comments
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I too seem to have this deep seated need to be everything to everyone and it isn't working. I read and reread your post and decided I'm not doing anyone any favors by overextending myself. Next week I'm taking a vacation and I'm going to forget work, business, and worries and spend the entire week enjoying a relaxing getaway with my husband. When I get back, I'm going to put your words to good use and rewrite my marketing plan and just be plain ole me, not superwoman.
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Fantastic!!! It just isn't possible to be superwoman. Yet, it is possible to be you
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