Are you tired of lists that sound compelling but don’t actually teach you anything new?
You know what I’m talking about…
The 3 secrets to build a million-dollar business overnight…
The 10 must-have items for social media success…
101 ways to wow your customers...
They. are. everywhere.
You get stoked to get the inside scoop and then… it’s all fluff.
That’s why I’m sharing a GOOD list. A real-deal list, also known as...
The 5 REAL things you need to grow your biz.
Now, I’ve been building my biz for over 20 years… and let me tell ya… I’ve gotten caught up in the fluff before.
But I’ve discovered that there are actually a few foundational pieces that apply over and over again.
No matter what your biz is.
So here we go...
Hack #1: Get clear on your vision.
No, this isn’t fluff.
This is business 101 right here.
You wouldn’t get into a car for a roadtrip with no plan, would you? With zero prep?
I mean, you need gas, some money, a wish list of what you’d like to do or see along the way… and snacks.
Definitely snacks.
But let’s talk about that wish list part...
There’s got to be some compelling reason why you’re choosing to do this. Some goal or experience you’re looking to have.
This is your vision.
So let’s apply this to your biz with three questions:
What is your vision for your business?
What are you looking to get out of it?
How will it take you from point A to point B?
I’m talking big picture here.
So let’s do this…
Imagine yourself 5 years from now. What does that look like?
Are you relaxing more?
Feeling more creative and less stressed?
Spending time with friends and family at the beach, or your beautiful house...
Create a super clear vision about this.
Where are you living? Working? Who is around you?
Where you want to go with your life is important.
And your biz is part of how you do that.
After all, if you don’t know THAT, you’re probably going to run in place a lot longer than you need to.
Action step:
Spend 5 minutes envisioning a scene of what your life is like 5 years from now, then document it.
Maybe it’s a list, or a story you write, a vision board. Whatever comes naturally to you.
Next, place it somewhere close to your work space so you have something to refer to when you feel stuck or stressed.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve pulled my vision doc out when I hit a rough patch.
It helps me see if the actions I’m taking, the decisions I’m making, are leading me towards that vision.
If not, well, then that gives me the chance to do something different to realign with the big picture vision for my life.
Hack #2: Know who you want to serve.
This means getting super clear on your ideal client. In marketing terms, it’s called an “avatar.”
Please don’t make the mistake of thinking your biz is for EVERYONE… it never works.
Think of it this way… do you see yourself as an “everyone”?
Probably not. You see yourself as a unique individual.
So does everybody else.
No one wants to feel like a generic person.
When you see marketing like that, you know it. And probably blow it off without a second thought.
This hack about knowing who you serve well avoids that mistake.
Action step:
Begin creating your ideal customer avatar.
Think of her as a REAL PERSON. It needs to be as clear to you as if she were standing right in front of you.
Write down details about her.
Give her a name, age, and bio.
Where does she shop?
What does she like to do?
What would she NEVER be caught dead doing?
Creating this crystal clear picture will help you identify the right places to find her and create content and marketing campaigns that speak directly to her.
Need more help with this?
Think about who you serve well.
Your best customers.
What are the qualities that make them valuable to you?
When you get a new lead in your system that makes you excited and confident that you can help her, what is it about that person that lets you know she’s highly qualified?
One more quick tip on this… it’s ok to have more than 1 avatar.
Follow the same process for all your avatars, but avoid the trap of going too broad.
That’s where you slip into “I serve everyone” and it’s a no-man's land in there.
Hack #3: Message from a place of service.
Ok that may sound a little fluffy but let me break it down for you.
No one wants to feel like they’re constantly being sold to.
The person you’re talking to wants to feel like you’re interested in her and really care about her problems. And have solutions to help solve her.
That’s what I mean by coming from a place of service.
You are making it be about HER…by showing her that you understand who she is.
See how this ties back to your avatar?
Here’s how you know if you need to freshen up your messaging…
Are you running all your marketing like usual… sending out your emails, posting on social… and nothing is happening?
No one is responding.
Your engagement is staying status quo or even dropping.
If you’re doing all the things you’ve been taught you SHOULD do, and it’s not working…
You probably need to look at how you’re showing up.
Often, the key is just a simple rephrasing of what you’re putting out there.
Instead of “buy this item,” share knowledge about the challenges someone may be experiencing and offer solutions…
...with a bit of info on how your biz… your product, your service… can help address it.
In short, make it be about THE OTHER PERSON, not you.
Action step:
Look back at your last couple weeks or months of marketing and see if your messaging is about YOU and what YOU have to share… ...or if it’s about THEM (meaning your customer or prospective customers).
If you see a lot of YOU messages, switch it up.
Make it about THEM.
Rewrite your next week of content and begin to come from a place of service… over time, the responses will change. I promise.
Hack #4: Develop systems for growth.
This hack isn’t sexy but it’s necessary if you want to free up time and move your business forward.
What do I mean by systems for growth?
It doesn’t mean to buy the latest and greatest software packages that Fortune 500 companies are using.
No. I’m talking about figuring out how to keep your biz going but reducing the amount of time and effort you spend on the things that don’t fuel your growth.
This can feel like a big process, and over time, it can actually become one…
...but for now, you’re going to be challenged to do one baby action step here.
Action step:
Track how you’re spending your time.
For just one week, jot down how you’re spending your time in a day.
And be honest about it, this is only for you.
In doing this, you’ll be able to quickly see areas that are probably wasted effort that can be stopped, reduced, streamlined, or offloaded to someone else.
And the embarrassing amount of time you spend scrolling through Instagram or watching dance videos on Tik Tok.
I’m guilty of this sometimes too.
The point is… if you don’t pay attention to where your time goes, you can’t change it.
They say time is money… so if growing your biz plays into that big vision you desire for yourself…
...this is one way to get real with yourself and make new choices.
Alright, so here we are at the final REAL thing you need to grow your biz.
I saved the best for last because it’s my favorite.
Hack #5: Get creative with your marketing.
How many times have you gotten sick of your own marketing?
Of other people’s marketing?
Of doing the same tactics over and over again because you think you’re supposed to…
And then something breaks through the clutter.
You actually pay attention.
Maybe you don’t even think of it as marketing because it’s so compelling.
That’s creative marketing, my friends.
For me, one of my biggest challenges was lead generation. It’s ALWAYS lead generation.
And for most people in my biz, it’s the same thing…
How do I get more qualified people into my email list?
Because for the majority of us, email is the #1 factor that drives our biz.
Years ago, I was introduced to what seemed like a radical marketing idea at the time.
And that was to create a digital mini course.
A digital mini course gave me a way to bottle up all the knowledge I was already using in my marketing and offer it in an attractive, easy-to-use format prospective customers loved… which ended up bringing in extra revenue, too.
They could learn about how to solve a problem they were experiencing.
They got knowledge and a clear plan on how to do it.
That’s all a digital mini course is.
My first attempt at a mini course was called Social Downline.
And it’s all about how to grow your doTERRA business through digital marketing.
I created a mini course on this topic because it was the #1 thing people were asking me about.
I was repeating myself over and over again, and noticed that hardly anyone was following through on my advice.
This changed as soon as I put together a mini course.
The first launch was ok…
I got several dozen leads, but what occurred to me was they were highly qualified.
And they’ve stuck with me for YEARS since then.
Later I decided it was time to relaunch my mini course but freshen it up.
I wanted to really do it right this time. To have a bigger impact and help more people grow their biz.
So I consulted an expert, my friend Amy Porterfield.
She introduced me to a step-by-step model for creating and launching a digital mini course that blew my previous attempt out of the water.
And it was way easier than I thought it would be.
Creating a mini course helped drive thousands of qualified leads into my email list… and (bonus!) the relaunch brought in almost $100,000 in extra revenue.
Just from organizing what I was already doing into a creative marketing package.
So now I have a challenge for you...
Action step:
So here’s your action step… consider whether a digital mini course might work for you.
To get started, you’d need to pick one topic you are asked about regularly. Think narrow and deep.
Maybe it’s about how to improve focus when you’re stressed.
And for those of you fellow doTERRA marketers, you include an essential oil blend of Patchouli, Lime and Wild Orange as one of the tools you suggest.
This is your mini course content.
And yes, it’s enough to get people interested!
The second part of creating a mini course is to get some guidance on the best way to put it all together… and that includes how you fit it into your already-busy schedule.
Here’s where my pro tip comes in…
You should look into signing up for the Amy Porterfield course I took to do my mini course the right way.
If you have been thinking about creative ways to build your list… without feeling stressed about it… her course might be the right thing for you.
And, I’m adding some extra perks and exclusive content from me into the mix if you decide to enroll in Amy’s Digital Course Academy by September 17th.
Here’s a quick snapshot of 6 Bonus Tools you’ll get from me if you choose to enroll in Digital Course Academy:
A content framework workbook - this walks you through creating a solid content marketing strategy (talk about a time-saver!)
My Podcasting for Beginners mini video training - I’ll show you how to launch a podcast (no, this isn’t yet another thing for you to learn… it’s a new outlet to expand with what you’re already doing!)
A private, members-only Facebook group - join me for weekly Lives where we talk about the most impactful ways to grow your biz (and yes, you can ask questions!)
A handy time-blocking and calendar training to help with productivity - this one is major for anyone who has a lot on her plate and needs a way to get it all done with the least amount of stress possible
Socialize Your Social Media course access - this training will help you get your brand out on Instagram and Facebook – the two biggest social channels for growing your biz
Consciously Creating Your Whole Business Online Implementation Workbook - my exclusive 27-page workbook that walks you through the essential, foundational steps to create and market a business
So that’s it. Those are my five real things you need to grow your business…
To recap they are:
Create a vision for your life and your business
Get crystal clear on who you serve (your avatar)
Come from a place of service when you share what you do
Develop systems to offload tasks that don’t grow your biz
Get creative with your marketing by using my secret hack: investing your time and energy into creating a digital mini course.
I hope you’ll try out at least one of these hacks and let me know how it worked for you!
XO,
Hayley