3 Questions Guaranteed to Get You “Unstuck” in Your Business
Have you ever felt like you didn't know what you should do next to move your business forward? Have you ever struggled to find your next right step?
A lot of the entrepreneurs who come to me are struggling with what to do next. I've been there; I get it. Sometimes seeing the path before us is as hard as following it.
This past weekend, I hopped on the phone with one of my coaching clients. She felt stuck and was struggling to know what she should do to maintain her momentum, or what would take her foot off the brake of her business so she could make a strong finish to the year.
What we discussed and came up with were three questions that are guaranteed to help you get un-stuck, and help you serve your customers better so you can grow your business. Every time I've felt stuck or struggled with what to do next, these questions have helped me, and I know they'll help you move forward too.
3 Questions Guaranteed to Grow Your Business
Who do you want to serve?
If you haven't figured out exactly and precisely who you want to serve with your business, you should do that first. The more focused and targeted you can be with your avatar, the better you can help them.
The process of getting specific about your avatar is one I compare to making a fist with your hand. If you slap someone with an open hand, it'll hurt. However, if you make a fist, you can throw a punch, and knock someone out.
When you can throw knockout punches with your messaging and products, you can make a bigger impact on their lives. If you need help finding (or creating) your ideal avatar, that ideal client for your business, you should check out my free resource here.
After you know who you want to serve, you can move on to asking…
What do they need?
If you're struggling with what to do next in your business, after you've figured out who you want to serve, think about what those people need.
If they're hungry, they need something to eat. If they're thirsty, they need something to drink. If they want to watch the game on a brand new flat screen, they need a place to buy it, and they might need someone to deliver it and mount it on their wall.
When you know what people need, you can provide a solution. Whether you build or create that solution, or provide that solution via a new social connection, it's hard to help if you don't know what is needed.
What do your clients need? What do your prospective clients need?
And, ultimately…
How can you help them?
What do they need next?
If, after you've asked and answered all of the questions above, you find that you're still not clear on what you should do next to move your business forward, it's time to ask what they need next.
When talking with your clients, you may find that they need lots of things. They may be both hungry and thirsty.
They may “need” that new TV, but they may also need a new 4k Blu-ray player, new HDMI cables, a new receiver, and speakers so they can complete their home theater. If you ask your clients what they need, they may come up with a whole list of things that would help them feel happier, healthier, and better off.
If that's the case, and your clients need a whole host of things, it's time to think about what they need next.
In the example of the home theater above, nothing else matters except for the TV. It's the keystone that makes it all fit, and without it, most of the other things are lumps of plastic and metal. If you were to ask what the home theater enthusiast needs next, the answer would be the TV.
When someone is bleeding, they may also have a headache, but you've got to stop the blood loss before you give them an aspirin.
Too morbid?
But, I've found that if we have a bunch of needs, we have to figure out what's needed now before we can move forward to what we need next. If all you're doing is meeting needs that aren't immediate, you might never sell anything to someone who needs something now.
If you answer those questions and turn those answers into a product, you can sell it. If you can’t think of what other people in your industry need, think about what you need or what you’d like to have and create the solution you're looking for.
Question: What do your clients need? What can only you give them?
