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Hi <<First Name>>,
Last week I was lucky enough to be invited to the opening ceremony of One Young World (see photo below).
This is an annual Summit that brings together the brightest young talent from every country and sector, working to accelerate social impact.
I was struck by the energy, enthusiasm and commitment of everyone there to build a better future.
It made me a bit sad that I was at least 25 years too old to apply for one of the coveted places at the Summit!
But it also inspired me to think about how I can use my business to make even more of a difference to the small businesses I help.
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In my newsletter this week:
- What’s your logline?
- How do you Show Up?
- Profits? Check!
- Business Quest update
Please do read on....
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What’s your logline?
A screenwriter friend has introduced me to the concept of loglines.
Despite the picture above, these are nothing to do with trees!
Wikipedia tells us that a logline is:
'A brief summary of a television program, film, or book that states the central conflict of the story, often providing both a synopsis of the story's plot, and an emotional "hook" to stimulate interest.’
Further research (thank you Google!) explains the difference between a tagline and a logline.
A tagline is a short marketing phrase designed to capture attention and promote the program, film or book.
A logline, however, 'boils the script down to its essential dramatic narrative in as succinct a manner as possible.’
"So what?" I hear you ask.
"What’s that got to do with me?”
Simply this.
You may well have a tagline for your business.
(Mine is currently ‘making it simpler for you to run your business successfully’)
But can you also create a logline for your business?
Can you distil the essence of your business and the emotional hook for your ideal client into one sentence?
I think it’s an exercise well worth considering.
Developing that degree of clarity will help you be more articulate about what makes you special - and hence why people should buy from you.
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How do you show up?
Are you 100% confident when you promote your business?
Or:
- Do you sometimes draw attention to your weaknesses instead of emphasising your strengths?
- Do you struggle to speak confidently about your business?
- Does it feel like showing off when you tell others about your achievements, successes and skills?
If you answered YES to any of these questions, you’re not alone.
Many of us have the same issue.
I’ve developed this new workshop in direct response to input from small business owners like you, most (though not all) of whom are confident in every day life.
However, when it comes to telling people how great they are, and what a great service or product they offer, it doesn’t come naturally.
In this workshop my aim is to take you from competent to confident, so that you can market your business more effectively both in person and in writing.
We’ll identify what you find challenging - and why.
And I’ll share some top tips to help you shine.
Book your place now!
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Profits? Check!
Last week I asked one of my clients what his most profitable business offering was.
He didn’t know.
Would YOU know the answer to that question?
You may have heard me say that money is not the only measure of business success.
Nonetheless, it’s an important one!
Without making money, your business won't last long!
It’s really important that we understand what contributes the most financially to our business success.
And what detracts from it.
There are different ways to assess profit!
If you run a product based business it’s relatively easy to calculate the production costs for each item - materials, manufacture, etc.
If you offer a service, it’s relatively easy to compare the hourly rate for each of your services.
So do that first.
Add on the cost of training and /or research and development (estimated if necessary).
Then consider whether the other costs associated with running your business (accommodation, utilities, IT, marketing, etc) vary from product to product or from service to service.
If they do, you’ll need to factor that in.
When you’ve worked out the answer for each of your business offerings, take a good hard look at the least profitable.
Can you still justify including it in your portfolio?
And take a good look at the most profitable too.
Can you sell more of it?
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Business Quest Update
Last month I told you about my plans to launch a membership Facebook Group.
For a small monthly subscription, members will join a community of small business owners that provides peer support facilitated by an expert coach to provide:
- A safe space to ask for help
- A place to commit to action and be held accountable
- A group with which to celebrate successes
- Access to tools, techniques and advice
with the aim of helping you to drive your business forward to achieve greater success.
I asked for volunteers to help me shape the new offering.
I’m delighted to say that 8 Business Quest Pioneers are now working with me.
Last week we held a kick-off call and our pilot Facebook Group is now live.
We’re establishing ground rules, identifying topics and agreeing the monthly content for the group.
Soon I’ll be ready to go live.
So watch this space, and be one of the first to join my Business Quest UK Facebook group!
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Forthcoming Workshops
My next workshop is on 20 November:
Show Up Without Showing Off: - how to promote yourself and your business more confidently
Other workshops I run include:
Finding your Ideal Client - how to identify your 'ideal client', and then track them down
Managing your Clients - master the art of fabulous customer service and minimise payment issues
Using Newsletters for Business – why do it, what to say and who to send it to
Linked In - how to get smarter on Linked In, so you have a credible presence there
Time Management - how to manage your time more effectively to achieve better business results
Business Blogging with Intent - what blogging is, why and how to do it, and where to place it
Get Your Pricing Right – what to charge and how to negotiate your price with customers
If you’re interested in any of these, or have suggestions for other topics, please let me know.
Details of all my workshops can always be found on my website.
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“Amanda has the ability to get you to find the solution, to work through the issues rather than dictating or telling you.
This approach has been so refreshing, rewarding and enjoyable.
Amanda has a relaxed charm, a good listener but then insightful, getting to the heart of matters quickly.
Every session has been rewarding, with purpose and at a pace which doesn’t feel pressured or rushed.”
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