Overwhelming Success for Solopreneurs

Entrepreneurial Strategies for the Introvert in You

Note from Joanne: I've invited Patricia Weber (a fellow coach, fellow INTJ and one of my role models) to share some business tips specifically for the introverted entrepreneur. As introverts we have some challenges unique to our temperament. Pat has a wealth of knowledge and years of experience working with introverts in their business challenges. When I have a question or want some advice, she's the first one I turn to, and I am honored to be included in her circle of colleagues.  Read on, implement, and enjoy:

Save Time and Effort

Imagine you plan a trip from your home to another part of the country. You’ll travel something like New York City to Seattle. Do you think you would select just one route? I know I never do. There are things I need to consider: Would it be better to drive or fly? If driving, how can I get in other visits? If flying, what are the connections? Just like there are many ways to travel from one place to another, there are many ways to entrepreneurial success as well. Oh certainly, there are some foundational basics. But as an introvert, to find that route, the best coach or marketing system or online strategy, we want to travel with less frustration and an easier go of success.

1. Seek balance. For years in corporate America my sales and marketing training was mostly an extroverted approach combined with a time when “assert your self” was a marching slogan. My personal introvert style is assertive anyway yet a problem in the approach was little balance. It was 4 to 6 hours of cold calling a day, followed by a happy hour with the sales team, ending on a Friday with an even longer happy hour. It was exhausting. It was out of balance. If you want a fast track to push yourself in ways you might never do on your own, it’s possible an extrovert business strategy is just the kick you need. Just check in with yourself first.
2. Avoid “cookie cutter.” If you were making cookies to celebrate Halloween, would you pull out the cookie cutters for Christmas trees and angels? If any “system” looks like it’s a cookie cutter with promises that this is “the” system for everyone, then run the other way. While some tactics to marketing are fundamental, the strategies will need to be different, even tailored, for a company, product and people. Almost all offerings these days offer some preview. Take your time, get past some of the marketing hype and again, feel or see how the ideas resonate with the introvert in you.
3. Check for farmer or hunter. In marketing and sales, introverts are more like what Joe Nunziata calls farmers: we develop relationships over time. You might meet a number of people and then make a decision about which relationships both can add more value and get value for you. This is contrary to the approach of the hunter: go from one sale to the next in record time. If the sales style of the “one best” business system sounds like it might not have the right focus for you, you’ve probably just been caught in a hunt style program.

Introverts know energy. Hearing one size fits all is a first clue it’s may just take your energy away or not give you more. Why? Because traveling only one way doesn’t mean it’s the way for you.

When you think about a coach, a marketing system or some business strategy to help your entrepreneurial business, use your analytical introvert strength to find what will:

• Give you balance
• Suit your style
• Support your farming nature

Then whether you drive or fly you’ll know which route is the best for you.

Be sure to check out Pat's latest ebook: Debunking Negative Introvert Myths: Bringing Your Introvert Strengths to the Party. This (affiliate) link will take you to a page where a FREE 32-page excerpt is available, so you can try before you buy. BTW Yours truly is mentioned in the excerpt!

Comments are always welcome. Did you find the post useful? Would you like to see more guest posts? What's your challenges as an introverted professional?

All we need is just a little more time

We each have the same 24 hours to work with as the next person. No more, no less. Time is the one commodity that is distributed absolutely equivalently to all. And we all seem to want/need more!

So how can we make the best use of our time? That's one of my main goals as a coach, to help my clients choose their tasks, goals, activities so that they can make the best use of their time.  But even I can use some help in that regard. I recently discovered a wonderful resource, Tracey Lawton. I have a feeling she will soon become my not-so-secret weapon when it comes to taming my not-enough-time and too-much-paperwork tigers.

Tracey is an Online Business Manager and Office Organization Expert who will be sharing her time management and organizational expertise via: Office Organization Success Café. The Café is an ongoing monthly membership program to support, guide, and advise solopreneurs on how to create their core online marketing and office organization systems.

One of the main membership benefits are the LIVE monthly teleclasses led by Tracey on a variety of online marketing, office organization, or client attraction systems topics.

It launches this week! I'm eagerly anticipating the first teleclass -- Time Management Strategies for the Holidays, to be held on Thursday, December 11, 2008 at 11:00 am EST.

On this call Tracey will be sharing with you effective and proven time management strategies to get you through this busy holiday season. With the information she'll be sharing with you during this teleclass you can apply it all year round - not just during the holiday season.  You'll be able to accomplish so much more with the right systems in place.

Click here for more information. Will I hear you on the call?

To Do, or Not To Do, that is the question

If you are like me, or any typical Boomer solopreneur (that's an entrepreneur with zero employees, for those of you who haven't heard this term) you've got a monster To Do List that keeps growing instead of shrinking. You live for those days when you get something done that you can cross off that list. But those days come along rarely. Instead you get overwhelmed, frustrated and discouraged because you don't feel as if you are making any progress. 

Here are a few tips to get the To Do List under control:

Learn to say "No"

I can almost guarantee (unless you have already been a client of mine) that you have items on your To Do List that are either unnecessary or not a good use of your time. Stop trying to be all things to all people! Now, I do advocate keeping your word; so if you have agreed to do something, then do it.  But be more judicious (I like to call it "protecting your time") when it comes to future requests.

Distinguish between now and later

What needs to be done now, or in the very near future, and what can be postponed, perhaps indefinitely? Most entrepreneurs are natural idea-generators; we are energized by the constant flow of new ideas and opportunities to pursue.  The downside of this is that new projects distract us from the current tasks at hand. I recommend keeping two lists: one for the current To Do items (the now), and another small notebook to keep track of the new ideas and associated tasks (the later). Having the lists physically separated helps you focus on the current tasks, and eliminates worry that you will forget all those great ideas you don't have time to implement immediately.

Know the purpose of each task

There's a reason each item is on your list, right? If you are not sure why you are doing something, then how do you know it is worth doing? Stop and ask yourself what the desired outcome for each task is. How does that outcome fit into your values, your goals, your business plan? If it does not fit, you must omit!

Delegate creatively

Yes, you are a soloprepreneur, but that does not mean you cannot delegate. You don't have any employees, but you can outsource to a virtual assistant, find an intern, barter services, even ask your spouse or a friend (depending on the task, of course). Don't forget technology (my favorite solution). In this day and age, you can find software solutions to many routine tasks. Using an autoresponder for your on-line marketing is a good example of delegating via technology.

Don't know how (or when) to say "No?" Don't know what your values are? And what the h___ is an autoresponder anyway?  I'll be addressing these questions in future posts.  In the meantime, leave a comment and share your successes (or lack thereof) in trimming your To Do List. Let me know what you want to learn more about.

Sticks and stones can break my bones, but WORDs can really stop me

I choose my words carefully. Always have, always will. It's part of my personality, but beyond that, I've realized how the words you use can really propel you towards success, OR get in your way.  As a coach, I often hear two words from my clients that set off alarm bells (well it's not quite that dramatic, but you get the idea): can't and should.

 I Can't...

What this phrase really means: 

• I can not
• I am physically unable to
• It is impossible

Phrases that may describe your situation more accurately:

• I have not been able to yet
• I'm not willing to
• I don't want to
• I don't know how to
  
• I'm too scared to
  

See the difference?  If you believe the first list, no wonder you have trouble succeeding.  Can you also see how choosing the relevant phrase from the second list points to a solution or course of action?  Here's an example:  as a solo entrepreneur, you wish to increase market exposure through public speaking.  But you tell yourself: "I can't give a speech!"  This stops you in your tracks.  Instead, what if you tell yourself "I'm too scared to give a speech." This would suggest your next course of action would be to find courses or workshops that address fear of public speaking (or join Toastmasters, as I did). Or, perhaps you need to acknowledge that you are really not willing to give a speech (I'm a big proponent for doing what you want to do). This acknowledgment allows you to move on and consider alternate ways to increase market exposure.

I Should...

What this phrase really means:

• I must
• I am compelled to
• I have to
• I am morally obligated to
• I need to

Phrases that may describe your situation more accurately:

• I want to
• I choose to
• It would benefit me to
• Someone is expecting me to
• It would satisfy me to
• It would satisfy others to

The thing with should is that, if you fail to question your "shoulds" you often find yourself doing things, pursuing goals, that don't serve you.  In other words, wasting your time and energy that could be directed elsewhere. When you find yourself saying or thinking a "should," ask yourself the two magic questions:

1. Who says I should? (If the answer is anyone other than yourself, do you agree with the person who says "you should")
2. Why? (What result am I aiming for?)

Action Steps

I am a fan of experiential learning, and as a coach, I haven't done my job if I have not inspired you to action.  All the knowledge and street smarts in the world won't do you a bit of good if you don't implement it!  So try these action steps to see for yourself the power of words:

1. During the next seven days of reading this, catch yourself using can't or should in your conversation, writing, or thinking.  This can be difficult on your own, so you can also ask a spouse, friend, coach, or counselor to help you. 
2. During your quiet time, reflection time, or journaling time (and if you don't have such a time, you should, I mean, it would benefit you to establish a time), go over the suggested phrases; ask yourself the magic questions. 
3. Choose the phrase (or better yet, come up with your own wording) that accurately describes your situation. Restate your thought with this new language.  It helps to write the new statement down, even if you originally spoke it or thought it only.
4. Observe (and note, if you keep a journal) any changes that result. For example, did you get any new ideas on how to handle a problem? Did you decide to "let go" of a few time-wasting activities? Did you get unstuck?

Let me know how this worked for you!  Did you find this post helpful? If not, what would have been more helpful? Provide feedback by submitting a comment.