I’ve started to notice a common trend amongst the small businesses I work with. For many of them, the business is charge of them…and not the other way around.
Take a freelance hair stylist & make-up artist I recently met at an Essex business networking event.
Over a quick coffee, she told me that she’s more than a little frustrated that her clients keep requesting her mobile services, at their home in the evening…rather than visiting her during the day at her home salon.
It turns out she’d been offering mobile services for the past 8 years, but her life had changed and it was time for a change. I asked her how much energy she’d put into re-forming her story, and introducing the new services she offers. She said she’d mentioned it once to each customer, and that was it.
Of course it’s easier for her customers, and new customers to keep requesting her legacy service. They don’t know about her new one. It will take a bit of consistent commitment from our hairstylist if she wants to re-educate customers. But, if she wants to change the way her future looks, there is no other option. If she does not then the cycle perpetuates, and she keeps getting new customers who think that she’s all about mobile hair & beauty, and long evenings spent away from home.
Flip things around and consider a better way; one in which you decide the future of your business.
Gary is a plumber. He is a cycling nut, and really enjoys getting out on his bike during the day. For this reason he does not want to work a traditional 9-5.
He aked me to help craft his story to appeal to people who need an emergency call out service that operates after hours, when all of the other plumbers have gone home for the day.
His opening hours, and the emergency services he offers are the key message we communicate across his website, leaflets, directories and referral slips, with his mobile number taking extra prominence.
Because of this the vast majority of enquiries he receives are from customers who are searching for those services. The result is that he doesn’t have to spend time dealing with enquiries from customers who he doesn’t want to work with, and he gets to earn money in the way he dictates.
Every signal you send relating to your business will cause a reaction amongst customers and potential customers. For small businesses this will have a dramatic impact on the life of the business owner. Don’t overlook the power you have to shape the future of your business. It’s in your hands to decide which customers you want, what you want them to do and the systems and processes you can put in place to service/serve/help them.
Get in touch, I’d love to help you craft your story.
Jill@jillwillis.co.uk
