Don’t let the tools take you out of the journey.
We see it time and time again. A business owner lets the tools and tactics of marketing, design, tech and SEO distract them from what really matters.
There’s always going to be a new shiny solution, tactic, method, etc. An ad on social media telling you that they have an easy secret to success.
Without a strategy in place, it can be a tiring and lonely job running a business.
Running a Business Isn’t Easy
We might secretly wish for an easy button or a magic bullet that will help us reach our goal.
But deep down we know that running a business isn’t easy.
It is however, easy to get distracted.
To chase an idea that pops into your head, and lose sight of what you’re working towards.
To let your clients, employees, and business run you until one day you realize you’ve fallen out of love with your business.
What really matters in your business is whether or not you are generating a profit.
Refocus on What Matters in Your Business – Profit
If your business is not profitable, then what is all the time, energy and money going to?
These valuable resources get used up without a strategy, and we end up feeling exhausted.
Why We Became Business Owners in the First Place
Many of us become business owners because we want freedom.
We choose to work 60+ hours a week for ourselves rather than work 40 hours for someone else.
We want the freedom to decide, “let’s go for a hike with the dogs” in the middle of the day on a Wednesday.
To choose what clients we work with, and how we want to spend our days.
Create Your Own Path
There are so many gurus and phony millionaires posing in front of rented Lamborghinis telling us how we should cut down on our sleep, push ourselves to the breaking point, buy their mindset course, and follow a path that wasn’t meant for us.
What if instead, you create your own path?
We don’t know what that looks like for you, and you might not know yet either.
Although there is no magic bullet or secret to success (that really works) you can buy, we wanted to share the 3 pillars we follow in our business and our clients’ businesses that helps stay focused on generating a profit.
3 Pillars to Help You Refocus on What Matters in Your Business – Profit:
Evaluate what’s working and what’s not – this applies to your website, advertising, sales, expenses, (pretty much all key aspects of your business) and should be done at least monthly.
Create a user-focused website, lead capture campaign and a lead engagement campaign – make technology work for you so you can be generating leads and sales while you’re away from your desk.
Optimize your site content, automate manual tasks, and make data-driven improvements – data doesn’t lie, so stop making gut decisions that “feel right” at the time.
These 3 pillars should be revisited cyclically. This way you always have optics on your business, a clear strategy, and are ensuring you’re using your resources wisely.
Focus on these pillars so you can cut out the distractions, work smart in your business, and focus on doing what needs to get done for your business.
Do this and you can create the path and lifestyle that works for you.
Creating Our Path
We made the following changes in our own business and it made all the difference in having the lifestyle we want:
No longer being on call – all meetings are scheduled through our online booking system
Set our own hours that work for us and when we feel the most creative
Focus on key services we want to offer – Website in a Day, Brand Amplifier & Web Essentials
Create an easy onboarding process for our services that is repeatable and guides a client through each step
Record personalized videos to guide clients through their site rather than back and forth emails or repeat phone calls
Ditch the office, work remote and buy a house in the mountains
These changes made a huge difference for us.
No more migraines, more time for impromptu hikes with our 3 dogs, time with each other and family, AND we’ve fallen back in love with our business.
This is what we wake up for each day, and we want the same for you.
Our favorite picnic spot.
Wrapping it Up – Refocus on What Matters in Your Business
What do you want your life to look like?
Take some time to create a dream board or journal on what you’d like your life to look like, places you’d like to visit, and goals you’d like to achieve.
In our experience, by identifying what we’re working towards, we could make small decisions each day towards these dreams.
Small actions build on each other until you look back and realize you’re exactly where you want to be!
