Need a business boost? Something to jumpstart your income that doesn’t take a lot of time and effort? Here’s a simple business strategy that can change your life. I stumbled on this idea one day while I was coaching a client over the phone…
Her name is Sophfronia Scott and she helps authors write their books. She’s a published novelist herself and wanted to help other aspiring writers learn the business of becoming a novelist. But as she tried to market her excellent program, she got more and more frustrated. Why do you think that happened?
Well, because fiction writers don’t really care about business! It’s like trying to get a cat to like baths. Don’t try it because you’ll get scratched. Sophfronia is rare. She loves fiction writing and loves business – both are her passion and she tried to combine the two.
It’s a classic situation where a great passion doesn’t necessarily mean a great business. I see this all the time. When she told this all to me on our coaching session I could hear the sadness in her voice. How could she experience a business boost when her market was as limp as old lettuce?
The problem was clear. The offer was good, but the target market didn’t want it. I knew there had to be an answer – a simple shift that would change everything. So I asked her, “Well, what market out there wants a book badly, needs to get a book badly, and is willing to pay for it?”
Sophfronia thought and thought and suddenly got it, “CEO’s and high-level executives who want to speak!” That was it. We made a slight 15-degree shift around her offering and made a simple 15-degree shift around who she was targeting. She got off the phone totally excited.
About 45 days later I get a call from her, “James! You won’t believe it. I made my first ever 5-figure month! And it’s totally easy to sell to this new target market.” That little 15-degree shift was all she needed to have a big business boost.
The Business Boost Secret
So what’s a simple 15-degree shift you can make in your business right now to experience a business boost? All it takes is a slight shift in something you’re already doing – nothing major. Maybe a 15-degree shift in who your target market is. Maybe a 15-degree shift in how you position what you offer. Maybe a 15-degree shift in how you systematize your business.
It can be the littlest thing that ends up causing a business boost. For example, my wife and I are always coming up with cool ideas for our businesses. But here’s what used to happen…
We’d say, “Oh! That’s a great idea. Let’s remember that.” And what happened? We forgot it, right! So we did a 15-degree shift around our house. We added post-in notes and a pen within arms length of every place we sit. There’s one here by me now. There’s one by the lounge chair, on the dinning table, on the table by the front door, and of course in all the bathrooms.
Now we can always capture those exciting, brilliant downloads on post-it notes. You better believe this has caused a business boost for both of us.
What about you? Think of a simple 15-degree shift you can do around your office to improve productivity. The next time you talk with a lead, what’s something different you can say that will cause a business boost?
Keep it simple. The best business boost is usually something obvious and right in front of your nose.
Share Your Business Boost Idea Below
I’d love to hear what you come up with right now. Leave a comment below and share with the Roche Marketing community. What’s your idea for a 15-degree shift? What one little adjustment can you make in your business or personal life that will make all the difference? I’m excited to hear what you have to share.
My business partner and I are going to meet every Monday and pick one idea to work on that will make us money and try not to get off track!
Great Video, James! I loved it.
My problem is not enough sticky notes nearby – it’s too many notes with ideas scribbled on them! They are strewn all over my desk, on my computer screen, and sometimes on my bathroom mirror.
Today I grabbed a binder, labelled the spine “Ideas” and now whenever I have an idea sticky note I slap it in there. I may not ever use that idea, but I can get back to my priorities knowing my hot ideas are safe…but also out of sight (for now).
Cathy Demers
Host of http://www.Business-Success-Cafe.com
Hi Cathy – that’s a good idea, too. Woody Allen actually does something similar. He has all his movie ideas in a folder with lots of little slips of paper in it. He’ll fish them out and review them every time he’s about to start a new movie project.
I have a folder on my computer with all my ideas. It’s categorized with sub-folders depending on the idea topic.
Great advice as always, James. Thank you!
Thanks for this 15 degree shift perfect advice. I’d like to improve my marketing skills, should I hire or should I study? Your web looks stunning, btw.
Hello Hugo,
It’s VERY hard to outsource your own marketing. No one knows your business like you do. I would say, learn all the marketing strategies you can but hire out the technical stuff (putting up the website, setting up your email management system, etc.)
Keep connected to my blog and any upcoming online events I do because I share a lot of the best business and marketing strategies out there.
Warmly,
James
Definitely want to be on this list. Thanks James!
James
Great story & it just goes to show you that paying close attention to everything in your business is important & small hinges move big doors!
thanks
Sunny : )