How To Build A Business In 2017

Throughout my life as both a serial entrepreneur and marketing/business consultant, I've been deep in the trenches of small business life and have seen, first hand, what goes on.

And I can't sit idly by any longer...

I've always believed that a true friend tells you what you need to hear, and not necessarily what you want to hear. And I've been holding back for too long...

You're being lied to.

Entrepreneurs, filled with passion, energy and excitement for the future are being lied to every single day.

Now, I'm not trying to overly dramatic, so in the defense of the "liars", their intentions are in the right place...they just don't know any better.

My dilemma started because, well, I know better. I've build business that I've sold for some handsome profits, and I've built businesses that have failed. I've built some from scratch, with absolutely nothing, no skills, no equipment, knowledge, anything, and built them into profitable business. I've taken over businesses that we're failing, losing money every day, and turned them around. I've been through ups and downs, and pushed through till the end.

I've been in the trenches. I lost a few battles, but not the war. And I'm here to tell you, as a last ditch effort to warn you of the troubles ahead, that you are being lied to.

Let me explain...

Yesterday I had a meeting with a young lady who was getting ready to start a brick and mortar business here in Sudbury (She's not ready to announce it yet so I'll reserve the name for now) and she plans to launch with it a website/e-commerce store as well.

She is a smart girl. Good head on her shoulders. Hard worker. Good listener and took diligent notes. But she had been led astray.

About 4 months before meeting with me, she met with a well respected business educator. I'm trying to walk a fine line here and not "knock" any person or profession... But this person, to be very clear, didn't OWN or OPERATE any businesses at all. All they did was TEACH how to own/operate a business. There, I think that's safe yet clear enough, right?

Well, they gave this young lady a big to-do list of things that she MUST DO in order to start a business, and essentially said "do these things, and you'll be well on your way to running a big successful business".

What were those things?

Typical stuff that most educators would recommend...

• Make a business plan
• Register your business name
• Get your accountants and tax stuff all in order
• Establish your target market
• Decide on which advertising medium to use
• Establish suppliers/vendors, etc.
• Find a nice location, location, location
• Create a logo

I could go on... but it's pretty bland.

You might be thinking... "But Al, those things are all very important, in fact some are mandatory, they aren't lies..."

Yes, that's very true.

The lie comes in the belief that this is all it takes. Now I know your gut reaction might be "well of course that's not all it takes", but the fact is very clear: Most business educators don't go further. They don't tell you the stuff it really takes to make a business grow. Sure, they tell you how to START a business, but not how to BUILD a business. They come from the belief that "build a better mouse trap and they will come" and there's nothing further from the truth.

I know, first hand, of many high class mousetraps that have gone bankrupt.

I know of many "better" doctors who are failing while some, um, less knowledgeable, are booming.

I mean, come on, do you really think that Dr. Phil is the BEST psychiatrist out there? Not even close. But I can bet you that he is definitely the BEST paid.

Back to the lies...

Yes, especially if you're seeking funding (which i strongly advise against) you need a business plan. But projecting sales and claiming how much of the market you're going to capture gets you nowhere.

Yes, you need to register your business and get your legal stuff in order, but that's not going to bring a soul into your business.

Yes, you need to find a good location, but hanging up your OPEN sign is only going to bring in a few curious folks, and once the "new store" feeling is gone, we all know what happens.

Yes it's important to figure out which medium you want to use to advertise. But it's not anywhere near as important as figuring out what in the world you're going to say! Message, not medium, is what matters.

Yes, it's important to know who you're targeting, but usually when I prob further, most entrepreneurs don't even understand what business they are REALLY in, or who their customers really are.

Yes it's important to make a logo, but that logo needs to have purpose, it can't just be fancy, snazzy and make you feel good.

You see, I've found that most "pros" like to give lots of surface details, all sizzle, the stuff that sounds great, makes you feel super productive, but at the end of the day people want (and need) steak. But all you've been served is sizzle.

And this breaks my heart.

Listen, if you really want to make it big, you need to know business, and do it right.

There are ways to properly launch your business. You don't just post on Facebook a few times then hang your shingle. You need to build buzz MONTHS ahead, build curiosity, build excitement, tease, and have your prospects begging you to open your doors. I've helped businesses owners sell out on their first day. And that doesn't come from any surface sizzle. It comes from tried and true "in the trenches" know-how. The stuff real businesses are made with.

You can't just do a quick search of your markets ages, family status and where they live.

You need to know WHO they are. You are not an age, a race, a location, a postal code or even an affiliation. You're so much more - and that's what the business owner needs to know.

You can't just assume a location is good, I've seen people drive upwards of an hour to go to a specific store. You can't just assume because you're on a busy street that people are going to come storming into your store non stop.

You can't just run an ad on the radio, television or paper because that's what you've been sold. Nor can you run an ad on Facebook because you think that's what everyone is doing or what you have to be doing. People, even big companies, spend thousands on ads that suck every single day. As a new entrepreneur you can't risk that. You need to know where your strictly defined prospects are, where their attention is, what they respond to and target specific needs.

You need to know how to test what works, what doesn't and adjust.

You need to understand that having a website just to have one doesn't do anything.

Buying business cards for the sake of having business cards is wasteful. Putting up a flyer just to put a flyer is silly. Marketing is everything, but not everything is marketing. Don't do anything just because. Everything needs a purpose, needs to be done right.

You need to have a solid, untouchable USP. If you don't know what that is, you're in trouble! It stands for Unique Selling Proposition. It's what makes someone buy from you instead of a competitor. And you're not aloud to say "quality, service, friendly, dependability" or any other easy thing like that. That's the kind of stuff ANYONE can say, and it is not UNIQUE. A solid USP will set you apart and allow you to build a lasting business.

You need to understand your prospects needs, their wants, their desires, what makes them tick, what keeps them up at night, what hidden fears they have, what they dream of...

I could go on and on...But I think you get the point.

Too many so called marketing pros go around peddling their "sizzle" all day long, and it leaves you feeling warm and fuzzy, but it DOESN'T PRODUCE!

I've thought about turning my head, but that's not me. I want to help.

So I started thinking, what can I do to help? I mean, clearly, most new businesses - or existing businesses in trouble - can't afford my rates. As much as I'd love to say "Hey, come on out for $300 an hour and let's talk!", it doesn't make sense.

Plus, new entrepreneurs don't just need a one time consult. Sure, when a big business comes to me with a problem, we can bang it out, figure out the solution and execute a plan to fix the problem.

But typically a startup needs accountability, they need constant check-ins to ensure they're taking the right steps, and in the right order. They need someone they can fire off a quick question, and get some solid feedback.

Think of it this way... A running business is like a plane in the air, everything's already up and running, and they may run into some turbulence every now and then, but most times the solution isn't too far off and we can get the plane flying smoothly again quickly. But a startup is like a plane getting ready for take off, you need to check the wings are in good shape, that the engine runs and has fuel, that the landing gear is functioning, etc. and missing just one crucial "pre-flight" step can be disastrous.

And that's when I decided to do something rather unorthodox...

I'm going to open up my doors to 6 up-and-comers, whether start up or existing-but-stuck, as a mentorship program.

This Mentorship is going to consist of a bi-weekly meeting, either at my office or by phone, for 45 minutes, plus unlimited email support, and will be designed as a very open, honest and guided approach to building a successful business in today's day and age.

Here's the thing: I don't want any tire kickers, time wasters or hallucinating dreamers.

So, if you need help with...

• understanding what marketing mediums to use, the pros and cons of each, and why...
• creating ads that work
• figuring out your USP
• actually getting clients to your business
• building up the demand and selling out before you're even ready to launch
• pick a location that has meaning
• design a website that's created to convert prospects, not just be visually stimulating
• put together campaigns that have a strategic plan
• designing business cards that people will want to keep and not toss in a drawer like most
• put together flyers and posters that pull
• navigate the inevitable speed bumps any business has
• learn how to optimize everything you're doing
• and on and on...

...then this is for you.

Now, back to what I was just saying... As much as it's my passion to help entrepreneurs live life on their terms, I can only take 6 people into this Mentorship program.

I know... I haven't given you the investment yet... I'm hoping my hesitation will weed out the weak... but if you're still reading, here's what you need to know.

The value of this program is limitless. I mean, the hard cost of what I'm offering in consulting time alone is worth thousands of dollars. But more importantly, what truly matters, is the result you're going to get. And I believe that living life on your terms, life the way you deserve it, waking up every day doing what you love and passionate about life, is priceless.

But think of how disgusted you would be to know that everything you've created could be working 30, 50, even 100 times better for the same amount of time and financial expenditure you've put into it.

Think of the difference between... failing, getting by, struggling to make ends meet... and thriving.

Think of the difference between taking the next 3 to 4 years to "make it", which is the average, to living the good life in 6 to 12 months.

Again, the value is priceless, you can't put a number on success.

I'm committing my time, effort and energy to 6 people, 6 entrepreneurs only, that I'll personally work with, take under my wing coach, mentor, guide and quite honestly kick in the butt if that's what they need to be successful.

I'd love to take more, but this is simply too "sweet of a deal", so for a select lucky six, it's going to run at $199/month. Don't worry, there isn't any contract here, you can stop at anytime.

Why so cheap?

Because I have certain "expectations" from those select 6....

1. They must understand that real business takes work. This isn't a course about making it big without lifting a finger. This is real business, and real business takes work. Hard work. And you must be willing to put in that effort. But let me tell you this, it's worth it. Living life on your terms is worth it.
2. I'm not going to sugar coat anything. If I think you're making a mistake, I'll let you know. If I think you're making excuses for something, I'll call your B.S.
3. I'm going to keep you accountable. If we agree to get a certain activity done by a certain date, I'll be following up to make sure it got done. This is both an immense blessing, and curse. You're going to get more done in 30 days than most get done in a year.
4. We can both end this mentorship at the end of any monthly period. There is no contract, you're not locked in for 3 or 6 or 12 months - and neither am I. If we're not a good "fit", that's okay, we'll shake hands and call it a day.

If you've read enough and are ready to take charge of your life, to take action, to dive in and go after your dreams, to get a head start on the new year, sign up now and let's rock and roll. (please note, once we hit 6, you won't be able to sign up)

A few more quick notes on business - specifically business in 2017...

The world is changing at a blindingly fast pace, and is set to only increase. Markets are drying up quicker than ever before, while new ones are opening up – often under the radar – leaving vast oceans of opportunity ripe for the picking.

Gone are the days of “only the strong will survive”. This new era has created an ideal market place for the “David’s” of the world, and those paying attention can utilize these opportunities and take out Goliath.

Whether you decide to join our Mentorship program or not, my soul goal is to help business owners and continually add value, so here are a few facts to get you started...

Here are but a few facts to get you started…

• Business Insider reported that some YouTube stars are making OVER 10 million dollars a year making jokes and goofy videos.
• Gary Vaynerchuk reported seeing CPM’s (cost per thousands) as low as $0.001 on Snapchat.
• Stephen Udoff recently made headlines in the real estate world for using Snapchat to sell real estate, and recently rented an $85 000/month condo using ONLY Snapchat to make the sale.
• Musical.ly has hit over 90 million users globally, and with it’s demographic as low as 1st graders, is a prime tool for branding ripe for the picking.
• Everyone has become a media company, and we’re being repeatedly shown that teens in their basements can get more reach than most high priced networks.
• The market has become severely jaded, and interruption leads to distaste more than sales.
• There’s an increasing opportunity to be “one of the gang” – as a business – with your consumers, unlike ever before.

“Business as usual” will never exist again, in fact business last year, business last summer, business yesterday will never be the same.

 Don’t think you’re that far behind? Here’s a little test…

 Do you recognize each of these logos? We’re going to go into them throughout the mentorship, but let me say this: they ALL boast users in the multi-millions, some in the billions, and your prospects are putting their attention into these mediums.

What Worked in 2016…

Won’t Automatically Work in 2017

 

How to Engage the Local Community With Future Facing Marketing To Get More Customers Than Your Business Can Handle

I know I've touched on the this before, but I want to reinforce what this mentorship is NOT... 

• This is NOT a get rich quick scheme. If you’re looking for a quick fix, an instant win, a guaranteed path to greatness, this is not for you.
• This is NOT a “get rich without lifting a finger while lounging on a beach drinking Mojitos and petting your pet tiger” course.
• This is NOT “secrets to success” course that’s guaranteed to tell you 3 weird secrets marketing pro’s don’t want you to know.
• This is NOT a pitch fest, promise you the world to get you in but only give you sizzle and only give you the steak if you pay our monthly fee of $999999999 for the rest of your life and sign the dotted line with your blood and hand over your grandma as collateral.
• This is NOT a “I’ll coach you to build a million dollar business” course taught by someone who’s never built a business but hopes to get rich teaching how to get rich program.

 Over the past two years or so, being an “entrepreneur” somehow became the “cool thing”, the “in thing”. I remember back when being an entrepreneur meant you had no clue what the heck you were doing and we’re trying to “figure it out”.

Being an entrepreneur used to be the same as being an artist or a writer… most people just assumed you had no clue what the heck you were doing.

 But now, everyone and their mother is putting entrepreneur as their go-to title, and there are life/business coaches hiding around every corner hoping to land a sale by selling you a course on how to sell. Heck, the business world is starting to look like the diet industry, there’s a new scam that pops up every day.

 Sorry, I think I’m starting to ramble… This topic gets me very heated!

 Back to business, let me tell you what this mentorship, course, meeting or what ever you want to call it, is all about.

• To start, we’re going to get back to the basics and we're going to solidify your goals, your path, your passion, your mission in life. We're going to get deep into who you are, what's your purpose, who do you want to help, at what cost, what's important, and so on. You are at the helm of your ship, and we need to know YOU before we can build an empire around you.
• Then we’ll segway into what’s truly possible, and the importance of setting goals and going after those goals with a 10 X attitude. I'm going to teach you why some "make it" while others, the grand majority, dabble their whole lives with nothing to show for it.
• From there we’ll get down to the real reason we’re here: to grow our business. From the only three methods to grow any business, to the best strategies and directions to apply those marketing dollars, to the new trends and tools that are out, or coming out in the near future, that are all primed and ready to be utilized before your competition.
• From here we’ll dive into overall strategy, figure out a set path for your business, understanding the value, and lifetime value, of each client, cost of acquisition, use of loss leaders, power of branding, etc.
• We’ll polish off this section with a few quick points on action, delegation, automation and building sustainable systems. This is the section where most entrepreneurs get hung up. They become the cog in the wheel that restricts their own growth and potential.
• Of course, we'll spend a fair amount of time on tactics. On what you actually need to do to make your strategy work and bring to fruition your hopes and dreams.
• Then, we’ll jump into innovation. It's all fine and dandy to create a perfect business system, but in today's day and age it's "innovate or die". I don't want you to be the next Blockbuster, a company that didn't look to the future and got forced out of the market. Keeping our eyes on the future, ahead of the competition and paying attention to where your consumers are going, not where they are currently, is key to your success.

 Our goal with this mentorship is very simple:

To provide those select businesses who step up to be the leaders in their market and provide them with everything they need to dominate the market in 2017, and on.

And for 6 passionate entrepreneurs, it all starts right here...

If you've read through this and something's been tugging at your heart, if you have an idea, a dream, a goal to build a business to create for you the lifestyle you deserve, then this is for you, and I look forward to working with you.

Let's build an empire,

Al

P.S.: Quick Edit... I haven't even hit "publish" yet, and one spot is already gone! Sign up HERE.