Stuck, Discouraged, and in the Swamp

Speaking with a successful entrepreneur yesterday, she admitted that after years of being “booked and busy”, client activity was slowing down to a crawl. What the heck? Her full book of new clients had always originated from referrals from happy customers; but now, after just about a decade of riding this wave, it was crashing into the rocks. She never had to market herself very much – so with no new referral business coming in, she felt stuck.

Another entrepreneur I spoke with the same day had discovered her true calling earlier in the year and had a clear vision of who she was to serve, and how. But after a few great customer interactions, the well had run dry and she felt discouraged.

Does this sound familiar? It happens to all of us at some point during the ebb and flow of entrepreneurial life.

If there is one common thread among successful business owners, it is being RELENTLESS. We don’t give up. However, it doesn’t mean that we don’t try new tactics and we don’t ask for help.

When you’re feeling stuck and discouraged, it’s time to SCREAM for help so that your supporters pull you out of the swamp you’re in. Wallowing and wiggling in the swamp will only help you sink deeper until you finally give up and drown.

Instead, find some guidance, a support system. This can come in many flavors and it’s up to YOU to figure out what’s best. Is it a coach? A partner? A supportive group?

The point is that you need to DO SOMETHING. You need to act differently. The reason things aren’t going well is because there is a hole somewhere in your plan or process.

For some, it comes in the form of not being clear on who their ideal client is. We’ve been taught that selecting your ideal client can be done by choosing certain industries (for B to B) or demographics (for B to C) or even both.

But I know it goes deeper than that, and I help my clients find their TRUE IDEAL CLIENT with my own process. This is how I know who “my people” are and who are not.

For other business owners, the problem may lie in the fact that their MESSAGING is missing the mark. And by messaging, I don’t mean what you’re posting on social media. Everything about your business shouts a message, so we have to look at what your whole business is saying. For example, if your prices are very low, that screams a message about your view of your self-worth. If your verbiage is sadly generic, it states that you have not committed to some decisions about who you serve and how. I help my clients look at their entire message, from start to finish.

Are you stuck and discouraged? Take a step back and examine WHAT you offer, WHO you offer it to, HOW you convey it, and WHERE you’re communicating.

While it’s crucial for you to take a cold hard look at your business process, it’s next to impossible to see all the issues and avenues by yourself. You need another pair of eyes to scrutinize your plan, process, and path.

If I can be of any assistance at all, I would love to speak with you. I offer a free Discovery Call so that we can see if we are indeed a good fit to work together. You have nothing to lose except that feeling of sinking deeper into the swamp.