Is your business model drowning out your message?
I often speak with coaches, consultants, freelancers, small business owners, authors, speakers…etc. that feels stuck.
Well, to hell with the label, that’s not important. They are the type of people who “do their thing, do something meaningful.”
They’ve done the professional training, bought the marketing program, and even built a business or two.
But rarely do they come full circle and wonder if they have structured their business to amplify their vision and message.
Oh, he’s certified as a “trainer,” that’s what a coaching business model looks like: a 1:1 program, a group program, an online course, and an information product. Or, a package of 1 month, 3 months and 6 months. The end.
When people are just starting out, a business model is a blessing. It gives you something to build on and visibility into “where the money is coming from.”
But as you evolve and refine your skills and your message, it’s easy to go on autopilot and take the business model for granted.
What used to work when you needed training wheels may not work now that you’ve figured out what the heck you’re doing.
Have you reviewed and validated your business model lately?
Does the set of offers align with your message?
Are they giving you the best place to serve your ideal customers?
Do the programs/products/services build on your strengths?
Are they creating the most value for their customers?
Are delivery formats amplifying your message… or are they drowning out your essence?
When we try to put our message in some predetermined format… out of habit, laziness, fear, ignorance, inertia or good intentions (because the gurus say so)… we may not be doing it justice.
Product-focused vs. customer centric
If you start with a business model (which is essentially a collection of products, services, and prices) instead of your message and expression, you’re putting the cart before the horse.
Leading with a business model is a product-centric mindset. It’s an old-school approach, and it doesn’t work well when we’re rapidly evolving as a society (think Kodak and film).
Leading with an audience is a client/client centric mindset. It helps you stay relevant even when “what people want” changes (think Netflix and entertainment).
Leading with your message grounds your business in your Truth, connects you to the work you do, and anchors you in the community you serve.
Have you asked your message what they want to be when they grow up?
Are you connected to your message in such a way that you can let its expression come through without overthinking or messing with your ego?
Pop the bubble. Get out of the echo chamber.
Don’t limit your message to “what a _______ business is supposed to look like.”
(If you keep digging, you may find that your business is not about ________. What if you are something else?)