There are so many times in life when we make things harder than they have to be. It could be a project that you feel the need to go above and beyond with, or a business offer that you don’t believe is enough – so you add more and more. Or, it might even be in your personal life, with an event your hosting or your cleaning routine. But…when we make it harder than it should be, we end up sacrificing time, money, and even the relationships around us – with no real return on investment. Today we’re chatting about how to know your business strategy is too complicated and three ways that you can simplify your approach to business – so that you don’t make it more complicated than it should be. Sound like something you need? Well then, let’s get started.
Next Steps:
- Schedule your Mama Business Strategy Session
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Podcast Episode Recommendations
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Is Your Business Strategy Too Complicated? This Will Help.
Well hey there and welcome to another episode of the Mama Business podcast. I’m your host, Sarah Brumley, and I’m so excited that you are here with me today.
The topic for today’s episode actually comes from a conversation my husband and I had about a contestant on one of the tv shows we enjoy watching. It’s a show called “Forged in the Fire” and the participants essentially forge out knives or other types of blades and then get critiqued and eliminated until someone comes out the winner. It’s probably like any other competition-type show, except there’s really no drama. And, that makes for a very pleasant watch.
So anyway, at the beginning of each round the contestants are given parameters for what their blades should look like and what materials and technique they should use to come up with a completed blade. Beyond that, it’s up to the blade smiths to make sure that their knife shows up at the end of the round in the best possible state it can – so that means no cracks or any other flaws in the blade that could cause it to break.
What we’ve seen a lot of over the last few episodes we’ve watched is contestants choosing to take it a step or two further – in an attempt to impress the judges. The problem? They make it so complicated for themselves that, instead of simply sticking to the basic parameters, they end up finishing with a less than par blade because they didn’t have enough time or resources to finish what they set out to do.
And as I’m watching this play out, I’m thinking that while we aren’t contestants on a tv show, we do tend to over-complicate running a business. Because, the truth of the matter is – it’s a lot simpler than we make it most of the time.
So, today I want to challenge us to think about what we ACTUALLY need in business and how we can approach it from a simpler perspective as we finish out 2022 and move into 2023.
Sound good?
Yay. Okay, so to do so, I’m going to talk about the three things you need to know in order to run a successful business. Trust me, if you know these things – you don’t need to add more in order to make it “bigger or better”. Because when you add too much, you over-complicate. That confuses you, your clients, and rarely leads to the kind of success you’re looking for.
So stick with me here as we move through these three things.
Tip #1: Know What You Offer
The first thing you need to know is what you offer. Now, we talk a lot about others understanding what product or service you provide, but more often than not the issue starts a little closer to home.
So, here’s my question for you: Is it clear to YOU what product or service you offer or are you all over the place? If you got some goosebumps there when I said that or a feeling of dread that’s tying a knot in your stomach – you aren’t alone. This is something that many, if not all, business owners struggle with at one point in time or another.
The key is not to stay in this state of “I don’t know.”
And while you might have a very specific service you provide or a product that you sell – it’s really the result that you provide that matters.
In my case, I offer online marketing strategies to mamas so that they can grow a business without sacrificing their family. That’s pretty simple, right?
I’m not also promising that they’ll be able to work for NASA, get down to their goal weight, or keep their kids from doing drugs in the future. No – the result I provide has business owners that work with me finding business growth that doesn’t have them doing “all the things” or working “all the hours” while sacrificing their family life. Instead, they get to have their family life and the business growth all at the same time. Make sense?
So, know what you offer that gets your client results and then stay in your lane.
Tip #2: Know Who You Serve
That really quickly leads me into the second thing you need to know which is who do you serve. In my case, I serve moms. That’s where I target my marketing, that’s who I speak to in my emails and in this podcast that you are listening to – and everywhere else I share about my business.
Can I provide business growth strategies for people who aren’t moms? Absolutely. Do I? Absolutely. And yet, I only speak to moms. Why? Because it allows me to really narrow down what they need and help them get those really amazing results of growing that business WITHOUT sacrificing their family. I listen to them, their struggles, and what they need during this season of their life. Because motherhood is a complicated season. And then because I know all of that – I’m able to speak directly to them about those topics.
Plus, it helps me know WHERE to show up, which platforms to choose, and which ones to leave behind.
Tip #3: Know How To Get The Results You Promise
The final thing you need to know is how you get the results you promise. This should, very clearly be the method in which you provide your product, service, or other offer in order to get your client the best result possible.
So, if you run a weight loss program, perhaps you help them get that result through the meal plans you provide, or maybe it’s through an exercise plan. When they follow that plan, they will see results.
If the result you provide is to help moms clothe their babies without the expense of buying new – then you will likely provide that result by sourcing gently used clothing and then pricing it at reasonable rates.
This is – most often – where the over-complication starts. Don’t overcomplicate this. How do you get results? If you don’t know – it’s time to figure it out. That might mean taking a break if you really don’t have a clue. The worst thing you can do is promise results you can’t provide. Remember those contestants I talked about in the beginning. They promised results above and beyond the parameters and, more often than not, they got eliminated early on. Don’t set yourself up for failure.
Now, if you are clear on how you get results for your clients and customers – then use that. Don’t try to add more just because you can. Don’t offer them math lessons if all they really want is to lose 10 pounds before their high school graduation. Get your clients the results they want. They’ll be happy and so will you.
Business Strategy Too Complicated? Take Action Now.
Okeydokie. Whew – that was a lot, but not so much – all at the same time. Am I right? And the truth is: it really is that simple.
When you know:
- What You Offer
- Who You Serve
- How You Get the Results You Promise
Then, you have the exact strategy you need to start, grow, and scale your online business. Simple as that.
And that means it’s time to take some action. And you know me, I love action because action is where the dreams turn into the reality. I’m hopeful that you are going to really sit down and work through each step we talked about today, but if you only have time for one thing, let it be this:
ACTION: Think about everything you provide or want to provide in your business and determine whether it actually helps your client or customer get the results you promise. If it doesn’t – it’s time to let it go. Because, the moment you start to add something that doesn’t get the results you promise is the moment that you over-complicate your business, confuse your customers and clients, and halt your business growth – and your sanity, too. No one wants that.
Also, if you are struggling to put any part of this strategy together for your business, grab a Mama Business Strategy Session and together we’ll clarify your mission so that you can achieve greater success in the upcoming year – without sacrificing your family life. You can grab your session today at sarahbrumley.com/strategy.
Until next time, just know that I’m cheering you on and have an amazing day!
