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Four Questions When You’re Too Busy As An Online Business Owner

Four Questions When You’re Too Busy As An Online Business Owner

by | Planning-Organization-Productivity

I get it. Being ‘too busy' does not serve yourself, your family, or your clients. This constant state of hustle may even be getting in the way of you growing our online business. Say what!

Friend, I've got good news, you can totally fix busy. Pause this video, grab your to-do list, maybe a cup of coffee and let's work through your task list together.

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The first question: Does this really need to be done?

If the answer is Yes – you need to figure out when? Now or Later? 

Our to-do list can very easily become a want-to-do list.

We fill it with all our brilliant ideas, things we are thinking about, but haven't made a decision on. 

Those are not actually tasks that need to be done. That’s great news for Online Business Owners! 

Those don’t need to be done at all – they are ideas, maybes, or “wouldn’t it be nice ifs”. 

They are things you’re thinking about, but that you haven’t actually made a firm decision on yet. Ideas are not to-dos – create a separate list for your ideas and get those things off your to-do list!

Four Questions When You’re Too Busy As An Online Business Owner

​Take Action Now: 

Look at your list mark any task that is an idea add it to your Someday/Maybes or Ideas list and get it off the to-do list. You can highlight it a different color or draw a little icon next to the task. Once you have marked these move them from your task list to your Someday/Maybes or Idea List We have it captures and we know where to go to look for it. 

Looking at the list again what tasks are actually more of a decision? Add that to your decision log or Decision Parking Lot. 

If you don't have a decision log, create one today. Schedule time in your calendar daily to go through the decision log when your mind is fresh – not at the end of the day when you're in decision fatigue. Here is a blog regarding Decision Fatigue. 

Don’t need to be done NOW

Don’t need to be done NOW – if you aren’t strategic about planning ahead, then as a default everything on your to-do list feels like it needs to be done NOW. 

Take Action Now: 

Work through each item and ask yourself – when does this really need to be done? Could it be put off until next week? Maybe even next month or next quarter? Take your list and put realistic due dates beside each item. 

(As an OBM I always start by creating a plan for my clients, so that we can be clear on realistic timelines and not feel like it all needs to be done ‘now!’)

After answering this question, you should be left with a list of things that are due in the next week or so – and a list of things that aren’t due yet (or are ideas and are no longer on the list!)

Question Two is “Do I need to be the one to do this?”

If you are like most business owners I know, as a default you feel like you must do everything. You are good at what you do. You are used to being the one to get it all done, but now things are starting to fall behind and slip through the cracks.

Run through your list again and ask yourself – could someone else do this for me? 

Be aware of the following when you answer:

“Well yes, someone else could do this for me but I’m the only one here so I have to”

 If you don’t have anyone working with you right now this could be true, and you also have the power to change that. Growth dictates that you will need to hire help at some point – when you do it is up to you.

“But no one can do it as well as me – so I have to be the one to do it” 

 You may be surprised to hear this but that is just a story you’re telling yourself because you’re about to up-level and that will push you outside your comfort zone. 

Holding on to the belief that no one can do it as well as you is a dangerous spot to get stuck in because as long as you believe it to be true, it is… and it could be your biggest barrier to growth.

When I find myself saying this, I step back and say “That’s not true.” I begin to list reasons why it’s not true to get myself out of the story.

When you hear yourself say “no one can do it as well as me” 

Simply respond “That's not true, I can easily train another person to be as good as me or find someone who does it already and bring them on board.” 

(As an OBM I work with my clients to ‘download’ everything from their brain into documented processes so that we can confidently start delegating.)*

The goal is simple, get things off your plate that others can do. If you do not have a team yet, get creative and figure out a plan for how you can get support.

This second question can be a doozy as it brings up all kinds of stuff – it might make your inner control freak have a bit of a fit. Trust me when I say, getting things off your task list so you can focus on the things that ONLY you can do is the light at the end of the busy tunnel.

If you go through your list and still have your name beside every task, let’s talk. An outside eye can often see what you can’t. Have you ever heard you can’t read the label from inside the bottle? 

Question Three: How can I create more space?

At this point, you should have a realistic list of what needs to be done in the next week or so. Now you want to ensure you have space and time to get it done. Here are two of my favorite tips:

Plan ahead –book the time in your schedule to get stuff done. You might book specific tasks, or you block schedule time on your calendar for like tasks such as writing time, client time. Really we want the tasks on your calendar to be things that ONLY you can do.

Set boundaries – distraction is the death of productivity. Be it team, clients, family, or social media – every time you get distracted it takes you off track, and for many people, it happens all day long! Close your door. Shut your inbox. Turn off your notifications. Let people know when you aren’t available and when you are. And get really good at saying no (because they will test your boundaries!) 

Amy Porterfield calls this her Tiger Time. Listen to Amy talk about Tiger Time on her Online Marketing Made Easy Podcast. 

Question Four: Do I need to renegotiate any deadlines?

If you are genuinely in over your head and can’t get everything done, then you need to revise your deadlines with clients, team members, or whoever may be waiting on you. 

I get that this sucks, and you may hate having to do it, but it’s better to own up to something ahead of time vs. having people get upset with you because they are waiting/asking.

To simply say to someone, “Hey, I got in over my head here, and that’s on me. I won’t be able to get X to you until next Monday and wanted to let you know.” Yes, you might need to make concessions for being late if this affects their timelines.

Even if they are frustrated, people will respect you for stepping up and being real with what is going on – and quite often, they are OK with adjusted timelines if they know ahead of time.

The beauty of these four questions is that you can use them over and again. Work through this process every time you find yourself too busy, and ideally, you won’t need to anymore over time.

If you're in the too busy tunnel and having trouble getting out – let’s talk. It's time for you to see the light at the end of the busy tunnel. As an OBM, this is one of my specialty areas, and I’d be happy to hop on a call with you to identify five things that could come off your plate immediately.

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Little Side Note

Here is a link to a Podcast Getting Things Done; David Allen explains the Someday/Maybe List on this episode. 

✁ Just a Snippet 

Here is just a snippet of the important points you know for the skimmer in you. 🤪

  • Being ‘too busy' does not serve yourself, your family, or your clients.
  • We fill it with all our brilliant ideas, things we are thinking about but haven't made a decision on. Those are not actually tasks that need to be done. 
  • Mark any task that is an idea, and we are going to add it to our Someday/Maybes or Ideas list and get it off the to-do list.
  • Create a decision log or decision parking lot.
  • You are holding on to the belief that no one can do it as well as you is a dangerous spot to get stuck in.
  • The goal is simple, get things off your plate that others can do.
  • Book the time in your schedule to get stuff done.
  • Distraction is the death of productivity.
  • You may need to revise your deadlines with clients, team members, or whoever may be waiting on you. 
 

Be Picky About Your Clients and Who You Work With

Be Picky About Your Clients and Who You Work With

by | Online Business

Do you say yes to every client that wants to work with you? Not only will this cause you to be overwhelmed but also it will burn you out, the simple solution is being picky about your clients.

Yes, you should be picky about clients

When you say yes to a client that isn’t a good fit, you may have to say no to your dream client.
Now, I know what you are thinking, I need clients.
But there’s a catch, you have only so much available space in your online service-based or coaching business.
What most people don’t realize we need to keep our yeses for the right people.
Those right people will refer us, to other right people that light us up.

You Can Only Service So Many Customers

But here's the thing if you do not figure out WHO you want to work with.

Who are you trying to help, you'll get stuck wanting to help everybody.

You can only service so many people when you’re just one person in your business.

Guess what happens, it leaves you drained, feeling overwhelmed, and wondering why the heck starting a business showed like a good idea.

Being Picky About Clients Reduces Your Stress

The problem is working with the wrong clients will stress you out.

You’ll never truly make them happy if you both are not on the same page.

No matter how many hoops your jump through for them.

What do you do if they ask for a refund or never pay the invoice on work that has been done?

I speak from experience, it sucks not getting paid for all the hard work you put into a client.

Worst yet, if your gut was screaming no and you still said yes.

Be Picky About Your Clients

Be Selective

I know I'm not the only one that preaches this, stick with me here, because you want to be able to invest in people.

Be selective, you want to work with clients that understand your worth.

When I realized who I wanted to work with it caused me to love running my business.

And the best part is when you appreciate your clients, they appreciate you right back, and that’s the best energy to live in.

Here's the bottom line when you're not in alignment with your customers it drains you.

Agree with me or disagree with me from my experience I’ve found the penny pinchers suck your energy and are NEVER happy no matter all your efforts.

You can look at it like this too

Don't be selfish because you need a client, let them go find an online service provider or coach that is a better match for their needs and expectations.

If they aren’t your dream client, let them go find a service provider that be over the moon excited to work with them.

 

Be Picky, your clients should be a great fit for you

I promise God will test you, right before your ready to breakthrough, he will send you a test to challenge if you are truly ready to breakthrough or if you'll choose to stay low.

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Little Side Note

When we take on every client we may need to do some inner work. Here is a post about imposter syndrome that could be beneficial.

Imposter Syndrome, that feeling of who am I to...

✁ Just a Snippet

Here is just a snippet of the important points, you know for the skimmer in you. 🤪

  • You need to be picky with who you work with as an online service-based or coaching business.
  • But here's the thing if you do not figure out WHO you want to work with. Who are you trying to help, you'll get stuck wanting to help everybody.
  • If you’re not picky about your client, guess what happens, it leaves you drained.
  • I know I'm not the only one that preaches this, stick with me here, because you want to be able to invest in people. You want to work with clients that understand your worth.
  • Working with your dream clients caused you to love running my business.
  • And the best part is when you appreciate your customers, they appreciate you right back, and that’s the energy to live in.
  • Here's the bottom line when you're not in alignment with your customers it drains you. Agree with me or disagree with me from my experience I’ve found the penny pinchers suck your energy and are NEVER happy no matter all your efforts.
  • I promise God will test you, right before your ready to breakthrough, he will send you a test to challenge if you are truly ready to breakthrough or if you'll choose to stay low.
  • If you're saying yes to clients that aren't a good match for you, you're saying no to your dream client. Because you low energy will not be attracting them.
  • We need to keep our yeses for the right people. Those right people will refer us, to other right people that light us up.
  • If you need to gain clarity on who you should be working with, join the waitlist for the clarity muse membership. It's a community of service providers getting clear on who they serve, what they offer, and who they are as a business owner.
How do you gain clarity in what to offer as a service provider?

How do you gain clarity in what to offer as a service provider?

by | Online Business

Friend, do you have clarity in your offer as a service provider? What I mean is, do you have your service offering set up in complete done for you packages, or is it trading dollars for hours?

I have notebooks filled with ideas of all the different offers I could create. The keyword is could. Now, I know what you’re thinking why would you not want to create different offers you could reach more people?

In the past, I would have whipped it out. These days I take it a bit slower and think it through if the offer is truly in alignment with my team and values.

Our offers are unique to each of us

Here is the thing, when I started out I was scared that my offer would be too similar to other service providers. Here’s the truth our offers are unique to each of us.

Why should something easy, get so hard?

But, why is clarity in your offer as a service provider feel so hard when it should be easy?
It's not just coming up with the idea for the offer to provide to our clients.
Once we figure out what to offer we have to get clear on what the offer actually entails.

Things to consider

What are the things to consider with your offers? Will the offer be based on a bucket of hours? I think you’ll agree with me when I say, that's the easiest and the best place to start.
The problem is hourly doesn't allow for growth and leads down a path of burnout. The trading dollars for hours.

So what’s the solution?

Our offers need to be based on an outcome we are providing, the finished service is the true value.
Let me elaborate, a business owner makes the decision to outsource to a service provider because they want to focus on the things that only they can do. Service providers allow them to do that.

clarity in your offer as a service provider

Let’s find clarity in your offer as a service provider

Consider, what service you love to provide that you can package up? It’s one that follows a repeatable process each and every time.
Here is an example, if you love social media and it’s been your lead source how can you make that into an offer?
More than likely your repeatable process is; build your content calendar, organize your post in your content library, figure out our calls to action, picking and creating graphics, tracking analytics.
The trick is to figure out those repeatable steps you do to move from start to done.

But how do you pick your offer?

This one is generally right in front of you, but because you’re so good at it you don’t release that not everyone is. I know funny, right.
Is this your offer? If not, why?

The next big question is

I know what your thinking, how do I figure out what to charge? How much time, energy and effort are you saving your future client with your package?
Let's consider two things business owners will pay for the outcome, how valuable do they perceive your offer in relation to their time, energy, effort, and what do you want to make in your business?
The solution is simple, you need to look at your cost for providing the service. How many hours will it take you to do all that work and simply add on a time buffer. It was suggested to me when I started to add 15% to each of my packages. When you provide strategy with your packages make sure to bump that percentage up.

The Money Game

With my OBM certification, Tina has you play what she calls the money game. The money game is one of my favorite things to do.
It’s a simple spreadsheet, showing how the package pricing breakdowns down toward your revenue goals.

Did this get your wheels turning?

Now, this is important. Do it soon and redefine the offer as you go. Take that messy imperfect action.
Do your research on different types of offers and pick what works for you.

l

Little Side Note

If you'd like to get some money game magic, book a clarity breakthrough.

Here is the link.

As a heads up, spots are limited.

✁ Just a Snippet

Here is just a snippet of the important points, you know for the skimmer in you. 🤪

  • Clarity in your offer as a service provider is different for all of us.
  • Something so easy feels so hard.
  • It’s not the idea for the offer that can be the stumbling block.
  • Figuring out what we want to package in our offer can take a bit of time to get clear.
  • While hourly is the best place to start, long term it leads to burnout.
  • Offers are based on an outcome.
  • Start with what you love, how can you turn that into an offer.
  • The offer needs to be repeatable with a clear start and finish.
  • When pricing the offer consider the time energy and effort you’re saving your client to focus on the things that only they can do in their business.
  • Break down the numbers to figure out how they align with your revenue goals.

 

Need help with creating your offer book a clarity breakthrough session.