Why Do Entrepreneurs Need To Keep Coming Out Of The Closet?
This month my guest blogger is Linda Basso, marketing coach extraordinaire! Linda is one of my favorite people and if you don’t know her, you should! She has that marketing guru super power combined with being a down to earth coach. I love her blogs, which are packed chock full of information and insights, that support us to be more inspired and more successful. She has given me permission to share her recent musings on branding. Here’s Linda! ——
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Just when you thought you had your brand in place—Bam!—it’s outdated. The work you’re doing today has evolved from what it was and your marketing message doesn’t fit anymore. But, just the thought of revamping your website, brochure, business cards, and everything else leaves you exhausted. Take heart. Things are moving along the way they should be.
WHY DO WE ENTREPRENEURS—ESPECIALLY PURPOSE-DRIVEN ONES—NEED TO KEEP COMING OUT OF THE CLOSET OVER AND OVER AGAIN?
We are always growing. There’s nothing static about our lives, and as we encounter new experiences and challenges, we change our outlooks and upgrade our beliefs. It stands to reason that as we mature, so too will our approach to our business. A lot of purpose-oriented entrepreneurs are on active paths of self-growth, which propels us toward growth and change.
Ongoing contribution demands relevance. Times are changing. Technology and tools are changing. Culture is changing. Things that weren’t possible or relevant before are suddenly in the forefront of everyone’s mind. If you are driven to make a contribution, you want to make it now, not yesterday. So you and your business must be relevant to the times in order to do so.
The picture reveals itself bit by bit. If from the beginning we saw the whole picture of what we contribute throughout our business lives, we’d likely run away screaming. But when revealed over time—as we are ready—we can stretch into it rather than run away from it. As we gain new insights and skills at each stage of our business, we gain confidence and knowledge. And over time we step into the unique contribution we came here to make.
HOW DO YOU COME OUT—AGAIN—WITH GRACE?
Accept change as a fact and plan for strategic reviews of your business and personal life. Is your business still in alignment with you as a person, and vice versa? You won’t be able to make the contribution you’re here to make if the personal and business sides of your life are in conflict. The time it takes to review your business mission today pays back tenfold in a feeling of peace, assurance, and congruence. Plus, there is the bonus that it’s easier to get new business when the personal and business aspects of your life are in alignment.
Understand that your marketing messages and brands are organic. This means you must build a skill set to make updates to your messaging and brand that span where you were and where you’re going. Constantly rebranding or changing your message willy-nilly isn’t recommended. If you don’t have that skill, hire someone to assist you. It’s not just true for entrepreneurs. Big companies do these upgrades regularly too. Google “brand logos over time” and you’ll see what I mean. Changing over time is a truth for all businesses, big and small.
Face your fears head on. Is it uncomfortable to constantly reveal ourselves to others? Yep. Not only that, it takes work and brings up all kinds of inner questions about being accepted as you make change. Will my current clients stay? Will people understand my new direction? Should I just stay where I am? These are all questions that indicate that you are uncomfortable and possibly unsure. You can take heart in knowing that it’s totally normal. Dig through your tool bag and find a way to work through it, or bring someone in to assist.
So chin up, fellow entrepreneurs! We’re all going through this together. We all have our own purpose, a unique contribution to make. It’s important that we keep doing the work to move toward it. Change is a sign that things are going in the right direction—in our personal lives and in our business lives as well.
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Feel like you're an entrepreneur coming out of the closet again? Do a 90-minute marketing strategy session with Linda for only $227! You'll save $70 and $30 will be donated to Sloan House women's shelter in Santa Rosa. Linda combines marketing strategy with your Human Design chart to give you solutions to increasing your impact—and revenue! http://www.lindabasso.com/superpower
Linda Basso is a marketing coach who supports purpose oriented entrepreneurs in bringing a practical spirituality to the business of marketing. You can reach her at linda@lindabasso.com or visit lindabasso.com or join her at facebook.com/marketingwithconnection