I was having drinks with fellow coaches after a conference. We were laughing and chatting around a circular pub table when one of them said she’d been watching my business focus shift over the last few years as I’d moved from talking about the Transition Town movement and Green Party MPs to “how to make money”.

Passionately, she looked me in the eye. “You’re a parasite! You sold out.”

I could have been offended. But the funny thing is, I understood where she was coming from. If I had been her, I might have felt exactly the same. I might have thought that people who make money by helping others make money were like players in a pyramid scheme.

And it dawned on me: “Oh… you think I care about the money! You think that because I help people make money, my passion is for the pound signs. You think I stopped caring about all those things I used to talk about – like stewardship of our planet and community cohesion and personal empowerment – and started caring about money instead.”

Have you thought this too… about yourself?

I heard this perspective from the lips of someone else. You might have had a similar experience, or you might have noticed an internal dialogue along these lines, a little voice in your head saying that you’ll be judged as “selling out” if you start making really good money doing this good work. That your generosity and big heart will be polluted by focusing on profitability. That you won’t be a good person anymore if you care about making money. That you might go for a drink and get called a parasite.

So, this feels like a great opportunity to articulate the extent to which I care about money, and why it’s so important for you to focus on profitability.

Ready?

It’s precisely because you’re not doing it for the money that means you need to make good money doing this good work.

I’ll say that again: you’re not doing it for the money, and so it’s important that you make money.

You’re not doing it for the money – and yet until you earn a solid, consistent income doing what you love, you can’t keep doing this work. You have to do other work that is less fulfilling in order to pay the bills.

It’s not about the money and yet until you make money, it’s about the money. See the irony?

We need to address the money piece so that we can get back to what it’s really about. By keeping an eye on the profitability of our ventures, we can enable our work to truly be not about the money.

We have to allow the money struggle to fade away. We have to allow the other soul-depleting jobs to drop away. When you sell out your workshops, your sessions, your classes – that’s the only kind of selling out that is happening.

When you sell out in this way, you can forget about the money and focus on what truly matters. (Which is what – for you? Just pause right now and remember and know that you won’t lose this passion when the money starts flowing in. In fact, you’ll have far more brain space for it.)

By paying attention to money, we actually make money less important.

Here’s a parallel example… I used to lead an LGBT (les-bi-gay-trans) youth group in Cambridge. We met every Tuesday evening in a cosy room with sofas, games, books and hot drinks and we’d chat about school, careers, new romances, upcoming events, family issues – all the usual teenage stuff. One day, one of the boys said to me, “I love coming here precisely because it’s not about being gay. That bit which always marks me out as different at school? It’s just invisible here. It’s normal, it’s a given.” Because sexual orientation was the primary focus of the group, our time together became about everything other than sexual orientation.

By focusing on money to a healthy degree, you can make your life’s path about everything other than making money. You’ll find yourself free to focus on the people you are here to serve, the passion you are here to share, the unique message that is yearning to come through you.

I have a vision that one day it’ll be so normal for people to earn a healthy living doing work they love that I never have to write or speak about this subject again! Mine will be a redundant perspective, because it’ll be so obvious to everyone that it’s the only way a happy, thriving society can work.

And until then, while it’s still a rarity, I’ll keep doing this work and helping you with the kind of “selling out” that matters.

Over to you

Is it “selling out” to make good money doing good work? Is this an internal belief, or one you’ve inherited from others?

Or have you found that receiving a healthy income doing what you love is liberating and allows you to focus on what matters most?

Leave a comment below, join the discussion.

p.s. I have space for two more 1-1 coaching clients. If you’re keen to make enough money so you can dedicate your time to what matters most, click here for details. Or come and be inspired by a few of these Success Stories to get a sense for what coaching support could help you achieve.

Want to receive alerts about these blog posts to your inbox, plus hear about special offers? Subscribe to my free newsletter here.

© Corrina Gordon-Barnes, 2012

And yet, if she doesn’t let people know about the workshop, she feels she’s letting them down. She knows she needs to give them the opportunity to hear about it and decide for themselves if they want the benefits. She also knows that if she doesn’t sell enough places, the workshop can’t run and she won’t get paid and she’ll feel less confident about leaving the job she hates.

How can Alice promote this great offering without becoming an annoying spammer?

And how can you promote your products and services, authentically and freely?

The key is to promote to an email list that has given you permission to do so

You’ve probably heard marketing coaches (like me) banging on about your “email list” like it’s the be all and end all for growing your business. And in many ways it is. One reason is that a professionally managed email list (in other words, using software like Aweber or Mailchimp) is one of the strongest vehicles for “permission marketing”.

Let’s backtrack… Once upon a time, the world became saturated with what’s known as “interruption marketing”. A lot of the marketing messages we’re confronted with on a daily basis would fall into this category – for example, an advert on the side of a bus, in a magazine or on TV, or a flyer you get through the door.

These “interrupt” your experience. You didn’t ask to see a large film poster on the bus stop, you were enjoying looking at the scenery going past. You may have absolutely zero interest in that film – for example, it’s a horror film and you hate horror films.

“Permission marketing”, on the other hand, is about communicating with people who have said they want to hear from you. They voluntarily give you their email address (for example, by signing up on your website or on a sheet of paper you pass round at an event) because they want you to send them useful content. They know that much of this content will be free (like blog posts, videos, webinars or teleclasses) and that some will be information about paid offerings. That suits them just fine because the services you’re offering are likely to be useful for them – they’ll be solutions to needs they have.

If you have felt uncomfortable emailing people about your offerings, it’s important to check your set-up. If you’re using your regular email account (like Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo or AOL) and are sharing the information with all your contacts, it can feel like spamming because those people haven’t asked to receive the information. It’s unsolicited and they also don’t have an easy, polite way of unsubscribing.

With a professionally managed email list, people can easily unsubscribe. They can take their permission away at any point – namely, by clicking the “unsubscribe” link in any email you send.

This means that anyone who stays on your list is telling you that you can keep communicating with them. So, do!

Disclaimer: Maybe some interruption – or disruption – is okay

Even with permission marketing, you are still interrupting in a way – in a good way. You are interrupting the reader’s norm with the message that something else is possible for them. You are disrupting their notion that things have to stay as they are: stuck, painful, unsatisfactory or unfulfilling.

This was an insight I got from one of my brilliant one-to-one coaching clients, Nancy Murphy Spicer, who supports women who are mothers to create space for their own life and passions. When promoting her new workshop Pamper Your Soul & Claim Your Passion she realised that her promotional messages had a positively disruptive impact. She says,

    “Maybe that’s what this work is about for me… disrupting the norms of how mums are expected
    to operate… giving endlessly and selflessly to others. Yes, I want to disrupt those notions!”

Could you disrupt the notion that back pain or RSI is forever? Could you disrupt the belief that divorce is the only solution? Could you disrupt the notion that writing a book is hard or that a stammer will always hold someone back?

Just as your subscribers are giving you permission to market to them, give yourself full permission to let others know about what you offer. Give yourself permission to disrupt their unsatisfactory norms. Take this as your mantra: “It’s okay to let people know I exist and that I have something of value to offer”.

Over to you

What ways of marketing are you already using that feel “permission” based? When marketing has felt icky, was it because permission wasn’t there? How do you imagine it would feel different to communicate with people who actively want to hear about what you offer? Leave a comment below, let us know…

(And if you’re a mum who’s aching for time for YOU, then do check out Nancy’s upcoming Pamper Your Soul & Claim Your Passion workshop, taking place on Saturday 19th May in London. Feel it will positively disrupt a way of being that doesn’t work for you? Book your place!)

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© Corrina Gordon-Barnes, 2012

She tried going to the gym and that worked for a while but it’s quite a drive from her house, plus she feels self-conscious exercising in front of people. She spent a fair amount on an exercise bike but it’s become somewhere to hang clothes; there’s a set of dumbbells languishing under her sofa, gathering dust.

So, she thinks personal training might be the answer. And in her city, there are several trainers who look pretty good, one of whom is even personally recommended to her and who she has emailed.

But she hasn’t hired anyone yet. (And this is a big deal for your business, as you’ll see.)

Alice could be the focus of viable business niche because she ticks the key three criteria:

1. She knows she has a need. (Acutely so, uncomfortably so.)
2. She’s prepared to take action towards meeting that need. (As well as spending time on previous purchases, she has recently spent hours Google-searching for local gyms, boot camps, trainers and exercise classes.)
3. She’s prepared – and able – to spend money to meet that need. (She earns a decent wage as a paramedic – about £27,000 per year – and has a good amount of disposable income.)

So, with these in place, why on earth hasn’t Alice hired a personal trainer already? She’s aware, she’s in action, she has the money – why not just commit and get moving?

Because Alice doesn’t want to look silly.

Alice is not silly. She’s a highly intelligent woman, excellent at her job and respected by her colleagues. When it comes to fitness, though, she can’t seem to crack it. And she’s not convinced that these slim, toned, smiley women in lycra are going to understand why it’s so hard for her. She’s got a sneaky suspicion they might actually laugh about her with their other slim, toned friends when they go out for drinks.

She’s also anxious about their recommended diet regime. They all say to eliminate coffee but she can’t imagine surviving her busy work day without her regular cups. She also wants to be able to celebrate a pending promotion by getting drunk, but all the trainers seem to insist on no alcohol.

She’s happy to exercise in her home but she’s worried a trainer will want to take her running outside; she gets on with her neighbours and doesn’t want them to see her red in the face and panting and to think differently of her.

Alice is a very ready buyer. She’s an easy-spender in many areas of life (when buying DVDs, books, holidays, art for her house) but with this area, she has a whole backpack of concerns. She’d need a massive dose of empathy and reassurance that she’s normal before she parts with her cash, but when she receives that, she’ll happily part with hundreds or even thousands of pounds to address this issue once and for all.

What does Alice have to do with your business?

Everything. Whatever your line of work, there is a large percentage of your potential ideal clients who really want what you’re offering, the price is fine for them (do not automatically drop it! Price is often a red herring) but who won’t reach out to you – and certainly won’t hire you – if they think they’ll look silly.

So, it’s very worth knowing the “silly” concerns that your prospective clients have. Do they feel too fat (or old, or inflexible, or pregnant, or recently out of cancer treatment) for yoga classes? Are they embarrassed about releasing wind while on your massage table? Are they worried coaching will get them even more confused than when they started? Are they unsure whether they can have reflexology because they have a verruca?

It’s 100% worth knowing these concerns. Your prospective clients think they’re silly and unusual; you know they’re quite normal and easily addressed.

In the group business-building teleprogramme I lead (Turn Your Passion To Profit), we tackle this. For example, in Classes 2 and 3, we identify those people you’d love to help who are ready to take action and spend money and we figure out how to find them. I’ll teach you a beautiful soft-sell way of getting into conversations with them and hear their concerns so that you can package what you do to meet their needs (Class 4). And in Class 5, we look at how to use empathy, understanding, reassurance and hope in your marketing so it’s easy for potential clients to say “yes” and pay you.

My people think they’re silly too

I’ve had so many conversations with women who are keen for business guidance, like-minded community and accountability, yet have concerns before committing to group programme support. Here are just a few (see if you can identify…):

• She doesn’t want her partner to say, “Hey, you just spent thousands of pounds of our family budget on training as a coach, osteopath, speech therapist [fill in the blank] – shouldn’t you earn some of that back before spending out again?”
• She worries she’s too far along the self-employment path (or too much of a beginner) to benefit fully
• She has no idea what a “teleprogramme” is (or she knows and dislikes technology, or fears she won’t get the hang of dialling in, or can’t understand how 12 people can all be heard on one phone line)
• Although she craves it, she’s nervous about group accountability. What if she can’t follow through and her group mates think she’s feeble?
• She’s seen there are fortnightly group calls and can’t make all the dates and times

I’ve been helping women go successfully self-employed for years and I’ve heard all these concerns plus dozens more. They’re not silly and they’re not unusual. The group programme is now running for the fifth time and if you want to speak with me about enrolling, please know: you won’t surprise me and I won’t think your concerns are “silly”.

Instead, when we chat, we’ll be able to discern which are valid reasons for not having this group support right now, and which questions I can quickly answer (for example: it doesn’t matter if you can’t make all the dates and times because each of the 12 group calls is recorded for you to download at any time.)

Make it your mission

Beautiful Alice wants to lose weight and she has a sneaky suspicion personal training is the way forward. But until she gets to see that her concerns are normal and can be easily answered, she’s going to stay where she is: stuck, carrying more weight than she’d like, not feeling as good about herself as she could.

Likewise, your potential clients want something that you can help with. So make it your mission to find out what they want, what concerns are getting in the way of them hiring your help, and reassure them that they are normal and their concerns are not so silly after all.

Over to you

When have you wanted to hire someone, or buy a product, but didn’t get your concerns answered? Did you part with your cash anyway, go elsewhere, or did your needs remain unmet?

How do you (or could you) reassure your prospective clients that their concerns are normal? How do you (or could you) show you understand and empathize with them?

Leave a comment below, let us know…

Want step-by-step business guidance?

If you love the idea of doing marketing in a way that’s about connection and hope and empathy and if you were intrigued (and relieved) by the idea of “soft-selling”, then check out the details of the group programme, fill out the form and let’s have that conversation > > (NB There are only 4 places left and we start in a few weeks so if you feel this might be what you’ve been looking for, do fill out the form now so we can speak as soon as possible. I’d love to connect with you.)

Want to receive alerts about these blog posts to your inbox, plus hear about special offers? Subscribe to my free newsletter here.

© Corrina Gordon-Barnes, 2012

But, as one of the participants on my current Turn Your Passion To Profit programme recently asked, “What should you literally do when you’re there?”

Here are three keys to networking your socks off so your time is spent as effectively and enjoyably as possible:

1. Find ways to give

Let’s say you meet Amy at an event and you get chatting. Old-school networking would say to interact for a little while, make sure she has your business card, and move on so you can get round the whole room. The thing is: that approach isn’t particularly effective – or fun.

Instead, as you talk to Amy, find out as much as you can about her so you can answer the question, “How can I make this person’s life better?” Get curious about what Amy is looking for. What she cares about. What she’s up to in the world. What themes are showing up in her life. Anything in particular she’s struggling with.

As you listen, you’re likely to start getting a sense of where you could add something of value. Have you just watched a TED talk she’d really love? Do you know someone you could introduce her to? Have you read (or written!) a blog post that would be super helpful to her, or been to a restaurant or shop that’s a perfect for her style or interests?

Ask for her contact details so you can stay in touch after the event and make a note of what it is you want to send her, or who you want to connect her with – and when you get back home, do just that. Be useful, focus on giving.

2. Offer your missing person’s poster

Here comes that moment when Amy asks, “So, what do you do?” If you feel your stomach sink at the thought of having to make yourself sound interesting, here’s the key: Talk about your ideal clients, not you.

Through your words, you can paint a Missing Person’s Poster: a description of your ideal clients that carries with it the whisper of a question: “Have you seen this person?”

So, you might say, “Well, I work with working mums who feel frustrated and guilty about not spending enough time with their kids or at the office”. Or, “You know how healers can actually find the spiritual path pretty tough? And they get fed up with all the fluffy, wishy-washy platitudes they hear in the mind body spirit arena? Well, I love giving them the practical, down-to-earth support they need.” When Amy hears you describe your ideal clients in this way, she’ll naturally get thinking, “Oh, that’s me!” or “Oh, that’s my mum, my friend, my brother – you have to help them!”

I’ve been to several networking events this week and have met amazing practitioners. Now, when I meet a yoga addict who has had an injury and is desperate to get back on the mat, I’ll send them to Graham Stones for one of his specialist massages. When I meet a single woman who’s wondering why she’s not attracting the right partner, I’ll send them to Corinne Blum for her coaching support.

You know the experiment Pavlov did with the dog, the bell and the drooling? Make it your mission to be so clear about who you serve that when Amy (or whoever you’re talking to) meets your ideal client, she’ll instinctively think to refer them to you. (And she’ll be able to get back in touch with you or pass your details on because you got in contact with her straight after the event, remember?)

3. Think bigger

Tad Hargrave + Jason Stein hanging out at a networking event for conscious, heart-centred business owners

Think longer-term and also recognize that you are part of a much larger movement. For example, a doula, a Nonviolent communication teacher and an acupuncturist might all share a passion for parents-to-be staying in loving connection with each other during the last stages of pregnancy. A raw food teacher, a yoga teacher and a Five Rhythms teacher might align around the shared “your body is your temple” outlook. There is the possibility for magical win-win cross-referral wherever this happens.

Depending on the size of the event, you might not be able to speak with everyone. Instead, imagine yourself as a magnet, being attracted to (and attracting) those people who are most aligned with your bigger purpose. Rather than rushing round the room playing the numbers game, allow yourself to spend time connecting more deeply with people who feel like like-minded allies, soul brothers and sisters. (Not meeting any of these people at the networking events you’re going to? Choose other events!)

Your part in our jigsaw

Each of us has a group of the population to serve. We’re each one piece of the jigsaw. We each have our unique place in this interdependent web of life. So, go to networking events prepared to be inspired – to find out who else is out there, playing their role, doing something to make a slice of the world more beautiful. When they hear what you’re up to and who you’re set up to help, they will love to refer your ideal clients to you.

Over to you

How do you feel about networking events? What successes (or horror stories!) or tips would you like to share? Leave a comment below, let us know.

Not yet clear what your slice of the world is?

If you’re unsure how to articulate your Missing Person’s Poster because you don’t yet have clarity about your ideal clients and how you can help them, here are a few options:

• Listen to this FREE audio recording, “Do I Really Need A Niche?”
• Get the book Turn Your Passion To Profit which walks you through step-by-step how to identify and connect with those ideal clients who would love to pay you
• Check out the next group programme starting in a few weeks (and if it looks like the support you’re after, fill out the form on that webpage so we can have a conversation)

Want to receive alerts about these blog posts to your inbox, plus hear about special offers? Subscribe to my free newsletter here.

© Corrina Gordon-Barnes, 2012

If self-employment is feeling more like by-your-self-employment, then here’s some good news: There’s an easy way out of the one-man-band trap and it’s all about asking for help.

Click the picture below to watch my conversation with communication maven Jason Stein (of Heart of Business) on this topic:

In this 24-minute video, you’ll discover how to allow more collaboration and delegation. You’ll find ways of making the most of other people’s natural desire to contribute and help you grow your business.

(Be sure to watch till the end of the video to hear about Jason’s upcoming workshop in London. Yes, this Portland guy is bringing the Heart of Business magic over this month. I’ll be there; you?)

I’d love to hear from you. Do you stop yourself from asking for help? Are you concerned that people will say “no” or feel burdened, or that you’ll lose some of your power? Leave a comment below, let us know.

And I’d love to hear your wish-list! If you could ask anyone for anything at any time, what would you ask for? Let us know in the comment box below – you never know who may be able to help…

Do you know someone who’d love to read this or contribute to this topic? Please email them this link: http://youinspireme.co.uk/2012/how-to-make-self-employment-easier-1 and also share this post on social media. I’ll love you forever (and they will too).

New here? Want to receive alerts about these blog posts to your inbox, plus hear about special offers? Subscribe to my free newsletter here.

© Corrina Gordon-Barnes, 2012

Are you wondering why you ever thought running a business was a good idea? Is fear, self-doubt or overwhelm eating you alive? If you’re finding it harder than you’d imagined to get started or stay committed, here are seven rocking reasons why it’s absolutely worth walking this path.

1. You get paid to grow

Okay, strictly speaking you get to claim your business expenses against tax. But much of that expenditure – travelling to meet an awesome new business contact, taking a training course about public speaking or creating your brand – has countless bonus features in terms of your personal growth. When you’re self-employed, you have a valid excuse to develop. Many of the books you used to buy for fun are now tax-deductible.

You also realize you are your greatest asset and therefore it’s not over-indulgent to spend time and money on healthy diet, exercise or self-care choices. Massage anyone?

2. You can’t get sacked

Sure, clients come and go but you’ll generally be working with different people from different avenues so you don’t have all your eggs in one basket. In a recession, you can simply adapt your offerings so they’re bite-sized or more time-leveraged (for example, groups or products rather than just 1-1) and your self-employment ship can keep on sailing.

There’s great security in knowing you are resilient and flexible. You can move with your Tribe’s needs, finding resonant match after resonant match. The possibilities for earning income are endless.

3. You get to transform your mess into your message

I heard this from Suzanne Evans of Help More People and it’s so true. Any past struggles, misery, despair or failures all become fodder for creating a more positive present experience and helping others. (Check out this video from fellow coach Nicky Moran who was beeped off Britain’s Got Talent by Simon Cowell and has used her story to help us transform our relationship with failure.)

Your past becomes useful. It informs your story, provides your compelling “why”. It also deepens your empathy and compassion for others.

4. You can get up when you want

You can snuggle under the duvet on darker mornings or jump up with the early Spring sunshine. Whatever time you wake up, you’re excited about the day ahead, full of ideas and eager anticipation. No-one else dictates where you have to be at what time; you don’t have to contort to someone else’s schedule. If you work better at 6am or 11pm, then you can. You’re autonomous, independent, an adult.

You can choose to spend time outside, soaking up all-important Vitamin D and breathing in fresh air. You can fill your kitchen with your favourite foods and eat in tune with your hunger. You can build energizing exercise into your daily routine. You can sit in cafes with your laptop, drinking smoothies, or have lunch with a friend. You can take holidays when it suits you and you can fit your business around your family life.

5. You get to work with who you choose

Your ideal clients rock your world. They’re a delight to spend time with. You also get to surround yourself with amazing colleagues – both within your business when you grow and hire team members, and also like-minded fellow solopreneurs. You can meet such inspirational people through being self-employed and bask in the sense of collaborative, mutually supportive community.

Turn Your Passion To Profit group celebration lunch (2011)

Forget moaning, bitching and complaining at the office water cooler and instead imagine celebratory tweets and delicious get-togethers. You’ll find the most phenomenal people coming into your life when you’re aligned with your true path and the most authentic version of you.

6. Your self-esteem gets a massive boost

When you’re fully using your talents and receiving glowing feedback, your confidence goes through the roof. You find your true voice is what people are yearning to hear and that it’s okay to express all of you, with utter authenticity. You feel truly “on purpose”, doing the work you were born to do.

Research has found that lottery winners often don’t feel fulfilled. I believe that’s because one of our deepest needs is to contribute, to give our gifts and talents to help others and feel worthwhile. When you run a needs-based business, it’s so satisfying because you realize: “I matter”. You’re receiving a healthy income as you make a difference in others’ lives.

7. You get paid to do what you love

Isn’t that the dream? And it’s also real. It’s absolutely possible to earn a healthy, sustainable income through doing what comes naturally, what flows through you with passion and joy.

This means the future is exciting; you’re day by day living out your visions and goals. Retirement loses its appeal because you get to live the life you want now. And you feel proud that you are growing, emerging, evolving and creating the future you desire.

Take a moment to pause and soak up all of these reasons, knowing that we’ve barely scratched the surface. Self-employment is a rich journey; feel how all of this is possible for you, if you choose it.

Your turn

You know why self-employment rocks. You’re either walking this path or yearning to, so join the discussion – leave a comment below and let us know: What do you love about self-employment? What makes it worth it? Let’s celebrate what’s awesome – oh, and feel free to celebrate what’s awesome about you for walking it too!

I want you to be successfully self-employed

If you’re thinking, “Yeah, okay, I know why self-employment is so cool but I don’t know how to actually make it work”, then you’re in the right place. I’ve made it easy for you to get this ship sailing more smoothly.

** Special Valentines offer **
It’s time to lose the overwhelm and confusion and get clarity. Give yourself the gift of one “I-love-me” Clarity Session and I’ll give you one “I-love-you-back” session, totally for free. Self-employment rocks and I want you to be able to enjoy it so sign up here.

Want more?

If two sessions aren’t enough and you want the full ride, then the Turn Your Passion To Profit group programme may be perfect for you. Imagine 12 inspirational people, all committed to running a happy, profitable, successful business, getting on the phone together once a fortnight, discovering cool, easy-to-implement strategies for business-building, having “Aha!” moments and breakthroughs, and busting through procrastination. Imagine feeling confident that you know, step by step, how to get paying clients knocking at your door.

The group ride starts again in May so book your consultation now. Seriously, why would you wait? Simply fill out the questions at the bottom of this page and we”ll chat. Even if you decide it’s not the right time to do the course, I’ll have loved connecting with you and helping you get clarity about your next steps. Click through here > >

Want to receive alerts about these blog posts to your inbox, plus hear about special offers? Subscribe to my free newsletter here.

© Corrina Gordon-Barnes, 2012

If you’re self-employed, there’s a high chance at some point along the journey you’ve asked yourself, “Why is all this so damn hard?”

This may have included some shouting, screaming, hair-pulling, crying, throwing yourself around your house or bewailing to your partner or friends.

Yes? Been there? (Trust me, you are not alone.)

Okay, on the one hand, it’s obvious that the path of self-employment means there’s a lot to do. If you want a financially viable business, you’re basically creating a job for yourself and doing the job. You’re working in the business and on the business.

And that naturally involves a fair amount of hours, a considerable degree of brain power and enough creative juice. You don’t get to just lie about twiddling your thumbs, waiting for the cash to come flowing in.

But although your days can quickly fill up with clients, website updates, social media activity, strategizing, accounts, networking, follow-ups, giving talks, writing articles, maintaining a blog, designing packages and creating programmes, it’s actually not those tasks themselves which makes self-employment “hard”.

No. It’s when the inner demons come out to play

Posting a status on Facebook turns out to involve a whole lot more than ten seconds of typing. It triggers the fear of visibility, the yearning for acceptance, the desire to be “interesting enough”.

Sending a promotional email about your new workshop reminds you far too uncomfortably of inviting your school friends to your birthday party and feeling so mortified when only five of them showed up.

Pitching an article to a magazine reminds you of applying to university and getting the rejection letter. Following up with a prospective client takes you back to how awkward you felt when you clumsily told your crush you liked them and they said you weren’t their type.

These undercurrents aren’t always conscious, which is why we’re often left wondering what on Earth is wrong with us and why these basic business activities feel like walking through treacle.

They feel so hard because they wake up those little demons which decide to bounce around on your table, on your computer screen and inside your mind. Having stuff to do isn’t a problem. You’re intelligent, capable, talented – you can handle that. Having stuff to do which tugs on long-ago pain and brings with it an avalanche of emotion is a whole other matter.

So, be compassionate with yourself

Recognize you’re taking a brave path. Acknowledge that self-employment is as much about personal growth as it is about professional fulfillment or paying the bills. Give yourself a massive pat on the back. You’re birthing something here and birthing isn’t always pretty. But it’s worth it.

When the demons come out to play, pause and give them some attention. Sit with them for a while. Get curious about what needs to be looked at. Find what’s really making this task “so damn hard” and know that patterns can be changed and you are resourceful.

What tasks that “should” be easy have most plagued you, as you go self-employed? What remedies have you found? Leave a comment, let us know…

A brand new toolkit + a tried-and-tested programme

If you’re feeling anxious on the turbulent path of self-employment and want to feel more secure, check out the new Creating Safety Toolkit.

If you’re feeling isolated and want to share your business-building journey with like-minded others, check out the Turn Your Passion To Profit group programme (new dates just released; next group starts May 2012).

Want to receive alerts about these blog posts to your inbox, plus hear about special offers? Subscribe to my free newsletter here.

© Corrina Gordon-Barnes, 2012

I live in Cambridge, England. I have a piano but was frustrated I couldn’t make progress with sheet music. Then I discovered Ryan’s awesome business Play Piano King and now feel enthusiastic about tinkling on the ivories.

But this blog post isn’t about music. It’s about how your business can be found by total strangers and it comes down to this:

Stop trying to find clients

“Huh? But aren’t I reading this to discover how to find clients?”

No. It might seem like semantics but there’s an important distinction between trying to find clients, and positioning yourself to be found by people who are already looking for you.

Out there, whether down the road or on the other side of the globe, are people who already know they want or need something that is an exact match for what you most love to offer.

These people are your “Tribe”. They are already looking for you. They’re asking their friends, they’re looking on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and on forums, and searching on Google. They’re eager to get their needs met, find relief or get their situation resolved and they’re prepared to take action and spend money to meet this end.

Your mission is to know who these people are and what they’re looking for.

What are they looking for?

The first websites I found promised to teach me classical piano: Beethoven, Mozart, Bach. I wasn’t looking for that.

Ryan stood out because he focuses on helping people who don’t want to play classical piano. His Tribe love him because he teaches popular modern songs by singers like Rihanna, Coldplay and Adele.

What are your Tribe really looking for? Here are some examples:

– “I want a massage but I hate the idea of stripping down to my underwear”

– “I want to learn yoga but I’m not sure if I can practise during pregnancy”

– “I’m in an unhappy same-sex marriage and feel alienated by opposite-sex relationship advice”

– “I’ve got Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) and want it to go away, not just ‘be managed’”

Pause and consider who is looking for you. And what specifically are they looking for?

Know how they search

Once you know what your Tribe are looking for, consider how they are looking.

I didn’t search for ‘piano teacher’ or ‘piano lessons’. Instead, here’s what I typed into Google:

how do you get good at piano
piano playing rusty
improve piano playing
playing contemporary piano

These aren’t the most obvious search terms but these were the words and phrases I automatically went for when thinking about my needs.

Likewise, your Tribe might not search for the “thing” you offer (like Pilates or coaching, or massage) but instead express their situation (for example: losing my fitness, hate my job, back ache).

Watch what you type when you do a Google search. It’s interesting to notice the words and phrases you instinctively go for.

Now, imagine being one of your Tribe. What would they type? It’ll make more sense to optimize your website for these words and phrases than for very popular search terms like “life coaching”.

Let them know they’ve reached the right place

When someone new reaches you or your website, make sure they realise they’ve found what they’re looking for – and that they can call off the search.

You can achieve this through a simple yet powerful marketing message. Check out Ryan’s to see how he uses empathy, (“I know it seems almost impossible to learn the piano”), offers hope (“You do not need to know how to read sheet music”) and fills his new visitor with excitement (“After you learn a song, you will be ready and able to play it anywhere”).

What could you say to a total stranger to reassure them they’ve found what they’ve been looking for?

And finally…

Once someone has found you, give them something. Always: give before you expect to receive.

I got hooked on Ryan thanks to his free online taster videos. (If I want more in-depth tutorials, that’s where the $97 comes in).

What could you give your new visitor? A free article, report or audio recording?

Choose something that will give a total stranger a taste of how you can help them – and make it easy for them to come back for more.

So:
– Know who is looking for you
– Know how they’re looking for you
– Reassure them they’ve reached the right place
– Give them a free taster so they come back for more

How have you already been found by total strangers? How would you like to be found? And how have you discovered other brilliant companies or service professionals? Leave a comment below, let us know…

Not sure who’s looking for you?

It’s frustrating to be unclear about your Tribe. If you’d like step-by-step support with gaining clarity and getting into action, check out the support options available > >

Want to receive alerts about these blog posts to your inbox, plus hear about special offers? Subscribe to my free newsletter here.

© Corrina Gordon-Barnes, 2012

I sat down and ate it in 45 minutes and felt deeply satisfied as a result.

Confused?

Let me explain…

Now and again, a book alters your brain so much that you can never think how you used to think. For me, one of those books is Eat That Frog: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time by Brian Tracy. Do you know it?

If you’re like most of the women and men I work with, one of the great challenges in self-employment is how to actually get stuff done. You’re setting your own hours, you’re the only person who can decide what matters most. There’s no job description to follow so you choose your own criteria for success.

The problem is – procrastination takes hold. You feel swamped by the multitude of possibilities, drowning in a never-ending To Do List. You’re chasing your tail, driving yourself crazy by never completing those projects which you desperately want to complete.

Procrastination can make the difference between staying in business and enjoying profit and success… and having to throw in the towel and get a job. I want you to enjoy the success and profit so here are four of Tracy’s key principles that can have the most impact for the self-employed:

#1 Have clear, written goals

You’re the only person who can decide the direction of your business. What do you want to achieve? Decide exactly what you want. Write it down. Set a deadline for your goal. Make a list of everything you have to do to achieve your goal. Organise the list into a plan. Take action on your plan immediately. Resolve to do something every single day that moves you towards your goal.

Tracy: “An average plan vigorously executed is far better than a brilliant plan on which nothing is done.”

Strangely enough for a coach, I used to avoid setting goals. I wasn’t confident I would achieve them so it felt safer not to commit to them. I now realise that goals felt random and uncertain because there was no clear, step-by-step plan to achieve them. Now that there’s a plan and a clear next action step, goals feel completely different – and I trust they can for you too.

#2 Plan the priority tasks for each day in advance

When I entered my office this morning, there was only one sheet of paper on my desk and on it was written the highest priority task. I didn’t check email, I didn’t browse the internet, I didn’t do filing. I plugged straight into that task and completed it. It wasn’t negotiable. I didn’t think, “Now, what would I like to do today?”

It’s a straightforward system. You identify the next action to take in your step-by-step plan towards your biggest goal and that has highest priority. Tracy calls this task your “biggest, ugliest frog”. This brilliant metaphor was inspired by the old saying, “If the first thing you do when you wake up each morning is eat a live frog, nothing worse can happen for the rest of the day”.

#3 Practise the ABCDE method continually

Tracey encourages you to divide tasks into categories:
A – Must do. Very important, big consequences.
B – Should do. Mild consequences.
C – Nice to do. No consequences.
D – Can delegate.
E – Can eliminate.

Many of us go self-employed because we crave freedom, the chance to do what we enjoy. But if we fill our day with lots of C tasks – for example, hanging out on social media, having lunch with our friends, reading blogs – we simply don’t have time for the A and B tasks that would actually move us closer to our business goals.

The short-term pleasure of Facebook is not as compelling as the long-term pleasure of achieving our self-employment dreams.

#4 Single-hand every task

Multi-tasking is not all it’s cracked up to be. When you’ve got your big frog in front of you, focus on that exclusively. Don’t answer the phone, don’t check email. Just work at that frog until it’s all eaten – and you’ll feel amazing.

So, I hereby declare 2012 the year to eat frogs. If you’ve set a resolution to “be more productive”, “get more stuff done” or “stop procrastinating”, then put these principles to work. Identify your biggest, ugliest frog and eat it before you do anything else. Your business will thank you and you can enjoy a highly productive, fulfilling 2012.

If you want more details, do buy or borrow a copy of the book. Also, here’s a cool little video.

What books on productivity do you recommend? What are your most effective strategies for getting stuff done? Leave a comment below, let us know.

Oh – and we tackle procrastination head-on in the Turn Your Passion To Profit group programme. Do you want to get your business moving in 2012? We start on Monday! See if any places are left > >

Want to receive alerts about these blog posts to your inbox, plus hear about special offers? Subscribe to my free newsletter here.

© Corrina Gordon-Barnes, 2011

A few hours after publishing the latest blog post, How To Get Paid 1,000 Times, I had a similar phone call from a coach who’s been wanting to get her business off the ground for years. She said: “Reading your post, I decided I couldn’t keep going like this. I realised I have to do something - so that’s why I’m reaching out.”

We humans are pretty resilient. We soldier on. We don’t want to admit we need help, we don’t want to burden anyone. We want to be self-sufficient so we delay doing that “something”.

But at what point do you decide to make that call?

When is enough enough?

As a person wanting to be successfully self-employed, this is the kind of “enough” you’re likely to have had:

• Enough of not knowing which business step comes first.
• Enough of feeling overwhelmed and out of your depth.
• Enough of feeling isolated and alone on your self-employment journey.
• Enough of your partner calling your passion an expensive hobby.
• Enough of not reaching the people who need you.
• Enough of not fulfilling your potential and having your biggest impact.
• Enough of shuffling by financially, rather than enjoying money being easy.

If enough is enough and if you’re done with struggling on your own, please take advantage of the support that’s waiting for you.

The next Turn Your Passion To Profit group programme starts on 9th January, giving you six rich months of business-building guidance and like-minded community. You can decide to make 2012 the year you become clear, supported and able to move into profitability.

I’m ready to have more phone calls with people who’ve decided that enough is enough. Will one of them be with you?

There are only 4 places left on the January programme and if one of them is yours, claim it. Reach out now. Enough is enough.

Click here, read the details, fill out the form.

Want to receive alerts about these blog posts to your inbox, plus hear about special offers? Subscribe to my free newsletter here.

© Corrina Gordon-Barnes, 2011