While I think investing money in coaching is essential, I am also a product of the Soviet Union.
[tl;dr*: One hour free call with me happening soon, click HERE to sign up // Listen to the recording or read the write-up of the last YYQ below]
This means I was brought up by parents (and grandparents, and aunties, and uncles) who love FREE STUFF. Sometimes, that means speed-clearing the toiletries in a hotel bathroom (and, let’s be honest, from an unattended housekeeping cart) like a one person plague of miniature shampoo bottle-loving locusts. And sometimes, that means seeing where you can get a free version of services that other people pay for…
In the spirit of this, once a month, I run a free call called Yes Yes Questions. Part-Free Business coaching, part-Live Advice Column, it’s an hour where you get to ask me ANYTHING YOU LIKE, without the usual price tag that comes with my services. And the next one is coming soon! Want to get some free advice of your own, and sit in live on the next Yes Yes Questions? For dates, details and the secret link to join, pop your details in below or Click HERE.
And to whet** your appetite in this episode I answered these:
1. How do you know if your niche is niche enough?
2. How did you become an entrepreneur? What led you to that path and how did you go about learning how to be one?
3. How do you fake your niche if you feel like you can help EVERYONE?
4. Howwwwwww do I ask my friends and family to help me spread the word about my business?
5. Any advice on keeping up positive momentum when you get a setback?
6. Is there a place where speakers hang out or go to?
7. I want to speak at conferences! How do you stand out when applying to do this?
…and here’s the recording from last time:
And here is an overview of most of the questions asked then and the answer I gave!
1. How do you know if your niche is niche enough?
To find your niche, don’t worry too much about demographics. Focus more on what the pain point is. I.e., what is the problem you solve as it is understood by the people you help?
If, when you tell people that you solve that problem, they are getting excited, like “OMG! THAT’S TOTALLY WHAT I AM / MY SISTER / THIS PERSON I KNOW AT WORK IS SUFFERING FROM!!” it’s probably niche enough. They won’t do that if you say “I help people with things!” so don’t be afraid to get specific.
2. How did you become an entrepreneur? What led you to that path and how did you go about learning how to be one?
This is a question I could spend 400 years answering, but the cliff notes are that I learned from some very, very smart people. For me, this meant that I:
a. Did Marie Forleo’s B School (marieforleobschool.com). If you’re starting from total ignorant scratch (like I was), this teaches you the building blocks you need (from how to build a website to how to why you need a mailing list)
b. Hired Jenny Shih (jennyshih.com) to do a business coaching session. Plus read all her blogs (the woman over-delivers like nobody’s business)
c. Hired Kendrick Shope (kendrickshope.com) to teach me how to sell (I had no idea) and she rewired my whole brain so I was actually good at it.
I also recommend you:
d. Get on Becca Tracey’s mailing list at https://theuncagedlife.com Because she’s a straight-talking genius when it comes to helping you make your fledgling business work
e. Read and re-read this by Stephanie St. Claire – 11 things I wish I Knew When I started My Business: https://medium.com/@StephStClaire/11-things-i-wish-i-knew-when-i-started-my-business-3dc264023df5
(Note: while I have been an affiliate for some of these people and will be again, right now, these are all non-affiliate links)
3. How do you fake your niche if you feel like you can help EVERYONE?
(i) Look at the venn diagram I made you:
(ii) If you can fix lots of problems, just pick one to focus on and start there. Which one? The Venn Diagram will tell you! (o great wise venn diagram we bow before you)
4. Howwwwwww do I ask my friends and family to help me spread the word about my business? The idea of doing that sounds AWFUL.
Stop thinking of it as hawking your stuff to force people into it, and start thinking of it as doing a service to the people who need it, and letting everyone else ignore you.
Write a mass email to everyone from your personal mail, saying “Hey, FYI I’m doing this now, if you don’t care — feel free to delete this email now and I won’t be IN ANY WAY offended. If you know anyone who is [demographic] who is having [problem they are having] and who wants to get to [thing they really desire in their words], then feel free to tell them they can have a free chat with me by hitting reply or clicking HERE [put in scheduling link]. If you don’t and you’ve read this far — you’re a great friend! I am so lucky!”
And do the same post on Facebook. And if anyone’s a dick about it, know that it says a lot more about them than you.
5. Any advice on keeping up positive momentum when you get a setback?
I just found out an hour ago I did not get a significant consulting gig that I really wanted (and had received inside information that I would be hired…). Ugh… I just want to hide under a blanket for the rest of the day.
1 – if you can, go hide under a blanket! This iSht is disappointing!! And you need to acknowledge and feel that. Don’t beat yourself for feeling bad about it!
2 – Understand that you will be ok (because you will)
3 – Let it give you motivation to move forward and be more successful. Look how close you cam! So next time: you’ll GET IT.
6. Is there a place where speakers hang out or go to? I really wanna photograph more speakers, as well as BIG speaking events.
YES – Heroic Public Speaking Live. It is an AMAZING conference. I went last year and learned SO MUCH. Here’s the (non-affiliate) link:
http://heroicpublicspeaking.com/live
7. I want to speak at conferences! How do you stand out when applying to do this?
1 – Put some information in the first paragraph that shows you’ve done your research on the conference. Even if the rest of the email is the same copy/paste one you send to other people, MAKE SURE that you put something particular to them in. Eg: Say something you specifically like about their conference
2 – Think about what the audience’s pain points / desires are. Tell them how you can solve them / help them reach those.
“I know that your audience is interested in XYZ…In my talks/workshops, I address this by doing ABC to get the audience to EFG.”
Those are the short versions of the last YYQ’s Q’s! Want to hear the whole thing? Click on the recording above!
Do YOU have a question that you’d like to ask me for free? Get details about about the next Yes Yes Questions (and how you can ask a question via email then get sent the recording) by popping your name and email in here:
You’ll also join the Yes Yes Questions Family, which means even more free advice via emails, AND I’ll throw in my guide — The Magic Bullet For Storytelling — FREE! You can unsubscribe literally whenever you want)
And either way, what did you think? Did one of the answers above make you go OH! Or even UM, SRSLY?? ? Let me know in the comments below!
Thanks so much for reading. If you know anyone who has recently asked you one of the questions above, you can share this blog with them using one of the round buttons below, or if you’re feeling super-lazy, just click HERE to share on Facebook
You rule!
Xx (Yes Yes) Marsha
*it means “Too long; didn’t read”. I know, I had to look it up, too.
**I find this word disgustingly onomatopoeic.
Photo credit: Raj Eiamworakul on Unsplash
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